A/N Are y'all ready? I don't think you're ready. WHO WANTS TO GO CAMPING WITH ARAGORN TODAYYYY?
Thought so. ENJOY.
"I'm not sure it's wise, this hunting trip the Dunedan wants you to go on with him." Boromir said, correcting the angle of her arm as she moved through his most recently chosen set of motions for her to learn. "The forests surrounding this valley are not without danger."
"We won't be gone long. I want practical experience before we go on the quest and he says this is the best way to do it."
"When your skills with a blade are still young and will serve you far more on this journey than hunting."
"I would've thought you'd be glad I was broadening my skill set so I'd be less of a burden on the journey." She quipped, mostly in jest but underlining one of her insecurities fairly boldly.
He huffed. "It is not a question of your usefulness, it is a question of your safety at such a pivotal time. I cannot be there to correct your stance amidst a battle."
"I'll have to be able to watch my own ass someday, Boromir. And if I can't, it won't be for your lack of teaching." And wasn't that the truth. For all his grumbling when they'd begun, he'd become far more invested in her lessons than she'd anticipated. Dare she say it, they actually had fun most days now.
His face was grave. "By accepting this task I have accepted responsibility for your safety if we enter into a fight you must be able to hold your own against the enemy until help arrives, if you cannot then I have not done what I swore to do. If you fell in battle because I did not prepare you well enough for it, I would carry the guilt for the rest of my days."
She dropped her arms and looked at him, realizing that hell, maybe he did care beyond his pride whether she learned to fight or not. Unsure how to process what just happened she made a bid to lighten his dour mood and clapped him on the shoulder. "You big softy."
He sighed and his tone shifted into annoyance. "Josephine…"
"Big soft Captain of Gondor."
"I am trying to have a discussion."
She could see the light in his eyes even though he was trying to hide it and kept going. "Looks like he could kill you and could but is also actually a cinnamon roll."
"What does that even mean - you're…" He shook his head and sighed. "You're like…"
"The annoying younger sister you never had?"
His eyes grew wide and he nodded. "Yes, exactly. One of these days you will drive me absolutely mad." He nudged her sword with his hand and took a step back so she could go back to practice. "Now, keep working. If you're going to go off with a ranger for several days then you'll have to make up for your lost practice here."
She only half heard his instructions and tried to school her expression. In the back of her mind she'd always known that whatever time he had was numbered. If he didn't die at Amon Hen then Faramir wouldn't have his vision of Boromir's death which would get taken to Denethor who's behavior would be irrevocably changed for it in the end. Boromir's death was so intertwined with how things happened in Gondor she didn't think she could even untangle it enough to question whether or not he could be saved. And then there were the questions of Merry and Pippin. She'd read a theory once, that the Uruks had pulled back when they captured the two because Boromir had fought so strongly to protect them that they figured those had to be the halflings who carried the Ring. She knew he was willing to lose his life on the quest, that was the risk they were all taking by going, but what did it mean if she knew it was coming and let it happen? She couldn't save him from the Ring's influence, but morally, what did it mean that she planned on letting him die?
"Josephine?"
"Sorry. Got distracted." She mumbled, moving from one motion to the next sloppily as she tried to refocus.
"Elbow up." He reached out to correct her again. "Worry not, little sister. You will not fall in battle, not if I have any hand in it."
No, but he would, and she might as well have a hand in it.
Josephine was feeling far more capable of traveling now, as she packed her back for the hunting trip. She wasn't walking the wilds in jeans and sneakers this time, or secondhand boots from Bree that had done their job but given her blisters. She'd been outfitted with proper traveling clothes, boots that fit snug and comfortably, and supplies of her own. They'd leave the next morning at dawn and she had everything spread out on her bed for one last check while she meticulously repacked it so she could grab it and go.
Next to it all laid a sword, a proper one. No small dagger from Aragorn's pack to hold off Nazgul, but a proper sword from the Elves. She almost felt like she'd graduated.
When she was almost finished there was a knock at her door and assuming it was one of the Hobbits she just called for them to come in.
"I hope I'm not disturbing you."
She looked over her shoulder in surprise and found that Legolas was standing in her doorway. He'd been fairly aloof the entire time he'd been in Rivendell, she wasn't even sure she'd seen him since the council, and certainly hadn't spoken to him.
"No, I was just packing for tomorrow." She felt awkward, he was a part of the Fellowship and she'd never really been introduced to him for vice versa.
"I understand you have yet to enlist an archery instructor and wished to offer my time. Once you return from your journey, of course."
The thought had crossed her mind, but she'd been busy with everything else she hadn't gotten up the nerve to track him down and ask yet. "That would be great, actually. Thank you."
He smiled with a dip of his chin. "Very well, when you return we will visit the bowyer and have one made for you. Until then, you may take this on your journey. Aragorn can instruct you while you are gone."
He handed her a quiver of arrows and a bow with more confidence than she thought she deserved for having never even touched one before. She wondered if he'd taken their hunting trip to mean hunting things that would require shooting, and not just trying to snare rabbits for dinner. But Josephine would take all the help and support she could these days and if Legolas I'm-Gonna-Kill-A-Whole-Ass-Mumakil-With-My-Bow Greenleaf wanted to show her archery, she wasn't going to complain.
"Have a safe journey." With another dip of his chin he let himself out and closed the door behind him.
She looked at the bow in her hands, set the quiver down, and gingerly tugged at the string. Well, she supposed she'd always kind of wanted to learn archery.
It was day four and they'd spent the first three trekking deeper into the Trollshaws. As it turned out, the travel wasn't so bad when you were properly outfitted for it. That was at least until she woke up that morning with a bite in the back of her throat and a headache. She ignored both as best as she could, drank some water, and gathered her things as they planned to head out for the day.
They left their camp behind to return to later and set out. She followed behind Aragorn nearly step for step, trying to work out how he moved so quietly through the brush by mimicking his movements. He was looking for tracks, hoping to find a deer to take back to camp that she could then learn to skin and cook. That part of things wasn't something she was looking forward to but like everything else, felt necessary and she wasn't about to complain.
They kept up the pace for another hour or so before Aragorn spotted what they were looking for.
"Here," He knelt down and motioned around the hoofprints. "These tracks are fresh."
He slowed down now, stepping lighter than before. She was finding it harder to avoid snapping sticks underfoot as her headache worsened but when they finally spotted the deer, it was none the wiser.
They had plenty of provisions for the night, if they didn't get this one it would be okay, so Aragorn pulled her back behind a tree with him and motioned for her to take out her bow. The handful of hours he'd spent showing her the basics seemed lacking to try and shoot a thing so far away but she obliged.
Her heart was pounding as she realized how close he was, guiding her hands to the right positions to knock the arrow. With a hand on her shoulder he moved her just barely around the edge of the tree.
"Shouldn't you be doing this?" She hissed in a whisper.
He dropped his head next to her. "I will help you. You see the space behind its shoulder? Aim a handbreadth behind it."
"It's too far away."
They were upwind and far enough away that the animal had no idea they were there as it grazed, but the moment she let the arrow fly it would run and she could already see the shaft sinking into the dirt well off the mark.
"No, it's not." He reached around her, his body practically cocooning her as he put his hands over hers and helped her aim. "Take a deep breath."
Easier said than done with him wrapped around her like that. She was already feeling off from the headache and her throat complaining with every word she said, now this. Josephine could've stood there forever, with her back pressed against his chest and the brush of his beard against her face. He wasn't going to let her miss.
"When you are ready, let go." He whispered.
He let her shift her aim as she felt she needed to and corrected her with a gentle touch only when she was too far off the mark. Then, as the deer dipped its head to a new patch of grass she let the arrow go. It hit the deer, sinking deep into its side with the added draw from Aragorn's help. It fell into the grass, still and silent.
He stepped back from her slowly and gave her shoulders an encouraging squeeze. "Very good."
Grinning at her as he passed, he made for the carcass. When he wasn't looking she took a bracing, shaky breath and let it out in a puff. She simultaneously wished they'd need to hunt a second deer before returning to Rivendell, and hoped they wouldn't because she wasn't sure what just happened to her or if she could handle it a second time.
Following him he showed her where to grip the shaft of the arrow and pull it out so there was less of a chance of it being damaged. Then collected a branch, tied the animal's hooves together, and looped them over it. Their dinner assured, they each took one end of the branch to carry it back to camp. It was more comfortable braced on their shoulders, but because of his height she'd had to pad the top of her shoulder with her folded up cloak so the whole thing didn't slide down onto her. Given the weight of the animal and the fact that she was already sweating, she didn't mind losing the warmth much.
The trip back was much slower and much more tiring. Aragorn was clearly slowing his pace significantly to match her and she kept trying to pick it up. The effort was becoming exhausting and a slow buzz began forming in her skull that forced her to stop.
"I need a second." She said breathlessly, letting the branch slide off her shoulder as he lowered his end to the ground. Her head was pounding and her throat was on fire as she took a drink from her waterskin. It didn't help.
"I did not realize you were so weary." He said, looking apologetic. "Are you alright?"
Moving over to the nearest tree she leaned back, pinching her eyes shut and trying to even out her breathing. "It's nothing. Headache. Little under the weather today. Just need a minute." She felt lightheaded, spinning like she'd had a few too many in the Hall of Fire. She slid down the tree, bracing her arms on her knees.
She heard him walk over and kneel in front of her. His hands pressed against her cheek, her forehead, and the side of her neck. Feeling slightly less dizzy now that she was sitting she opened her eyes again and saw him wetting a cloth from his waterskin.
"When did this begin?" He asked as he pressed the cool cloth to her neck.
"This morning." She confessed.
He sighed and pressed his palm to her forehead again. "I wish you had told me. If I had known you were feeling ill we would have stayed at the camp."
"It wasn't that bad, I thought it would go away." Rather, she thought she could power through it. They didn't have time to waste on her being sick.
Brushing back a few strands of hair that had come loose from her braid he drew the wet cloth across her brow. He refolded her discarded cloak and eased her away from the tree trunk to lay down. "Rest for a moment."
She did what he said, staring at what was left of the leaves on the tree above her while he untied the legs of their kill and repacked the rope. When he leaned over her again he still looked worried.
"Do you feel well enough to stand?"
"If it means getting back to camp where I can lay back down for the rest of forever, then yes." She said, her voice beginning to rasp in a way she was not excited to hear.
He took her hand and wrapped his arm around her as she sat up, acclimating to the move before standing. She got to her feet, but the moment she did her head was spinning again and she pressed her face into his shoulder.
"Josephine-"
"Just need a minute."
He eased her back down and pulled back to look at her again. "You are pale and feverish, I do not believe a moment will be enough." He leaned her back against the tree again and tied her day pack to his along with her cloak.
They had to get back to camp somehow. She'd be able to make it, she knew she could, right? They weren't more than an hour out. God, an hour still? At least an hour, if she was moving more slowly than this morning. Why hadn't she mentioned something earlier?
Finished gathering her things he knelt down beside her. "Put your arms around my neck."
With her head pounding in her skull she didn't realize what he was doing until she'd already done as he asked and he was picking her up. "I'll walk, it's okay."
"You will not, and I do not believe you could for long if you tried. Sîdh, Josephine."
Out of energy to argue and well aware that she'd already lost anyway, she let her head rest against him, soon dozing off as he walked.