Lairiel's shoulders slumped. She was exiled. She silently nodded then began walking towards the door to get supplies and be off. Her thoughts swirled. She hated Falgrin, hated him with all of her being. She silently walked through the streets and got what she needed, knowing Holly would be safe with Morohtar. After she had gathered what she needed, she walked out of the gates of Gondor. She mist be getting old and soft, because tears ran freely down her face.

A light finger tapped on her shoulder. "Where do you think you are going all on your lonesome?" Holly stood behind her with Morohtar. She smiled brightly at Lairiel. Morohtar stared at the pair of them, his mind still trying to work through all that he had witnessed in that one day. His arm lay around Holly's shoulders. He refused to let her venture further than his fingers. He vowed he would never let her out of his sight again.

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"Holly..." Lairiel said slowly over her shoulder. "I'm leaving Gondor. I can't come back, you heard what Faramir said about my...about Falgrin." she said quietly. She had not told Holly of her step father, nor of what he had done to her. "I cannot remain here safely."

"That may be very well, but that does not mean you must leave on your own. I am coming with you. We both are." She smiled reassuringly. Her hand reached out to Lairiel, resting on her shoulder. "You didn't really think we would let you walk out of our lives now did you?"

"Besides," murmured Morohtar. "It was not safe for us to dwell here either. I could sense that Faramir feared what his father would do if he got his hands on Holly."

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Lairiel looked away sharply as more tears formed in her eyes. "Thank you." she said softly. Meeting her step father again had left a heavy weight on her shoulders, had been too much. "I'll get you both to a place just outside of Rohan, my cousins reside there."

"Then we have far to go. I just hope Rohan is safe. I am slowly beginning to have a distrust for men." Morohtar drew Holly closer to him. "We can borrow two horses from Lord Faramir. I am sure he would not mind." Morohtar glanced back through the open gate. He whistled sharply. Two horses came to his call, narrowly missing being wedged between the gate and the outer wall. He took their reigns in one hand and passed one to Lairiel. He turned to Holly and crouched low to help her up onto the horse.

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Lairiel nodded and quickly mounted and waited for themsje turned and looked one last time upon Gondor, the city the use to be her home. She could hardly believe all that had happened there. It was like a nightmare.

Holly sat on the horse and waited for Morohtar to settle himself behind her. His arms wrapped around her waist. He nudged the horses' flank to urge him forward. Holly reached over to Lairiel. "I'm really sorry," she spoke softly. "You never know...One day you might be able to return. I know that Faramir was only doing this for your own good. He done this to save you."

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Lairiel nodded. "I know." she paused again to look back aaa they rode. "There is nothing to come back to." and with that she faced forward, to their journey, and possibly a new life.

Holly looked ahead too. Guilt swarmed in the pit of her stomach. Deep down she knew it was her fault that Lairiel could not return to her home. If she had not caused so much destruction in Osgiliath, they would not have had to go to Minas Tirith. Lairiel would not have ran into her step father and they would be as safe as they always were. Not that, that was much. At least one good thing came out of it all. Durion was dead. Holly wondered what that would have done to Sauron's plans. Would he be searching for Holly? The destruction of Osgiliath would not be missed by his mighty eye. Would he know it had been Holly? Would they be on the run anyway? She knew she had thwarted Falgrin's plan to kill his step daughter. Would he pursue them to see that the job was done? Finish what he started? Why did he treat Lairiel so? Holly chanced a glance in her situation, she could not stem the flow of words that fell from her mouth. "Lairiel. Forgive me, but I have to know...Why was your step father like that? What happened?" she asked, her voice timid.

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Lairiel's back straightened, and she spoke quietly. She had never told anyone. "My step father was a horrible person. He would come home angry and drunk every night, taking it out on my mother and I. He stole my mother's inheritance, and spent it all on spirits and gambling, and when he found himself in debt...he would give me to his friends to 'pay it off' so to speak. When I threatened to expose him to my mother and the officials, he wouldn't have it, and threatened me in turn. So I left."

"Oh," Holly squeaked. "I am so sorry, Lairiel. Why didn't you explain this to Lord Faramir? I am sure he would deal with your step father. I do not wish for you to be on the run again Lairiel. I have put you through too much already. I feel like neither of us has had time to breathe, let alone let all of this sink in." Her fingers threaded thround the horses maine thoughtfully. Morohtar watched her intently, remaining silent through it all. He regretted the pain and suffering Lairiel had been through, and indeed what she must still be going through. If only he could find her some closure.

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"Holly," she began quietly, "Don't be sorry for what I've been through. It has taught me many things, and while I will never forget, I cannot dwell on it. Who would Lord Faramir believe? A man who has lived in Gondor his whole life, or a woman who ran away and hasn't been back until the incident at Osgiliath? Faramir has enough on his mind anyway, he seemed so worn down. I would not wish to put him through more grief. Don't you dare, Holly, blame yourself for any of this. You did not choose for it to happen, nor did you expect it. What you did back there was caused by your fear, it was a reaction, a survival mechanism. I do not blame you, nor should you blame yourself." her eyes remained focused ahead.

Holly knew there was truth to Lairiel's words, but they did nothing to silence her worries. "Let us leave the past in the past and try to get on with our lives. It's the only thing we can do."

Morohtar cleared his throat. "Well Holly...I cannot speak for Lairiel, but I am interested to know how you could have possibly destroyed Osgiliath the way you did. Where did that...that..magic come from?" His voice was quiet, almost timid, with a strong hint of curiousity.

"I...I don't know Morohtar. I truely don't." Holly sighed heavily.

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"It is what I have been doing." Lairiel responded. She just listened to Morohtar's question, and Holly's answer. She spoke up. "I believe you. And you may never have to use it again." she stated quietly. It had been a great time of stress for Holly, and perhaps that is why it happened. "You were under great stress and fear, it is these things that bring out in us what we do not know we possess."

"My mother and father did not exhibit these powers." Holly grimaced. "That is because they were not my true parents..." she trailed off, horror scrawling across her face. "Durion was my father. My gifts came from him..." Her eyes were wide with horror.

Morohtar listened to Holly, his worst fears being confirmed. He wondered who Holly's true mother was. Perhaps they would find out on their travels.

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