We stayed in Lothlorien for a week. Our stay seemed shorter than it really was, and Aragorn said that we must continue on. Before we left, one of the guards had given us word that Gollum had slid out of custody and escaped into the woods. We were asked to be cautious, because of the valued cargo we carried.
When we departed, Lady Galadriel gave us each a gift, and beautiful cloaks to wear. My gift was a beautiful necklace made of mithril. It was fashioned into a think chain and on it was a pendant of a flower. It looked to be an Elanor , the flower I had greatly loved in Lothlorien. She also supplied us with 3 boats. Aragorn, Sam and Frodo traveled in the first; Boromir, Merry and Pippin in the next, and Legolas, Gimli and I traveled in the last. We traveled down the Anduin, if not the greatest, than one of the greatest rivers of Middle-Earth. Many of my ancestors have traveled down this river for hundreds of years.
How Legolas and I were burdened with Gimli, I do not know, but he become more tolerable by the end of our stay in Lothlorien. Legolas had spent some time with him, and he had lightened up to the fact that he was traveling with an elf. We all took turns paddling, with Aragorn's boat leading the way. All the while, out of the corner of my eye, I could see a log, floating swiftly up the river, faster then any others that were there. I gathered that it was Gollum, but I spoke of it to no one, not wanting to alarm anyone.
The trip down the river was lackluster. Most of the time, I was actually pleased with rowing because it kept me awake. I welcomed not having to walk for a couple of days. The most exciting part of the day as when we passed through the Argonath, pillars of the Kings of old. On one side, was Isildur, and on the other was Anarion, his brother. I looked up at Isildur, stared him straight in the eye, and thought to myself, "why are men greedy? Why do we have faults so great that it carries on through history?" Isildur had brought this all on us, by not destroying the ring when he had a chance. It was his greed that ruined it all. But, maybe all this happened for a reason, maybe this is how it was meant to be.
We stopped a day into our trip, to camp on the west bank. Boromir and I hadn't talked because we were in different boats, so I was pleased to see him. It was hard not being able to talk with him, even for a day. We gathered wood for the fire and caught up then. He really enjoyed being with Merry and Pippin. We started a fire, ate and then went to sleep.
Boromir and I got the 3rd watch, so that allowed us to sleep a little before we got up. I was wide awake, alert, and now as I look back on it, really annoying. I wouldn't quit talking to him, even though he never replied to my questions, he just sat stone still. He seemed as if his head were somewhere else. Finally, after an hour or so, I calmed down and sat next to Boromir. He sat, unmoved, stone silent.
"Sorry, if I annoyed you," I said apologetically, "I must have acquired a new burst of energy after I woke up." He still sat, acknowledging nothing I said. I started to get displeased by his indifference. "Boromir?" I asked, "are you alright?"
Finally, he stirred. He turned and looked at me. "Worried, but alright. And not at all amused by your chatterings"
"Sorry," I sighed. I placed my head on his shoulder.
"Oh, little sister, I miss being at home. I'm troubled whether or not I will ever reach my bed again." He rested his head lightly on mine.
"Do not speak like that, Boromir. Of course you will. We will both return to Minas Tirith when this is all over. I'll see to myself." With that, I lifted my head up and looked him in the eye.
"I have a feeling I will not, but if something happens to me, keep going. If you were to be hurt on my account, I don't know what I'd do with myself." He ran his hand through his hair and leaned back.
"Oh, would you quit this talk? Please? For one, nothing bad will happen to you, I promise," I said with a tone of finality. "And another thing, I'm old enough now to take care of myself. You don't have to watch over me like I'm a child." I was beginning to get frustrated with this whole conversation.
"There's one thing you need to learn, Erin. No matter how old you are and how independent you may be, I will always be like this, always." I put my head down and breathed in.
"Thank you ," I said. He put his arm around my shoulders.
"Anytime," he said under his breath.
After a brief silence, I asked, "I wonder how Faramir is doing? I miss him."
"With all the luck, he is safe and sound. I hope father is well and treating Faramir well. He's always real hard on him."
When we departed, Lady Galadriel gave us each a gift, and beautiful cloaks to wear. My gift was a beautiful necklace made of mithril. It was fashioned into a think chain and on it was a pendant of a flower. It looked to be an Elanor , the flower I had greatly loved in Lothlorien. She also supplied us with 3 boats. Aragorn, Sam and Frodo traveled in the first; Boromir, Merry and Pippin in the next, and Legolas, Gimli and I traveled in the last. We traveled down the Anduin, if not the greatest, than one of the greatest rivers of Middle-Earth. Many of my ancestors have traveled down this river for hundreds of years.
How Legolas and I were burdened with Gimli, I do not know, but he become more tolerable by the end of our stay in Lothlorien. Legolas had spent some time with him, and he had lightened up to the fact that he was traveling with an elf. We all took turns paddling, with Aragorn's boat leading the way. All the while, out of the corner of my eye, I could see a log, floating swiftly up the river, faster then any others that were there. I gathered that it was Gollum, but I spoke of it to no one, not wanting to alarm anyone.
The trip down the river was lackluster. Most of the time, I was actually pleased with rowing because it kept me awake. I welcomed not having to walk for a couple of days. The most exciting part of the day as when we passed through the Argonath, pillars of the Kings of old. On one side, was Isildur, and on the other was Anarion, his brother. I looked up at Isildur, stared him straight in the eye, and thought to myself, "why are men greedy? Why do we have faults so great that it carries on through history?" Isildur had brought this all on us, by not destroying the ring when he had a chance. It was his greed that ruined it all. But, maybe all this happened for a reason, maybe this is how it was meant to be.
We stopped a day into our trip, to camp on the west bank. Boromir and I hadn't talked because we were in different boats, so I was pleased to see him. It was hard not being able to talk with him, even for a day. We gathered wood for the fire and caught up then. He really enjoyed being with Merry and Pippin. We started a fire, ate and then went to sleep.
Boromir and I got the 3rd watch, so that allowed us to sleep a little before we got up. I was wide awake, alert, and now as I look back on it, really annoying. I wouldn't quit talking to him, even though he never replied to my questions, he just sat stone still. He seemed as if his head were somewhere else. Finally, after an hour or so, I calmed down and sat next to Boromir. He sat, unmoved, stone silent.
"Sorry, if I annoyed you," I said apologetically, "I must have acquired a new burst of energy after I woke up." He still sat, acknowledging nothing I said. I started to get displeased by his indifference. "Boromir?" I asked, "are you alright?"
Finally, he stirred. He turned and looked at me. "Worried, but alright. And not at all amused by your chatterings"
"Sorry," I sighed. I placed my head on his shoulder.
"Oh, little sister, I miss being at home. I'm troubled whether or not I will ever reach my bed again." He rested his head lightly on mine.
"Do not speak like that, Boromir. Of course you will. We will both return to Minas Tirith when this is all over. I'll see to myself." With that, I lifted my head up and looked him in the eye.
"I have a feeling I will not, but if something happens to me, keep going. If you were to be hurt on my account, I don't know what I'd do with myself." He ran his hand through his hair and leaned back.
"Oh, would you quit this talk? Please? For one, nothing bad will happen to you, I promise," I said with a tone of finality. "And another thing, I'm old enough now to take care of myself. You don't have to watch over me like I'm a child." I was beginning to get frustrated with this whole conversation.
"There's one thing you need to learn, Erin. No matter how old you are and how independent you may be, I will always be like this, always." I put my head down and breathed in.
"Thank you ," I said. He put his arm around my shoulders.
"Anytime," he said under his breath.
After a brief silence, I asked, "I wonder how Faramir is doing? I miss him."
"With all the luck, he is safe and sound. I hope father is well and treating Faramir well. He's always real hard on him."