Chapter Eight

Boromir's face was streaked with sweat as it had taken a surprising amount of effort to drag her from the glade into the woods without anyone knowing. He had waited until Legolas and Aragorn had taken watch in the woods before he had chosen his moment knowing full well the hobbits and the dwarf would sleep through it all.

He had not meant to throw her so violently against the tree but he had felt rage surge through him like never before. "I am going to remove my hand from your mouth now, if you scream I will hurt you. Understand?" He mouthed the words silently.

Amy read the words easily. Even if she wanted to scream she would not have been able to with his forearm jammed into her throat as it was. She nodded desperate for air and had a fleeting thought as finally he removed his hand and removed some of the pressure from her throat. Frodo had been warned of it by Gandalf and now she knew it all too well, the greatest threat came from within.

"I want you to tell me what you know?"

Before she could control it her head shook as every cell in her body rebelled against the order.

"You will tell me! You will tell me now before I make you tell me!" His arm pressed harder on her throat and she felt a sickening sensation as his other hand rested on her hip.

So flight or fight were both ruled out now. Amy always believed that she was a panicker when it came to desperate situations and yet now she felt a strange sense of clarity wash over her as she tried to find another option.

"What, what do you want to know?" Her words were silent.

"Speak goddamn it! I cannot see what you say!"

She would give him information but she would not give him that. "If you want information you had better start lip reading." She panicked as she felt him press harder at her brave words but was relieved when he backed off completely.

"Stand in the light so I can see you."

She did not really see what he had said but as he shoved her into the light she worked it out.

"What happens to the ring?"

Well she had to give him credit he did not muck around. She took a rasping breath as she rubbed a hand over her sore throat whilst she tried to get her thoughts in order. What now? She had stopped the immediate danger, but how to get to safety?

"Do you understand what you risk by knowing the future?"

She knew instantly that this was not the right thing to say as he lunged forward and grabbed her again. "Do not play with me girl! What happens to me, what happens to Gondor?!"

She did not need to hear to know that now Boromir's words were no longer silent as his hot breath spat against cheek. She just hoped that Legolas had heard it.

"The ring goes...goes to Gondor." Her voice remained silent but she hoped he had seen and believed her lie. As blackness darkened her vision she knew that she would pass out through lack of air in a matter of minutes.

"Is this true?!" He shook her violently but still his forearm remained against her windpipe and a dizzy sickness swept through her, but suddenly she felt him tense and back up slightly.

"I said take your hands off of her." Aragorn hand remained on the hilt of his sword as he barked the words again.

Boromir had no choice but to take a step backwards his face white as he saw Legolas' bow with an arrow firmly notched pointing at his chest.

Amy slid to the floor coughing and rasping violently clutching at her throat that was burning.

"You will take your things and you will return to Gondor. You are no longer a part of this Fellowship." Aragorn's hand shook with rage.

"You cannot just send me away like some scolded child, you are not my King." Boromir spat.

"You are lucky I am not sending you somewhere more permanent." Legolas' voice although controlled simmered with anger. He could not help but glance at Amy desperately wanting to see if she was okay, but the anger inside him made him grip firmly on his bow.

"This is not a discussion, you will leave now!"

Amy's vision had cleared just in time for her to read Aragorn's lips. She scrambled up shaking her head fiercely. Oh god what had she done?! What did she think would happen? They could not send Boromir away, that would change the future, that would change everything. Without him Frodo would not go on his own, Merry and Pippin would die, everything would change.

"You can't, you can't, please." Her hands shook as she signed but her eyes pleaded to Legolas.

"What is she saying?" Aragorn asked.

Legolas risked shouldering his bow knowing Aragorn would keep a watchful eye on Boromir. "What is wrong, are you hurt?"

"You cannot send him away!"

"I do not understand, he cannot stay with us."

"Please Legolas please."

Legolas shook his head. "After what he has done, you would keep him here?! He hurt you."

Aragorn could not contain it any longer. "Tell me what she says!"

Amy stepped forward and placed a hand on Legolas' feeling the tremble he fought so hard to control. "Please. Trust me." She spoke silently.

"She says that we should let him stay." Legolas answered Aragorn.

Boromir risked a look at Amy and saw her shaking. The guilt coursed through him, he did not know what had come over him, and he could not control it. Why was she helping him after he had behaved like an animal? "I am sorry." It came out of his mouth before he had time to process it and yet from his hanging head and shamed face it could only be taken as sincere.

Aragorn shook his head and took a long hard look at Amy. It made no sense to him why she would want to have Boromir stay, which meant she knew something he did not. "Fine, fine." He turned back to Boromir. "You will stay, but you will stay away from her, there is no second chance."

She could feel Legolas' stare on her back as Boromir and Aragorn made their way to camp. She almost wished she could follow them. She turned to him braced for anger but was shocked when instead he pulled her towards him and held her tightly.

His arms around her were full of strength and yet his embrace was so gentle as if he thought she might break under the smallest of pressure. She did not know when it started but soon her face was wet with her tears. The adrenaline was gone and she was left with the fear and the shock.

Taking some deep breaths she pulled away and quickly ran her hands over her face before signing. "I need to stop making a habit of crying all over you."

Legolas tried to smile gently but could not quite manage it. The fear he had felt when he saw the colour drain from her face and the shallowness of her breath. What was he doing?

"Thank you, thank you for trusting me." She took a deep breath, god what was she doing? "I hope I deserve it." She slumped against a tree. "I am afraid I am making a big mess of things. This never would have happened if I wasn't here. Maybe Galadriel was wrong."

Legolas had heard that twice today and wondered upon it himself. He walked over to her and tipped her chin up beckoning her to look at him. "Are we where we need to be?"

She nodded.

"And is everyone here that should be?"

She nodded again.

"Well I would say in that case you are not making a mess of things." His smile and words reassured her for a moment. "We should return to camp. You need some rest."

When he turned away to lead the way back she lost the reassurance and the reality of what had happened hit her. She had just sentenced Boromir to death.

...

Dawn had not even crept above the horizon and Aragorn had everyone up packing the boats so they could leave as soon as the sun's first rays touched the soil. The sun brought no warmth with it and coldness has crept through the Fellowship.

Nobody had said a word to one another, even the hobbits were strangely silent despite not knowing what had occurred the night before. They could feel something was wrong.

Boromir was the quietest of all. Inside him a war was waging. His disgust at his actions tore within him like a fire and yet a bitterness grew that was beginning to freeze all remorse that he held. He could feel something pulling him and his mind kept straying to one thing. He had to get that ring to Gondor.

Finally they reached the shore of Nen Hithoel and the relief was felt by all to get out of the boats and stretch their legs. The hobbits immediately clustered together hoping to draw some comfort from one another.

"We cross the lake at nightfall, hide the boats and continue on foot. We approach Mordor from the North." Aragorn announced.

"Oh, yes, just a simple matter of finding our way through Emyn Muil," Grumbled Gimli as he sat heavily on a large rock. "An impassable labyrinth of razor sharp rocks. And after that it gets even better... a festering, stinking marshland, far as the eye can see."

Amy saw the annoyance creep over Aragorn's face until he could stand no more. "That is our road...I suggest you take some rest and recover your strength, Master Dwarf."

Gimli let out an indignant scoff. "Recover my..."

Legolas ignored the exchange and kept an eye on the Eastern shore, something was telling him they needed to move on quickly. "We should leave now Aragorn."

"No." Aragorn's voice displayed the finality of his decision. "Orcs patrol the Eastern shore. We must wait for cover of darkness."

"It is not the Eastern shore that worries me."

"Has Amy said something?"

"No." Legolas answered as he glanced into the Parth Galen forest. "A shadow and a threat has been growing in my mind. Something draws near, I can feel it."

"I trust your instincts my friend but I would not risk certain battle at the moment. The cracks are showing in the Fellowship."

Amy watched the exchange between Legolas and Aragorn, they spoke quickly so she could read little on their lips. The sickness she had felt since the incident with Boromir had grown and now as she sat here observing everyone keenly it refused to go away. Time was running out.

Every little detail of what was to happen ran through her mind and she analysed every aspect of it. Could she let this happen? Could she let a man die? She wanted to be brave and decisive and yet as the panic rose she felt pathetic and faint.

"Amy are you okay, you look sick?" Merry placed a warm hand on her knee.

Legolas heard Merry's question and started towards her. "Amy?"

She stood up quickly and backed up before turning around and emptying the little lembas she had eaten from her stomach. She took some deep breaths trying to stop the sway of nausea, and knelt down hoping that by lowering her head she would stop the faint that was creeping up on her. 'Get a grip Amy' she told herself.

"I'm fine." She managed to sign quickly hoping there was no sick smeared down her face. She went to the water's edge after regaining her balance and brought the cold water to her face. She was falling apart, she had barely started on this journey and she was falling apart.

She felt a hand on her back that rubbed soothing circles, and without looking she knew it was Legolas. Whenever he was in close proximity to her she felt a calmness flood through her, something that was very welcoming right now. She did not spend too long pondering on this figuring it was some strange elven trait he could impart. Feeling steadier now she turned to the faces surrounding her.

"What is it? What is wrong?"

"Nothing, I am fine...I just...There were six concerned faces. Legolas' concern face was also showing that he was not buying what she was saying. "Really I am fine..." Six faces. Six. Now it began.

Frodo and Boromir were gone, just as they should be, but there was one problem no one had noticed. No one had noticed because they were all looking at her. "Frodo." She finger spelt the name and Sam immediately looked round.

"Mr Frodo? Where has he got to?"

Aragorn turned to Legolas as the two of them noticed it was not only Frodo missing. "It is not safe in the woods. We find them!" Aragorn almost barked out the order starting off at a run into the forest.

Legolas picked up Amy's bow from the ground and thrust it into her hands. "Stay here." He took the time to stroke her cheek with the back of his hand. "What do you do if danger comes?"

"Run."

At her answer he was gone, dashing off into the forest. She knew he could sense something was coming.