Shield and Sword

Chapter Three

Lea of Mirkwood

Disclaimer still applies.

A/N: Spot the terrible pun!

A/N2: Yes, this is the scene in the Extended DVD. I know this is based on the books, but I think it's just too perfect of a scene to pass up. The interaction and the mood is just perfect for this scene.

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The boats made a gritty crunching noise when the prow was dragged up on the beach. Boromir shifted his grip on the rim of the wooden side and gave another heave. His nightmares had been getting worse. The last night he had needed to walk away from the company to get back his composure. Now, it seemed that the farther he journeyed from Lothlórien, the worse they got. Now they were coming during the day now, at times. He would look down at his chest and see a shiny redness for a split second.

"Boromir!" said Aragorn sharply. Boromir's head snapped up quickly.

"Yes?" he replied, then realizing he had been standing dumbly by the boat, staring at the oars. Chastened, he turned back and walked over to the camp. Within a matter of moments, the company was settled as the sun lowered beneath the horizon. Boromir sat down heavily on a log nearby. The night grew dark, and all around him the moon shone little. It was as if he was under a blanket of clouds, and the only thing he felt was the misty fog. He did not know how long he sat there, but he did know that after a time he heard something other than the gentle lapping of the waves on the shore. Boromir stood up, his heavy boots making little noise on the rough, gravelly beach. He peered around the edge of a rock and looked out at the River. Near the opposite shore he watched an innocent looking log drift along. But it was going faster than the current. Just as he was wondering about logs and their drift speed, he saw a long arm reach out and paddle at the water, and two lamplike eyes glinted in the moonlight. Boromir watched in fascination.

"Gollum. He has tracked us since Moria. I had hoped we would lose him on the River, but he is too clever a waterman," said Aragorn unexpectedly from behind the Captain. Boromir cocked his head and stared closely at the log, now bumping innocuously against the opposite bank. It looked like nothing was there. Suspicion filled his heart.

"And if he leads the enemy to our whereabouts, it will make the crossing even more dangerous."

Behind him he heard Frodo and Sam arguing about something, but Boromir wasn't thinking about them. His thoughts were concerning Gondor, and Gollum. He turned away from the River and walked quietly over to Aragorn.

"Minas Tirith is the safer road," he said in a low voice, making the Ranger turn in surprise. "You know that. From there we can regroup!"

Aragorn was looking at him with a look of pity and contempt, which Boromir could not abide. His voice grew a note more desperate.

"Strike out to Mordor from a place of strength!"

"There is no strength in Gondor that can avail us," replied the other with perfect calm. Boromir felt hot fury rise in him, and his calm left him.

"You were quick enough to trust the Elves!" he shot back. Shock clouded his voice. "Have you so little faith in your own people? Yes, there is weakness, there is frailty, there is courage also and honor to be found in men! But you will not see that!"

Aragorn sighed and turned away from him. It was more than Boromir could bear. He grabbed Aragorn's arm and whirled him around, fisting the front of his tunic in his hand.

"You are afraid!" he growled. "All your life, you're hiding in the shadows, scared of who you are, of what you are!"

Aragorn looked in Boromir's grey eyes silently, and turned away again. This time Boromir did not try to stop him. But then Aragorn turned back to him and leaned close.

"I would not lead the Ring within a hundred leagues of your city," he spat.

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Boromir was sulking.

They were rowing along the River again, and he was sulking. He didn't really mean to be overtly sulking, but Pippin had pointed it out to him quite cheekily a few moments before. So apparently he was sulking obviously. He shot another glare over at Aragorn's boat. The heir of Isildur was rowing along calmly. Always calm, always serene. It was annoying. So he was sulking.

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No, sorry. No dark reminders of Boromir's death here. I thought this scene was just perfect when they put it in the extended, and I love how they just cut right to a scene of Boromir sulking.

Yes, I did write this in a teeny little window next to a RealPlayer window playing this scene. Don't accuse me of inaccuracy!