Reminder:: Yup, it's chapter eleven and I still don't own anything related to Tolkien. Well… Except my Lord of the Rings DVD box set and sound tracks… But that's beside the point!

Thank you so much for the comments I've been getting and e-mail notices from the alerts and favorites. It means so much and this story keeps going because of you guys! Keep it up! xD

That last chapter was rather short, I suppose, but I'm really excited to make my first canon character appearance. Well, technically, that was Alatar and Pallando, but since Tolkien didn't really write much about them, I consider Faramir my first canon! He's my favorite, so how could I do it any other way? =3 Please enjoy this next update! I also hope you'll know where Sarah is on the timeline now. Remember, it's still summer! n_n

Chapter Eleven :: Osgiliath

"Captain, can we trust her?"

"The girl?"

"Who else, my lord?"

Faramir glanced into the adjoining room. The young girl was curled up on a cot with her trusty old dog sleeping peacefully. She looked like she had travelled many miles. "For the most part, yes, I believe we can. She seems harmless enough. Did you not tell me before that her home was burned and raided by orcs? She has seen much for one of her age."

His comrade nodded and agreed reluctantly. Captain Faramir seemed to be too trusting of a man. It made him a good man but a weaker captain.

"Lord Faramir! Lord Faramir!"

The two men turned and stood to greet a messenger from Osgiliath entering the room at great haste. "Word from Osgiliath. There is a rag tag team of orcs making its way through our borders from out of the East. They are too many for our forces. They make for the city." He panted.

Faramir acted quickly on his words. "Gather the men. We make for Osgiliath immediately."

"And the girl?" The first man persisted.

Faramir was caught. He couldn't bring her into such danger, but he couldn't leave her here alone either… It was not that he did not trust the girl, but he wanted to keep a sharp eye on her. He felt there was more than meets the eye about a lost girl of the Rohirrim and her dog. Her horse was very lovely and well trained which upheld her story that she was of Rohan, but still… Something… seemed off.

"Lord Faramir?"

"Bring her with the company. She will be transported to Minas Tirith as soon as possible." Faramir decided.

I spent the night in peaceful slumber, but awoke to be ravenous. I ate all the food that was brought before me until it made my stomach hurt. I ate like a beast, but I was finally content.

The men around me didn't say much, but they acted much the same as the first camp of men I was at with the blue wizards. Only… These men were much more professional and they had a certain air about them that was more… organized. That was the only word I could come up within the span of fifteen minutes I had to think before the older man who led me here appeared to talk to me.

I was standing this time, so he did not have to mirror his superior and kneel down to my level. I guess I saved him the courteous humility. "Lady? We must depart at once."

"At once? Um… Uh… Where is my horse?" I tried to think quickly.

"Ready when needed." He promised. He then turned to the man next to me. "We ride for Osgiliath by order of Lord Faramir. Blindfold the girl and make for the pass. She will have to ride with the company."

As the man strode off, a piece of fabric was quickly tied around my eyes. I had just enough time to snatch Huan and heave him up into my arms and carry him with me through the passages. Eventually though, someone noticed Huan was heavy for me and was slowing me down so they took him from me and carried him. I was still led along carefully, but this time the men were in a great hurry so I had to jog and run along with them. It felt good to run and stretch my limbs, but that wore off after ten minutes of the repeated process. Just when I thought I would have liked to stop and take a breather, the blindfold was removed from my eyes. We were in a section of the forest that I didn't recognize and Alatar was before me. I had ridden him bare back this entire time since I couldn't find a saddle in the ashes of my old home, but now he had a thick leather saddle that smelt new.

"Lady." The man next to me stated and held out his hand. He kindly helped me onto my horse and another man brought Huan to me.

"Considering you've ridden with him before—"

"I understand." I nodded, cutting him off. I couldn't expect anyone else to carry poor Huan. I just hoped I would be able to ride quickly with him balanced in front of me.

It was a lot easier to position Huan on my lap with the saddle there. It made him snugly pressed between me and the horn. A call was sounded and the men around me were on horses. I had two men on either side of me like sentinels to ride side by side until we reached our destination.

The pace was quick, but it wasn't too difficult to keep Huan with me the entire time. He squirmed a bit and nearly bit me once, but he didn't fuss much after awhile of riding. As the trees cleared, a valley opened and I was awestruck. A great city of white was before me inlaid in the land and moved with the river. Not far, across a few fields, stood a giant tower of white. An entire city was carved into the mountain! On the other side of the city in the river was a stretch of dark mountains. I immediately recognized them. The first time I saw them was the moment I woke up in this world. I remembered their dark clouds and strain in the air. The tension and ominous threat they gave could have been cut with a blade.

I rode down the slopes with the company and into the city by the river. The horse hooves clipped against the bright stone as we entered the gates. I hadn't realized from a distance, but this city was deserted… It looked gloomy and ghostly against the grey skies. Many of the walls were broken. This city was in ruins… Why defend it? Was it sacred? So many questions I could ask…

But questions had to sit on my tongue until after battle. The men led me through the stone wreckage and told me to dismount my horse when we entered a small space of shelter between two columns.

The men who were supposed to guard me were anxious as we watched men in green cloaks and others in armor of silver and black run to and fro preparing their fort. There were shouts and calls and blasts of horns. Scouts ran about reporting to their superiors who reported to their superiors. From where I was, I soon learned that Faramir was the top superior of the group. I hadn't realized I had spoken with someone with so much authority over so many. Was he a king?

Just then there was a mighty yell that made everyone freeze and listen. "To the Northeast! Ten score!"

Two hundred orcs raced by foot towards Osgiliath, the city of ruins. Archers took down most of the first party, but soon they were over stormed by another wave. I could barely see anything from where I was under the columns, but what I could see didn't look very good. Just as I thought this, an archer was struck and fell over the forty foot barracks where he was standing and landed at my feet with a loud clang of his armor. I jumped back with a gasp into one of my guards. The archer was obviously dead.

"To the wall!"

I peeked out, being restrained by the shoulder, and saw a group of the green cloaked men charging up the stairs to the walls. They used their bows and shot down their enemies. I could hear the gurgling cries of the injured and dying orcs flood the battlefield. Those without bows took their swords and charged out of the gate into the onslaught. A stray arrow whistled by my face and clicked against the pillar behind me. I was pulled swiftly back into the shelter.

Huan was barking and being a general nuisance. I tried to silence him, but I didn't want to strike him too hard or smother him. The man on my right took the blindfold that was once used on me and wrapped it around his snout as a muzzle. I then held him close to calm him down. I was lucky Alatar was calm. That would've been a bit much.

The charge went on for another ten minutes or so until all became eerily quiet. One of the two men who were my guards looked to the other before peering out. He disappeared around the corner and walked slowly away. The man next to me became tense.

"Is it safe?" I whispered. My mouth was quickly covered.

My second guard stepped out after another minute and motioned for me not to move. I wouldn't dare!

I sat there, hearing my heart pound in my ears and the feeling of my stomach in my throat. I was shaking as I waited for a sound.

Suddenly, someone grabbed my shoulder. I spun around screaming and ready to fight to the death. I sent a swift kick their way which hit their shin guard and hurt my foot more than I intended to hurt them.

"Lady, be still! There is nothing to fear."

I opened my eyes and saw a man in silver armor. He was wearing a silver helm and he had a blood stained sword at his side. "All is well. Captain Faramir is in search of you. I have orders to lead you elsewhere."

To my relief, my guards soon came to fetch me, but saw that the soldier had already found me. I was glad to see they were well and said my quick farewell to them before they hurried off on other orders.

"Come with me." The armored man held out his hand.

I nodded and took it, pulling myself up off the ground. Following the man out into the open, I unwrapped the muzzle on Huan and he was immediately barking again. He was eager to sniff all the orc carcasses and bodies of a few unlucky men that were scattered about by the walls. "The orcs have retreated and the rangers have left to pursue them before they cross into the borders of Rohan." The soldier informed me.

"Rangers?" I asked.

"The Rangers of Ithilien." The man explained. "The Rangers of the South. You were in their care as I understand it. They will not be back; they are not tied to Osgiliath."

"Then why did they come?"

"They will follow Lord Faramir to the death. And as of now, Faramir is responsible for Osgiliath until Captain Boromir returns." The man said simply. "Well, you shall soon leave with a party of men into the city of Minas Tirith. You will be safe there."

I couldn't ask any more questions although I wondered how Captain Faramir faired. He was kindest to me after all. Couldn't I help in anyway? I felt I owed him that much.

It was too late for such courtesies. I did not get the chance of seeing Lord Faramir again and I never saw the man who guided me to the safety of Ithilien again. I never even knew his name…