Author's note: Yay! I finally get to update! I'm glad that things are back on track. Thanks for the reviews in the meantime! Hope you enjoy this chapter!

The Ring of Stars by Shelly

CHAPTER FIFTEEN


The travelers breathed a collective sigh of relief as they came upon what seemed like the first signs of civilation in weeks, meaning they would get to sleep in a real bed made of feathers instead of one made of grass or leaves. They reined their horses in before what seemed to be a respectable inn and left their horses in the care of the stablehand that greeted them. The innkeeper was quite pleasant and readily offered them rooms and basins to wash the dust from their bodies that had accumulated during their journey.

After bathing, they headed back downstairs to grab a bite to eat, which turned out to be the best food they had tasted since they had left. They stayed until darkness fell, enjoying the entertainment that had been provided for them in the form of a friendly game of cards which Boromir participated in and she and Aldarion watched in amusement. Tarcil had chosen to keep watch over their surroundings so there would be no surprises that could result in any harm befalling them.

Exhaustion soon crept up on them, and they retired to their beds, Lillisandra and Boromir sharing one room and the brothers sharing another. While the nights were shared by her and Boromir, during the day when they were on horseback were the times when she would find her thoughts drifting back towards Minas Tirith and Faramir. She wondered how he was doing as with Boromir's absence the defense of the city had been left to him, and her memories of the one kiss they had shared would return to haunt her at the strangest times. She began to wonder if she was crazy, thinking of Faramir while she was still in love with Boromir.

They resumed their journey at dawn, continuing in a westward direction past Edoras and Helm's Deep over the next two weeks. They soon neared the Gap of Rohan, where they would change to a more northern route and skirt the Misty Mountains, but as they came to the Isen River and saw the Tower of Orthanc a feeling of dread overcame her. They crossed the Fords of Isen that evening and made camp shortly after, eating quickly and building no fire as the strange feeling was still upon them.

As they slept, Tarcil had the first watch, and he soon woke his brother when his elven hearing noticed a sound that did not belong to the night. Aldarion listened also and soon shook Lillisandra and Boromir awake, bidding them to be silent as they suspected something drew near. The elves armed themselves with their bows as Boromir picked up his shield and sword and stood ready for whatever came at them.

The first sign came as the elves quickly began loosing their arrows in quick succession, leaving Boromir standing there in awe as he couldn't even see them yet, but he could hear their death cries as the arrows pierced their bodies. Soon the moonlight revealed the orcs that rushed towards them, weapons raised high as the lust for blood was upon them. The elves soon switched to their swords as the first of the orcs reached them, Tarcil beheading two of them quickly and gutting another soon after. Lillisandra was shocked to see that none of their enemy seemed to want to engage her in battle so she was forced to take the offensive in order to better their odds of survival.

She spotted four that Boromir struggled to fight against and quickly joined in, running her sword through one's midsection and cutting the throat of another, hearing his gurgling cry as she sliced through to his windpipe. Two more advanced on her, and she took the head of one off his shoulders, but the second proved to be a little tougher as she exchanged a few blows with him, their swords ringing through the night air. She cried out in pain as his sword sliced across her upper right arm, rendering her sword arm useless as her sword fell to the ground.

She suddenly felt a hand grab onto her throat as she was jerked roughly up against a hard body, a voice growling in her ear. "Surrender and we will spare you the pain you will receive if you continue to fight."

"We will spare your friends also if you'll surrender to our master," another voice added behind her.

She found it hard to breathe as the orc's grip on her throat allowed very little air through. "What does your master want with me?" she gasped.

She fell silent as she felt the point of a dagger digging underneath her chin. "No questions will you ask of us. Surrender or die!"

She had slowly eased her hand down to her belt where she kept her dagger, and now withdrew it quickly and drove it into the stomach of her captor, hearing his shriek of pain as his hold loosened on her. She spun around to finish him off and cried out once more as his own dagger was drove into the shoulder of her wounded arm, but she ignored the burning pain as she buried her dagger up to the hilt in his chin, angling upward towards his brain. He collapsed at her feet just as the other orc that had spoken to her charged her, and she brought up her foot to grab the dagger she hid in her boot, sinking it between his eyes with a flick of her wrist.

Looking around, she saw that the rest of the orcs had been slain to a few that ran back the way they had come, and only then did she succumb to the pain in her shoulder, sinking to the ground as she became dizzy from the loss of blood. She vaguely remembered seeing Boromir heading towards her before she hit the ground, blackness surrounding her as she gave into it.



She passed in and out of consciousness over the next few hours, hearing voices and feeling bandages being tied around her upper arm and her shoulder, her arm set in a sling as to minimize any movement that could cause further pain. She slept through the rest of the night and awoke the next morning, still weak from loss of blood. Boromir offered to ride with her on Lanthir to keep her from falling off and to monitor her progress, his arms wrapped protectively around her.

Over the course of the next few days, they saw no sign of the orcs that had attacked them. Riding at a faster pace than before, they found themselves passing into Dunland where they came across the Old South Road. Lillisandra had regained much of the blood she had lost, but now her body raged from fever as her shoulder wound had become infected, and they were soon glad to see a small inn on the side of the road which they stopped at. Boromir helped her to the ground, picking her up in his arms as she was too weak to stand by herself and took her inside where they quickly found a room and a soft bed to put her in.

They immediately stripped her of her clothing and rubbed her body with a cool cloth, the innkeeper sending the cook in to see if there was anything she could do. She entered the room to see Boromir and Aldarion fussing over the bandage which had become stuck to her skin from the infection. She elbowed her way through them and promptly grabbed hold of the bandage, removing it with a swift jerk that tore a cry of pain from Lillisandra's throat.

"What did you do that for?" Boromir and Aldarion both demanded at the same time.

She didn't answer them but gestured to Tarcil as she took a bowl she had brought with her and set fire to the wood pieces inside. "Give me your dagger then see if you can get anything out of that wound while I heat the blade up."

Tarcil followed her directions as he had seen this done before, but knew that neither of the others had. Aldarion hovered over his shoulder anxiously until he told him to go away, Boromir helping to cleanse the wound of the pus that Tarcil squeezed out of it with a clean cloth. The woman soon returned and poured something on her shoulder that smelled like ale but much stronger, making the elf hiss sharply.

"Okay, now I strongly suggest that those of you with weak stomachs leave the room." Tarcil and Boromir remained as did Aldarion, although he was already appearing a little pasty himself. Picking up Tarcil's dagger, they could see the blade smoldering red as she brought it closer to Lillisandra and quickly jabbed it into the wound. Lillsandra howled in pain this time, her screams heard throughout the inn as she fought against Boromir and Tarcil's hands on her arms and legs. Aldarion blanched and ran out of the room.

Soon the cook was finished rebandaging the wound, her patient having fallen back into a deep slumber. "You have no idea how grateful I am for your help," Boromir said as she rose from the bed.

She smiled as she gathered her things. "Think nothing of it. These days have strange stories coming from all around, so it's no surprise to see someone such as you come along. I ask no questions of those that do pass through here, although your companions are the first elves I have ever seen. I pity your friend with the weak stomach though," she laughed. "She should be fine now, just be sure to keep a cool cloth on her forehead and let her know you're here."

Boromir smiled. "I will, and thanks again." Tarcil left to go find his brother, which left him alone with his beloved, his heart breaking to see her lying there so weak and him unable to do anything to help. But the cook's words came back to him, and he reached for her hand to hold it in his own as he let her know without words that he was going nowhere unless she was with him.

The next morning, her fever was still high as her body was hot to the touch, and not even the cook knew why that was. But their questions were soon answered as a knock was heard on their door, Tarcil answering it and admitting a stranger in a hooded cloak, his clothing underneath the same green and brown like Tarcil wore. He came to her bedside and held a slender hand to her forehead, his hand going underneath his cloak to his belt.

Boromir grabbed the stranger's arm in a firm grip. "Who are you, stranger?" he growled.

The stranger turned and faced him, holding his gaze evenly as he reached up and removed the hood covering his head. His hair was blond, his ears like Aldarion's, and his face just as fair but stern like Tarcil's, speaking of a burden that he has had to bear for some time. "My name is not important now, just her health. Her fever rages as a result of poison from an orc's blade, and she has been infected deeply judging from the depth of her wound. I have brought an antidote which will counteract the poison in her veins, if you will allow me to use it."

It was clear that Boromir still did not trust him, but he let go of the elf's arm as any help he could bring to Lillisandra would be thankful, although he still kept a watchful eye on him. The elf leaned forward and took her hand in his, whispering elven words that soon had her stirring into wakefulness, but still dazed from her fever. He held up a small bottle so she could see it. "Lady, I need you to drink this. It will help to slow the poison that is in your body."

She nodded almost imperceptibly and allowed him to help lift her head enough so she could drink the antidote. She sighed after she finished and sunk back into the pillows, her even breathing signaling her descent back into slumber. He rose from her bed and put the bottle back where he had gotten it from, turning to face the others. "I will come back when she is better. We will talk more then." With a short nod to Tarcil and Aldarion, he left their room just as quickly as he had come, leaving them to wonder who he was and why he was so interested in her.

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Indeed, who is this stranger? Read the next chapter and find out! And please review this one! ^^