The Return of the King and Queen

Chapter 29: Siblings Before Captains

In Minas Tirith, Faramir stood in his room alone as he put his armor on for what he was sure would be his last time. Denethor had commanded him that he and his men to retake Osgiliath even though he and everyone knew the city was well overrun but he had no other choice. He couldn't help but feel like hope was fading even with Gandalf's encouraging words and news of Amdiriel returning. He felt like her return would be too late and there was nothing he could do to stop the fate that awaited him and his men. He grabbed his helmet and put it before he exited his room and made his way out to the horse that waited for him in the courtyard. He looked over to Osgiliath, a dark shadow laid over the ruined city. Oh, how different things had been just months ago. The night before the victory at Osigilath, the last battle he and his siblings would share and the last time he would have seen them alive. He thought back to that to that memory.

The men were crowded around trying to see what was going on as their captain's held duels. It had been a way to get the men motivated for the fight ahead. The fires around them lit up the night sky as the men cheered on their captains. Amdiriel had been dueling Boromir's second in command, swords only. Amdiriel had spun out of the way of a blow gracefully before placing her blade at the edge of the man's neck, a smirk on her face as the men cheered. The man yielded his sword and bowed in respect to Amdiriel as she bowed her head to him with respect as well. Boromir and Faramir then ran up to laughing proudly at their younger sister. Faramir had picked up his sister and lifted her off her feet in a big hug while Boromir smiled proudly and chanted her name with the men.

The men had soon calmed down after that and the three siblings had retreated to their tent to go over their battle plans with their lieutenants one last time before they dispersed for the night. The three were then left alone as they went out and sat around the fire.

"We are grateful that you are here." Faramir told his sister who then smiled at him. "You know I will always come." she replied. "No amount of orcs could keep me away." she added smugly. "And don't we know it. Do you remember the time she tried to take on a whole company of orcs by herself when we were eighteen?" Boromir teased. "Hey you were late and if I recall correctly it was because you were smitten by some lady in a tavern." Amdiriel reminded him. "But I was not the one that walked away with a nasty cut on her shoulder and cracked ribs." Boromir told her. "And mother and father refused you to do anything strenuous for two weeks and you had a long lecture too." Faramir added. "Oh, I remember I was the one injured and I was the one getting punished, I was so bored. I couldn't even go out on horseback." Amdiriel chuckled. "I thought you were going to pull your hair out from bordem." Boromir laughed. "Oh, she did, and then she had the great idea of trying to dress up like a boy and sneak out." Faramir said with a laugh. "And I would have gotten away with it too had it not been for that old bat Amiliea, I swear she hated us." Amdiriel said, referring to their old maid who was in charge of their laundry and cleanliness.

"She really did hate us." Boromir remembered. "That is only because we put blue dye in the white clothes and it turned all the clothes blue." Faramir reminded them. "We? You mean Amdiriel." Boromir stated. "You were there with me hiding behind the big basket of dirty sheets." Amdiriel gasped. "But you were the one who committed the act." Boromir said. "You both dared me to." Amdiriel exclaimed as they laughed. They had gotten in so much trouble when they were young but they were always there to take the punishment together if they couldn't get out of it. They had missed this, being able to be together, laughing, and reminiscing of when they were younger. They spent some time like that before Boromir asked Amdiriel to sing for them. Amdiriel smiled as she lifted her head from Faramir's shoulder and started to sing.

It's funny how
The walk of life
Can take you down
Without a fight

So many years
Can leave behind
Regretfully until it's time
To realize the moment
When you turn around.