Annamariah: Winkle here, I love the ducky they're my favorite. How did you know? In any case before you jump the gun remember that not all couple have to be romantic couples. No doubt you have a good friend who happens to be male. I would encourage you to think about it in that light.

Crazyroninchic: I love that too. It's my person favorite of the last chapter. Keep reading.

Valiant Warrioress: "I could give you a good mental kick too if you want. Wait no, I can't do that Snodgrass would kill me if I did. About the girls being Sues, I cannot say anything but they are….(to borrow Emily's words) ….singular. I must confess that since you wrote about that usher Snodgrass is in a fever trying to find a suit just like it. However he will than add sequins to the lapel. (Shudders) Keep reading! And reviewing!

Lily Took: I must confess to being a little weepy during the reunion of Emily and Boromir. They make such a lovely pair, Snodgrass wishes me to ask if he can get any Long bottom leaf from you? He is trying to find something really smelly to smoke to keep his aunt Matilde from visiting. Thanks in advance.

Siriusly Sirius Lily Black: Seriously Sirius, whenever I reply to your reviews I have to copy and paste your name and then change the color back to black. Oh….Snodgrass says that I cannot not complain as you have been a very faithful reviewer, sorry…..sort of. By the way, I think I have elven heritage and I think that helps in the mind reading area.

Slayer3: I am still in a state of shock that people write stories about hairdryers! Rather bad form what? In any case we are thrilled that we made you cry. (That came out wrong) And we hate Legoramces and Haldirmances and Aragornmances and Frodomances. They were either already taken by a canonical character like Aragorn and Arwen ,or were way over done. It's not so bad if they're done right, but they almost never are! Keep reading!

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Chapter 15

Bloody Noses and Wedding Bells

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Aragorn's POV

The fire is dying out now as the morning light comes over the ridge. The girls are fast asleep and even Gimli is sleeping like a new born lamb. Lighting my pipe I reflect on the past week and the sequence of events that have happened so quickly.

I still cannot believe the amount of fortitude shown by girl Barbara, she is sleeping with her cheek pillowed on a saddle bag and her bow tucked under her arm. She is like no other young girl I have ever met before, full of fire and spirit almost like the women of old.

However, deeply seated in her being is irreverent humor and sense of the ridiculous that manifests itself at the most importune moments. And yet she possesses an abounding sense of loyalty to us and our quest. Usually her expression is mischievous and full of fun but as she sleeps, she is the innocent child she is meant to be. It pains me that she must turn her hand to sword and bow when it was meant for gentler pursuits.

"You should try to rest Aragorn, the battle will not be won if your verging on exhaustion." This counsel from Legolas as he sits down beside me, my friend always watching out for the careless youth I know he thinks me.

"I do not, at least not anymore." he protests reading my thoughts. I can't help, but laugh at his concern, I know he cannot know the power that fuels my purpose.

"I suppose you feel the need to mother me now that Elrond is away?" I ask, I know that as much as he respects Elrond, Legolas has always had a different point of view in regard to how I was raised. I must admit I took childish delight in teasing each of them about it.

"No ,indeed, you know that Estel if anyone does. I always thought you should have been more independent from an early age. But enough of that, do you wish to continue on to Rohan?"

"Yes, Gandalf thinks that we will be needed there most. I wish he would confide his reasons to us more. There are times when I wish he wouldn't feel the need to be so mysterious."

"I cannot believe you just said that!" said Barbie shoving her hair out of her face as she sat up. " I mean, "Hello?" he's a wizard! He's supposed to be mysterious even if all he's keeping from you is what's on the menu for dinner. I never expected to hear you complaining about it."

A snigger came from Gimli's bedroll and I wished I was close enough to give the dwarf a deserving smack. Instead I turned to Barbara saying "You are right, but everyone has times of impatience my Lady."

She snorted in an un-lady like fashion and said "Not you, you are supposed to be the ever-patient, ever-steadfast, ever-waiting for the right word sort of person we can all look up to."

"Yeah" joined Legolas giving me a look of barely contained mirth. "You're supposed to be kingly."

"And I thought you were supposed to be princely?" I countered. " You were never meant to come this far on a quest and you know it. You're lucky Elrond let you come."

"He had nothing whatsoever to do with it Estel, I am full grown and able to take very good care of myself, thank you very much."

"You would like to think that wouldn't you, but we all know Elrond has four thousand years seniority on you and can tell you what to do!" I said scrambling away as he reached out with another hit.

"You've finally gone too far Estel, I feel sorry for Arwen as she will not ever see your sorry face again!" he said and dove for me.

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Emily's POV

I cannot believe I am seeing this!

Rolling around the fire in a fierce struggle is the Prince of Mirkwood and future king of Gondor. Saints preserve us! I rolled out of their way just before being squashed as they unseeingly thrashed all over the place. You should have seen the looks on Boromir and Haldir's faces when they came up and saw the two trying to kill each other.

Barbie wasn't being much of a help either.

"Fight! Fight! Fight!" she chanted. "Go Aragorn, go Legolas! Go Aragorn! Go Legolas! Fight! Fight! Fight!"

Gimli joined right in and the other elves of the guard were beginning to gather when it was over as Legolas slammed Aragorn down and held him pinned his right arm twisted behind his back.

"Do you give up Estel?" he panted as he whipped his braids out of his face. (Oh no! No more swooning fan girls!)

"Never! Gondor surrenders to no one!" ground out Aragorn. I frankly think that if Gandalf had not come up then they would still be at a stale mate in the middle of a Rohirric plain.

He hit them with his nifty white staff and said "Get up we have no more time for this you two. We ride for Rohan and the Golden Hall." He strode away a small smile tugging at his wrinkled old face. He whistled to Shadowfax and the stallion came running up in all his splendor, the showoff.

Haldir brought Pigeon up to me, and was about to help me up when Boromir stepped in instead. They stared at each other for a split second and Haldir bowed out, just as he should. Boromir lifted me to the saddle and handed me the reigns with a smile, I smiled back but like anything new is was still hard to get used to such open affection.

"Did you rest well my dear?" he asked and I love the way he says "my dear".

"Only sweet dreams." I answered. He touched my hand and swung up on his horse, as Barbie was pulled up behind Haldir. She was making all kinds of silly faces and kissing motions while trying not to laugh.

Haldir must have know because he said " You know Barbara if you don't watch out, I may dump you off in the next river and forget to pick you up again."

"Meany." she said, but then thankfully she stopped. Thank God!

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Barb's POV.

You know, I love sister power. And I was thrilled beyond words to have my suddenly tall sister (you cannot imagine my envy) with me again.

But now…boy, those two were sappy! Not in the bad-eighties-movie way, where the two lovers gaze into each others eyes and say dumb stuff like " John! John! John! Marsha! Marsha! Marsha!" But in that British-y way, where they just look at each other every now and again, which was worse in my opinion anyway.

When we had begun to break up camp that morning, we had run into a bit of snag. Too many people, and just not enough horses! Legolas and Gimli had no problem, they seemed to think it was fun to double up. Emily had her horse, which she named-that poor horse-Pigeon! People who give horses stupid names like that don't deserve them.

But she did, and so did everyone else, so I was the odd one out. I didn't know any of the guard, wasn't about to detract from Aragorn's kingly image, Gandalf was just too wizardly, and Boromir was just him.

Then I saw…the horse, the one that had given Shadowfax a run for his money the day before. The tall, black horse that, should, by rights, be found only fairy tales, and spout fire from their nostrils. Wow. But this was Haldir's horse! As I have mentioned before, Haldir is one of the few people that scare me, and that is because Haldir is just a scary sort of Marchwarden. So I sidled up to him, feeling stupid, short, and scared.

"Um, Marchwarden," I began " Do you think that I could-ah-ride with you? I don't know anyone else and so I kind of thought maybe I could."

He looked down at me, like he always does, and I felt even smaller. I hate it when I feel small!

"How well can you ride?' he asked, probably suspecting that I could bounce around like a totally inexperienced newbie. Trouble was, I wasn't exactly sure how to gauge my own skill.

"Well, I rode behind Lord Eomer and he didn't say I bumped around. And he should know about that kind of thing."

"You use the term "kind of" and "well" much too often," was his somewhat discouraging answer.

I waited a few moments, and he didn't say anything more, so I asked. "Does that mean yes, or no?"

He studied me carefully a few moments, and I wondered if I had some unsightly cancerous growth on the side of my head before he answered.

"I need to see what Socrates thinks of you." he said finally "He's the one that is going to be carrying you. Pet him on the nose or something, he doesn't kick."

"You named him Socrates? That is so cool." I said, approaching the black monster horse. Don't approach from behind, don't touch him until he sees me, don't touch his ears, all the instructions I had ever read abut horses came to the fore now, as I gently ran my hand down his muzzle. He tossed his head a little, nancing about a bit, but I held steady, talking to him.

"Who's such a big, strong horse? Who's such a nice horse? Who had the name of a Greek philosopher that hasn't even been born yet? Yeah, you do."

Finally, he made a soft snuffling noise, and stood still as I ran my hand under his tangled mane. And the next part was funny, he sort of leaned onto, or into my touch, as if he liked it.

"Do I pass?" I asked through a muffling curtain of mane. Haldir said something to Socrates, and the horse stepped away, leaving me to breath a little more freely as it stuck its' nose into the Marchwarden's hair. Haldir smiled slightly (At his horse, not me!) and spoke softly to it as he took the proud, sculpted head into his hands. Then he leaned forward and kissed it on the nose!

"Very well, you may ride with me." he said, ignoring my astonished face.

As we began our long trek across the plains, I finally found my voice. "I can't believe you just did that!"

"What? Allowed you to ride with me?" he said. This sounded somewhat like an insult, but I was still too shocked to think of an answer.

"No. I mean, kissing Socrates on the nose!"

I stopped for a moment, and then began to laugh. Kissing-Socrates-the way that would sound back at home? On the nose, no less!

"What is so amusing about that?" he asked, rather testily I thought.

"And they all thought he died of poison!" I chortled " It was actually probably the shock! Haha!"

Haldir just looked at me, and suffice it to say, he managed to shut me up in a few minutes. All through the ride however, unexpected ha-ha's would suddenly escape me, and he would shake his head sadly, no doubt at my helpless insanity.

I could hardly wait to see Edoras. Known more commonly as Rohan, but I loved both names, the proud, inspiring way they sounded when you said them. Of course, it takes a heck of a lot longer to get there then they show in the movies, and so I amused myself by watching the elven guard that had made such a startling appearance the day before.

They were all women, which I thought was rather funky. I picked out one particularly pretty one, with those big, innocent looking eyes that have guys stammering like fools (though the weapons she carried didn't look innocent!) and wondered briefly what Legolas would think of her.

I almost laughed at the thought, and then caught myself. This wasn't supposed to be funny! But when I thought about it, a tiny chuckle kept tickling in my throat. I took a stern hold of myself. I was supposed to have a crush-a serious crush-on this elf, this Prince! For Eru's sake, I had his life's grace hanging around my neck, a great sacrifice on his part to save my life!

Humph.

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Emily's POV

It was late in day when we finally reached Edoras, the capital of Rohan. The ride had been long and hard for everyone, even the horses had a difficult time crossing the rocky terrain of the plains. I suppose that the horses of Rohan must be hardy beasts indeed.

And I was tired. There are times when you just wish you could stretch and curl around a soft feather pillow and sleep forever, and this was one of them.

However, as no feather pillow was in sight and only the city ahead of us I tried to plunk up some strength to remain up beat. It was a lovely day despite the horrible wind, it tore across the treeless plain and swept away anything that wasn't tied down. Once again I envied Barbie her hair as she could wear it in a braid, and mine just flew everywhere until I looked like a porcupine after a tumble in the dryer.

But, even Barbie was sagging in the saddle behind Haldir, I think she may even have fallen asleep! I was friends with the Warden, but she obviously had no problem being all cozy comfort with the elf. But Haldir nudged her awake as we crossed through the town gates.

We rode through the town in silence and all around us the people stood like stone, cold and lifeless. Gandalf looked straight ahead and I knew his mind was on the task to come, it was really odd sometimes, knowing what was going to happen, and where. But we had been wrong about Boromir and maybe there would be other things like that in the future, I only hope that it isn't our fault. Not of course that I have any regret that Boromir is alive.

I hummed the Rohan theme under my breath as we rode and I think I heard Barbie snigger, I didn't care because that had always been one of my favorite musical themes from the movies.

"You'll find more cheer in a graveyard." muttered Gimli famously.

"Aragorn, I think it best if we remain outside while you and Gandalf deal with King Theoden." said Haldir quietly.

Aragorn nodded in agreement, but I think he was a bit peeved at the idea.

The elves had been getting weird looks the whole time and I think Haldir knew that they would be refused entrance to the Golden Hall itself. It was kind of sad really to see that sort of prejudice among these people. I know we tend to idolize them as perfect, but they were human ( at least most of them were) and were prone to all the same weaknesses.

I slid off the saddle to the ground and smoothed my rumbled appearance as best as I could without a hair brush and mirror. I noted that fact that Gandalf was now walking with a pronounced limp and was leaning on Legolas's arm. Teeheehee.

We climb the few steps and are greeted with open arms by the man I assumed was Háma with his cronies. I almost felt bad for the whopping they were going to get, almost.

"I cannot allow you before Theoden kind so armed, Gandalf Grayhame. By order of Grima Wormtongue." He said, looking ashamed of himself (poor guy.)

"Well, who died and made him King?" interjected Barbara.

I could've killed her right than and there after that idiotic comment. I knew that by this time Theodred was dead, so this was not only rude, but incredibly heartless. Háma looked from her to Gandalf, but said nothing. He probably thought that Barbara was just an outspoken female with no brain, I had no idea how right that guess would prove to be.

Everyone unloaded their weapons and I was surprised to see just how many axes the dwarf carried concealed on his stumpy little person. Of course I say this from my new height of 5'8.

"Your staff." pointed out Háma.

"Eh? Oh. No, you would not part an old man from his walking stick?" said Gandalf affecting a touchy-feely-granddad kind of tone. Probably feeling more ashamed then ever Háma let it pass and I was hard put to it not to laugh, this was going to be good.

The doors creaked open and we walked into the deep shadows of the Kings halls, I suppose that when Theoden fell under Grima's influence that he didn't like lights anymore.

At the far end hidden in the shadows the two figures of worm tongue and Theoden sat. Boy! In real life Theoden sure looked like he had gone to hell and back, all the while forgetting nail clippers and a brush and a bathtub and….never mind.

"The courtesy of your hall is somewhat lessened of late, Théoden King." said Gandalf, his voice ringing with authority now. Legolas stepped away and I was conscious of the roughs that were slowly circling our tiny group. Some smelly looking fellow with black teeth and body odor winked at me. (shudder-shudder-shudder.)

"Why should I welcome you, Gandalf Stormcrow?" wheezed the old man.

"A just question my liege." bowed Grima and walked in our direction stopping just in front of me and a little to the right. "Late is the hour in which this conjurer chooses to appear. Láthspell, I name him. Ill news is in ill guest."

I couldn't believe this guy was really as bad looking as they made him in the movie. I mean, the guy didn't have any eyebrows for gosh sake!

"Be silent! Keep your forked tongue behind your teeth. I have not passed through fire and death to bandy gird words with a witless worm!" commanded Gandalf.

"I should say not! You are perhaps the most ill fitted person for the job of adviser whom I have ever heard of!" I said. "In fact, I dare say that there has never been a man I find more loathsome and disgusting, weaselly, cowardly and despicable then you Wormtongue! How properly named indeed, I loath the very sight of your traitorous face!"

There was a moments silence as we all digested what I had just said, I still can't believe I said that. Every word seemed to act like a slap and he actually winched as I drew myself to my full height and said "Be gone you scumbag."

Háma and his men began to clap! Gosh how much worse could it get? Much worse it turned out because Grima called for his cronies to attack and then the guys flew into the alpha-male mode and took them all on for size. I turned in time to Barbie give a flying tackle to a dirty and skinny looking youth. They knocked right through a doorway and disappeared down the stairs we had just climbed.

Gandalf had thrown off his cloak and was now busy throwing out the demon that was Saruman and I watched as the frail body and limp spirit of the King changed he seemed to grow young before my eyes. Then a girl ran forward and clasped Théoden around his waist laughing and crying at the same time. With a jolt I realized that this must be Eowyn, but this girl was no more then….a girl of about Barbie's age. This was too weird.

"I know your face. Èowyn... Èowyn." sputtered the King reaching out and touching her pale face.

Gandalf ( the glory hound) came forward and said "Breathe the free air again, my friend."

Theoden blinked up at him and said uncertainly. "Dark have been my dreams of late."

And he looked down at his hands, and then Aragorn came out of nowhere and said "Your fingers would remember their old strength better, if they grasped your sword."

Theoden grasped it and felt the weight and gave a few swings before his eyes flew to the shrinking figure of Grima under Gimli's foot. It was with great satisfaction that Boromir and Legolas threw the guy down the steps, but unfortunately he crashed right into Barbie and the dirty guard she had wrestled with. So much for perfect timing!

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Barbie's POV.

I missed it. I can't believe I missed it. I cannot believe that while everyone else was watching the wondrous miracle of King Theoden's-restoration-that I was too busy taking out one of his guards to see it. What happened was this.

"He's-doing-it-for-the-good-of-Rohan-you-idiot!" I growled, as we grappled ( I love that word "grappled" it has such strength) on the hard floor. The guard I had picked looked fairly young, around seventeen, only a year older than me, but boy he had a grip! At first he was a little startled when I first attacked him, so that gave me an advantage at first.

You should have seen him swing into gear when I kneed him right in the stomach!

"Don't-make-me-hurt-you-woman!" he shot back, pinning me to the floor by my shoulder.

"Woman! You just got over puberty and you're calling me woman!" I said, how I despised that title, like dog, or horse or chicken. I grabbed his collar, and twisted it tightly around his neck, an effective technique I assure you. He started to choke, and turn red, but he managed to grab me right around the neck, so it was a contest of "who is going to suffocate first" and I'm afraid he would have won.

If.

If Gimli hadn't shouted to me, something about leaving the real fighting to "us men."

If.

If I hadn't seen some low stairs nearby.

If.

If I hadn't managed to roll us both over there, inch by inch, and just when I was sure I was beaten, I pushed him down the stairs. The only trouble was, he didn't let go, so I rolled with him, bouncing down those stairs like manikins. I screamed, he yelled, and then I hit my mouth right on the edge of one of the stairs. When we finally reached the bottom, we were both splattered with blood from my gushing lip, and he had a lump the size of an egg on the back of his head.

"You-idiot!" we sputtered simultaneously.

"If you hadn't hung onto me, then I wouldn't have banged onto you and you wouldn't have that bump on your head you imbecile!" I said, shoving him off of me.

"And if you hadn't pushed me down the stairs in the first place you wouldn't look like the fool you do, blood running all over your chin!' he snarled.

So I reached back, and whammed him good on the nose, which began to bleed even worse than my lip. And to victoriously add insult to injury, while he was holding onto his nose and whining, I grabbed his sleeve and wiped my chin on it.

"So there you sniveling biped." I said, and stood up. Then he dove for my knees, and I was just sidestepping him when Grima came hurtling through the air, and slammed into both of us with a pulpy thud.

We lay there for a few moments, in an odd, gasping for breath sort of way. Let me tell you, Grima is revolting up close, and I shriveled away from him like plastic does away from a candle. I wiggled free, and stood at the bottom of the stairs, glaring up at Legolas and Boromir.

"Nice aim there you guys." I said sarcastically " What do you think this is, a game? He coulda killed me!"

"Our apologies, we didn't see you." Legolas said in a contrite manner, and I couldn't help a tiny smile that snuck up on me, as I stomped up the stairs.

"You didn't see me? The eyes and ears of the Fellowship and you didn't see me? Tsk, tsk, Elrond really shouldn't have let you come."

"Don't you start that again." he muttered out of the corner of his mouth. I affected not to notice this, and got my first good look around the domain of Théoden King.

Saying "Théoden King " is actually in passive voice, but it sounds cool that way, don't you think?

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Emily's POV

It rained all day. We huddled in a miserable group in the large main hall around the open fire pit. The sound of mourning echoed through the corridors and rooms of the hall and throughout the village. Mourning the loss of the heir and future King and mourning the news of raids in the countryside.

"I wish it wasn't raining." Barbie said as she drew her cloak around her shoulders a little more. Her nose was a strange bluish color and still slightly swollen from her tumble with the boy. Haldir had done what he could for it, but he said all we could do now was wait and hope that it didn't heal crookedly.

"I know it makes everything smell musty and dank. I never envisioned such in glorious happenings in Middle Earth. I hear that after a burial is over the name of the warrior is never mentioned again for a whole year. It's so they can rest in peace and find their way to the house of their father's without the pull of their living family holding them back."

"That's got to be hard. I mean, there are a lot of things about Rohan I didn't expect. Like Eowyn! She's not even my age! She's barely 16 and a half, and she's supposed to fall for Estel and kill the Witch King?"

"Why did you use the name Estel, I thought you hated that name for Aragorn." I said casting a look at the man in question he was smoking again (Gag-gag-gag!) and staring into the fire in his moody way.

"And I do it's just that Legolas uses that name all the time and since I have been using my 'super secret powers' more I find myself leaning toward the more Elvish expressions. You should ask anyway the way you balled out the slimy Wormtongue. Boromir told me you were magnificent, a tower of beauty and strength. You really have him wrapped around your finger."

"I can't tell you what that's like Barb, I …I care more for him then I ever have for anyone, besides my family of course. It's just that its scary sometimes to think how much I love him. I know it's corny but love is a terrifying thing, you leave yourself open for much pain. So much chance for hurt and if anything would happen to him.."

"Em, nothings going to happen to him. For Pete's sake he didn't try and take the Ring, and he's alive and well. You worry too much."

"I should think that you would be grateful considering the fact that you never seem to worry about anything at all. Not even the consequences of your own stupid words and actions." I said looking pointedly at her swollen nose.

She smiled and rubbed the spot gingerly and said "But you all love me anyway so I guess I'll just be me."

"Just try to keep your mouth closed during the funeral okay? I'd hate to see you strung up for committing some huge taboo about the after life."

"If, and I repeat if I did I can always count on you guys to get me out of it." she smiled again and went in search of Legolas.

He was in deep conversation with Haldir and some of the other elves in a corner.

Theoden had been kind enough to allow them admittance to the hall, it didn't matter really because I was going to send them back to Lothlorien soon. I hadn't told Haldir that yet and was trying to think of something tactful and so far nothing, but the straight on approach seemed like a good idea.

Being bored I decided to go back to the room that Barbie and I shared with Eowyn, we hadn't even talked to her yet. She was keeping pretty close to Theoden right now and she was often seen kneeling by his sides and speaking softly as she held his hand in her two pale hands.

I got lost in the corridors pretty quickly and found myself at a loss as to what to do. I didn't want to call out and disturb anyone and yet I didn't want to be found hours later still trying to find my room. So I went in one direction as far as it would take me and found myself at the end of a hall with one door to my right. I pushed it open and walked into a room lit with lots of candles, in the center of the room was a figure in full battle armor and livery.

It was Theodred.

His golden hair gleaming against his white face and the reflection of the candle light off the armor had an odd eerie affect on me. I wasn't afraid as much as I was attracted to come closer to this poor young man. So I did, I stood right beside him and looked down on his youthful face.

His cold and emotionless face was strangely calm and at peace. I touched his hand and was shocked to feel the absolute cold of death in him. I always knew that dead bodies were cold, but unless you have touched the body of a dead loved one you cannot understand it. The cold of an empty body is different, you want to warm it and feel the comforting return of warmth that another human body gives.

How old was he? He could not have been more then 25, around my age and here he was already to depart this world.

"Emily? Are you well?"

I turn and find Boromir standing framed in the doorway and I realize that I am crying, hot tears are scorching down my face. I feel the comforting rush of his arms around me and cry freely on his shoulder the crimson silk absorbing my tears and growing into a darker almost blood red.

"Hush dear heart." he says and I feel his breath against my ear and the gentle stroke of his hand on my short hair. He feels so solid and alive in my arms and the thought of the boy lying there reminds me how lucky I am to have Boromir at all.

"Did you never see death before my love?' he asks now.

"Never in one so young and in such a needless way. I have seen my grandparents die and felt the sorrow of it. But they had lived long and full lives, his was be a minute in the earths time. It's so wrong." I say.

Boromir turned my face to his and searches my eyes with his deep brown ones. "Do you consider his death useless?"

"No, he died for his country. He should have lived to be king someday, and had a family and children. But instead he lies here because of a mistake. I cannot find the words to describe how I feel."

I cannot help, but reach up and touch his beautiful face feeling the roughness of his beard and the windburn skin of his cheeks. I have always wanted to see if his hair was as soft as it looked and so I ran my hand through it. He caught my hand and brought it to his lips kissing the palm, it sent a shiver up my spine and I pulled away for safety sake.

"Emily, I cannot promise you much of a future together. We may die next week, but I love you more than anything in the world. Would you consent to be my wife?" he said.

Oh. My. God.