Boromir, Thou Shall Live
By Priscilla Stafford
Author's Note: *pmochizuki peeks out from behind computer chair where she's been hiding* I'm sooo terribly sorry for not having updated for so long! The reason is stupid, but I have to mention it. THIS CHAPTER WAS SO HARD TO WRITE! I know, it's stupid, but I really did have an incredibly hard time writing chapter twenty-eight. I've rewritten it a few times hoping to get it right. I don't think this is my best written chapter up to date, but I still hope you like it. It sets some subplots I have in mind in motion.
For those who wanted to read more about Eowyn, she comes out at the end of this chapter. I hope you like it!
Thank you my lovely reviewers, and thanks so much for your patience and kindness in continuing to read my story!
Chapter Twenty-Eight: Dunlendings and the Rohirrim
Bawuer raised his sword as he heard the sounds of horses coming towards where he, Boromir, and the group of Dunlendings were standing. The thieves had not moved at all, though fear and apprehension seemed evident in their faces. As for Boromir, Bawuer saw that the Steward's son had signaled for Maiorama to come to him, ready to flee if there was any danger. Where was that dratted Ebon?
In moments, they were surrounded by the small army of men on horses. They all carried spears and pointed it at those standing on the ground. Bawuer knew that with deadly accuracy, the men on horseback could probably spear them if they made any false moves. Peering through the fading sunlight, Bawuer was finally able to make out the face of the man who led them. With a start, he realized that he knew this man.
"My lord Elfhelm!"
As he heard his name being called out, Elfhelm put his eyes upon Bawuer. By this time, Bawuer had gone up to King Theoden's lieutenant and bowed before him.
"My name is Bawuer, son of Denuer. A faithful and loyal soldier of Rohan I am."
Elfhelm's gaze hardened. "And what would a lone soldier of Rohan being doing keeping company with Dunlendings, sworn enemies of Rohan? Speak up, for this should be indeed an interesting story. Yet I warn you, do not try my patience with lies."
He had been expecting Elfhelm to react this way. Quickly, Bawuer tried to explain the situation. "I am escorting this man to the land of, Gondor." As he turned to look behind him at Boromir, Bawuer was at first afraid if he had said too much, especially the part about traveling to Gondor. Yet Boromir stepped up calmly and inclined his head to Elfhelm.
"What he says is true, my lord," Boromir said quietly. "We were waylaid by these Dunlendings who, I'm afraid, admired our horses and gear too much to let us pass."
There was some silence, as if Elfhelm was weighing the choice of whether to believe them. Bawuer risked glancing at Boromir. The Gondorian warrior's eyes did not leave the Rohirrim Captain's face. He must have realized who exactly Elfhelm was, so he feared not of having his true identity discovered. Elfhelm had long fought at and guarded the Fords of Isen. Bawuer knew that even if the two men had met before, it would have been many years before.
Finally, Elfhelm spoke to the man on his right. "Tell the Dunlendings to surrender their weapons for there will be no escape for them from us."
The soldier nodded, and in the language of the men of Dunland, spoke his lord's words. The Dunlending, who had tried speaking with Boromir, answered back but Bawuer did not understand him.
"He says how will they know they can trust you," the man of Rohan translated. "For Saruman has told them how the men of Rohan are cruel and burn their captives alive."
Bawuer watched in wonder as Elfhelm's eyes became twin blue fires of anger. "Tell him this, and tell him to heed my words: 'Saruman has told you to help him wage war against the men of Rohan. To burn our villages, to kill our people, to loot our wealth. He promises you an abundance of riches. Yet in truth I speak, Saruman has deluded you. Many of your kinsmen who fought against the Horse-lords have received death as the reward for your trust in Saruman. But had you conquered, little better would your wages have been, for Saruman is sly and cunning and wishes not to share his glory and riches.
"'But today you shall learn of the leniency and compassion of the Rohirrim. Instead of repaying each and every death of our kinsmen and comrades with your life, instead of partaking in revenge against the bloodshed you have helped spread, you shall know what mercy is.' Tell him what I said, and still say."
Even though the Dunlendings did not understand the words of Elfhelm, those who understood the Common Tongue were stricken with awe by the powerful words of the captain. Bawuer could not help it; he felt a deep sense of admiration for this man rise within his being. The Rohirrim men were honorable, and Elfhelm showed the true sense of honor the men had.
As soon as Elfhelm's right-hand man finished speaking to the Dunlendings, the captives too were in amazement. Their apparent leader though immediately concealed his surprise. Gravely nodding, saying a few harsh words which may have been commands, he raised his short sword then gently rested it on the ground. One by one, his men followed his actions and laid their weapons down in surrender.
The Rohirrim Lieutenant shouted commands out to his men. "Give them the terms of their release, same as we have given the others. But first question them if there are any more of their comrades hidden up in the hills or out in the plains."
As he had been speaking, Bawuer felt a nudge in the small of his back. More than a little surprised, he turned quickly, making Ebon snort and shy away. Relieved that the black stallion had even come close enough to touch after the ordeal, Bawuer gently reached to grab Ebon's reigns. He would never admit it, but he was thankful that the horse was safe and seemingly uninjured.
"Come here, you big nuisance." Ebon, used to being insulted, only tried to nip the hair on Bawuer's head, making the soldier affectionately hit the horse on the nose. "Not now, Ebon."
Bawuer looked back to see that the large, tall form of Elfhelm had dismounted his horse and had come to walk towards Boromir.
"Your name," Elfhelm asked, his tone serious and commanding.
"Lavlaisi."
"You are heading for Gondor, but from where exactly have you been traveling from?"
Bawuer watched as Boromir's hand clenched almost unnoticeably. "I'm afraid I cannot answer, except that it is imperative I arrive at Minas Tirith with all possible speed."
Elfhelm did not like being left in the dark, yet in Boromir's face was shown an expression of resoluteness, making it clear he was not going to reveal anything more. The Rohirrim lieutenant shook his head. "Stubborn you are, I can see in your eyes. Yet in your eyes I also see truth. So you are free to leave and go on your way."
But before either Boromir or Bawuer could say anything in reply, Elfhelm quieted him by raising his hand, signaling he had more to say. "Yet I urge you to reconsider continuing your journey. Bands of orcs still roam these lands. Few these groups are, but only two of you there are and you will be in grave danger if ambushed. Edoras is open to you if you wish to stay the night."
At this point, Elfhelm moved his gaze back and forth slowly between Boromir and Bawuer. Bawuer knew immediately that the Rohirrim lieutenant was determining who the leader was of the two. Not knowing what else to do, Bawuer allowed himself to look at the Gondorian warrior and saw that the other had his eyebrows furrowed in deep thought.
Finally Boromir looked at Bawuer and spoke more to him than Elfhelm. "We will stay the night and leave early tomorrow." He turned to the large Rohirrim. "We thank you for your hospitality."
Elfhelm nodded, then without a word or a look, spun on his heel and went back to his men, giving orders for his scouts to circle the area.
A flash of frustration flickered across Boromir's face, making Bawuer uncomfortably shift weight from one leg to another. A delay this would cost; a short delay, but a delay nevertheless. But on the other hand, Bawuer was delighted to be able to return to Edoras even for a small time. He knew his family wouldn't be there for they had been evacuated to Dunharrow, but still. It was home. He only wished that this short detour would do nothing to upset the Gondorian warrior.
**********
Boromir was preoccupied as he checked to make sure Maiorama was all right. Elfhelm was still waiting for the scouts to return from searching if any other Dunlendings remained. Bawuer had discovered that one of Elfhelm's soldiers was a person he knew and had left to converse with him. Leaving Boromir to his thoughts.
Thoughts which kept taking him back to the Dunlending.
What had that man seen that had startled him? Curiosity eating away inside of him, Boromir finally determined to talk to the prisoner.
He found that the translator was still talking with the Dunlendings. When the Rohirrim noticed him, at first he looked suspicious. Boromir kept his tone light and friendly, hoping to put the other at ease. "Peace, I am not of the enemy. I only wished to ask of you a favor."
The Rohirrim soldier, an older man who was short of stature, narrowed his eyes. "A favor?"
"I wished to ask if I may speak with one of the prisoners."
"You can speak their tongue," the man asked in surprise.
"That's the other favor."
The soldier's face broke out into a smile. "You are a blunt man, and I liked your bluntness. I am Herefuin, and in a way am I pleased you have approached me. I am having trouble with these Dunlendings and their stubborn leader." Herefuin said the last with a glare of impatience aimed at the Dunlending Boromir had wished to speak with. "They hesitate in agreeing to the terms of their release and I was about to send for Elfhelm for his presence might make them agree quickly."
"What kind of terms?"
"They must make an oath never again to pass the Fords of Isen in arms, nor to march with the enemies of Men; then they may return to their lands."
Boromir shrugged. "Reasonable terms. Why the hesitation?"
At Boromir's question, Herefuin looked at him strangely. "You are the reason. The leader wishes to speak with you before agreeing to any terms. Why, he refuses to say."
Boromir could not speak for the strangeness of the Rohirrim's words. For what reason would these Dunlendings wish to speak with him? He for one had never met the Dunlendings before, and he doubted they should recognize him for who he really was.
Seeing that his silence was making Herefuin suspicious, Boromir spoke calmly and truthfully. "I myself do not know why he would want to speak with me, yet if you feel I could be of some assistance..."
Herefuin jerked his head in Elfhelm's direction. "Lord Elfhelm is busy and wouldn't wish to be disturbed unless it was a matter of the gravest importance. And since you are here, we can fix this up with haste."
Boromir looked down at the Dunlending leader who was sitting cross legged on the ground. On his face was an expression of complete relaxation, as if he was no prisoner but instead in control of the whole situation. Well, two could play the game. Boromir, too, put on one of his expressionless faces.
"Tell him that if he wishes to speak with me, he must come straight to the point or my patience will wear thin." Boromir could just imagine how proud his father would be if he were here to see his son. Boromir thanked his father in his head on these rare occasions where he knew exactly how to deal with these somewhat 'unconventional diplomatic meetings'.
The Dunlending gave Boromir what might have been smile except for the hard glint in his eyes. At his side, Herefuin translated for him.
"He says, 'Then maybe you should learn patience from me, for patiently I have been waiting for you.'"
Forcing himself to remain calm, Boromir refused to show any irritation which he was feeling at the moment. "Why do you wait to speak with me, when the terms of your release are reasonable. The Rohirrim have been kind so far with you, do not overstay your welcome and let their patience wear thin with you."
This time, after the translation was finished, a real hint of humor appeared in the Dunlending's eyes. He gave out a harsh, low chuckle from deep within his throat then spoke rapidly. "'Two hundred and fifty years it has been since the death of Freca, yet the memory is still fresh in the minds of the Dunlendings. Same it is for the Eorlingas whose memory is fresh with mourning for their king of old, Helm. I believe it is time our differences are laid to rest. We agree readily to the terms of the Rohirrim, so long as they too promise to let the Dunlendings live in peace on their borders to the West.'"
When Herefuin was finally finished speaking, the Dunlending again spoke and this time, the Rohirrim translated with wonder and surprise in his voice. "'Yet Calenardhon was a gift from Cirion, and we wonder, Grey Eyes of the Southern Kingdom, how you stand in this matter?'"
For a moment, Boromir thoughts spun out of control. These men knew he was a man of Gondor, that much was for certain. But Boromir couldn't help but feel confused. Why was the Dunlending questioning him about how Boromir stood in the matter of their oaths with the Rohirrim?
The Dunlending must have read the confusion from the Gondorian's face for he gestured for Herefuin to translate again. "'Will your presence in Rohan affect our relationship with the Eorlingas in the future?'"
Not truly understanding the question, Boromir could only say, "My presence will never work towards doing or bringing any trouble with the men of Rohan. Or your people, for that matter."
After Herefuin spoke, the Dunlendings spoke quietly among each other. Finally, their leader stood up slowly so not to startle his captors. "'You speak truth. We are satisfied.'" He looked at Herefuin and nodded his head.
Herefuin gave a small sigh of relief. "They agree to our terms."
But Boromir kept his eyes on the Dunlending leader. The shorter man grunted slightly then pointed to himself. "Gurigunak."
Realizing that the man was giving him his name, Boromir nodded then pointed to himself. "Lavlaisi."
Gurignak furrowed his eyebrows solemnly. He gestured to Herefuin and said a few short words. Herefuin answered back by saying, "Man with Golden Sword." The soldier spoke next to Boromir. "He wants to bestow the title 'Man with Golden Sword' upon you and wished to know how to say it in the common speech."
Meanwhile the Dunlending was mulling over the words. Finally, seemingly pleased, Gurignak bowed to Boromir. "Maan wisu Goludenn Suodo."
Boromir tried not to smile at the terrible accent but instead brought a fisted hand up to his heart and gave a small bow back. "Gourignack."
Gurignak laughed, a sound which turned out to be strangely pleasant. Boromir guessed his own accent must have sounded as atrocious as the other's had.
Feeling a hand upon his shoulder, the Gondorian warrior turn around to see that Bawuer had joined them. At the questioning look the other aimed at him, Boromir shook his head, saying without words that he would explain what had happened later.
Boromir, with a final nod to the Dunlendings, began walking away back to their horses with Bawuer tagging along. He stopped when in the corner of his eye, Boromir caught sight of Herefuin looking at him with a stony expression on his face. Closing his eyes for a brief moment, Boromir remembered clearly the conversation which had taken place between Gurignak and himself, one that wasn't exactly a private one considering neither of them spoke each other's language. He wondered what Herefuin must be thinking of him at the moment.
Boromir for one thing did not wish for the Rohirrim to distrust him for anything. He faced Herefuin and tried to speak but was interrupted. "Lavlaisi, I will ask the same kind of question the Dunlending did. Why exactly are you, not of the Rohirrim, doing in our land? And will your presence here in Rohan pose any threat to us?"
The dark haired warrior shook his head. "Like I said your lieutenant, I cannot reveal the reason of my presence here. Yet one thing I can promise, same as I promised to Gourignack. I will never be party to any threat or harm planned upon your people. On the contrary, I would do everything in my power to aide your land in ridding it from all the evil forces of Middle Earth."
Surprisingly, Herefuin gave his reply by giving Boromir a broad smile. "Just the answer I was looking for. And don't worry, Grey Eyes," Herefuin said with a wink, "None shall know your identity."
With a quick nod of the head, Herefuin left Boromir and Bawuer to walk towards his commanding officer.
"What was that all about?" queried Bawuer. "Does he know that... well, you know."
Grinning, Boromir shook his head. "Nay, he only knows from where I come from." Deciding to change the subject, Boromir indicated Ebon who was standing calmly next to Maiorama a short distance away. "Well, Bawuer. I guess Ebon will be pleased."
Bawuer, knowing exactly what Boromir was talking about, nodded, his lips curving upwards in a smile. "Indeed, my lord. Ebon will be pleased to return home."
Boromir looked at Bawuer thoughtfully. "And you?"
Though a bit hesitant, the captain could see the other was speaking truthfully. "Aye. My family will not be there, but it is still home."
The two men reached their horses and proceeded to pet and stroke the animals. Those looking on chuckled to themselves at the sight of the warriors showing so much affection to their horses.
In the midst of pushing Ebon away to save himself from a nip on the head, Bawuer looked sideways at Boromir. Catching the look, Boromir cocked his head. "What?"
"I was just wondering. Do you mind? I mean, about us heading for Edoras for the night."
Seeing how worried the other looked, Boromir strove to reassure him. "Do not you worry about me, Bawuer. Elfhelm was right, it would be better if we stopped for the night."
Seemingly satisfied, Bawuer returned his attentions to Ebon who had decided he needed more attention.
Boromir on the other hand could only absently rub Maiorama on her nose. Gondor was close, yet so far...
**********
Eowyn refused to acknowledge the cold wind which threatened to blow away the thin cloak she had thrown hastily around her shoulders. She focused her eyes far into the distance, searching for any sign of men coming towards Dunharrow.
It had only been a short while since a messenger from Theoden had arrived, announcing that all had fared well at the battle of Helm's Deep. King Theoden and his sister-son were safe. But much to Eowyn's frustration, the rider did not have much else to say. For one thing, he could not answer the one question foremost on her mind: when will her uncle and his men be returning to Dunharrow?
Patience was never one of Eowyn's strong points. As soon as the messenger had delivered his good yet brief tidings, she had run outside to one of the lookout points. Straining her eyes as far as she could see, she waited.
"My lady?"
The White Lady turned round to see it was one of her maids, Aruellen. A few years older than her lady, Aruellen had permanent worry lines on her forehead. Ruefully, Eowyn knew that most of those worry lines were her fault. She had never been a good example of a gentle woman she was always told to be. Instead she had to admit she was always quite a handful.
"Aruellen, it's cold, you shouldn't be out here at all," Eowyn said with worry, mostly to tease the other woman knowing that was exactly what the lady in waiting was going to say.
Aruellen, never one to look on the humorous side of anything concerning Eowyn, shook her head with a sigh. "My Lady, you must be serious, you can catch your death of a cold."
Eowyn lifted her chin. "I am all right. I am old enough to take care of myself."
Lifting an eyebrow, Aruellen spoke in a dry tone. "Obviously."
Ignoring the other's tone, Eowyn focused her gaze once more out into the distance. "You are dismissed for the day, Aruellen."
Speaking slowly, as if not quite understanding, Aruellen asked, "But, you cannot possibly be waiting for the King and his men to arrive. At the earliest they will be here in the morning and you need to retire for the night..."
"I will be waiting for them." Eowyn sighed from deep within her being, forcing her hand to stop from rubbing her eyes which she knew were dark rimmed with lack of sleep. She whispered softly. "I cannot sleep."
Though she had not meant for Aruellen to hear, the other's next words told her that she had. "I know, my Lady. I know."
Eowyn felt something upon her shoulders and realized that Aruellen had given her lady her own cloak. Aruellen gave Eowyn a gentle look. "You will need the extra warmth, I'm afraid this will be a cold night." Saying thus, the lady in waiting left, leaving Eowyn once more all alone.
All alone. Eowyn allowed herself to think the cynical thought that she was always all alone. Even when surrounded by people, why did she feel all alone? Only her uncle, her brother, and her cousin could ever make her feel like she was home. For home was where the heart was, wasn't it? And her heart could only belong to those three people. She felt tears form in her eyes as she thought that it had now narrowed down from three to only two people. And both were away, leaving her all alone.
But there was the hope of finding someone else who could take the emptiness away. A slight blush rose on her cheeks as she imagined one person who she hoped could be that man.
Why could not Aragorn look at her in the way she wanted him to look upon her? With respect, admiration... love?
At the thought of the word 'love', Eowyn paused. She had never considered herself becoming bonded with another man in marriage. For wasn't marriage a type of bondage? But she could imagine in her mind standing besides Aragorn as king and queen, husband and wife. She knew he would treat as an equal, not as a woman.
The people of Rohan, though they honored and revered their Shield Maidens, still wanted them to lay aside their swords when they marry. For Eowyn, she always hated the thought. If a man really loved her, wouldn't he want her to fight side by side with him instead of staying at home, tending the chores? The thought scared Eowyn, scared her half to death.
As she looked out into the ever descending darkness, Eowyn prayed to the Valar. Prayed that she would find a man who would accept her for who she was. That this man could take away the emptiness in her life and replace it with love.
**********
Author's Note: Ok, ok. I admit it myself, this has not been one of my better chapters. I apologize for those who think this chapter a bit below par from my previous ones. Next chapter will come out better, I promise! Please tell me honestly what you think of this chapter!
Also, if you think the Dunlending part was strange and didn't make sense, never fear, pmochizuki hasn't lost too much of her touch. More will be explained about it in further chapters.
I also apologize for this chapter being a bit short. I decided to publish it as soon as possible instead of making you wait for a longer chapter.
Trivia #1: The accent in which Gurigunak tries to say 'Man with Golden Sword' is the way a Japanese person would try to say it with a bad accent. ^_^
Trivia #2: Can you figure out from what movie the name 'Gurigunak' comes from?
Much love, hugs, thanks, etc., etc., to my wonderful reviewers!:
*Racetrack's Goil* ~ Well, I told you I'd finish this chapter, right? Yeah, the 'blisters on my blisters' joke is funny! I got that from "Dinosaur", Max Casella doing the voice of one of the characters. *don't drool!* LOL Here's more Boromir, do you like it? Not much Ebon, sorry about that. If you wanna know more about Bawuer's past, the next chapter should explain some new stuff. Sorry, I'm gonna keep this short so I can post this quickly. Cya! "hey hey with the monkees!" I don't know why I had to include that.... ^_^
*StrangeVisitor* ~ Thanks for reviewing! Yes, the Boromir/Hobbits relationship is so sweet, I love writing more about it. I agree, the movies didn't flesh it out very much. I agree also that Boromir wouldn't have had so much trouble taking out the Dunlending, but I needn't to stretch out the action a bit since the 'action' has been absent for a bit. Hope you like this chapter!
*iron-eyes24* ~ Whoah, I got two reviews from you! I apologize immensely for taking so long to update, I hope you read my author's note on that. A difficult chapter to write but I hope you liked it. I live to write for my fans! ^_^ Hee hee! I just don't know where the idea about Ebon sitting down came to me, it must have come by a flash of inspiration. *a flash of inspiration comes to pmochizuki* Hey, I got another cool idea for my story! But I'm not gonna tell what it is! Hee hee! Hope you like this chapter! Thanks for always reviewing!
*KendraC* ~ Hello there, I'm so sorry for the long update! I'm incredibly flattered you would find my story be worth it to check daily! *blushes* I really have to read Pride and Prejudice, how long of a read it is? I read pretty quickly but I've read some reviews that says it's a looooong read. Oh, the new "Van Helsing" trailer has David Wenham in it! I don't particularly like his hair cut (he's a monk), but I love his accent! That's funny how you have a friend who's DM obsessed! Ha ha! Glad you liked my Merry in the previous chapter! Yes, Galadriel indeed had a reason to not let Boromir see Merry and Pippin. Should I broaden that subplot more you think? That'll give me an excuse to write another Galadriel/Celeborn scene. ^_^ Yes, I think Ebon just matches Bawuer a lot more than his owner will admit. *winks* I am writing the story in the sequence of events, so Gandalf and Pippin haven't left yet. I'm actually gonna write about it in the next chapter. BTW, the idea about someone giving someone else a puppy in my story is a great idea! I'll have to semi-dedicate another chapter when I write about it! ^_^
*Daisy Brambleburr* ~ Glad you liked Merry's point of view in the previous chapter! Hee hee! You like cliffhangers? Maybe I should write more cliffhangers. ^_^ Thanks for the compliment on always responding to reviewers. I guess I do write to my reviewers as much as I write the chapters, but it's so much fun and I love you guys so much! *gives Daisy a big hug!*
*Spry Sprite* ~ My puppy is such an annoying dog... but I love her to death! She's such a sweetie, but she takes up so much of my time, another reason it takes a while to write my chapters. You liked the cliffhanger? ^_^ Good! Here was more Eowyn in this chapter, I'll write more of Faramir maybe in the next chapter. Yes, Ebon lying down was a fun part to write! Sorry I haven't read your new chapters recently. I'll have to catch up soon, huh? I have to find out what happens to Harper and Boromir!
*Michaela90* ~ I'm very happy you like the Dunlendings fight! Blending the movies and the books is a much fun way to expand on the Lord of the Rings universe, instead of focusing on just one or the other, don't you think? Here's more Eowyn, Faramir should come up in the next chapter! Hmm... you're the second person recommending I either watch or read "Pride and Prejudice". Colin Firth?! Drool indeed! ^_^ I loved him in "The Importance of Being Earnest!"
*iwantboromir* ~ I'm sorry for depriving you from Boromirness for so long! I hope this chapter makes up for it! I haven't tried the Sean Mahjong yet, but I promise to soon!
*The Dark Wanderer* ~ Wow, thanks for nice compliment, commenting that the previous chapter was 'intense'. More of Eowyn was in this chapter, Faramir'll be up in maybe the next chapter. Am very pleased you think my characterizations are accurate! Hope you like this chapter!
*Aelimir* ~ Yup, I got a doggie! She's only three months old now, but she's getting so big (but because she's a border collie, she's pretty bony BUT big!). Hee hee! So pleased that you love Ebon! It's the greatest compliment when a real horse person loves a horse character a person who knows not very much about horses. Thanks so much! The Sixth Sense commentary you wrote was great! I'll be using it in future references! Yes, a Boromir/Eowyn relationship should be interesting... but still, I can't reveal any of my plot secrets! ^_^ I hope you like more of the in depth writing I've done on Eowyn in this chapter!
*~C~* ~ Oooh, I also hate it when the Internet gets all messed up! Totally annoying, don't you think? A more of Faramir request? Look for him in maybe the next chapter! I know EXACTLY what you mean when you wrote that you wanted to 'brush back Faramir's bangs'. He's soooo adorable at the pyre scene! Either brush his bangs back or leap onto the pyre, save him, then cuddle him in my arms. ^_^ Ok, maybe I got a bit carried away... but he's soooo adorable... Sorry, Boromir's still again delayed in returning to Gondor! I'll try to get him there as soon as possible!
*AAAClub* ~ Thanks for reviewing! I'm flattered you say that my story is a Boromir stays alive fic where it actually makes sense! I agree, some Boromir-lives stories are kind of inane, but hopefully, my story is as realistic as it gets in Tolkien's world. Thanks for adding me to your favorite author and story lists!
*Melian the Maia* ~ Hello, thanks for reading! Drooling problem, yes you do have it, sort of. But of course, as you said, NOTHING compared with Maria's problem.... ;) Yeah, the Dunlendings are interesting. Well, here's chapter 28, I hope you like it!
*candy* ~ Glad you liked the chapter! You hate cliffhangers? :P too bad, I plan to have a lot! Hee hee! *wink*!
*Bonnie Lass* ~ Thanks so much for reviewing! I'm so glad you like this story! Yeah, I agree, it's annoying how so many fanfic authors tend to make Boromir into the bad guy. Poor misunderstood guy! *cuddles Boromir*
*Aerlinn* ~ Sorry it's taking so long for the Fellowship to find out about Boromir! But I promise, the scene IS coming up! So, did you like this chapter? I hope so, it was very hard to write.
*Lalaithiel Noleambar* ~ Thanks for reviewing yet once again! Thanks for the congrats on my puppy! She's a handful, but such a cutie! She eats like a pig.... *wink*!
*Melodist* ~ Yes, I agree my chapters need to be longer. But I have to decide either write longer or update quicker. But I'll try to write longer from now on. Glad that you're glad that I'm using both book and movie verse! I think that's the best way to write a fanfiction on the Lord of the Rings. It broadens 'the horizons' a bit, if you know what I mean.
*Arinya* ~ Thanks so much for reviewing, I'm glad you liked the chapter! Sorry about the cliffy. Hee hee! But I haven't written a cliffhanger in so long that I thought that it was about time I did.
*hornofgondor2* ~ Yes, you're part of the family! Woah, you went to see RotK four times? Cool! I hope this chapter clears up to why the Dunlendings were so curious about Boromir. I don't know where the line which Merry says, "What if a deadly plague sweeps over the land and kills us all/ I don't know Pip, then probably not," idea came to me! Glad you liked it!
*Alex92* ~ I hope this chapter explains to why the Dunlendings seemed to know about dear 'Bori-pooh'. ^_^ LOL I think your nickname for Boromir is soooo funny!
*Morwen Eleniel* ~ Welcome to my family of reviewers! Thanks so much for the wonderful review, it's people like you who keep me going in writing my stories! I'm flattered you like my story so much! It's an incredibly compliment for an author to hear that her OCs are original and realistic and her canonical characters are in-character. Your idea about Bawuer's elder sister falling in love with Boromir... a very good guess, but of course I can't really reveal such a major plotline! ^_^ I hope you understand that I have to keep it under my hat to keep my readers in suspense!
*sz2000* ~ Welcome to my family of reviewers! I'm so glad you like my story, and I'm highly flattered you think I write very well! Yes, Boromir deserves to live, he's such an interesting and great character! Haldir also deserves to live, I don't know why Peter Jackson had to kill him in the movie! Glad you like Bawuer and Isilme! I was afraid at first to write original characters since LOTR readers seems very particular about OCs. I hope you like this chapter!
By Priscilla Stafford
Author's Note: *pmochizuki peeks out from behind computer chair where she's been hiding* I'm sooo terribly sorry for not having updated for so long! The reason is stupid, but I have to mention it. THIS CHAPTER WAS SO HARD TO WRITE! I know, it's stupid, but I really did have an incredibly hard time writing chapter twenty-eight. I've rewritten it a few times hoping to get it right. I don't think this is my best written chapter up to date, but I still hope you like it. It sets some subplots I have in mind in motion.
For those who wanted to read more about Eowyn, she comes out at the end of this chapter. I hope you like it!
Thank you my lovely reviewers, and thanks so much for your patience and kindness in continuing to read my story!
Chapter Twenty-Eight: Dunlendings and the Rohirrim
Bawuer raised his sword as he heard the sounds of horses coming towards where he, Boromir, and the group of Dunlendings were standing. The thieves had not moved at all, though fear and apprehension seemed evident in their faces. As for Boromir, Bawuer saw that the Steward's son had signaled for Maiorama to come to him, ready to flee if there was any danger. Where was that dratted Ebon?
In moments, they were surrounded by the small army of men on horses. They all carried spears and pointed it at those standing on the ground. Bawuer knew that with deadly accuracy, the men on horseback could probably spear them if they made any false moves. Peering through the fading sunlight, Bawuer was finally able to make out the face of the man who led them. With a start, he realized that he knew this man.
"My lord Elfhelm!"
As he heard his name being called out, Elfhelm put his eyes upon Bawuer. By this time, Bawuer had gone up to King Theoden's lieutenant and bowed before him.
"My name is Bawuer, son of Denuer. A faithful and loyal soldier of Rohan I am."
Elfhelm's gaze hardened. "And what would a lone soldier of Rohan being doing keeping company with Dunlendings, sworn enemies of Rohan? Speak up, for this should be indeed an interesting story. Yet I warn you, do not try my patience with lies."
He had been expecting Elfhelm to react this way. Quickly, Bawuer tried to explain the situation. "I am escorting this man to the land of, Gondor." As he turned to look behind him at Boromir, Bawuer was at first afraid if he had said too much, especially the part about traveling to Gondor. Yet Boromir stepped up calmly and inclined his head to Elfhelm.
"What he says is true, my lord," Boromir said quietly. "We were waylaid by these Dunlendings who, I'm afraid, admired our horses and gear too much to let us pass."
There was some silence, as if Elfhelm was weighing the choice of whether to believe them. Bawuer risked glancing at Boromir. The Gondorian warrior's eyes did not leave the Rohirrim Captain's face. He must have realized who exactly Elfhelm was, so he feared not of having his true identity discovered. Elfhelm had long fought at and guarded the Fords of Isen. Bawuer knew that even if the two men had met before, it would have been many years before.
Finally, Elfhelm spoke to the man on his right. "Tell the Dunlendings to surrender their weapons for there will be no escape for them from us."
The soldier nodded, and in the language of the men of Dunland, spoke his lord's words. The Dunlending, who had tried speaking with Boromir, answered back but Bawuer did not understand him.
"He says how will they know they can trust you," the man of Rohan translated. "For Saruman has told them how the men of Rohan are cruel and burn their captives alive."
Bawuer watched in wonder as Elfhelm's eyes became twin blue fires of anger. "Tell him this, and tell him to heed my words: 'Saruman has told you to help him wage war against the men of Rohan. To burn our villages, to kill our people, to loot our wealth. He promises you an abundance of riches. Yet in truth I speak, Saruman has deluded you. Many of your kinsmen who fought against the Horse-lords have received death as the reward for your trust in Saruman. But had you conquered, little better would your wages have been, for Saruman is sly and cunning and wishes not to share his glory and riches.
"'But today you shall learn of the leniency and compassion of the Rohirrim. Instead of repaying each and every death of our kinsmen and comrades with your life, instead of partaking in revenge against the bloodshed you have helped spread, you shall know what mercy is.' Tell him what I said, and still say."
Even though the Dunlendings did not understand the words of Elfhelm, those who understood the Common Tongue were stricken with awe by the powerful words of the captain. Bawuer could not help it; he felt a deep sense of admiration for this man rise within his being. The Rohirrim men were honorable, and Elfhelm showed the true sense of honor the men had.
As soon as Elfhelm's right-hand man finished speaking to the Dunlendings, the captives too were in amazement. Their apparent leader though immediately concealed his surprise. Gravely nodding, saying a few harsh words which may have been commands, he raised his short sword then gently rested it on the ground. One by one, his men followed his actions and laid their weapons down in surrender.
The Rohirrim Lieutenant shouted commands out to his men. "Give them the terms of their release, same as we have given the others. But first question them if there are any more of their comrades hidden up in the hills or out in the plains."
As he had been speaking, Bawuer felt a nudge in the small of his back. More than a little surprised, he turned quickly, making Ebon snort and shy away. Relieved that the black stallion had even come close enough to touch after the ordeal, Bawuer gently reached to grab Ebon's reigns. He would never admit it, but he was thankful that the horse was safe and seemingly uninjured.
"Come here, you big nuisance." Ebon, used to being insulted, only tried to nip the hair on Bawuer's head, making the soldier affectionately hit the horse on the nose. "Not now, Ebon."
Bawuer looked back to see that the large, tall form of Elfhelm had dismounted his horse and had come to walk towards Boromir.
"Your name," Elfhelm asked, his tone serious and commanding.
"Lavlaisi."
"You are heading for Gondor, but from where exactly have you been traveling from?"
Bawuer watched as Boromir's hand clenched almost unnoticeably. "I'm afraid I cannot answer, except that it is imperative I arrive at Minas Tirith with all possible speed."
Elfhelm did not like being left in the dark, yet in Boromir's face was shown an expression of resoluteness, making it clear he was not going to reveal anything more. The Rohirrim lieutenant shook his head. "Stubborn you are, I can see in your eyes. Yet in your eyes I also see truth. So you are free to leave and go on your way."
But before either Boromir or Bawuer could say anything in reply, Elfhelm quieted him by raising his hand, signaling he had more to say. "Yet I urge you to reconsider continuing your journey. Bands of orcs still roam these lands. Few these groups are, but only two of you there are and you will be in grave danger if ambushed. Edoras is open to you if you wish to stay the night."
At this point, Elfhelm moved his gaze back and forth slowly between Boromir and Bawuer. Bawuer knew immediately that the Rohirrim lieutenant was determining who the leader was of the two. Not knowing what else to do, Bawuer allowed himself to look at the Gondorian warrior and saw that the other had his eyebrows furrowed in deep thought.
Finally Boromir looked at Bawuer and spoke more to him than Elfhelm. "We will stay the night and leave early tomorrow." He turned to the large Rohirrim. "We thank you for your hospitality."
Elfhelm nodded, then without a word or a look, spun on his heel and went back to his men, giving orders for his scouts to circle the area.
A flash of frustration flickered across Boromir's face, making Bawuer uncomfortably shift weight from one leg to another. A delay this would cost; a short delay, but a delay nevertheless. But on the other hand, Bawuer was delighted to be able to return to Edoras even for a small time. He knew his family wouldn't be there for they had been evacuated to Dunharrow, but still. It was home. He only wished that this short detour would do nothing to upset the Gondorian warrior.
**********
Boromir was preoccupied as he checked to make sure Maiorama was all right. Elfhelm was still waiting for the scouts to return from searching if any other Dunlendings remained. Bawuer had discovered that one of Elfhelm's soldiers was a person he knew and had left to converse with him. Leaving Boromir to his thoughts.
Thoughts which kept taking him back to the Dunlending.
What had that man seen that had startled him? Curiosity eating away inside of him, Boromir finally determined to talk to the prisoner.
He found that the translator was still talking with the Dunlendings. When the Rohirrim noticed him, at first he looked suspicious. Boromir kept his tone light and friendly, hoping to put the other at ease. "Peace, I am not of the enemy. I only wished to ask of you a favor."
The Rohirrim soldier, an older man who was short of stature, narrowed his eyes. "A favor?"
"I wished to ask if I may speak with one of the prisoners."
"You can speak their tongue," the man asked in surprise.
"That's the other favor."
The soldier's face broke out into a smile. "You are a blunt man, and I liked your bluntness. I am Herefuin, and in a way am I pleased you have approached me. I am having trouble with these Dunlendings and their stubborn leader." Herefuin said the last with a glare of impatience aimed at the Dunlending Boromir had wished to speak with. "They hesitate in agreeing to the terms of their release and I was about to send for Elfhelm for his presence might make them agree quickly."
"What kind of terms?"
"They must make an oath never again to pass the Fords of Isen in arms, nor to march with the enemies of Men; then they may return to their lands."
Boromir shrugged. "Reasonable terms. Why the hesitation?"
At Boromir's question, Herefuin looked at him strangely. "You are the reason. The leader wishes to speak with you before agreeing to any terms. Why, he refuses to say."
Boromir could not speak for the strangeness of the Rohirrim's words. For what reason would these Dunlendings wish to speak with him? He for one had never met the Dunlendings before, and he doubted they should recognize him for who he really was.
Seeing that his silence was making Herefuin suspicious, Boromir spoke calmly and truthfully. "I myself do not know why he would want to speak with me, yet if you feel I could be of some assistance..."
Herefuin jerked his head in Elfhelm's direction. "Lord Elfhelm is busy and wouldn't wish to be disturbed unless it was a matter of the gravest importance. And since you are here, we can fix this up with haste."
Boromir looked down at the Dunlending leader who was sitting cross legged on the ground. On his face was an expression of complete relaxation, as if he was no prisoner but instead in control of the whole situation. Well, two could play the game. Boromir, too, put on one of his expressionless faces.
"Tell him that if he wishes to speak with me, he must come straight to the point or my patience will wear thin." Boromir could just imagine how proud his father would be if he were here to see his son. Boromir thanked his father in his head on these rare occasions where he knew exactly how to deal with these somewhat 'unconventional diplomatic meetings'.
The Dunlending gave Boromir what might have been smile except for the hard glint in his eyes. At his side, Herefuin translated for him.
"He says, 'Then maybe you should learn patience from me, for patiently I have been waiting for you.'"
Forcing himself to remain calm, Boromir refused to show any irritation which he was feeling at the moment. "Why do you wait to speak with me, when the terms of your release are reasonable. The Rohirrim have been kind so far with you, do not overstay your welcome and let their patience wear thin with you."
This time, after the translation was finished, a real hint of humor appeared in the Dunlending's eyes. He gave out a harsh, low chuckle from deep within his throat then spoke rapidly. "'Two hundred and fifty years it has been since the death of Freca, yet the memory is still fresh in the minds of the Dunlendings. Same it is for the Eorlingas whose memory is fresh with mourning for their king of old, Helm. I believe it is time our differences are laid to rest. We agree readily to the terms of the Rohirrim, so long as they too promise to let the Dunlendings live in peace on their borders to the West.'"
When Herefuin was finally finished speaking, the Dunlending again spoke and this time, the Rohirrim translated with wonder and surprise in his voice. "'Yet Calenardhon was a gift from Cirion, and we wonder, Grey Eyes of the Southern Kingdom, how you stand in this matter?'"
For a moment, Boromir thoughts spun out of control. These men knew he was a man of Gondor, that much was for certain. But Boromir couldn't help but feel confused. Why was the Dunlending questioning him about how Boromir stood in the matter of their oaths with the Rohirrim?
The Dunlending must have read the confusion from the Gondorian's face for he gestured for Herefuin to translate again. "'Will your presence in Rohan affect our relationship with the Eorlingas in the future?'"
Not truly understanding the question, Boromir could only say, "My presence will never work towards doing or bringing any trouble with the men of Rohan. Or your people, for that matter."
After Herefuin spoke, the Dunlendings spoke quietly among each other. Finally, their leader stood up slowly so not to startle his captors. "'You speak truth. We are satisfied.'" He looked at Herefuin and nodded his head.
Herefuin gave a small sigh of relief. "They agree to our terms."
But Boromir kept his eyes on the Dunlending leader. The shorter man grunted slightly then pointed to himself. "Gurigunak."
Realizing that the man was giving him his name, Boromir nodded then pointed to himself. "Lavlaisi."
Gurignak furrowed his eyebrows solemnly. He gestured to Herefuin and said a few short words. Herefuin answered back by saying, "Man with Golden Sword." The soldier spoke next to Boromir. "He wants to bestow the title 'Man with Golden Sword' upon you and wished to know how to say it in the common speech."
Meanwhile the Dunlending was mulling over the words. Finally, seemingly pleased, Gurignak bowed to Boromir. "Maan wisu Goludenn Suodo."
Boromir tried not to smile at the terrible accent but instead brought a fisted hand up to his heart and gave a small bow back. "Gourignack."
Gurignak laughed, a sound which turned out to be strangely pleasant. Boromir guessed his own accent must have sounded as atrocious as the other's had.
Feeling a hand upon his shoulder, the Gondorian warrior turn around to see that Bawuer had joined them. At the questioning look the other aimed at him, Boromir shook his head, saying without words that he would explain what had happened later.
Boromir, with a final nod to the Dunlendings, began walking away back to their horses with Bawuer tagging along. He stopped when in the corner of his eye, Boromir caught sight of Herefuin looking at him with a stony expression on his face. Closing his eyes for a brief moment, Boromir remembered clearly the conversation which had taken place between Gurignak and himself, one that wasn't exactly a private one considering neither of them spoke each other's language. He wondered what Herefuin must be thinking of him at the moment.
Boromir for one thing did not wish for the Rohirrim to distrust him for anything. He faced Herefuin and tried to speak but was interrupted. "Lavlaisi, I will ask the same kind of question the Dunlending did. Why exactly are you, not of the Rohirrim, doing in our land? And will your presence here in Rohan pose any threat to us?"
The dark haired warrior shook his head. "Like I said your lieutenant, I cannot reveal the reason of my presence here. Yet one thing I can promise, same as I promised to Gourignack. I will never be party to any threat or harm planned upon your people. On the contrary, I would do everything in my power to aide your land in ridding it from all the evil forces of Middle Earth."
Surprisingly, Herefuin gave his reply by giving Boromir a broad smile. "Just the answer I was looking for. And don't worry, Grey Eyes," Herefuin said with a wink, "None shall know your identity."
With a quick nod of the head, Herefuin left Boromir and Bawuer to walk towards his commanding officer.
"What was that all about?" queried Bawuer. "Does he know that... well, you know."
Grinning, Boromir shook his head. "Nay, he only knows from where I come from." Deciding to change the subject, Boromir indicated Ebon who was standing calmly next to Maiorama a short distance away. "Well, Bawuer. I guess Ebon will be pleased."
Bawuer, knowing exactly what Boromir was talking about, nodded, his lips curving upwards in a smile. "Indeed, my lord. Ebon will be pleased to return home."
Boromir looked at Bawuer thoughtfully. "And you?"
Though a bit hesitant, the captain could see the other was speaking truthfully. "Aye. My family will not be there, but it is still home."
The two men reached their horses and proceeded to pet and stroke the animals. Those looking on chuckled to themselves at the sight of the warriors showing so much affection to their horses.
In the midst of pushing Ebon away to save himself from a nip on the head, Bawuer looked sideways at Boromir. Catching the look, Boromir cocked his head. "What?"
"I was just wondering. Do you mind? I mean, about us heading for Edoras for the night."
Seeing how worried the other looked, Boromir strove to reassure him. "Do not you worry about me, Bawuer. Elfhelm was right, it would be better if we stopped for the night."
Seemingly satisfied, Bawuer returned his attentions to Ebon who had decided he needed more attention.
Boromir on the other hand could only absently rub Maiorama on her nose. Gondor was close, yet so far...
**********
Eowyn refused to acknowledge the cold wind which threatened to blow away the thin cloak she had thrown hastily around her shoulders. She focused her eyes far into the distance, searching for any sign of men coming towards Dunharrow.
It had only been a short while since a messenger from Theoden had arrived, announcing that all had fared well at the battle of Helm's Deep. King Theoden and his sister-son were safe. But much to Eowyn's frustration, the rider did not have much else to say. For one thing, he could not answer the one question foremost on her mind: when will her uncle and his men be returning to Dunharrow?
Patience was never one of Eowyn's strong points. As soon as the messenger had delivered his good yet brief tidings, she had run outside to one of the lookout points. Straining her eyes as far as she could see, she waited.
"My lady?"
The White Lady turned round to see it was one of her maids, Aruellen. A few years older than her lady, Aruellen had permanent worry lines on her forehead. Ruefully, Eowyn knew that most of those worry lines were her fault. She had never been a good example of a gentle woman she was always told to be. Instead she had to admit she was always quite a handful.
"Aruellen, it's cold, you shouldn't be out here at all," Eowyn said with worry, mostly to tease the other woman knowing that was exactly what the lady in waiting was going to say.
Aruellen, never one to look on the humorous side of anything concerning Eowyn, shook her head with a sigh. "My Lady, you must be serious, you can catch your death of a cold."
Eowyn lifted her chin. "I am all right. I am old enough to take care of myself."
Lifting an eyebrow, Aruellen spoke in a dry tone. "Obviously."
Ignoring the other's tone, Eowyn focused her gaze once more out into the distance. "You are dismissed for the day, Aruellen."
Speaking slowly, as if not quite understanding, Aruellen asked, "But, you cannot possibly be waiting for the King and his men to arrive. At the earliest they will be here in the morning and you need to retire for the night..."
"I will be waiting for them." Eowyn sighed from deep within her being, forcing her hand to stop from rubbing her eyes which she knew were dark rimmed with lack of sleep. She whispered softly. "I cannot sleep."
Though she had not meant for Aruellen to hear, the other's next words told her that she had. "I know, my Lady. I know."
Eowyn felt something upon her shoulders and realized that Aruellen had given her lady her own cloak. Aruellen gave Eowyn a gentle look. "You will need the extra warmth, I'm afraid this will be a cold night." Saying thus, the lady in waiting left, leaving Eowyn once more all alone.
All alone. Eowyn allowed herself to think the cynical thought that she was always all alone. Even when surrounded by people, why did she feel all alone? Only her uncle, her brother, and her cousin could ever make her feel like she was home. For home was where the heart was, wasn't it? And her heart could only belong to those three people. She felt tears form in her eyes as she thought that it had now narrowed down from three to only two people. And both were away, leaving her all alone.
But there was the hope of finding someone else who could take the emptiness away. A slight blush rose on her cheeks as she imagined one person who she hoped could be that man.
Why could not Aragorn look at her in the way she wanted him to look upon her? With respect, admiration... love?
At the thought of the word 'love', Eowyn paused. She had never considered herself becoming bonded with another man in marriage. For wasn't marriage a type of bondage? But she could imagine in her mind standing besides Aragorn as king and queen, husband and wife. She knew he would treat as an equal, not as a woman.
The people of Rohan, though they honored and revered their Shield Maidens, still wanted them to lay aside their swords when they marry. For Eowyn, she always hated the thought. If a man really loved her, wouldn't he want her to fight side by side with him instead of staying at home, tending the chores? The thought scared Eowyn, scared her half to death.
As she looked out into the ever descending darkness, Eowyn prayed to the Valar. Prayed that she would find a man who would accept her for who she was. That this man could take away the emptiness in her life and replace it with love.
**********
Author's Note: Ok, ok. I admit it myself, this has not been one of my better chapters. I apologize for those who think this chapter a bit below par from my previous ones. Next chapter will come out better, I promise! Please tell me honestly what you think of this chapter!
Also, if you think the Dunlending part was strange and didn't make sense, never fear, pmochizuki hasn't lost too much of her touch. More will be explained about it in further chapters.
I also apologize for this chapter being a bit short. I decided to publish it as soon as possible instead of making you wait for a longer chapter.
Trivia #1: The accent in which Gurigunak tries to say 'Man with Golden Sword' is the way a Japanese person would try to say it with a bad accent. ^_^
Trivia #2: Can you figure out from what movie the name 'Gurigunak' comes from?
Much love, hugs, thanks, etc., etc., to my wonderful reviewers!:
*Racetrack's Goil* ~ Well, I told you I'd finish this chapter, right? Yeah, the 'blisters on my blisters' joke is funny! I got that from "Dinosaur", Max Casella doing the voice of one of the characters. *don't drool!* LOL Here's more Boromir, do you like it? Not much Ebon, sorry about that. If you wanna know more about Bawuer's past, the next chapter should explain some new stuff. Sorry, I'm gonna keep this short so I can post this quickly. Cya! "hey hey with the monkees!" I don't know why I had to include that.... ^_^
*StrangeVisitor* ~ Thanks for reviewing! Yes, the Boromir/Hobbits relationship is so sweet, I love writing more about it. I agree, the movies didn't flesh it out very much. I agree also that Boromir wouldn't have had so much trouble taking out the Dunlending, but I needn't to stretch out the action a bit since the 'action' has been absent for a bit. Hope you like this chapter!
*iron-eyes24* ~ Whoah, I got two reviews from you! I apologize immensely for taking so long to update, I hope you read my author's note on that. A difficult chapter to write but I hope you liked it. I live to write for my fans! ^_^ Hee hee! I just don't know where the idea about Ebon sitting down came to me, it must have come by a flash of inspiration. *a flash of inspiration comes to pmochizuki* Hey, I got another cool idea for my story! But I'm not gonna tell what it is! Hee hee! Hope you like this chapter! Thanks for always reviewing!
*KendraC* ~ Hello there, I'm so sorry for the long update! I'm incredibly flattered you would find my story be worth it to check daily! *blushes* I really have to read Pride and Prejudice, how long of a read it is? I read pretty quickly but I've read some reviews that says it's a looooong read. Oh, the new "Van Helsing" trailer has David Wenham in it! I don't particularly like his hair cut (he's a monk), but I love his accent! That's funny how you have a friend who's DM obsessed! Ha ha! Glad you liked my Merry in the previous chapter! Yes, Galadriel indeed had a reason to not let Boromir see Merry and Pippin. Should I broaden that subplot more you think? That'll give me an excuse to write another Galadriel/Celeborn scene. ^_^ Yes, I think Ebon just matches Bawuer a lot more than his owner will admit. *winks* I am writing the story in the sequence of events, so Gandalf and Pippin haven't left yet. I'm actually gonna write about it in the next chapter. BTW, the idea about someone giving someone else a puppy in my story is a great idea! I'll have to semi-dedicate another chapter when I write about it! ^_^
*Daisy Brambleburr* ~ Glad you liked Merry's point of view in the previous chapter! Hee hee! You like cliffhangers? Maybe I should write more cliffhangers. ^_^ Thanks for the compliment on always responding to reviewers. I guess I do write to my reviewers as much as I write the chapters, but it's so much fun and I love you guys so much! *gives Daisy a big hug!*
*Spry Sprite* ~ My puppy is such an annoying dog... but I love her to death! She's such a sweetie, but she takes up so much of my time, another reason it takes a while to write my chapters. You liked the cliffhanger? ^_^ Good! Here was more Eowyn in this chapter, I'll write more of Faramir maybe in the next chapter. Yes, Ebon lying down was a fun part to write! Sorry I haven't read your new chapters recently. I'll have to catch up soon, huh? I have to find out what happens to Harper and Boromir!
*Michaela90* ~ I'm very happy you like the Dunlendings fight! Blending the movies and the books is a much fun way to expand on the Lord of the Rings universe, instead of focusing on just one or the other, don't you think? Here's more Eowyn, Faramir should come up in the next chapter! Hmm... you're the second person recommending I either watch or read "Pride and Prejudice". Colin Firth?! Drool indeed! ^_^ I loved him in "The Importance of Being Earnest!"
*iwantboromir* ~ I'm sorry for depriving you from Boromirness for so long! I hope this chapter makes up for it! I haven't tried the Sean Mahjong yet, but I promise to soon!
*The Dark Wanderer* ~ Wow, thanks for nice compliment, commenting that the previous chapter was 'intense'. More of Eowyn was in this chapter, Faramir'll be up in maybe the next chapter. Am very pleased you think my characterizations are accurate! Hope you like this chapter!
*Aelimir* ~ Yup, I got a doggie! She's only three months old now, but she's getting so big (but because she's a border collie, she's pretty bony BUT big!). Hee hee! So pleased that you love Ebon! It's the greatest compliment when a real horse person loves a horse character a person who knows not very much about horses. Thanks so much! The Sixth Sense commentary you wrote was great! I'll be using it in future references! Yes, a Boromir/Eowyn relationship should be interesting... but still, I can't reveal any of my plot secrets! ^_^ I hope you like more of the in depth writing I've done on Eowyn in this chapter!
*~C~* ~ Oooh, I also hate it when the Internet gets all messed up! Totally annoying, don't you think? A more of Faramir request? Look for him in maybe the next chapter! I know EXACTLY what you mean when you wrote that you wanted to 'brush back Faramir's bangs'. He's soooo adorable at the pyre scene! Either brush his bangs back or leap onto the pyre, save him, then cuddle him in my arms. ^_^ Ok, maybe I got a bit carried away... but he's soooo adorable... Sorry, Boromir's still again delayed in returning to Gondor! I'll try to get him there as soon as possible!
*AAAClub* ~ Thanks for reviewing! I'm flattered you say that my story is a Boromir stays alive fic where it actually makes sense! I agree, some Boromir-lives stories are kind of inane, but hopefully, my story is as realistic as it gets in Tolkien's world. Thanks for adding me to your favorite author and story lists!
*Melian the Maia* ~ Hello, thanks for reading! Drooling problem, yes you do have it, sort of. But of course, as you said, NOTHING compared with Maria's problem.... ;) Yeah, the Dunlendings are interesting. Well, here's chapter 28, I hope you like it!
*candy* ~ Glad you liked the chapter! You hate cliffhangers? :P too bad, I plan to have a lot! Hee hee! *wink*!
*Bonnie Lass* ~ Thanks so much for reviewing! I'm so glad you like this story! Yeah, I agree, it's annoying how so many fanfic authors tend to make Boromir into the bad guy. Poor misunderstood guy! *cuddles Boromir*
*Aerlinn* ~ Sorry it's taking so long for the Fellowship to find out about Boromir! But I promise, the scene IS coming up! So, did you like this chapter? I hope so, it was very hard to write.
*Lalaithiel Noleambar* ~ Thanks for reviewing yet once again! Thanks for the congrats on my puppy! She's a handful, but such a cutie! She eats like a pig.... *wink*!
*Melodist* ~ Yes, I agree my chapters need to be longer. But I have to decide either write longer or update quicker. But I'll try to write longer from now on. Glad that you're glad that I'm using both book and movie verse! I think that's the best way to write a fanfiction on the Lord of the Rings. It broadens 'the horizons' a bit, if you know what I mean.
*Arinya* ~ Thanks so much for reviewing, I'm glad you liked the chapter! Sorry about the cliffy. Hee hee! But I haven't written a cliffhanger in so long that I thought that it was about time I did.
*hornofgondor2* ~ Yes, you're part of the family! Woah, you went to see RotK four times? Cool! I hope this chapter clears up to why the Dunlendings were so curious about Boromir. I don't know where the line which Merry says, "What if a deadly plague sweeps over the land and kills us all/ I don't know Pip, then probably not," idea came to me! Glad you liked it!
*Alex92* ~ I hope this chapter explains to why the Dunlendings seemed to know about dear 'Bori-pooh'. ^_^ LOL I think your nickname for Boromir is soooo funny!
*Morwen Eleniel* ~ Welcome to my family of reviewers! Thanks so much for the wonderful review, it's people like you who keep me going in writing my stories! I'm flattered you like my story so much! It's an incredibly compliment for an author to hear that her OCs are original and realistic and her canonical characters are in-character. Your idea about Bawuer's elder sister falling in love with Boromir... a very good guess, but of course I can't really reveal such a major plotline! ^_^ I hope you understand that I have to keep it under my hat to keep my readers in suspense!
*sz2000* ~ Welcome to my family of reviewers! I'm so glad you like my story, and I'm highly flattered you think I write very well! Yes, Boromir deserves to live, he's such an interesting and great character! Haldir also deserves to live, I don't know why Peter Jackson had to kill him in the movie! Glad you like Bawuer and Isilme! I was afraid at first to write original characters since LOTR readers seems very particular about OCs. I hope you like this chapter!