The Black Lady of Mordor Chapter 12

"Boromir!" I cried. Aragorn came running over, the orc disposed of. Aragorn tried to pull the arrows from Boromir but he stopped Aragorn and said.

"Leave it!"

"SHUT UP!" I yelled at him, and then grabbed an arrow I pulled it free from him. I took Aragorn's hand and put it over the wound. "Put pressure on it." I glanced over my shoulder at Legolas and yelled "Get my bag! NOW!" Legolas nodded and ran off to the camp at full speed. I took Aragorns dagger and cut the bottom of my skirt pulling away strips of green fabric. Then I pulled the other arrows out. Boromir gritted his teeth in pain, but I ignored it. Legolas soon came back with my bag, and with bloody hands I tore through it finding the pouch of herbs I threw it at Legolas.

"Get me anything that will help." Legolas complied and searched the pouch and produced several dried leaves. I snatched them from him and quickly chewed them to a pulp. Moving Aragorn's hands off of the arrow holes I pressed the herbs into the wounds. Boromir cringed again in pain.

"Don't you die on me you bastard." I ordered him, he smirked but said nothing. I looked at Aragorn and said.

"Help me get this armor off; we need to stop the bleeding." With that Aragorn helped pull off Boromir's chainmail. I rubbed the herb pulp into the wounds more and took the strips of cloth from my dress and had Aragorn push them against the wounds. Legolas was next to me then handing me strips of cloth he was tearing from something. I didn't know or care what the cloth came from. I began to bandage Boromir.

~~O~~

Aragorn could do nothing but watch and follow her directions as Leanien sprang into action to try and save Boromir. There was a determination in her gaze that he hadn't seen before. She cussed at Boromir and told him not to give up. Aragorn had seen a smirk across Boromir's face at how she spoke to him in that moment.

Nearly ten minutes later Boromir was bandaged up with a medley of cloth. Leanien was covered in the Gondorian's blood; a smear was across her forehead from when she had absently wiped sweat away. Though, for the moment at least Boromir was alive.

Gimli came running up then and said that Frodo and Sam had crossed the river and left. Aragorn was adamant about not leaving Merry and Pippin to the mercy of the Uruk Hai. It was then to be decided what they should do.

~~O~~

After we bandaged Boromir, he fell into an uneasy sleep. Aragorn had spoken about going after Merry and Pippin. That was when I first realized that all the hobbits were gone. Frodo and Sam across the river, Merry and Pippin with the Uruk Hai.

"You need to leave us behind." I said when the others had become silent. Aragorn looked at me with doubt in his eyes. "You will never find Merry and Pippin with the pace that Boromir can travel at. I will stay with him, we will follow after you only at a slower pace so he may heal."

"This isn't a good plan." Legolas protested. I looked up at him with sorrow in my eyes.

"I wish to find Merry and Pippin just as much as any of you. But you all can travel faster if you don't have to worry about Boromir. So I will stay with him. He will not be able to move let alone travel soon enough for you to keep the Uruk Hai trail."

"You are right. They will not survive if we do not leave now. We will leave markers for you to follow." Aragorn said. They were decided; they gathered their weapons and set out carrying only what they could move quickly with. I watched them go then sighed and looked at my blood covered hands.

"You better not die on me after that." I said to a sleeping Boromir.

~~O~~

When Boromir woke he was in pain, he groaned and opened his eyes to look up at Leanien's face, and she was asleep leaning against a tree. Boromir's head in her lap. He closed his eyes again, surely this was a dream? If it was, then it was a good dream he concluded.

When Boromir next woke it was to freezing water across his chest. He woke with a gasp, he tried to sit up only to be met with pain and be pushed back down. He looked up at Leanien who sat next to him washing his wounds with one of the strips of cloth that he had been bandaged with. She didn't look at him or speak. Though he watched her work he saw a frown across her face.

"What is the matter?" He gasped out as she ran the cloth over one of the wounds causing pain to lace up his torso. She stopped and looked at his face then back to what she was doing.

"The wounds haven't closed up though it has been two days. They need something to close them…" She trailed off. He watched as she took a leaf from a bag and chewed it into a pulp and put it over the wounds, the pain eased some with the pulp over the wounds.

"They need to be stitched." Boromir said softly as Leanien set the bloodied strip of cloth aside. She looked at him then frowned again. Boromir wondered why, though she turned away from him and he heard her going through a bag. He couldn't see what she was doing but when she turned back to him she did something to the wounds that caused them to hurt even more.

"Gah! What are you doing?" He asked breathing ragged. She looked down at him then said.

"Trying to stitch the wound. I've never sewn before. So I am sorry if it hurts more than necessary." Boromir gritted his teeth as she tried to stitch him up. It only took him nearly dying to have her speak kindly to him. He would have laughed if he had the strength to do so.

~~O~~

On the third day I decided it was time to try and get moving. The wounds had been stitched closed, all be it a sloppy job, the bleeding had stopped and they finally started to heal. In the morning I woke Boromir. When I pulled him into a sitting position he groaned with pain, though after checking the bandages his wounds hadn't opened up. The herbs that Celeborn had given me were for any sort of healing, there were herbs to dull pain and others to put you to sleep. Though for the most part they were to help healing. Tamlen's gift had proven useful, though I don't think he ever intended me to use it on a person.

"I'm sorry…" Boromir said to me reaching out and touching my black and blue neck. I batted his hand away from my neck and handed his a piece of lembas bread.

"Eat." I ordered. He took the bread from me though didn't eat it, I frowned and studied him for a moment. His face was riddled with guilt. "Many have been seduced by the power of the ring. Do not blame yourself for what happened, for worse has happened to others who have been taken by it." This didn't comfort him as he just sat silent and ate the bread. Once he had finished I packed everything we needed into one bag and helped Boromir into a tunic, his armor and weapons packed in the bag.

"Come on now, we need to catch up with Aragorn and the others. They set out after the Uruk Hai to save Merry and Pippin." With that I hauled Boromir to his feet and we started off, he leaned on me for support an arm around my shoulders. It was uncomfortable to say the least, though I didn't complain. What good would it do?

We were moving slowly, too slowly as it would seem. By the time we found the first the first marker it was nearly gone. An arrow had been carved into the dirt pointing west. I had to let Boromir rest many times; each time we stopped I checked his bandages.

This time we had stopped Boromir had managed to rip out several stitches. I pulled the bandages off and sighed. I didn't like sewing, and having to sew him back together was no thrilling task.

"Hold still." I told him as I pulled the sewing kit out again. Boromir didn't speak; he had been overly silent the past few days. A fact that only proceeded to make me more uncomfortable around him, when he spoke I knew where his thoughts were. Silent was now awkward.

He cringed slightly with each stitch. I didn't blame him, I was horrid at this. Though I tried my best. Needle work was not one of my skills. After stitching him up again I proceeded to bandage him. It had become clear the second day where the strips of cloth Legolas had given me came from. The elven cloak that Galadriel had presented to us as we left was little more than a hood now. It didn't seem to matter much though; it had not been overly cold at night, though I hadn't been sleeping much the past few days. In order to keep watch, I remained awake, being cold helped me to stay awake too.

~~O~~

Boromir was ashamed with himself. Leanien had saved his life and then stayed behind to tend to his wounds while the rest of the fellowship continued on without them. He had noted that she had changed since they arrived at Lothlorien, he just didn't know how. He could not bring himself to speak with her though. The dark bruises around her neck held his tongue. He kept saying sorry, but she just ignored it. He could not read her feelings towards him now. He was sure that he was going to die when the Uruk Hai shot him full of arrows. He had confessed his love to her and she had ignored it. He took that to be a sign she did not feel the same.

Though she continued to tend to him even after he had become strong enough to travel. She continued to check and dress his wounds, though her skills with a needle were that of a child.

He watched her as she re-stitched his wounds, she was not gentle with her needle though the pain of her treatment was nothing to the weight of the guilt he held each time he saw her neck. He could not distract himself from her presence though. For some reason she had stayed with him though he could not figure out why.

He was acutely aware though of her fingers trailing across his chest as she tended his wounds. Her actions were almost tender, almost. He had also become acutely aware of the fact that she had used her own dress as a bandage for him. The skirt had been half cut off at the knee, a ragged piece hung down to her ankles as it was meant to. Though he could not bring himself to not see the discoloration of her neck.

"I'm sorry…" He said again, he was not sure how many times he would say it, though he would not stop till she forgave him. He watched as she stopped bandaging him and looking at his face for a moment as if judging him she said as she returned to work.

"Stop saying that." Her tone was void of emotion, she sounded exhausted to him.

"I cannot, not until you have forgiven me- Ah." He cringed in pain as she pulled the bandages tighter than necessary causing him to stop talking.

"Greater men have fallen against lesser things." He looked at her puzzled, what did she mean by that? He decided to press his luck right now and asked.

"Why, did you save me?" She finished bandaging his wounds then put her needles away before answering, though he could tell she had been thinking of the answer the whole while.

"I'm not entirely sure. I could not save Gandalf, the fellowship needs you, so I suppose that is the reason." With that she packed away their things and helped Boromir to stand again and they continued on.

~~O~~

It was not until several days later when they lost the trail of markers left behind for them. Boromir was not healing as quickly as Leanien would have liked and they had not seen sight of anything to give them a clue as to where they were. They had been walking for most of the day before the thunder of horse hooves sounded. They were in the middle of a field with no way of hiding so they just stood there as they were surrounded by a large group of riders, spears pointed at them as they waited.

The apparent leader of the group came riding up and glaring down at them from his horse he said.

"What business do you have here man?" He ignored Leanien entirely. It was a curious thing and elf woman and a man traveling together. The man was clearly injured as he leaned on the elf for support. The woman looked worse than the man though, blood was dried on her dress which was torn beyond respectability and her neck was darkly discolored from being choked.

"We are trailing our group who went on ahead of us." The woman spoke, He was slightly surprised at the authority her voice held. She was glaring at him now and he realized that she must be someone of some rank, he dismounted and pulling off his helm he said.

"I am Eomer, of Rohan. Who are you two?" This time Eomer directed his question with a look at Boromir.

"I am Boromir of Gondor, this is Leanien." Boromir spoke he tried to lean a little less on Leanien though he could not stand fully on his own strength yet.

"Have you come across a Man, an Elf, and a Dwarf? They were tracking a group of Uruk Hai." Leanien spoke now, Boromir wished she would let him handle this, women did not hold the same rank in the world of men as they did in elven society.

" What is your purpose in Rohan?" Eomer asked Boromir ignoring Leanien. Boromir glanced at Leanien uneasy; he saw the anger on her face at being so blatantly ignored.

"I just told you why we are here man!" she spat the words out her temper flaring as Eomer looked down at her. "We seek to be rejoined with our group, now if you will not help us then leave!" Eomer looked down at the elven girl in somewhat of a shocked state. She had been so angered by him directing his question at Boromir.

"What authority do you hold to speak in such a manor? You have no title to boast such a manner of speaking." Eomer said. Boromir tried to stop Leanien from talking, she was so angered with Eomer that she didn't even think of the consequences and spoke the only title she had.

"I am Leanien, the Black Lady! You will show me respect Eomer!" Eomer's expression turned to anger and he got on his horse and said to the soldiers around him.

"Take these servants of Sauron prisoner, we make for Edoras." With that Eomer road off and Boromir was pulled away from Leanien. She fought against the men who now tried to bind her hands.

~~O~~

I viciously kicked one of the horse riders who tried to tie my hands behind my back. They had pulled Boromir away and bound his hands with ease. Though it took three men to hold me still long enough to tie me. We were loaded onto a horse that had no rider, the horses reigns tied to the back of one of the rider's saddles. Then we were off, the group lead by this Eomer. Boromir spoke softly to me so as the other riders of Rohan around us could not hear.

"You fool, why did you boast your title? You realize we will most likely be killed or tortured."

"These men are arrogant and self-absorbed." I said back I heard Boromir sigh.

We road for a long time, Boromir had come to rest his head on my shoulder. I stayed aware and went about frightening the riders around me. I wore a smirk on my lips and a glare in my eyes. The nudged their horses slightly away from me. When we stopped for the night Boromir and I were tied to a tree. Eomer came around again that night, his expression was guarded and he spoke to both of us now, not just Boromir.

"What is your purpose in Rohan? My riders tell me you smiled the entire time you have been our captive." I gave a sinister smile to Eomer, he was made uneasy by this, I could tell.

"I told you why we are here, we seek our group."

"You are the Black Lady of Mordor. That is the title you have claimed, if that is true why do you see that group?"

"The hobbits, the Uruk Hai took our hobbit companions." Boromir said between ragged breaths, the horse ride had not been kind to his wounds. I did need to check and make sure they had not opened up.

"Your story is the same as theirs…" Eomer said trailing off to think for a moment. This was ridiculous, was he slow or something?

"I need to check Boromir's wounds." Eomer looked at me now then said.

"Why should you care? You are a servant of Sauron." I glared at Eomer then said.

"Because, I took the time to save his life, it would be pointless to have him die now because of some stupid man on a power trip. I have had enough of people trying to prove their superiority to me. This bastard has proven himself worthy of saving, so let me." Eomer seemed taken aback by my comment, had he expected me to be completely cold to the world and uncaring. Apparently so for he untied us then and said.

"You can be the Black Lady; she is cold and uncaring to all save for Sauron. Though you were a fool to claim her title." Ok that wasn't exactly the response I was expecting but it would do. Eomer sent one of them riders off and they soon returned with clean bandages and other herbs. Though Eomer didn't leave once the stuff was brought over.

Boromir pulled his shirt off and let me deal with the haphazardly crafted bandages. I glanced at Eomer who seemed slightly confused at the green cloth.

"I didn't have much to work with at the time…" I stated blandly as I pulled the bandages off and examined Boromir's injuries.

"What happened?" Eomer asked, I ignored the rider of Rohan though Boromir didn't.

"I was shot down by an Uruk."

"Tis a miracle you survived." Eomer said slightly astonished. I would have agreed with him if I hadn't been busy wiping the wounds clean. I looked at the herbs that had been brought, they didn't look like the leaves in the bag Celeborn had given me.

"What are these for?" I asked Eomer holding the leaves up, Boromir half laughed at me while Eomer simply gave me a horrified look.

"They are for healing. What have you been using for the wounds?" I sighed, I didn't know the name of the herb.

"Its…the one leaf that is sort of pointy, it's a large tear drop shape." I tried to explain, which caused Boromir to half laugh again, he didn't actually laugh for it hurt I suspected.

~~O~~

Eomer looked at Boromir's injuries again, they had been stitched closed though it was horrid work, the stitches were anything but neat and clean.

"You have no idea how to dress a wound do you?" He watched Leanien run a hand through her dark mass of hair and she said.

"Well I never had to learn such things as treating wounds…and sewing." She stated blandly.

~~O~~

It was the next day, and we were on the horses again. Apparently just because Eomer didn't think I was the Black Lady didn't mean that we weren't going to Edoras. I sat on the horse wondering how far we had gone from Aragorn and the rest of the fellowship. My thoughts also drifted to Frodo and Sam who were somewhere farther than Merry and Pippin traveling alone towards Mordor. I worried for their safety but was not entire sure if I wanted them to be heading to Mordor.

It was well into the day when we reached Edoras. The town was quiet, though many people came out to see the riders go by. Eomer took us, being Boromir and I. Up to the large building at the top of the hill. It was crafted from wood and had intricate carvings of horses on it. When we went inside the first thing I noticed was sitting next to the king, was Gandalf. Only he was dressed in white instead of grey.

"Gandalf!" I cried out with joy running past Eomer, my hands still bound behind me, for that morning Eomer decided that we had to be tied up again. I would have run right up to the old wizard if a hoard of guards didn't rush up to me stopping me. "Let me go." I told the guards who stopped me. Aragorn walked over now.

"Leanien, why are you and Boromir tied up?" I hadn't noticed Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli until now, they had been off to the side of the hall.

"She claims to be the Black Lady of Mordor." Eomer said walking up to the king guy Gandalf sat next to.

"That title hardly belongs to this elven woman. She is with our group, she is no threat." Gandalf said to the king guy. He seemed to trust in Gandalfs word, and so did Eomer for with a gesture the guards untied my hands as well as Boromir's. "Now Leanien, help Boromir over to sit, we have yet to finish our discussion." Gandalf said I frowned slightly. I had no interest in their discussion. I was amazed that Gandalf was even alive. I wondered how the old wizard had gotten out of Moria. Though my questions would have to wait.

*So, hopefully people will stop sending me angry messages about me killing Boromir. Twas never my intention, I just have a thing for suspense. That's why there are still things I haven't filled you in on. Like what happened between Legolas and Leanien in Lothlorien. Anyway please review.*