Here do I swear fealty and service to Gondor,
and to the Lord and Steward of the realm,
to speak and to be silent,
to do and let be,
to come and to go,
in need of plenty,
in peace or war,
in living or dying,
from this hour henceforth,
until my lord release me,
or death take me,
Or the world end.
Pippin found it hard to say those last two lines, for it seemed the world was about to end and with the oncomming war, there was even more chance to be killed.
Denethor took no notice of it and put out his hand, so Pippin could kiss his ring.
Back in their room, Pippin looked out of the window. The sky was black, but near Mordor something was giving of a wide beam of light. The light was facinating, but frightening.
Pippin turned his attention to the clothes on the table, the gear of a citadel guard. There was also a sword.
"This is just a ceremonial position isn't it?" he asked Gandalf, "I mean, thay don't want me to do any fighting, do they?" Pippin eyed the sword suspiciously, he didn't like fighting.
"You are in the service of the steward of Gondor now" Gandalf said "a guard of the Citadel"
Pippin walked toward the balkony where Gandalf was standing.
"That is Minas Morgul" Gandalf said "home of the Lord of the Nazgul, his most deadly of servants."
"But we have the White Wizard, that must count for something" Pippin said, trying to cheer Gandalf up a bit, he wasn't used to a gloomy Gandalf, but to a cheerfull one.
They stood together in silence.
"Is there any hope for Frodo and Sam?" Pippin asked, it was so dark outside and the world was so gloomt, there seemed to be no hope.
"There never was much hope, only a fool's hope" Gandlaf said, who seemed to be cheering up again.
Pippin felt slightly relieved, as long as there was hope for Frodo, there was hope in this Big world.
On the horizon a city could be seen, Osgiliath. In there men where fighting for their lives and most of them where losing the fight. Those who could retreited, but many didn't make it.
Pippin was once more in front of Gandalf on Shadowfax. Gandalf was trying to save as many men as possible, by sendig away the winged nightmares.
Pippin was terrified of the creatures, and flinched everytime someone was trown off his horse, to his death.
He was very relieved when Gandalf scared them of and even more relieved when they where back inside the gates.
There he got a shock, there he saw the fairest man he had ever seen. The man greatly resembled Boromir, but he had a lighter frame and the most lovely blond hair Pippin had ever seen.
Merry was instantly forgotten, the second that lovely man looked at him. The man looked at him thoughtfully with his lovely blue eyes. And Pippin fell in love.
"Faramir, this is not the first Hobbit you've seen." Gandald said.
Pippin felt very stupid, the man Faramir was not interested in him, he had seen Frodo and Sam and was now wondering what this Hobbit was doing here. On one side that was a good thing, it meant Frodo and Sam weren't caught by the enemy, but on the other side the lovely Faramir had no interest in him.
Later that night:
Pippin walked back to his room. He had been doing his job as a guard of the citadel, waiting on his lord, and now he was tired and he realy wanted some sleep.
He went round a corner and suddenly halted, there on a bench sat Faramir. Pippin's heart missed a beat, and he quickly made to turn around as not to disturb him, but Faramir had already seen him.
"Good evening master Hobbit" Faramir said, "Will you not join me for a while?"
"Of course, captain Faramir" Pippin said, making a light bow.
"Call me Faramir, we are not on duty and it makes talking much easyer. I wanted to talk to you about my brother Boromir, will you not talk of him, master Hobbit?" Faramir looked almost pleadingly at Pippin.
Pippin couldn't resist those eyes, and he sat down next to Faramir, "If I may call you Faramir, you may call me Pippin, or just Pip."
For the first time that day Pippin saw Faramir smile.
They talked for hours on end, mostly about Boromir, for they both missed him very much and needed comfort.
At last Faramir said, "Would you like to come with me to my room?" He added hastely "for something to drink?"
And again Pippin melted to that pleading look, he would have come to Faramirs room even without the offer of something to drink. He knew about warriors comfort, and he knew they both needed it now.
As they entered the room, Faramir kneeled down before him, pushed him against the door and kissed him.
And for the first time in days, Pippin didn't feel scared or small.
He had found hope.
tbc??
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