Aragorn kneeled by Boromir who had just plucked another arrow from his side. Boromir looked a mess, blood oozing from him. His shield was broken, and his horn was cloven in two. Aragorn was pained to see him in such pain.

"What happened?" Aragorn asked, "Where are Merry and Pippin?"

"Saruman's orcs came and took them away," Boromir said, "They didn't get Frodo, if you wish to know."

"You have something more to say?" Aragorn said, seeing the sad look in Boromir's eyes.

Boromir nodded, "I tried to take the Ring from Frodo. He fled."

"What?" asked Aragorn in surprise, "How could this be?"

"The Ring is corrupt and works harder on the powerful," Boromir said in a didn't-you-get-that? tone of voice.

Aragorn sighed. It was true. Boromir had become corrupt but might have redeemed himself by fighting the orcs. Only if he had been more resistant.

"I do not blame Frodo for running from me," Boromir sighed, his eyes slowly closing, "I would have done the same thing if it had been me. I – am – sorry."

There was some commotion and out came Gimli and Legolas from the underbrush, throwing aside an orc they had gotten in the back. Gimli seemed most pleased with himself, but his armor was bloody and Legolas was now only able to use his knives; he had lost all his arrows.

"33, Master Elf," Gimli boasted.

"I am never going to live this down am I?" asked Legolas, "But, it was a good fight. I had the lead with 32; that was until I ran out of arrows."

They looked up and saw to their dismay Boromir grievously wounded. Aragorn looked up and called them over to his side. Boromir had gone to sleep.

"We must pull out these arrows if he is to survive," Aragorn told his two companions, "I do not know if they were poisoned or not."

"Let us hope not," murmured Gimli, "We can not afford to lose him."

"But where are the hobbits?" asked Legolas, "I do not see them."

"The orcs have captured them and are taking them to Isengard," Aragorn told them.

Gimli swore viciously. "Then our work must be quick then."

They worked very quickly, pulling out the arrows from Boromir's body. Gimli wondered at how easily human flesh tore as the arrows were pulled back out, making the wounds bigger. But, he did not care, as long as Boromir survived.

Aragorn inspected each arrow as they came out until the last had been taken out. It had been nearly a quarter of an hour. Finally, at long last he sighed with relief.

"It appears he has not been poisoned," he told his anxious companions.

"That lightens my heart," Legolas said, putting his hand on Aragorns' shoulder.

"But," Gimli asked, clumsily wrapping a bandage around Boromir, "what are we to do? He can not follow us in his condition."

"I have an idea," Boromir suddenly said, coming out of his sleep, "Give me one of the swan boats. I will be able to get to Minas Tirith that way."

"But the Falls of Raours!" exclaimed Gimli, "They are treacherous. None have yet survived."

"I must face them or die," Boromir told him, "The River of Gondor shall bear me back to the White Tower. There the healers of the city shall be able to do more then a Ranger in the wild, no insult intended."

Aragorn looked at him with concern. He wanted to help him, but, he did not know what to do more. Maybe it was right to do it this way. The Anduin River would bear him back, if only in a shattered mass.

"Then go, and may the blessings of all free people be on you," Aragorn said.

They then helped raise Boromir up, then helped him back to the banks. Upon arriving, they put several days worth of food in a swan boat and helped him climb into it. Then, he said good bye to each. But as he came to Aragorn, he threw his arms around him, much to the surprise of everyone.

"I go to announce your coming," Boromir told him, "And to prepare my father for your coming."

"I await the time I can go there," Aragorn replied.

With that, Boromir pushed his paddle into the bank and paddled off. Aragorn and his companions watched him as he got closer to the falls. They could not help but feel that they would see him again.

Boromir watched with fear as he got closer to the falls. As he got within ten yards off the falls, he lifted up the paddle and held it. He reached the edge and the boat tipped and down went the boat, and Boromir felt his stomach rise into his throat. The boat hit the water and it went under, engulfing him in water.