ASHLEY
Haldir, Pip, and I follow after the guards carrying the stretcher baring Faramir's body. He and his horse had barely made it through the gates, both pierced by numerous arrows. Denethor charges through the doors of the Tower Hall and over to us, the guards lowering the stretcher to the ground for the steward's inspection. Despite everything Denethor had said to his last remaining son, his eyes hold tears an unimaginable guilt. "Faramir," he cries, dropping to his knees. I remember the look of grief on Faramir's face when Denethor had sent his son to his death. "Say not that he has fallen."
"They were outnumbered," a guard answers sadly," none survived." I turn away from the scene, arms wrapped around myself as I fight the urge to smack the shit out of Denethor. It is his fault! All of this is! He's the one that sent Faramir and the Rangers to an unbeatable battle while he stayed in the comfort of the citadel, eating chicken and drinking wine. He's not a king, he could've fought if he wanted Osgiliath bad enough! He deserved everything he got, but Faramir deserved so much better than a bastard for a father!
With a shaky breath, I kneel next to the stretcher that holds Faramir, placing a hand on his chest. It was moving, just barely, but it was moving! Faramir's alive! "My sons are spent." Tears choke his voice as he stumbles back, allowing Pippin room to kneel next to me and share in shock. "My line has ended."
"He's alive," Pippin shouts upon examining Faramir. I start working at the ties keeping Faramir's chest plate on, planning on doing CPR and hoping like hell that I don't just make things worse. CPR could fracture ribs, and they don't have the medicine here that they have in my time. "He needs medicine, My Lord!"
"My line has ended!" Denethor has made it to the edge of the top level at this point, but I pay him little mind as I run my hands along Faramir's side, checking for broken ribs. Other than the arrows and bruises, he seems to be fine. "Rohan has deserted us. Théoden's betrayed me."
"What can I do," Haldir asks, kneeling beside me and taking my chin in one of his hands. His blue eyes held sincerity and he was ready to do whatever necessary to ensure Faramir lived. The levels below are in chaos, the Orc army at our gates and catapulting large rocks and pieces of the city over the walls.
"I don't suppose you know any good doctors," I ask breathlessly.
"Abandon your posts," Denethor shouts suddenly in a booming voice for all to hear. "Flee, flee for your lives!" Out of nowhere, Gandy shows up and wastes no time in smacking Denethor's head with his staff, he hitting him again and sending the dazed man to the ground. If that didn't finish what I started, then that guy's nose is made of steel.
"Prepare for battle," Gandy yells at the men below. He climbs onto Shadowfax's saddle and gallops away, shouting the entire time to the soldiers to return to their posts and fight like there's no tomorrow. Let's be honest here, there probably won't be for most of the people here. Nazgûl on their Fall-beasts circle overhead, swooping down every now and again to toss people to their deaths. Pippin runs off and I run after him, not about to let Pippin fight on his own.
"I don't think so," Haldir grumbles, grabbing the back of my shirt and pulling me back. "I promised your father I'd take care of you and I won't be made a liar of just because of your foolish notion to charge headfirst into a battle!"
"Either you let me go after that Hobbit or you lose a hand, make your choice," I snarl, protectiveness kicking in. Haldir and I have a glaring match for a long while before he finally lets me go and leaves to tend to Faramir as best he could. Yeah, that's what I thought, Elfy!
"Don't get yourself killed!" I take off through the streets, doing my best to dodge rubble as it falls from above and jumping out of the way of Fell-beast talons.