Chapter28

The next day dawned grey and cold. We prepared to leave Lorien hastily. Our things were packed, and we were given lembas and elven cloaks. Then, as we bid the fairness and beauty of the trees behind, we walked to the river and looked upon the slim and silver boats.

When we were deciding the groups, Sam looked about in disdain, and fretted at the sight of the deep water.

"It's alright Sam." I offered. "These boats, for all their slenderness, have been crafted well. They will not let you fall out. As will our companions, I daresay." I finished lightly.

I was nervous myself, truth be told. Seeing as I have never been a strong swimmer, and doubting strongly that this skill had improved with me new change of being.

"Uh...how are we going to do this exactly?" I asked. There were nine of us now, and only three boats. I looked at the rest of the fellowship.

"I will take Merry and Pippin." Said Boromir, looking around for agreement. No one argued.

"And Frodo and Sam shall ride with me in the next boat." Said Aragorn glancing at me in particular.

"Which leaves Legolas, Gimli and myself in the last boat." I finished with an unsteady grin.

The two of them looked at each other and shrugged. They were happy enough with each other's company, having become fast friends; and looked on at me like I would be no trouble at all.

I smiled, and we boarded. Some of us experienced, and at ease, and others with a certain air of panic about them. Sam's eyes darted around with flurried motions, while I convinced the muscles in my face not to twitch any more than was necessary.

We rode in the elven crafts for a time, until we were bidden to shore to say farewell to our hosts. We ate a beautiful meal, and afterwards Galadriel bestowed her gifts upon us.

Aragorn got a scabbard, Boromir a belt, Legolas and I, a bow and quiver of arrows; the tweens sword belts Frodo his phial, and Gimli, blushing, his lock of hair.

I stood there numbly (though still smiling), holding my bow, disappointed, but not knowing why. 'That is not all.' The words shot off in my mind, and echoed there. 'Reach into the quiver.'

I did as I was told, and smiled at the tingling feeling in my mind from Galadriel's words. My fingers felt something smooth, I pulled it out, and found a cloudy white stone, embedded in silver, on a silver chain.

I gasped. 'Its beautiful.' I mind spoke.

She smiled at me from across the clearing. 'I know. But beauty is not its only quality. It will fade into blackness when a lie is uttered within your hearing.'

I smiled back at her. 'Of course it would have to be useful, it wouldn't have come from the elves other wise, right?'

'Yes.'

I nodded at her, I suppose she could afford to be smug. I slipped the chain over my head, and hid the pendent beneath my clothes. 'I will be careful with it.'

'I know you will. It will also blacken when you lie as well.' She answered. And that was all. We left Lothlorien without another word, spoken or otherwise...

OOO

We were settled to camp for the night, (Too bad that would never be the case) the hobbits, all except for Merry, uttering sighs of relief. Frodo looked hassled and worried, and soon got up and left us, letting his weary feet wonder, as his mind accompanied them.

Boromir had watched him go, with eyes hungry, like a preying fox. I ached to do something about it, but things had to come to pass as they were meant to. I had learned that lesson from the kracken, cave troll, and orcs, quite well. I should say.

"Damn this foolishness, when grown men shall act like children." I said under my breath, meaning Boromir. I must have said it louder than I thought, for Pippin answered,

"I resent being referred to as a child." He crossed his arms over his chest, and the company was mirthful.

I smiled, and leaned back against the rock, waiting for my doom. I decided that I was going to stick with the tweens. It was between that, and staying with Aragorn and them. "Pippin, you are such a goof." I said as I drifted into uneasy dreams.

My hand shifted to my bow, as if I was just twitching, from a will not my own...

Naught five minutes later, Aragorn noticed that Boromir had gone. He leapt up with renewed energy and went stalking off quietly into the woods.

Legolas looked alarmed, and suddenly was alert as well, "Something draws near, I can feel it." He said, it was not an idle comment, it was the truth.

Suddenly the tweens darted off into the trees with haphazard shots of 'FRODO!' tearing the air. I followed them.

I felt so lost, trailing after them like a puppy. For all the things that I knew, I didn't know what to do then. A call echoed through the woods, and we followed it. I vaguely heard, "Curse you! You will betray us all! A curse on the halflings!"

I knew we were headed wrong, and that Frodo would be gone by the time we reached them, but the tweens and I followed the snatch of words nonetheless...

We followed the call in circles, and found no one. Vaguely in the background you could hear what sounded like thunder off in the distance...but it wasn't thunder, it was the sound of footfalls. Made by many iron-shod feet.

"Orcs!" I hissed, "Hide!" And I jerked them both back by the hoods of their cloaks into the undergrowth. As soon as we were covered a huge company of orcs and Urakhai passed by us, as if on cue.

Pippin looked frightened, and Merry lay with his eyes closed. I still clutched both of their cloaks. I was thinking to myself over and over 'where is Frodo where is Frodo?'

"Stay hidden," I whispered to Merry and Pippin, "They don't have very good eyesight, and should only notice us if we move. Or speak," I said. My body was trembling. And I was having second thoughts about throwing myself at the mercy of these orcs...

Then we heard the leaves rustle, and there was Frodo, leaning against a tree, but feet from our hiding spot. I could have kicked myself for not giving him my lembas bread, or anything that would help him on his journey.

I sought his eyes with my own and held his gaze. He could see that I understood, and looked steadily into my eyes. I felt horrible.

"Frodo!" "Frodo!" "Hide over here!" "Quick!" Said Merry and Pippin. Frodo looked upon his own family, and sadly shook his head. Sorrow was in his eyes.

"What's he doing?" Breathed Pippin, but he well knew exactly what he was doing. "He's leavin'." Said Merry.

The orcs came closer, echoes of "find the halflings," rang in my mind. "Then at least we can give him a chance," said Merry, and with that he burst from the bushes.

"HEY! HEY YOU! OVER HERE!" He hollered at the top of his lungs. Merry looked back to Frodo, "Go Frodo, we'll hold them off."

He swallowed and looked grateful, then sprinted away. "We'll meet again Frodo!" I screamed at his retreating back. And then we ran. The torrent of urakhai seemed all too happy to follow their announced prey.

They were getting closer, and we started to pant. Oh my god, I thought, oh my god. We were running blindly, and I didn't see the hill...I wen tumbling over it, (excuse the language) ass over teakettle.

I reached the bottom covered in leaves, bruised, and with my running momentum gone. The tweens came down swiftly after me, and we pulled out our weapons. I had a dagger, but I readied my bow, and shot at the first orcs I saw.

It was horrible. We hacked and shot mercilessly at them, hands, arms and digits flying and hitting the ground with sickening thumps. 'The shire!' We screamed. 'For Frodo!'

But there were too many of them. They were overwhelming us, getting closer. Then a horn blast tore the air...Boromir. He came flying down the hill, and pushed us behind him. He blew the horn of Gondor several more times, then took out his sword and began a mighty onslaught.

He slew many, but there were more, and more and more. He could not kill them all. We stood awestruck, and then suddenly there was an arrow with black fletching, in his shoulder. Someone screamed 'no', and we moved forward and began hacking up more orcs.

Boromir let out a cry, and began to slay more orcs. I thought I heard quiet laughter, but I'll never be sure. Then another arrow sprouted from him. He continued to fight them, the orcs coming at him, determined to break him, and claim their prize...us.

He was shot again in the stomach,and he sank to his knees... The orcs saw their chance, they swooped in and grabbed us, slinging us over their backs. "Boromir!!!!" we screamed in unison.

There were tears in my eyes, and my vision was blurry, but I saw him reach his hand out towards us, saw him shudder in failure.

"No! Boromir, forgive me!" I screamed as I wept openly. He bent his head, and his fingers gently caressed the arrows that were stealing his life from him, slowly, so slowly. Just allowing him to watch as we were carried away, screaming for him. Screaming to be saved.

Letting that knowledge be his last, just haunting him, torturing him. I wept for him, I wept for us. When I read the book, I had been sad. But he had only been a character to me.

Here he was real. This was real. And he just gave away his life for us. I struggled against the orcs embrace. He tightened his hold. I plunged my dagger into his shoulder.

Then I saw a brilliant light, as his fist connected with the back of my head.

Everything faded to blackness.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Author: Thanx for the reviews all! I lurve lurve lurve them! Yay! Please keep them up. I have just finished this chapter, (duh, you knew that) but I'm not updating it until I have the next one done. I'm going to be doing split chapters for a while. You know, Merna's POV, Frodo's, Aragorns, etc.

(Also, as a side note, I will not be updating until I received at least FIVE reviews on a chapter. This is my new rule. And it will stay, unless I am persuaded otherwise.)

Hope you liked!

Also, Thankyou to Crecy..and hey, you think you could email me and tell me how those C-2 thingys work? Pwease and thankyou!

Thanx, Pippinsgal011890

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