The next morning the Fellowship continued down the river in silence. They passed the Argonath, large statues of the old king's of Gondor. They all looked up in amazement at the grand architecture as the passed by.
The fellowship waited until they neared the waterfalls before they pulled ashore. Where they got out of the boats and pulled out their equipment to set up camp as they had the night before.
"We cross the river at nightfall. Hide the boats and continue on foot. We approach Mordor from the North." Aragorn informed them.
"Oh yes?" Gimli asked as he sat in front of the small fire they had built. "Just a simple manner of finding our way through Emyn Muil, an impassable labyrinth of razor-sharp rocks? And after that, it gets even better." Gimli sarcastically complained. The smile fell from Pippin's face at the news as he ate. "Festering, stinking marshland as far as the eye can see." Gimli continued. Amdiriel rolled her eyes at the Dwarf and tuned out his complaining as she looked over to Legolas who was staring into the forest. She went to the side of her friend to see what he was staring out but found nothing. "What is it?" she asked, feeling a shadow grow as she stared into the forest, it wasn't familiar darkness but she could tell it would bring nothing but trouble for them. "I don't know but it is unsettling." he said.
"That is our road. I suggest you take some rest and recover your strength, Master Dwarf." Aragorn said.
"Recover my-" Gimli growled.
Legolas walked over to Aragorn urgently. "We should leave now."
"No, Orcs patrol the eastern shore. We must wait for the cover of darkness." Aragorn told him.
Legolas turned back to the forest "It is not the eastern shore that worries me. A shadow and a threat has been growing in my mind. Something draws near." he said and turned back to the Ranger. Both men looked over at the elf staring intently into the forest.
"Where's Frodo?" Merry asked as he placed down some firewood. Sam sat up quickly while the threat of danger grew in Amdiriel's mind. She then turned and realized her brother was gone. "Aragorn, Boromir is gone too." she told him, the ranger could hear the fear in her voice. Amdiriel loved her brother beyond compare but she knew he could be irrational and be reckless when desperate like herself but she feared their father had influenced him too much.
Aragorn came up beside her and slipped his hand into hers in comfort, Amdiriel looked up at him. "We will find them." he said to her before he turned to Legolas and Gimli. "Legolas, Gimli you two together, find Frodo. Amdiriel your with me." Aragorn said. "No, Aragorn I have to find him alone." she told him. Aragorn was about to protest but Amdiriel cut him off. "He won't hurt me. He wouldn't." she told him. Aragorn feared for Amdiriel but he knew what she said was true it all depended on what state of mind Boromir would be in. Aragorn let out a sigh of defeat "As you wish." he said, the same words he had said to her before he let her take Frodo to Rivendell with 5 then later 9 Nazgul chasing her. he could only hope that this time, she would alright. Se gave him a small smile and squeezed his hand before she turned to the hobbits. "I would not stray too far from the river in case they come back and we didn't see them, they will not think we abandoned them." She said before she ran into the trees. Aragorn's heart pounding like something was coming.
Amdiriel ran through the forest her heart in her chest preparing her for what she could find. She could hear two people speaking and knew she had to be close.
"I only ask for the strength to protect my people."Boromir said and just as Amdiriel came around the corner to see her brother throw the pile of wood he had in his arms to the ground in frustration. Amdiriel hid behind the tree in the hope her brother would come to. she had to have faith that he was stronger than he was.
"If you would only lend me the Ring." Boromir said taking a step toward the hobbit, that caused the hobbit to take a step back, away from him. "Why do you recoil I am no thief?" Boromir asked. "You are not yourself." Frodo stated.
Please Boromir, Amdiriel thought. "What chance do you think you have? They will find you, they will take the Ring, and you will beg for death before the end." he said. Frodo in both in fear and not wanting to hear nor believe what the man in front of me was saying.
"You fool!" Boromir yelled and walked quickly to follow "It is not yours save by unhappy chance. It could have been mine!" Boromir says and tackles Frodo to the ground. Immediately, Amdiriel runs out from her hiding place behind the tree after them. "Give it to me!" Boromir yells. Frodo continues to struggle against the man. Amdiriel then tackles her brother off of Frodo and to the ground. "Run Frodo!" she said not knowing the halfling slipped the Ring onto his finger and did as she said.
Amdiriel and Boromir rolled on the ground, both struggling to get the upper hand. "Boromir! Stop!" she didn't want to do anything she may regret but also hoping he would stop before he did the same. Boromir was somehow able to pin her legs down, Amdiriel could tell he was getting ready to hit her but before he could she punched in the face. Boromir let out a cry of pain. Amdiriel took the opportunity to shift her weight and pin her brother beneath her, her hands having a death grip on his arms.
His eye that only moments ago held rage and darkness was now clear with sadness, guilt, and confusion. "Amdi?" he whispered. "It's alright." she said and moves to get off of him while taking in a deep breath. "What have I done?" he asked "Frodo?" "He's gone, Aragorn and the other's went to find him. I knew i was the only one who could stop you." she told him. Boromir looked at her and then at his hand as if he was scared of his actions. "Did I? Did I hurt you?" he asked, scared of the answer. "No, we tussled on the ground for a few moments, you were going to hit me but I hit you first in the head." she explained. "I'm sorry, Amdi. I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to." he rambled. Amdiriel took his hands in hers "Hey, I know it wasn't you. I am not afraid of you nor am I mad at you...It was a moment of weakness." she said. "A moment that could have cost us everything and if not careful it could have cost your life." he said angrily at himself more than anything as he looked to the ground. Amdiriel lifted his head so he could meet his eyes. "But it didn't, I am right here and I am not leaving you." she replied. "I think I am going to have to distance myself from the Ring, I may need to return to Gondor." he told her. "I know, we will decide later when things have calmed a bit. Alright?" she asked, Boromir nodded, still feeling ashamed at his actions. "Now, go to the river and wash your face. I will make sure that the others have found Frodo and in a bit, you can apologize." again Boromir nodded in response and moved past his sister. "Amdi?" he called out as he turned back around to face her. "Thank you." he said to her. Amdiriel smiled. "I am always here for you. I love you." she told him. Even after all he had done and the shame that he felt his sister still cared and loved him for who he was because she knew the actions of the man who tried to take the RIng was not that of Boromir but that of darkness. "I love you, too." he said, Boromir then turned and headed back towards the river.
Amdiriel then ran as fast as she could dup the hillside until she came upon an old ruin. When she reached the top, she saw Aragorn facing the young hobbit who they had been searching for. "Oh thank goodness you are alright." she said. Frodo had had his back towards her so her voice made him jump and turn around. "You are not hurt are you?" she asked and looked for any wounds on his person. Frodo shook his head. "Are you alright, Amdi? Frodo told me about Boromir." Aragorn said urgently taking a step towards her and looking over for any visible wounds like she had Frodo just moments before. " I am fine, he didn't hurt me." she replied, earning a sigh of relief from the ranger.
The two then looked Frodo who was staring down at the Ring in his hand. "Frodo?" Amdiriel asked cautiously. Frodo lifted his head, eyes full of fear but not because of them. "Will one of you destroy it?" he asked and held out the Ring towards them.
The two looked down at the gold band, so small yet it held so much power and despair. Both took a small step forward, their eyes on nothing but the Ring. The other could not hear but it was calling out each of their names in a soft whisper.
"Amdiriel...Amdiriel...Elessar's queen." it whispered. Amdiriel could feel the pull of the Ring but she knew what would happen if she took it, she would lose everything and everyone. Before Amdiriel could do anything she would regret she turned her body away from the Ring "No." was the only word to come out of her mouth as she stopped hearing the whispers of her name.
Aragorn could hear his name being called. He knew the weakness of the Ring his ancestors bore and now it was the Ring's turn to take the last heir to the throne of Gondor and bring him to utter ruin. "Aragorn...Aragorn." it called out Aragorn stuck his hand out carefully, eyes still trained on the Ring. "Elessar." it whispered again. 'Our actions will mirror the desires of our hearts.' he heard in his head, the words that Amdiriel had spoken to him in Rivendell the night before the council, he knew she was right.
Aragorn then knelt before the hobbit and closed the small had of the hobbit around the Ring "We would have gone with you to the end, into the very fires of Mordor." he told the hobbit and lightly pushes the Ring into Frodo's chest.
"I know." Frodo whispered, sadness on all three faces. "Look after the others, especially Sam. He will not understand." Aragorn nodded in a silent promise. Something blue then catches his eye. Aragorn look's down at Sting, Frodo's sword, and sees it glowing blue. "Go Frodo." whispers Aragorn as he jumps to his feet.
Frodo draws his sword to see it glowing before he looks up at the two warriors. "Run...Run!" Aragorn says as he looks around the corner to see a pack of Urak-hai approaching them quickly. Frodo turns to leave but Amdiriel stops him "Wait Frodo, I sent Boromir to the river after I found him. He will come this way when he hears the battle rage, it will be best for him not to see you." Frodo nodded in understanding "He is sorry, Frodo. He regrets even the thought of putting you in danger." Amdiriel told him, Frodo nodded again at this. "Good luck. Now go!" she urged him. With that, the hobbit ran down the hillside while Amdiriel joined Aragorn's side.
The two shared a look as Amdiriel drew her sword, neither said a word as they walked out from beneath the ruins of the Seat of Seeing to find a troop of Uruk-Hai advancing towards them. they gave half-smiles, even though they were outnumbered completely. Holding their swords up to their faces as an acceptance to the challenge, given to them.
The first uruk-hai came at Amdiriel she raised her sword, blocking the blade of her enemy before retracing it quickly and slashing the uruk-hai across the back. The next one came causing her to duck before she grabbed her dagger, stabbing it in the stomach quickly. She pulled out the blade and threw it into the face of another oncoming uruk-hai.
The sound of blades clashing echoed through the air, Amdiriel could only hope that the others would hear and come to their aid. She and Aragorn were then pushed up the stairs of the ruins. Amdiriel thrusted her sword into the enemy in front of her before she kicked it down the stairs, tumbling him into the uruk-hai around him.
"Find the Halfling! Find the Halflling!" yelled the leader of the uruk-hai as the two reached the top of the ruins. "Frodo." Amdiriel whispered to herself as she cut down another uruk-hai. Aragorn turned to Amdiriel "I got this go." she said and killed another.
"Elendi!" Amdiriel hears Aragorn yell as he jumped from the platform. Amdiriel killed the last one on the platform, she then turned around and pulled her bow from her back. She shoot at anything and everything around Aragorn. A deep growl came from under the ruin, Amdiriel looked and saw Legolas and Gimli attack the uruk-hai. She could only hope that her brother was okay and so were the other hobbits.
"Aragorn go!" Legolas yelled as he covered the ranger, shotting an Uruk-hai at point-blank range sending the arrow past his head and into the creature behind him.
Amdiriel shot at anything and everything that tried to follow, Aragorn until she couldn't get a shot because of the trees. Amdiriel put away her bow and pulled her sword out again. She timed the uruk-hai running out from under her position and jumped with her sword facing downward. As she had thought, she landed on the shoulders of a uruk-hai, her blade embedding itself in its head. The creature fell to the ground and Amdiriel jumped off the now-dead creature, engaging back into the conflict.
She quickly spun around a pillar and stabbed the uruk-hai in the stomach, the uruk- hai groaned in pain before Amdiriel grabbed the back of its head and slammed it into the cement pillar and grabbed out her dagger before he fell to the ground.
Amdiriel turned around to find a Uruk-hai about to attack her but it stopped when it was stuck in the back by a sword. Aragorn pulled out his sword and sighed to see Amdiriel unharmed. She then smiled at him before then engaging in the battle again. Amdiriel was trying her best to make her way down the hill, feeling like something bad was coming.
Suddenly, a horn sounded through the air, Amdiriel could feel her heart stop at the noise. "The horn of Gondor." Legolas stated as everyone froze for a moment. "Boromir." Aragorn said as he sheathed his dagger and ran forward, nearly knocking over Legolas in the process. Aragorn looked for Amdiriel who he found already running as fast as she could towards the noise.
Amdiriel fought as hard as she could, cutting down anything that stood between her and her brother. She jumped over a log, decapitating an uruk-hai at the same time. She stabbed the next one it the gut before spinning out of the way, dodging an oncoming blow, she then cut the back of its legs, sending it to its knees before she clit its throat. Amdiriel could see more and more uruk-hais heading there way. "Hold on, brother." she whispered to herself as she cut down another. It felt like no many how many they killed more just kept on appearing.
Amdiriel could hear Boromir's war cries as they both fought, letting her know she was getting close. Too soon she felt a pain in her upper shoulder. Amdiriel looked up and saw no wound and immediately knew it came from one of her brothers. Not a lot of people knew that Amdiriel could feel her brothers' injuries but only if they were serious which luckily for her was not very often. Amdiriel fought harder than before to try and get to the one brother she could. Two seconds later she felt a surging pain hit her lower right ribcage. She stumbled a tiny bit but caught her footing and ran up the hill.