The Twelve travelled down the river for the next few days. Fayre was worried about how Kadira would cope with being with Legolas and Gimli, but Legolas had apparently overcome his hostility towards her, and they were getting along well. Legolas still wasn't talking to Fayre, but at nights he and Kadira would go off and practise their archery together.
On their fourth day from Lothlorien, they went past two giant statues on the shores of the river, old Gondorian monuments that loomed above them. After that, the Twelve landed on the riverbank, above Rauros Falls.
"We'll rest here for a while," Aragorn announced. "And then we'll move on when it's dark. I fear that there's orcs about, and we should try to remain unseen."
Fayre and the three girls unloaded their packs from the boats and stretched. It had been uncomfortable for them, being cramped into the small boats for days on end.
"Where's Frodo?" Sam asked suddenly .
"And where's Boromir?" Layla added.
They all looked up at the forest on the banks. Aragorn sighed and glanced back at the boats. "They must have wandered off. We must look for them – but stay in groups. I don't want anyone to get lost. And be cautious, there may be orc spies around."
"Mr. Frodo!" Sam yelled, running into the woods. Aragorn muttered something under his breath and ran after him, and Fayre dumped her pack and followed.
"Merry, Pippin, wait!" Saige cried, chasing the two hobbits as they too sped into the forest.
Legolas, Gimli, Kadira and Layla traded glances. "Let's stick together," Legolas ordered, and the four dashed up the hill.
"Where are they?" Fayre whispered to Aragorn as they made their way up the hill. Her question was partly answered as they came to the top and saw Frodo sitting on a stone ruin.
"Frodo!" she cried and sat down next to him. "What happened?"
"Boromir..." The hobbit trailed off, and looked up at Aragorn. "What is it?"
"Orcs," he said shortly, and Fayre could hear it too – the faint footsteps, coming closer. "Go, Frodo, back to the boats."
The hobbit scampered off down the hill, and Aragorn turned to Fayre. "You should go too, Fayre. Frodo needs someone to protect him."
"Then come with me," she said quickly, hearing the footsteps come closer.
He shook his head. "I'll hold them off here, but I'll come down there soon. You need to go with Frodo – there could be more orcs down there, and you can fend them off with your magic."
"Very well," Fayre agreed, "I'll protect him, I swear, but if you're not down there soon, I'll come back up here!"
Aragorn smiled at that. "Be safe, Fayre."
"And you as well."
Fayre darted back down the hill towards the boats. She hated leaving Aragorn by himself, but she knew that Frodo would be the one that needed her more now.
Kadira, Layla, Legolas and Gimli were halfway up the hill when they heard the sounds of fighting from ahead. As one, they pulled out their weapons and began to run.
They reached the top of the hill to find Aragorn surrounded by orcs. Legolas and Kadira began to shoot at them, while Gimli and Layla charged in with their axes and swords. It only took them a few minutes to kill all of the orcs that were there.
"What happened?" asked Layla.
"Frodo was here, but he's gone back to the boats," Aragorn answered. "Fayre's gone back there as well. Did you see her on the way?"
Kadira shook her head. "And the orcs?"
Aragorn looked grim. "I do not know where they are from, but I doubt that these are the only ones. We must find the others quickly."
Just as he had finished speaking, a horn sounded from further down the hill.
"Boromir!" Layla shouted, and together the five ran to help.
Meanwhile, Saige had been following Merry and Pippin through the trees. They were yelling as they ran, trying to find Frodo.
"Merry, Pippin, don't shout so loud!" Saige pleaded as she struggled to keep up with them. "Remember what Aragorn said, there might be –"
She trailed off as she looked up the hill. Merry and Pippin stood frozen, staring at the creatures that were tearing down the hill, weaving through the trees.
"Orcs," she finished.
"Come on!" She grabbed the back of Merry and Pippin's cloaks, and tugged them after her, retreating down the hill.
They were halfway there when another band of orcs sprang out of the trees some way in front of them. Saige jerked to a stop, looking for another way out. Behind her, Merry and Pippin drew their swords. Saige thought back frantically, trying to remember the spell Fayre had used for the fireballs.
Before the orcs reached them, a figure leapt out of the bushes, standing between Saige and the orcs.
"Boromir?" Saige gasped, but he had no time to answer her as the orcs began to fight him.
Saige whirled around and began to chant in elvish, summoning fireballs. She managed to make a few and hurl them at some of the orcs, but her strength began to fade and the orcs kept coming.
"Boromir!" she screamed, abandoning her magic and reaching for her sword. The hobbits were fighting the orcs too, but they were barely keeping them at bay. Saige turned around and saw Boromir get hit in the chest with an arrow.
"No!" she shrieked, and summoned another wave of fire that obliterated the first few ranks of orcs that surrounded them. Behind her, Boromir sounded his horn, the sound echoing through the forest.
Saige was filled with hope – soon the others would find them – but when she tried to cast the spell again her mind felt fuzzy and unresponsive. She fumbled with her sword hilt again, but there was blackness at the edge of her vision, and it began to close in. She heard the orcs yelling, and Merry and Pippin shouted shrilly, but then all of the sounds faded and she fell to the ground.
Fayre slipped through the forest to the edge of the river. "Frodo?" she called quietly, trying to spot him.
"Frodo!" she yelled again, and then saw him in a boat on the riverbank. She ran up to him as he was trying to push it off.
"What are you doing, Frodo?" she asked, pulling him back. "We have to wait for the others – they'll be here soon."
"I have to leave now, Fayre," he said desperately. "I'm going to Mordor alone – no one else can come with me. The Ring is too dangerous. It corrupted Boromir, it'll corrupt anyone."
"Frodo, you can't go alone!" Fayre said, shocked. He ignored her and push the boat out into the river, climbed inside as he did so. "Frodo!"
Fayre ran back to her pack and hoisted it on her back. "I'm coming with you!" She began to wade out to the boat.
"I'm coming with you too, Mr Frodo!" a voice from behind her yelled, and Fayre turned around to see Sam hurtling towards her. Fayre grabbed his hand and pulled him along as they swam after the boat.
"No!" Frodo said, trying to push them away, but Fayre scrambled into the boat, pulling Sam up after her.
"The Ring is powerful, yes," she agreed. "Which is why you must not go alone. I swore to protect you, and I intend to do just that."
Frodo glared at the two of them, but then he sighed. "Well, there's no getting rid of you then, is there?" he asked, handing a paddle to Sam, and together the three began to head across the river, to begin their journey to Mordor.
Kadira, Layla, Legolas, Gimli and Aragorn hurtled through the forest, and found Boromir in a clearing halfway down the hill. Kadira gasped when she saw him – he had been shot many times by the orcs, but her still looked up as they approached.
"Saige – the hobbits – the orcs took them," he gasped, reaching for Aragorn's hand.
"We will find them," Aragorn said quietly, "but Boromir –"
Kadira and Layla retreated a few steps as Aragorn talked with Boromir.
"Do you think –" Layla began, but Kadira shook her head.
"No," she said softly, looking sadly at Boromir. "There's nothing we can do."
Aragorn put Boromir's sword in his hand, and then Boromir gave one last shuddering breath and closed his eyes.
Legolas, Gimli and Aragorn carefully lifted Boromir's body and continued down the hill to the river, with Layla and Kadira following. When they got to the river, Fayre and Frodo were nowhere to be seen.
"They've taken the boat." Aragorn pointed across the river, to where a boat could be seen on the other bank.
"We have to follow them!" Kadira said, reaching for her pack.
"No." Aragorn stopped her. "They've made their choice, and we have another path to tread."
"We have to get Saige, and the hobbits," Layla said.
Aragorn nodded. "But first, Boromir."
They carefully laid him in one of the boats, and filled it with all of his belongings. Aragorn laid his sword on his chest, and his horn next to him, and then they pushed the boat off the riverbank.
The five stood watching it as it floated down the river, and then over the Rauros falls.
"Gather what you need," Aragorn said, turning away. "We'll have to travel light, to catch up with the orcs."
The five began to pack again, searching through their belongings. Layla stowed Saige's spell book in her pack.
The five stashed the rest of their supplies underneath the spare boats, and headed through the forest again, in pursuit of the orcs.
A/N: I forget to mention this last time, but thanks to all of you LOVELY PEOPLE who have followed this story!
So now they've all split up, and so the chapters will be a bit different - but you'll see more soon!