Chapter 12

"Sam is right Frodo, you should sleep." I whispered, squatting in front of him as he sat on a log. On his shoulder he held the weight of the fate of Middle Earth, upon his small shoulders he carried a giant burden. He was getting skinnier and his skin was paling as white as Haldir's. When he looked up from his lap his eyes were dark and disturbing. I nearly gasped at the sight, wishing someone else had carried the Ring.

I had overheard Sam trying to convince Frodo to eat and sleep, for he must have noticed what I had as well. Frodo declined, and the pain in his voice when he said that no one could help him broke my heart.

"I can't." He answered simply.

"Sure you can." I sighed and got up from my squat to sit beside him. I reached for his shoulders but he flinched and turned to face me, his eyes wide. "Just relax Frodo."

"What do you mean to do?"

This time when I reached for his shoulders he didn't flinch. I gently pulled him down so that his head was resting in my lap, the side of his face nuzzled my thighs and I could tell that he was much more comfortable than he had been. He stretched his legs out across the rest of the log and sighed heavily. I hesitantly ran a hand through his curls, and when he didn't protest, I continued to do so.

The other Hobbits had fallen asleep already, exhausted. Gimli was curled up against a boulder, his axe clutched tightly against his chest. He reached up and itched his beard in his sleep and I laughed quietly. Legolas was sleeping as well, his eyes open. I noticed that it had been the first time on the whole journey he had not slept with his eyes closed. Usually elves only closed their eyes in sleep when they were distressed, exhausted, or ill.

I looked up from Frodo's hair, still stroking it gently, and saw Aragorn and Boromir standing near the water's edge. They were speaking in hushed tones, but I could tell that that was only because the others were asleep. Suddenly it got a bit louder and I could hear them.

"Minas Tirith is the safer road. You know it. From there we can regroup… strike out for Mordor from a place of strength." Boromir said, turning and walking back towards Aragorn. Aragorn looked as though he had had this argument with Boromir many times before and was growing tired of it.

"There is no strength in Gondor that can avail us." He answered in an annoyed voice. He said it as though he had said it a dozen times before, and just didn't care about saying it with emotion.

"Yes, there is weakness. There is frailty. But there is courage also, and honor to be found in Men. But you will not see that." He then grabbed Aragorn as he attempted to move away. "You are afraid! All your life, you have hidden in the shadows! Scared of who you are, of what you are."

When he let go, Aragorn turned back around to face Boromir, his eyes wild.

"I will not lead the Ring within a hundred leagues of your city." He growled, quickly stomping away to leave Boromir by himself. He made for the trees and I knew that he was angry as I heard sticks snapping.

I looked down and saw Frodo asleep, breathing evenly. I very carefully lifted his head from my lap and rested his head upon my cloak instead. When I made sure that he was going to stay asleep I followed my brother's footsteps further into the trees.

"Aragorn!" I called softly. He didn't answer but sat down cross legged in a pile of brightly colored leaves. I went to his side and sat down beside him. I could tell that he was trying to calm himself down for his eyes were closed and they twitched as though he were concentrating. I merely placed a hand on his arm for comfort, not wanting to speak and disturb his meditation.

He always had been good about holding his anger, although he could also be quick to unleash it if necessary. It was a rare thing to see him raise his voice at someone or speak badly of them.

When he opened his eyes he placed his hand over mine and sighed.

"You're right you know." He muttered, looking off into the distance.

"About what?"

He sighed once more and turned his face towards mine. He looked well, as if he had just been sleeping in a warm feather bed and had just eaten a feast. This journey didn't faze him one bit, for he was used to living off the land and going days without a nice bed or a decent meal. The only signs that he hadn't been in the comfort of life's daily pleasures was his unshaven face.

"About the fellowship needing to get along. We still have much ahead and already we're fighting and arguing."

"Everyone is doing much better since…you know. Perhaps now things will settle down a bit. Perhaps it was a wake up call."

"You heard Boromir's words?" His hand left from mine and I let mine drop from his shoulder.

"I did."

He nodded, his hair bouncing along with his head.

"I fear for what may happen if the Ring does enter Gondor. If it does, who knows which hands it could fall into."

"You mean Boromir." I said quietly. He jerked his head in my direction again, frowning.

"Partly yes."

"Why? He is trying his best to resist the desires in his heart."

"Adette," he reached out and fingered my neck, "he tried to strangle you."

"He wasn't in his right mind Aragorn. He apologized and I have forgiven him for it because I know that he is truly sorry. The Ring is tempting him he cannot-"

"We have all resisted it haven't we? I haven't seen anyone else try to harm you, or me, or Frodo except for Boromir."

I got to my feet and Aragorn lifted his head to look up at me. I wished that everyone would forget about what Boromir had done.

"Please just forget it Aragorn."

He stood up as well, brushing himself off. The leaves had been damp and our clothes had gotten wet from sitting in them. He pushed a leaf off of his leg before his eyes lifted to look into mine.

"As you wish sister."

"Now let's head back before they get worried." I smiled weakly and started heading back when Aragorn grabbed my arm. I turned around to face him again.

"Adette, promise me something."

"What?"

"If anything happens to me, you must protect Frodo. He is the only one who can carry the Ring, it is his destiny."

"Oh Aragorn," I rolled my eyes and pushed him lightly, "nothing is going to happen to you."

He grinned and pushed me back, sending me flying forward. If he hadn't grabbed my arm again I would have fallen face first into the ground. He laughed as I turned, scowling at him.

"You're going to regret not letting me fall."

I then put my hands on either of his shoulders and pushed him hard enough to make him topple back into the pile of leaves we had been sitting in. He sat up, leaves tangled in his hair. He was grinning mischievously at me as he slowly started to get up. I turned and bolted, reaching the camp way before him. When he got there he shoved me into Legolas.

"Oh Adette." He murmured seductively in his sleep. I bit my lip and scrambled off of Legolas to turn and look at Aragorn. He looked as though he were going to vomit at any moment.

"That was something that a brother did not need to hear." He shook his head sadly before heading to where he was going to sleep for the night.

"Gimli if you overturn this boat I promise you that I will smash your head further downward and make you even shorter than you are now." I snapped, turning to look at him over my shoulder. He had been fiddling with his axe, shaking the boat back and forth.

"Not if I cut you down to size first." He waved his axe again and I lunged at him.

"Adette, Gimli, cut it out!" Legolas shouted. Just as he had finished his sentence, our boat overturned and we fell into the water. I swam up to the surface, laughing just as hard as Gimli. Legolas surfaced near the capsized boat, frowning. "Now we're wet."

"It's Gimli's fault." I splashed him, recoiling as he splashed me back.

"The lass jumped on me. She overturned the boat." He argued. I swam over to him and ducked his head under, holding him there for a moment before he pulled at the bottom of my tunic. This earned him a swift kick in his manhood, of which caused him to surface, sputtering and swearing so loudly that the dead rolled over in their graves.

"Adette, stop fooling around and help me." Legolas rolled his eyes, holding one side of the boat. "I would ask Gimli but it seems his 'privates' have been injured."

I grinned and went to the other side of the boat. We turned it back up in one push, and climbed inside. The others had pulled up beside us by that time, laughing and joking about what had happened.

When Gimli finally stopped swearing and swam up to the boat, I grabbed his hand and pulled him inside.

"Where's my axe?" He thundered, glaring at me.

"Here it is Gimli." I handed him his axe and he jerked it from my hands, muttering under his breath. Whatever he had said made Legolas chuckle and I wondered what he had said. Only when Legolas straightened out my tunic did I catch on to what had been said. "Shall I kick you again?"

"No, no." He crossed his legs protectively. We continued on our way near a place to camp again. We would only be stopping for a short while. It took us only minutes to reach our destination, and we all got out to pull the boats to shore.

I spied Boromir's shield in the boat he had been in with Merry and Pippin, and grabbed it. He was walking by himself, following everyone else.

"Boromir? Boromir?" When he didn't turn I tapped him on the shoulder. He jerked around, his eyes wide. "Boromir, did you hear me?"

"No I was…thinking. What is it?" He shook his head slightly and his eyes returned to normal size. I handed him his shield carefully, wondering what he had been thinking about. "Thank you."

"We cross the lake at nightfall. Hide the boats and continue on foot. We approach Mordor from the north." Aragorn announced, leading us to where we would rest. It was a ruin of stones, a large one shaped like a small house with a wall missing.

"Oh, yes! It's just a simple matter of finding our way through Emyn Muil? An impassable labyrinth of razor sharp rocks! And after that, it gets even better - festering, stinking marshlands, far as the eye can see." Gimli grumbled, taking a seat.

"Hush Gimli." I muttered, sitting down across from him.

"That is our road. I suggest you take some rest and recover your strength, Master dwarf." Aragorn grinned, and Gimli scowled. I laughed, covering my mouth with a hand as Gimli looked up to glare at me.

"I didn't hurt you that badly did I?" I asked through my laughter.

"Adette, no matter what you do to a man, kicking him in his special area always hurts." Legolas explained to me with a smile. He then drifted over towards Aragorn, and I got up to join their conversation.

"We should leave soon." Legolas said, eyeing the water.

"No. Orcs patrol the eastern shore. We must wait for cover of darkness."

Legolas shook his head, glancing from me to Aragorn with worried eyes.

"It is not the eastern shore that worries me. A shadow and a threat has been growing in my mind. Something draws near…I can feel it." He touched his temples, closing his eyes as he cast his face downward. I placed my hand on his shoulder.

"What is it Legolas?" I murmured.

"I'm not sure."

I took his hands into mine and pulled him over to a stone near the water. He opened his eyes and watched me as I kneeled in front of him. I felt his eyes traveling across my face and slowly down my body as I unbuttoned his tunic front. My hands swept back the material and I gently rubbed his chest and abdomen.

"What are you doing?" He asked softly. I raised an eyebrow and went to pull my hands back but he grabbed them. "Not that I don't like it…I just-"

"You need to relax." I whispered, continuing to rub his skin. I felt along his abs, my fingers curiously rediscovering the cracks and crevices as if I had never seen them before. His hands may have been rough, but the rest of Legolas's skin was as soft as silk. The color of his skin was beautiful.

Leaving the tunic unbuttoned, I stood and went behind him. My hands slid up from his shoulder blades to his shoulders. I caressed and massaged them gently, feeling tension as I continued. He rolled his shoulders and leaned his head back to let me know I was doing good. I smirked as my fingers slowly traveled up his neck and into his golden locks. I massaged his scalp and untangled his hair between my fingers, being careful so as not to pull loose one single hair from his head.

When I had finished with his head, my hands drifted back down onto his shoulders and moved over his front and back to his chest. He moved his hand over mine, the other reaching behind him to push me closer against him. I laid my head beside his neck and I sighed when his hand came to rest upon it. I could feel his heart beating gently beneath my hand, his breath coming out his nose quietly beside me. I felt his lips against my hair and then my forehead.

"Thank you." He whispered, nuzzling my head.

"Where's Frodo?" Merry's voice broke our sweet silence, and I slowly lifted my head to look around. He was nowhere to be seen. Legolas turned his head, buttoning up his tunic.

Aragorn was already back on his feet, and I saw what he had seen – Boromir's abandoned shield.

"Aragorn-"

"Everyone is to stay here. I will go and find them." He ordered, walking past Legolas and I. I watched as he quickly made his way into the trees and slowly disappeared as the trees camouflaged him.

"Where do you think they went?" Pippin asked.

"I don't know." I answered, sitting beside him. Legolas was getting his weapons when I looked up to see him. "Where are you going?"

"Aragorn needs help." He mumbled, continuing to equip himself.

"Legolas we need you here," I stood and caught his wrist before he could get his bow, "I need you here."

"Of course you don't need me here Adette. You can take care of yourself." He smiled sadly and touched my cheek for a moment before grabbing his bow. "We will return soon."

I watched as he made his way into the trees in the direction Aragorn had gone until he too disappeared from sight.

"Damn it." I growled, kicking a rock aside with my foot. I looked up and saw Gimli standing with his axe while the Hobbits had their weapons as well. "What are you doing?"

"Well we are going to follow them aren't we?" Pippin asked.

I smiled, taking my sheath from the ground. I tied it to my waist.

"This fellowship really needs to learn to listen."

"You're one to talk lass." Gimli pushed past me and turned to us. "Well are you coming or are you afraid?"

I turned to smile at the Hobbits before we raced after Gimli into the trees. Although I was the fastest runner in the group, I allowed the Hobbits to get ahead of me so that if we were chased, I would be able to see them. Legolas had said he sensed something, and so I was half waiting to be attacked as we ran.

We had been running for a few minutes when I heard the sound of swords clashing and screams of pain coming from the west. Gimli and the Hobbits must have heard it as well for they turned in that direction without having to be told. We soon came upon the battle in a field.

The Uruks, probably sent by Saruman, were fighting Legolas and Aragorn. Aragorn was slicing them in half left and right, blocking their swords easily. Legolas was shooting many down with his bow without looking tired from the work. We wasted no time in running in to assist them.

"I knew you wouldn't listen!" Aragorn shouted over the noise, swinging horizontally at an Uruk. It leaped backwards but what it didn't know was that I was behind it. I plunged my sword into its back and pulled it out as it fell to the ground. Most of the Uruks were heading into the trees in retaliation. I smiled.

"Of course not."

We then parted ways to continue our fight. Legolas had made his way down further into battle, his back to me. He was taking down many of the Uruks, and I wondered if there would be any left. That was when I saw him.

An Uruk, twice as large as the others, was glaring angrily in Legolas's direction. His face was marked with white face paint in the form of a hand, making his yellow eyes stand out. His teeth were jagged and animal like as he bared them. He then proceeded to pull out a bow and get an arrow ready – aiming for my husband.

"Legolas, no!" I screamed. I charged at the Uruk, slamming into him with such a force that we both toppled down the hill. The arrow was released, and I could only pray that I had knocked him hard enough to move the target. When I heard Legolas shout my name, I knew the Uruk had missed.

When I stopped rolling I expected the Uruk to be standing over me, waiting to kill me. Instead I saw other Uruks had taken his place. I saw the one I had knocked down charging into the trees.

Without another moment's hesitation I began to swing my sword at the Uruks, taking off one's legs. As it toppled to the ground in two pieces I stepped over him to kill the others. There were five more, and I was going to kill them all myself.

I advanced on one, sending my sword through his chest. It still tried to swing at me, slicing my wrist. Luckily I was able to move away quickly enough so that it didn't finish cutting, but I dropped my sword. A foot came down on the handle before I could grab it, and I was kicked in the chest. I flew backwards onto my back, the breath knocked from my lungs. I looked up to see an Uruk running at me with the sword ready. My hand found a rock and I hurled it at the disgusting thing, knocking him down. With this new time I pulled out my bow, praying that I remembered Legolas's teachings, and I released an arrow. It went straight through the Uruk's forehead, and he fell backwards onto his companion.

I had only three of them left, and I didn't have my sword. I had been lucky with the arrow, but luck wouldn't help me this time. I reached down to my ankle and pulled out my dagger just two of the Uruks ran at me. I pulled it out in one fluid motion and slit one of the Uruk's throats. It dropped its sword, but just to be safe, I plunged my dagger into his chest. It screamed in my face and I nearly collapsed when I smelled its foul breath. The other Uruk slammed the hilt of his sword against my temple and I fell back in surprise.

I tried to ignore the pounding in my head and looked up to see the Uruk standing over me – with an arrow through his neck. I looked up the hill to see Legolas standing there just as he let another arrow go and shot the last Uruk dead. Upon seeing it fall to the ground, Legolas rushed down the hill towards me.

"Adette, nightingale please speak to me." He cooed, sitting me up and hugging me so tightly that I literally couldn't breathe. "In Heavens name please speak to me."

"I…can't breathe." I choked. He instantly pulled me away from him, his face filled with concern and his eyes filled with tears. He blinked once and they were gone. He lifted a finger to my temple and I winced.

"You're bleeding." He said softly.

"I'm alright." He helped me to my feet and I picked up both my dagger and my sword, sheathing them both just as Legolas grabbed my hand.

"Come, Boromir called for us moments ago. Aragorn went into the forest after him." With that, we were running across the field and into the trees. I ran ahead of Legolas, still holding his hand, seeing dead Uruks all around. When we reached the top of another hill I gasped.

The Uruk that had nearly killed Legolas was dead on the ground. Aragorn was kneeling before a tree, but I couldn't see who it was on the ground. Suddenly I recognized the body of Boromir.

"Boromir!" I shouted, letting go of Legolas's hand. I rushed down the hill and stood a few feet away from Aragorn. Boromir had three arrows sticking out of him and blood was bubbling on his lips. Tears clouded my vision as I realized he was dying.

"Forgive me. I did not see it. I have failed you all." He said in a strangled voice.

"No, Boromir, you fought bravely! You have kept your honor." Aragorn assured him. He then slowly reached for one of the arrows but Boromir stopped him.

"Leave it! It is over. The world of men will fall, and all will come to darkness… and my city to ruin." His voice was growing weaker. I felt the tears spill over and I began to fall to my knees when two arms wrapped around my waist and lowered me onto my knees.

"I do not know what strength is in my blood, but I swear to you I will not let the White City fall… nor our people fail." Aragorn promised, his voice husky.

"Our people?"

I couldn't watch anymore. I lowered my head, sobs escaping my lips as I mourned for Boromir. I felt Legolas's grip tighten and his head against mine. I could barely hear his words of comfort over my shaky breathing and strangled sobs.

"I would have followed you my brother… my captain… my king." I heard Boromir speak one last time, and lifted my eyes to see Aragorn kiss his forehead as he whispered something close to his face. I heard someone else join our group and looked up to see Gimli.

"Boromir." I gasped, bending over at the waist. My face buried into the dirt and leaves as I cried. I cried not just for Boromir, but for Gandalf, for Frodo, for Middle Earth. Would this be our destiny? To die before accomplishing our goal?

Legolas had released me from his arms, but his hands rubbed my back. As if reading my mind, he spoke.

"We must not lose hope."

I watched sadly as the boat carrying Boromir's body floated down the water and towards the falls. As it tumbled over the side Legolas spun me around to face him and hugged me close.

"I am still here nightingale." He whispered.

"As am I sister." Aragorn smiled as I pulled back from Legolas's hug.

"I ain't going anywhere lass." Gimli whacked my butt with the end of his axe and I grinned down at him, letting out a little laugh.

Legolas then rushed to the boats, beginning to push one in.

"Hurry! Frodo and Sam have reached the eastern shore." He said, turning when no one moved to his side. We all looked at Aragorn as he continued to reequip himself. He looked up and met Legolas's eyes. "You mean not to follow them?"

"Frodo's fate is no longer in our hands." Aragorn answered grimly.

"Then it has all been in vain! The fellowship has failed." Gimli hung his head.

Aragorn shook his head and came towards us, putting one hand on Legolas's shoulder and the other on mine. He looked down at Gimli, sandwiched in between us all, and then from me to Legolas.

"Not if we hold true to each other. We will not abandon Merry and Pippin to torment and death. Not while we have strength left." He then began back up the hill, only to turn once more. "Leave all that can be spared behind. We travel light. Let us hunt some Orc!"

Gimli cheered, following Aragorn back into the trees.

"Adette?"

I turned to see Legolas inches away from me. He placed his hands on my hips and crushed me against him, his eyes burning lovingly into mine. The wind gently swept his hair across his face, and I reached out to touch a bruise on his forehead.

"Yes?"

"You saved my life. That Uruk…"

I smiled and moved my fingers down from his forehead to his lips, silencing him from picking his sentence back up. My lips met his in a kiss, his hands never leaving my hips. I wrapped my arms around his neck and if we would have been any closer we would have been joined as one.

"Think nothing of it." I whispered into his mouth. When we broke the kiss he stepped back and took my hand again in his.

"We have friends to save."