Disclaimer: I do not own LotR or anything else in Arda.
A few days later, she sat quietly on her horse, watching the Fellowship from a distance. Her senses were far better than theirs, and she could see and hear them long before they could see and hear her. Sam was cooking sausages and some other food on a small fire. Frodo sat on a rock overlooking where Boromir was teaching Merry and Pippin about swordplay. Aragorn was watching them as well, smoking his pipe.
"Good, very good," Boromir praised, exchanging blows with Pippin. "Move your feet," Aragorn instructed. "You look good, Pippin," Merry said. "Thanks," the hobbit replied. "Faster!" Boromir instructed, striking towards Merry without warning.
Legolas stood on the edge, looking towards the north. Gandalf and Gimli were farther away from the swordfight. "If anyone was asking my opinion, which they're not, I'd say we were taking the long way round. Gandalf, we could pass through the Mines of Moria. My cousin Balin would give us a royal welcome."
Taríen felt her face pale. She knew what lay inside the depths of Moria. She had held it at bay when the dwarves had escaped from there. "No, Gimli," Gandalf said. "I would not take the road through Moria unless I had no other choice." As she watched, Legolas turned about and leapt nimbly atop a rock and faced the south.
Meanwhile, Merry and Pippin had tackled Boromir, much to Aragorn's amusement. When he tried to separate them, Merry and Pippin flipped him onto his back. Taríen looked the same direction as Legolas, and noticed the black cloud. "What is that?" she heard Sam ask. "Nothing," Gimli scoffed, "it's just a wisp of cloud!" "It's moving fast," Boromir said. "Against the wind." "Crebain from Dunland!" Legolas exclaimed. "Hide!" Aragorn yelled. "Hurry!" Boromir yelled. Aragorn ran about, making sure everything was hidden.
Taríen held up her hand and caused herself and her horse to be shielded from the birds. The Fellowship managed to hide just before the birds swept over them. They circled the hill once and flew back towards Isengard. "Spies of Saruman," Gandalf said, standing up. Taríen released her shield. "The passage south is being watched." He glanced up at the great white mountain behind them. "We must take the pass of Caradhas!"
That night, she watched as the Fellowship slept, keeping her vigil long. Boromir had the first watch. He sat by the fire, softly humming A Elbereth Gilthoniel. She watched as Aragorn silently rose and moved to sit beside him. "Missing your wife?" he asked quietly. "Yes," Boromir replied. "How did you know?" "The song," Aragorn replied. "She taught it to me. It was always her favorite. Did you know that she was my tutor?"
"Really?" Boromir asked in surprise. Aragorn nodded. "From the time I was four to the time I was twenty, when I lived in Elrond's house. She was a second mother to me, and to all of Elrond's children. We all call her Emel, and she calls us her indhîn, her heart-children." "You are Elrond's foster son," Boromir said in surprise. Aragorn nodded. "My name wasn't Aragorn then, it was Estel. I spent seventeen years in Elrond's house, not even knowing my own name. Emel arrived when I was four. Everyone was very surprised; she had not visited Rivendell in more than four hundred years. She was a very good teacher."
"It seems that everyone knows my wife better than I do," Boromir sighed. "I did not even know she had ever been to Rivendell before until just before we arrived. I understand why she kept her secrets, I just wish she had told me sooner." "Do you know she is a great warrior?" Aragorn asked. "That I did know, but only because of how she fought orcs on her journey. She is very skilled with a blade," Boromir said. "She is even more skilled with two," Aragorn replied. "She is the best swordfighter I have ever seen with two blades, and one of the best with one. She taught me most everything I know."
"The next time I see her, I am getting lessons," Boromir chuckled.
