DISCLAIMER: SOME DIALOGS HAVE BEEN TAKEN FROM THE BOOKS.
DEATH AT THE SIDE OF A BROTHER
Boromir stood upon the ground panting. His breath was heavy and his mood saddened. He had been told off by Aragorn and rightly so. He had asked Frodo for the Ring, only to borrow, for the use of it in the protection of Gondor. Frodo had refused. Then he had got mad and threatened Frodo. He now saw the truth of it. The Ring was pure evil. It had ensnared him and now he had to pay. They were all searching for him since the hour he demanded had long gone past.
Merry and Pippin had raced off, shouting Frodo's name. Aragorn had been angry then and asked him to run after them. The hobbits were too fast. Though he could hear them shouting, he knew there were quite far. With his heavy gear, he was already tired.
"Gondorians are enduring" he told himself and started running behind them.
He did not know for how long he had run but he was gaining on the hobbits.
"I am coming, Merry. I am just there, Pippin." He shouted.
Just then, he heard cries. His hold over his sword strengthened. He brandished it and took it out.
"Orcs!" he cried with distaste. He spat upon the ground.
"Curse their foul feet upon Gondor's soil."
He wondered if the passages of Anduin were won by the Enemy while he was gone. Was Minas Tirith in danger? Doubt assailed him. But he had a duty to do. To protect these young helpless hobbits. Shouting, "Gondor!" he ran into the woods, the sword in his right hand and a broad shield bearing the emblem of the White Tree upon his other.
Through the gaps in the thick woods, he saw the orcs closing in on two small figures who had drawn their swords and slashing at anyone who came near them. But the orcs were too many.
Boromir marked their height and stature. Orcs weren't so heavily built. These must be some strange mutation. Moreover, they did not bear the sign of the Enemy, the Red Eye. They bore the White Hand. He did not know what it meant. Some new evil perhaps he thought. The Ring is drawing them, he was sure of it.
An orc was trying to strike Merry when Boromir's sword clanged with it. Merry and Pippin were glad then. They too started stabbing and slashing these abominations upon the earth. Boromir drove his sword through another and beheaded most of them who dared come near.
The Enemy's forces were afraid to come near and he unhinged the horn from his belt and started honking upon it. A loud sound emanated from it. The orcs and the Uruks closed their ears and looked hither and thither. Thus the Horn of Gondor rang and fear was in the eyes of Boromir's enemies.
"Go back." He shouted to the Halflings.
Boromir looked at them with sharp eyes and put his lips to the horn again.
There were more orcs coming but they were cowering in the loud horn calls. They waited, wondering if any help would come to this great warrior. But none came. They looked at the three with sinister and sharp eyes. They gave hideous cries and ran towards them.
But they all met a hail of arrows and fell down. Boromir looked back. Then a smile leapt upon his face. The Rangers of Gondor had come and led by his dear brother, Faramir.
Merry and Pippin looked at them and saw tall figures cloaked in green but their leader who looked more like Aragorn in stature, only shorter, had a gem in his brooch.
"So, we meet again on the battlefield, brother." shouted Boromir.
Faramir laughed. "Yes. Lucky for you, though. I wonder what brought you hither and why are you dressed so strangely." He said, shooting arrows upon the orcs.
Boromir laughed again. "This is no time for questions and answers, brother. There are many of these to kill."
"Fair enough, but I would want answers soon."
"Soon? Then we have to fight the harder."
Faramir laughed and removed his sword.
The two brothers were undefeatable when they were together. They slashed and cleaved and took their enemies heads off. Blood spattered everywhere and their swords were almost dripping with it, its hilt blackened.
Merry and Pippin were helping too but they did very little. The Rangers, some ten in number' had joined in, stabbing and hacking the Uruks.
"Run!" said Boromir to them, as he saw many orcs climbing down the slopes of the hills northward.
Merry and Pippin nodded and ran.
One of the Rangers fell as arrows struck him down. The Rangers were maddened and started aggressively decimating the enemy's forces.
"Faramir, go help the Halflings. Let it not be said I failed in my task."
"I will not fail you, brother."
Saying, Faramir rushed off. He ran after the hobbits but at one point, he saw the Halflings being captured and taken off by a group of Uruks who had branched off. He was about to run after them when the Horn of Gondor sounded again.
"Boromir!" he whispered in anguish and ran back.
He was almost near. He was late. Boromir was hurt. He had three arrows sticking out of him. He stood behind a tree as a huge Uruk approached him. The Uruk had a huge bow and he had an arrow strung at it. The Uruk pointed the bow to Boromir's head.
Faramir was becoming angry.
"No" he shouted. He had his sword held high.
"Come and fight me, you vermin."
The Uruk roared and its cry was loud. It pointed the bow towards Faramir and he was about to shoot when Faramir heard a human cry loud. Aragorn had fallen upon Lurtz, distracting him. Lurtz looked at Aragorn and roared again. "Lurtz" he cried. Lurtz lifted a triangular shield and hurled at Aragorn.
Aragorn was struck with the shield at his neck and he pushed onto a tree. Lurtz removed his own sword and rushed to behead Aragorn when Aragorn managed to slide down to the ground. Aragorn rushed out of the place and came near a grassy ground. He took out his sword and threw it towards Lurtz who dodged it. Aragorn then removed Anduril and then rushed out to meet the Uruk. With three slashes, Lurtz was beheaded, his head rolling off far away.
Faramir had his bow strung if in need but he put it low. Then he rushed towards a fallen Boromir.
Boromir looked at him. "Brother, I have fallen."
"No you will live. I will take you to Gondor. You will not die."
Boromir smiled. "My time has come, little brother. It is upto you now to look after the defenses of Gondor."
Faramir was in tears. "No, do not leave, brother."
Aragorn knelt beside him. Boromir opened his eyes and strove to speak. At last slow words came. "I tried to take the Ring from Frodo. I am sorry. I have paid."
His glance strayed to his fallen enemies. A hundred atleast lay there.
"The Halflings, where are the Halflings?" said Boromir sadly.
Faramir was reluctant to give his brother the news. "They have gone; the Halflings: the Orcs have taken them. They are not dead. Orcs bound them."
Boromir sighed and his eyes closed again wearily.
After a moment, he spoke again. "Farewell, Aragorn! Go to Minas Tirith and save my people! I have failed."
"No!" said Aragorn, taking his hand and kissing his brow. "You have conquered. Few have gained such a victory. Be at peace! Minas Tirith shall not fall!"
Boromir smiled.
"Which way did they go? Was Frodo there?" said Aragorn.
But Boromir did not speak again. Faramir fell back, his back resting against a tree, looking at his brother in shock.
"Alas!" said Aragorn. "Thus passes the Heir of Denethor, Lord of the Tower of Guard! This is a bitter end. Now the Company is all in ruin. It is I that have failed. Vain was Gandalf's trust in me. What shall I do now? Boromir has laid it on me to go to Minas Tirith, and my heart desires it; but where are the Ring and the Bearer? How shall I find them and save the Quest from disaster?"
He knelt for a while, bent with weeping, still clasping Boromir's hand.
Faramir came out of the shock that had engulfed him. "You are?"
"I am Aragorn, heir of Isildur."
Faramir then looked at him in awe and wonder. "Now what, lord?"
Aragorn shook his head. "Now we weep for your brother and pray for his soul."
So it was that Legolas and Gimli found them. They came from the western slopes of the hill, silently, creeping through the trees as if they were hunting. Gimli had his axe in his hand and Legolas his hunting knife: all his arrows were spent. When they came into the glade they halted in amazement; and then they stood a moment with heads bowed in grief, for it seemed to them plain what had happened.
"Alas!" said Legolas, coming to Aragorn's side. "We have hunted and slain many orcs in the woods, but we should have been more of use here. We came when we heard the horns – but too late, it seems. I fear you have taken deadly hurt."
"Boromir is dead." said Aragorn. "I am unscathed, for I was not here with him. He fell defending the hobbits, while I was away upon the hill."
"The hobbits" cried Gimli. "Where are they then? Where is Frodo?"
"I do not know." answered Aragorn calmly. "Before he died, Boromir asked us but Faramir here, he is from Gondor, closely related to our fallen brother I deem, " pointing to Faramir, "told us that the Orcs had bound them; that they were not dead. I sent Boromir to follow Merry and Pippin; but I did not ask him if Frodo or Sam were with him; not until it was too late. All that I have done today has gone amiss. What is to be done now?"
"First we must tend the fallen." said Legolas. "We cannot leave him lying like carrion among these foul orcs."
"But we must be swift." Said Gimli. "He would not wish us to linger. We must follow the orcs, if there is any hope that any of our company are living prisoners."
"But we do not know whether the Ring-bearer is with them or not." said Aragorn. "Are we to abandon him? Must we not seek him first? An evil choice is before us."
Faramir nodded. "There were only two hobbits, my lord."
"Two? Then I believe it must be Merry and Pippin. I sent Boromir after him."
Legolas looked at Aragorn. Gimli looked at Faramir.
"So, Frodo and Sam might not be the ones whom the orcs took. But then where is Frodo or Sam?" asked Aragorn.
"A tough choice." Remarked Gimli.
"Then let us do first what we must do." Said Legolas. "We have not the time or the tools to bury our comrade fitly, or to raise a mound over him. A cairn we might build."
"The labour would be hard and long; there are no stones that we could use nearer than the water-side." Said Gimli.
"Then let us lay him in a boat with his weapons, and the weapons of his comrades who fought beside him and also of his vanquished foes." said Aragorn, "We will send him to the falls of Rauros and give him to Anduin. The River of Gondor will take care at least that no evil creature dishonors his bones."
Aragorn looked at Faramir who nodded. "It is best."
Aragorn smiled and placed his hands upon Faramir's shoulders.
"Do not be sad. You left his side, obeying his command. He wanted to set things right. He has not failed. You have not. So rise, son of Gondor. We have much to do yet."
Faramir looked at Aragorn and then to the elf and the dwarf. "Yes. The Enemy is west of Anduin. Sauron will live long to pay for this."
Aragorn smiled.
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