Disclaimer: I do not own the Lord of the Rings.
A/N: I do apologize for taking so long to post this chapter. I had writer's block for the longest time, and then I encountered some other troubles which I won't bore you by describing. ;) I thank you, once again, for your patience.
I hate ending a good fic. I've had lots of fun with this one, and I'm so happy that many of you readers liked it too. This is, indeed, the last chapter; but fear not.
A sequel is in the making that will take place about 11 years after this fic during the War of the Ring. Maybe I'll even make this a trilogy, and do one a few years after that. Who knows? But your reviews will determine most of what happens with sequels and such.
When I have posted the first chapter, I will post a notice on this story in it's own chapter. Those of you who have alerts on this story should be notified about a new chapter, which will actually be the notification. ;) Sorry if that confuses you.
Please, please review. ;)
WorldofWarCraftFanatic16: It is, indeed, quite sad. Everyone has their moments of darkness. Eowyn was lucky enough to have a good friend nearby to help her through that one. ;)
Queen Su: That line was extremely random. Digory right? lol
redrose7856: I'm so glad you like it! Your reviews are so encouraging. ;) Thanks again!
Moromu: I am not kidding. I'm sorry you're disappointed. Perhaps this chapter will appease you. ;) As for advice on what to do, maybe you should write your own Eowyn/Faramir fic. ;) I'll read and review it. ;)
Bittersweet x: So glad he seemed right to you. Faramir always struck me as having so much quiet wisdom. I wish they had put more of him in the movies.
blueoctober: I know. What is it with fanfics and cliffhangers? ;) I'm glad you liked Faramir. I'm sure that Eowyn was very happy to have him there with her in her moment of darkness. ;) Tis true. No one wants the story to end, but it someday must. Luckily, this is not really the end. Only the beginning, really. ;)
SilRain: I know! Everyone needs a friend to help them out in times of trouble.
Legolas: Thanks for your advice! And thanks to you, I will be writing a fic that will take place during the Lord of the Rings. ;) I'm not sure how soon I will have the first chapter out, but it will be about Faramir and Eowyn. ;)
CrystalFNfire: I'm so glad you like this story! I've had so much fun writing Faramir and Eowyn, and I'm glad you like my writing style.
lulu: Unfortunately so. :( I'm glad you want me to keep writing. I do too. ;)
Dearborn: I know. Cliffies are so evil...that's why I like them so much! :grins evily:
asdfjkl;: Thanks for your input! Because you and another reviewer have asked for it, I now intend to carry this story forward a few years (a whole other fic, however) and continue the story of Faramir and Eowyn. ;) Glad you like it so much!
buttonbit: I'm glad you liked it! Eowyn is awesome. Here's your update!
Halfling of the Shire: Oh yes. Faramir is already a Ranger...of sorts. ;) He's awesome. Glad you like it. Intriguing is a great descriptive word. ;)
And now, without further ado...
-Chapter 9-
The bush trembled again. Faramir's hands shook as he held his sword out toward the moving shrub.
What can it be? he wondered. No man would sneak up on the Hall like that. An Orc might, though…
He swallowed hard and glanced over at Eomer. The older boy looked as if he was just as unnerved as Faramir, but his hands were steady. Suddenly, the bush let out a low growl. Faramir's eyes darted back to it more quickly than they had left it. Eomer cleared his throat, the tension driving him mad.
"Friend or foe?" Eowyn's brother asked, trying to keep his voice steady.
The bush quivered again, and then, without warning, the bush leapt forward at Eomer!
In the dim torchlight, Faramir could just make out that the figure that had been hiding in the bush was really, as he had feared, an Orc. Eomer's face was surprised as the Orc jumped at him, its weapon ready, but he still managed to hold up his sword and ward off the attack. Instinctively, Faramir reached for his quiver that usually hung on his back, but then he remembered, with sinking heart, that he had given that and his bow to Eowyn.
Gritting his teeth and gripping his sword hilt tightly, Faramir sprinted toward Eomer and the Orc. The Orc, which would have been easy to defeat for any man, was keeping Eomer at bay; the sight of the creature unnerved Eomer so much that he could hardly concentrate on defending himself.
"Eomer, DUCK!" Faramir shouted as he swung his sword at the Orc's head.
Eomer ducked just in time. Unfortunately, so did the Orc, and the sword whistled harmlessly over its head. Faramir stumbled forward, set off balance because the sword had not hit its target.
The Orc, realizing it was facing more than one warrior, looked first at Eomer, and then at Faramir. With a hiss at Eomer, it turned to the other boy, and gave a grin that showed all of its teeth, yellow and black with decay. A foul smell washed over Faramir, and he grimaced at the thing that stood before him.
With a snarl, the Orc leapt forward with its jagged blade. Faramir managed to evade the blow by slipping under the creature's thrust and swinging his own sword around at it. Faramir's sword hit the Orc in the side with the flat of the blade, winding the creature, but not really hurting it.
The Orc hissed and turned toward him, its face twisted into an angry sneer.
"Die," it croaked. "Die now!"
It leapt forward again, and this time, the Orc's blade connected with Faramir's right arm; his sword arm. With a short cry of pain, Faramir dropped his sword and stumbled back.
"Boromir," the boy muttered, clutching his wounded arm, "where are you when I need you?"
Eomer, now over his first fear, stepped in between Faramir and the Orc. Before either of them had moved, however, everyone froze at the "twang" of a bowstring.
As the Orc leapt at Eomer, Eowyn shuddered at the sight of the fell beast. In the dim torchlight, she couldn't make out any details, but the creature was still grotesque beyond anything she had ever seen before. With utter fascination and disgust, she watched her brother fight the Orc, and then saw the beast attack Faramir. It wasn't until it uttered its first word, "Die," that she remembered where she was and what she held in her hands.
Eowyn's hand began to tremble as she grippec the smooth bow tightly. Hastily, she reached up and drew an arrow, straight and lean, from the quiver. Her fingers were shaking so that she could hardly nock the arrow on the string. But then, she froze up. Her grey eyes widened in horror as she looked at the bow in her hands.
"Dol lost lin, Eowyn (your head is empty, Eowyn)," she murmured frantically, "You don't know how to shoot it!"
Eowyn had never shot a bow before. All her fighting had been with the sword, as she had considered the bow to be a weaker weapon. Now, her hands shaking so hard she could hardly hold the weapon, she raised the bow and gripped the string around the arrow with three fingers. She could hardly pull it back; the bow was too heavy for her, and she struggled for a long moment before she finally put all her energy into pulling back the string.
"Eru guide my arrow!" she prayed as she aimed.
Eowyn closed her eyes, and then let fly the arrow. The twang that came from the bowstring calmed her fear, and the thump of the arrow told her she had hit something. She opened her eyes, and saw, to her dismay, that the arrow had flown wide left, driving into the ground by Faramir's feet. He looked up at her with wide eyes, and when he saw the weapon in her hands, he motioned for her to shoot another arrow, smiling nervously to encourage her.
Feeling a bit bolder, Eowyn drew another arrow from the quiver. The Orc, warned by the first twang of the bow, was turning round and round, trying to see who his new attacker was. Eomer used this distraction to drive his sword at the creature, which hit the Orc's left arm. The beast howled in pain, and swung his sword wildly at Eomer.
Eowyn quickly nocked another arrow and fired it immediately without taking time to aim. It flew wide right, making a loud thump as it drove deeply into the wood of the Hall.
The Orc, hearing the thump, jerked its head toward the arrow, still quivering in the wood, and then at the direction from whence the arrow had come. When it saw Eowyn, standing in the torchlight like a statue, her bow held out before her, it snarled, pushed Eomer back, and began running toward her.
Eowyn drew another arrow, nocked it, and drew back the string in one smooth motion. The Orc rose up before her, its foul smell surrounding her. With a scream, Eowyn let go of the arrow. She heard a thump, a groan, and then her world grew dim as it faded into blackness.
When Eowyn awoke, the first thought that darted into her mind was, I'm not dead, am I?
She wasn't dead. She was on a soft bed with a smooth blanket covering her. Her forehead felt wet.
Wet?
Eowyn's eyes popped open. She was in a white canvas tent. The sun was shining, and it seemed to be morning. She reached up and touched her forehead. Her fingers found a cloth, wet with water. There was no blood on the cloth.
Why should there be blood on the cloth? she wondered absently. I haven't been wounded, have I?
Then, all the details of the previous day flooded back so quickly that her head began to spin. Faramir; the fight between them; dinner; Theodred; the Orc…and then blackness.
Eowyn sat up quickly, causing her head to spin again. She felt her forehead gingerly with a muffled moan, and then stood slowly. The heavy folds of her long white dress cascaded down from the bed, until they swayed gently around her legs.
"Eowyn!"
The girl looked up at the tent flap, and saw her brother standing there, his face filled with relief. He was dressed in a simple green tunic lined with gold. He had a bandage on his arm, and his face was bruised. His lip had a scab on it.
"Eomer?" she asked, swaying a little. "What happened?"
Eomer entered the tent and pushed her gently back toward the cot.
"Sit down. You should rest today," he ordered, trying to sound commanding and gruff, but failing miserably, sounding instead like a worried older brother.
"Eomer, what happened?" Eowyn demanded to know, obeying and sitting down on the cot. "The last thing I remember was the Orc."
Eomer grimaced and rubbed his shoulder ruefully.
"Yes, the Orc. Don't worry. It's dead."
Eowyn glared at him and stamped her foot.
"Yes I'm sure it is since I'm alive, but what happened?"
"You know," her brother continued, glancing up at the top of the tent, "you really shouldn't worry yourself with such things. You need some rest after what happened yesterday."
Eowyn's eyes flashed as she jumped to her feet, ignoring her dizziness, and marched over to Eomer.
"Eomer, if you don't tell me what happened right this instant than you'll end up like that Orc," she shouted angrily, pulling back a fist as if in warning.
Eomer, trying unsuccessfully to keep a grin off his face, took a few steps back, holding out a hand to stop his sister.
"Eowyn," he said, unable to resist one last tease. "Maybe you should rest first."
With an angry battle cry, Eowyn leapt forward and socked her brother in the stomach. He fell over, laughing merrily, which made Eowyn even angrier.
When Eomer was on the ground and Eowyn on top of him, pinning him down, she growled at him.
"Will you tell me now?" she said, more commanding him to than asking.
"Not until you promise you'll sit down on the bed while I tell you what happened," her brother replied with a short laugh.
"Fine," his sister replied, baring her teeth one last time. "And stop laughing. I wasn't being funny."
Eomer grinned again, irritating his sister even more.
"Stop it!" she cried, raising her fist again.
"What's this?" came a voice from the flap. "Already fighting today, Lady Eowyn?"
Eowyn slowly got to her feet as Boromir entered the tent, her face turning pink.
"He asked for it," she replied, the corners of her mouth lifting slightly.
Boromir grinned at her and shook his head.
"I'm sure he did. What happened last night?" he asked, giving Eomer a hand up. "I only heard Faramir's side of the story."
His younger brother now appeared at the tent flap, limping slightly, Eowyn noticed. Both the brothers were dressed in light blue with gold trim. Faramir's bruise from their 'duel to the death' was still dark purple on his cheek.
"I'm not sure," Eowyn replied, sitting down on one end of the bed and looking at Eomer pointedly. "But my darling brother promised to tell me what happened."
Eomer sighed and leaned back in his chair.
"Are you sure you want to hear it, sister?" he asked with a mischievous grin. "Most likely you won't believe me."
Eowyn started for him again, but Eomer held up a hand.
"I won't tell you unless you remain seated."
His sister let out an exasperated growl, but sat down again.
"Older brothers," she muttered.
Faramir nodded in sympathy.
"Tell me about it," he whispered, poking her gently. "Boromir is just as bad."
Eowyn glanced at him with an impish grin.
"As bad as Eomer? Impossible!"
The older brothers graciously ignored their comments.
"Well," Eomer began, "I believe you heard of what happened last night, Boromir."
The eldest son of Denethor nodded at this, and Eomer continued, too slowly for Eowyn's liking.
"The Orc turned at the sound of the twang from Eowyn's bow. The arrow missed it completely - you really need to learn how to shoot a bow, little sister - , but the Orc heard the sound and saw Eowyn. It ran toward her and blocked our view of what was happening. Faramir and I started after it, and then we heard a scream. Then the Orc let out a groan, and jerked back. I got there just in time to see the Orc fall backward and Eowyn crumple to the ground."
"What happened, though?" Eowyn asked impatiently, wrinkling her nose. "Did it hit me?"
"No," Eomer replied, tapping her on the head gently. "You fainted."
"Fainted!" Eowyn leapt to her feet with a shocked, angry cry.
"I did not!" she turned to Faramir and gave him a look. "Tell him he's wrong. I didn't faint."
"But you did," Faramir said, ignoring the hurt look she gave him. "It's nothing to be ashamed of. And you killed the Orc, didn't you?"
"I suppose," Eowyn said, her stomach turning. "What happened next?"
Eomer leaned back in his chair and looked up at the top of the tent.
"Well after that not much happened. We got you into the hall, and fought off a few more Orcs. Then Uncle Théoden and Theodred showed up and wanted to know what happened. And we told them, and they told us that all the Orcs had been disposed of, so we all went to bed."
Eomer stood up abruptly, as did Boromir.
"Come on," Eomer said, jerking his head at the tent flap. "Let's go to the stables."
"Why don't we go to the archery range," Boromir said, grinning at Eowyn, who stuck out her tongue at him.
"Oh come on," Eomer said, shaking his head as he stepped out of the tent. "Don't you want to go for a ride?"
"I'd rather teach Eowyn how to shoot a bow," Boromir replied as he followed Eowyn's brother.
The two younger siblings were left in the tent alone, listening to their older brothers argue over how to spend the day.
"So you've finally had your first fight," Faramir said, breaking the silence.
Eowyn sighed and ran a hand through her thick hair.
"Some fight. I fainted."
Faramir grinned slightly and shook his head.
"Yes, but you still killed the Orc."
Eowyn thought about this, and then nodded.
"I guess I did."
They both sat in silence for a moment, and then Eowyn smiled.
"Thanks for letting me use your bow. I guess I'll have to learn how to use one now."
"Boromir would love to teach you," Faramir said, rolling his eyes with a head jerk at the tent flap. "I think he thinks he's in love with you."
Eowyn rolled her eyes too and giggled.
"That's silly. I don't think I'll ever fall in love. I won't ever get married anyway," she said decidedly, biting her lip.
"Why not?" asked Faramir hesitantly.
"Because then I'll have to act like a woman," Eowyn replied, glaring at the tent flap. "I won't be able to do anything."
Faramir watched her with cool grey eyes, hoping that he would always remember her like this; brave and rebellious, but gentle in her own fiery way.
"You might change your mind someday," he whispered with a grin. "I'm sure Boromir hopes you will."
Eowyn poked him and shot him a playful glare.
"Really. I'd rather marry a horse."
"Don't let him hear you say that," Faramir replied.
Then, thoughtfully, he moistened his lips and spoke again.
"Would you…would you marry someone who would let you fight and do things that women aren't really supposed to do?"
Eowyn turned to him with a curious expression on her face.
"I'd be more likely to marry a person like that than anyone else. Why do you ask?"
Faramir turned red and looked away.
"No reason," he said. "I was just wondering."
Eowyn raised an eyebrow and opened her mouth to speak, but Boromir rushed into the tent and interrupted whatever she was going to say.
"Faramir," he panted, glancing quickly at Eowyn and then back at his brother, "We're leaving. Father said we have to be at the stables in five minutes, so get your stuff together and…say your goodbyes," he finished, giving Eowyn one last lingering glance.
Eowyn and Faramir exchanged an amused look, and Faramir stood up.
"All right," he said. "See you there."
With a quick wink at Eowyn, Boromir nodded to his brother, and then turned to leave the tent. Faramir and Eowyn remained in silence for a moment. Then with a long sigh, Faramir got to his feet.
"I suppose I'd better go," he said softly.
Eowyn smiled sadly and stood as well.
"I wish you could stay," she murmured, looking down and biting her lip.
Faramir nodded and reached out his hand, just barely brushing her sleeve with his fingers.
"Don't worry. We'll meet again. I'm certain of it."
"Are you?" Eowyn raised her grey-blue eyes, hard as steel, to Faramir's soft grey ones. She slipped her smooth white hands into his.
"Of course," he replied, smiling slightly. "And even if we didn't meet again, no matter what happens, Eowyn, I'll always be your friend."
Eowyn gave him a smile that Faramir knew he would never forget. He leaned forward over her, still holding her hands; for years afterward, he wasn't sure what would have happened if they hadn't been interrupted.
Perhaps, he sometimes pondered, I might have kissed her. But a voice came from the door, shattering the spell of silence that surrounded them.
"Faramir!"
Boromir poked his head in the door, the expression on his face changing from one of impatience to one of shock and surprise as he noticed the two.
"Oh…" he glanced at his brother, "it's time to go."
"Goodbye," Eowyn said, nodding to first Boromir, and then her friend.
Faramir looked at her one more time, and then ran out of the tent, pushing past Boromir, and almost knocking his big brother to the ground. Boromir watched him go with an air of confusion.
"My lady," he said, regaining his composure as he turned to Eowyn, "it was a pleasure to meet you."
"The pleasure was mine," Eowyn replied automatically, her eyes still gazing at the tent flap where Faramir had gone.
Boromir cleared his throat and stepped forward a bit.
"Perhaps," he said urgently, "you and your brother might someday visit the great city of Minas Tirith. You would be welcome…" his voice trailed off as she turned her cool eyes upon him.
"Your offer is most gratefully received. Farewell to you, Lord Boromir."
Her voice was cold and distant. Boromir took the hint and turned, trying desperately to keep his anger from exploding into words.
"Farewell, Lady Eowyn."
He stalked out of the tent and made his way to the stables, too angry to speak. He didn't even notice when he brushed past Eomer, who looked rather surprised, yet did not say a word. Finally, Boromir found his father's company mounting up on their horses. His father on the back of a horse was a most unusual sight. Lord Denethor preferred not to ride when he had the choice.
Boromir swung up on his chestnut stallion. Once on the horse's back, he was able to see the faces of the mounted men around him. To his surprise, Faramir was already there, sitting on his grey steed, his cloak making him look like a Ranger. At this Boromir smiled. Faramir, smaller than his brother, was never much good at the sword. The boy loved to read, and do indoor things, which Denethor looked down upon with disdain.
"Read…play chess…," he would say. "And if an Orc attacks you, what will you do? Throw a book at it? Challenge it to a game of chess?"
The Captain of the Company approached Denethor.
"My lord," Boromir heard him say, "Are you ready to depart?"
"I am," Lord Denethor replied wearily. "Let us leave at once."
"My lord," the Captain said, bowing his head as he swerved his prancing horse around and rode to the front of the column.
"To Minas Tirith!" the man shouted, raising his sword above his head.
"Minas Tirith!" the men of the Company replied in a long, joyful yell.
Then, all of the Company nudged their horses forward. Boromir found himself riding at Faramir's side. They said nothing, but exchanged a grin at the sight of their father, who was bouncing up and down on his black stallion, and looking, to tell the truth, rather unlike a steward at the moment.
When they reached the crest of the first hill, Faramir, at the back of the group, turned back in the saddle, and pulled his horse to a stop.
He looked back across the plain they had just crossed, back toward the camp. There, upon the little hill where he had first met Eowyn with her stick, but as Morwen with her sword, he saw a small figure, dressed in white. He grinned at the last sight of his friend.
"Eru berio le," he whispered, using the few Elvish words he had learnt from Elves that had visited his father's court. "Eru keep you."
After Boromir had gone, Eowyn stood for a few minutes just blinking back tears. Then Eomer half knocked her down as he barreled through the tent flap.
"They're…leaving," he said breathlessly. "The company…is…departing."
Eowyn pushed past him and ran. She wasn't sure where exactly she was going until she reached the place. It was the hill. The hill where she had fought, first imaginary Orcs and Sauron, and then Faramir, only Isildur to her then. She stood there on the hill, looking down at the lake, vowing to herself that she would never forget that day.
Then, a flash of grey up on the next hill caught her eye. Eowyn glanced up quickly, and saw a light grey horse at the top, pawing the air in anticipation. Its rider was cloaked in grey, and Eowyn smiled sadly, as she realized that this was Faramir.
The wind blew around her violently, and words floated to her across the wind.
"Eru belio le," the wind whispered, though Eowyn knew who had really said the words.
"Noro go hul, bado go Eru," she replied in the customary Elvish farewell that she remembered from somewhere in the past. "Run with the wind, go with God."
The grey horse turned and disappeared over the crest of the hill. Eowyn picked up her stick from where it lay on the ground and held it high over her head.
"For Faramir," she whispered as the tears streamed down her face.
Then she plunged into the invisible ranks of Orc soldiers, fighting bravely and sure to be victorious in the end.
Such was the first meeting of Lady Eowyn and Lord Faramir; they parted in grief, but both knew, or at least suspected, that someday their paths would cross again…
Finis
ATTENTION: This is a public service announcement direct from King Caspian the Seafarer to alert all fans of the story Morwen and Isildur that the first chapter of the sequel, Danger in Edoras, has been posted. You may find Danger in Edoras by looking on Caspian's profile, or by copying and pasting the following link: fanfiction dot net/s/6015332/1/Danger_in_Edoras (you have to replace the 'dot' with '.')
Thank you for your patience.
-The Managment (erm...that's me. ;D)