Sorry it took so long for me to update. I do hope you all like this chapter. Thank you for reading and thank you for your reviews! As always, let me know what you think!

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Chapter 17: The Elvin City

Boromir ran from the mines, carrying a distraught Frodo. Once the party was outside he sat the small hobbit down and Frodo slowly walked away. Boromir looked off into the distance and trying his best to catch his breath, all the while trying to control his grief over the loss of his friend. Gandalf fell into shadow, taken by a Balrog. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. The battle had been hard, and they were lucky to have lived, but the loss of Gandalf was heavy on the company. Gimli growled and Boromir opened his eyes to see Gimli start to go towards the cave once more. Boromir reached quickly and restrained the grieving dwarf as best he could.

Soon, the dwarf stilled and the weeping of the hobbits echoed off the rocks. "Legolas get them up," Aragorn said as he sheathed his sword. Boromir looked at him pleadingly trying to keep his own grief at bay.

"Give them a moment for pity's sake," Boromir said and Aragorn looked to him.

"By nightfall these hills will be swarming with Orcs! We must reach the woods of Lothlorien. Come, Boromir, Legolas, Gimli, get them up," Aragorn said. Boromir knew he was right, but the hobbits seemed broken. He moved over and helped Legolas get Merry and Pippin up. Pippin sniffed loudly and looked up at him as he helped him stand. Boromir sighed and put his hand on the youngest hobbit's shoulder.

"It'll be alright Pippin," Boromir reassured him, even though he was not certain of that himself. Pippin nodded and soon, the party moved on following Aragorn to Lothlorien, all the while Boromir's mind was racing. If it hadn't been for Aragorn throwing one of his knives at an orc in Balin's tomb he would be dead. He would have left Ellethwen a widow, and if she was with child as his mind kept telling him, he would have left her alone with a child to raise on her own. He owed his life to Aragorn, and somehow he would repay him.

Ellethwen sat in room once again. She felt no comfort now in the hall, and the only safe haven she found was her chamber. Grima, the king's advisor, seemed different. The long looks he gave to Éowyn unsettled both Ellethwen and the woman the looks were intended for. There was a shadow to him, and he frightened Ellethwen, but Éowyn was stronger than Ellethwen for the young woman had a stronger spirit, while Ellethwen was timid and withdrawn.

She sighed as she stitched a small gown for her baby to wear once he was born. She did not know what she was to have, but the week before during one of her many conversations with Éowyn she found herself calling her child a he. So, she assumed that she was to have a son. A happiness filled her at the thought. She would give Boromir a son as a first born and her heart swelled as she rested her hand on her stomach, her sewing forgotten as she sat it on the table next to her. Tears came to her eyes as she slid her hand down her stomach. She closed her eyes and two tears rolled down her cheeks.

"I wish your father knew of you, I wish he would know so he would return to me, to us," she said gently as she opened her eyes and looked at her stomach. "I worry for him. It has been nearly seven months since our parting and I have not heard from him, but I would know if he was dead. I would sense it, but I don't." She looked up and rested her head against the back of the chair. She raised her other hand and wiped away her tears, trying to calm herself. Another thing she noticed was her emotions were wild and she would cry easily and without cause, but there was cause that time. Boromir was gone, he did not know of their child, and she didn't know when she would see him again.

The trees of Lothlorien were unlike any Boromir had ever seen and the day's long journey with the elves of Lothlorien as their guides seemed slow, but peace filled. However, as they stopped at the top of a hill, in the distance stood even larger trees in a cluster and Boromir's eyes widened. "Caras Galadhon...the heart of Elvendom on earth. Realm of the Lord Celeborn and of Galadriel, Lady of Light," Haldir, their guide and border guard of Lothlorien, said with a wistful smile on his face.

"Amazing," Boromir said under his breath and the group made their way towards the great city all the while Boromir's stomach in a knot at what laid ahead of them.

Once they entered the gates of the city, it seemed that time slowed till it was almost still. The city seemed to glow on its own accord but the sunlight could be seen peeking ever so gently through the thick tree tops. The trees themselves were wonders to Boromir's eyes. Their trunks were as large as the finest homes in all of Gondor, and they were taller than even the highest tower in Minas Tirith.

"Follow me," Haldir said as he led them to a staircase, one that seemed to never end. Thankfully Boromir was used to climbing and they did not affect him as much as they seemed to the hobbits. Soon they reached a balcony of sorts and on the balcony sat a large building above on another platform that was reached by another set of stairs, and Boromir's eyes widened even further when two glowing elves made their way down the stairs.

They were both tall and fair, but the female elf was beautiful beyond any other female elf he had ever seen, her hair the color of gold and piercing blue eyes. Boromir assumed them to be Lord Celeborn and Lady Galadriel.

"The Enemy knows you have entered here. What hope you had in secrecy is now gone. Eight there are here, yet nine there were, set out from Rivendell. Tell me, where is Gandalf?" Celeborn asked and the company's eyes turned downward except for Aragorn who looked to the lady. "For I much desire to speak with him...I can no longer see him from afar."

"Gandalf the Grey did not pass the borders of this land," Galadriel said. "He has fallen into shadow," she finished sadly and Aragorn nodded his head. Boromir looked up at the pair, it was almost as if he could feel a great power emanating from the lady, but he was not sure.

"He was taken by both Shadow and Flame: a Balrog of Morgoth," Legolas said. The grief in Celeborn's face was evident as was the sorrow in Galadriel's eyes. "For we went needlessly into the net of Moria." Galadriel looked to him.

"Needless were none of the deeds of Gandalf in life. We do not yet know his whole purpose. Do not let the great emptiness of Khazad-dûm fill your heart, Gimli, son of Glóin," Galadriel said as she looked to the dwarf. Her eyes then turned to Boromir who met her gaze. "Your fate has changed," her voice echoed in his mind and he frowned. "The fall of Gondor at the hands of your father happens now as you stand before me, but your heart does not hold that above all any longer." Boromir wanted to turn his eyes away but could not find the strength to do so. "She gives you a reason to remain free of the dark power that pulls at your heart. There is another reason, one you know not yet for certain but hope . . . hope is a very powerful thing Boromir son of Denethor." Her voice left him and her eyes moved away from him and onto other members of the company. It seemed as though the conversation had continued outside of the Lady's words in his mind and Lord Celeborn stood looking at them grimly.

"What now becomes of this Fellowship? Without Gandalf, hope is lost," Celeborn said.

"The quest stands upon the edge of a knife. Stray but a little and it will fail to the ruin of all," Galadriel said glancing at Boromir but he stood strong. "Yet hope remains while the company is true. Do not let your hearts be troubled. Go now and rest for you are weary with sorrow and much toil. Tonight you will sleep in peace."

With bows of their heads the company turned and was led away to the forest floor and to a area of trees where the roots grew from the ground and provided shelter for their sleep. The elves had given them soft sofas to sleep on under the trees and pillows to rest their weary heads.

Boromir moved to his resting place and sat his shield and pack down. For the first time in a long time he undid his belt that held his sword and rested it against his shield. The Elvin voices around him sang sadly and he did not need to ask what they sang for. The tone of their voices said it all to well. They sang for the fallen wizard. Boromir walked from his bed and sat on a tree root near a small stream that flowed through the city. He looked to the hobbits and then looked to Frodo who seemed even more lost then the rest of them. He sighed and looked away. He knew he could not do what the hobbit was doing. The ring was too powerful a thing.

It was true Boromir had felt the pull of the ring, but Ellethwen's words at their parting all those months ago and the words of her voice that sounded in his mind kept him from the dark madness that threatened to consume him. Her words kept him from the call of the ring. He wanted nothing more than to see Gondor restored to its former glory, but he would not lose the one thing he treasured more than his own life. He would not lose Ellethwen to the shadow that threatened the world around them. He would do all he could to see the ring destroyed, no matter what promise the small piece of gold made him. He would not heed its lies.

He would not give in, and he would see his wife again and maybe he would see his child, for the Lady Galadriel confirmed in his mind his suspicion. If Ellethwen indeed was with child, then he had two reasons to fight. He could not let himself find such happiness only to lose it to such a small thing.