A/N Let the shenanigans beginnnnn. And by shenanigans I mean intensive sword training because so many orcs will be happening in Josephine's future. So many. Oodles of orcs. Orcs out the wazoo.
Two days passed during which she kept to herself, letting the news spread that she was joining the Fellowship without having to tell anyone or pretend she didn't hate every last second of it. Those two days pacing her room gave her time to think and time to plan. There was so much she didn't know, things she couldn't do that would be irreplaceable during the quest. Fighting, riding, and shooting just for a start. Not to mention running. So much running would be happening. Well, that was if she didn't just straight up die in Moria or freeze to death on Caradhras.
Her to-learn list was how she ended up in a training field near the stable where Boromir was practicing on a dummy. She had a feeling the quiet and relaxing atmosphere of Rivendell was enough to drive him crazy with boredom so maybe her request would be doing him a favor.
Sure, she could've gone to one of the Elves for teaching, but she wasn't sure she could take the feelings of inadequacy trying to live up to that level of skill. If Aragorn hadn't been gone and her desire to start as soon as possible hadn't been so strong she would've preferred to ask him rather than Boromir. But he was gone, and she needed all the practice time possible.
"Lord Boromir." She announced herself, waiting until he noticed her and stopped waving his sword to get closer.
"Good morning, My Lady." He said formally.
The title still didn't feel right, she was an architect from Nebraska for Christ's sake and a man who was essentially a prince was calling her 'my lady'.
"So um…I'm not sure if you heard but I'll be going with Frodo…" Stop rambling. "I need to learn how to fight. Properly. I was hoping you would teach me."
"I must say, I did not guess that you would take such initiative."
Maybe it would be better to wait for Aragorn after all, cause otherwise she might murder him before they even left Rivendell. "Well, like most people, I'd like to lower my chances of dying as much as possible."
"A wise decision." He nodded.
His continued pondering was frustrating her and she crossed her arms. "If you're not going to help me then say so, so I can find someone else."
"I train soldiers of Gondor, my lady. I will not go easy on you."
She'd gotten so used to Aragorn's lack of it, that Boromir's obvious misogyny was not as expected as it probably should've been when she approached the situation. "Okay, if this is gonna work let's get a couple things straight. We've got too much traveling ahead of us so you drop 'the my' lady crap and I'll drop the 'my lord' shit. Deal?"
Hesitantly he nodded. "Very well. What else?"
"If this training is going to be worth doing then you're going to stop treating me like I'm fragile."
A glint came to his eye and he nodded again. "Once again, I am impressed."
"Oh lucky me." She grumbled under her breath. "Could you try not to be an ass for like, five minutes at least? I'm here to learn how to wreck an orc's day, not get patronized by a guy who's been a dick every time I've been around him."
Granted that was all of two times but she was also counting all the other times he'd be a dick in the future. Sure the Ring had a lot to do with his behaviors during the Fellowship, the damn thing latched on to the multitudes of fears and insecurities the man had and amplified them. She truly believed he was a lot more like the man who shared an ale with Faramir after that battle in Osgiliath before he left for Rivendell than the one who tried to take the Ring from Frodo. However, if she put up with his shit now, in Rivendell, she'd have to put up with it tenfold during the journey and she was not here for it. "So, will you be able to train me with the same respect you would one of those Gondorian soldiers, or am I gonna leave to go beg lessons off of one of the Elves?" She really hoped he'd say yes, she really didn't want to go up against Glorfindel or somebody similarly ethereal.
He narrowed his eyes at her and took a deep breath, but eventually answered. "We'll start immediately." He walked over to a rack of training swords, selected one, and handed it to her. "Let us begin with the basics. What do you already know?"
She snickered at his hopefulness. "This is a sword, you stick 'em with the pointy end and don't hit people you like with it."
He gave a beleaguered sigh and took a training sword from the rack for himself. "Child's teachings then. Very well."
He ran through all the different parts of the sword, the edges, and basic footwork. His patience surprised her given his attitude earlier. When the midday meal drew close he set the swords back.
"That will do for today. We will continue tomorrow, training from the morning meal to midday. With any luck you shall be at least a little help during a fight."
"Your confidence in me is inspiring." She drawled sarcastically.
"Merely cautious. I have not had to give such a basic lesson since I taught my brother when he was a child."
"Well you seem to have done a good enough job of that. Maybe I have a chance after all."
"Indeed, my friend. Indeed."
Had he just promoted her to friend status in the span of four hours? Apparently? Boromir was a strange, strange man.
Two days later Josephine hadn't killed him yet, but the day was still young and she yelped as the flat of Boromir's training sword crashed into her wrist again. She paused during the practice to switch her sword to her other hand and shake out the offended limb. "If you're gonna keep hitting me, would you choose someplace different for once?"
"It gets your attention, does it not?"
"If your goal is to piss me off, then yes, you're being very effective."
"Then I'm succeeding. Good. Stop leaving an opening and I will stop taking advantage of it."
"Knew I should've asked Aragorn to teach me instead." She grumbled, mostly kidding.
"But you did not, you chose me."
"I need as much time to practice as possible and Aragorn's out scouting with Elladan and Elrohir. Therefore, you were the best choice by necessity."
Boromir was about to jab back with a rebuttal when a thick voice interrupted them.
"Ye're doin' it all wrong, lad."
It was Gloin.
"I was fightin' battles when that lad's father was still pissin' himself in his cradle. Think I'll have a right bit more to teach ye than him."
Boromir puffed out his chest and cleared his throat. "Be that as it may, she has asked me to teach her, not you."
"Jesus fucking Christ. Look, I'm just interested in not dying the moment we leave Rivendell so I'll learn anything from anyone who wants to teach me. Honestly I'll just train with both of you and then I'll be doubly prepared."
Gloin let out a deep laugh. "Fair enough, lass."
One part exhaustion, one part exercise, and one part a salve from Elrond for her aching limbs contributed to the fact that she was actually getting good sleep and eating on time. She had to be up for the morning meal so she could meet Boromir at the training field where he taught her everything from the ground up about sword work, then have lunch and spend another hour or two with Gloin before going down to a sandy dell by the river to rinse off. If she didn't have a schedule to keep her busy and distracted she was pretty sure she would've spiraled into oblivion by now. Goodbye Seer Josephine, hello anxious wreck of a human.
She'd barely seen any of the Hobbits since she started, Legolas was off doing whatever it was Legolas did when he wasn't hovering behind Aragorn and making weird faces, but Gimli occasionally showed up for her training with Gloin. Where Boromir was cynical and found he did his best work while pushing her buttons, the two Dwarves were refreshingly encouraging.
Being as busy as she was, the days passed quickly but she was slowly realizing it was strange to not see Aragorn for so long. She'd apparently become very used to having him around after all the travel and even when they first got to Rivendell she hadn't gone more than a couple days or so without running into him. She found herself hoping she'd gotten it right and he'd only be gone for the two weeks he'd expected to and was unofficially keeping track of the days.
Finishing training for the day she went down to her sandy dell, pulled off her belt and boots, and sank into the water, tunic and all. Then she slopped up to a patch of grass that was always bathed in afternoon sun around that time and flopped onto her back. Maybe she'd get something from the kitchen and just eat in her room that night, slathered in salve for her arms that lived in perpetual soreness now, a week and a half into training. Boromir assured her she would start to get used to it but not for a while longer.
"Hullo!" Bilbo called from above her.
She turned her head and opened her eyes to watch him inch his way down the light decline to where she was laying. When he got there she sat up and gave him a hand so he could sit down next to her.
"I've been missing you in the Hall of Fire these past few days." He said. "Though I most certainly understand why, you have much to prepare for. So, I decided to come to you instead, and see how you were doing."
"In constant pain." She laughed, rubbing her shoulder. "But Boromir is a good teacher even if he's an ass fifty percent of the time, and Gloin and Gimli make up for it by the end of the day."
He chuckled. "I'm glad to hear Gloin took my advice, Dwarves are strong in battle. When I heard you were training with Boromir I suggested he might offer some input."
Her chest warmed at Bilbo's thoughtfulness, even if it was in part to try and ensure Frodo's safety. "He's certainly had a lot of that."
"Oh yes." Bilbo agreed. "And Aragorn too, his skills will be invaluable to you on this journey. Will he be returning soon, do you think?"
"A few more days." She nodded, then added as almost an afterthought so it sounded less sure. "I would think. He said a fortnight so I think that's just a few more days now." Bilbo gave her a strange look like he knew something she didn't and she awkwardly moved on. "I'm hoping he'll be willing to show me more woodcraft once he's had some time to rest."
"I have no doubt he'll be willing, my dear, especially once he learns you have joined the Fellowship. I wouldn't worry. As well you'll have much less to fear out there with him about. But I'm sure you already know that."
"I'm not gonna lie, it does make me feel better." She leaned back on her elbows and looked out across the river, glad Bilbo had decided to come find her, even if he was acting a little strange. "How's Frodo?"
Bilbo sighed, his face falling. "Frightened. But unwavering. I wish…" He paused, shaking his head like it didn't matter.
"You weren't meant to take it to Mordor, Bilbo." Even if he'd known back when he found it, there was no reason to think he could've gotten it to Mordor without it falling into Sauron's hands. "Take it from the resident know-it-all."
"Yes." He nodded unconvincingly. "I suppose you're right."