Hebo Estel

Chapter Seven: Preparing to Leave

A/N: Hey all. Don't forget to review, because I seem to be lacking in that department... I really just want to know what everyone thinks. Of course, I need to thank LothirielofRohan for being my wonderful and accommodating beta, and Cindy for continuing to review and giving me helpful advice!

"Delyth! Delyth, you must wake up!" a voice said urgently.

Delyth opened her eyes and saw her older sister standing over her. "What's going on?" she asked drowsily. She sat up and wiped the sleep out of her eyes. The fire had gone low, and she could barely see in the darkness. "What time is it?"

Eirien was rolling up her blanket and shoving things into packs. "It is near midnight. Get up, we are leaving."

Delyth ripped off the blanket and swung her legs to the floor. "What do you mean?" she whispered hoarsly, trying not to wake her little sister, Dera

Eirien sighed and rolled her eyes. "Delyth, you must go after Boromir. If you wait any longer, he'll be too far ahead for you to catch up with him. We must leave now."

"Wait," said Delyth, very confused. "We? You're coming too? And how can I follow him, if I know not where he's going? All I know is that he is going to Rivendell, but I do not know where it is exactly."

"That's why we need to catch up with Boromir quickly. If he gets too far ahead, we'll never find him." Eirien said, taking Delyth's blanket and rolling it up. "And of course I'm coming with you, you twit. There are orcs and other dangers abroad. You cannot travel alone."

Delyth sat, stunned, for a moment. Then she realized that Eirien was right; she had to find Boromir and make amends while she could. Delyth grinned at her sister. "You were always the one to do things like this without thinking first. You realize we could be killed, right?"

Eirien grinned slyly, and pulled out her sword, bow, and a quiver of arrows out from beneath her bed. "We will not die, sister. For we are Gondorian women; we know how to protect ourselves!"

When the girls were younger, and they had only one younger sister, Dera, they would go down and out of the city everyday with their mother while their father worked in the kitchen, before he was head cook. The three girls would stand on the fields of Pelannor and watch as their mother demonstrated how to parry, thrust, duel, and aim. Their mother, Essylt, was raised by a soldier of Gondor, who taught her everything he knew about combat. Her mother had taught her everything she needed to know about healing, a trait which she also passed onto her daughters. So the three eldest daughters of the cook and his wife were raised with superior knowledge of warfare and healing, which was rare and uncommon in women. After the fourth daughter was born, their father became head cook, and their mother was always too busy to continue her teachings to her other daughters.

Delyth grinned back, and started gathering clothes and such into a bag she used to keep her things in when she traveled with her parents to Osgiliath to visit relations. She tied her blanket to the bottom of the bag, slung the bag onto her back, grabbed her weapons, and, filled with anticipation, followed her similarly equipped sister out of the cramped room.

"We have to stop in the kitchen and get some food to take with us," said Erien, scurrying through the corridor. The kitchen was cold and dark, because there was no fire. The two sisters grabbed food from all the cupboards until their packs were full and heavy.

"We should bring some more food to keep in our saddle bags," suggested Eirien, filling several canteens with rain water from a barrel.

Delyth nodded, and then asked, "Well, whose horse are we taking? We can't very well steal horses. We would get in serious trouble for that."

"Mirror and Vanui," the older sister replied simply.

Mirror and Vanui were the offspring of their mother's horse, Coal. They were twins, and both girls. They were born almost a year before Essylt died. The two horses were taken care of by all the daughters, because they all loved their mother, and she loved her horses.

As the sisters prepared to leave the kitchen, a figure stood in the doorway, blocking their exit.

"Who goes there?" Delyth asked boldly, unable to reach her sword because her arms were full of provisions.

"Dera, sisters," answered the figure.

Delyth looked closer and saw that it was, indeed, her younger sister. Dera was 16, two years younger than Delyth. She had the thick, wavy, dark brown hair and twinkling clear blue eyes that all six sisters shared. She was shorter, but brave and strong-willed. Her bow and arrows were slung with her bag over her shoulders, and her hand rested on the sword hilt on her hip.

"Dera, what do you think you are doing? You should be in bed!" Erien scolded.

Dera swallowed. "I overheard you two talking. I'm coming with you," she said firmly.

Both the older sisters laughed as if it were a joke. "Dela," Delyth chuckled, "you cannot come with us. Go back to bed, little one."

The two sisters tried to push past Dera, but she growled and would not let them pass. "Do not call me little one," she hissed. "I am only two years younger than you, Delyth." Dera sighed and stepped back. Her anger left her, and her expression was that of a tired old woman. "I must get out of this place. I feel so trapped here. I cannot linger here any longer."

Eirien and Delyth looked at each other, and silently agreed. "Dera," said Eirien, "You may come with us, if you promise not to hinder us in any way, and if you promise to obey us, no matter the circumstances!"

Dera nodded enthusiastically, and heaved a sigh of relief as she followed her sisters out of the kitchen. The three girls scurried down the corridor as quietly as they could. They climbed two sets of stairs, and just as the clock tower struck midnight, they left theCitadel and entered the cool summer night.

A/N: Review, please? (makes puppy dog eyes) (quivers chin)