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6 Fourth Age: City of our Hearts; open
Topic Started: 2 Oct 2008, 09:46 PM (374 Views)
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Lord Faramir Steward of Gondor stood in the Stone Courtyard of the top level of Minas Tirith looking out over Gondor. In the distance he could see Osgiliath and immediately his heart pounded with guilt as he thought of the men that he had led to their deaths needlessly there. His eyes clouded over as he considered this. He looked back up at the shadowed land that was Mordor. His breathing became more ragged. Everytime he looked at the land he was reminded of his father, of Eowyn's pain and of Sauron. His hatred bubbled over when he turned his eyes on that cursed land.

He looked away towards Ithilien and his heart was momentarily free of all cursed thoughts. He loved Ithilien ever more now that it was his home. He had a beautiful wife and he lived in a beautiful place. What more could he ask for? Even more so since he was Steward as well as Prince of Ithilien. He had a lot to thank the Lord Aragorn for.

Speaking of Lord Aragorn Faramir was on his way to meet him. He had somehow got distracted being in the city again after several weeks. Nevertheless he had a rather mundane meeting that he was sure neither her nor Aragorn particularly enjoyed. It was simply going through records which wasn't fun at all. Maybe Aragorn did enjoy it but Faramir certainly didn't. It amused him how boring he sometimes found his new duty. Not that he minded.

He turned and walked towards the White Tree. He stopped and looked up at it with a smile.
 
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Elessar strode out of the Citadel into the blinding light washing over Minas Tirith as the sun crested the Mountains of Shadow. His eyes followed the Tower of Ecthelion to its peak. Even from here, it glimmered like a precious gem, not merely the stone from which it was carved.

Turning his attention again to the world at his feet, Aragorn saw Faramir was already present. That was good. Nothing would make the day go by as slowly as meetings without a friend.

“There is nothing I love more than hearings on timber export,” Aragorn said facetiously. “Or is it a tariff on wool we’re discussing?”

With a little smile, he clapped Faramir on the shoulder. The King and the Steward lived lives far removed from most of their people, and as such, often seemed beyond boredom. While vital to the realm, hearing the King’s Council bleat on about an international ban on mink whale blubber was not Aragorn’s idea of a fun-filled day.

“Shall we go and endure the politics on the agenda for today?”
 
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Faramir smiled up at the White Tree thinking about the years it had stood bare before Aragorn's return. It had always seemed sad and forlorn to him but now it was light and full of life. Much like the rest of Middle Earth now the Shadow had passed. Faramir felt at ease with the world now that the Tree had blossomed again.

“There is nothing I love more than hearings on timber export,” Aragorn said facetiously. “Or is it a tariff on wool we’re discussing?”

Faramir turned to see the King coming towards him, bowing slightly smirk crossed his features as Aragorn joked about the mundane nature of the meetings they were often meant to endure. He turned to face him fully waiting until he had caught up with him. It was good that he no longer had to endure business of Gondor alone. His father never was much help in the days of the Stewards. Faramir often had to answer to the people's complaints such was his father's rule.

"Good day my Lord" he said with a smile. "I do not know perhaps they may surprise us" he said with a small smile. "After all there is nothing better the King and Steward of Gondor could be doing other than listening to the important role of the wine industry" he said lightly.

“Shall we go and endure the politics on the agenda for today?”

Faramir chuckled as Aragorn clapped him on the back and with a nod turned towards the building in which they would be meeting the officials for the politics.
 
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Chairs scooted along the stone floor and cloaks swished as the men already around the table stood in respect of King Elessar and Prince Faramir. Aragorn gained his place at the head of the table.

“Welcome, Lords and Gentlemen, to another session of the King’s Council. What do we have on our agenda today?”

As the agenda was read off from a heavy sheet of parchment, Aragorn’s eyes scanned the room. Several of the Councilors were absent today. Three of them were on royal business, but the other two he could not account for.

“Thank you, Lord Teremir,” the King said, as the Lord Councilor finished reading the agenda. “Then we shall begin with reports of the realm.”

While Bregand spoke about the state of affairs in Anorien, Aragorn cast a knowing look in Faramir’s direction. One of the Councilors had wanted to discuss olive production and another crop rotation.
 
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Poor Faramir had never looked so bored in his life although he kept a small smile on his face intently listening so that the meeting would pass with minimum embarrassment as possible. He wasn't not bothered about crops and all but neither was he obsessed with them. He scanned his eyes over the reports. He looked at the men around.

“Then we shall begin with reports of the realm.”

Faramir sat up a little straighter. That was a better option than crops or olive production. He glanced down at some of the reports at the bottom of the pile. He found one that some of his rangers had sent to Faramir's quarters in Minas Tirith. He picked it up and looked around.

"Some activity of orcs in and around Harad apparently. A small number but enough to form a very very basic attack group. A good twenty were spotted. They didn't come anywhere near Ithilien or Minas Tirith though, they passed through the White Mountains"

Faramir did not like the fact that they were going up north especially as there were Gondorians rebuilding Arnor up there. He looked at Aragorn hastily. "My Lord please allow me to send some of my rangers up north. It could be possible they might try and hinder the building of the Northern Kingdom, as of now the workers are unprepared, my rangers can ride faster than any orc" he said his voice tinged in worry
 
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The King drummed his fingers along the ornate railing on his chair while he mulled over Faramir’s proposition. Gray eyes found the map of Middle-earth recessed into the center of the table. They traced the routes north and south, east and west. A frown marred the King’s lips and furrowed his brow as he thought through all the outcomes of his decision.

“We cannot leave Ithilien open to attack when Emyn Arnen is not yet rebuilt,” Aragorn countered. “Two battalions of soldiers should march to Arnor, and we will double the patrols in the White Mountains. You are right about speed, however.”

Aragorn quickly calculated in his head. It was unlikely two battalions would be ready before the Orcs were halfway through Eregion.

“Pick your ten fastest riders, but give them instructions to return home after the Orcs are slaughtered. And …” He paused, unsure if he should continue. “… make sure they note any special markings on the Orcs.”

 
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“We cannot leave Ithilien open to attack when Emyn Arnen is not yet rebuilt,”

"Perhaps though this is a rather hasty decision but it seems to me we could ask the Dunedain men to either help watch down South or help protect their old city."

Another council member eyed him. "That would place the women and children of the Dunedain in danger. They travel altogether"

Faramir shook his head. "You misunderstood me, I apologise. The women and children could come to Minas Tirith or Ithilien to be safe. They should not be travelling so freely about if the rumours are true"

“Two battalions of soldiers should march to Arnor, and we will double the patrols in the White Mountains. You are right about speed, however.”

"I don't know how many would dare to move altogether in these days. Perhaps if we stop them now they will not be able to amass an army"

“Pick your ten fastest riders, but give them instructions to return home after the Orcs are slaughtered. And …”

Faramir nodded. "I will send them immediately" he said his face understanding but he secretly wouldn't have mnded going with his rangers to fight off the orcs but as Steward and Prince of Ithilien, the idea of him being allowed to go off and do that didn't stand a chance. He may as well do a running jump. He rested his cheek on his hand thoughtfully.

“… make sure they note any special markings on the Orcs.”

"Of course my lord"
 
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“I assure you,” Elessar said, his brow furrowing, “that the Dunedain are guarding Annuminas as best they can. Do not forget that they are few in number. It is Gondor who must aid Arnor now.”

Two kingdoms, separated by a continent, was no easy thing to manage. Much less because the Dunedain continued to think of Arnor as theirs, and these Lord Councilors thought of Gondor as theirs. It seemed only Aragorn held the two countries in equal esteem.

“Lords and Gentlemen,” he began, “you scowl and bluster about this decision. Why? If not for Arnor’s finest warriors, Minas Tirith would have fallen under the Corsair fleet. And if not for Gondor’s finest, Annuminas will fall before our enemy’s forces.”

He paused before uttering his final sentence, and the silence between was deafening. Aragorn had captured their thoughts, and now he would drive home the point. If not for Arnor, they would have no King.

“We will repay Arnor with protection and support. Two battalions will be called from the provinces of Gondor, excluding those that guard our borders from imminent attack. This is just the beginning. We need more Rangers, in Ithilien and Arnor. Faramir, you will oversee the recruitment and training.”

There was a gentle lift to the final sentence, as if the King was making a suggestion, asking a question, and giving an order all in one.

 
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“I assure you,” Elessar said, his brow furrowing, “that the Dunedain are guarding Annuminas as best they can. Do not forget that they are few in number. It is Gondor who must aid Arnor now.”

"Of course" Faramir agreed. "It is Gondor's duty to repay those who have protected the North for many years" he said in admiration of the Dunedain.

“We will repay Arnor with protection and support. Two battalions will be called from the provinces of Gondor, excluding those that guard our borders from imminent attack. This is just the beginning. We need more Rangers, in Ithilien and Arnor. Faramir, you will oversee the recruitment and training.”

"It will be done my lord. But I do stand by what I said before. I believe the women and children of the North should be brought back here where they will be safe until this rumour of a new lieutenant has either been dispelled proved true, in which case some means of protection must be given to them. The Dunedain are few now, imagine how few they would be if they were targeted."
 
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Elessar nodded in Faramir’s direction. The Rangers would be well trained in Ithilien and ready for the trying task that lay before them in the north.

“When you have begun, present a time table for readiness.”

He listened carefully to what else the Steward had to say. The intention was right, and his concern for the Dunedain was admirable. Nonetheless, the King disagreed.

“There is danger everywhere,” Aragorn countered. “Arnor became infested with Orcs when the peoples of the Northern Kingdom fled. Our best hope of destroying the fell creatures in Arnor is not to retreat, but to hold firm. We should encourage Gondorians to relocate to Arnor, not the other way around.”

 
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