Disclaimers: I don't own any of the characters or settings from Lord of the Rings or Xena the Warrior Princess

Author's Note:

This is a LegoRomance (slow-burn)

~ LXV: The Houses of Healing ~

Minas Tirith, 3019 TA, March 16

With the exception of a few droplets from a passing cloud, the rain had ended. The moon was only visible as a 'by-shine' through the Pelennor Fields up to the city, the moonlight and low light found at night and twilight, but the whole lower city was still shrouded in a thick stench. Already, men laboured to create a path through the remnants of the conflict, and now, some carrying litter emerged through the Gate. The corpse of King Théoden was draped in a large fabric of gold and black velvet, and he was surrounded by torches whose flames, pale in the moonlight, fluttered in the breeze. Those who observed bowed in reverence. The body of the King passed over stone-paved streets.

The red dust and heavy mist were fainting away. The lights of the torches in front of him flickered, as he was walking in a darkness Pippin was looking for Merry. Pippin had found an Elvish cloak and a brooch. He sought Merry, through the fields hoping to find his friend alive. Merry's eyes were filled with tears and weariness, behind him the ruined Gate of Minas Tirith. And Finally, at the side of a dead Mûmakil, Pippin noticed Merry. He was injured, but very much alive.

"Well, Merry! Thank goodness I have found you!" Peregrine called out, as he leaned above his friend "Merry! Merry, it's me. It's Pippin!"

Merry, who was between the dream and real worlds, was confused. His eyes were certainly fixated on Pippin, but his mind was unresponsive. After many minutes, his eyes expanded and he exhaled. "I knew you'd find me."

"Yes. Poor old Merry! How glad I am to see you again! But you are worn out, and I won't bother you with any talk. But tell me, are you hurt?" Pippin asked as he was checking over Merry to see any injuries.

"Well, no, but I can't use my right arm, Pippin, not since I stabbed him. And my sword burned all away like a piece of wood." Meriadoc answered as he tried to sit up with Pippin's help.

Pippin's face was anxious as he noted his friend's injured arm "Well, you had better come with me as quick as you can. I wish I could carry you. You aren't fit to walk any further."

"It's not always a misfortune being overlooked. Help me, Pippin! It's all going dark again, and my arm is so cold." Merry said asking for Pippin's aid at this difficult time of his.

"Lean on me, Merry! Come now! It's not far." said Pippin, as he let Merry rest against him.

"Are you going to bury me?" said Merry leaning against Pippin.

"No, No, we are going to the Houses of Healing," Pippin replied with a cheerful tone, not wanting to sound petty. "There Merry, the houses sit on a circle of the city, near the tunnel to the Citadel, surrounded by lawns and trees."

As both were exhausted, they turned around, Pippin still assisting his companion step by step. They exited the road that ran between the towering homes and the fourth circle's outer wall and rejoined the main street leading up to the Citadel. Pippin attempted to keep Merry awake until they reached the Houses of Healing by speaking to him. Soon afterwards, Gandalf came in quest of them. He bent over Merry and Pippin and stroked his forehead before gently lifting Merry.

Merry reclined on the grey linins at The House of Healing. As he slept, his eyes were closed and his breathing was sluggish and somewhat irregular. He was really pale and chilled. He seemed to be all but dead; he had all but perished. The wizard, followed by Pippin had brought him inside of one of the houses of healings to take care of his wounds.

Merry was laid in beds in the Houses of Healing, and there he was tended well. In the Houses of Healing, the old Healers were still wise, and skilled in the healing of the wound and hurt, and all such sickness as east of the Sea mortal men were subject to. Another hobbit sat beside the wounded, sleeping figure. He was still in his Gondorian armour watching as the healers with Gandalf's aid were trying to clean up Merry's injury and bandage him.

Yet, not all wounds could be treated. Their art and knowledge were baffled; for there were many sick that would not be healed; and they called it the Black Shadow, for it came from the Nazgûl. Gandalf had to summon Aragorn, who had better knowledge of Morgul-wounds inflected by the weapons of Sauron's greatest servants — by those of the Nazgûl.

Unfortunate, Merry was not the only one inflected with the curse of the Black Breath. Faramir and Éowyn bore the Morgul-wound as well. Gandalf went from one to the other full of care, and he was told all that the watchers could hear. An old wife, Ioreth, the eldest of the women who served in that house, looking on the fair face of Faramir, wept, for all the people loved him. She was taking care of Faramir's wounds and was more than glad to find him alive.

Aragorn after Merry, also went first to Faramir, then to the Lady of Rohan. He scanned through, their bodies and noticed their wounds. sighed as he acknowledged "Here I must put forth all such power and skill as is given to me. Would that Elrond was here, for he is the eldest of all our race, and has the greater power."

"Rest first, and eat a little?" Éomer said, but he was worried about his sister. And the look on his face, told another story, then the words he had just spoken.

"Nay, for these three, and most soon for Faramir, time is running out. All speed is needed," he replied to the new King of Rohan. As he turned to the eldest woman asking her "You have stored in this House of the herbs of healing?"

"Yes, Lord! But not enough, I reckon, for all that will need them! But, I am sure I do not know where we shall find more!" she replied as she was still gazing at Faramir.

"I will judge that when I see." said Aragorn "One thing also is a short time for speech. Have you 'Kingsfoil'?"

Ioreth nodded. She was a very old healer and had heard about the healing powers of Kingsfoil. "I do my Lord," she said and went in search of the small portion of Kingsfoil he owned. While Ioreth was gone, Aragorn bade the other women make the water hot. Next, he started treating the wounded and cleaned the injuries. When she returned after she had found the small amount of Kingsfoil and gave it to Aragorn. Using Athelas Aragorn was able to revive Faramir, Éowyn, and Merry.

Merry heard the sound of the footfalls and voices, some familiar and some unknown that were talking in whispers close to him. He slowly opened his eyes and noticed his cousin sitting on his side "Pippin," he said and Pippin leaned against him cleaning his forehead with a clean cloth that was given to him. "I am alive..." he added and drifted into a deep sleep.

"I know Merry, rest now, I am here," Pippin ensured him as his fingers, that were holding the cloth run through Merry's face cleaning it.

A few linins next to Merry lay Faramir. He had opened his eyes as well. He was confused as he had stepped into a very dark dream and was close to his doom. There she once again heard the riddle he had heard in one dream before his brother went to Rivendell to the home of Elrond. Although Faramir had wanted to go for Gondor's sake, Boromir, with the urging of his father, claimed the right to the errand, deeming it to be dangerous and doubtful. Now again while he was close to his own doom, he heard the riddle be spoken in his dream.

Seek for the Sword that was broken:
In Imladris it dwells;
There shall be counsels taken
Stronger than Morgul-spells.
There shall be shown a token
That Doom is near at hand,
For Isildur's Bane shall waken,
And the Halfling forth shall stand.

Now Aragorn knelt next to Faramir and placed a palm on his forehead. Those who saw believed a significant battle was taking place. For Aragorn's face turned grey with tiredness, and he constantly uttered Faramir's name, who had slowly awakened and was trying to connect himself with the living world.

Suddenly Faramir stirred, and he opened his eyes, and he looked on Aragorn who bent over him; and a light of knowledge and love was kindled in his eyes, and he spoke softly. "My lord, you called me. I come. What does the king command?"

"Walk no more in the shadows, but awake!" said Aragorn. 'You are weary. Rest a while, take food, and be ready when I return!"

"I will, lord," said Faramir. "For who would lie idle when the king has returned?"

"Farewell then for a while!" said Aragorn.

"King! Did you hear that? What did I say? The hands of a healer, I said." And soon the word had gone out from the House that the king indeed came among them, and after the war he brought healing, and the news ran through the City. It was the moment when Faramir had accepted Aragorn as the King of Gondor, and the word was spoken through the houses of healings, outside the and beyond the white city. And all soon knew that King was Gondor would be Aragorn.

But Aragorn did not linger around the title, he went on and came to Éowyn to make sure that she was awakened as well. The fair lady of Gondor was bedded next to Faramir. She had woken up as well and Aragorn wanted to make sure she was doing alright.

"Here there is a grievous hurt and a heavy blow. The arm that was broken has been tended to with due skill, and it will mend in time if she has the strength to live. It is the shield-arm that is maimed, but the chief evil comes through the sword-arm," said Aragorn.

Éowyn shared with him a lost smile and nodded. Éomer was silent and looked at his sister as if pondering anew all the days of their past life together. Then Aragorn stepped away living the wounded with their families to rest and heal.

Outside Gandalf and him, met with Legolas, Gimli and Xena. All three had treated their small wounded and joined them to aid the Houses of Healing. Until dawn, all five worked hard treating the wounded soldiers of Gondor and Rohan. They did not stop until they made sure help was provided and all those who were alive were treated.

Legolas, as well as the others, noticed as the human was familiar with treating wounds. Her skills seemed to become a bit better since she had crossed paths with Elrond. And few of her techniques had changed. It was then that she acknowledged that she should have asked the Lord of Imladris to teach her more about healing. But she was so taken back then, only battling the issue of her appearing on Middle Earth and wishing of being dead.

She was so stubborn, that she had missed many opportunities that would aid her to become a greater warrior and healer if she would accept the aid of the elves and even ask them to share some of their knowledge But she had not.

It was dawn when their mission of aiding the wounded stopped and all five of them agreed to seek my rest before they would have a long meeting in the morning about what would be their next move. Gondor had won, but the enemy was still standing, and Frodo and Sam were in danger.

((Upcoming Chapter Sixty-Six)

Thank you for taking the time to read this! Feel free to Review - Follow - Favorite!