A/N: Sorry for the delay, my dad was being a computer hog. Chapter 10 might
be late, as I haven't really planned it out yet. Thanks for being so
patient! Thanks for the reviews!! ^__^
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Disclaimer: Steph is mine, Boromir is not. Squee.
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**Chapter 9**
The two slept longer than they had intended, and both dreamed dark, troubling dreams. Steph woke with a start after a quiet, chilling voice began speaking to her in her ear. She was breathing heavily, and no matter how hard she tried, she could not fall back asleep. She didn't want to hear the voice again. Every time she slept it would whisper something she didn't understand. A grey mist would engulf her, and the ground she stood on would begin to crumble beneath her. The words would get louder and louder as the sky began to swirl...
Steph shivered. She didn't want to think about it.
"I need to get my mind off it." Steph mused, looking around for something to do. Her eyes fell on the sleeping form of Boromir. Her face lighting up mischievously, she started to root through her purse.
It was travel worn and dirty, and she was rather surprised that it had made it so far. A hair brush, pencil and cosmetics were rather useless on such a journey, but she couldn't bring herself to throw away the items that reminded her so much of home. So, rolling her eyes at Boromir's remarks, she continued to tie it to the belt around her waist. The belt was too big for her, even if she hadn't lost weight, and the purse evened things out a bit.
Steph came up with a tube of 'Mauve Ahead' lipstick and surveyed it with mounting dislike. She had always hated the color, and wondered for a moment why she had let Sara talk her into it. Shrugging away the thoughts, she crept toward Boromir. He was on his back, one hand over his chest, the other beneath his tilted head.
Stealthily, she drew two lines on his cheek, like Indian war paint. After doing the same on the other, she started on his forehead. As she started toward his nose, he jerked, blinking open his eyes. Steph hurriedly shoved the lipstick into her back pocket, smoothing stray blonde hairs and trying to look innocent.
"Hiya." She greeted, waving at him. He raised a sleepy eyebrow.
"Hello Steph."
"I...em..think we should get up now." She said brilliantly.
"Ah. Of course." Boromir sat up and stretched, frowning at the sun. "We have lingered here too long." He announced, dusting himself off, "If we wish to catch up with them, we must leave now."
Steph was struggling not to laugh. "Yep. Whatever you say Chief Running Bull."
He gave a quizzical look. "What are you talking about?"
"Eh, nothing. Let's go."
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Sara looked sadly at the empty seat beside her. The town was in an uproar now that Steph had been abducted a second time. The TV news crews were getting annoying, screaming questions and begging interviews as she walked toward her car on the way home. She had been the last person to see the now famous blonde, so she was the person everyone wanted to talk to.
Pulling her eyes away from the seat, she tried to concentrate on the lesson. The bell soon rang, and the halls were congested with students. The noise of all of them was deafening, and Sara almost missed her friend Heather, who was waving frantically at her as she fought against the crowd.
"Any news?" Heather asked for what seemed the millionth time.
Sara shook her head. "I visited her dad yesterday. He's pretty upset."
"One would think."
"Do you think she's with.." Sara paused for a moment to step around a boy with a lower locker, "you know who?"
"Boromir?" Heather asked, rather loudly.
Sara glared at her. "Of course!" she hissed quietly, trying to remain inconspicuous, "Do you?"
Heather looked uncomfortable. "I dunno.." she said, twirling a lock of black hair around her finger, "I mean, it's been a few months. I hope she is."
"Don't just hope. She *is* with him. I know it. We've gotta keep faith." Sara pulled herself up, holding her head high. "We've got to keep faith."
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After getting information about where the King and the others were going and in which direction, Steph and Boromir said goodbye and started off. Steph stole a glance at Boromir, who was looking grim and determined. He still had mauve stripes across his face. Steph wondered if he had noticed them yet.
As she was about to ask him, he halted in front of a group of dark trees. Steph turned her attention to them.
"We should go around." She said, frowning at the trees. There was something about them she didn't like.
"We will lose too much time. We must go through."
Steph shook her head. "I really think we should go around. I don't trust it."
Boromir snorted. "I do not trust you, but you are riding with me, are you not?"
Without waiting for a remark, he plunged in, ignoring the horse's nervous snorts. He could feel something in the air, and dug his heels into the horse's sides, trying to make it go faster. The trees seemed to glare at them, and if he listened closely, he could have sworn he heard muttering and whispering.
"Speak quietly, if you must speak at all." He cautioned Steph. The two continued on in silence.
As they traveled deeper into the forest, the muttering seemed to become louder. Boromir unsheathed his sword, glancing about him nervously. He could hear groaning and creaking, as if something was moving. Light was up ahead, and he could see that they were nearly out.
Suddenly, Steph screamed shrilly. One of the branches of a particularly large tree smashed down in front of them. Another swiped at them, narrowly missing their heads. Boromir pushed Steph down, so that her face was buried in the horse's mane. The beast was panicking, neighing in fright. As Boromir started to hack at one of the attacking branches, Steph screamed again, digging her heels into the horse.
"You moron!!" she cried over her shoulder, "It's a TREE! You're a HUMAN!! REMEMBER THE ODDS!!" the horse bolted toward the light in fear, not stopping until it was nearly out of breath. At this point, they were far from the attacking forest. Both riders quickly dismounted, their hearts pounding in their ears.
"You dumbass!" Steph panted, "I told you we shouldn't have gone in there!!" she flopped down on the ground, feebly shaking a fist. "And what the hell were you thinking, trying to attack a tree whose one little branch is as big around as you! Idiot!"
Boromir smirked at her words. "You never will miss a chance to upbraid me, will you?"
Steph pulled herself into a sitting position, snorting at him. "Upbraid? What does tha...oh never mind. I don't care. But if you're trying to kill me by letting me get smashed to pieces by trees, save yourself some trouble and smite me now."
He paled slightly at her comment. He had almost forgotten about her life connection to him. He would have to be more careful. If she died, he would too, and if he died, she would die anyway as she had no survival skills. It was a sick joke that fate was playing on them.
"I will not smite you." He said, forcing a smile, "We will need to work together if we wish to reach Isengard." He mounted the horse, offering her a hand.
"Promise me one thing." She said, clumsily mounting the horse, "No more big evil forests with people killing trees. Promise?"
He sighed. "I promise."
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They did not stop until dusk, as Boromir was eager to get to Isengard. Boromir discovered the pink lines across his face, and rubbed at them until his face was red. In revenge, he decided to start out at dawn.
After some hours of riding, Boromir woke Steph up to show her what was once a large black pillar with a great stone, carved and painted to look like a white hand. It was now broken into small chunks. The white forefinger lay in the dust, its once red nail now almost black. Both shivered involuntarily.
"Let's hurry past it." Steph begged, eyeing the hand suspiciously.
The gates were up ahead, or at least what was left of them. They were twisted and destroyed, and all about them was cracked stone and splintered wood.
Boromir looked on in awe. "Who could do such a thing?"
He led the horse forward slowly and cautiously, both riders looking about for any sign of life.
Steph sighed irritably as they crept closer. "They should be here. They were supposed to come to Isengard and chat with Saruman!"
Boromir gawked at her. "Chat?"
"Well, not exactly chat, but talk about something. Can't remember what, so don't ask me."
Boromir cried out in surprise. "Those trees! They are moving!"
A very large tree looked up in surprise when it saw them and started walking toward them. At the same moment, Boromir heard the sounds of commands being yelled to riders.
"The riders! I can hear them!" he shouted, turning the horse and starting toward the sounds.
"Probably scared off by the evil trees! God, I HATE nature!" Steph yelled back, grabbing his arm for stability as the horse picked up speed.
The cloud of dust accompanying the riders could be seen, weapons and mail coats shimmering in the sun. Boromir's face lit up. They were not too late! They had found them!
Steph pointed happily to them, crying out happily. "I can see them! It's the Fellowship!"
She cried out again, this time in fear. "EVIL TREE!! GO! GO! RUN YOU MORON, RUN!!"
Boromir could hear the thundering footsteps behind him, and kicking the horse numerous times, spurred him onward, outrunning the huge tree.
They had come this far, and the riders were so close, only a few leagues ahead. They were going to make it!
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Disclaimer: Steph is mine, Boromir is not. Squee.
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**Chapter 9**
The two slept longer than they had intended, and both dreamed dark, troubling dreams. Steph woke with a start after a quiet, chilling voice began speaking to her in her ear. She was breathing heavily, and no matter how hard she tried, she could not fall back asleep. She didn't want to hear the voice again. Every time she slept it would whisper something she didn't understand. A grey mist would engulf her, and the ground she stood on would begin to crumble beneath her. The words would get louder and louder as the sky began to swirl...
Steph shivered. She didn't want to think about it.
"I need to get my mind off it." Steph mused, looking around for something to do. Her eyes fell on the sleeping form of Boromir. Her face lighting up mischievously, she started to root through her purse.
It was travel worn and dirty, and she was rather surprised that it had made it so far. A hair brush, pencil and cosmetics were rather useless on such a journey, but she couldn't bring herself to throw away the items that reminded her so much of home. So, rolling her eyes at Boromir's remarks, she continued to tie it to the belt around her waist. The belt was too big for her, even if she hadn't lost weight, and the purse evened things out a bit.
Steph came up with a tube of 'Mauve Ahead' lipstick and surveyed it with mounting dislike. She had always hated the color, and wondered for a moment why she had let Sara talk her into it. Shrugging away the thoughts, she crept toward Boromir. He was on his back, one hand over his chest, the other beneath his tilted head.
Stealthily, she drew two lines on his cheek, like Indian war paint. After doing the same on the other, she started on his forehead. As she started toward his nose, he jerked, blinking open his eyes. Steph hurriedly shoved the lipstick into her back pocket, smoothing stray blonde hairs and trying to look innocent.
"Hiya." She greeted, waving at him. He raised a sleepy eyebrow.
"Hello Steph."
"I...em..think we should get up now." She said brilliantly.
"Ah. Of course." Boromir sat up and stretched, frowning at the sun. "We have lingered here too long." He announced, dusting himself off, "If we wish to catch up with them, we must leave now."
Steph was struggling not to laugh. "Yep. Whatever you say Chief Running Bull."
He gave a quizzical look. "What are you talking about?"
"Eh, nothing. Let's go."
-~-~-~-~-~-
Sara looked sadly at the empty seat beside her. The town was in an uproar now that Steph had been abducted a second time. The TV news crews were getting annoying, screaming questions and begging interviews as she walked toward her car on the way home. She had been the last person to see the now famous blonde, so she was the person everyone wanted to talk to.
Pulling her eyes away from the seat, she tried to concentrate on the lesson. The bell soon rang, and the halls were congested with students. The noise of all of them was deafening, and Sara almost missed her friend Heather, who was waving frantically at her as she fought against the crowd.
"Any news?" Heather asked for what seemed the millionth time.
Sara shook her head. "I visited her dad yesterday. He's pretty upset."
"One would think."
"Do you think she's with.." Sara paused for a moment to step around a boy with a lower locker, "you know who?"
"Boromir?" Heather asked, rather loudly.
Sara glared at her. "Of course!" she hissed quietly, trying to remain inconspicuous, "Do you?"
Heather looked uncomfortable. "I dunno.." she said, twirling a lock of black hair around her finger, "I mean, it's been a few months. I hope she is."
"Don't just hope. She *is* with him. I know it. We've gotta keep faith." Sara pulled herself up, holding her head high. "We've got to keep faith."
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After getting information about where the King and the others were going and in which direction, Steph and Boromir said goodbye and started off. Steph stole a glance at Boromir, who was looking grim and determined. He still had mauve stripes across his face. Steph wondered if he had noticed them yet.
As she was about to ask him, he halted in front of a group of dark trees. Steph turned her attention to them.
"We should go around." She said, frowning at the trees. There was something about them she didn't like.
"We will lose too much time. We must go through."
Steph shook her head. "I really think we should go around. I don't trust it."
Boromir snorted. "I do not trust you, but you are riding with me, are you not?"
Without waiting for a remark, he plunged in, ignoring the horse's nervous snorts. He could feel something in the air, and dug his heels into the horse's sides, trying to make it go faster. The trees seemed to glare at them, and if he listened closely, he could have sworn he heard muttering and whispering.
"Speak quietly, if you must speak at all." He cautioned Steph. The two continued on in silence.
As they traveled deeper into the forest, the muttering seemed to become louder. Boromir unsheathed his sword, glancing about him nervously. He could hear groaning and creaking, as if something was moving. Light was up ahead, and he could see that they were nearly out.
Suddenly, Steph screamed shrilly. One of the branches of a particularly large tree smashed down in front of them. Another swiped at them, narrowly missing their heads. Boromir pushed Steph down, so that her face was buried in the horse's mane. The beast was panicking, neighing in fright. As Boromir started to hack at one of the attacking branches, Steph screamed again, digging her heels into the horse.
"You moron!!" she cried over her shoulder, "It's a TREE! You're a HUMAN!! REMEMBER THE ODDS!!" the horse bolted toward the light in fear, not stopping until it was nearly out of breath. At this point, they were far from the attacking forest. Both riders quickly dismounted, their hearts pounding in their ears.
"You dumbass!" Steph panted, "I told you we shouldn't have gone in there!!" she flopped down on the ground, feebly shaking a fist. "And what the hell were you thinking, trying to attack a tree whose one little branch is as big around as you! Idiot!"
Boromir smirked at her words. "You never will miss a chance to upbraid me, will you?"
Steph pulled herself into a sitting position, snorting at him. "Upbraid? What does tha...oh never mind. I don't care. But if you're trying to kill me by letting me get smashed to pieces by trees, save yourself some trouble and smite me now."
He paled slightly at her comment. He had almost forgotten about her life connection to him. He would have to be more careful. If she died, he would too, and if he died, she would die anyway as she had no survival skills. It was a sick joke that fate was playing on them.
"I will not smite you." He said, forcing a smile, "We will need to work together if we wish to reach Isengard." He mounted the horse, offering her a hand.
"Promise me one thing." She said, clumsily mounting the horse, "No more big evil forests with people killing trees. Promise?"
He sighed. "I promise."
-~-~-~-~-~-
They did not stop until dusk, as Boromir was eager to get to Isengard. Boromir discovered the pink lines across his face, and rubbed at them until his face was red. In revenge, he decided to start out at dawn.
After some hours of riding, Boromir woke Steph up to show her what was once a large black pillar with a great stone, carved and painted to look like a white hand. It was now broken into small chunks. The white forefinger lay in the dust, its once red nail now almost black. Both shivered involuntarily.
"Let's hurry past it." Steph begged, eyeing the hand suspiciously.
The gates were up ahead, or at least what was left of them. They were twisted and destroyed, and all about them was cracked stone and splintered wood.
Boromir looked on in awe. "Who could do such a thing?"
He led the horse forward slowly and cautiously, both riders looking about for any sign of life.
Steph sighed irritably as they crept closer. "They should be here. They were supposed to come to Isengard and chat with Saruman!"
Boromir gawked at her. "Chat?"
"Well, not exactly chat, but talk about something. Can't remember what, so don't ask me."
Boromir cried out in surprise. "Those trees! They are moving!"
A very large tree looked up in surprise when it saw them and started walking toward them. At the same moment, Boromir heard the sounds of commands being yelled to riders.
"The riders! I can hear them!" he shouted, turning the horse and starting toward the sounds.
"Probably scared off by the evil trees! God, I HATE nature!" Steph yelled back, grabbing his arm for stability as the horse picked up speed.
The cloud of dust accompanying the riders could be seen, weapons and mail coats shimmering in the sun. Boromir's face lit up. They were not too late! They had found them!
Steph pointed happily to them, crying out happily. "I can see them! It's the Fellowship!"
She cried out again, this time in fear. "EVIL TREE!! GO! GO! RUN YOU MORON, RUN!!"
Boromir could hear the thundering footsteps behind him, and kicking the horse numerous times, spurred him onward, outrunning the huge tree.
They had come this far, and the riders were so close, only a few leagues ahead. They were going to make it!