Shield and Sword
Lea of Mirkwood
Disclaimer: I do not own anything. J.R.R. Tolkien (allhailthelordofArdaandallthingsgoodandholy…)owns Arda and everything in it. Boromir's antics in the boat belong to Sean Bean. A lot of what Boromir and Legolas say and all is taken exactly from things Bean, Bloom and Viggo have said.
Summary: One tiny decision made by Boromir, Captain of Gondor, changes his entire life and that of those around him. As his companions leave him for dead, he struggles to regain his life and quest.
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The waters of the Anduin were so clear, so blue, thought Boromir. It almost took his mind away from the journey. He had not been this far up the Great River in all his forty-one years. The great trees rose up on either side of them and beyond that spread the wide sky. Little tufts of clouds barely marred the fathomless expanse. The Captain of Gondor turned his attention back to paddling, at a stern look from the hobbit Meriadoc. Boromir returned the look and moved his paddle again, awkwardly. He had never quite been able to handle a boat as well as his brother, and had been woefully resigned to paddling in circles when he was younger. Now the Fellowship had taken up the duty – in the absence of Faramir – of being better at boating than he. Even Merry was better than him at boat-handling. To his right he saw the Elf, Legolas, rowing along majestically, while the Captain of Gondor's boat was wiggling back and forth in the water and the Captain cursing. Boromir saw the Elf smile slightly at his plight. Boromir scowled.
"Merry," he muttered. "Help me get next to the Elf's boat."
"Which one?" asked the hobbit innocently, looking up at Boromir with wide eyes.
"What?" hissed Boromir, momentarily taken aback. "What other Elf-
"These were all an Elf's boats," explained Merry cheekily. "They were made by the Elves."
Boromir poked the hobbit in the back.
"Curse it, Merry, you know what I mean!"
"I know."
The boat drew ominously nearer to Legolas and Gimli's boat. Boromir leaned forward in the long wooden frame and extended his oar until it nearly poked the bow (rhymes with wow, not with go) of the other boat. Just as Legolas turned his head, Boromir gave the Elven boat a solid shove and it spun off to the side, turning sideways. The current flipped the bow back to the correct position, but now Legolas and Gimli had to struggle to stop it from drifting sideways.
"Legolas!" yelled Aragorn loudly. "What are you doing? Stay on course!"
Legolas sputtered indignantly. "I didn't do anything! It's Boromir, he's pushing me off course!"
"Boromir!"
Boromir straightened up and tried to contain his laughter. "Yes, Aragorn?"
Pippin, sitting behind Boromir, tried unsuccessfully to hide peals of laughter.
"Is this true?"
"Yes mother," squeaked Pippin, then burst out laughing again, Merry having to clap him on the back.
"I was just giving his boat a little nudge," explained Boromir, swatting at the hobbits behind his back. Aragorn sent the erring Captain a stern look.
"See it doesn't happen again."
Legolas sent Boromir a dark look once his boat had straightened back out. "Hannon le," he said, with a deep tone of sarcasm not usually found in an Elf's voice.
He must have learned it from Aragorn.
"You're quite welcome," replied Boromir, having picked up a few Elvish phrases after their long stay in the Golden Wood. He shivered at the memory. Lothlórien… He turned back around and looked at Pippin, who was sitting with Boromir's shield in his lap, tracing the metal edge. His small halfling fingers traced the tiny runes embossed into the trim. He looked up at Boromir suddenly, his light eyes curious.
"Is this quite old?"
Boromir nodded. "Very. It was once my father's. He carried it into battle when we were at constant war with the Haradrim. You see that place here?" he asked, pointing out a dent. Pippin nodded. "That arrow was meant for my father's heart."
Pippin looked up at Boromir in awe. "Was he very brave?"
"Very," answered Boromir, sweeping his paddle through the water again. "I hope never to face down an arrow aimed for my heart, myself."
"Nor I," shivered Merry. "Terrible thought. What a fate."
Loud gnashing of teeth, a foul curse. Pain, indescribable pain. Cold, hot. Choking sensation, like drowning.
Blood dripping down through linen undershirt, soaking the skin. Coughing blood. Pounding pain. Strange sound like arrow hitting-Boromir gasped and jerked back with a cry.
"Boromir!" cried Merry, grabbing his leather jerkin and yanking him upright again. Boromir shook his head, his eyes dilated with pure terror and shock. "Are you all right?"
Boromir blinked hard and pressed his hands to his forehead. Finally the feeling of irrational terror subsided and the throbbing pain in his head faded to a dull ache.
"Yes," he said, breathing hard as if after a long run. "Yes. I am fine now."
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I like the short chapter format. It seems a little less daunting. Maybe later when I really get into the swing of things I'll make the chapters longer, but I sort of wanted this to get out there. This will not be an oft updated fic, I warn you now. This is just a muse thing. One of my muses told em to write it and I did. It's just going to be something I write when I have an absolutely perfect idea of what will happen. This is unequivocally based on the books. Reviews are much loved, for I find I am a feedback slug. Feed me reviews, I become happy, I write.