Welcome to Chapter 8!
For those who do not know I am posting on both and Wattpad. For those on Wattpad I am sorry if you are confused about all the reviews. I would like to thank all my readers, on both platforms. I am posting on before I really ever get around to posting on Wattpad.
Special call out to a wattpad user: DaraBorisova Thank you for your support. You are one of the first readers who really commented on my original story, Elven Princess Under the Mountain. Even if that was a little while ago I felt like I should thank you. And tell you that you are the reason why I continued to write Long Lost. Even if you are just one reader, your nice comments and support made me feel as though even if you are the only one reading that would be okay because I know you love it.
Special call out to a user: PrettyRecklessLauraYou have been commenting short and sweet words of encouragement since the very beginning. Thank you, it means a lot, you all so find a way to read a new update within the day I post.
Now, away from the sappy gooey stuff, and on with the story.
The sun was high in the sky as the fellowship wove through the River Anduin, their elven boats sturdy beneath them -despite the grumblings of Gimli. The three boats carried the company steadily southward, gliding across the shimmering hues of clear blue , lush green trees of the darkest emerald and softest fern slowly gave way to a brown withered wasteland of misery and despair. Flocks of birds circled high above them, black against the pale blue sky. Jackie Dornessiti Watched their movements with concern as she methodically dug her paddle into the flowing river. Knowing what was coming for them but unable to warn the people she now considered friends, some family, some- one- she didn't know.
As the Pillars of Kings appeared in the distance on the river as the elven boats drifted ever closer, slowly through the steep rocky gorge Jackie slowly began paddling in the stern, her silver hair glinting in the pre-dawn light.
Frodo. She nudged the sleeping hobbit softly, rueing the fact she could not sleep for what seemed to be the hundredth time on their journey.
The small hobbit opened his eyes and looked up. She smiled as his eyes widened in amazement. For the ancient towers were truly a sight to see. Two enormous rock statues, towering like three-hundred foot pinnacles on either side of the river, carved images of the Gondorian kings of old. They loomed over the boats with power and majesty.
"The Argonath…" Aragorn, already awoken murmured softly through the night. Jackie watched as the ranger-king appeared strangely moved by the silent sentinels. He spoke again, almost as if to himself. "Long have I desired to look upon the kings of old… my kin."
When the current took them through the narrow gap between the statues' feet all the fellowship sat in stunned silence at the magnificence of the ancient stone. Far beyond the sight of the humans and hobbits of the company Legolas and Jackie could both see the large lake a mere mile down the river, glistening like a forbidden gem in an ancient forest.
The fellowship leapt out of the boats and clambered onto the wooded shore of the lake of Nen Hithoel, the sun once again shining in the sky. Jackie glanced uneasily back down the river, looking, half expecting to see the creature that had tracked them since their exit from Lorien and travels on the river. She did not, and couldn't even find it in her to be surprised, if it had avoided the eyes of the all the company -not just herself and Legolas- than it would clearly not be found now.
"We cross the lake at nightfall, hide the boats and continue on foot…" Aragorn trailed off. "We approach Mordor from the North."
It was Gimli who replied, his gloomy voice filled with sarcasm. "Oh, yes, just a simple matter of finding our way through Emyn Muil, an impassable labyrinth of razor sharp rocks. And after that gets even better.. A festering. Stinking marshland, far as the eye can see."
"This is our road, I suggest you take some rest and recover your strength, Master Dwarf." Aragorn stated, ignoring the bitter dwarf completely.
Jackie smirked and stuck her tongue out at Gimli, tucking it back in when Aragorn glanced at her, eyebrows raised.
"Recover my…" Gimli wisly allowed his voice to fade.
Legolas turned to Aragorn, urgency lining his posture. "We should leave now."
"No. Orcs patrol the Eastern shore. We must wait for cover of darkness."
"It is not the eastern shore that worries me." Legolas glanced around at the Parth Galen forest. Jackie moved over to join the conversation, signing rapidly to the Elven Prince so he could translate, for Aragorn, though he knew the hand-language well enough for a human it was tiresome to have to repeat the same gestures and slow the speed of her movements. The Elf Prince nodded.
"What did she say?" Aragorn asked.
"Nothing but vague mention of what I already fear." Saron had not only removed her voice but her ability to speak of what she saw in her vision. The legions of Uruk-Hai headed in the direction of the fellowship as they spoke. Legolas was correct, they needed to move. And she couldn't even warn the fellowship save through vague mentions and gestures. When I get my hands on that mother fucker he is dead. "A shadow draws near, I can feel it."
Aragorn looked at Legolas, and at herself, knowing full well what they meant. Sam had slumped asleep, Merry had dumped a small pile of measly kindling at Gimli's feet.
"Where's Frodo?" The hobbit asked.
Sam sat up with a start. Aragorn's head snapped around. Jackie's eyes flew to Boromir's shield where it lay abandoned by his camp bed. Shit, shit, shit, shit, shit. Boromir was gone.
'Curse you! Curse you and your Halflings!' She heard Bormir stumble and fall among the underbrush and stopped her searching. The sound of thrashing and shaking amongst dry leaves reached her ears, it faded and a disoriented Boromir started crying. 'Frodo! Frodo! What have I done, please, Frodo…'
She, Leglolas, Gimli and Aragorn had been searching for the Gondorian and the Hobbit for the last hour or so, finally deciding to split up when their efforts proved fruitless. Aragorn, and Gimli went one way and she and Legolas went the other.
Not wasting any time, for she knew that Legolas could hear the moaning man as well, she began to move swiftly in the direction of the weeping Gondorian.
'Frodo?' Aragorn's voice reached her. She knew the Mirkwood prince could hear the conversation too.
Oh thank the valar they found him. She thought as she drew nigh the distraught Boromir. Now I just need to deal with this big oaf. The sound of the stumbling man grew louder with every passing step. She moved swiftly but thoroughly, remembering the legions of orcs coming their way and holding her bow at the ready, arrow half drawn, bow lowered semi-downward, eard honing to pick up any out of the ordinary sound.
'It has taken Boromir.' Frodo gasped from somewhere in the forest.
She stopped for a second. What has taken Boromir?
She heard the crunch of footsteps and whirled around before realising it was Aragorn approaching Frodo. Where are they? Surely they can't be so far if I can hear Frodo gasp. Then again she was an elf. 'Where is the Ring?' The Rangers urgent voice asked.
The sound of scrambling and then- 'Stay away!' Frodo…
'Frodo I swore to protect you.'
'Can you protect me from yourself?'
She moved a bit slower, still moving steadily toward Boromir. Poor Frodo. Boromir… What did you do?
'Would you destroy it?' She heard Frodo ask.
'I would have gone with you to the end… into the very fires of Mordor.' Aragorn responded.
'I know…' Frodo… Frodo what are you saying? 'Look after the others, especially Sam, he will not understand.'
The sound of metal being drawn echoed in her ears. What- no.
'Go, Frodo!' The ranger yelled.
No.
'Run! RUN!'
They are here.
She whirled to Legolas as the echo of a great horn reached the pair, the stench of orc wafting into their fine elven noses. "The horn of Gondor!" Legolas said.
'Boromir.' She signed. The prince nodded. The grunts of Aragorn reached her ears, and Legolas turned his head. 'I need to go, you get to Aragorn-'
The prince cut her off. "It is not a good idea to split up."
'I can handle myself, and I shall have Boromir's aid whether wishes to fight alongside me or not. Help your friend.' She began to move.
Legolas growled low in his throat and before he could ever register he was moving he had her pinned against a tree and towered over her. "Tye indóme péle- ana me (Elvish: You will return to me.)"
She was taken aback and tried to sign. 'I do not answer to you-' Before he grabbed her hands and kissed her. He. Kissed. Her. Hard but soft at the same time. Gentle but barley. They kind of kiss that was done in haste to ensure that something was real. That it wouldn't sleep between one's fingertips and be gone the next moment. The king of kiss that demanded a sequel. She dug her fingers into the Prince's tunic as he pressed her harder against the bark, fireworks erupting through her body. She could have sworn the prince let out another growl of satisfaction, kissing her harder before leaving her lips completely. Hands holding her wrist against the trees, his mouth mere inches from hers he smirked.
"Túl at- ana me (Elvish: Come back to me.)" Was all he said before he was gone, sprinting off to aid his friend.
Uruk-Hai corpses littered the ground around Boromir's body. The proud, brave Gondorian who -despite many of his fine asswhole moments- was her friend, for better or worse now had four orc arrows protruding from his body as he crashed to his knees.
She had heard the shouts of 'Run! Run!' From Boromir mere moments before the screams of Merry and Pippin came, yelling the warriors name. She now rushed to the bleeding man's side, refusing to let yet another friend die. Her mother, her father, her adopted family under the mountain, Fili, Kili, The soldier of the battle of the Five armies, Thorin, Gandalf, how many more that she had known and cared for -loved even- must die?
The horn of Gondor lay at Boromir's feet, cloven in two. The Gondorian let out a pained gasp. "They took the little ones…" He trailed off, eyes glazing over. She pressed her hands to the man's wounds, trying to staunch the flow of thick red blood from his body. No, no, no. If I could just speak. I could heal him. "I am sorry, Jackie." He gasped. "I hope you may find it in your heart to forgive me." She shook him, and nodded her head, touching her bloodied hand to her lips and then touching his. He huffed a laugh as she shook him again. "I am a lost cause, M'Lady. Save the hobbits." She hesitated. He was right, deep down she knew he was right, but… "Go, and maybe they will have a chance."
She nodded and kissed his forehead, her tears streaming freely and hitting his face. I will see you again someday my friend.
She got up and began to move, tracking the still fresh scent, heart wrenching at who she was leaving behind. No one deserved to die alone.
"Now let's go hunt some orc."
She could talk.
Legolas was still reeling from the kiss he had given Jackie. Though it did not sway his focus as he fired arrow after arrow, slaying orc after orc. She had liked it, he could tell from the way she reacted, arching into him off the tree, kissing him back, digging her strong, slender fingers into his tunic. She was -though tall- petite next to him. As Boromir -fallen and breath hard, orc arrows sticking out of his chest- came into view Aragorn rushed to the dying man's side, leaving himself and Gimli to hold watch.
"Frodo… Where's Frodo?" A panicked Boromir asked.
"I let Frodo go." Aragorn responded. Ah yes. He had heard that conversation, just before he had kissed Jackie.
The ranger held the soldier's gaze.
"Then you did what I could not. I tried to take the ring from him." Boromir confessed.
"The ring is beyond our reach now."
"Forgive me, I did not see…" The Gondorian coughed up blood. "I have failed you all."
"No, Boromir. You fought bravely. You have kept your honor." Aragorn moved to bind Boromir's wound.
"Leave it! It is over… the world of men will fall and will come to darkness and my city to ruin… Aragon…" The man trailed off again as another hacking fit took over. Legolas flinched.
"I do not know what strength is in my blood, but I swear to you... I will not let the White City fall, nor your people fail…" Aragorn promised the dying mortal.
"Our people...our people…" The Gondorain said, the life slowly fading from his voice.
Aragorn placed Boromir's sword in his hand. Boromir's fingers tightened around the sturdy hilt of the mighty blade. "I would have followed you, my brother...my captain, my King." And so the final breath of the Gondorian man was taken. Aragorn layed Boromir down. He was dead.
"Be at peace, son of Gondor." Aragorn bent down and kissed the dead Gondorians forehead. Legolas and Gimli moved behind the kneeling ranger. "They will look for his coming from the white tower. But he will not return."
The remaining three watched in a sober silence as the boat carrying the body of Boromir, son of the Steward of Gondor, member of the Fellowship of the Ring, vanished over the side of the massive falls of Rauros, disappearing into the vapor below.
Legolas turned from the scene and made for the boat, hoping that Jackie had gone with Sam and Frodo. "If we are quick, we will catch Frodo and Sam before nightfall."
Aragorn looked toward the far shore; Frodo and Sam's small boat lying on the distant riverbank as the last wisp of a cloak vanished in the forest beyond. He didn't react. Legolas eyed his friend warily as he turned and looked at the silent man. "You mean to follow them…" He trailed off, leaving the rest of his sentence unsaid.
"Frodo's fate is no longer in our hands." Was the Rangers only response. Legolas' mind went quiet for a few seconds.
"Then it has all been in vain," Gimli moaned. "The fellowship has failed." He was inclined to agree with the dwarf.
"Not if we hold true to each other. We will not abandon Merry and Pippin to torment and death, not while we have strength left." Aragorn pulled a hunting knife out of his pack and strapped it on. "Leave all that can be spared behind…" Legolas surveyed his friend once more. A steely light shone in the heir of Isildur's eye. "We travel light. Let's go hunt some orc." He finished grimly.
"Yes! Ha!" The dwarf shouted.
Legolas nodded. Perhaps Jackie had been captured as well, the woods had been swelling with orc after all. No- Uruk-Hai. Perhaps this is what she had been trying to warn them of. The thought set his blood boiling. And so he, the Crown Prince of Mirkwood, son of Thranduill, Aragorn, the heir of Isildur, Ranger and brother, and Gimli, dwarf of Erebor, friend of the elf he- liked- loved? A friend of his, disappeared into the woods, following the Uruk-Hai trail.
Two updates in as many days! Whoooh WHO! Thanks again to all my readers and reviews.
PrettyRecklessLaura chapter 7 - Can't wait for more!
Glad! Hope you like the coming chapters.
P.S sorry this one was so small:(