Nearly 300 reviews! Wow, and in 21 chapters! How far I've come… Please Read and Review.

Humour mixed with a bit of darkness and angst, as well as a fair bit of action. Next stop, Helm's Deep. I reiterate now that Harry is in love with Ginny, and he and Aragorn are just BFF's. No slash, though it is your right to read it that way if you so wish.

The evacuation of Edoras was a long and drawn out affair, as people went through the customary stages of shock, fear, curiosity, denial, and with some coaxing, acceptance. The Fellowship and Theodred were helping out, Emrys taking his new duties seriously and acting like Theodred's shadow. When people heard his name, they often flinched briefly before accepting his presence upon seeing that he was Prince Theodred's squire of sorts and that he went out of his way to ingratiate himself with everyone he met. Someone, Harry thought, had taught that boy well.

Gandalf had galloped away, muttering something to Aragorn before he left, presumably to track down Eomer and his eored as well as some much needed reinforcements. Harry had protested, pointing out that he could find Eomer easily, and far more quickly, but Gandalf had overruled him, saying that the Rohirrim saw Harry as a talisman, and that Harry's talents were far better for destruction than his own. Harry had sulked, then conceded the point. Now, Harry made himself useful by using featherweight charms and levitating heavy boxes, earning smiles and cries of, "Oh, what a nice boy. You don't get them like that these days," from the elderly and when he lifted a box by hand, some admiring looks at his not inconsiderable muscles.

Soon, he and the rest of the Fellowship had gained a small cadre of fans, young women sighing over their muscles (even a couple of young men were staring), small children in awe and curious and boys trying to prove to these living legends that they were worthy to carry things alongside them. More than one small boy had to be gently dissuaded from lifting a box that was far too heavy for him in an attempt to impress the assembled great men, and most drifted off when their parents called them.

The enormous cavalcade finally got under way, Harry performing a mix of reconnaissance, traffic control and ferry service for those who got separated from friends and family. Horsemen were ranging ahead of the giant column, scouring the land ahead for anything Harry had missed, and so far they had found nothing. Then when they were three quarters of the way to Helm's Deep, Harry heard a scream. Orienting himself on it and dropping like a stooping falcon, he saw a large Warg with a rider savaging Hama. He fired a reductor curse, killing the Warg and spilling its rider. Harry pulled out of his attack run, stunned the Orc and landed.

"Get back to the King! Warn him. It's a scout, there will be more behind. I'll do what I can for Hama." The other man nodded pale face and galloped his horse back to the main column. As he did, Legolas came running on, presumably towards the incoming riders.

"Slow them down!" Harry barked, then turned to look at Hama. The man wasn't breathing, and Harry could tell that he was very dead. He sighed and closed the man's eyes. Such a loyal servant she not be rewarded so poorly.

Théoden and the royal guards came galloping up, and he caught Harry's eye briefly. Harry shook his head. Théoden nodded briefly, and asked, "How many are there?"

"I'm not sure, Legolas has gone to slow them down. Just over that ridge," Harry said, leaping into flight.

As he reached the ridge he saw Legolas firing at an incredible rate, bringing down warg after warg. Harry fired off a couple of stunners then paused. Dog's had really sharp hearing, especially Warg's. Maybe he could turn that to his advantage.

"You might want to cover your ears." He said, taking off again and rising 20 feet up as the Rohirric cavalry formed. "Sonorus."

Legolas' eyes widened, possibly guessing Harry's plan, managed to swing onto Arod in front of Gimli in mid gallop, garnering admiring looks from the assembled Rohirrim, then cover his ears. It was just in time, as Harry tested his plan.

He shrieked. Very, very loudly. And it rang out over the hills, magically enhanced to be more piercing than Aunt Petunia when Dudley had fallen into the Boa Constrictor's enclosure: "SCREE!"

The Rohirrim clapped hands to their ears and swore, horses took nervous little sidesteps, and Boromir could be heard yelling, "A POX ON ALL BLOODY DERANGED WIZARDS!"

But that was nothing on the reaction of the Warg's, many of which crashed in mid charge, bleeding from the ears and the nose, pawing at their heads and whining.

"Hah, it worked! King Théoden, if I may say so, now is your time! Quietus." Harry called down and Théoden saluted him with his sword and signalled the charge. If the Wargs had been remotely coherent, horses would have been useless, but since Harry had ruined their cohesion and robbed them of their momentum, they were easy prey for the horsemen of Rohan.

Harry dived ahead of the charge, cutting throats, scoring large gashes, performing spectacular barrel rolls and laughing like a maniac.

Boromir looked up from killing an Orc and shook his head slowly. "There is something deeply wrong with that young man's head."

"I'm inclined to agree milord." Emrys said, keeping half an eye on Theodred and shook his head with a falsely disappointed sigh, having lost his apprehension of the Fellowship and Lords of Rohan upon witnessing their crazy antics. "You would expect a wizard of his standing to have more dignity."

"Dignity? This is Harry we're talking about. He once changed my father the Steward of Gondor's hair pink. Any dignity around him is quickly destroyed." Boromir snorted.

Emrys shrugged as Harry incinerated another Warg. "As is anything that gets in his way." Emrys paused to kill a wounded, but still mobile Orc that had designs on Theodred's back. "In my village, when the adults and older children wanted to scare us, they told us tales of the Black Wizard, the silent harbinger of either fiery death or gifts of food, based on whether someone had done evil or good. I spent several years having nightmares about him, and now I fight alongside him and find out that he likes a good laugh and to spend time with his friends."

Boromir nodded. "His odd behaviour and youth makes people forget just how dangerous he is, and unlike most beings that plague peoples nightmares in these dark-" Boromir paused to dispatch a couple of orcs and put a wounded and mindlessly snapping Warg out of its misery. "- days, he is human underneath the mantle of mystery."

Most of the Orc's had decided to cut and run, realising that only death would find them if they hung around in range of the Black Wizard.

Aragorn was not faring so well. He had vaulted on behind an Orc in an attempt to kill it, and was now being dragged towards a cliff edge. Said Orc had fallen off, as had the pendant Arwen had given him, and his hand was forcibly attached to the suicidal Warg. He tried cutting it, but couldn't get the requisite leverage. Heart pounding, he tried again. And then he was pulled over the cliff, and moments later both he and the Warg hit the turbulent waters of the Anduin with a crash. He felt himself detach from the Warg, and in a very Harry-like moment he thought, why couldn't this have happened 30 seconds earlier? Then everything faded to black and he knew no more.

Theodred was quietly impressed with his new bodyguard. The boy had all tasks set to him well and without complaint, even cracking a few jokes along with the rest of the rag-tag group of Lords and Wizards. And now he proved to be capable fighter, with sharp reflexes and a knack for finding chinks in the opponents armour, and using their size against them. What he was less good at was judging when to attack and more than once he had been drawn out by a particularly cunning Orc, meaning that Theodred and Boromir had had to intervene on Emrys' behalf a couple of times, and his lack of mass counted against him when fighting something like a Warg or a large Orc.

As Theodred removed his helmet and whipped his forehead clear of sweat, Harry landed beside them, face still flushed from the excitement of the battle. "Have any of you seen Aragorn?" Harry asked, and was met with shaken heads. "Heard him? Smelt him? Seriously, if you ever went Orc hunting with him you would know how bad he can smell. You can tell it's him from a mile off if the wind is in the right direction."

"Harry, you're babbling." Boromir said patiently.

"Ah, so I am. Sorry about that. Hello Emrys. How is life as protection for that poor fool?" Harry asked cheerily.

"I'm enjoying working for Prince Theodred." Emrys replied carefully, and Harry clapped him on the shoulder and chuckled.

"You could have been a politician with a mind like that. Probably best you aren't." Harry made a face. "None of the politicians I've met have ever been particularly friendly to me unless they wanted something."

"With your sparkling wit, how could they fail to like you? They must have mixed you up with some other smartarse." Theodred replied sarcastically, looking around. "And Legolas and Gimli appear to be interrogating an Orc." He added belatedly.

Harry disappeared with a crack and reappeared next to Legolas, who didn't flinch, and Gimli, who jumped and began swearing in Khuzdul at Harry, causing Theodred to grin as the young wizard steadfastly ignored the irate dwarf with the air of long practice. From what he could see, Harry's expression had darkened and he was now hissing some indistinct threats at the creature, which was clearly on its last legs. It said something, chuckled, and died. The three interrogators dashed over to the nearby cliff edge, but not before Legolas picked something that glittered, and lifted it carefully out of the creatures nerveless paw.

Boromir had gone grey, and was muttering, "No, it can't be," , then took off towards the Fellowship at a dead run. Theodred and Emrys shared a look, then followed. This, Theodred thought, could not be good.

And it wasn't. It soon became clear that Aragorn had fallen off the cliff somehow, and had been washed away. Aragorn, wise warrior, gentle healer, heir of Elendil, Captain of the West, hope of the Free Peoples and most importantly, patient friend, was gone. Theodred had barely known him, but he felt grief for the loss of a man so kind and brave. The others were so consumed by their grief that they did not notice when Theoden drew up beside them. Theodred nodded to his father, who returned the nod.

"We do not have time to search. We leave the dead and ride for the fortress." He said curtly, and was met by a glare from Legolas, a mix of anger and disbelief. Théoden met the glare steadily, and Legolas looked away, staring at the pendant he had taken, something that had presumably belonged to Aragorn. Everyone turned to go.

Then Harry said quietly, "No." As one, the Fellowship members took several steps back. Clearly this did not precipitate anything good. Théoden turned and looked at Harry, and was faced by a stare that crackled with anger and loss.

"Harry, there is nothing we can do for him. He is almost certainly dead. You will only waste time looking for him, time that could cost lives."

"I'm going to look for him, find his body at least. I, we, all owe him that much." Harry said coldly.

"In life Lord Aragorn was a friend, an asset, an ally. Now, he is nothing more than a dead body, a casualty. This is the cold reality of war. Loss goes hand in hand with it." Théoden said harshly.

"Do not talk to me of loss, old man. I have suffered enough loss for a thousand lifetimes. I will not suffer this. He was or is my friend. Not just a casualty." Harry snarled. Power began to gather around him, as he spoke, an ugly, raw energy that sent sparks of electricity running up and down his body. Theodred shivered. Every once in a while, Harry reminded people why the forces of darkness feared him so, that he wielded easily enough power to squash anyone in his way like an insect.

Theoden stood his ground, and said quietly, steel in his voice, "Mr Potter, you are possibly the one thing standing between Saruman and my people. My responsibility is to them, not Lord Aragorn, to whom your loyalty does credit. You will come with me. Now."

The power around Harry began to build, and he chuckled, a harsh, cruel and utterly inhuman sound. As his hair began to flutter in an unseen breeze, the sky began to darken and the air around began to shimmer like a heat haze. With a cold laugh, he said, "What makes you think you can stop me? Any of y-"

KATHUNK

Harry keeled over, poleaxed, power dissipating like morning mist burned away by the sun's rays, revealing Emrys who had snuck up behind him and belted Harry with his shield.

"Your title is well chosen, Esquire of Rohan. Only someone possessed of a truly valiant heart would have done that." Theoden said, a slight tremor in his voice, the others nodding vigorously. And who could honestly blame him? The fury and power in Harry's bearing and manner would have given Sauron cause to pause and reconsider his options.

They picked Harry up, and slung him over a spare horse, then rode, many men fewer and those who remained with heavier hearts, to Helm's Deep.

Harry

Helm's Deep. The mighty fortress of Rohan that had defied and denied each and every one of the foes of Rohan who had attacked it. Even Eomer's fortress of Aldburg, an impressive place in of itself, did not compare to the stark and harsh power of the walls, upon which armies had lapped like the waves of a sea, battering but never covering the walls.

No foe had ever taken it, but as Harry dourly reflected as the remains of Rohirric cavalry rode into the fortress, there was a first time for everything. And with Aragorn gone, hope was gone. He had been so close, yet so far from his friend as he fell. The news would literally kill Arwen, and it looked as if it were killing Legolas. With a bitter smile, he remembered that Aragorn's childhood name had been 'Estel', meaning hope. Hope was gone. And he had nearly hurt his friends. In his anger he hadn't realised what he was doing, but that did not excuse it.

His bitter train of thought was interrupted by the arrival of an anxious Eowyn, who looked relieved to see her Uncle, but shocked at how few had returned. When Harry saw her, a tsunami of guilt rolled over him.

"So few… so few of you have returned." Eowyn said to Théoden as he dismounted.

He paused for a moment and said, "Our people are safe now. We have paid for it with many lives" then began to remove his equipment and saddle from his horse. As he did, Gimli walked up to her with a heavy heart.

"Lord Aragorn, where is he?" She asked. The remains of the Fellowship turned away as one, until Gimli managed to choke something out.

"He fell."

Eowyn looked horrified and grief stricken, but Harry paid her no mind as he dismounted, looked grimly up at the highest point on the fortress, and disapparated with a loud crack. When he arrived at his new vantage point, he saw the cavalry enter the fortress and stable their horses. The wind suddenly picked up, and he stumbled cursing, and grabbed hold of the wall. Once he was certain that he was braced strongly, he drew his wand and began to ward the fortress.

"Protego Maxima, Defendre Projectilum…"

Boromir and Eowyn

Eowyn held her sorrow within her with difficulty as it tore at her insides, demanding to be let out. But she was the Shieldmaiden of Rohan, and she would not cry.

When Aragorn had not been present with the Fellowship, she had been worried, but pushed it to the back of her mind, reasoning that he could be covering their retreat, or scouting the enemy. When she had asked them where he was and got expressions of grief as a reply, she knew he was gone. The Dwarf Gimli's statement only confirmed it. She was hardly surprised when Harry dismounted without a word and transported himself to the top of the fortress, where he appeared to be strengthening the defences. Boromir picked up the reins of Harry's without complaint, despite the fact that a warrior was expected to at least hand his horse to the grooms before leaving, clearly unfazed at Harry's unexpected thoughtlessness. Catching her surprised glance, he explained.

"Aragorn was the first person Harry knew in Middle Earth, and I suspect Harry came to view him as almost an older brother, leaving aside his incredible protectiveness of his friends. Harry knew for longer, and knew him better, than any other mortal man in this world. It is also easy to forget how young he is, and how much he has lost in that short time."

Boromir paused and looked up as another crack heralded Harry's appearance on another part of the fortress, where he continued to cast enchantments. "I suspect that he feels as if history is repeating itself once more, and many more people will die that he cares about. Many people he thinks he should have been able to save. It's what he came here to get away from, and Aragorn's death may just have reopened old wounds." Boromir looked sadly up at the subject of their conversation, who had moved close enough that his face was clearly visible, a mask of bitterness, anger, regret, guilt and grief.

"For now it is best to leave him. When your uncle repeatedly tried to force him to not waste time searching for Aragorn…" Boromir shuddered, remembering the dark aura Harry had projected. "Something emerged. A darker side to his nature. Colder, crueller, unfettered by conscience or morality. I felt the power gather around him, and I am certain he could have wiped all of us out in a moment. It was not like when we lost Gandalf that was simple grief with no darkness. Even so, it was enough to send bolts of power out for hundreds of metres around, and destroyed the Eastern Gate of Moria. This time… it was different. We have Emrys and a well-timed thump from his shield to thank that he didn't snap entirely and kill your uncle."

Eowyn looked shocked. She had known Harry was powerful, and that he could be volatile, but the possibility he could get so angry and strong as to kill friends with a mere thought was something that terrified her, as it would any ordinary being faced with the existence of a living force of nature.

"He hasn't spoken since he woke up, except to apologise repeatedly and sincerely to your uncle and thank Emrys volubly for knocking him out before he did any harm. He will come out of his shadow sooner or later, he has too good a heart not to. But scolding him will not help. Not yet, anyway." With those cryptic parting words, Boromir led his and Harry's horses away, leaving a somewhat puzzled shield maiden behind.

Aragorn

Aragorn groaned. His entire body was battered, and he felt like someone had picked him and wrung him out like a washcloth. And now Brego was snuffling around his face. He struggled into a sitting position, and reviewed his memories. He remembered lining up for the charge and Legolas displaying extraordinary agility to swing himself onto his horse while it was in a full gallop, drawing envious and appreciative glances from the Rohirrim. He remembered the crunch of impact, and the roar of battle, the ferocity of the wargs. He remembered being pulled over the cliff by the maddened warg and desperately trying to cut himself free, then the tumbling and smashing of the river. Brego kneeled to help him struggle onto his back. He marshalled his will and clicked Brego into motion, wincing as the horse stood. It was a long ride to Helm's Deep, and he had little time to make it in.

Soon he came across the Uruk army, and swore softly. 10,000 at least, all of a height and size with those he had fought at the Falls of Rauros. If even half of them were as competent, even with a Wizard of Harry's power on their side, the battle would be desperate in the extreme. He surveyed the army once more, grimly noting the standard of the white hand, and urged Brego into a canter. Some hours later he could see the walls of Helm's deep come into view.

Legolas

Legolas suddenly felt something tug inside him. He had been quietly following Gimli around, examining the fortress, which Gimli was pointedly praising at the top of his voice, hoping that the renowned reputation of the Dwarves for knowing good stone work when they saw it would help the defenders confidence. Following the feeling he turned and ran towards the walls. Gimli paused in his admiration of the curvature of the inner keep to follow him, and saw Legolas staring at something in the distance with the first smile he had worn since Aragorn had tumbled over the cliff. He followed Legolas' gaze after jumping then holding onto the wall to get a view over it, and saw a dark and indistinct figure on horseback.

Gimli dropped to his feet with a sigh and said, "Who is it, Legolas?"

"Hope Gimli. Hope is coming."

"And what sort of answer is that?" Gimli asked indignantly.

"One you'll understand soon enough." Legolas said with a grin, and then leapt off the wall and executed a perfect somersault to land on his feet, shocking some of the soldiers unused to the ways of elves.

"Bloody elves." Gimli muttered, and stared out over the land in front of him. And then nearly fell off the wall in shock as Harry shot past him on that flying broomstick he had used to hunt for the hobbits, presumably going to see who it was, and kill them if necessary. He watched as Harry quickly closed the distance between the fortress and the horseman, slowing down and circling him and then landing and helping the clearly injured figure down from his horse and hugging him fiercely. When Gimli smiled in realisation, it nearly split his head in two. He made his way down the steps, not even bothering to curse the lack of provisions for persons of short stature. Hope had returned.

Harry

Harry paused in his warding to see Legolas race up the steps, closely followed by Gimli, and stare intently at something out on the plains, a dark and indistinct shape on horseback. He sniggered as he saw Gimli leap and grab the edge of the wall in a valiant attempt to get a better view. Well, if it drew such interest it was worth a quick look.

He pulled his shrunken Firebolt out of his pack, enlarged it, and then leapt off the second wall with a war whoop, the Firebolt's acceleration cutting in less than halfway down, sending him shooting past Gimli out towards the distant figure. It had been long time since he had really cut loose on a broomstick, he thought with a slightly bitter smile. Aragorn would have been amused to see his joy on a broomstick. He slowed and looked at the approaching figure whose head was bowed with exhaustion. It couldn't be. He flew in a circle around him. It was without a shadow of a doubt Aragorn. He landed as fast as he could, and went to help Aragorn to the ground. The ranger winced as he got out of the saddle and made a wheezing sound as Harry gathered him into a rib cracking hug.

"Harry… air becoming a…real issue…must… breathe!" Aragorn managed to say, and Harry released him with a rueful expression.

"Sorry. But never scare us like that again! Legolas has been moping, I nearly snapped and killed everyone, Boromir and Gimli were busy keeping Legolas from falling into complete depression and Eowyn…" Harry paused for breath and looked a little embarrassed, then his expression turned serious. "You're going to have to tell her. And not just tell her, explain, soon."

Aragorn sighed. "I know. But we have more immediate problems. 10,000 Uruk-Hai, like the ones at Amon Hen, are coming this way. They'll be here by nightfall."

Harry blinked and said. "Crap."

Aragorn nodded, being used to some of Harry's more unusual idioms. "A crude but succinct summation."

"I'll take you, Théoden will want to hear about this as soon as possible, and your horse can find his way in, right?"

Aragorn nodded, and turned his horse, whispering, "Le hannon Brego, le hannon," then patting him on flank, sending him towards the fortress. Harry sat astride his broom and motioned Aragorn to get on behind.

"You will want to hold on tight, this thing moves very quickly." And with that, Harry kicked off, with Aragorn holding on for dear life.

As they soared over the wall and came in to land, a crowd was gathering. Harry quickly beckoned one of the gate guards and told him in an undertone to let Brego in when he arrived and take him to the stables for a good rub down and some food and water.

While he did, Aragorn's attention was turned by the sound of Gimli grumbling and elbowing his way through the crowd.

"Where is he, where is he, get out of the way, I'm going ta kill him!" Gimli broke through the crowd and paused for a moment, then hugged Aragorn.

"You are the luckiest, the canniest… and the most reckless man I have ever known! Bless you, bless you laddie." He said, hugging Aragorn tightly around the waist, clearly on the verge of tears.

Aragorn gently detached him and asked urgently in a low voice, "Gimli, where is the King?"

"I know where he is Aragorn. You want me to take you by broom?" Harry interjected, waving his broom for emphasis. Aragorn blanched, and shook his head sharply to general amusement. Harry sighed, and said, "Follow me then."

While they walked up, Aragorn asked quietly, "What did you mean when you said you nearly snapped and killed everyone?"

"I… Theoden tried to force to not search for you and go to Helm's Deep. I objected. He tried again, and something in me snapped." Harry said, then his face crumpled. "What if I'm turning into another Voldemort, Aragorn? I nearly killed my friends."

"Harry, listen to me. Everyone has their darker impulses, even I, and you have been touched by darkness before. They are closest to the surface when we are vulnerable. You were particularly vulnerable, and with your power it is not surprising to see them manifest themselves like that. If you want indisputable proof that you will not become like this Voldemort, just look at why you got angry. Because you were concerned for a friend. From what you have told me, this Voldemort creature had no friends, no one he cared for. If that is not proof, I do not know what is. But be careful, my friend. It is all too easy to slip into the darkness. You will have to keep a sharper watch on yourself from now on." Aragorn said calmingly.

"Thank you." Harry said in a small voice, then said, "If I ever go fully to the dark… please. Put me down. I wouldn't be able to live with myself if I became like Voldemort or Saruman or Sauron."

Aragorn's face stiffened, then his hand touched his sword hilt. "Of course. I pray that I will never have to, but if necessary, I will be there." He said softly. The rest of the trip was passed in thoughtful silence.

When they arrived outside the hall, gawping onlookers following them the whole way as well as rumours that the Lord Aragorn was alive, Legolas blocked their path staring flatly at Aragorn. After a moment he said something in Sindarin Harry didn't catch, and added, in a deadpan tone, "You look terrible." They held the stare for a moment, then both broke into laughter. At that moment Legolas handed the token Arwen had given Aragorn to him.

"Hannon le." Aragorn said fervently in a quiet voice.

Only Harry, who had spotted Eowyn approaching caught her pained expression. He grimaced in sympathy, then followed them in, Aragorn opening the doors to the War Council's chamber in the most dramatic manner possible.

Needless to say his appearance caused shock among those planning the defence, not least Boromir who immediately crossed the room with a spreading grin and clasped arms with Aragorn, who returned the gesture with a weary smile.

After the usual greetings, ranging from the incredulous, 'We-thought-you-were-dead' to the concerned, 'Are-you-well', Aragorn announced told them what he had told Harry: There were 10,000 Uruks coming towards Helm's Deep and that they would be there by nightfall.

Théoden's face was expressionless. Then he said, firmly, "Let them come," and strode out, leaving the others behind. Boromir had returned to pouring over the troop dispositions with the Rohirric commanders, while Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli followed him. Harry meanwhile was looking out the open door with a thoughtful expression.

"I'm going out to fly a patrol. I want to see the army for myself, and see how far they are away. I'll have a look over the mountains too, see if there are nasty surprises hidden away. We don't want Saruman cutting off the only potential escape route for the civilians now would we?" Harry said, as much to himself as to any still in the room.

"Good idea, but check your fortress wards and make sure you stay out of sight of the army," Boromir said, glancing up distractedly, in time to catch Harry roll his eyes at him, and then disappear with a crack. Boromir gave it little thought except to assume that he had gone to find a better place to take off from.

In fact Harry apparated down to the wall of the inner keep in time to catch Théoden standing nose to nose with a perturbed Aragorn, saying, "…and who will come? Elves? Dwarves? We are not so lucky in our friends as you," nodding at Legolas and Gimli respectively. He continued, "The old alliances are dead." Then Aragorn said something ill-advised.

"Gondor will answer." He said, though Harry doubted if he was as confident of that as he appeared.

Théoden promptly lost his temper. "Gondor?" He snarled. "Where was Gondor when the Westfold fell? Where was Gondor when our enemies closed in around us? Where was Gondor…" He turned away slightly, as though reining in his temper with some difficulty. Then finally he said softly, "No, my Lord Aragorn, we are alone." He then walked away, calling out orders to his subordinates as he went.

"What did I miss?" Harry said dryly.

"Théoden thinks we're all going to die, so we might as well go out in style. I feel he underestimates the Uruks." Gimli rumbled.

"How could we fail to have style?" Harry said, furrowing his brow in mock confusion. "I'm here."

"And no doubt you will look the height of fashion and good taste when an Uruk axe splits your oversized head in twain." Boromir said flatly, having drawn quietly up behind them in an inspection of his own. "Now is not the time for jokes. I thought you were going to patrol?"

"If the time for jokes is not now, when?" With that question, he swung his leg over his broomstick and kicked off hard, moving like some absurd bird of prey with his grey cloak and habitual black clothes billowing out behind him.

Boromir sighed and shook his head. Gimli caught his expression and chuckled. "Aye, laddie, he does what he wishes, when he wishes. You just have to hope that's also what you want him to do. Thankfully, it usually is." Gimli paused and thought for a moment, then conceded, "He means well."

"He reminds me of myself at that age, albeit for different reasons. I felt so sure that I was always right and that every little decision was mine to make. A couple of battles and I thought myself a veteran. I was an independent minded creature even then. I suspect Harry's authority issues stem from somewhere else however." Boromir said ruefully.

"He's used to being a leader, the one people look to in a major engagement. He also likes to work alone. Maybe the two responses cause his recalcitrance." Legolas theorised.

"Or he just does it because that's the way he is." Gimli replied.

"My dear dwarfish friend, that is what I said."

"No it wasn't."

"Yes it was."

"No it wasn't."

"Yes, it was!"

"No, it wasn't!"

Boromir strode off, shaking his head. You get the finest warriors in Middle Earth together and all they do is bicker like children. Typical really.

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