Before anyone could stop me, I slipped out of the council room and headed back to mine. I didn't want to deal with the backlash that would come from my decision to accompany the Fellowship. Dinner would be served shortly; another feast in honor of the Ringbearer. I of course was expected to be in attendance. But until then I would remain in my room.

I sat down on my bed, pulling out a book. It was a history of Middle Earth complete with maps. I knew the maps almost by heart but it was nice to look at them occasionally. Making myself comfortable, I huffed in annoyance at the knock at my door. "Who is it?"

"It's me." Boromir had come to talk. I knew it would have happened sooner or later, but why did it have to be when I was actually going to do something useful? "Come in."

Boromir entered the room, closing the door behind him softly. I scooted over to make room for him to sit beside me and he quickly crossed the room, taking the seat beside me. "Ara, what in the name of the White Tree are you thinking? Why did you decide to join us? It's not safe."

I sighed and rolled my eyes, putting down my book completely. "I'm not some frail, pathetic elf maiden Boromir. I've been around many places, fighting. You know that."

Boromir nodded, falling silent. I studied him thoughtfully. It had been many years since I had seen the man. He still looked the same the day I had met him.

"Come on Boromir! There's someone over there!" Faramir called out to his brother. I had been watching the two men riding in the woods for some time now and had been starting to wonder if they would ever notice me. I was in the trees, low enough to the ground to see them, but high enough so as not to be trampled under their horses' feet.

"So there is!" The two brothers circled the tree I was in, looking up at me curiously.

"Can I help you two?" I leaned back casually on the branch I was perched in, pretending as if I hadn't been watching them for the days they had been in my woods.

The elder one nodded sternly. "Who are you and what are you doing in Gondor?"

I snorted and shook my head with silent laughter. It amused me how haughty the older one was trying to be. "My name is Aradhel and my business here is my own." Honestly I had only been passing through to meet Aragorn in Rohan, but they didn't need to know that. "Who are you two?"

The younger one smiled up at me. He seemed much friendlier. "I'm Faramir, and my brother there is Boromir. We're sons of the Steward of Gondor."

The way he said that almost made me want to be impressed. Almost. "Pleasure." I jumped down from the branch, landing gracefully on the back of Boromir's horse. "I happen to know you two are heading back toward Minas Tirith. Would you be so kind as to take pity on a poor elf that has been walking for days and take her with you?"

Boromir looked outraged as I landed behind him, but his face turned to curiosity at the mention of my being an elf. Both he and Faramir looked at my ears in shock. "An elf!" Boromir paused, thinking. "We shall take you to the city if you tell us all about you." I nodded and off we went, though I only told them the story I had made for myself. When we reached the city a letter was waiting there for me. Aragorn no longer required my assistance. How he knew where I would be always remained a mystery, but I stayed in the city for quite some time, getting to know the two brothers better.

Boromir shook me gently, stirring me from my thoughts. "I just don't want you to get hurt."

I smiled at him. Usually I'd be angry, but he wasn't meaning to insult my abilities, just look out for me. I'd have to keep telling myself that. "I'm careful. You can't change my mind Boromir. I'm coming and that's final."

He sighed, but nodded. "I figured you'd say that, but I had to try. Perhaps we'll go near Minas Tirith on the way. Faramir has been missing you. It's been a long time since you visited." He gave me a stern look and I squirmed a bit. I really had been terrible visiting the people I knew.

"At least I wrote." That had been the way I kept up with friends, but letters did take a while to get around, so we hadn't communicated often.

He laughed, patting me on the back. "That you did. And we responded."

I grinned, happy the topic had changed. We spent the next hour talking and joking like we always did. Boromir was like a brother to me. Soon the time came for the feast and we headed there together. It was a joyous affair as most things of the elves were. It lasted well into the night and I enjoyed myself immensely, retiring to my chambers late. Luckily we wouldn't be leaving for a few weeks, needing to get some things decided before starting out.