To Whatever End
The Master
Cellas' Cave, Northern Ithilien
As the rough, brown, stinking sack was untied from around her head, Eowyn shuddered. She was about to come face to face with the vile creature itself.
As her eyes adjusted to dim lighting of the cave, she tried to focus on the silhouette that was taking shape before her.
She looked him up and down, he was in shadow, and should could not make out any distinctive features, but one thing she was sure of, this was no orc, or even uruk-hai. Cellas was a man.
"You are no orc!" she exclaimed in amazement and shock. She had expected, as did everyone, that this organizer of destruction, the one these orcs called 'The Master', would be of the orc strain. But no, this was a human male standing in the dim, and dank cave. Eowyn was stunned into silence.
"Good observation, my Lady. Though form one with such a colorful résumé, as yourself, I had expected something... hmm. I don't know, more." said the now confirmed human, Cellas.
He walked into the light now, his features coming into focus. He was tall, with brown hair that was greying slightly at the temples, and those eyes. They were grey, or blue it was hard to tell, but Eowyn had seen them before, but where?
"Something interesting you? Yes, I look familiar don't I. Well I ought to, just think it will come to you." he said with an unsettling chuckle.
He turned around, his long brown cape trailing behind him on the grey cave floor. Eowyn searched the room she was in, their was but one entrance and exit. No way out without a fight and she was not it winning position for that, she was weaponless, and now tired and hungry. this man, Cellas, whoever he was, was giving her creeps in the worst way. It was those eyes.
"What will you do with me?" she asked, meeting him with her eyes and showing no fear.
"Well, I suppose I will use you as bait." he started, then he rubbed his chin thoughtfully and continued, "your betrothed will come for you, and we are ready for him, I assure you."
"You will not best Lord Faramir, know that he is your most formidable foe!" she yelled at him, struggling to get closer, to look into his eyes as she spoke.
"Oh I do not underestimate the young Lord, but I have something, or someone that shall throw him off. He shall not know what hit him, the poor fool." he said, once again radiating sinister vibes as he laughed.
"My presence here shall not through him off! It shall make him fight harder and more precise!" this time she was so close to his face she could make out a long scar that ran the length of his right cheek.
"I was not speaking of you" he said again using that evil chuckle.
Ithilien, Just South of Cellas's cave
The four Rangers had been running relentlessly for hours. It was getting dark, and Faramir knew it was getting dangerous for them to be so visible. They were going to have to make camp. Faramir came to a halt, and shortly after, the other three Rangers made halt as well.
"Their are cave systems around here, we ought to find one. It isn't safe to make camp out in the open." said Anborn as he removed his brown glove and flexed his hand.
"Yes, I suppose that would make sense. Anborn you and Mablung scout around the foot hills, while Damrod and I take a look around, one never knows what is lurking beyond the trees, does one" whispered The Captain, with that handsome smile that he didn't flash nearly enough.
They then lifted their hoods up to cover their hair which was the most helpful to Faramir, for that ginger hair of his did not lend itself to night time stealth.
"Faramir, do you suppose that Cellas is near by, perhaps in the caves yonder" said the dark haired, Damrod as he pointed towards the norther end of the foot hills.
"I would suspect as much, and to get to close at the wrong moment would destroy the mission. That is why I will go alone, we will go back to the others, once you three are settled I will go and scout." Faramir left little room for objections, but Damrod squeezed his in somehow.
"My Lord, that is madness, they would eat you alive, literary! We all go or none goes!" Damrod stated defiantly.
"I understand the risks, and I know that you, An and Mabs won't approve, but I have to see for myself that she is alive. I have to let her know that I am coming." the Prince's voice trailed off into to a whisper, and his grey eyes turned glassy.
"Faramir, I know that you are concerned for the lady's safety, we all are, but that is to rash a move, even for you." Damrod was getting that look in his eye, that look that told Faramir, that Captain or not, he was not going to win this one.
"Lets just get back to the others, eh? We will discuss this further when we are undercover." with that the two rangers turned and silently made their way to Anborn and Mablung.
Minas Tirith
Aragorn was in a meeting with some of the masons in charge of rebuilding the city when the call was sounded alerting him that a Lord of Gondor was entering the city. At first he thought it might be Faramir, but then thought better to think he would return so quickly.
He rapped up the meeting and when they were out of the citadel he made his way down the long lamp lit tunnel to the entrance onto the sixth circle.
"Sire, Lord Dirihael of Lossanarch has just arrived with a garrison of two hundred men. Shall I see them to the barracks?" said the young sergeant of the citadel guard.
"Yes, you many see to it that his men are tended to, get them some food and drink." he began to turn and then added, "oh, and send lord Dirihael to my rooms. Thank you sergeant."
Aragorn was not long in his sitting chambers when the lord of Lossanarch was announced to him.
"My Lord" said Dirihael, with a slight bow, as it was unnecessary for a man of Dirihael's title to kneel, but he still needed to show his respect to the king. "Prince Faramir requested my presence in Minas Tirith, I apologies for not sending word ahead of time but I left with little time to spare. I take it that you are well aware of the...situation."
"Yes, Fara sent word to me that he may indeed call on you for help. The guard here in Minas Tirith has its hands full already with all the orc activity. Thank you for coming so quickly." Aragorn said as he motioned for the young lord to sit down. These two didn't know one another overly well, but he knew that Faramir trusted and considered this man a good friend, so Aragron knew that he could too.
Aragorn poured some wine for the two of them as he handed the glass to Dirihael he said, "I suppose that if any had to find a needle in a hay stack, it would be Faramir. Especially if said hay stack is Ithilien."
Dirihael swallowed, then added, "and the needle is Eowyn. Faramir will not let another loved one slip away without a fight, but if she is lost I'm afraid for him. He will be broken."
The two lords looked at the floor, both pondering their friend Faramir and the situation at hand. Their was a long silence, not an uncomfortable one, just that of thought.
"Eowyn is fearless, she, of any women I know could handle herself in such a situation. I only hope that she will not do anything rash." Aragorn was looking at the ceiling know, recalling the feisty lady when he first met her in Edoras.
"Yes, so I have heard, but these are orcs Aragorn, not a few drunken Rohirrim. She is in danger." the lord of Lossanarch said shaking his head, light brown hair swishing over his broad shoulder.
"Yes I understand that, but their is not much we can do until we get word form Faramir. He will find her, he will not allow otherwise." Aragorn gave a weary sigh and swallowed the rest of his wine in a fast gulp.
Ithilien, Faramir's camp
Damrod and Faramir had gotten back to the camp without any trouble. There they found their two friends and fellow Rangers, making a small fire, but the light it made was not bright enough to be seen beyond the cave walls.
"Good choice, this one had a nice earthy quality I think." said Damrod with a chuckle. Even in grave times their needed to be some wit.
"Oh yes, it has a lovely smell as well, good choice Mabs." Faramir said straight faced, which always made his remarks all the more comical.
"Do not thank me for this...humble residence. Please look to An for that" Mablung said with a friendly but sturdy smack to the shoulder of Anborn, who gave a regal wave.
The four men set about preparing a small but hardy meal of bread, dried meats and an apple each. Not much, but the Rangers of Ithilien were used to much worse. During the times of Mordor they were lucky to have some hard bread, broth, and perhaps a little porridge for morning meals. The Rangers tried to hunt, but with all the orc and Haradrim about, most of the game had been killed of moved off, also the supply routes were a nightmare. They were always under attack in an effort ,by the enemy, to fish the Rangers out of the area.
After they finished eating and they men were more relaxed Faramir decided to tell them his plan to go ahead alone.
"Faramir, that is ridiculous! You are the Steward of Gondor and we cannot risk it. Not to mention our friend!" this was from the normally quiet Mablung.
"I'll be alright. If I don't think I can get in then I'll turn back, but I have to try!" said Faramir, and then he searched the faces of his friends for a reaction."Why not wait for Dirihael to storm into the place, I mean we haven't even found it yet!" cried Anborn, he wasn't about to risk his friend anymore then the others.
Faramir stood up in the small cave, and he suddenly had an air of command about him, he looked regal and every inch a Lord of men.
"My whole life I have waited and wanted someone to love, that loved me fully in return. I know that I have you, my friends and for that I am eternally grateful, and I had my brother, who always watched out for me. But my life was always a lonely one, I felt no parental love to speak of and have always felt a lingering sadness that I wish would leave me be. I finally had found my place, my love in this world and it all lyes with Eowyn. So you must understand why I have to do this errand, and why I must go alone, myself I would risk , but not the ones I love, to much is already at stake for me, I cannot worry for you three as well."
The three Rangers looked to one another, they knew that in reality they couldn't go against what their Captain ordered, and they didn't want to upset him further. They agreed, but on one condition.
"I will go with you up until we find their hide out. I will wait for you and provide some cover. As for going in, well you will be better suited alone I know that, but at least someone will know where to look for you" said Damrod, he to was standing, eye to eye with his Captain and friend.