Disclaimer: I don't own them; I only borrow them for a time in order to bend them to my infinitely cruel and twisted, malicious will.  Alas, dear Professor, forgive me!

Chapter 4 – The Ride South

Upon the dawn of the eve of the third week since the coming of word from the South, two companions arrived at the gates of the White City, mounted upon a great white steed.  And when the guards saw them there, they at once recognized the strangers.  They were Legolas and Gimli, old friends of the King, who had traveled to Gondor by his call.  And when they came at last to the King, he greeted them with a glad heart, and they spent many hours secluded from others and spoke of happenings and of the past and of the burden of longing.  But when noon had finally come and gone, the three friends removed from their place and made way to the council chambers, where a meeting was to be held finalizing plans for the journey to come. 

And as they came at last to the doors of the chamber, they saw there Faramir, with Éowyn at his side; their faces were stern and set.  This perplexed Aragorn greatly, for it was known of all nobility that barring extreme circumstance, only the leading men of the realm were allowed to enter into the High Council and sit therein.  But as Aragorn gazed upon their faces, he saw in them a steadfastness that would hold in spite of any rule or regulation, and knew then that nothing could keep Éowyn from her husband's side.  Not even her King.

Therefore, he approached Éowyn then, and said in a firm but caring voice: "My Lady, you know it is against policy to allow anyone but the high lords of the land into these chambers.  What is your business here?"

"Her reasons for being here are sufficient, my Lord," spoke Faramir then, and his hard tone took Aragorn by surprise.

The King raised his hands in a gesture of acceptance, and said then, "Peace.  I meant no offense, Faramir.  I only wished to inquire as to Éowyn's reason for attending this day, when so many vital things must be overseen.  After all, there are regulations…"Aragorn sighed, and glanced at Éowyn, whose face was calm and still and showed yet her fiery spirit, which ever-burned within her. 

Then Éowyn looked to Faramir and he returned the gaze, and their joint will was unbroken and resilient.  Faramir then replied to Aragorn, "Éowyn will ride with me and be my constant companion and aide, even upon the field of battle.  She will lay aside for a time the healer's raiment for the sake of her country, her King, and her husband.  It was I who suggested this, and I beg of you, my Lord, do not deny our wishes."

Aragorn gazed then upon Éowyn, studied her well, and found no fear or doubt upon her.  "Then this is your will also, Éowyn?" he asked.

"Aye, my Lord, it is my hearts desire," she replied, fixing her eyes upon Faramir and smiling upon him.  "I will protect my husband and forfeit my own life if need be."

"You are truly brave and valiant, my Lady, and your husband a blessed man," said Legolas, who was awed by the fierceness of her spirit.  "But let us hope it does not come to such need and that our cause will prevail."

Legolas bowed low to Éowyn and then Aragorn entered into the chamber, with Legolas and Gimli close behind; and then came Faramir and Éowyn.  And when the Lord and Lady of Ithilien stepped into the room, all of the high lords and councilors of Gondor were dumbstruck.  Some sat in utter shock, others gasped aloud, and some went so far as to stand in outrage at Éowyn's presence.  Yet she stood tall and proud beside Faramir, whose face bore no embarrassment, only pride. 

And when they all had taken their places at the table, Aragorn stood, and said unto them: "Behold, the Shield-maiden of the Mark, Slayer of the Witch-King of the Nazgûl rides again.  I will suffer no indignity towards her, nor will her husband, who is your Lord and Steward of this realm.  Therefore, be at peace, and take comfort that so valiant a warrior as she will fight for your cause."

The whole of the room fell silent, and Éowyn felt a faint blush grace her cheeks, and she clasped Faramir's left hand within her own.  He smiled then upon her, arising from his seat, and bid her also to stand.  Then he said, "I present to you now Éowyn, Princess of Ithilien and High Lady of Gondor.  Arise and give her due honor."

Then each man about the table stood and they all gave salute to Éowyn without hesitation.  She sensed then their acceptance of her, and returned their salute in kind.  But the business of the day now stood before them and so at the King's bidding, all took their seats.

Now when they once again were seated, Aragorn stood before them and his face was somber.  "As you all know, we will soon ride to the south to counter the threat to our kingdom.  Four companies will set forth from Gondor under the command of the King and Steward.  Our journey must be brisk, so we shall ride quickly as we can, stopping only for the sake of the horses, and even then only briefly.

This day is one of sorrow for us all, for we, each of us, must part from our loved ones and go again into the unknown fate of battle.  Yet, take heart in the strength of the people of Gondor, who have not come so far from darkness to return to its cold, chilly grasp.  We shall prevail."

Then Aragorn returned to his seat, and maps were drawn out and battle plans made.  And as the men of the council spoke long into the afternoon on the matters of the realm in the stead of it's King, and of the army of Orcs and the mysterious man who lead them, Éowyn's attention was only on her husband.  As he spoke, she heard the wisdom of his words and the beauty of his voice, which was sweet as summer song upon her ears; and she knew that she would face any hardship and endure any pain for his sake. 

And whenever the chance was presented, Faramir turned his eyes to Éowyn's, and they met there even and equal, as ever they were.  Their love for one another was plain to see, and no amount of effort able to hide the ferocity of their feelings.  And when she looked on him long, Éowyn felt the familiar desire for family come upon her.  It was always an unexpected thing, though it oft occurred, for she had never imagined herself as a mother.  But the need to have a child was a growing presence in her mind, and she knew not if it was her own desire to be a mother, or her fervent need to have all of Faramir she possibly could that caused the feelings to surface.  Yet, they were there, and she knew that if she came away unscathed from the perils of the future, heed would at last be given them.

How her husband felt about the issue, however, was what Éowyn did not know.  She suspected that Faramir's desire for a child mirrored her own, as whenever he saw children playing or heard the cries of an infant from afar, his eyes would sparkle and gleam with delight.  She was sure this same sparkle oft resided in her own eyes, and she wondered if Faramir had noticed it as keenly as she had.  But he had not once broached the subject, and Éowyn recognized that any talk of family would come by her own initiation.  And, indeed, if time was yet required before the bearing of a child was prudent, she would wait with hope and expectation. 

But other things now demanded her attention, and as the meeting continued into the evening, she bent her attention to the matters of the army and of their deployment and orders.  She found the information easy to digest, since she had been absorbed in matters of war since her earliest recollections, and that experience proved most useful. 

Long into the night, the council lingered, and when at last she felt she could stand no more talk of armaments and marching orders, Aragorn arose and said, "My friends and countrymen, tomorrow we ride south for the protection and freedom of all Gondor.  Rest tonight, spend time with your families, and on the morrow, be prepared for a long, hard journey."

Then Aragorn dismissed the council, and one by one, the men of Gondor arose, bowed to their King and departed each to their own home.  And when Faramir arose, Éowyn stood with him and took him by the hand.  Faramir bowed to him and Éowyn curtseyed, then Aragorn smiled brightly upon them both.  He also bowed low and then stood tall and straight, and when Éowyn looked upon him, she knew no enemy who came against him could prevail.  Gondor was in the capable hands of Aragorn Elessar.

And so, Faramir and Éowyn then took their leave of Aragorn, their King, and returned to their home in Minas Tirith, where they slept all the night in each other's arms and awoke at the dawn still clinging to one another.

Now, when the day of departure had come upon Gondor, the army was made ready and gathered at the gates of the White City.  And early on that morning, Aragorn Elessar kissed Arwen, his wife, and said his final goodbyes to her; and then he came down to the gates where he found Faramir and Éowyn awaiting him, along with many of his highest aides.  He approached them steadily and offered his hand to the Steward, who accepted it gratefully, and then he bowed to Éowyn, Lady of Gondor.

She was clad in a suit of the finest mail of Gondor, and it was bright and shimmering as if constructed of a thousand white diamonds; and upon her tunic was the emblem of the White Tree.  Her golden hair, loose and unfurled, hung low on her back and her eyes were twinkling and glittering in the sun.  And when she stood beside her husband, the noble Faramir, and their love was laid plain and bare for all to see, no couple seemed more handsome.

And so, Aragorn said unto her, "My dear lady, would that all things were so fair and true in their love as thee and thy husband.  Then so much more comely would the world of Men be."

But Faramir smiled, and replied, "O, that things were so!  But while cruelty and hatred and fear yet abide, hope and love have been returned right and fair; and the future is more bright than ever before." 

And as he spoke of hope, Faramir looked on Aragorn, and his heart beat proud.  Gondor was blessed by its King, so fair and wise in judgment, brave, steady, and courageous was he.  Yet, when he spoke of love, Faramir looked on Éowyn, and his eyes glistened and shone with joy, for in her, all his hopes and dreams were invested and made real.  If she alone had survived the fall of the world of Men, some good would yet have remained.  All good things were she, and she was every good thing worth having.  It seemed to him so simple a thing to love her, as it was so elemental to his heart. 

And as Faramir gazed upon Éowyn, he became lost for a moment in her beauty and in his love for her, and only the call of his name by his Lord awakened his senses.

"Will you accompany me out the gate, Faramir?" asked Aragorn, who saw the love-struck glance bestowed by the Steward to his wife.

"Of course, my Lord," Faramir meekly responded. 

Then Faramir fell beside Aragorn and the two walked together to the gates of Gondor.  Éowyn walked behind them, and then fell all others.  And as the gates cracked, then came open, and the men of the Army of Gondor laid eyes on their King, a cheer went up among them, which only quelled once Aragorn had mounted his horse and held his hand aloft for quiet.

All eyes turned to him as he spoke, and his voice was plain and calm.  "Men of Gondor," he cried out, "Today we ride to defend our homes and our families.  Let us be swift, for haste is needed!  We ride!"

Then Aragorn rode to the head of the army, where Legolas and Gimli awaited him; there also came Faramir and Éowyn, and the five of them rode at the head of the companies as they departed Minas Tirith and made their through the ruins of Osgiliath, and then took the long road south.

Many days long travel had passed when the army of Gondor came at last to the banks of the River Poros.  There, camp was made, and preparations begun for the ensuing battle, which awaited them five leagues southeast of the bridge over the river, on the Field of Lethinien, where the Orc army camped.  They had traveled 90 leagues in a dead race, and all were tired and weary from travel.  But the morale was high, and the spirit of the men was strong.

And so, when night had fallen and the men of the army slept, the leaders and captains of the companies gathered in the tent of command.  Four captains of the four companies of the Army of Gondor were there, and Legolas and Gimli were there also; Faramir and Éowyn sat side by side to the right of Aragorn, who sat at the head of a small wooden table.

For three hours, they discussed at length the plan of battle, and after much discussion, came to an agreement as to how the army would be fielded.  Three separate commands would be formed.  The northern company would be commanded by Galheln, whose own small army had linked with the others some leagues north of Poros.  The southern company would fall under the command of Aragorn, for it was generally conceded that the Orcs would attack the center first, and finding it strongest, would try and flank the Gondorian army to the south.  And so, command of the center companies was given to Faramir.

"I must warn you, Faramir," said then Aragorn.  "The first wave of attackers will be fierce and brutal, and your companies will suffer many casualties.  But you must hold.  Under no means are you to waver.  I suspect that once they ascertain the strength of our central ranks, they will press the attack elsewhere.  In that case, you must remain ready to detach a portion of your unit to assist wherever needed.  Yet, there is one factor we must consider.  This man that rides at their head - though we know not his true face, keep watch on him.  Wherever he is, there the strength of their army will be."

"Aye," nodded Faramir.  "I will keep careful watch of my lines and shall be ready at your call.  We will not give nor surrender any ground to our enemies."

The meeting went on nearly an hour longer before the group took leave and went to their tents to sleep.  But Éowyn did not sleep immediately, as her mind was churning with activity and she worried over the events that lay in store.  And so, she spent long minutes watching over Faramir as he slept, brushing her long, slender fingers through his raven hair and singing softly to him in the tongue of her people.

And when dawn arrived on the next morning and the first trumpets sounded, Faramir and Éowyn arose, and spent what little time they had left alone together.  Little conversation was made, little movement taken, and for a long while, they simply sat holding one another.  But at length, the second call came, signaling the army to make ready for the journey and battle to come; and so they stood and began to assemble their armor.

Faramir dressed quickly, being a soldier of many seasons, and Éowyn stood waiting, for his help was yet required of her in the assemblage of such intricate Gondorian armor, which was none too similar to the plain mail of her own people that she had worn during the War of the Ring.  And when at last he was suited, she looked upon him, so wise and kind and tender of heart.  His love for her was flowing from within him, and she could feel the strength of it penetrating her very essence.  And as she stood there, she stripped herself of clothing and stood naked before her husband bearing no shame.  And for a moment, Faramir stood motionless and admired her beauty laid so bare for him to see. 

Her golden hair laid against her bare back like gold upon the pure driven snow, and her face was soft and kind, and her eyes gentle and lovingly fixed upon him.  And her body was perfect and beautiful, no flaw or error in form or blemish visible to his eye.  Pale and lovely white was her skin, but smooth as silk, and it seemed to glisten with an ethereal light.  She was not physically tall, and he towered above her, but her slender, shapely form held power over him no man ever could.  Was this the body he had so often made love to?  That he held so closely to him at night?  How could it be that he had never seen how truly beautiful she was in all the days of their marriage?  Yet, he saw it then, and loved her more clearly and deeply than ever before as they stood then at the brink of war.

But his heart yet panged with despair at what danger could fall upon her in the thick of battle, where even so skilled a warrior as he may not be able to aid her.  The thought of any ill falling upon her was dreadful, beyond terrible, really.  And as he helped her into her armor, his hands trembled, and not until he had fastened the last of her mail in place did she notice.

Éowyn fixed her eyes then on his quaking hands and took them into her own.  Then she gazed sadly upon his face, which had become downtrodden and laden with frightful sorrowful.  "I cause you this pain by being here," she whispered, and her voice wavered with emotion. 

Faramir could manage no answer.

"O, my darling," Éowyn then exclaimed as she flung herself into his arms.  "I am so very sorry to have wrought this upon you.  I thought naught of this when I agreed to follow you into the midst of battle, where chance alone dictates fate."

"I thought naught of it either when I asked it of you," he answered softly.  "Not even until I saw you just now, standing here bare before me.  You seemed too beautiful and lovely a thing to follow me where I go, and while I do not think I could ever survive the pain of your passing, whether now or many years after this day.  Yet, for it to come at my own request would for certain be the sealing of my own doom."

Tears spilled down her eyes onto Faramir's shoulder as he spoke, for his sadness and grief was great; and she loved him so intensely that his pain was hers.  "Let us pray then that we come away unscathed, both of us," she said at length.  "For I also would will surely share your fate this day or the next and follow wherever you go, even unto death."

"Yes," Faramir whispered, nodding lightly, "let us pray."

And as they stood together, they whispered a prayer to the Valar, each on the other's behalf, and they held each other tightly in the last moments before they rode off to battle.  But when at last the final call of the trumpets was made, Faramir and Éowyn kissed, and the passion and depth of it was more so than any they had ever shared before.  Then they whispered to each other words of love and devotion, and exited their tent, made way to their steeds, and galloped away to where the three members of the Fellowship of the Ring and the Army of Gondor waited.

A/N – Forgive me for the delay!  Alas, sickness and other business tend to interfere in the way of musings, but I hope you enjoyed this last chapter.  Stay tuned for the next!  And last, but not least, if anyone with a good eye for editing is interested, I could use a test reader/editor to peruse my endeavors for errors in grammar and structure, and insurance of proper story flow and function.  Email me (rommydoo@bellsouth.net) if you are interested! 

Anyhow, adios, mis amigos.  Until next time. =)