6
Things began to fall into a routine as they wandered off on their own as Frodo healed. Merry and Pippin keeping the peace between Sam and Allison with some difficulty. Finally Frodo was up and about, the council convened and the group of friends spied from behind columns. They were unable to hear what was being said, but much shouting ensued. They crept forward. The fellowship was announced. When Legolas' name was called Aragorn fell to his knees. "Damn!!" he roared into the suddenly empty air. Everyone stared at the distraught ranger.
"Wow" Pippin whispered.
The group ran forward and was counted. The quest began.
A distraught Arwen and Aragorn talked in the garden, Allison sat watching on a balcony, she knew she shouldn't be spying, but well...what else did she have to do. Sam was talking to Frodo in Frodo's room, and to her friend's astonishment Sam insisted he lock the door for the talk. Frodo was so damned clueless sometime. Merry and Pippin were getting roaring drunk in the hallway outside their rooms. Allison had been with them until their topic of conversation became dubious.
"Where's Aragorn?" Merry queried.
"With Arwen." Pippin replied
"Do you think they've done it yet?"
"What?"
"You know"
"Oh"
"Well they've been together for years."
"She's got centuries to wait"
"He doesn't"
"Hmm"
"Well elves are supposed to be virgin brides"
"I doubt that"
"I was wondering"
"What?"
"Well they are continually renewed right"
"Well yeah, they don't really get that old"
"Well so they could look 10 and be 100 right"
"I suppose"
"Do you think elvish women's hymens are perpetually renewed?"
"I don't know, what do you think Allison?"
They turned around but Allison was nowhere to be seen, having left early on in the conversation. The hobbits shrugged and staggered off leaving on each others shoulder and tumbling down the stairs only to jump up giggling and continue their search for more beer.
So Allison found herself watching Arwen and Aragorn from the balcony, their soft words easily audible over the gentle rush of falling water. The starlight reflected off their figures, they seemed perfect together.
Aragorn's low murmur broke the silence "I won't leave you"
"You must. I will wait."
"I will always love you, but I may be gone a very long time, perhaps forever. I understand if you don't want to wait."
"I said I would wait and I will. I love only you."
"And I you." "How can I do all that is asked of my without you there?"
"I will always be there."
He tilted her face up to his and they kissed gently.
"Sweet, aren't they?" A voice whispered from directly behind Allison. She stiffened. The lovers in the garden hadn't noticed. She turned slowly. It was Boromir. "Don't you think them sweet?" He asked again. She nodded.
"But now they must part" she added.
"And Legolas" Boromir began.
"Is an asshole" she finished.
"Is a beautiful elf in love with Aragorn who will be for all practical purposes alone with him for the next few years if not the rest of his life."
"Do you want to see Aragorn with Legolas or something?"
"No, in fact I greatly dislike the elf."
"Something against Arwen then"
"No, I bear her no ill will."
"Well what reason do you have to be so vindictive towards Aragorn?"
"He seeks to overtake my kingdom, I can't say that I'm overly fond of him."
She had nothing to say to this so she left, as Boromir remained alone on the balcony, watching the couple with a strange look on his face.
They were all ready to depart the next morning, Merry and Pippin being dragged out of bed the next morning a few hours early with the hopes that the worst of their hangover will have subsided by the time they had to leave. Allison was appointed the one to awake everyone. Gandalf she found smoking and discussing plans with Elrond, she pointed him in the direction of the main hall and he waved her off to find the others. Merry and Pippin were asleep on each others shoulders curled up around each other and a few bottles of particularly strong elfin brew, both leaning against the wall outside their adjoining bedrooms.
She knocked softly on Boromir's door and heard a whispered "enter" from within. He was standing at the window with his back to her, fully dressed and armored. He turned to face her, "don't wake them," he said softly. He then proceeded to grab his pack and depart, leaving Allison horribly confused. That is until she looked at his bed. Half concealed under the cover was an undressed woman, a beautiful elfin blonde. Allison stared. The woman moved fitfully in her sleep, tugging the covers down to reveal a second elfin maid asleep in the bed. Now that she looked closer there was not one, nor two, nor even four but five women asleep, all naked as the day they were born and all amazingly beautiful. One opened her eyes.
"Hi", she said smiling, "you must be number eight!" "Was he as wonderful to you?" All of the women opened their eyes. "Yes, he was wonderful" they chorused.
"This is too creepy" Allison said to herself. "Did he pay you for this?"
"No, In fact we wanted to pay him, but he refused money"
"I need to leave now," Allison said, running out the door. She turned a hallway and leaned against a wall. "Damn!" she said to herself, "no man, and I mean no man, is that good." She walked to the great hall disconcerted. She saw Boromir standing by himself. "Um, Boromir, what the hell was that?"
"Oh. I believe I know what you talking about. However I did not expect you to remain in my room after I had left."
"Well I did and um how did you, I mean what the, oh shit."
He just smiled.
She looked around. Sam and Frodo were there of their own accord. Legolas was preening in a mirror in the corner. Who was she missing? It hit her. Aragorn. Their normally punctual leader was late. She went to his room and found the bed unslept in. She went to Arwen's room to ask after him but found it locked. A quiet whispering came from behind the door. Inside the room Arwen and Aragorn were curled up in bed together, he was whispering his love to her as he kissed down her neck, she making appreciative murmurs. Allison knocked. Aragorn answered the door half dressed. "Erm"she said awkwardly.
"-I see" he closed the in her face gently. He returned fully dressed after about 15 minutes. A smile wide on his face. The smile faded as he and Allison neared the great hall.
"Where were you?" asked Frodo.
Legolas made to reply, "No doubt with his little whor-" His sentence was stopped at Aragorn pushed him to the ground. Boromir smiled over at Aragorn, "Don't bother," he said, "he might like it." Aragorn laughed, showing good humor towards the Gondorian for the first time. Boromir smiled back and Aragorn averted his eyes. Did Strider just blush? Allison wondered to herself. She noticed the rosy cheeks of the other members of the groups, it was a bit cold. "I must be getting paranoid, Aragorn loves Arwen."
They set out, Aragorn remaining stoic. Frodo had yet to talk to Allison. Sam was constantly at his side and every time she waved Sam dragged him off somewhere else. Damn it! That hobbit had to let his watch down sometime. That night after the entire camp fell asleep se crept over to where Frodo was sleeping, Sam slumbering peacefully nearby. She placed a hand over Frodo's mouth and his eyes snapped open. She crooked a finger at him and he stood silently. They walked away from their clearing in silence. Startled to see Aragorn and Boromir awake and talking around the campfire discussing battle tactics, they smiled and waved. Allison and Frodo continued further on into the woods as they heard Aragorn and Boromir continue what sounded like an ongoing debate on the best type of steel reinforcement to use in armor.
Frodo finally dared to speak. "What is with all of the secrecy, why not just talk to me in daylight?"
"I've tried. Sam is rather protective of you."
"What?" Frodo asked incredulously.
"He's in love, enamored, obsessed. With you."
"No!" Frodo said half concerned half laughing, "we're just good friends"
"He doesn't think so"
"You are insane."
"Maybe, but I'm worried. I never get to talk to you anymore. I came here because I didn't want to lose you as a friend and now I nearly lost you for real when you got stabbed and now I'm losing you gradually. It's like I'm not even there to you."
"Erm"
"You don't say anything to me anymore! I don't expect you to really like me but you could at least show some decent concern for another human being. You were nearly killed and I spent every minute by your side. You recovered and didn't let me get near you."
"I-"
"No. You kept away. You were my best friend, my only real friend and I came all this way for you and you just drop me! You- you kissed me, Damn it! And now-"
She stopped. Frodo had done what any panicked male would have done in that situation. He kissed her. She pushed him off and glared at him. Then just as fiercely pulled him back towards her and kissed him back.
When they finally pulled apart for breath he asked, "What just happened."
She blushed. "I'm not quite sure", she said. After some silence she finished "perhaps we should go back to camp"
"Alright" Frodo replied, but instead of walking away he just remained looking at her and pulled her into another kiss. When they stopped they found each other's hands and walked back to camp.
Frodo went back to his place across the clearing and Allison curled up to sleep under a tree over the clearing. Boromir and Aragorn remained the only ones awake. Finally they agreed to disagree. They had finally loosened up to each other and drunk of companionship they began to confide in each other. Aragorn leaned in closer to Boromir sitting across the fire towards him, nearly singeing his hair and recounted his unwillingness to return either to his days as a ranger or to become lord of Gondor, merely wanting to live with Arwen. Even his doubts about being with her, she being an immortal and such. Boromir listened in silence, nodding at the appropriate times. "And what of you?" Aragorn said. "Any love in your life, many? Allison let slip the five very pleased elves she discovered this morning." Boromir smiled slyly. "I confess I am quite curious as to how you managed that. Elves, the women at least, are notoriously difficult to get into bed, much less five of them in one night."
"And you would know this how?" Boromir said. Aragorn laughed.
"No, Arwen is the only one for me"
Boromir smiled wider.
"Do you doubt me?"
Boromir just continued to smile.
"You are one to talk."
"I haven't said anything."
"But you thought it. And who are you. You have five women just last night. Whom in Rivendell have you not slept with?" Aragorn ranted irately.
"You" boromir replied calmly.
"I-um-..." Aragorn blushed a deep red through his tan.
Boromir laughed. "I was just kidding. I haven't slept with anyone in the fellowship, or Arwen, or any number of people. Just a few maidens."
"Five isn't a few!"
"I didn't say five."
"How many?"
"Last night or since we've been here?"
"...." "................" "Last night I suppose"
"Seven"
Aragorn just stared. And stared. And stared some more.
"Good night Lord of Gondor" said Aragorn, going off to sleep. Boromir would take the next watch.
"Good night King of Gondor" he replied. He stared into the fire until Gimli awoke. Legolas would take the last watch. He needed his beauty sleep.
Gandalf took Aragorn aside the next day. "I want you to watch Allison as well as Frodo."
"Sir" Strider protested, "I am certain that she is no danger to him. A distraction certainly, but she would die for that boy."
"It's not that. Allison has a rare gift, she will be more important to this quest then perhaps even I know."
"What are you talking about?"
"She posses the gift of prophesy, though she does not yet realize it yet herself."