Many thanks to...
Jessfairy88(Thank you!)
LilactheDryad(Oops! Forgot the translations! But since I did not use any new words, the elvish words used in the previous chapter should be located in the guides of previous chapters. And as to your idea: I'm already brainstorming on how that plot would work! Yippeeeeee! And like you heard me say before, the pebble starts an avalanche! My mind is now constantly whirling with ideas for that suggestion!)
Imamc(Double-meaning words are my favorites! They can always cause such chaos and hilarity! Thanks for reviewing!)
P.S— I aM wRiTiNg ThIs WeIrD sO eVeRyOnE wIlL tAkE tHe TiMe To ReAd It! If YoU LiKe ThIs StOrY, pLeAsEREVIEW! Thanks!
xXx
"Are we there yet?"
I sat up in the boat so quickly Gimli yelped and grasped the sides as the craft almost keeled.
"Peregrin Took! I want to get out of this BLASTED boat as much as you, but if you say that one more time, so help me, I willswimover there and shut you up myself!"
The hobbit gulped and shrank into the boat.
"That terrible?"
I glared at Legolas.
"Worse.', I replied as I laid back down in the boat with a nervous groan.
Elves, apparently, do not get seasick. Instead I have been cursed with sweaty palms and quivering jello for muscles. By this point I almost wish I were yacking my guts up to keep myself from thinking of the water.
The sun began to sink lower in the sky and the boats drew closer together. Sam, who was with Frodo and Aragorn, was positioned in the front of the boat and was staring out into the water ahead.
"If ya don't mind me saying, Strider, it seems to me that the river is starting to get rather nasty up ahead."
The ranger stared into the gloom and I followed his example.
"Not good.', I muttered.
The river had quickened its pace and the water foamed as it lashed the rocks that peeked above the surface. I gulped as the mental image of taking a ride down the nature-made pinball machine entered my mind unbidden.
"Aragorn!" Boromir's boat was carried so swiftly down the river that it nudged the Dúnedain's watercraft. "This is madness— we cannot dare these rapids by darkness! No boat has ever survived Sarn Gebir, whether by night or not."
"Back!', Estel yelled in response. "Turn back if you can!"
Paddles were lowered frantically into the water as an endeavor to do as Aragorn asked.
"I did not realize the river flowed as fast as it has. We are indeed close to Sarn Gebir.', I heard the ranger murmur to Frodo.
To close for comfort is what we are.I thought sourly as ducked back into the bottom of the boat. I almost groaned when I realized that this was the part in the books where the—
Swoosh.
"Paddle!', Boromir called. "Paddle!"
Arrows were whizzing overhead and the strum of bowstrings was heard from the eastern shore.
"Yrch!', Legolas said as he slipped into his native language.
The shafts fell among the fellowship: one landing harmlessly in Boromir's boat, another passing through Aragorn's hood, and still another hitting Frodo in-between the shoulders. It pinged off, foiled by the coat of mithril rings he wore beneath his clothes.
As if I had tempted fate by thinking that this could not have gotten any worse, it suddenly did. I was not so fortunate as the ring-bearer in having a coat of metal to protect me. When I heard the zipping of another arrow flying towards me, I ducked further into the boat in time to avoid having the sharp end of a weapon invade my brain. That did not stop it from hitting my shoulder though.
I lurched forward and grit my teeth to keep from yelling something that would have had Elrond washing my mouth out with soap. There was no time to check to see if the arrow was still imbedded in my shoulder; we had reached the other shore and were soon tumbling out of the boats.
Legolas quickly stood on the bank and looked across the river to the east where the volley had come from. He drew an arrow and nocked it into place as his eyes searched the darkness. Nothing moved for several heartbeats.
A shadow arose in the sky and came speeding towards us. Cold dread crept up my spine and I shivered involuntarily. Frodo let out a strangled gasp and clutched at his shoulder where he had been stabbed.
"Elbereth Gilthoniel!" Legolas released the bowstring that had been drawn as he aimed his weapon towards the new darkness. A shriek was heard as the darkness disappeared, hurtling across the sky as it fell. Wails of dismay arose from the orcs before that too was silenced.
Aragorn directed us back into the boats and we paddled back upstream until we found a shallow bay. Beaching the boats, we once again climbed to shore. No fire was lit and we huddled together for warmth. Boromir suddenly stopped conversing quietly with the hobbits to stare at me. He quickly turned and said something to Aragorn that I did not catch thanks to Pippin's complaint of no fresh bacon.
My vision went a little fuzzy and my back began to burn with an odd sensation; I reached back and touched something wet. Whipping my hand back around, I stared at it dumbly. Blood.
"Legolas!', Aragorn called. "I need some assistance."
Legolas moved over to where the two men in our company were standing. They talked worriedly for a few seconds, and Legolas turned a sharp glance in my direction.
Uh-oh.
The threesome approached me cautiously, as if I were some frightened animal.
"Legolas." I heard Aragorn mumble. "Hold her still."
"What? Why?"
No one answered my question as the other elf in our company pinned me down.
"Hey! Let me go!"
"Boromir, fetch me my pack and find the feverfew and athelas.', Aragorn ordered.
I squirmed in Legolas' grasp as Boromir found the sought-after herbs.
"Stop moving,penneth. You will irritate it further." The ranger slipped my tunic far enough off of my shoulder so he could gently examine my wound.
"Oh no! You stay away from me, buddy! There is absolutely no way on earth—" He yanked out the arrow. "Owww! Son of a Steward!"
I stomped my foot as tears blinded my vision, and I squeezed my eyes shut before opening them again.
Boromir blinked in surprise.
"Did you just use my title toswear?"
It was a whole lot more polite than anything else that could've came out.
I narrowed my eyes at him before hissing in pain as Aragorn laid a wet rag on my shoulder.
"We were fortunate that the arrow was not barbed. Hold still."
"Do I have a choice?', I asked rhetorically as I tilted my head in Legolas' direction.
"And I thought she was a fright when she woke up in the mornings.', Merry whispered.
I glowered at the Brandybuck and he quickly shut his mouth.
"We must draw out the poison, Rielásse."
I nodded tersely— bracing myself.
I worried my lip in-between my teeth as the ranger set something on my shoulder that I could not see. Nothing happened for a moment. But then world became blurry and I felt like one of Gandalf's firecrackers had exploded on my back. I jerked away, but Legolas soon stilled any movement so his friend could continue his work.
Seven minutes and a few excruciatingly painful stitches later Aragorn stuck a few of the athelas leaves in his mouth. He chewed them slowly before spitting them out and plastering them onto my shoulder. I wrinkled my nose in disgust.
"Well, that was gross."
Aragorn gave me 'the look' before he bandaged my shoulder and slipped my tunic back into place.
xXx
To save the future steward, or to slay the future steward. That is the question! Well, technically it would be an orc that kills Boromir, but can I really just stand around and let that happen?
My musings were interrupted as the men studied the weather.
"This fog does not bode well. We cannot linger, yet the rapids are too dangerous even when the morning is clear. What then—" Boromir turned to face the ranger as he continued to speak. "—are we to do?"
"There is a old portage-way not far from here. I fear we must leave the river, if only for a small while, in order to bypass the rapids."
"Portage?', Boromir asked in disbelief. "That will not be easy, even if we were all men." He glanced pointedly in my direction.
I frowned and opened my mouth but Aragorn jumped in to play referee.
"It may not be easy, but it is possible."
The boats were quickly pulled from the water and hauled one by one to the portage by the two men; everyone else followed with the baggage. The men were weary and it was decided that since the sun was already setting we would camp here for the night.
"Gollum."
The whispered conversation of two men reached my ears but I tuned them out as I already knew what they were saying. Aragorn and Boromir were watching the creature as he paddled through the river on his log-turned-boat. Two lamp like eyes blinked as he sunk lower into the water.
"What are they looking at?"
"An alligator. Or hippopotamus. Whichever you prefer', I muttered in answer to Sam's question. The poor halfling scratched his curly head in confusion.
I plopped down on my bedroll and stretched out.
"I would kill for a cheeseburger and soda." I stretched slowly and watched in amusement as Pippin scooted away from me. He was still rather leery after I had yelled at him— which I felt very bad for by the way.
"I'm kidding, Pip!"
Several pairs of eyes swiveled in my direction.
"Mr. Frodo? You don't think she means...?"
Frodo laughed.
"No Sam."
"What? What did I say?"
Legolas and Aragorn looked amused, Boromir looked horrified, and Gimli was belly laughing.
"Kidding, lass, is what we call it when a goat—"
"I do not believe that is an appropriate topic to discuss at the moment,' Aragorn reprimanded. "She is a lady."
Gimli turned bright red and Boromir suddenly decided he was going to have an coughing fit to cover up his laugh.
I rolled my eyes before mimicking the motion with my body. My shoulder brushed against the ground as I tried to get comfortable and I grimaced before carefully settling into my pallet.
I was woken up a couple hours later by the sound of Boromir and Aragorn arguing.
"All your life you have been afraid. You cower in the shadows while your people fade!" The voice of Denethor's son came floating to my ears. Frodo was glancing nervously in their direction, and I moved so that I sat beside him.
"You should rest you know."
"I know.', he replied sadly. "But I cannot. The ring grows heavier. And I fear it has taken Boromir."
It was my turn to smile sadly. The hobbit was right about Boromir, and if I were correct, the fellowship would be breaking in the next two days.
xXx
We passed the Argonath the next afternoon, and I was once more huddled in the bottom of a boat (which was really starting to get old).
The time for the fellowship to part was growing closer, and I was growing more anxious.
If I save Boromir the whole world is going to end! What am I gonna do? The poor guy's gonna end up being a pincushion, but if I stop him from dying it would undermine the whole outcome of the war!
These thoughts were constantly replaying in my head.
Boromir was moody. Well, moodier. I assumed he was pouting because Aragorn told him there was no way on Eru's green Arda that he was going to lead the Ring anywhere near Minas Tirith.
I also knew that Boromir was fighting a battle within himself. His father had ordered him to bring the Ring back to his city, and if he did not he would lose his honor in his parent's eyes. Yet if he took the Ring forcefully he would also lose his honor that way. His emotions played across his face as he glanced at Frodo every few minutes.
xXx
The Falls of Rauros could be heard from several miles away as it thundered down a plummet of several hundred feet. I felt the boats run aground and I soon found myself kissing dry land.
"I always heard that the elves share a love for nature..." Pippin's dubious voice quipped.
Legolas chuckled and shook his head at my antics.
"Do not judge all of our race by Riley, my friends. She is... a peculiar elf at times."
"Hey, I resent that!"
My protests were silence by Aragorn's stern glance.
"We cross the lake at nightfall. Hide the boats and continue on foot. We shall approach Mordor from the North.', he said as he began to set up camp.
"Oh yes?" Strider looked sharply at Gimli. "Just a simple matter of finding our way through Emyn Muil? An impossible labyrinth of razor-sharp rocks? And after that—" Pippin stopped chewing his food to stare at Gimli in disbelief. The dwarf paused for dramatic flair before continuing. "—it gets even better! Festering, stinking marshlands far as the eye can see."
Legolas began to look worried and I soon felt the reason why. An awareness was creeping into my mind and I immediately became more alert.
"That is our road. I suggest you take some time to recover your strength, master dwarf." Aragorn piled more firewood onto the campfire.
"Recover my— bah!', Gimli growled as he stomped his stubby little figure over to where Merry and Pippin were sitting. "Pay no attention to that! I need to recover no strength."
I noticed Frodo slipping off into the woods, and a few moments later Boromir did the same under the guise of collecting more wood. Legolas went to warn Aragorn of the foreboding that had entered our minds.
"Gimli." I prodded him in the ribs.
"What?', he snapped. He turned to see me by his side and his voice softened. "What can I do for you, Lady Rielásse?"
"I need you to listen very carefully. Okay? Good. Whatever happens, youmustmake sure that the Horn of Gondor gets thrown into the river."
"Are you crazy, lassie?"
I shook my head. Then paused and nodded.
"Yes, probably. But it's very, very important that this happens. If I'm not around to explain Aragorn will. But you must throw the horn into the water. You have to trust me on this."
"You're not making any sense, but I trust you."
"Good."