A/N: Naughty me. No chapter yesterday. If I'm able to get two up today I
will.
Brave Words
We were moving. That much I could tell. Oddly I could hear footsteps. They must have been close; it was long since that I could hear footsteps from any distance. Warmth wrapped around my chest and lower leg. It took me an embarrassingly long time to deduce I was being carried. I had become what I had always feared being, a burden.
I suspected that only Aragorn would carry me, the strong and protective leader and lover that he was. Breathing was above me, nay, panting. He was obviously very tired; I could not have been easy to carry over the rocky terrain. How I wished I were able just to reach up to him, aware of the comfort that would bring. But I was too weak, too exhausted, in fact I really should have been asleep. I had resigned myself to being carried knowing that I was too weak to walk, and nothing, not even my own persuasion would make Aragorn release me now.
My eyes were still closed, these days it mattered little if I opened them or not. I thought maybe if I kept them closed my lover would think I had fallen victim to a restful sleep. That would ease his mind. However, I could not sleep now despite my exhaustion. The fire-like pain no longer shot through my body, but I currently wished that it did. All I felt now was a tingle in my right leg. It was as if the poison was taunting me, just waiting, waiting for the right moment to unleash its wrath. The lack of pain was such a contrast to bare minutes ago; I now did not know what was going on. Had the concoction finished it's work? I could be dead within minutes, seconds even. I could not leave Aragorn; he evidently was still fighting for me. Still believed I could be saved. I would fight with him. I had once told Gimli as he had watched me tenaciously battle orcs, that to surrender was not in my nature. Now was my chance to prove my words. It was true I never surrendered to orcs or goblins, so why should I surrender to a blue fluid?
I stirred as if asleep, burying my head against Aragorn trying to comfort him a little by increasing the amount of contact we shared. His grip tightened and he sped up slightly.
Aragorn then suddenly adjusted his stride slowing slightly as if falling into step with someone beside him. Sure enough what faint scent I could pick up told me it was Boromir, the Son of Gondor. I made a point of moving in my beloved's arms again.
"Perhaps he awakes." Somewhat apprehensive words, the one above me spoke more confidently.
"I fear not." He remarked wistfully and quite civilly for one who claimed to dislike the other so.
"I never meant to hurt him Aragorn." He paused, searching for the words. "I fear the ring held some influence over me."
I realised for the first time that confusingly I did not know how much Boromir thought Aragorn knew. Did he believe I had told Aragorn he had tried to rape me? What was he apologising for? It could be that he was simply referring to the incident during the battle with the orcs. I silently prayed that was what Aragorn would believe and would not question further.
"Legolas himself has appeared to have forgiven you, and I will do so too. You have also redeemed yourself this evening, though this gruelling pace is a little hard on the smaller ones." Thank goodness.
"Thank you. You do not know how much that means to me. In regards to the pace, it is hard but necessary. The elisur begins to claim him."
I imagined at this point that all eyes rested upon me. Aragorn cleared his throat and began to converse once more.
"Are you aware of where we are?" The question was polite and respectful of Boromir's new leadership.
"Indeed." Boromir replied with some satisfaction. "We mere hours from Lothlorien, three or so if we continue at this pace.
Three hours? Last I remembered we were days from our destination. I felt a pang of guilt at how hard the fellowship was being pushed for my sake, though I have to admit my heart skipped a beat at being so close. The silence from my lover was enough to know he was just as happy with the reply.
I must at this point fallen asleep for the next thing I remember my carrier was having an animated conversation with the ringbearer. I had to stifle a chuckle as I thought I heard the hobbit offer to carry me instead. My ears were failing me, I reminded myself.
"Are you sure Aragorn? You've been carrying him for so long, you must be tired. I'm stronger than I look." Oh my. I had not misheard. I took great comfort in the fact that my lover sounded very sure in his reply.
"No, I'm fine really Frodo. He's as light as a feather, honest." A fortunate reponse, had he not said that I would have elbowed him hard, in my sleep of course.
"Not long now Frodo." Chaste words of comfort. "A couple of hours, no more."
The words held great importance to me also. The legs in which I had felt the previous tingling had now become numb.
I drifted in and out of consciousness for much of the remainder of the journey.
I only truly awoke when Aragorn halted, and breathed deeply. His shoulders relaxed and for one moment I thought he was going to drop me.
"Lothlorien." The one astonished word that escaped the lips of Pippin. He was so close that he made my ever-watchful ranger jump.
A voice whispered into my ear. "We are there my love, we have reached the golden woods, and all will be fine now. You will be well." Brave words.
It was then that he stumbled.
A/N: Thanks again for all reviews. I determined to reach 100, so keep it up!
Brave Words
We were moving. That much I could tell. Oddly I could hear footsteps. They must have been close; it was long since that I could hear footsteps from any distance. Warmth wrapped around my chest and lower leg. It took me an embarrassingly long time to deduce I was being carried. I had become what I had always feared being, a burden.
I suspected that only Aragorn would carry me, the strong and protective leader and lover that he was. Breathing was above me, nay, panting. He was obviously very tired; I could not have been easy to carry over the rocky terrain. How I wished I were able just to reach up to him, aware of the comfort that would bring. But I was too weak, too exhausted, in fact I really should have been asleep. I had resigned myself to being carried knowing that I was too weak to walk, and nothing, not even my own persuasion would make Aragorn release me now.
My eyes were still closed, these days it mattered little if I opened them or not. I thought maybe if I kept them closed my lover would think I had fallen victim to a restful sleep. That would ease his mind. However, I could not sleep now despite my exhaustion. The fire-like pain no longer shot through my body, but I currently wished that it did. All I felt now was a tingle in my right leg. It was as if the poison was taunting me, just waiting, waiting for the right moment to unleash its wrath. The lack of pain was such a contrast to bare minutes ago; I now did not know what was going on. Had the concoction finished it's work? I could be dead within minutes, seconds even. I could not leave Aragorn; he evidently was still fighting for me. Still believed I could be saved. I would fight with him. I had once told Gimli as he had watched me tenaciously battle orcs, that to surrender was not in my nature. Now was my chance to prove my words. It was true I never surrendered to orcs or goblins, so why should I surrender to a blue fluid?
I stirred as if asleep, burying my head against Aragorn trying to comfort him a little by increasing the amount of contact we shared. His grip tightened and he sped up slightly.
Aragorn then suddenly adjusted his stride slowing slightly as if falling into step with someone beside him. Sure enough what faint scent I could pick up told me it was Boromir, the Son of Gondor. I made a point of moving in my beloved's arms again.
"Perhaps he awakes." Somewhat apprehensive words, the one above me spoke more confidently.
"I fear not." He remarked wistfully and quite civilly for one who claimed to dislike the other so.
"I never meant to hurt him Aragorn." He paused, searching for the words. "I fear the ring held some influence over me."
I realised for the first time that confusingly I did not know how much Boromir thought Aragorn knew. Did he believe I had told Aragorn he had tried to rape me? What was he apologising for? It could be that he was simply referring to the incident during the battle with the orcs. I silently prayed that was what Aragorn would believe and would not question further.
"Legolas himself has appeared to have forgiven you, and I will do so too. You have also redeemed yourself this evening, though this gruelling pace is a little hard on the smaller ones." Thank goodness.
"Thank you. You do not know how much that means to me. In regards to the pace, it is hard but necessary. The elisur begins to claim him."
I imagined at this point that all eyes rested upon me. Aragorn cleared his throat and began to converse once more.
"Are you aware of where we are?" The question was polite and respectful of Boromir's new leadership.
"Indeed." Boromir replied with some satisfaction. "We mere hours from Lothlorien, three or so if we continue at this pace.
Three hours? Last I remembered we were days from our destination. I felt a pang of guilt at how hard the fellowship was being pushed for my sake, though I have to admit my heart skipped a beat at being so close. The silence from my lover was enough to know he was just as happy with the reply.
I must at this point fallen asleep for the next thing I remember my carrier was having an animated conversation with the ringbearer. I had to stifle a chuckle as I thought I heard the hobbit offer to carry me instead. My ears were failing me, I reminded myself.
"Are you sure Aragorn? You've been carrying him for so long, you must be tired. I'm stronger than I look." Oh my. I had not misheard. I took great comfort in the fact that my lover sounded very sure in his reply.
"No, I'm fine really Frodo. He's as light as a feather, honest." A fortunate reponse, had he not said that I would have elbowed him hard, in my sleep of course.
"Not long now Frodo." Chaste words of comfort. "A couple of hours, no more."
The words held great importance to me also. The legs in which I had felt the previous tingling had now become numb.
I drifted in and out of consciousness for much of the remainder of the journey.
I only truly awoke when Aragorn halted, and breathed deeply. His shoulders relaxed and for one moment I thought he was going to drop me.
"Lothlorien." The one astonished word that escaped the lips of Pippin. He was so close that he made my ever-watchful ranger jump.
A voice whispered into my ear. "We are there my love, we have reached the golden woods, and all will be fine now. You will be well." Brave words.
It was then that he stumbled.
A/N: Thanks again for all reviews. I determined to reach 100, so keep it up!