Disclaimer: All the characters, names and places are the property of J .R.R Tolkien and not my own.

One shot AU. Using several events during the Fellowship of the Ring this is a short account of

Boromir's decline by the Ring while he is under the ever watchfully eye and shadow of Legolas.

Sections of this will appear in my on going work which will appear on the site soon...

Catching My Shadow

Boromir's POV

Dawn was breaking over the sleeping Fellowship.

From his post I looked over the unusual party I travelled with my eyes lingering on each member, my mind turning trying to understand them. First my eyes feel upon Frodo the Ringbearer – or were they drawn to Ring? Already in the early stages of their journey I, Boromir the Steward's son could hear its soft calls. Quickly I shook away the thoughts as Frodo turned in his fitful and restless slumber, his small face pale and strained as if haunted by an ill dream. Around him slept the other three Hobbits, Sam just a simple gardener to Frodo laid the closest, guarding him like an obedient dog. During the hours of the night were the only hours Merry and Pippin were not squabbling between themselves. I had quickly learnt that they did not argue due disliking each other, it was quite the opposite I later understood the two are very close friends and have been for some years. Unlike Frodo the other Hobbits slept deeply and soundly only their snores or the sound of rumbling stomachs hampered the looks upon their innocent faces.

Lying close to the Hobbits, again in a protective manner slept Gandalf. Or at least I believed him to be sleeping for his Wizards' hat obscured most of his face, and that he had not stirred for hours strengthened my thought. Briefly I wondered how much use the Wizard could be to us when we are deep in the enemies' territory, hiding, fighting, and dying. Though I did not voice my thoughts out loud I had a deep, disturbing and frightening feeling that we would not make it to Mordor together or even at all. The Istar Saruman would make our journey even harder then it is already. He knows one of the Hobbits carries the Ring, can predict our path to the east and therefore ambush us along the way. Every corner, every mound and bush held a possible disaster and death.

How much use would Gandalf be then?

My thoughts were rudely interrupted by the sudden loud, deep snore from Gimli the Dwarf beside the Wizard. The reason why Gimli joined the company was trivial I thought judging him by his behaviour in Rivendell. I was shocked by the violence of his aggression to the Elves that were present, of course I am well aware of the frictions between the two races centuries old, but none the less it was shocking: "Never trust and Elf!" Gimli had cried. Naturally remarks like these set off a chain reaction of much arguments between the two races while my men shouted over the din to make themselves heard.

There was more to learn about Gimli I'm sure, other reasons to why he was travelling with us, something more then just a bitter disagreement and ancient anger. Perhaps he had something to prove to someone, but to whom? Himself, to them, his father? As stout and as strong as Gimli was I believe there is a great sense of mystery about him.

But none more then Aragorn.

A man of many identities all hiding the truth, a truth that I reject. How could a man, a Ranger, a traveller like him be heir to the throne of Gondor? The idea was preposterous, that line was lost, broken many years ago. The country does not need a King; the houses of the Steward are more then capable.

But despite this I do not dislike the man, but neither could I warm to him greatly. I recognised the qualities the man possessed and I did not question his judgement unless I believe it to be too rash or dangerous. I respected him as a leader, a commander but not a King.

Finally my thoughts turned to the last remaining companion: Legolas. I have had very little inaction with Elves during my lifetime leaving deep in Gondor's strongholds of Minas Tirith and Osgiliath. On the small number of occasions where I had come across the fair folk I distanced myself from them. First I was blind by their beauty and youth, then later angered by it as the people I loved declined with age and illness ending in death, while the Elves did not suffer from sickness or old age. To be summoned to Rivendell would have been an uncomfortable gathering to endure normally but the Ring had changed everything. Aware of the acute senses of the Elves I know I must work hard to hide anything and everything from my Elvish companion.

It's not a matter of trust, for he is more then capable with a weapon I had seen, it was just the envy of their kind, their fairness, endurance and immortality that I dislike.

Not to mention their stealth.

The sound of Legolas whisper caused me to start: "How much longer are you going to stare before you wake them?" he said hanging upside down in front of me his face only inches from my own. His legs tightly wrapped around the branches of the only tree in the area.

Trust him to select this spot to camp for the night.

"I was just about to," I replied inching away.

Legolas rightened himself as I gently woke the others, ducking quickly as Gimli whipped his axe sharply across my face. Fortunately the Dwarf missed but I fell landed upon Gandalf, who started rattled me upon the head with his staff before he realised what had happened. The Hobbits were laughing and even Aragorn was smiling as Gandalf apologised profusely.

It was on the snow covered mountains of Caradhras, the entire company frozen to the bone in an unnatural snowstorm that followed us like a shadow. When we moved it followed, even when we rested it did not cease. It was an ill omen curtsey of Saruman the White.

Out path had been blocked by recent and ongoing avalanches and rock falls, but as determined as we were to overcome the mountain it was clear the Hobbits would not survives its cruelty.

"We must get of the mountain make for the Gap of Rohan! Take the west road to my city!" I shouted into the wind,

"The Gap of Rohan takes us to close to Isnegard" Aragorn interrupted.

"If we cannot pass over the mountain let us go under it" Gimli added, "Let us go through the mines of Moria"

Gandalf stood silent for several moments contemplating, finally he said: "Let the Ringbearer decide"

As Frodo looked around himself, his eyes lingering on his own folk Merry and Pippin pressed tightly against me shivering deeply covered from head to toe in snow after I had to dig them up from the latest snow fall. Even stout hearted Gimli and Aragorn looked exhausted from the trails of the steep, unforgiving mountain.

Flustered by how my idea had been easily quashed and in the corner of my eye I saw Legolas completely unaffected by the storm watching me closely I shouted: "We cannot stay here!" Merry and Pippin shivered violently against me. "This will be the death of the Hobbits!"

Gandalf turned to the Ringbearer: "Frodo?" he asked.

With his eyes still flicking around the company Frodo decided: "We will go through the mines"

Deep in the darkness of Moria Legolas elected himself for first watch, no one including myself argued. We were dead tired from the climb on the mountain, the battle with the Watcher in the water and the hard trek through the dark, silent mines. Only Aragorn seemed to be on the point of arguing but held his tongue choosing to rest instead.

Throughout our journey in the dark I had been watching our Elf companion closely knowing the dislike and even fear Elves have of being enclosed where they could not see the outside world. With no stars or moon to light the darkness I had noticed the unnatural stillness and overwhelming darkness pressed from all sides was making him uneasy.

I suspect he had chosen to take first watch so the others would sleep, unable to see him began to crack in the darkness.

Everyone has their own fears I thought closing my eyes. As long as Legolas' judgement is not altered so that the lives of the Fellowship are put at risk I would rest easy knowing the sooner we are free from these mines the better.
I heard one of the Hobbits move nearby closer to the well in the chamber we made camp in, obviously these Hobbits had not left their curiosity behind in the outside I chuckled lightly hearing them whisper amongst themselves. Opening my eyes slightly I saw Legolas stiffen as the Hobbit raised his hand and dropped something into the well.

Crash! The dropped item bounced down the bent well shaft, and in the blink of any eye Legolas had crossed the room and pulled the Pippin away from the well forcefully staring around the darkness, Aragorn, Gandalf and myself jumped to our feet too in alarm.

"Fool of a Took!" Gandalf hissed stepped towards the Hobbit still held perhaps a little too tightly by Legolas, "Throw yourself in next time and rid us of your stupidly!"

Muttering an apology Pippin lowered his head and rubbed his wrist after Legolas had finally released his deadly grip.

I stood silent in shock, I was now deeply worried for our well being. In a moment of madness Legolas had nearly broken Pippin wrist, already the darkness was affecting him. No one spoke their eyes moving from Pippin to the well and around the chamber.

There was complete silence.

Then we heard it – the beating drums.

At Amon Hen we hauled the boats off the river, up the sandy bank and hid them out of sight. The others were tired and gratefully sank onto the ground to rest, none of noticed as I left the camp following Frodo.

There was no denying I could hear the Ring, and had been able to so quite some time; I could feel myself weakening to its call everyday. I had to have it, but not to wear it or keep it but to use it against the enemy. Use it to defend my people after years and years of onslaughts from the east we needed something to fight back with. A weapon, more powerful then anything man could make.

Only in forest I saw my chance and approached Frodo friendly: "None of us should wonder off alone, you least of all. So much depends on you"

He looked with his blue eyes and said nothing – could he tell?

"Frodo?" I cam closer feeling my chance, we were completely alone. "I know why you seek solitude. You suffer I see it day by day. You sure you don't suffer needlessly? There are other ways Frodo, other paths that we may take-"

"I know what you would say. It would seem like wisdom, but the warning in my heart –"

"Warning?" I frowned, "Against what?"

Frodo had begun to move away and I followed: "We are all afraid Frodo. To let that fear drive us, to destroy what hope we have. Don't you see it? Its madness"

"There is no other way"

"I ask only for the strength to defend my people!" I was becoming more frustrated with him – why couldn't he understand, the suffering, the blood spilt, my people dying to defend everyone else while they did nothing to help. The Ring would be our answer, our salvation.

"If you would but lend me the Ring"

"No!" Frodo turned.

"Why do you recoil I am no thief?"

"You are not yourself" Frodo replied stepping away.

"What chance do you think you have? They will find you, they will take the Ring and you will beg for death before the end!"

He turned away, wishing to put as much distance between him and me as possible. Angry I followed snarling: "Fool! Its not yours save by unhappy chance, it could have been mine, should have been mine," He stumbled and leapt upon him turning him over my fingers seeking the chain around his neck: "Give it to me!"

"No!" he screamed pushing my hands away.

But then something happened that I did not expect.

I was pulled off him and pushed away, my attacker caught in my grasp we rolled away on the leaf covered ground as Frodo escaped.

Cursing loudly I threw punches at my companion, my third blow hitting home hard upon his face, and as he sat stunned temporally I climbed up and raced after the Ringbearer. Again he was upon me pulling me to the ground, stalling my race to capture the Ring. Still I did not give up and fought against my capture.

He had learned quickly blocking my raised fists, it was then I saw who was holding me back and it did not surprise me.

Legolas swiftly twisted my arm, gagging from the pain I didn't notice until I was on floor what he had done, pinned to the ground by his weight, my hands bound behind me.

Instead of succumbing to defeat I redoubled my efforts to escape, but Legolas held fast waiting for my anger to subside. As I struggled I felt him stiffen as a sharp crack sounded from the bushes to our right – it seemed we were no longer alone.

I heard the hissing of his knives clearing their casing and the instant release of my bound hands, I snapped around to punch him squarely in the face again, but he anticipated me, caught my flying fist and pinned me down, nicking my knuckles with his knife as repayment.

"Be still!" he whispered in my ear, with his face inches from mine and lurched to bite him, cause him pain in anyway I could.

He pulled away kneeing me in the abdomen for silence: "Silence!" he hissed, "This is not the time. There are Orcs in the undergrowth; we need to raise the alarm. Stop this personnel vendetta and pull yourself together!" With that he sprung himself off as the Orcs charged through the growth, their nostrils full of our scent and their visions sharpened with blood lust.

As Legolas's bow sang I drew my sword, hacking at anything that came close, tine and time again they ran forward and fell. There was a great number of them, quickly Legolas arrows were spent and he was forced to switch to his long white knives while I continued to slog on. There numbers were overwhelming, we couldn't hold them between ourselves, but knowing this I did not raise the horn to my lips, instead I watched as the Orcs concentrated themselves upon Legolas who fought tooth and claw to keep them at bay.

An anonymous creature that looked more manlike then Orc steeped forward calling: "Find the halfling!" and my heart leapt into my mouth – they were looking for Frodo and the Ring.

Following their command like a professional army the Orcs slipped round us and disappeared deeper into the woods.

They were after the Ringbearer and the jewel he bore, and glancing at the white hand printed upon there leather they were going to give the Ring to Saruman where all hope and chance of Gondor's glory would vanish. I had to stop them!

Feeling something press near I instinctively raised my blade and sank it deep into its flesh.

It was the smell that first made me aware of my mistake, the stink of a dying Orc is far more foul them one can possibly describe, and the noise of it gargling in death did not normally call my name. Though I was now aware of what I had done, I did not however feel for him upon the end of my blade... Finally I had caught my shadow who had been watching and following me everywhere I went.

I withdrew my sword without a sense of hurry, wishing the Achilles' heel of my quest to take the Ring for myself to suffer as much as I had throughout the journey.

Bitterly he did not fall to the ground dead, but stood clutching his bloody wound with a disappointed look in his eyes, but in a blink the look was gone replaced by such anger I had never seen. Timidly I steeped back, the Elf's words rang I my ears: "Go on son of the great Steward finish what you started! You have already crossed the line the moment you made your move on Frodo – the Fellowship is broken, why not destroy it completely? Murder the walkers and take the Ring for yourself. Or do you not have the courage?" he gasped for breath, "What would your father say if he could see you now? Disappointed in the son he praised so highly above everyone else, who has now sunken down below the lowest to murder and plunder! The Great Boromir, a selfish, greedy child with no self control! Come finish what you started – but how far do you think you well get? The Ring calls to everyone with comes across, calls every enemy towards it, turns every ally into foe – how long do you think it will be safe in your 'Great city'? How long will take for your friends and family to sink as low as you? Do you really think the Ring will keep you safe? Protect your people and save your lands?" he waved his bloody hands.

"Yes," I replied, "It is the greatest weapon of all time and will be used to an inch of its boundary protected the race of Men – used against the enemy!" I said sharply – why was I the only one who could see the potential the Ring had to offer against Sauron?

"Then your foolish ideas will kill us all" he said quietly sounded crushed and finished. "If I can't reason with you, I have no mercy for you. Do what you must, but take my words with you cowardly son of Gondor"

I should have raised my blade one last time, but I turned away leaving him in the hands of the Orcs that enjoyed the pleasures of ripping flesh from bone while their victim still lived.

I felt detached from my mind, feeling no compassion to my comrades I ran through the woods hunting for the only one that mattered, my heart fixed on one target – the Ring.

Cutting across my sight I saw a Hobbit being pursued by Orcs I gave chase and the Hobbit lead us to another, and with my bloodstained sword I cut down the nearest Orc and spun towards the Hobbits, disappointed when I saw they were Merry and Pippin instead of Frodo.

Damn!

Frodo has escaped and Ring was gone with him too.

That thought bought me sharply back into reality: Orcs were everywhere, the Hobbits were in danger and I was all alone. I took the horn to my lips and blew praying the others will come to my aid, and then my stomach tightened as I recalled what I had done to Legolas...

The screaming of the Hobbits jaunted me back or was it the intense pain in my chest? I looked down and standing proudly through my chest plate, bedded deeply into my chest stood the black shaft of an arrow. Through the flanks of the others came the giant creature I had seen earlier, his bow already loaded with another shaft. Swallowing on the pain in my chest I gripped my blooded sword tighter and continued to fight. Again the bow fired, I did not stop, but the damage was done. I could feel myself slipping away, staggering finally falling to the ground, the Hobbits shouting as they were carried away, my vision blurring and the Orcs disbanding leaving only the giant behind reloading his bow.

I waited for death, release, to forget the errors I had made in my life, but again for the second time that day something happened that I was not expecting.

Aragorn appeared.

As I fading he fought against the giant creature and I saw him in a different light. As much as I once rejected the truth at first, I had throughout the quest become closer with this man. He had the respected qualities of a great leader: good judgement, reasoning, understanding and above all mercy.

"They took the little ones" I spluttered when he came over, his battle won but another was unfolding before him, thought perhaps he was not aware of it at that time.

"Stay still" he hushed me leaving over me.

"Frodo, where is Frodo?"

He looked at me strangely but answered by question regardless: "I let him go"

"Then you did what I could not." I paused, my breathe was shallow. It was hard to hold on, but there were something's he needed to know: "I tried to take the Ring from him"

Again he paused and looked at me, but this time with sadness, pity and disappointment: "The Ring is beyond our reach now" he said gently covering over his real thoughts. I believe he knew I would try before the end…

"Forgive me. I did not see it." Darkness was creeping into my vision, I knew time was running thin, but there was still much I wanted to say about how I had ruined, destroyed and broke the Fellowship, why I was the weak link in the chain, how my selfishness will affect the rest of the world… "I have failed you all"

"No Boromir," he said softly sensing the end was near: "You fought bravely; you have kept your honour"

"Leave it, it is over." I hissed as his hands reached for the arrow shafts. There was no point, it was over and everything would be lost: "The World of Men will fall and all will come to darkness," the images I saw in Lady Galderial's mirror came back to me, it was clear now that I would no longer be able to play a part in its future, but here in front of me was a man who could, "and my city to ruin"

Aragorn straightened, now aware of his battle of morals against his strength: "I do not know what strength is in my blood but I swear to you I will not let the white city fall" he looked again at me with great sadness and said softly: "Nor our people fail"

"Our people," I whispered trying to push away the claws of death just for a little longer to hear this. At last he was being to see the light, and Gondor's salvation.

"Our people," I echoed feeling overwhelmed. I loved my city above anything in the whole world, and to hear these words coming from an ancient line that had proved its worthiness were comforting to hear inches from death, knowing that the world I had fought hard to defend will go on, and Gondor will not vanish in the darkness of Sauron.

Knowing my end was near he placed my fallen sword back into my hand and crossed my arm over my chest.

Here was a great man indeed.

"I would have honoured you my brother, my captain, my King" I whispered feeling the last of my strength slip away as I finally succumbed to the peace of death.

"Be at peace so of Gondor." Aragorn whispered, lightly kissing the fallen man upon his forehead.

He stood hearing the sounds of footfalls and looked over his shoulder to see Gimli with his head bowed and beyond him stood Legolas, marked with an ugly wound.

Sadly Aragorn turned back to Boromir: "They will look for his coming from the white tower, but he will not come."

End