Okay, now that it is midterm week, I had the idea of a midterm marathon of fanfiction for me. So, for each of the next 4-5 days of midterms, I'm going to post a new chapter. Thanks to all of my readers for sticking with me this far!

Chapter Seventeen

~ Legolas ~
We pulled up to shore and everyone clambered out of the boats. Estel hopped out neatly as her brother had tugged their boat up and then assisted the Hobbits in clambering out. Then we worked together to get the supplies out. Eldarion, Aragorn, and I all tossed or carried the stuff on shore, and Estel busied herself with tending the fire.

Finally everything was ashore, but my nerves wouldn't settle. I felt as though something was breathing down my neck and taunting me by hiding in plain sight.

Something evil.

I listened with only half an ear as Aragorn and Gimli argued about something. The Dwarf sounded disgruntled, but Aragorn was short in his replies and the conversation quickly ended. When it did, I turned and spoke softly to him.

"We should leave now," I said urgently.

"No," Aragorn countered, authority tainting his words. "Orcs patrol the eastern shore. We must wait for cover of darkness."

I gazed around the clearing. "It is not the eastern shore that worries me. A shadow and a threat has been growing in my mind. Something draws near. . . I can feel it." With the last, I looked back at Aragorn, who wore a troubled expression.

Just then, one of the Hobbits' voices cut through the air. "Where's Frodo?"

The simple question jolted us all into action. With a start, I surveyed the surroundings. There was Sam, and Pippin, and Merry, and Gimli. And Eldarion and Estel. But . . . indeed, Frodo was not among us.

My gaze came to rest on a large round shield. Boromir isn't here either, I realized.

Estel came to the same conclusion seconds later. She swore softly, her eyes flicking to her brother. "Eldarion, this isn't – "

"It is," he answered grimly.

Estel swore again – not bothering to keep it quiet this time – and dashed off into the woods. Within seconds, her green-clad formed vanished, blending seamlessly into the trees.

"Estel, wait!" Aragorn shouted, but it was too late. She couldn't hear us.

Now it was Eldarion's turn to curse out loud, his hand dropping down to rest on his sword. "Estel, you fool!" he muttered, starting off.

I grabbed his arm. "I'll go after her," I said. Eldarion gave me a brief nod and I darted off after Estel.

~ Estel ~
I raced past the trees, ignoring everything else. Every fiber of my being was concentrated on finding Boromir before he did something foolish. I hadn't realized that this was Amon Hen, where Boromir was said to have fallen.

I cursed my stupidity. I should have realized this earlier and prevented Boromir from doing whatever he was going to do now, as it was most likely the cause of him getting killed.

I gasped and halted as something cold brushed past me, filling me with a sense of evil. For a moment, I stood disoriented. Then I shook my head slowly, trying to disperse the feeling. Oh, no. Was that –

Could Frodo have put on the Ring to flee from Boromir?

The thought spurred me to run even faster. I finally came to a halt some time later, panting and looking around. I thought momentarily of Legolas, and jealously spread through me – it would be so much easier to find Boromir if I had an Elf's speed.

But then – "Curse you! Curse you! And all the halflings!"

Boromir.

I ran toward the sounds of the voice. I arrived just in time to see Boromir fall to the ground as he tripped over something.

"Boromir, what happened?" I asked anxiously, dropping to my knees beside the man. I helped him stand. He didn't seem to hear me.

"Boromir, what happened?" I demanded, grabbing his shoulders so that he was forced to look at me. I needed to find out what went wrong.

"Halfling grabbed the Ring," he muttered distractedly, still looking wildly around. "Put it on. . . . Ran off."

"Oh, no," I breathed. But I curbed my instinctual reaction to go after the Hobbit. Frodo was old enough, and it was his burden to bear. In any case, Aragorn would find him soon. Right now, I needed to concentrate on getting Boromir back to the others.

"Come on," I said, starting to turn away.

Boromir grabbed my arm, pulling me back around in the same fashion he had pulled Aragorn during their argument.

"What is it?" I asked. Fear was starting to grow in me. There was an almost wild look in Boromir's eyes, as though he wasn't himself. Something was wrong.

"You," he said hoarsely. "You fall for that Elf!"

"What?"

"Don't deny it," he said harshly, shoving me back. His hands gripped my shoulders so tightly I feared they would bruise.

"Let me go, Boromir." I tried to shove him away, but he was too strong. He merely shoved me again. I gasped as I slammed against a tree.

Boromir immediately stepped forward, crowding me. Fear began to take over me now, suppressing my instincts and my mind, which screamed at me to do something, anything.

But it was clear, oh so very clear, that something was terribly wrong now. Boromir had never acted this way around me. He should never act this way around me, even though now I was out of reach, ear, and eyeshot from Eldarion and Aragorn and Legolas.

"You are a fool to fall for the Elf," he hissed. "And I'll show you how much you're a fool."

With that, he shoved me suddenly. I yelped when I fell sideways onto the ground. Immediately, I saw a way out of the situation and started to roll away. I needed to get away from Boromir. He wasn't in his right mind.

But Boromir had apparently anticipated this reaction, and he grabbed me, forcing me to halt or dislocate my leg. I cried out in pain when his hand came into contact with my face.

"Boromir, stop!" I cried, trying to shove him off of me. "Boromir, please, you aren't in your right mind. Stop!"

His hand went to my belt. Panic wiped away every other emotion. Before this I had been a slave. I knew at once what he intended to do to me. So many others had done exactly the same.

"No!"

I struggled against his restraining hands, seeking any opening I could get. But Boromir was simply too strong. Unless in his madness he made a mistake, there would be no escape from him . . . or my shame.

~ Legolas ~
I rose from the ground, troubled. I had tracked Estel this far already, and I sensed that something had caused her to stop. Fear permeated the air around this spot.

I growled to myself. Before I had learned who she was, Estel had already begun to garner my attention me. She was, essentially, like Aragorn – a perfect blend of the two Children of Ilúvatar. In her was the result of the combination of the grace and beauty of the Elves and the impulsiveness and stubbornness of Men.

And when Aragorn and Eldarion had revealed her true identity, I had sworn that I would protect her at any and all costs. Estel was not exactly delicate, but nor was she to be left to her own devices all the time. Others less respectful of her and other women would be attracted to her and tempted to take advantage of her youth and beauty.

What was more, Aragorn was one of my most trusted friends. Estel was Aragorn's descendant, and thus I felt inclined to help my friend protect her. And if she wanted to come along on such a risky trip, the most I could hope for was to protect her so that she would be safely returned to Imladris.

I closed my eyes, silently asking the trees to guide me to her. I did not trust Boromir. The Man showed little respect for even Aragorn, and he was unaware of Estel's ancestry and of the vows we had taken to protect her.

My eyes snapped open as waves of distress and panic filled me, carried to me by the trees. It was as if they were urging me to go to Estel, to help her. The sudden knowledge filled me with fear.

Something was terribly wrong.

I began to run at full speed toward the center of these feelings. Please protect her, I prayed to the Valar.

And if you have laid a single finger on her, Boromir, you will face the wrath of everyone for – Aragorn, Eldarion, Lord Elrond . . . and me.

Before people start jumping on me and flaming me for Boromir's behavior, let me make one thing clear: Boromir is only acting this way because he is still under the influence of the Ring. You may notice that he didn't apologize or starting looking for Frodo yet. He'll do that later. So, again: Boromir isn't bad, and I don't think of him or portray him as bad – he's just under the influence of the Ring right now, so he has literally no control over himself.