A peaceful scene as Snodgrass and Winkle sit at their desks eating Rosie's cyber cakes and donuts from PlainandSimple. Snodgrass stands and admires his reflection in the full length mirror on tacked to the office door.

Snodgrass : You know Winkle old chap, people seem overly interested in the location of Elladan's other tattoo. Wouldn't it be a hoot if it ended up on some place perfectly innocent like his ankle?

Winkle : It could be somewhere…er…sensitive…that's why he wouldn't speak about it.

Snodgrass : You have a filthy mind Winkle old chap. But I suppose you could be right. Does this suit make me look fat?

Winkle : How did we get from Elladan's tattoo do how fat that suit makes you look? By the way, did doesn't make you look fat, it makes you look like an gargantuan heap!

Snodgrass : Oh! And I thought that orange and silver were my colors!

Winkle : Not in horizontal stripes!

Slayer3 : Down with the Green Day CD and step away from the twins! That's right step away from the twins! There's a Elrohir and Elladan fan club?

AnnamariahI am sure that I got all A's and B's on my tests and there I am not joking! As to Ioreth, I personally find her annoying, but she's in the story and I have to put up with it.

NolitariWhy shouldn't elves get tattoos anyway? I was going to get one, but then I realized that there is just no way to make me any more dashing then I already am! As to "minor infractions" who cares if the stories good! No, seriously thanks a bunch for letting us know! Kisses!

faeriekittie306 animeloverPoor old Faramir, I wouldn't want Emily for a mother anymore then he would if he was awake when he said that. As to whether or not Elrohir likes Barbara well…wait and see!


crazyroninchicOMG! I LOVE THE TWINS TOO! WHY AM I WRITING EVERYTHING IN CAPITELS? KEEP READING!

AraelMoonchildElves are cool! Sugar is cool! You are cool! And so are your reviews!

Pancake : I love replying to your reviews because I love your name! I love the Emily too but what can we expect from a crazy blood sucking steward? Oh, sorry that whole blood sucking part was made up. I'll see what I can do about more OC's for you. Kisses and here's a handkerchief.

AmfmchicWe heart reviews and Faramir! Keep reading!

theycallmemaryI will kill any who dare to call you Mary-Sue, just let me know who they are! The twins are just too-too aren't they! Opps no pun intended.

Indigo-Moon : (Missing the cotton wool already) Of course we forgive you darling1 We always do don't we Winkle? Oh, never mind he's eating a donut. Keep reading!

chelseypudge (Gives non-girlie yell) We will keep it up for you guys! We love you!

PlainAndSimpleI don't know what to say! We are hugely flattered that you were so interested in our story! But darling don't kill yourself over it! Then we won't have you beautiful little reviews! And you may "stuff" as much as you please!

Eruanna92 : Review soon! You are awesome!

Carlithirel AmaranthaDarling you almost scared us to death with your review! Are you related to Elrond in any way? EVERYONE NEEDS TO READ THIS LADY"S REVIEW ON OUR FIRST CHAPTER! DO IT PLEASE! DON"T MAKE ME BEG I WON'T YOU KNOW. There are you happy darling?

Primevera TookWe love you cake! And Yes the lucky stiff who reviewed before you is lucky to know my beautiful self and that of my friend Winkle. Love you Primy!

Erasuithiel : We love your very insightful reviews darling. However we cannot always promise to do what you ask. We write as we feel the story lead, and you don't really want Boromir dead do you? No wait, don't answer that! I hope we made the deadline even if we didn't we're sorry because Winkle has been gone, traveling all over the US. Keep reading!

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Barb's POV.

Have you ever walked onto a stage? Your hands are damp, and your knees feel weak, even if you're like me, a totally non-shy person. All the people in the audience stare back at you, their blank faces the page upon which you will fill with joy, sadness or, Eru forbid, boredom.

But do you remember the tiny second, right after you clear your throat, and before you take a deep breath…the quiet. It's as if the black, velvet curtains behind you have swept over the entire auditorium, stilling every sound.

That is what Dimholt was like.

Unlike Moria, which was full of dripping noises, the fluttering sound of wings when a bat would dive-bomb your head, or the slightly childish complaints of Pippin, Dimholt was eerily silent. I should say the hill of Dimholt, we had reached it around mid-afternoon. You know that time, when it's so warm and humid you feel as if you cannot move.

The first sight that met our eyes was a skeleton. I am not joking. A few steps lead to the wide opening that seemed to grow out of the looming hillside. Slumped over them, almost as if whoever "it" was had lain down to sleep, was a long, white skeleton, crumbling with age.

"Hmm." I said, peering down at the pathetic heap "I don't think that's a very good sign."

"I don't think it was meant to be." Boromir muttered.

It was weird, but the closer we got to Dimholt, the guys had slowly begun to surround me, like a protective shield. So I couldn't see much, since I'm short, and with the exception of our dear Gimli, they were all much, much taller than me.

"Who do you think it was?" I asked.

Then Aragorn proceeded to tell a really creepy story about some old geezer that a some random person had found sitting there, and after saying something like "This is the point of no return," he croaked. Just keeled over for no reason. Probably a stroke or something like that.

"And we're walking in there?" I said incredulously "What're you, off your meds or something?"

"If you wish to turn back." Aragorn said seriously "This is your last chance, no one would blame you."

That is what he said out loud, but I could read the follow up in his eyes "No one would blame you, you're just a little girl, have a pat on the head."

"Ok, I'm coming."

Someone behind me snorted.

"Estel." Elladan said, rolling his gray eyes heavenward "That was probably the to surest way to make her come." Aragorn stared at him with a sarcastic expression on his face for a few minutes. Finally he said

"I know that Elladan, that's why I said it. Do you honestly think I wanted her to travel all the way back to the Rohirric camp alone?"

That little! I mean, that big sneaky…wait a minute, I did want to come to Dimholt anyway. Everyone conspires against me.

"Well," I said with an exaggerated sigh "Now that you've all managed to make me feel like a complete nuisance, I suppose we can proceed into Doomland."

We tried anyway.

But the horses, being smarter than all the rest of us, were very, very stubborn, and kept trying to pull away. Poor Arod was shaking all over, and tossing his head, practically whimpering if a horse can. So Legolas was like "oh my poor, sweet baby, is oo scared of oo big cave? It's all right, Daddy will take care of oo! Yes he will!"

Actually he didn't. He just patted Arod's mane, and sang a little song to him ( is oo scared of that cave? Is oo?) until the horse finally calmed down. Hmm, maybe I should act scared once in awhile!

"I'm glad Legolas finally got the stupid horse to calm down." Elrohir remarked, as we proceeded into oo scary cave "Because if he hadn't, we would all probably be standing there, listening to him crooning over the idiotic thing."

"Arod is not an idiot." Legolas said defensively, "He is simply a very high strung animal, not like your mindless brute."

"My mindless brute does what it's told, and that's that." Elrohir said, lifting his chin with a superior look.

"Your mindless brute broke my foot three years ago." Legolas narrowed his eyes, until they were slitty as a cats.

"Elven bones can break? Man, I thought you guys were perfect. How'd that happen?"

"Because Legolas is just an utter…" began Elrohir

"Because Elrohir's horse is the…" Legolas interrupted

"Hey, guys, look, an oliphaunt is ready to throw a giant watermelon at you!" They both froze, and looked around for a minute, then back at me. I crossed my arms over my chest, in a school teacher "who threw that spitball at me way".

"Look dudes." I said "Maybe the ghosts of men don't freak you out, but they sure as heck scare me. And I'm fairly sure that Aragorn, Boromir and Gimli would say the same. So please, please try and be elvenly quiet, and confident looking? Wave your bows around, or something like that."

"Wave our bows around?" Elladan said with a stupefied expression on his face "Why would we do that?"

"I'm sure I don't know, darling." I said dismissively "Luck favors the prepare"

"I think luck favors those who are quiet, and don't chatter so much." Gimli said grumpily.

"Exactly." Boromir's glare dared anyone to say one more thing.

"One more thing." I chimed in, smiling up at him. He couldn't kill me, he was married to my older sister.

"Barbara, you know what Emily would do to me if you died in here." Boromir said warningly.

"You'd be in the dog house." I said helpfully.

"I would be dead. So please try to restrain yourself." Boromir looked at me, a little desperately, and I melted, poor guy. "Is Oo missing oo ikkle bikkle wife? 'es Oo is!"

"Ok, ok, I'll be good."

"That'll be the day." Someone said.

Someone was going to die.

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Emily's POV.

It was late.

It was very late, and no one was in the throne room when I came into it. Either everyone was in bed or was getting ready for the coming siege. I looked at the throne, it was made out of black marble shot with grey swirls.

Denethor's chair was empty, as I said, and so I sat in it. "I sure hope that I don't get killed for this." I muttered, then I had the most ghastly vision of myself being thrown from the peak of the citadel for sitting in the steward's chair. I slid to the floor and leant against the chair instead. I wanted to sleep, but I knew if I tried that I would be wide awake.

The room had a splendid echo and being the sue that I am I hummed and then quietly began singing in the silence of the chamber. I love the echoes that chased around the corners of the room as I sang Pippin's song from the movie. You all know the words so I won't rewrite them here. I guess it was enough to say that the words had a totally different meaning to me then ever before.

I pulled my knees up and buried my face in the folds of my gown. It smelled like a closet and faintly of wind because of the time I had spent outside.

"Here I was worried about you all this time, and I find you at the feet of the throne." a voice said quietly. I looked up and saw, to my relief, Gandalf in his long white robes. He leaned on his staff wearily and his kind blue eyes smiled at me.

"You look just like Finduilas in that gown." he commented next. I sighed and said nothing. He sat next to me and set his staff across his lap.

"It must be hard knowing how helpless we are in this city, isn't Gandalf." I said, I ran my finger along the polished length of the staff and noted that there was a knot hole in the wood near the bottom of the rod. I felt like laughing at the idea of the wizards staff having faults.

"Yes, today as I met with the different soldiers and officials I couldn't help but realize that many of them will not live through the siege." he looks at me and says, "But you know all this, the burden must be just as bad for you."

I felt a knot of anxiety tighten in my chest and said, "Well, Boromir…"

"I won't worry about him..." began Gandalf. I really couldn't take another, "Don't worry about your husband he can take care of himself" kind of speech.

"You are more needed here, Denethor seems to dote on you."

"I'm tired of being doted on and trying to keep people happy Gandalf." I said, then I got the creepy feeling that someone, somewhere was listening. I remembered the palantir. So I had to switch modes and fast.

I stamped my foot on the floor and swished away saying, "Just mind your own business Gandalf, you may have some hold over Faramir, but I am not about to fall under your sway!"

Gandalf sat there and for a few seconds stared at me as though I had grown another head. He actually had his mouth open a little in shock, then he blinked and said, "But Emily I.."

"And you may call me My Lady for this day forward, I will allow no such formality with me. Now be gone to your rooms before I summon the guards to take you!" I stood and drew myself as tall as I could and tried to look threatening.

He stood with the air of one who is totally and utterly confused( how odd, Gandalf was rather like that when we first met him) and bowed saying, "Very well, my Lady, I take my leave. I hope that whatever has caused this…falling out will end soon." he looked at me again, "Very soon."

As he left I felt like my last friend was leaving me in the lurch and what was worse was the fact that I had been forced to bring it about. Gathering my skirts into my arms I headed for a certain staircase that I knew lead to Denethor's tower room. If he was using the planatir then I was going to do something about it.

Like spy!

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Barb's POV.

Long ago the Men of the Mountain swore an oath to the last King of Gondor, to come to his aid, to fight. But when the time came, when Gondor's need was dire, they fled. And so Isildur cursed them, never to rest until they had fulfilled their oath.

I swallowed hard, and gripped my sword more tightly. We had been traveling through the empty grey passages of Dimholt for what seemed hours…and nothing was happening.

No, we didn't just walk for about fifteen minutes, and suddenly we were there. No, and as hour after hour passed…the tension was beginning to build. It's like that game where you stack up those little sticks of wood and pull them out, one by one, trying to avoid breaking it.

Did I mention I have mild claustrophobia?

As we walked, the path began to become more and more narrow, until we were walking single file, and Gimli was a bit squashed since he's so wide, and Boromir was scraped up since his shoulders were so broad. Naturally that didn't bother Aragorn, since he's more tall and lean, and I don't even have to mention our slender elven friends.

"Is it just me, or is getting darker in here?" I whispered.

"It's darker…and colder too." Behind me, Gimli gave a very slight shudder. He seemed more affected by Dimholt than any of us, and despite his normally stolid personality, the strain was beginning to show.

"I wonder what happened to my flashlight." I murmured, more to myself than anything. "If I had to guess, it's probably back by that stream, sitting there in my backpack. Then some random person will come along, and be convinced it was the magic lamp of some great wizard…if they even now how to turn it on. Wait a minute, didn't I have my…oh no, I left my poetry notebook in that thing!"

"Poetry notebook? I didn't know you wrote. Hmm, that might explain a few things though." I bristled at Elladan's remark.

"Now what is that supposed to mean?" I asked.

"Well Elrohir writes, and I've always said that-

"Elladan, you promised not to tell anyone!"

"I didn't tell anyone, I just told her."

Elladan's voice had a distinct hint of laughter in it. Why that big-then I realized something. It had been Elladan's voice earlier, making that equally insulting remark. Make mental note, Elladan has one coming…

Well, he "got it" in about three seconds. As a rule, I almost always stare at the floor when I'm walking through very dark caves to avoid stepping in anything. Like…bones…puddles…that sort of thing. To make it simple, I was not looking where I was going, and walked straight into Elladan.

He has a very bony back.

"Ow." we said simultaneously. I suppose he thought I had a very hard head.

"Why'd we stop?" I said, rubbing my poor abused head.

What had "happened" was that the narrow path which we seemed to have been traveling for days had widened out, becoming almost street width. The ceiling stretched upward, seeming to fade away into blackness. But that isn't what was frightening.

To the left of the path, was the tall, figure of a man, clad in armor that was layered thickly with dust. The cry that rose in my throat was choked away by an overwhelming sense of fear…of dread.

Only a skeleton remained in the empty shell of metal; it was bent on it's knees, gauntleted hands outstretched, clawing at what looked to be the faint outline of a door. Deep scratches gouged into the dull rock testified to his desperation…I could almost hear him, breath coming in ragged gasps, blood trailing from torn fingertips…a last, wild attempt…then sinking to his knees in defeat.

This was Dimholt.

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Emily's POV

The staircase was long and icy cold as I crept along it. The only light was the one ahead that seeped out from under the door of the tower room. In the little light I had created a creepy atmosphere around me or maybe it was the growing sense of dread that hang over everything.

I could hear sound coming from the room, a kind of painful and hopeless crying as the light flashed and shifted. If there had been any doubt in my mind about Denethor using the seeing stone it vanished at the sight of that weird glow.

I wasn't even sure what frightened me more the thought of the coming attack of the knowledge that Denethor was so afraid even he was crying! I mean come on, what a Sue!

I knelt down by the door and peered under the thick wooden entrance. At first I didn't see anything because I was blinded by the blaze of red light that filled the room before me. Then slowly I could make out feet and the edge of Denethor's heavy black robes and chain mail.

I pressed closer and to my horror the door wasn't latched and swung forward revealing me where I knelt! I was frozen in place for a moment but Denethor didn't seem to see me as he gazed into the glowing orb in his hands. When I made out what he was gazing at I felt my heart jump into my throat.

It was as if you had taken the Fellowship of the Ring and fast-forwarded to the death scene of Boromir and muted it. That was what Denethor saw, he was crying heavy gut-wrenching sobs and tears chased each other down his face, staining his robes. Whispering filled the room and seemed to writhe around me, dominating every sense and I heard a voice speak,

"Such is the doom of all Gondor and the world. Nothing can be done to save your people son of Ecthelion. Since even your pride and joy was smashed by my might then what hope can you have to save any other?"

Such an overwhelming feeling of evil pervaded the chamber and I felt all my strength seeped away as I tried to fight it. It's a strange feeling to be touched by something o purely evil and it was like being wrapped in freezing bands of utter loneliness. Despair was the foremost thought at emitted from it.

But as soon as I felt the cold touch of Sauron I remembered all the good of the Elves and Rohan and Lothlorien and I felt the strength of the foggy evil weaken.

I found my eyes fastened on the seeing stone and saw that I was displayed there. Denethor cried out and said,

"No! No! I beg of you! She is my last hope please touch her not! I swear that I will not fight you if mercy is shown for her! I beg of you, I beg you!." he cried and clutched the stone closer to him.

Horror bubbled up in me at the thought of Gondor's defense falling for me! I should never have come! I should have stayed at home and only worried about things like nail polish and which movie would be coming out that weekend.

"But you see I cannot have mercy on one who carries the potential for creating another enemy to my rule. No, I will crush her as well and you may do nothing to save them. Despair Denethor, and weep for your lost nation!."

The stone discharged another flare of icy light and the room was plunged into darkness thickened with the presence of Sauron's malice. I lay on the floor too weak to do anything, the stone was so cold that my skin burned where I came into direct contact with it. I heard Denethor scrabbling around on the floor as he stood to his feet. I heard the sounds of his ragged breathing and words muttered under his breath.

"I must…try to save…Gondor…Faramir…save the people…Faramir…hopeless wizard's pupil…my sons…my daughter…no hope…Must save the city! I must!"

A flicker of a match being lit and then a lantern came and I saw Denethor's sweat dripping face suddenly hard and flinty. His shaking hands were the only things that spoke of his overwrought emotions. I tried to call to him but my throat felt raw and painful.

"No one will take Gondor from me…nor my sons…son…no one!"

He stormed across the room and seeing me lying there he pulled me up by the bodice of my dress his eyes blazing with hate, I don't think that he knew me as he spat out his words with as much hate as if I was Gandalf.

"No one will take my son from me! No one, do you hear me! The end is coming and you like all others will fall under the tide of never ending blackness. Think not that hope lives for it died as we all will come the fall of night!"

He threw me back and I hit the wall before slipping to the floor pain exploding in my body from the impact. As the light from Denethor's lantern disappeared I felt utterly and totally alone in the room. Faint sounds of people building came from the windows but ever and always the sound of despair ruled the wind.

I lay trying to pull myself up and away from the dark and vile room, but my limbs had other things in mind, like sleep. I felt myself drooping more and more as my vision grew dark.

My tears froze when they hit the floor