"We will beach and rest before heading onward. We mustn't stay too long." Aragorn sighed. They had rode down the river early off in the morning. It was now past noon as they pulled up onto the shore allowing a quick break to rest. Everyone was already beginning to make themselves at home. The Hobbits sat down under a cavern eating apples and relaxing in the shade. Paddamill and Gimli were pulling the boats on shore so that the current wouldn't sweep them away.

"Amazing how much energy you lose just by pulling one boat on shore." Paddamill said with a sigh as she turned and sat on the ground feeling tired.

"You think I lose energy! Ha!" Gimli said obviously taken aback by her comment. She gave him a raised eyebrow and a crooked grin when he passed her not bother to say thanks.

"Oh why...of course master. I live to serve." Paddamill mumbled looking around. Gimli heard her since he looked back over his shoulder and gave her a "Humph." as a reply. Aragorn stood looking over the waters.

"We cross the lake at nightfall, hide the boats, and continue on foot. We approach Mordor from the north." Aragorn said looking to his right to se Gimli and the other hobbits relaxing.

"Oh, yes? Just a simple matter of finding our way through Emyn Muil? An impassable labyrinth of razor-sharp rocks? And after that, it gets even better! Festering, stinking marshlands, as far as the eye can see." Paddamill raised her eyebrows grinning at his stubborn ways.

"And I thought I was stubborn." She said under her breath as she stood up to sit in a drier place.

"That is our road. I suggest you take some rest and recover your strength, Master Dwarf." Paddamill walked in front of Aragorn.

"Dwarves lose energy? Ha." Paddamill mumbled making him grin lightly.

"Recover my...bah." He threw his hands at him obviously upset. Paddamill raised her eyebrows falling beside Sam.

"Wanna bite?" He asked offering her his apple.

"Don't mind if I do." She said gladly taking it and getting a bite. She chewed as she took off her boot and let a few small pebbles fall out. She shook it vigorously

"We should leave now." Paddamill glanced up at Aragorn and Legolas. Legolas stood next to him speaking lowly in his right ear.

"No. Orcs patrol the eastern shore. We must wait for the cover of darkness." Paddamill looked away but still listened.

"It's not the Eastern shore that worries me. A shadow and a threat have been growing in my mind. Something draws near. I can feel it." Paddamill put her boot back on feeling nervous. She stood up and looked around.

"Recover strength... ha...pay no mind to that young hobbit." Gimli continued. Paddamill watched Merry stand and look around.

"Where's Frodo?"


Frodo looked up at the blue sky and the tall trees that shielding him from the hot sun. He didn't know where he was going, he was just walking around.

"None of us should wander alone." Boromir stated as Frodo saw him walking with sticks and fallen tree branches obviously for fire. "You least of all." He continued. For a reason unknown to Frodo, he felt worried. Not because of Orcs or anything of the sort, but because of Boromir and his episode on the Mountains of Caradhras. "So much depend on you Frodo. I know why you seek solitude. You suffer. I see it day by day. Are you sure you do not suffer needlessly? There are other ways, Frodo. Other paths that we might take"

Frodo frowned standing completely still, just observing the movements of Boromir. "I know what you would say, and it would seem like wisdom, but for the warning in my heart." Frodo dared to say. Boromir turned and looked at him with slight confusion. He let out a small chuckle

"Warning? From what?" He began to walk towards him, but quickly Frodo walked back. Boromir frowned noticing his odd behavior.

"We're all afraid, Frodo, but to let that fear drive us to destroy what hope we have. Don't you see, it's madness."

Frodo quickly added "There is no other way."

Boromir frowned even heavier and walked towards him getting angered. "I ask only for the strength to defend my people!" Quickly Boromir threw down the wood. "If you would but lend me the ring..."He held out his hand. Frodo jumped back

"No!"

"Why do you recoil? I am no thief!"

"You are not yourself!" Frodo warned to the angered Boromir.

"What chance do you think you have? They will find you. They will take the Ring. And you will beg for death before the end" Boromir spoke in harsh words. He then turned as if to gather up the wood but without warning he quickly turned "You fool! It is not yours save by unhappy chance." He quickly ran after Frodo who turned and ran from the man. "It could have been mine! It should be mine!" He ran after Frodo and quickly tackled him to the ground. "Give it here. Give it to me! GIVE ME THE RING!"

Frodo frowned and quickly put the ring on after disagreeing. "I see your mind!! You will take the Ring to Sauron! You will betray us! You go to your death! And the death of us all! Curse you! Curse you and all the Halflings!" Boromir yelled out not quite sure as to where the hobbit was. He stood and then quickly slipped and fell. As he tried to get off the ground his anger quickly passed and looked around in hopes of seeing him "Frodo? Please. What have I done. Frodo?"

Frodo ran behind a mural of rocks seeing nothing but darkness. But soon he looked ahead to see Barad-Dur then the eye. Frightened Frodo quickly took of the ring catching his breath. Suddenly the world was back to normal and he could see the surroundings.

"Frodo?" Aragorn called out. He gasped and turned to see him standing close by and walking towards him.

"It has taken Boromir!" He called out.

"What? Where is the ring?" Frodo quickly walked back away from him.

"Stay back!" He warned with obvious fear. Aragorn frowned holding out his hand

"Frodo! I swore to protect you." After a moment Frodo spoke out

"Can you protect me from yourself?" Aragorn frowned noticing this scene. He knelt in front of Frodo now understanding what was going on. He held out the ring "Would you destroy it?" Frodo finished. Aragorn looked at it as it shimmered in the palm of his hand. He lifted his chin slightly listening to it beckoning him.

"Aragorn. Aragorn. Elessar." He placed his hand over Frodo's and closed it over the ring.

"I would have gone with you to the end. Into the very fires of Mordor." He said to him in a gentle tone. Frodo frowned slightly nodding seeming to understand.

"I know. Look after the others. Especially Sam. He will not understand." Aragorn glanced away from his face to see the sting shining blue. He gathered to his feet.

"Go. Hurry!" Frodo swiftly turned and began to run away as he heard Sam calling his name. Aragorn grabbed his sword and looked at the large Orcs coming from the forest.

A large Uruk-Hai stopped and looked at the others and gave it's orders "Find the Halfling! Find the Halfling!" Quickly they began to spread out. Legolas and Gimli quickly ran over towards him seeing the dead orcs he had already fought as more came closer. Legolas shot two arrows killing some.

"Aragorn go!" He called out as he and Gimli fought. Paddamill ran quicker than a fox wherever she heard sword fighting. She held the blessed sword in her left hand as she breathed heavily at every step she took.

"What's he doing?" Pippin asked Merry as they looked at Frodo's sweaty face as he leaned on the tree.

"He's leaving." Merry said watching Frodo shaking his head.

"NO!" Pippin yelled jumping out from their hiding spot. The two looked at the Uruk-Hai rushing towards them with their bows and their swords. Merry looked at Frodo.

"Run Frodo! Go on!" Merry looked back to the Uruk-Hai that showed no signs of slowing down. "Hey! Hey you! Over here!" Pippin looked at Merry as they waved their hands in the air

"Over here! Over here! This way!" The two frowned seeing them inch closer.

"It's working!" Pippin laughed

"I know it's working run!" The two quickly turned and ran as fast as their little feet could go.


Legolas was still fighting, slaying any orc in his path. Merry and Pippin were finally put to a halt when they had been surrounded by Orcs. Boromir quickly ran towards them. He screamed as he lifted his sword high above his head jamming his sword's blade into a large Uruk-Hai. Pippin and Merry fought alongside luckily killing them. Boromir fought with the last one standing grunting and frowning at every beat of their swords. The two were in a locked hold when Merry cam over and stabbed him in the back. It fell to the ground lifelessly. Boromir took out his horn and blew in it several times. Paddamill frowned looking over her shoulder with blood splattered on her face and three dead Orcs lying in front of her.

"Boromir." She whispered.

Legolas looked over his own shoulder after hearing the horn. "The Horn of Gondor!" He said quickly jumping of a rock landing beautifully on his feet and heading towards him.

"Boromir!" Aragorn called out as he ran quickly to his aid. Boromir looked over at Merry and Pippin

"Run! Run!" Merry and Pippin did as they were told. They turned quickly and began to run but suddenly they stopped to look back at him. He was fighting with three big Orcs and to their dismay he was shot in the chest by an arrow.

"Boromir!" They screamed beginning to run back but were stopped by an ugly Uruk-Hai. They gasped noticing the scene. "NO!" They screamed as it picked them up and carried them away. They saw Boromir getting shot in the chest two more times and they saw the large Uruk-Hai standing tall over the wounded soldier.

"No...no...no..." Paddamill kept saying to herself as she ran as quickly as she could. "BOROMIR!" She screamed leaning her head back in hopes of getting attention. Aragorn quickly jumped behind Lurtz. He quickly turned to face Aragorn. He swiftly caught the Orcs sword with his own and the two began to fight. Paddamill ran faster and faster seeing the two fight she could barely breathe anymore due to her fighting with larger creatures. In one swift move she jumped over a large tree stump. Aragorn then managed to cut off the head of the remaining Orc, throwing blood everywhere. He quickly turned his attention to Boromir who laid on the ground.

"No." He whispered falling to his knees.

"Boromir!" Paddamill said slowing down knowing it was probably too late.

"They took the little ones." Boromir said weakly.

"Stay still."

"Frodo...where is Frodo?" He asked

"I let Frodo go."

"Then you did what I could not. I tried to take the ring from him." He said with obvious sadness.

"The ring is beyond our reach now."

"Forgive me. I didn't not see it. I have failed you all." Paddamill hugged onto the tree that stood a few inches away. She saw Aragorn's back as he was leaning over Boromir.

"No Boromir. You fought bravely. You kept your honor." Paddamill frowned when she saw him reach for an arrow so he could pull it out. She was about to tell him no when Boromir did it for her.

"Leave it! It is over. The world of men will fall. And all will come to darkness. My city to ruin."

"I do not know what strength is in my blood. But I swear to you, I will not let the White City fall. Nor our people fail." Paddamill stepped out behind the tree.

"Our people. Our people." Boromir said holding his hand that gave him his sword. Paddamill looked to see a breathless Gimli and a saddened Legolas. Her eyes stung with tears as she watched the horrible scene.

"I would have followed you, my brother. My Captain. My king." Paddamill watched his face go blank. He was gone. Aragorn frowned feeling his own tears coming. He leaned down and kissed his forehead. "Be at peace, son of Gondor."

Paddamill frowned "No." She whispered lowly falling hopelessly to the ground. "No..." she said again allowing her tears to freely fall. Aragorn looked over to see Legolas and Gimli stride over to them.

"We could have done nothing." Aragorn said looking back to him. He looked at Paddamill who rubbed his cheek. "They will look for his coming from the White Tower. But he will not return." Aragorn whispered. Paddamill looked up at him then back to Boromir. She frowned and closed her eyes tightly. She sobbed as she gave him a kiss on the cheek and whispered into his ear. Aragorn watched her momentarily. When she leaned back up he decided to speak.

"Come. We must give him a burial." He gave Paddamill a glance that felt as though he should have done something. That it was maybe his fault. She had told him two nights before and he knew about it yet he did nothing. She felt Legolas standing next to her. She didn't want to look up to find him frowning at his dead body. So she quickly sniffed obeying Aragorn's orders and walked away.

"Frodo!" Sam ran down onto the shore seeing Frodo in a boat. He held the ring in his hand knowing he had told Gandalf he wished the ring had never come to him. He cried remembering Gandalf and knowing his life could be at stake. "Frodo, no! Frodo! Mr. Frodo!" Sam screamed to him as he ran into the water. Frodo frowned speaking softly

"No Sam." He heard him in the water he turned to see him "Go back, Sam. I'm going to Mordor alone."

"Of course you are! And I'm coming with you!"

"No Sam! You can't swim!" Suddenly Sam went under water. He realized this from Paddamill's touch. 'When the time comes, you will know what to do.' Her voice strong in his mind.

"SAM!" He screamed quickly rowing to him. After a moment his hand gripped his arm. He pulled him onto the boat seeing him soaking wet and panting.

"I made a promise, Mr. Frodo! A promise: 'Don't you leave him Samwise Gamgee.' And I don't mean to. I don't mean to." Frodo frowned then hugged him tightly glad he was alive.

"Oh Sam. Come on, then." He said handing him an oar. The two smiled at one another then set sail.


Paddamill stood on shore watching the boat containing the body of Boromir leave off into the distance. "Hurry! Frodo and Sam have reached the Eastern shore!" Legolas called out as he pushed a boat out into the water. Aragorn stood strong not moving along with Paddamill. He frowned and walked over to them. "You mean not to follow them?"

"Frodo's fate is no longer in our hands." Gimli looked up at him and grunted

"Then it has all been in vain. The Fellowship has failed." Paddamill shook her head, glancing down at him.

"No. It has not. We have simply scattered." Gimli frowned as Aragorn walked over towards them

"Paddamill is right. We have not been broken. Not if we hold true to each other." He looked at the three faces that stood in a circle. "We will not abandon Merry and Pippin to torment and death. Not while we have strength left. Leave all that can be spared behind. We travel light." Paddamill smiled looking across at Gimli

"Let's hunt some orc!" She said watching his face turn with excitement

"YES!" He called out. Legolas grinned along with Aragorn.

Frodo and Sam had made it to the Eastern shore and all the way to Mordor. Their hearts heavy with fright. The fire and the tower showed no remorse for peace nor did it show signs of life beyond evil. "Mordor..." Frodo said sighing "I hope the others find a safer road." Sam tilted his head and looked at the side of his face.

"Strider will look after them."

"I don't suppose we'll ever see them again." Sam sighed looking back towards Mordor.

"We may yet Frodo. We May." Frodo looked over his shoulder to see him

"Sam..." he smiled "I'm glad you are with me." Sam smiled back and squeezed his shoulder

"Me too Frodo. Me too." They both looked forward and began to head down the rocky mountain to do their task.