A/N: Once again, sorry for the delay. Lots o updating to do.

Chapter Nine- Flustered Brothers

Nithen ran, she had been running for two hours now. Images of times spent with her elderly friend ran through her mind. He was so sweet. Her pace picked up. Twice, she had completed the five-mile path, and she neared completion of the third lap. As she paused to drink from the stream alongside the path, she noticed someone was with her. She politely turned to the being, "Amin hiraetha, nan' amin anta rim sii'. Amin..." She noticed she was talking to a human.

The blond human from Gondor, who arrived with the fellowship last evening, stood before her. He smiled, "I wish to join you."

Nithen raised her ebon eyebrow cautiously, "I am sorry, I do not wish to have any company. I prefer to train alone. Thank you for the offer Sir." Her voice was cautiously detached.

He smiled, "Call me Boromir, Lirimaer. What is your name?" {Lovely one.}

A spark lit in her blue eyes, not one of interest, one of anger. "You may call me Lady, or Warden."

Boromir raised his eyebrow questioningly, "So cold, yet so beautiful."

Nithen's eyes became alarmed and she took off towards her brothers' post. Boromir followed in quick pursuit. The young elf sped up, crying out in surprise.

She ran under the sentry tower and started up the ladder. Haldir had told her that he would manage the northern border by himself, but there was another with him.

Boromir must not have seen the two elves above, for he called out. "Roikaer, come back down here!" {Pure one.}

The only response was an arrow piercing the ground right next to his feet.

As Nithen frantically explained to Haldir what had ensued, the wood elf was leaping down to speak with his friend. Animosity filled the air between them.

"Boromir, dina. Uuma naa n'nostale, Ascarer." {Boromir, be silent. Do not be unkind, impetuous one.}

The man sneered, "I was just complimenting the maiden on her beauty."

Icy blue eyes met angered brown ones. The woodland elf snarled quietly, "Back down. Go see Aragorn. Tell him what you have done, I do not wish to fight you in front of a lady." He spoke like a parent to a child, chiding Boromir for his poor public behavior.

Before Boromir could retreat, Haldir was one the forest floor. "Wait. I wish to have a word."

Boromir turned, and was slammed in the jaw by Haldir's fist. "Never touch my sister! Never look at my sister! Never talk to my sister!" Haldir proceeded to give Boromir a civilized talking to, with his fists.

When it was clear that Haldir had little intention of stopping, the woodland elf pulled him off Boromir. "Tampa, let him go." {Stop.}

Haldir composed himself, "Of course, Legolas." Boromir ran off, fear in his eyes.

A half smile formed on Legolas's lips, "That was quite the one-sided fight." Haldir and Legolas laughed silently over Legolas's innuendo.

Nithen leaped down, "Diola lle, Legolas Thrandullion." She walked away calmly, a stoic expression on her elvish features.

~~

Legolas headed back up to the flets that Galadriel and Celeborn had granted them. Aragorn walked out, "What on Middle Earth happened to Boromir?"

The Prince smirked lightly, "Haldir." Aragorn tried to hide his amusement at his friend's sarcasm. He was a poor actor.

Aragorn shook his head, "What did Boromir do that encouraged such a calm elf to pummel him!?" Legolas fought off a loud laugh at Aragorn's unconcerned tone.

Legolas laughed lightly, "He made bold comments to the March Warden's little sister. You know, the one with the black hair..."

Gimli looked up from his axe, "Why would Boromir like her? That 'she- elf' surely isn't the fairest."

Legolas gave him a cold stare. "Ask the blubbering fool, not I."

Aragorn laughed, "Someone is a little sensitive about the elf maiden." Legolas gave Aragorn a stern look and started to retreat to one of the flets.

Pippin approached him, "Mr. Legolas, sir, are you referring to the she-elf with the long black hair?"

Legolas nodded, "The only 'maiden' here with such hair, yes."

"I must agree with Gimli...she is nowhere near as fair as the other maidens, but then again, I haven't seen many elves." Deep blue pools flared with anger.

Merry saw the restrained anger in Legolas's eyes, "Shut up Pippin." He grabbed his friend's arm and pulled him over to talk with Frodo and Sam.

Legolas sighed, 'What do I care of this elf girl?' He shook his head and went to rest a bit.

~~

As Nithen prepared her pale white night gown and stripped off her thick gold armor, she found herself thinking of Gandalf. For the first time in ages, she almost wanted to cry. Memories of her real father arose as she thought of her loss.

'Boromir was only offering words of solace to me.why did I turn away?' No one had ever spoke kind words to Nithen before, spare her brothers. It actually made her feel rather good about herself. She would have to talk with Rumil or Orophin about it. She couldn't talk to Haldir; he would loose control and beat Boromir bloody...again.

Nithen silently slipped out of her flet to the bathing pool near the soldiers' barracks. As she slipped off her tunic, revealing a small undershirt, she noticed Boromir was there.

She gasped, "Vendui..." {Greetings...}

He smiled kindly, "You are so lovely, with your pale skin and raven black hair...though I must say, you would even more enchanting without that undershirt and those leggings."

Heat rushed to Nithen's cheeks as she innocently turned away. Suddenly something clicked in her, he wasn't flattering her, he was seducing her. She went cold again, and punched him square in the jaw.

As her fist connected with his face, he went sprawling to the ground. Without warning she heard two stern voices echo. "Mani naa autien a' sinome?" {What is going on here?} Haldir and Rumil hovered over Boromir's retreating form.

Boromir started to back away towards the forest, but the one absent brother, Orophin, grabbed him by the collar of his tunic. "Stay here, friend." An unexpected malice was in his voice.

"This is my sweet innocent sister, Nithen. I am one of her three concerned brothers. We are concerned because we have allowed 8 strange males into our wood and one of them cannot seem to stay away from her." He shoved Boromir towards Haldir, who knocked him to the ground.

Rumil picked up the tale, "Though us three brothers have tried time and again to ward off this nuisance of a man, he continues to taint our young sister's mind." By now several soldiers had gathered around.

Some of the onlookers were anxiously murmuring 'fight' and 'take him Haldir'. Haldir hit Boromir hard in the face. He stumbled back into Rumil, who pushed him back towards Haldir. Rumil and Orophin laughed, "Come on Haldir. Show him why Elves are better then men."

Several punches contacted Boromir's face as he struggled to fight back. Haldir's speed was too much for the human. As Boromir hit the ground again, Celeborn pushed past all the soldiers. Blood dripped from Boromir's lip and his right eye was beginning to swell up greatly.

Lord Celeborn sigh reprovingly, "Haldir, Orophin, Rumil...please stay here. The rest of you get back to the barracks." The soldiers scrambled and Boromir tried to follow suit. Celeborn grabbed Boromir's tunic as he struggled.

Nithen stood there, frozen in confusion, anger and a sense of betrayal.

The Lord of the Wood sighed once more, "What is the meaning of this?"

Rumil started, "He was being bold towards Nithen."

Orophin nodded, "That he was." Rumil elbowed him in the side.

Haldir glared at them both, mirth in his half-grin. "I didn't like the way he spoke of my sister, so I let him know him."

"My young friend, try words next time." Celeborn had a broad grin on his face that said he actually didn't mind, but he didn't say anything more. Rumil and Orophin slipped away and Haldir escorted Nithen to her flet. Celeborn glared down at Boromir as his wife approached.

Galadriel helped the man up and brushed the dirt off his shoulders. As he knelt to thank her, she turned her back on him. "You still deserved what you got, you filthy pig."

~~~

R&R plz! Read me and Blue Eyes' fics also!!!