DISCLAIMER – I don't own any of Tolkien's characters or Middle Earth place names etc

Ylfronir leant on the ship's rail, relishing the breeze playing on his skin. Nathradril and Legolas were sitting by the mast, whittling arrows by the dawn light. They were deep in conversation about the adventures leading up to their current situation. He couldn't help hearing the odd sentence…

'So the Corsairs fled! That must have been some rout…'

'…Yes, the Army of the Dead was quite a sight to behold...'

'…And you took the ships?'

'…Yes, Aragorn set each under the command of a Dunedain captain. Oh, and Elrohir and Elladan…

'…Elrond's sons! Are they here?'

'Yes, they joined us with the Dunedain...'

'…and was that before or after the Battle at Helm's Deep?'

'After, they…'…

…Someone laid a hand on his shoulder. He spun around, guiltily, to find himself face to face with Aragorn

'I…uh…' he stuttered,

'Calm down, Ylfronir,' he said, 'you are among friends here…' though when he met his gaze, Ylfronir thought he saw a hint of a question. Aragorn continued,

'Celidel's woken up.'

'Yes? How is he?'

'He's doing well…But…he…said some things about you...'

'…that I was in league with the orcs? I did explain last night how…'

'How it all happened. Of course. And I do believe you. But I did wonder…'

'…yes?'

'You do realise where we are going?'

'Where we are going…'

'We are going to defend Minastirith from Sauron's hordes.'

'Yes, well, I…'

'And at a time like this, I cannot afford to suffer those who haven't decided what side they are on.'

'Now hang on a minute!'

'I have one purpose, Ylfronir. The defence of the White City. I can spare no energy for anything else. No energy to protect you,'

'I don't need protection!'

'Either you fight for yourself or someone will need to protect you. There is no alternative here.'

'I can and I will fight!'

'You will kill orcs? From your story last night, it seemed as though…'

'Druluk betrayed me. Jorrig took me prisoner. And then handed me over to a Nazgul…I think I can muster up a bit of ill feeling towards orcs now.

'No doubt, but Druluk saved your life once. What would happen if you were to face him on the battlefield?'

'That's not going to happen.'

'But if it did?'

Ylfronir looked the Ranger in the eye.

'Truthfully?' he said

Aragorn stared back levelly, saying

'What else?'

'Truthfully, I have no idea what I'd do if I met him. But he is one orc out of hundreds of thousands. And,' he said, 'I do wish to fight for Middle Earth.'

Aragorn held his gaze for a moment longer, then clasped his arm, declaring,

'And I need all the help I can get.'

He moved to the edge of the boat himself, leant on the rail and stared down into the water,

'Forgive my lack of trust, it is the product of too many losses; too many broken dreams and there being no end to this trial in sight.'

Ylfronir stared hopelessly at his bowed shoulders. Perhaps now was not the time to inquire his opinion on Nathradril's health. He tried desperately to think of something else to say, but the only other topic of conversation which came to mind – asking the heir to the throne of Gondor whether he would consider abdicating in favour of an elected representative of the people – seemed even less appropriate.

'Sorry about Gollum…' he blurted out suddenly

'Excuse me?'

'Letting him, um, escape. That was me…' Ylfronir ploughed on, aware suddenly that Nathradril and Legolas had stopped talking and were listening to them

'I was supposed to guard him, and…'

'Now, Ylfronir,' cut in Legolas, 'you were attacked by orcs, you can hardly blame yourself…'

'That's what I keep telling him,' said Nathradril to Legolas, shrugging. Ylfronir glowered to himself. But Aragorn was staring at the horizon

'Gollum is the least of our concerns right now,' he said.

……………………..

It was impossible to tell day from night in the eternal darkness as the orc ships glided along. Lulled into a stupor by the creaking of the oars, the ceaseless rhythm of the drumbeat keeping them synchronised, and sheer blinding exhaustion, Druluk had no sense of time. He lived from stroke to stroke, existing in the moments between pulling on the oars, those brief seconds when his arms didn't feel as though they were being pulled out of their sockets. Sometimes he wasn't sure if he was moving the oar or he was merely attached to it, and the oar was moving him.

'Halt!' came the hoarsely shouted order. It took several more oarstrokes for him to actually make himself stop, then he basked in the sweet relief of it ending for maybe a full minute before he remembered.

'Are we there?' he asked, 'Have we reached Mordor?

……………………..

Ylfronir tested the weight of the borrowed sword in his hand.

'It's fine,' he said, 'thanks.'

'Just…use it well,' said Aragorn. 'We'll have to see if anyone can lend you a bow.' He turned away, to address Celidel, who was sitting on the deck nearby

'I'm afraid that you will have to remain on board the ship. Under ideal circumstances I would leave a skeleton crew aboard, but I'm afraid that it might have to be just a couple of men to guard you…'

'…I need no guard!' exclaimed Celidel, indignantly

'Celidel,' said Aragorn patiently, 'you can't walk. You can't even stand up…'

'I can fire a bow as well as anyone on this ship! And are you saying you have to be tall to defend yourself?'

'Stubborn, isn't he, muttered Ylfronir. Aragorn merely raised his eyebrows.

'I'm not saying…' he began, slowly

'Was someone suggesting that a smaller size meant less prowess in battle?' Gimli appeared as if from nowhere, a mischievous smile on his face

'It seems that way,' said Celidel, in aggrieved tones

'Aragorn! I'm surprised at you,' said Gimli, pretending to be deeply insulted, 'And after everything we've been through!'

'That wasn't what I was saying!' Aragorn finally snapped, 'I was merely suggesting that Celidel should have a guard if…'

Gimli began to laugh,

'I'm joking, Aragorn! Lighten up!'

The ranger glared at him, and then at Celidel. He took a deep breath, then sighed.

'Do you honestly think you can defend yourself adequately?'

Ylfronir stared at Aragorn in surprise. He had expected him to force Celidel to have someone to protect him – after all, there wasn't much Celidel could do about it.

'I don't like leaving you here,' Aragorn continued, 'but we do need all the men we have. If we lose this battle then…'

His voice trailed off into silence. Ylfronir felt a cold numbness starting to settle in the pit of his stomach. He had known how important this venture was, of course. But somehow he had not quite realised it before. He looked at the sword he held in his hand with new eyes. If we lose this battle, all is lost, he said to himself. He tried to picture what it would be like to thrust the sword into an orc's throat…

'…I see Minastirith!' came a cry from the lookout, 'I can see the white city!'

'If we lose this battle, all is lost,' repeated Ylfronir to himself, overcome by a sense of doom.