Disclaimers: I don't own any of the characters or settings from Lord of the Rings or Xena the Warrior Princess
Author's Note:
This is a LegoRomance (slow-burn)
~ XLVIII: The Breaking of the Fellowship ~
This is ten percent luck
Twenty percent skill
Fifteen percent concentrated power of will
Five percent pleasure
Fifty percent pain
And a hundred percent reason to remember the name
The Western Side of Amon He, 3019 TA, February 26
Aragorn led them to the river on the western side of Amon Hen, in the shade of Tol Brandir, a green grass descended to the river from his feet. Behind it rose the first mild slopes of the forested hill, and trees extended westward along the lake's curved shoreline. A little spring fell to the ground and nourished the grass. "Here we will rest tonight," said Aragorn. "This is the lawn of Parth Galen: a fair place in the summer days of old. Let us hope that no evil has yet come here."
Legolas stood still at the edge of the riverbank, staring north and west into the dusk. The wind was shifting and ragged clouds were dissipating; the night was chilly. In contrast to the cold, though, the elf sensed a weird blackness coming. Despite the fact that he had warned, the ranger had them rest nonetheless. He cast a glance at the human, whose face mirrored his own concerns, and his eyes caught hers for a short moment before he had once again turned to face the north.
"I feel danger close by," said Xena glancing over to the ranger "Something isn't right!" Nothing had happened the days before as they were sailing through the great river, but tonight she could not bring herself to rest. In addition to herself, the elf was also disturbed. This gave her another reason to be frightened. "Keep your weapons near tonight at all costs!"
Suddenly Merry saught his sword and found that someone was missing, Where's Frodo?" he asked loudly and stood up. He was sure that Frodo was sitting next to Sam and it was only a short while since he had seen him.
"Boromir?" Pippin asked next, "Where is Boromir?"
How had both left without anyone to notice, especially the elf? The remaining had sprung on their feet and rushed out of the camp in search of both of them. The forest was unfamiliar to them, but they kept walking their way through the branches and bushed the lower levels.
The forest silenced the clocks, for this place of root and branch was the dominion of the forest. Frodo wandered into that forest keeping away from the remaining Fellowship. He had spotted lately how Boromir was eyeing him. There was a change in the wind, some darkness surrounding Boromir. He had decided to walk away and he was debating if he should continue his journey on his own.
Boromir stood silent a few steps away. The wind murmured in the branches of the trees. Frodo shivered. Suddenly Boromir came beside him. "Are you sure that you do not suffer needlessly? I want to help you?" Boromir said.
"I think, I know already what counsel you would give, Boromir!" Frodo answered and took one step away from him.
"We shall fall in battle valiantly." Boromir told him with his eyes resting against Frodo's chest where the ring was, "Yet there is still hope that they will not fail."
"No hope while the Ring lasts!" said Frodo. His fears were starting to take shape in front of him, as Boromir was acting strangely.
Boromir's eyes lightened "Indeed, The Ring! Is it not a strange fate that we should suffer so much fear and doubt for so small a thing? So small a thing! I ask only for the strength to defend my people! If you would but lend me the Ring!"
Frodo refused "No, were you not on the Council? Have you not heard what Gandalf and Lord Elrond said?" He had owned the Ring for too long to know that its fate was to be destroyed.
"Why do you recoil? I am no thief!" he said loudly skipping next to the hobbit. That small Ring of power should be his, a voice was speaking in the depths of his mind, the ring should be his.
Frodo stared at him and stepped back "You are not yourself!"
"It should be mine. Give it to me!" he said and went after Frodo.
Frodo dodged aside. After he noticed that he couldn't escape Boromir's grip he pulled out the Ring upon its chain and quickly slipped it on his finger. Frodo ran away. Moments later, Boromir's mind returned to reality. He only then noted what problems he had caused. "What have I done!" he mumbled to himself.
Aragorn, like the rest, was looking for Frodo and Boromir. He finally managed to spot Frodo. He approached him worried.
"Frodo?" the Ranger called him.
"It has taken Boromir." Frodo was startled and confused.
"Where is the Ring?" Aragorn wanted to know.
"Stay away!" Frodo shouted
Aragorn looked at Frodo and ensured him "I swore to protect you!" He did not want the ring. He never needed the ring. He had fought all his life not to be a part of his bloodline. He never saught the ring, he never wanted it. He had promised his life to aid Frodo in destroying it.
"Can you protect me from yourself?!" Frodo asked, holding the Ring in his palm "Would you destroy it?"
Aragorn, looking at the Ring, slowly approached Frodo. He reached out, towards the Ring. With both hands, Aragorn closed Frodo's hand over the Ring and pushed it to the Hobbit's chest. "I would have gone with you to the end, into the very fires of Mordor."
"I know. Look after the others, especially Sam. He will not understand."
Aragorn suddenly acknowledged a shift in the wind. He halted, looked to his left, and drew his sword. "Go, Frodo. Run! Run!" He issued the order as he confronted the enemy. He paused momentarily since he did not spot any orcs or goblins. He was aware of a new race. They seemed more powerful, fierce, and frightening. Frodo fled the hilltop in flight. As Aragorn faced them.
The others lingered by the riverbank for an extended period of time. They had been quiet and restless for some time. She observed the woods while she heard strange noises. She regarded Legolas, who was already standing. He was able to hear the sounds in more detail.
"We have been found" The elf cried and raced towards the sounds. Gimli took his axe and follows him. Xena fell in line.
The hobbits crept across the forest to locate Frodo. Uruk-hai assaulted. Aragorn cut down many, but they pushed him up the stairs. Gimli and Legolas were running. Sudden fear or mania seems to have seized them. Xena stayed at a distance while examining the surroundings.
Aragorn engaged the Uruk-hai in combat among the pillars and stones of Amon Hen. Regardless of his courage, he was swiftly encircled. Suddenly, Elven arrows were launched. One by one, the Uruk-hai became wounded. They had more strength than orcs. A basic arrow didn't cause much harm. Gimli charged into combat carrying his formidable axe. A few seconds later, Xena joined them as her Chakram was thrown and cut through the Uruk-hai flesh.
"Aragorn! Go!" Legolas engaged while he, Gimli, and Xena continued to battle with all their might.
Xena approached the location of the Uruk-hai. She cracked her neck and put her Chakram aside. She drew her sword with a malicious grin on her face. She exclaimed, "Finally, some action!" and slid against the closest Uruk-hai.
"Keep a safe space between them," Legolas cautioned after a troubled look at her.
Xena gave him a nod before attacking them. Her movements became more balanced and precise. It seems that the one month she had not used her sword rose her anger to fight. Legolas, Xena, Aragorn, and Gimli were continuing their battle against the Uruk-hai. Legolas pierced one with an arrow and then fired it at another in one fluid motion. Gimli swung his axe. Aragorn continued to stab them, as Xena sliced through them.
Pippin and Merry had located Frodo in the meanwhile. They attempted to conceal him, but Frodo refused. They then realised that he wanted to go alone. They exchanged glances and began to call out the Uruk-hai, allowing Frodo to escape. Merry and Pippin crossed an ancient bridge made of stone. At the far end of the path, they halted and saw Uruk-hai racing towards them. They were approaching from both the front and the rear.
In an effort to aid Merry and Pippin, Boromir blew the horn. Xena heard the horn loud and clear. She had already stepped closer to where Merry and Pippin were. Legolas slaughtered Uruk-hai after Uruk-hai. He assisted Aragorn and Gimli. Again, three tremendous horn blasts were heard, drawing the attention of everyone.
"The Gondor Horn!" Legolas murmured as he explored the area but could not find Xena.
"Boromir!" added the ranger.
The Uruk-Hai stood between him and Boromir as he rushed down the hill towards the sound. Boromir again sounded the Horn of Gondor. Boromir was assaulted by Uruk-Hai. Legolas and Gimli waged a rearguard struggle, while they engaged in a desperate advance on Boromir. Boromir attempted to safeguard Merry and Pippin. Xena fought her way through to the vicinity of Pippin and Merry.
"Run! Run! Take them out of here!" Boromir angrily screamed at Xena and the two hobbits.
Lurtz took aim. Xena attempted to draw away Pippin and Merry by grabbing them. "We must run!" she advised them with urgency. A black arrow suddenly struck Boromir in the breast. Xena hesitated, allowing the Hobbits to escape while tightening her hold on her sword. She cried, "Run!" and attempted to run towards Boromir to assist him.
Unbelievably, Boromir continued to fight, until two more arrows knocked him to his knees. Merry and Pippin were taken captive, and further Uruk-hai came.
As she saw Boromir fall to his knees, Xena felt her head spinning and her rage rising. She suddenly felt disoriented and collapsed to the ground. Her grip loosens and her sword dropped. A member of the Uruk-hai had hit her against her skull. She and the hobbits were captured by the Uruk-hai.
Aragorn attacked Lurtz with his sword drawn, destroying his bow. Lurtz flung his shield at Aragorn, trapping him in a tree; nevertheless, Aragorn freed and fought him bodily. The two warriors engaged in a fierce sword battle. The battle continued, demonstrating the severity of their confrontation. Aragorn cut their right arm and stabbed the guts of Lurtz. Aragorn slew Lurtz and hurried towards Boromir, who lay prone under a tree.
Boromir observed the injured Ranger with concern "They took the little ones! Frodo! Where is Frodo?"
"I let Frodo go," Aragorn informed him as he attempted to assess the severity of his wounds.
Boromir regarded him. "Then you did what I could not. I tried to take the Ring from him."
"The Ring is now out of our grasp," he informed him.
Boromir said with a pained expression on his face "Forgive me. I did not see it. I have failed you all."
"No, Boromir, you fought bravely! You have kept your honour." The ranger remarked as he sought to remove Boromir's arrows.
"Leave it! It is over. The world of men will fall, and all will come to darkness and my city to ruin." he continued.
"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 offered Boromir his vow.
"Our people? Our folks." Boromir repeated, "I would have followed you, my Brother, my Captain, my King!" Then he passed away.
Respectfully, Aragorn stroked his forehead and then his lips with his hand. "Be at peace, son of Gondor," he said respectfully as he kissed his forehead.
Legolas and Gimli arrived at the scene a few seconds later. Legolas saw Aragorn and Boromir with regret. As he also learned that Boromir had passed away. Gimli lowered his head and departed.
"They will look for his coming from the White Tower. But he will not return." Aragorn said finally. He slowly removed Boromir's bracers before sending him off to his final resting place over the Falls of Rauros, as a way to remember the heroic choice Boromir made in order to defend his friends.
Boromir was laid on one of the vessels. His sword was by his side, his shield was over his head, and his horn was at his side. To honour the Captain of Gondor, there was nothing more they could do. The boat passed over the Rauros Falls. They saw the corpse of Boromir depart.
Legolas regarded the vessels. They are unsure whether they should follow Frodo as promised or rescue the other two hobbits. They were unaware that Xena had also vanished. Everything was occurring so rapidly. Legolas propelled a boat across the sea. "Hurry! Sam and Frodo have arrived at the eastern coast " he remarked. Nonetheless, he recognised that Aragorn had other intentions. "Do you not intend to follow them?"
The ranger's seriousness was described as "Frodo's fate is no longer in our hands. He'll take this path alone, with Sam!"
"Then it has all been in vain! The Fellowship was unsuccessful." Gimli grumbled.
Aragorn placed his hands firmly on their shoulders and informed them "Not if we are honest with one another. We will not leave Merry and Pippin to suffer and die. Not while we still have strength. Leave behind all that can be spared. We travel minimally. Let us hunt some Orc!"
Legolas and Gimli exchanged looks of agreement. They began collecting their possessions. Until Legolas discovered Xena's belongings. He couldn't believe he had nearly forgotten about her. "Xena? Have you seen her?"
Gimli regarded him with concern. "No, the last time I saw her was on the hillside, where we were together."
Legolas searched for her where Boromir lost his life. Gimli informed Aragorn, and soon they began searching for her as well. Legolas discovered that the hobbit's things included her weapon. As his heart became heavy, he seized the sword. "She would never abandon her sword."
Aragorn was absent-minded for a few minutes. "Saruman desires her. She gets apprehended among the hobbits. Gather your belongings, we're going!" Aragorn said gravely.
Legolas regarded him with confusion as he strapped the blade to his waist "Why would he preserve her life?"
The ranger exhaled. "Saruman has a motive to save her life. She is more valuable to him alive than she would be dead!"
There were many questions that the elf and the dwarf had at that moment, but all could wait for now, as they had to rescue their friends first.
"Then, Let us hunt some Orc!" said Aragorn again.
((Upcoming Chapter Forty-Nine))
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