An Olympian's Daughter

Becons are lit

It is morning. Gandalf walks Pippin towards the top of Minas Tirith.
"Peregrin Took, my lad, there is a task now to be done. Another opportunity for one of the Shire-folk to prove their great worth. You must not fail me."

Pippin climbs to the top of the beacon at Minas Tirith, evading the guards. He reaches for a lamp hanging over it. A rope snaps, spilling oil on the wood. Pippin tosses the lit lamp onto the wood, which quickly catches fire, to Pippin's surprise, he scrambles to climb down without catching fire himself. As Gandalf watches, the beacon burns, as soon does another one on a nearby mountainside.

"Amon Dîn." Gandalf whispers. Guards on watch take notice. "The beacon! The beacon of Amon Dîn is lit!" Denethor looks out of a window and frowns. "Hope is rekindled." Gandalf smiles before walking away. Signal beacons light in succession across several peaks.

At Edoras, Aragorn sees the last beacon lit, and runs into the Golden Hall. "The Beacons of Minas Tirith! The Beacons are lit! Gondor calls for aid!" Hali looks between both kings in hast waiting for Rohan to answer.

Théoden, in council with his men, pauses and takes stock of this news. "And Rohan will answer. Muster the Rohirrim!" A soldier rings a alarm bell. Théoden exits Meduseld, speaking with Éomer. Théoden orders his nephew, "Assemble the army at Dunharrow, as many men as can be found. You have two days." Éomer nods and turns. Théoden grabs his shoulder. "On the third, we ride for Gondor. And war." Éomer nods and leaves.

Théoden calls over another one of his trusted men "Gamling..." "Lord." Gamling answers. "Make haste across the Riddermark. Summon every able-bodied man to Dunharrow." Gamling nods and departs. Théoden watches the Riders flow from Edoras. Hali, Aragorn and Éowyn exit the stables. "You ride with us?" Aragorn asks while Hali saddles Leod beside him. "Just to the encampment. It's tradition for the women of the court to farewell the men." Hali uncovers a sword, hidden in Éowyn's saddle. "I do not thing that is the only thing you wish to do my Lady" Hali says with a cheeky smirk on her lips. She covers it with a blanket. "The men have found their captain, they will follow you into battle, even to death. You have given us hope." Éowyn says looking strate at Aragorn who saddles his own horse preparing to leave.

Merry, holding his sword, approaches Théoden. "Excuse me. I have a sword. Please accept it." Merry kneels. "I offer you my service, Theoden King." Theoden helps Merry to his feet. "And gladly I accept it. You shall be Meriadoc, esquire of Rohan." Theoden smiles down at the halfling. Merry grins and runs off. Legolas and Gimli prepare to depart. "Horsemen, hmph! I wish I could muster a legion of Dwarves, fully armed and filthy." Gimli mutters from the back of the saddle with Legolas. "Your kinsmen may have no need to ride to war. I fear war already marches on their own lands." Legolas whispers back to the dwarf riding with himin all his elvish wisdom.

Merry tries to get his stubborn pony to move; the pony ignores his kicks. Théoden takes one last look at his kingdom's banner. "So it is before the walls of Minas Tirith, the doom of our time will be decided." Theoden says as he looks over the plains of his mighty nation. While Éomer rallies the Rohirrim to arms, "Now is the hour, Riders of Rohan, oaths you have taken! Now, fulfill them all! To Lord and Land!" The Rohirrim ride to Dunharrow, with Merry on his galloping pony.

Meanwhile at Osgiliath, orcs begin to swarm the men. Faramir retreats to an alcove. "Faramir!" Madril yells out to his captain archers shoot down a pack of orcs pursuing Faramir. "We can't hold them! The city is lost." Madril says covered in blood,"Tell the men to break cover. We ride to Minas Tirith." Faramir orders.

Screeching Nazgûl fly overhead. "Nazgûl! Take cover!"some of the soliders yell. "Pull back! Pull back to Minas Tirith!" Faramir yells out to the men still in the city. Soldiers begin to evacuate. An orc knocks down Madril. "Retreat! Retreat!" Men and horses run from the city. A Nazgûl shrieks. "This way!" Orcs settle into Osgiliath. Madril lies on his back, wounded but alive. Gothmog and other orcs stand over him. Gothmog takes a spear from another orc and stabs Madril, killing him. "The age of Men is over. The time of the Orc has come." chuckles the infected Gothmong as he watches the men of Gondor ride back to their city. The men ride and run for Minas Tirith. They are set upon by the flying Nazgûl. The Nazgûl toss horses and men through the air, and crash into the riders.

Gandalf and Pippin, on Shadowfax, ride out to meet the retreating men. Gondorian Soldier yell out as he spots Gandalf "It's the White Rider!" Shadowfax runs toward the retreating soldiers. Gandalf's staff sets off a bright, white light. The Nazgûl fly away. Shadowfax joins the others and heads back to Minas Tirith. The gates of Minas Tirith open. Faramir's men and Shadowfax scurry inside. Faramir despairingly looks to Gandalf "Mithrandir! They broke our defenses. They've taken the bridge and the West bank. Battalions of orcs are crossing the river." "It is as Lord Denethor predicted! Long has he foreseen this doom!"one of the men say "Foreseen and done nothing!" Gandalf roars at the foolishness of the Steward of Gondor. Gandalf turns his horse towards Faramir, who stares at an embarassed Pippin. "Faramir? This is not the first halfling to have crossed your path?" Gandalf takes in the look in Faramir's eyes. "No." he answers honestly. "You've seen Frodo and Sam!" pippin exclaims in joy. "Where? When?" Gandalf boombards. "In Ithilien, not two days ago. Gandalf, they're taking the road to the Morgul Vale." Faramir explains, "And then the Pass of Cirith Ungol." Gandalf's expression turns grim at this news.

"What does that mean? What's wrong?" Pippin asks in consurn only to be ignored by the to older men. "Faramir, tell me everything. Tell me all you know." Gandalf ushers the Gondorian captain back into the city.

In the citadel, Faramir stands before his father."This is how you would serve your city? You would risk its utter ruin?" Denethor hisses at his younger son. "I did what I judged to be right." Faramir counters. "What you judged to be right? You sent the Ring of Power into Mordor in the hands of a witless halfling." Denethor chuckles in madness for what had gone on outside his city. "It should have been brought back to the Citadel to be kept safe. Hidden. Dark and deep in the vaults, not to be used. Unless at the uttermost... end of need." Denethor's eyes turn dark in greed.

"I would not use the Ring. Not if Minas Tirith were falling in ruin and I alone could save her." Faramir says standing tall before his mentally ill father. "Ever you desire to appear lordly and gracious as a king of old. Boromir would have remembered his father's need. He would have brought me a kingly gift." Denethor hisses in disgust. "Boromir would not have brought the Ring. He would have stretched out his hand to this thing and taken it. He would've fallen." Faramir exclaims, having known his brother better than most. Denethor angrily jumps to his feet. "You know nothing of this matter!" Denethor roars. "He would have kept it for his own! And when he returned, you would not have known your son." Faramir speaks only truth even though he knowns his father will disagree with him. "Boromir was loyal to me! Not some wizard's pupil" Denethor cries and falls. Faramir approaches him.

"Father?" Faramir calls out lowly to his father as he moves slowly closer to the fallen man. Denethor looks over Faramir's shoulder and smiles. "My son!" An image of Boromir appears behind Faramir to his father's crazed eyes. Boromir smiles and then the image fades. Denethor is left looking at Faramir. His mood shifts back to anger. "Leave me!" Denethor roars with hate turning away from his son. Faramir hesitates, and departs from the hall.