Boromir awoke to a quiet chuckle. Without opening his eyes he instantly knew that dawn would soon be breaking and he also knew that not many members of the fellowship would be awake. But someone obviously was, because someone had chuckled.
Cracking his eyes open slightly he saw Aragorn, well the silhouette of him, quietly smoking his pipe. He was the only one awake, therefore he had to of been the one who had chuckled, but at what? Aragorn's eyes met his, and Boromir saw the shock in them, he obviously hadn't thought anyone else was awake.
Managing to prop himself up on one elbow, without disturbing Merry and Pippin, he took another look at the man and then glanced around the cave. Frodo and Sam were huddled together and Legolas and Gimli seemed to have put as much distance between themselves as they could. Boromir knew that elves and dwarfs didn't get on and the petty bickering between Legolas and Gimli was slowly driving him insane. At other times though, it was laughable. The two could and would argue over just about anything and start up arguments at any time, even in the most tense of situations. Yet each brought there own special qualities to the fellowship.
Turning his gaze back to Aragorn, Boromir found the man studying himself, Merry and Pippin and this made him feel slightly uncomfortable, as if he was being tested and he didn't know if he would pass that test. The ranger and future King of Gondor offered the Steward of Gondor's oldest son a small smile. "They're beginning to look up to you as if you're their older brother or something," he said with a small laugh.
"Hmm. . ." Boromir agreed without words, looking down at the two curly heads still asleep on his chest. "Maybe they are."
"You tried to keep your distance at first though, from all of us. Don't think I didn't notice. Don't think of me as a threat to your place in Gondor, Boromir," Aragorn told him.
"I do not think of you as a threat. Forget what you have heard about me, I do not want to be Steward of Gondor. My father wants me to be a great ruler. I, however, just want our people to be happy. My Father's rule is failing and he looks to me to put it right, but I don't know how. Our people lose faith and me and Faramir do our best, but we are only the Captains of Guards, there is little we can do to inspire hope and faith in our people. Gondor is weak, we cannot hold out against the power of Mordor much longer. And now Saruman is a threat. He will attack Rohan, it is nearest to Isengard. Either way the fight will come to men on both fronts. Gondor needs you, please do not abandon her." Boromir told Aragorn. He wasn't entirely sure where that little speech had come from, but he just felt like he needed to say it now that he had done, and he hoped he wouldn't regret it.
Aragorn sat, slightly stunned at what he had just heard. "You do not see me as a threat then?"
"No, I see you as Gondor's only hope. You can once more inspire our people, your people," Boromir told him, truthfully, seeing honesty as the only way to go in this situation.
"Then why keep your distance, why this cold indifference?" Aragorn was confused, yet he could see the day when he and Boromir would fight alongside each other for what they both believed in.
Now Boromir was not sure of how much information to reveal, he needed to think fast and come up with a decent explanation that wasn't actually the truth. "My Father," Boromir told him and then went on to explain at Aragorn's puzzled look. "He does not believe our people are despairing. He believes he can put things right and that me and Faramir can handle our people and our army. But the men lose hope and now I'm away, and Faramir is also out in the wild, scouting out, and attempting to strengthen our defences. Wild men arrive at Mordor everyday. He's building an Army, and Gondor does not have the power to repel him, he will strike soon."
"Things are that bad then?"
"Yes, I went to Rivendell seeking out Council from Gandalf, for my father will no longer listen to my brother and I. Something is wrong, me and Faramir have no say in how our Father rules, yet he looks to us to do his bidding. With both of us now out in the wild, I worry about my home."
"Do not despair," Aragorn told him. "We will not see the white city fall, there will be help."
Boromir graced Aragorn with a smile and turned his attention to the mouth of the cave, where a pinkish haze was starting to glow, to try and hide how uncomfortable he was feeling, he had just revealed a lot of personal things to a virtual stranger and was rather shocked at himself for doing so. He hoped he would not regret it.
The sun was rising, yet Boromir knew that it would offer little warm once they started up the cruel slopes of Caradhras.
Shifting slightly, Boromir felt one hobbit on his chest move, then the other. Judging from the look on Aragorn's face he had no idea that the hobbits were now awake. Merry and Pippin obviously thought that Boromir had no idea either and were quite obviously planning to do some eavesdropping.
"I know you're awake, you two," Boromir told them. "I can feel you moving about, so there's no point pretending otherwise."
With a groan both hobbits moved and sat up, which in turn allowed Boromir to shift about. He stood up and stretched and then sat back down, this time next to Aragorn.
Once Boromir was settled again, Pippin stood and walked over to him and settled himself down in his lap. Merry giggled and still having Boromir's cloak he walked towards them with it wrapped round his shoulders, creating a slightly comical appearance because it completely drowned him out. Boromir and Aragorn stifled chuckles and Merry also settled himself in Boromir's lap, wrapping the cloak around himself and his cousin.
Ever the braver, or maybe more foolhardy, of the two, Pippin reached out and tugged Aragorn towards them, so that he and Boromir were sat with their shoulders pressed together. Merry and Pippin made themselves comfortable in the Boromir's lap, feeling content, safe and warm.
Boromir and Aragorn shared a look and chuckled slightly, together.
"What?" Pippin asked, looking up from where he was sat.
"Nothing," Aragorn told him.
"You do realise, right, that you're not going to be very warm once we start up today. I'll say that we'll reach the snow line by midday," Boromir reckoned.
"So do I," Aragorn agreed.
"Great, just great," Merry grumbled and snuggled up even more in Boromir's lap.
They all heard a laugh from further back in the cave and looked to see Legolas standing not too far away from them. "I've only got one thing to say," Legolas told them. "And that's, sweet!"
Boromir and Aragorn glared at him. "What's sweet?" asked another voice, which everyone recognised as Gimli's.
"These four," Legolas told him, motioning to where Boromir and Aragorn sat with Merry and Pippin.
Gimli took one look and smiled. "Indeed it is."
This time Merry and Pippin scowled as well. They also didn't appreciate being called sweet. Boromir decided to ease the tension a bit and whispered to Merry, Pippin and Aragorn, "Did we just get an elf and a dwarf who are always arguing to agree with each other?"
Merry and Pippin looked at each other and then dissolved into fits of laughter. Aragorn and Boromir also couldn't help themselves and took one look at Legolas and Gimli before dissolving into laughter themselves.
For their part, Legolas and Gimli looked totally stunned and shared confused looks. What was so funny?
The laughter woke up the three remaining members of the fellowship still asleep and the all got up groggily.
"And what is so funny?" Frodo asked sleepily.
"Haven't a clue," Legolas told him. "But you have to admit that they make quite a cute picture."
Frodo chuckled a bit at this and Aragorn took his chance to make Merry and Pippin dissolve into laughter again. "Did the pretty, graceful elf just call us cute? Is he admitting that he's lost his touch?"
Merry and Pippin looked at him in amazement for a second before once more dissolving into laughter. Boromir and Aragorn couldn't help themselves either; they leaned against each other and just laughed at the stunned look on Legolas and Frodo's faces. And as much as he had wanted to make the hobbits laugh, Aragorn was overjoyed that Boromir was joining in. He had been very open this morning and Aragorn hoped that it would remain that way. He had never heard the man laugh, either.
"I want to know what the joke is," Frodo told them, walking towards them. He settled himself in Aragorn's lap. "So, what's so funny?" he demanded.
Pippin looked at him and then still sniggering he told him. "First we got an elf and a dwarf to agree on something without them realising it, which is a pretty big task in itself!" Frodo was snickering by now. "And then we got an elf to admit that someone else is cute!"
Frodo also lost it and dissolved into laughter. "I take it you're twisting things ever so slightly?!"
"Only slightly," Aragorn told him with a semi-straight face. "We really managed it!"
The five dissolved into laughter again. Gimli, Sam, Legolas and Gandalf all looked at them like they had gone crazy or had suddenly sprouted an extra head or something.
Sam shook his head to clear it and began to get his pack ready. Gimli and Gandalf followed suit. Now Legolas shook his head. "If the children would grow up, they would realise that the rest of the group is getting ready to leave," he told the two men and three hobbits before turning his back on them and going towards his own pack.
"Well, yes sir!" Boromir muttered before standing and dragging Merry and Pippin to their feet with him. The hobbits shared a giggle before heading towards there own packs as well. Boromir pulled an extra tunic over the one he slept in before pulling his outer tunic on. He knew that it was going to be cold once they got out into the mountain air.
Boromir had to be careful. He couldn't let any of the fellowship see his back as well as his arms for the scars, which decorated his skin. Some of the ones on his back had been done my Faramir and meant something special to him. But others had been inflicted on him by his Father, and those ones he hated, but he did not want to explain how he got any of them to anyone.
Thinking of how he would have to be careful, Boromir retreated back into himself, his cold mask of indifference slipping back into place.
Everyone noticed this, but no one commented on it. A worried frown appeared on Aragorn's face as he studied the Steward of Gondor's oldest son, thinking about all that had been said in the pre-dawn hours and how he had hoped that Boromir would be a bit more open with him now. Merry and Pippin shared a slightly disappointed look but knew better than to pester Boromir. They still hadn't forgotten the story he had told them last night, and they hoped that he wasn't reliving some other time from his childhood.
Boromir wasn't, he was merely reflecting on the dangers of getting too close to the rest of the fellowship. Already it was starting, he could feel himself getting close to the other members.
And they were getting close to him. He noticed the look Legolas gave him when he didn't eat any food that morning. He gave the elf a look, which clearly stated, 'don't even try to get me to eat!' and Legolas hadn't, he didn't want to face Boromir when he was in that mood.
Cursing his father, Boromir swung his pack up onto his back. Despite the fact he had retreated into himself a good deal, Boromir still helped Merry and Pippin get their packs on.
With his father still in his mind, Boromir's thought's turned to the conversation that he had had with Aragorn that morning, as dawn was breaking. What he'd told Aragorn was true, it just wasn't the complete story. His father was a ruthless man, Boromir knew this. He had supposedly raised him since he was seven when his mother had died. Boromir knew that he hadn't had much of an upbringing. He and Faramir had practically brought themselves up since their mother had died. They had cared for and looked out for each other.
When Boromir had told Aragorn that his brother was scouting out locations and checking what was going on around Gondor's borders, well that was true, but Faramir was also scouting out locations because he didn't want to stay in Minas Tirith alone without Boromir and with only their father. Both he and Boromir believed that they were stronger together, especially against their father. They needed each other's support when they faced him.
The walking began again and the fellowship headed up the steep slopes that were the beginning of Mount Caradhras. Keeping his head down, Boromir didn't notice that Pippin had slipped back to join him at the rear of the group since he was acting as rearguard once again. He only knew of the hobbit's presence when a small hand slipped into his larger one. Boromir looked down to see which hobbit it was, Merry or Pippin, and noticed that Pip looked upset.
"What's wrong?" Boromir asked him, instantly concerned. Pip just looked at him with sorrowful eyes and threw his arms around Boromir's waist, holding to him in a death grip, as if he was never going to let go. It was at this moment that Aragorn turned around from his place behind Gandalf at the head to see if everyone was with them. He let Legolas, Gimli and the other hobbits pass him so that he was at the back near Boromir and Pippin.
By this time Boromir had bent down and Pippin had put his arms around the man's neck. "Come on now, tell me what's wrong," Boromir whispered in the hobbits ear whilst picking him up with ease.
"It's just you retreated into your own thoughts so fast," Pippin started, whispering in Boromir's ear, so that Aragorn couldn't hear.
Boromir started walking again, so that they didn't lose the rest of the fellowship, with Pippin still tucked securely in his arms. "I'm sorry, I do that at times. Don't worry about me, I'll be fine."
"Somewhere in my heart I know that," Pippin told him, his breath warming and tickling Boromir's ear. "But I just kept thinking about that story you told me and Merry last night. Did your father really do that to you?" he asked for a confirmation, turning his head so that both Boromir and Aragorn, who was walking next to them could see his face and the tears that were in his eyes.
"Aye, he did do that," Boromir answered, loud enough so that Aragorn could hear. "But I got over that a long time ago, don't worry about things that happen a long time ago. At the moment, concern yourself with the present," Boromir told the youngest member of the fellowship.
It was true that Boromir had gotten over the disastrous sword lesson long ago, there had been so many similar events that they all just blurred into one, none of them particularly standing out in his memory. Apart from some of the really horrific events, but he didn't want to think about those.
A slight tug on his hair brought him swiftly back out of his thoughts. He looked down at the hobbit he still held in his arms. "You're doing it again," Pippin told him.
"I know," Boromir told him with a slightly sigh, trying to stop old memories resurfacing, which was often easier said than done. "But next time try to bring me out of my thoughts with a different method than tugging on my hair, ok?" Boromir asked with a hint of a smile, trying to change the subject slightly and lighten the mood. He did not need people worrying about him! They had more important things to be concerned about, namely the quest.
"Nope, it's more fun this way!" Pippin told him, joking on and playing about now that Boromir had a smile on his face. Boromir and Aragorn both laughed at his antics and Boromir made to put Pippin down, an idea which the hobbit objected to and tightened his grip around Boromir's neck.
Laughing, Aragorn helped Boromir prise the hobbit from around his neck. Once on the ground Pippin crossed his arms and glared up at the two men. "No fair!" Boromir simply ruffled his hair, showing a rare moment of affection. Up until now he hadn't been very open, he had always calmly accepted the fact that Merry and Pippin were trying to get close to him, he hadn't shown that he liked the idea, because at first he hadn't and he knew that he was probably putting Merry and Pippin in danger, but he couldn't tell anyone that.
Hearing Boromir and Aragorn's gentle laughter, Frodo dropped back slightly. "What's so funny?" he asked for the third time that day.
"Nothing much at the moment, but just wait until we get to the snow line," Aragorn told the young ring-bearer with a smile.
"Why? What are you up to?" Frodo asked with a grin, and Pippin suddenly looked very eager to know as well.
"I'm going to get back at Legolas for calling me a child earlier, by acting like a child," Aragorn told them with a mysterious grin. Boromir himself cracked a smile, knowing full well what Aragorn was planning, now. It wasn't that difficult to figure out. Seeing Boromir's smile, Aragorn sent a wicked grin over to him. "I think that the fellowship's been too serious these past couple of days. We need to loosen up and have some fun around each other. Agreed?"
"Agreed!" Frodo and Pippin chorused.
"Boromir?" Aragorn asked.
Boromir sent Aragorn and wicked grin back, enjoying the moment of camaraderie with his fellow man. "Count me in!" He then paused for a moment. "But maybe we should let Merry and Sam in on the plan as well."
"Yeah, good idea!" Pippin chorused, eager for his cousin to join in the fun, even though he still did't know what was going on.
Merry and Sam were walking just in front of them, talking about something. "Merry! Sam!" Aragorn hissed. They both turned around and Aragorn put a finger to his lips, telling them to stay silent. He then motioned them to the rest of the group.
"What is it?" Merry asked, instantly sensing a plan because of the look on Pippin's face.
"We're going to get back at Legolas for calling us children by acting like children, ok?" Aragorn asked him. Merry agreed enthusiastically. "And Sam, you can help because you're part of the band of hobbits, ok?" Aragorn asked him.
Sam nodded, giving in to the hopeful looks on Frodo, Merry and Pippin's faces. He couldn't let his friends down.
"But how are we going to do it?" Frodo asked.
"Don't tell me that you've never been in a snowball fight!" Aragorn told them.
"A what?" Merry asked. "I mean we sometimes get snow in the Shire but I've never heard of a snowball fight."
Aragorn smiled. "Well the concept is quite simple," the hobbits were told. "Normally there are two teams, or just free for all. In this case it's all of us against Legolas. What you do is you pick up a handful of snow and pack it up into a ball. There you have it, a snowball. Then, you throw it at the other team. Although if it's free for all, you just throw it at anyone," Aragorn told them with a grin. "They're normally aren't any winners, everyone just has a good time and everyone ends up completely soaked in snow."
The hobbits broke into grins, even Sam. "Cool," Pippin voiced.
Looking ahead, Boromir could see the snowline, not too far ahead. "And within the next hour or so, we will reach the snowline," Boromir told them all, pointing up ahead.
"Don't quicken your pace," Aragorn instructed. "Save your energy for the fight."
About an hour later the fellowship reached the snow line and the hobbits broke into wicked grins. Aragorn and Boromir shared a small smile. This was going to be good. They got the hobbits to begin to lag behind, so that the other three members of the group would notice them.
Presently enough, Legolas turned around to see how the others were doing and saw that a little way back the two men and the four hobbits had there heads ducked together, as if they were planning something, which they were.
"Come on! What are you doing?" Legolas called to them, causing Gandalf and Gimli to turn and look as well.
Merry got an even bigger grin on his face and called out, "Why don't you just leave us 'children' alone?"
"Well, you were acting like children," Legolas told them and turned back around.
The look on Gandalf's face told them that he obviously suspected that something was up.
"Oh, you want us to act like children?" Sam and Frodo chorused together.
"Now that wasn't what I said!" Legolas told them, turning back round.
"Go!" Boromir and Aragorn hissed and the hobbits let the snowballs fly. The look on Legolas' face was priceless and Boromir and Aragorn doubled over with laughter. Gimli also sniggered at seeing the elf get attacked.
"Why you!" Legolas bent and grabbed two handfuls of snow and threw one at the hobbits and the other at Gimli. The hobbits, Boromir and Aragorn instantly re-armed themselves and threw them back.
Laughter soon rang out in the small clearing and it became free for all, with everyone attacking each other. Gandalf alone did not join in, but lit a small fire in a sheltered spot, so that the younger members of the fellowship could warm up once they had finished playing.
Boromir would happily admit that he was having fun and he could also remember the times when they got snow in Gondor. He and Faramir would always sneak out to a quiet part of the gardens which nobody used but them and have a snowball fight and make a snowman and snow angels, where they fell over backwards into the snow and moved there arms and legs so that when they stood up it looked like an angel.
Presently the fight came to an end and the fellowship moved gratefully into the warmth of the fire which Gandalf had lit.
All of the fellowship ate well, which caused Legolas to smile in relief at Boromir, who simply rolled his eyes at him.
All to soon though the fellowship were in dry clothes, Boromir did not remove his under tunic for it had not got wet, and even if it had he would still of left it on and they once more set out up the slopes.
The snow was getting deeper now and Boromir knew soon that the hobbits would start to struggle. For now though the hobbits were laughing at Legolas who could walk on the snow since he was a graceful elf.
Boromir hoped that Faramir was having as much luck as he was, although he wasn't as worried about his brother as much as he would have been if he knew that Faramir had staying in Minas Tirith with their Father. But Faramir was out in the wild as he was, they were both safely away from home and his heart was lighter than it had been for a long time.