So I listened to the Lord of the Rings soundtrack on repeat for a good long while and felt emotionally compelled to write some more of this.
Darn you beautifully composed music, and darn you Boromir's mystical beard. (Or am I the only one who feels that way?)
Please review if you'd like! I like feedback. Also, I was going to look to the book as reference for these past few chapters but I don't know where it is and I haven't looked at it in years and quite frankly I've forgotten some stuff so sorry. I wanted this story to be more book-verse but I have failed you!
Things were a mess, to put it lightly. The lower levels were an absolute mess, if not from the enemy forces then from the fleeing Gondorians. Some streets were simply messy, like immediately after a parade. Many people had dropped whatever they were carrying to look for a place to hide. However, the main and most obvious problem was where all the fighting took place: in the land below the city, and in the lower levels.
Everyone knows that I've got a weak stomach, but something had changed after this particular battle. It was almost as though I'd grown tired of it all, and any queasiness I'd had was replaced with pure hate and disgust. As I held the hand of a child, whose legs had been smashed by debris created by the enemy's catapults, I soothed the child with a kind smile, and words of encouragement. Inside, and after the boy was carried away, I had a heart of stone. I moved through the wreckage doing what I was asked, not even thinking twice about the dead on the ground or the blood on my hands. Fortunately I didn't have to leave the city walls, else I really may have gotten sick. Even from the balcony in Boromir's room I'd been able to the ocean of bodies, including the mighty Mumakil that Boromir had told me about. It was sickening. Completely sickening. And for what? What would Sauron do with the land he conquered?
It made me dizzy when I heard how many of our men died. Men of both Gondor and Rohan. My past home, and future home. Thousands were gone, and how many of them had I once called friends? What made me even more sick was the fact that men actually fought for Sauron. It was madness in my eyes, and no matter how hard I tried I could see no possible reason for siding with a monster. Perhaps it was a culture that I did not understand, or perhaps they had no choice. I don't know- I was just angry at everything. Angry at Saruman, Sauron, every single orc and a little peeved with God. The latter anger passed soon enough, but it didn't make me feel any better.
I had no idea where Boromir was, but I my emotions were in such a rage I didn't know if I needed him there to vent to or to cuddle with and cry to.
"Do you know what won the battle for us in the end?" I heard a woman ask another, who replied that she hadn't heard. "They say that an army of ghosts came and wiped slaughtered them all! Can you believe such a thing?"
I couldn't. A part of me laughed inside, until I heard the same thing from another source. And then another, and even more. The last straw for me was overhearing a group of warriors talking about the phenomenon. In fact, the only reason I knew anything of what had transpired was because of gossip.
After a short time helping with the wounded, I decided that it was about time to head back up to the kids in the Houses of Healing. Collin would be with them, but he was hardly what I'd call mobile. No doubt he would have been doing a fine job at entertaining the children, but they would have been getting hungry, and the main reason I'd left was to go get them some food. So, with what little coin I had, I walked to a higher-level market, which was obviously closed. I then went to Gandalf's home, which was bound to have some sort of food. It was, of course, locked, so I had to drag a barrel over so I could climb onto my old bedroom balcony where Boromir and I had first met. Ten minutes and a bruised knee later, I'd climbed in, cleared out the cupboards and began the short walk back to the hungry bunch. It'd soon be time to go about finding their parents, after all. I only hoped that they'd have parents to find.
The Houses of Healing was hectic as ever. The wounded just kept pouring in, and I actually slipped on blood as I tried to push myself through the busy halls. I quickly dropped to the ground and tried to wipe up the blood with the hem of my dress- it was already ruined, anyways. However, a strong hand quickly lifted me back to my feet, and I heard a familiar voice.
"Better leave it, Sophie. There's no use in cleaning this one up, more will only take its place."
When I saw him my heart jumped with joy. "Faramir!" I cried, even though we weren't well acquainted at the time. If anything had happened to his brother Boromir would have been heartbroken. Just seeing his younger brother gave me tears of joy, knowing that someone close to home was okay. "Thank God you're alive! Your brother's been worried sick."
"He is awake?" He seemed to sigh in relief. "I am glad to hear it. I don't know if I would have forgiven myself, had he not. I was coming to see if he was well."
"He's fine!" I assured him. "But I've got no idea where he is. He wandered off as soon as we heard of our victory. I can't imagine he's taking things well- he could hardly stand being away from the battle. We didn't get to watch any of it- we were busy taking care of frightened children. But the things that I am hearing, Faramir! People are saying that an army of ghosts appeared out of nowhere and wiped out the whole of Sauron's army!"
"Not all of it, I'm afraid. They killed many, but I am sure that there are survivors, though scattered." The Gondorian frowned, but the casual manner in which he reacted to the ghost thing stunned me.
"You mean there were really ghosts? That wasn't some hallucination by some terrified citizens?"
"No, the stories are true." Faramir had to jump out of the way as two healers plowed through the room, arms full of various herbs and bandages. "Here, let us find somewhere to speak where we won't be any trouble." As we walked down a hall, he relayed to me the full story of the ghosts, and how Isildur's heir had brought them to Gondor.
"Aragorn!" I almost panicked inside. "Is he alright?"
"He is fine, although busy at the moment. He is tending to a woman of Rohan- the late king's niece, I am told."
My heart stopped. There was nothing okay about that statement. Late king? Tending to Eowyn? Then Theoden was dead, and Eowyn injured. What had happened? Despite my grief for the fallen king I could hardly think of much else but the fact that Eowyn was involved in the battle somehow. What did she have to do with it?
Suddenly, I realized what had happened. "Did she steal away with the army?" I asked. "Is she alright?"
Faramir looked unsure, and my heart sank even further than it already had. "I do not know." He sighed. "She was injured badly. Her brother found her near death. I hear that she fought the leader of the Nazgul. They say she is the one who killed him."
Tears prickled in my eyes, a mixture of pride and fear for my friend. "Can you take me to her, please?" I could see hesitation in his eyes, and the way he seemed to search for his words. "Please!" I begged. "I won't be a bother to Aragorn or to anyone. I'm a friend of hers, you see. We sort of grew up together, in a way. They helped me so much. The royal family is much like my own family, they took me in when I had nowhere else to go. Please. I just need to be there for her, and for Eomer."
Eomer... With Theoden dead, he would be king. Oh, how times had changed since we'd first met.
It must have been the tears, because Faramir pointed me to where the next King of Rohan was pacing outside of what I assumed to be his sister's room. The moment he saw me he shocked me with an uncharacteristically big hug. I knew very well that such displays of affection between a non-blood man and woman weren't exactly treated as they were in my world, especially when the King of Rohan is hugging the fiance of the captain of Gondor's armies. But you know what?
I couldn't have cared less.
I loved Eomer like a brother, and neither of us was feeling okay. Hugs heal emotional wounds, and the both of us had just about had it. When he finally pulled away I could see the distress on his face. His brow was wrinkled, his lips were twisted into a deep frown, and he looked years older. I had to fight the urge to cry, and by the looks of it so did he.
"I am so glad that you are alright." I sighed, trying my best to give him a comforting smile. "I've gone mad with worry." I peeked into the room, where Aragorn was bent over the still body of one of my dearest friends. "What happened, Eomer?"
"She hid away with our army..." The man stammered. "I had no idea, I had said goodbye to her the very morning we left! The halfling was with her. She had taken Merry along. I feel like such a fool. How did no one notice him with us?"
"Merry?" My eyes shot wide open. I could hardly stand Pippin in the lower levels, but Merry had been in the thick of it!
"Yes. He helped to defeat the Witch-King. Pippin is with him, and he is alive, but his wounds are much like Eowyn's." He peered to his sister's room, pain evident in his eyes. "I fear she will die... I do not want to be alone."
My heart went out to the tired warrior. He was still a mess from the battle, and the rings under his eyes made me wonder if he'd slept at all the past week. I reached into the bag of food I'd scrounged up for the children and pulled out an apple.
"Are you hungry?" Eomer began to shake his head, but I wasn't about to take no for an answer. "Take it, please. It'll keep me from worrying about you." He took the apple and tossed it around in his hands before slowly taking a bite.
"Thank you." He sighed, and I smiled.
"What are friends for?" I knew that I needed to get back to the kids with the rest of the food, but I had one last thing to say to my old friend. "And remember, Eomer, that you'll never be alone. I'll always be here for you, and I have every bit of faith that Eowyn is going to recover. She is going to watch you become a great king."
Despite his burdened soul he smiled. "I wish that you were not moving to Gondor permanently. I will miss you in Rohan; things are never the same when you go away."
"Rohan will always be my home, no matter where I am." It was my first home when I arrived in Middle-earth, and a part of me always thought that it would be my last. Funny how things change. One day you're barely out of high school, wandering around in a strange world with an old, grey man and your best friend. The next second you're wearing long gowns, engaged to an army captain, your best friend's been shot and your old man has turned white. Whoever imagined me living such a life?
Outside I was smiling for the kids, but inside I was hurting. I'd inquired after James, Legolas, and Gimli. All three were fine. James had somehow broken his nose, but apparently that was Gimli's fault. That's what Legolas said, anyways, and James was blaming him. In any case, my heart was hurting, my head was hurting, and my whole body felt weak. I thought that once the battle was over I might have gotten some sleep, but my stomach was churning with such anxiety I could hardly stand it.
The kids attacked the food as though they'd never eaten a day in their lives. The sight of a particularly plump little boy with fruit juice all over his face warmed my heart a bit, but in the end I felt the need for fresh air. Out on the balcony I stood above the city, and the wreckage was clear as day. The ruined walls of the lower levels, the destroyed Pelennor Fields littered with countless bodies. The cool late winter wind chilled me to the bone, despite the thick dress that I'd put on to replace my blood-stained gown. There was a strange peace about it. It was almost as though you could feel the souls of thousands in the air, whispering their final loving goodbyes to their world.
"Sophie?" Boromir had returned from who knows where, and his voice cut the silence like a razor blade. It wasn't until I felt his warm hand on my shoulder that I noticed the tears in my eyes.
"It's not like this, where I come from." I whispered, still staring at the wreckage below. "Not for me, anyways. War has never been close for me. Until coming here, I'd never seen another human die. I hadn't seen anything, really. I know that now."
Boromir wrapped his arms about me and kissed me on the cheek before resting his head on mine. I fell back into his chest, feeling safer than I had in ages. For the longest time there had always been something to look forward to; something to do. While traveling with the Fellowship I had been on my toes, especially after Gandalf fell. Even Lothlorien was full of pent-up anxiety, since I knew that the journey would have to continue. Ever since leaving Rivendell I'd been in a constant haze of travel and battle. I was tired, and I could only imagine how tired the others were. They actually had to fight.
"I must seem so insensitive right now..." I tried to apologize, but Boromir gently hushed me.
"It's like you said earlier: this is your country, too." He gave me a light squeeze and kissed my forehead. "To be honest, I had always envied the way you and Collin would speak of your old world. There seemed to be such a sense of safety in your youth. I wonder how this all seems to you now."
Tears began to stream from my eyes, and I struggled to hold them back. Boromir turned me around and let me bury my eyes into his shoulder. I just wanted Kristy there, or to know that Eowyn and Merry were okay. It seemed so cruel that the young hobbit would be hurt, and I could only imagine how Pippin felt at that moment. Even more, I worried over little Frodo and Sam. If they didn't succeed, then what were we fighting for? It was so strange to me that the fate of the world relied on two little hobbits and a dangerous ring. The whole thing felt so silly. I almost had no hope. I could practically feel an end to my life.
"Don't worry, Sophie." Boromir whispered as he ran his fingers through my hair and placed a kiss upon my head. "The battle is won, and we can rest for now. You have nothing to fear, everything will be okay."
By the way, I need a cover for this story and I don't have the time to make one. Anyone want to contribute? I'll write a one-shot on a prompt you give me if you want? Not like that's really a good payment or anything but I'm a broke college kid so it's all I've got.