Author's note: I followed the book pretty closely in this chapter, and I apologize if I messed up anything!
Disclaimer: I don't own Lord of the Rings, just my own characters.
Elenya by Shelly
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
The next morning, Boromir left to begin packing his things which were in the fellowship's pavilion as Lillisandra started packing her own, her soul finally at peace when she had awoken in her beloved's embrace and glad to be rid of Elenya's influence. She caught the movement of a man's shadow against the wall of the pavilion and quickly stepped near the entrance, a mischievous smile appearing as she knew that it was Boromir that she had seen. When she saw him come through the entrance, she darted out and grabbed his shirt with both hands, pulling him down to kiss him passionately and moaning softly when his hands on her back held her close.
Then she realized that what she felt in her hands was not a leather tunic but the soft cloth of a shirt, and there was a different scent that assailed her senses that she was unfamiliar with. She pulled away slowly, her eyes widening as she saw who it was she had surprised, and she released her grip on him abruptly to step back from him as an embarrassed smile crept across her face. "Aragorn, I-I'm sorry," she hastily apologized. "I thought you were someone else."
Needless to say, he had been shocked to have been greeted in such an enthusiastic manner, but expected nothing less from an elf such as she was. "That's quite all right," he answered as he fought to catch his breath. "No harm done. I actually came here to look for Legolas. Have you seen him?"
She swallowed deeply. "He didn't come back to the pavilion last night?" she asked, her voice filled with concern.
He shook his head. "And Boromir wasn't there either," he added, his eyes narrowing as he saw a flash of guilt cross her face. "What happened last night?"
She sighed heavily. "After you left last night, I brought Boromir back here with me where we figured out that Elenya had been playing with my emotions just as Frodo's ring had been playing with Boromir's. Elenya had been making me think that I was in love with Legolas so I would stay with him and be safe from any harm that Boromir might cause me."
"And the One Ring has been trying to seduce Boromir into killing you," he added.
"Exactly. But when we are together neither ring has any influence upon us as we love one another so much."
He was quiet as he added everything up inside. "I assume that you told Legolas of this and that is why he never came back to camp last night? And that Boromir was here with you also?" She nodded and he shook his head in reply. "I just hope you know what you're getting yourself into."
"No harm will come to me as we wish to return to Minas Tirith by ourselves," she answered. "I need to take something to my father and I imagine that he will return with me."
He stepped closer to her and took her hands in his. "I will not let you both go alone," he replied vehemently. "Sauron surely knows what you carry and will do anything to keep you from reaching Minas Tirith alive." Then he brought his hand up to touch her cheek lightly. "And I could not forgive myself if something happened to you. By traveling with us we can afford some protection to keep you safe. Perhaps we will accompany you all the way to the White City and there determine the best way into Mordor."
She covered his hand with her own and leaned up to place a soft kiss on his cheek. "Thank you, Aragorn," she whispered then drew back to look into his eyes. "I will speak of it to Boromir when next I see him."
He nodded his head once to her in reply then walked out into the bright sunlight, Lillisandra smiling to herself as she thought back on what had happened earlier. "I can't believe I did that!"
They said farewell to Lorien later that afternoon and prepared to travel down the Anduin on the boats given to them by Celeborn. Galadriel had made an appearance long enough to give each of them gifts so that each would remember their time spent here. To Lillisandra she gave the same gift she gave Legolas, an elven bow of exquisite make, plus one other in the form of a gold ring fashioned as a chain of leaves. Lillisandra had started to refuse the gift but Galadriel insisted as this was a gift between two cousins many times removed.
It was naturally assumed that Boromir and Lillisandra would ride together in a boat, and it was determined that it would be safer for Frodo to ride with Aragorn than anybody else although Frodo would have been happier with Lillisandra. Sam, of course, went wherever Frodo went, and Legolas and Gimli took another boat which left Merry and Pippin to choose who they would travel with. The discussion began as civil as any other but with one problem: both wanted to ride with Lillisandra, which ended up in one of their wrestling matches. She soon put an end to it as she made them both draw sticks to see who got the shortest. Pippin drew the shortest and suddenly found himself being chased by Merry.
The first seven days of their journey passed smoothly. They camped on the banks of the river at night and resumed their course during the day, Lillisandra and Boromir finding themselves with a different companion for the first few days as Merry and Pippin took turns riding with them. She found herself unable to sleep during the nights when they camped by the river and would often share watch duties with whoever else had been assigned. She spoke with Aragorn one night as it appeared that something was troubling him and discovered that he had heard the whispers of the One Ring while Frodo had been traveling with him. He asked her if Frodo could ride with her as she was immune to the One Ring, but had some reservations as Boromir had no such protection. She thought about it for some time and decided that it would be worth at least one try.
That day she put Elenya back inside the black box that she had kept since her stay in Rivendell and gave it to Aragorn to keep, hating to tell Merry and Pippin that they would be riding with someone else for today. But as disappointed as she was, Frodo's smile more than made up for it once she told him he was riding with her. As they continued on their way, she noticed that Frodo was fighting to stay awake, and she was reminded that she wasn't the only one who couldn't sleep. She reached out and pulled him against her, running her fingers through his hair and humming a tune that had him fast asleep in moments. He dreamt of Rivendell, Bilbo, and the Shire, and he awoke with his heart lightened and a smile on his face.
But then the smile faded somewhat as he saw how tired she herself looked and his heart went out to her as he hated to see her suffer so. She had done so much for him, but what had he ever done for her? He brought this observation to her attention, and she merely smiled and said that his friendship was his gift to her, and it was then that he realized how much he loved her.
Frodo continued to ride with them once it was established that Boromir had suffered no temptations from the ring. Lillisandra, on the other hand, was about to go crazy. Days of riding in a boat had given her plenty of time to think about things she hadn't had the time to think about before, and her thoughts would soon turn to worry. She had been away from Silmarion for some time now and wondered how things were there, and her worries would soon manifest themselves in her dreams where she would see her homeland turned into a wasteland and all her friends killed by the evil of Mordor. The amount of sleep she received was little more than none and she would often find herself nodding off as she sat in front of Boromir.
He had expressed concern many times over her apparent lack of sleep, as did Frodo, but she would wave them off, saying she was fine. Then one day as the sun warmed her body and the sound of the river rushing by filled her ears, she felt her eyes beginning to shut and her chin drop to her chest. Boromir then tried to support her against him as well as he could and still be able to paddle, but was unsuccessful until Frodo offered to take over so that she could get some sleep. Then he folded her in his arms and smiled as she snuggled closer to him, and he looked up to see Frodo smiling also.
When she awoke, she saw that the sun had begun its descent towards the horizon and found herself laying against Boromir's chest, his heartbeat strong against her ear. She felt him begin to stroke her hair, and she peered up into his blue eyes, feeling better than she had in days.
"I was beginning to think that you would never awaken," he teased, the corners of his mouth turned up in a smile.
"I am sorry," she replied. "Your back must be screaming murder by now."
He shrugged. "It is a small price to pay if it meant you were able to get some much needed rest."
Overcome with love for him, she pushed herself up and kissed him rather passionately, much to the embarrassment of Gimli and the amusement of others except for Legolas, who looked away with pain clouding his own eyes. She pulled away as a sudden thought crossed her mind. "Who is rowing if you are not?"
"Frodo is," he answered, trying his best not to smile.
She turned her head to see Frodo wave at her, a smile on his face. She looked back at her beloved. "He must be exhausted! How could you make him row when his arms are not nearly as long as yours?"
"Lilli, it is all right," Frodo answered. "I can continue on for a little longer."
She was shocked even further as she saw a grin spread across Boromir's face. "I was hoping you would say that," he replied, taking her in his arms and drowning out any further protests she might've had as he picked up where she had left off, hearing the hobbit's soft chuckle.
Nighttime found Boromir rowing again and Lillisandra awake as they continued on with the others. Soon they heard the sounds of rapids ahead that drove them closer to the eastern shore, where they were attacked by orcs with arrows. Most passed through clothing but one happened to strike Frodo and bounced back off as he was still wearing his mithril armor under his clothing. They managed to get their boats back the way they had come and away from the rapids to take shelter under the brush that grew over the river. She suddenly sensed a shadow pass over them and Frodo moved closer to her in fear, his small body trembling. She didn't realize that Legolas had gotten out of his boat until she heard his arrow sing through the night sky and towards the shadow, where it struck and sent it back beyond the eastern shore. Needless to say, no one slept that night.
The next day, Aragorn sought a way to get around the rapids and took Legolas with him to scout out the shoreline ahead of them. She sat with Frodo and Boromir awaiting their return, which they did in a few hours. They had found a path they could take over land to bypass the rapids, but that meant that they had to carry their boats and gear with them. They eventually brought everything over and by then it was dusk so they took their rest there before setting out again tomorrow.
Once again resuming their course down the river, they passed the Argonath and came into the part of the river that widened into a lake known as Nen Hithoel. Further south the Falls of Rauros roared into the Anduin, and they continued on till they reached Parth Galen, a green lawn that reached all the way up to Amon Hen, the Hill of Sight. There they made their camp and set watch throughout the night, though there was no sign from any of their enemies.
Morning dawned and after everyone had eaten, Aragorn had called for a decision to be made concerning where they would go from here. Boromir wished to return to Minas Tirith, but in the end it was left for Frodo to decide and he wished some time alone to think and decide which would be the better. Lillisandra saw that he was unwilling to make such a decision on his own and would've followed, but Aragorn's hand on her arm stopped her and she turned questioning eyes towards him.
"Might I speak with you a moment?" he asked.
"Sure," she answered, and they drew a short distance away from the others. "What is it?"
He gazed towards the south, and his eyes held a distant light in them. "What would you suggest to be the best route to take?" he asked.
She was flattered that he would ask her opinion, suddenly noticing that it was a heavy burden he had borne upon himself since Gandalf's death to assume leadership of the company. "I think that the best choice would be to go to Minas Tirith. There we can determine the best way into Mordor and there find others that might aid us, although it had been said that the fewer the better."
He sighed heavily. "It is hard to know what to do. I, too, wish to return to my city, but I am not sure if that is the way to go." Then he was quiet a moment. "I wish Gandalf were here."
She stepped closer to him and took hold of his hands. "I wish it also, my friend. But do not forget that you are a leader as strong as he was. Others trust your judgement and heed what advice you would give."
"And that is why I am reluctant to make this decision," he answered. "Whatever I decide will result in either victory or defeat, and I do not wish to bring harm to those I care about."
"That you must not concern yourself with, Aragorn," she insisted. "No matter what happens, we all accept the dangers that lurk out there, and we do it out of the hope in our hearts that this evil will be vanquished and peace will thrive for perhaps the first time in Middle Earth. You need not take this burden solely on yourself as others are willing to fight by your side." She allowed a smile to spread across her face. "As for me, I will be most honored to fight alongside you as I also think of Minas Tirith as my home."
An answering smile appeared on the ranger's face, and he leaned forward to kiss her cheek and embrace her warmly. "Truly the blood of Feanor runs through your veins," he said. "Though you do not have his pride, you certainly have inherited the fire that burned inside him."
Her smile turned sad. "I wish I knew more of my family. Everything has always remained in shadow."
"It was necessary to keep others from finding out who you were, although your father suspected who you were when Gandalf and I visited all those years ago. He approached us with many questions and we answered them, but we bid him to keep this information from you until the time was near." He looked towards the direction of the camp. "I guess we'd better be heading back. No doubt Boromir will be worrying about you."
She laughed softly and walked back to the camp, a frown appearing on both their faces when Boromir was nowhere to be seen. "Where's Boromir?" he asked the others, who shrugged and replied that they didn't know.
Her heart almost stopped beating as she could only guess what this could mean. "Boromir, please, don't do this," she whispered.
*******************
On, no! We all know what happens here! Everyone bring out their tissue boxes next chapter as it's a tearjerker! Thanks for reading and please review!
Disclaimer: I don't own Lord of the Rings, just my own characters.
Elenya by Shelly
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
The next morning, Boromir left to begin packing his things which were in the fellowship's pavilion as Lillisandra started packing her own, her soul finally at peace when she had awoken in her beloved's embrace and glad to be rid of Elenya's influence. She caught the movement of a man's shadow against the wall of the pavilion and quickly stepped near the entrance, a mischievous smile appearing as she knew that it was Boromir that she had seen. When she saw him come through the entrance, she darted out and grabbed his shirt with both hands, pulling him down to kiss him passionately and moaning softly when his hands on her back held her close.
Then she realized that what she felt in her hands was not a leather tunic but the soft cloth of a shirt, and there was a different scent that assailed her senses that she was unfamiliar with. She pulled away slowly, her eyes widening as she saw who it was she had surprised, and she released her grip on him abruptly to step back from him as an embarrassed smile crept across her face. "Aragorn, I-I'm sorry," she hastily apologized. "I thought you were someone else."
Needless to say, he had been shocked to have been greeted in such an enthusiastic manner, but expected nothing less from an elf such as she was. "That's quite all right," he answered as he fought to catch his breath. "No harm done. I actually came here to look for Legolas. Have you seen him?"
She swallowed deeply. "He didn't come back to the pavilion last night?" she asked, her voice filled with concern.
He shook his head. "And Boromir wasn't there either," he added, his eyes narrowing as he saw a flash of guilt cross her face. "What happened last night?"
She sighed heavily. "After you left last night, I brought Boromir back here with me where we figured out that Elenya had been playing with my emotions just as Frodo's ring had been playing with Boromir's. Elenya had been making me think that I was in love with Legolas so I would stay with him and be safe from any harm that Boromir might cause me."
"And the One Ring has been trying to seduce Boromir into killing you," he added.
"Exactly. But when we are together neither ring has any influence upon us as we love one another so much."
He was quiet as he added everything up inside. "I assume that you told Legolas of this and that is why he never came back to camp last night? And that Boromir was here with you also?" She nodded and he shook his head in reply. "I just hope you know what you're getting yourself into."
"No harm will come to me as we wish to return to Minas Tirith by ourselves," she answered. "I need to take something to my father and I imagine that he will return with me."
He stepped closer to her and took her hands in his. "I will not let you both go alone," he replied vehemently. "Sauron surely knows what you carry and will do anything to keep you from reaching Minas Tirith alive." Then he brought his hand up to touch her cheek lightly. "And I could not forgive myself if something happened to you. By traveling with us we can afford some protection to keep you safe. Perhaps we will accompany you all the way to the White City and there determine the best way into Mordor."
She covered his hand with her own and leaned up to place a soft kiss on his cheek. "Thank you, Aragorn," she whispered then drew back to look into his eyes. "I will speak of it to Boromir when next I see him."
He nodded his head once to her in reply then walked out into the bright sunlight, Lillisandra smiling to herself as she thought back on what had happened earlier. "I can't believe I did that!"
They said farewell to Lorien later that afternoon and prepared to travel down the Anduin on the boats given to them by Celeborn. Galadriel had made an appearance long enough to give each of them gifts so that each would remember their time spent here. To Lillisandra she gave the same gift she gave Legolas, an elven bow of exquisite make, plus one other in the form of a gold ring fashioned as a chain of leaves. Lillisandra had started to refuse the gift but Galadriel insisted as this was a gift between two cousins many times removed.
It was naturally assumed that Boromir and Lillisandra would ride together in a boat, and it was determined that it would be safer for Frodo to ride with Aragorn than anybody else although Frodo would have been happier with Lillisandra. Sam, of course, went wherever Frodo went, and Legolas and Gimli took another boat which left Merry and Pippin to choose who they would travel with. The discussion began as civil as any other but with one problem: both wanted to ride with Lillisandra, which ended up in one of their wrestling matches. She soon put an end to it as she made them both draw sticks to see who got the shortest. Pippin drew the shortest and suddenly found himself being chased by Merry.
The first seven days of their journey passed smoothly. They camped on the banks of the river at night and resumed their course during the day, Lillisandra and Boromir finding themselves with a different companion for the first few days as Merry and Pippin took turns riding with them. She found herself unable to sleep during the nights when they camped by the river and would often share watch duties with whoever else had been assigned. She spoke with Aragorn one night as it appeared that something was troubling him and discovered that he had heard the whispers of the One Ring while Frodo had been traveling with him. He asked her if Frodo could ride with her as she was immune to the One Ring, but had some reservations as Boromir had no such protection. She thought about it for some time and decided that it would be worth at least one try.
That day she put Elenya back inside the black box that she had kept since her stay in Rivendell and gave it to Aragorn to keep, hating to tell Merry and Pippin that they would be riding with someone else for today. But as disappointed as she was, Frodo's smile more than made up for it once she told him he was riding with her. As they continued on their way, she noticed that Frodo was fighting to stay awake, and she was reminded that she wasn't the only one who couldn't sleep. She reached out and pulled him against her, running her fingers through his hair and humming a tune that had him fast asleep in moments. He dreamt of Rivendell, Bilbo, and the Shire, and he awoke with his heart lightened and a smile on his face.
But then the smile faded somewhat as he saw how tired she herself looked and his heart went out to her as he hated to see her suffer so. She had done so much for him, but what had he ever done for her? He brought this observation to her attention, and she merely smiled and said that his friendship was his gift to her, and it was then that he realized how much he loved her.
Frodo continued to ride with them once it was established that Boromir had suffered no temptations from the ring. Lillisandra, on the other hand, was about to go crazy. Days of riding in a boat had given her plenty of time to think about things she hadn't had the time to think about before, and her thoughts would soon turn to worry. She had been away from Silmarion for some time now and wondered how things were there, and her worries would soon manifest themselves in her dreams where she would see her homeland turned into a wasteland and all her friends killed by the evil of Mordor. The amount of sleep she received was little more than none and she would often find herself nodding off as she sat in front of Boromir.
He had expressed concern many times over her apparent lack of sleep, as did Frodo, but she would wave them off, saying she was fine. Then one day as the sun warmed her body and the sound of the river rushing by filled her ears, she felt her eyes beginning to shut and her chin drop to her chest. Boromir then tried to support her against him as well as he could and still be able to paddle, but was unsuccessful until Frodo offered to take over so that she could get some sleep. Then he folded her in his arms and smiled as she snuggled closer to him, and he looked up to see Frodo smiling also.
When she awoke, she saw that the sun had begun its descent towards the horizon and found herself laying against Boromir's chest, his heartbeat strong against her ear. She felt him begin to stroke her hair, and she peered up into his blue eyes, feeling better than she had in days.
"I was beginning to think that you would never awaken," he teased, the corners of his mouth turned up in a smile.
"I am sorry," she replied. "Your back must be screaming murder by now."
He shrugged. "It is a small price to pay if it meant you were able to get some much needed rest."
Overcome with love for him, she pushed herself up and kissed him rather passionately, much to the embarrassment of Gimli and the amusement of others except for Legolas, who looked away with pain clouding his own eyes. She pulled away as a sudden thought crossed her mind. "Who is rowing if you are not?"
"Frodo is," he answered, trying his best not to smile.
She turned her head to see Frodo wave at her, a smile on his face. She looked back at her beloved. "He must be exhausted! How could you make him row when his arms are not nearly as long as yours?"
"Lilli, it is all right," Frodo answered. "I can continue on for a little longer."
She was shocked even further as she saw a grin spread across Boromir's face. "I was hoping you would say that," he replied, taking her in his arms and drowning out any further protests she might've had as he picked up where she had left off, hearing the hobbit's soft chuckle.
Nighttime found Boromir rowing again and Lillisandra awake as they continued on with the others. Soon they heard the sounds of rapids ahead that drove them closer to the eastern shore, where they were attacked by orcs with arrows. Most passed through clothing but one happened to strike Frodo and bounced back off as he was still wearing his mithril armor under his clothing. They managed to get their boats back the way they had come and away from the rapids to take shelter under the brush that grew over the river. She suddenly sensed a shadow pass over them and Frodo moved closer to her in fear, his small body trembling. She didn't realize that Legolas had gotten out of his boat until she heard his arrow sing through the night sky and towards the shadow, where it struck and sent it back beyond the eastern shore. Needless to say, no one slept that night.
The next day, Aragorn sought a way to get around the rapids and took Legolas with him to scout out the shoreline ahead of them. She sat with Frodo and Boromir awaiting their return, which they did in a few hours. They had found a path they could take over land to bypass the rapids, but that meant that they had to carry their boats and gear with them. They eventually brought everything over and by then it was dusk so they took their rest there before setting out again tomorrow.
Once again resuming their course down the river, they passed the Argonath and came into the part of the river that widened into a lake known as Nen Hithoel. Further south the Falls of Rauros roared into the Anduin, and they continued on till they reached Parth Galen, a green lawn that reached all the way up to Amon Hen, the Hill of Sight. There they made their camp and set watch throughout the night, though there was no sign from any of their enemies.
Morning dawned and after everyone had eaten, Aragorn had called for a decision to be made concerning where they would go from here. Boromir wished to return to Minas Tirith, but in the end it was left for Frodo to decide and he wished some time alone to think and decide which would be the better. Lillisandra saw that he was unwilling to make such a decision on his own and would've followed, but Aragorn's hand on her arm stopped her and she turned questioning eyes towards him.
"Might I speak with you a moment?" he asked.
"Sure," she answered, and they drew a short distance away from the others. "What is it?"
He gazed towards the south, and his eyes held a distant light in them. "What would you suggest to be the best route to take?" he asked.
She was flattered that he would ask her opinion, suddenly noticing that it was a heavy burden he had borne upon himself since Gandalf's death to assume leadership of the company. "I think that the best choice would be to go to Minas Tirith. There we can determine the best way into Mordor and there find others that might aid us, although it had been said that the fewer the better."
He sighed heavily. "It is hard to know what to do. I, too, wish to return to my city, but I am not sure if that is the way to go." Then he was quiet a moment. "I wish Gandalf were here."
She stepped closer to him and took hold of his hands. "I wish it also, my friend. But do not forget that you are a leader as strong as he was. Others trust your judgement and heed what advice you would give."
"And that is why I am reluctant to make this decision," he answered. "Whatever I decide will result in either victory or defeat, and I do not wish to bring harm to those I care about."
"That you must not concern yourself with, Aragorn," she insisted. "No matter what happens, we all accept the dangers that lurk out there, and we do it out of the hope in our hearts that this evil will be vanquished and peace will thrive for perhaps the first time in Middle Earth. You need not take this burden solely on yourself as others are willing to fight by your side." She allowed a smile to spread across her face. "As for me, I will be most honored to fight alongside you as I also think of Minas Tirith as my home."
An answering smile appeared on the ranger's face, and he leaned forward to kiss her cheek and embrace her warmly. "Truly the blood of Feanor runs through your veins," he said. "Though you do not have his pride, you certainly have inherited the fire that burned inside him."
Her smile turned sad. "I wish I knew more of my family. Everything has always remained in shadow."
"It was necessary to keep others from finding out who you were, although your father suspected who you were when Gandalf and I visited all those years ago. He approached us with many questions and we answered them, but we bid him to keep this information from you until the time was near." He looked towards the direction of the camp. "I guess we'd better be heading back. No doubt Boromir will be worrying about you."
She laughed softly and walked back to the camp, a frown appearing on both their faces when Boromir was nowhere to be seen. "Where's Boromir?" he asked the others, who shrugged and replied that they didn't know.
Her heart almost stopped beating as she could only guess what this could mean. "Boromir, please, don't do this," she whispered.
*******************
On, no! We all know what happens here! Everyone bring out their tissue boxes next chapter as it's a tearjerker! Thanks for reading and please review!
