Fo.A 2, March 4th

Screams. Yelling. Furniture toppling. It was chaos all around.

Aragorn sprung into action as soon as the lights had gone out, drawing his hidden dagger and rushing towards Lord Falcon.

Keeping his eyes shut and pretending to be dazed had paid off; his eyes, already adjusted to the sudden darkness, helped the speed of his movements and had taken Falcon's men off guard.

Aragorn ran into one of the guards who was fumbling around looking for whoever was attacking them. A quick knee to the gut and a hard blow to the head took care of the man. Aragorn could hear Falcon yelling and swearing at his men to do something. Apparently, they had gotten comfortable in their power and did not expect such an attack.

Aragorn took care of another guard before finally getting his hands on Lord Falcon, who quickly realized who it was that grabbed him, and he began begging for mercy. It was pitiful.

There was a part of Aragorn that was relieved that this had worked out so well, but on the other hand, he was disturbed by how comfortable these people were in their power that they didn't dream of anyone coming after them. It seemed there were only more questions, rather than answers.

Light entered the doorway behind Aragorn. He turned around and could just make out Faramir's face in the torchlight underneath his hood.

"Have I missed anything?" Faramir asked, walking into the room.

"Oh, nothing much," Aragorn replied, trying to hide a smile.

Faramir pushed back the hood from his face and took a closer look around the room. Tapestries hung on the walls in a myriad of colors, and plush furniture was knocked over and shoved aside. Rugs were stained red with the blood of several guards who lay dead. Faramir looked around once more and then to Aragorn, the question on his lips. "Where is Tachion?"

A scream sounded from the other room, and Aragorn quickly followed behind Faramir, dragging Lord Falcon with him. As they entered a side room, they saw Ninel leaning over Tachion's body, a long dagger sticking out of his shoulder. The girl was mumbling incoherently as she sobbed. Falcon chuckled but was quickly silenced by Aragorn's fist.

Faramir kneeled down, examining the wound. He stood gazed up at Aragorn, his features grim. "He doesn't have long, we must hurry."

Aragorn gave Lord Falcon another punch for good measure and ordered Faramir's men to take Tachion to the House of Healing, he would follow close behind. He stopped Faramir and said, "Take his sister and do not let her out of your site, I do not want her wandering off or having a repeat of this. Do you understand?"

Faramir nodded. "Understood. She will stay with Eowyn and I until you say otherwise." Faramir motioned to a now bloody Lord Falcon. "What of him?"

The lord was whimpering and mumbling something about his nose being broken. Aragorn resisted the urge to punch him again and instead answered his friend. "I'm going to question him once we get back to the Citadel. Then tomorrow, he hangs."

Fo.A 2, March 5th

Dalion's blood had finally dried on the cell floor, though the scent of it lingered in the air, and Lord Falcon tried to not let it unsettle him. He sat alone in the unending darkness with his thoughts. Falcon had told Aragorn what he wanted to know without divulging everything; all the names of the inner circle here in the city, and the conspirings with the Easterlings and Haradrim to attack Minas Tirith in a few months. Falcon suspected that the others he'd named would be joining him in a few hours at the gallows if they were not dead already.

No matter, the Black Tree would rise again in time. Years, decades, whole Ages of the world could pass before the sapling of evil burst forth once more, but it would come, and they would be there to bathe it in blood. The others would see to it.

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Aragorn took no pleasure in the hangings. The ten traitors that Falcon named had joined him, but Aragorn doubted this was all of them. Still, it would serve as an example to anyone else who thought of following the Black Tree, whatever it was. That was one of the things that Falcon had not been forthcoming about, he'd just kept repeating, "The Black Tree will rise."

Aragorn turned away from the macabre scene and walked back into Minas Tirith, stopping by the House of Healing to check on Tachion, whose punishment was starting to weigh on him. The man had failed to mention that Dalion had been his older brother, and Aragorn wondered if their sister was at all part of this?

Satisfied after speaking with the healer that Tachion would recover he made his way back to the Citadel, thought after thought bombarding his mind, and doubt knawing at him. Who was he able to trust?

Aragorn entered the marble halls and made his way towards the one person he knew above all else he could trust with anything.

He found Arwen with her handmaidens chatting gaily about one thing or another. Upon seeing their king, they all stood and gave a bow before hurrying out of the room, still giggling to each other. Arwen stood and embraced her husband, placing a soft kiss on his lips. "How did it go?" she asked, sensing something was off.

Aragorn sighed and rubbed his head. "As well as it could have," he replied. He shook his head. "Just when I thought we could have peace, evil rises up to try and snatch it away!"

Arwen took his hand and led him to the window nook and motioned for him sit. Once he had she gently started rubbing his shoulders, trying to help ease his tension.

"All my life I have been trained for the day when I would be crowned king. But after everything I've gone through I still feel so unprepared and unequipped to lead these people." He hung his head. "I saw things being so different. I saw a Golden Age of Middle Earth where all the peoples were at peace, where we could have a family, and we could watch the happiness of our people restored."

Silence fell between them for a time, and they were content in it, but Aragorn's restlessness drug him to his feet, and he began to pace to try and ease it.

Arwen looked on worriedly. "What is troubling you, Estel?"

Aragorn slowed and gazed out the window. "Tachion's punishment weighs on my mind," he replied. "I know that they had his sister, but he still committed treason. By all accounts, he should hang as well."

"No!"

Aragorn felt a chill run down his spine, and he turned and looked at Arwen. She stood horrified, tears threatening to fall.

Aragorn felt his heart sink, confusion clouding his mind. "Arwen..." he stopped. No, not this...not her too.

"Aragorn it's not what you think," she said, the tears now streaming down her face. "He and I-"

Aragorn put a hand up, bile rising his throat. This couldn't be happening. He felt sick.

"Estel-"

He put his hand up again, cutting her off. He looked at her with misty eyes, shaking his head; he had no words for the pain he felt. "Don't follow me," he managed to choke out.

With that, he rushed from the room, leaving Arwen in her misery.

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Fo.A 2, April 6th

It had been over a month since the hangings, and since Aragorn had thrown himself into the workings of the kingdom. He'd not been seen with Arwen for that same period of time, and Faramir was beginning to worry about the both of them.

Faramir had troubles of his own. Eowyn had been less than pleased that Faramir had offered to take in Ninel, he but couldn't figure out why.

Ninel had woken up screaming for the first couple of weeks after her rescue, but those had stopped about a week ago. The girl was quiet and tended to keep to herself. Once she'd heard that her brother was doing well enough for she'd begged Faramir to take her to visit him.

Faramir did his best to accommodate her and take her to see him at least once a day once he'd finished with his other duties.

Tachion was almost fully recovered from his wound and was usually in the gardens reading or singing softly to himself. Faramir remembered a time not long ago when he had walked these same paths.

That's where Faramir stood now, looking on as Ninel and Tachion spoke about a book he'd just finished. Their voices were light, and they seemed to energize each other as they talked together, and Faramir smiled. He and Boromir had been the same growing up.

But the smile quickly faded as Faramir remembered the orders he'd been given, and he hated that he was the one to have to do it. Be that as it may, he saw no harm letting the siblings have a moment longer together. It would be their last.

Tachion looked up at Faramir, both realizing and accepting what was to come. "Ninel," he said, the love for his sister causing his eyes to water. "I have to go now."

Ninel recoiled in confusion. "What? Why?"

Tachion's heart broke at the thought of his sister living on her own, no one to look after her. He was the last one she had in Arda. Tachion embraced his sister and wept.

Ninel began to cry as well.

His gaze went once more to Faramir, his heart in anguish unlike anything else he'd ever felt before. He knew Faramir's responsibility, and he knew that what he did was out of duty. Tachion could hold no grudge against him. Besides, they shared a common loss.

Tachion stood and tore himself from his sister.

"Where are you going?" Ninel cried, jumping up. She turned and looked at Faramir and the guards walking towards them, dread filling her heart.

Tachion did not struggle against them when they took hold of his arms. Faramir had instructed them that he should be treated with dignity.

Faramir came and gently grabbed Ninel, who now realized what was happening. She buried her face into Faramir's chest as the guards led her brother to meet his fate.

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If this chapter seems rushed I apologize. I decided that it would be a superb idea to type this up while fighting a headache XO. 

Anyways, things are ramping up and we're getting close to the end of the book. Comment below and let me know what you guys think and what your thoughts are on the events taking place!!