Denethor sat in his chair for what seemed like ages. He still believed that had his sons' places been exchanged, then there would be some hope in winning the war. He was still sitting there when Lord Imrahil entered the room an hour later.

He had a kind of melancholy face expression mixed with concern. Denethor immediately questioned "What do you want?"

Imrahil replied " Your son has returned, lord, after many good deeds".

"Then why didn't he come up here and tell me for himself"? He was really not very happy that Faramir seemed so incapable of coming up to tell him the outcome of the battle himself, especially when there were still plenty of Orcs to deal with out there!

"Well…" he began, "He took a nasty injury and was unable to come up himself". He then proceeded to tell Denethor everything that he had seen on the field.

Denethor just couldn't believe it. So, is he alive or not? I like to know these things, including how many men we lost and if my own son survived or not. WOW, that's the first time I've referred to him as such in years.

"So, did he survive?"

"I know not milord. A couple guards from the lower level are bringing him up here as we speak."

At that moment Denethor rushed out the door into the courtyard where two young guards were carrying a stretcher with a motionless body on top of it.

"Faramir!" he said running toward his son and seeing him exclaimed "Please say not that he has fallen".

I will NOT lose BOTH my sons one month apart from each other! I will NOT accept this!

At that moment Prince Imrahil explained "They were outnumbered, none survived."

Denethor just couldn't believe it. He started to back up away and cried "My sons are spent. My line is ended."

Pippin moved closer to Faramir and placing a hand on his brow he said "He's alive!"

Denethor continued "The House of Stewards has failed!"

"He needs medicine my lord!"

He is DEAD! NOTHING will save him now!

"My line has ended!

"My Lord!"

Denethor looked over the wall to see an army of at least 10,000 down below.

I thought Rohan was going to come helpl us. So where are they?

"Rohan has deserted us. Thèoden has betrayed me!".

There were screams from down below as the orcs attacked.

After a moment of contemplating possible options, he screamed "Abandon your posts! Flee! Flee for your lives!"

He turned around to see Gandalf behind him. He hit him in the stomach with his staff and twice on the back until he fell down.