oh my gosh you guys! I'm so sorry it's been so long!

I hope that even with the wait you still enjoy the chapter. I've missed the LOTR fandom!

please rxr!

peace out!

PEREGRIN

The first rays of the dawning sun streamed between the trees, and Pippin came awake, his mouth stretching wide in a yawn. He looked up from where he lay beside Merry, vaguely seeing two blurred figures kneeling upon the ground on the other side of the clearing. One was Aragorn, that much was clear, but he did not know the other, for it was too broad to be Legolas and too tall to be Gimli.

Pippin looked more carefully, and bewilderment overtook his thoughts; he realized that he did know the man kneeling beside Aragorn. He did not understand how this could be, for his eyes seemed to be lying to him, though his heart proclaimed his sight true. He stood and looked to Aragorn, tilting his head, his chest suddenly tight.

"I don't understand, Strider," Pippin said, his throat dry. Both men turned and looked, and Pippin beheld eerily similar gray eyes.

Aragorn smiled. "You need not understand, Pippin, nor do you need to sorrow any longer. He is truly here."

Pippin looked to the other man, and he felt his eyes fill with tears. "Boromir?"

"Pippin," said Boromir, his voice breaking, and he spread his arms. Pippin was frozen for a moment, and then he stepped forward, stumbling on his tired legs. Then he went farther, faster, and he ran to Boromir, thrusting himself into the man's arms. Boromir nearly fell, but there he remained, steadfast, as Pippin began to weep.

"I missed you, little one." Boromir's breath was soft against Pippin's cheek, his voice husky and broken. "I shall never regret anything more than I do not being able to stand for you until the end."

Pippin's hands clenched the back of Boromir's white tunic; all he could do was put all of his being into the embrace, his tears soaking into the man's chest. "I thought I should never see you again."

"I had hoped we would meet once more," said Boromir. "I cannot tell you the joy I feel at seeing you again, my little one. My last thoughts were of you and Merry; I felt such fear for you that I believed I could defeat every Uruk-hai that came against me. I am sorry I did not…that I could not protect you…"

Suddenly Boromir began to shake, his breath coming in sobs, and Pippin pressed his cheek more firmly into Boromir's chest, whispering, "No, Boromir; you did all that you could and more."

"I shall never leave you again." Boromir's voice was fierce, though he still wept, and he took Pippin's face in his hands and kissed his brow. "Never, my little warrior."

"You never did," Pippin said, and he smiled and brushed the tears from Boromir's face.

"Shire-child?"

Pippin looked up to see Diamond, standing against the sun. The light turned her wild hair to a halo of gold, and Pippin was once again struck by her beauty as she said, "Is this the brother you spoke of?"

"It is," Pippin told her. "This is Boromir Captain of Gondor, my brother and guardian against all evil."

Boromir's sobs returned in full force; Aragorn put a hand upon his shoulder. Pippin gently pried himself from Boromir's grip and said, "Boromir, this is Dia—Princess Diamond of Long Cleeve, I suppose, but she doesn't like to be called that. I suppose Strider has explained to you our quest?"

"He has," said Boromir, wiping his eyes with his sleeve. "He has told me of the Ring of Melkor and the search for the Secret Fire, as well as of the hobbits of Long Cleeve. I wish I could have met them, for they sound like a most wonderful people. Still I am glad to meet you, Princess; it is the highest of honors." He clasped one hand into a fist and laid it over his heart, bowing his head.

"I would not describe my people as wonderful," said Diamond, returning the greeting, "but your words are not unappreciated. What I should like to know is—"

But none of them found out what she wished to know, at least not at that moment, for Merry came suddenly awake and sat staring blankly at all of them. Then he cried "Boromir!" and flung himself toward the man. Boromir laughed, ruffling Merry's hair and pulling him into a tight embrace. "Merry, my friend! How are you?"

"I must confess I am quite shocked," said Merry, a look of unbridled joy upon his face. "I know not how this has come to pass, but I feel that we should rejoice; if only Sam and Frodo were here to see you! Still I wonder; how is it that you have returned?"

Boromir looked to Aragorn, and Pippin saw something like pain in his eyes. "I know not how I have returned, save that Ilúvatar intended me to, but I do not believe that Frodo would be glad to see me. It is my fault that he left you, for I—I tried to take the Ring from him. I was blinded by its power and thought I should have it. It is because of my actions that Frodo has gone, and Sam with him."

"This is not your sin alone, Boromir," said Aragorn. "Many have been swayed by the influence of the One Ring. Worse is the power of the Ring of Melkor, and in this I have committed a graver error than you ever have, for it was by the power of Reena-domë that I recalled you from the grave."

"You took the Ring?" Diamond cried; she clutched at the chain around her neck. The Ring of Melkor hung about it now, but her eyes burned with a dark fire. "How could you take it, Strider? It is mine; Reena-domë is mine, and it is not yours to take!"

She backed away from Aragorn, her breast heaving, and as Pippin reached out a comforting hand she snapped, "Come no further, Shire-child! You are not to touch the Ring, nor its bearer!"

"Dia, you are not yourself," Pippin pleaded, feeling as though she was slipping away as had Boromir. "I beg you, let go of the Ring; it poisons your heart!"

Diamond's grip slowly loosened, and the expression on her face shifted from fury to annoyance. Aragorn looked on her warily; his eyes filled with regret. "I am truly sorry, Princess. Sorry that I took from you the thing which both you and I are sworn to protect. But I felt it to be a necessary evil for a time, for it was the only way that we could raise Boromir, who I believe we need for our quest. I promise that he shall be a great help to us; he has never failed me yet."

"But you are wrong," said Boromir, and his eyes shone with tears. "I have failed you, Aragorn; I tried to take the Ring from Frodo, and that is a wrong which can never be forgiven. You ought to run your sword through me now; I do not deserve this chance at life. I fear that it was not yours to give."

"Perhaps it was not mine to give," Aragorn sighed, and then his voice became stronger, more fierce. "Still have I given it, I have given you a chance, and to give a second chance is to give you a way to show your quality, to prove that you are worthy of the quest after all. For why would I have recalled you if I did not believe you were worthy? I am the king of Gondor, and you my subject; I decide what you deserve, and I say that you deserve this life; nay, the world. Do not let me hear you say that you are unworthy, for all of us here hold you in the highest respect, and never has there been a doubt in our minds about your worthiness. But if you must, Boromir, look on me and tell me I am wrong, if you still believe otherwise."

"I cannot take my king in error," Boromir said, mustering a watery smile. "I thank you, Aragorn, for this chance, and I swear I shall make good on it. In fact I take it upon myself to be the guardian of the hobbits; I shall protect them at all costs, even unto the laying down of my own life once again, and never shall I let harm come to any of the Fellowship as long as there is strength left in me. This I swear upon my life and my standing as Captain of Gondor, and I swear it before my king this day, that he may be a witness to my vow and hold me to it, that I shall never break it, even through the end of days."

Silence fell in the clearing for a moment, and Pippin stood in awe of the son of Gondor. Here was a man who would lay down his life twice over for Pippin, who would protect him from any evil they happened to meet upon the road. He could not imagine their little company without Boromir.

"Somehow I think you could have simply said 'thank you,'" said Diamond, breaking the silence, "but I suppose that was more impressive."

Boromir laughed, and Pippin's heart rejoiced to hear the sound; it had been too long. All things seemed right now, and he felt as if he could grow wings and soar away over the treetops.

Aragorn took Boromir's hands in his own and pulled the younger man to his feet, then nodded to Pippin. "Wake Legolas and Gimli, my friend; it is time to begin our first day of true questing!" Pippin did as the Ranger asked; after much shouting and tearful reunion, the company turned toward the dawning horizon.

"Let us depart!" Aragorn cried, and standing silhouetted against the dawn he seemed wreathed in glory and light. "May our feet never tire and our hearts stand firm! We shall make for Minas Tirith, the White City, and find the Secret Fire and cast the Ring in. All the while we shall look to the Great Eye and tell Sauron that he cannot keep us from our quest, for we are the Fellowship of Reena-domë, and nothing shall break us, not even all the fire and shadow of Mordor!"

"Cheers to that!" shouted Pippin, and they were off.

ARAGORN

The sky had begun to cloud over, and Aragorn smelled rain on the wind. He wondered bleakly if the Fellowship had been cursed to walk forever in the rain, for it seemed as if that was all the sky had done since at least Emyn Muil.

He turned and looked back at his companions. Legolas was directly behind Aragorn, with Boromir and the hobbits not far behind. As Aragorn watched Boromir took up both Pippin and Merry, draping them over his shoulders, and the hobbits squealed with laughter as Boromir broke into a run, diverting from the path and running in a great circle around the company before returning, breathless, to his place in line. Diamond looked on with a sparkle in her eyes, and even Gimli, bringing up the rear, threw back his head and let out a deep-throated laugh.

At this sound Legolas's cheeks flushed a pale rose, which did not escape Aragorn's notice. He beckoned the elf forward, saying, "Legolas, mellon, walk with me."

Legolas cast his gaze downward, but he dutifully quickened his pace until he strode beside Aragorn, still refusing to meet his eye. Aragorn reached out, putting a hand upon Legolas's cheek and turning the elf's face toward him. "Come, Legolas, what troubles you? For I can see that some matter weighs heavy upon your mind. You need not fear my anger; you may speak to me of anything."

Now Legolas raised his gaze to meet Aragorn's, and his sky-colored eyes shone with sorrow. "Oh, Estel, I—I am in love!"

He covered his face with his hands, and Aragorn asked softly, "With who, my friend? You may speak in your own time, but I should like you to know that you need not be ashamed of whoever it may be, for it is the right of all creatures of Middle-earth to find love when and with whom they will."

"This is not a right," Legolas said. "This is a curse, one that I should never have taken upon myself, for I shudder to think what my father should say if he were ever to know the thoughts of my heart. Indeed it is forbidden by centuries of hateful tradition, and I know not what to do, for my heart tells me that I should go to him and confess my affection. It often knows better than my head, I believe, but that tells me that I should carry this secret with me throughout the remaining millennia of my life."

"Who, Legolas?" Aragorn pressed, though he thought he knew the answer.

"Gimli son of Glóin," said Legolas softly, and it was as if a ray of sunlight had pierced the clouds and illuminated his face.

"But this is wonderful news, mellon," Aragorn said. "And your father is not with us; he need not know of your affections. Not yet, at least; I suppose that when we return to our homes he will have to know."

"How will I tell him of it?" Legolas asked. "If I am to wed Gimli it will take my immortality, and Ada could not survive the grief. And I cannot take him with me to Mirkwood; he will never be accepted there. Alas! I am lost!"

Just then the clouds broke and rain cascaded over the Fellowship, and Pippin squeaked in dismay and hid his face in his cloak. Boromir raised his own white cloak like the wings of some great bird and cried, "My friends! Come, take shelter with me; I think all the hobbits shall fit, and Gimli too should he desire it."

"You are a good man, Boromir," said Gimli gruffly, "but I shan't be taken under your cloak like some chick under its mother's wing; I shall bear the storm and all its fury!"

Pippin and Merry did not share his stubbornness, or at least not enough to march on into the wet, and they huddled underneath Boromir's cloak, pressing against his sides. Diamond turned up her nose and moved to walk ahead of them, but Pippin took her hand and pulled her under the cloak, and to Aragorn's surprise she did not leave. Boromir gathered the hobbits close to him, murmuring something comforting.

Seeing a copse to the south Aragorn led the Fellowship toward it, hoping they could take shelter for now and set out when the rain had lessened. Boromir took his cloak and hung it between three sturdy branches; he and the hobbits sat under it, conversing in hushed tones. Gimli reluctantly joined them, and Aragorn sat upon a large stone in the corner of the clearing, trying to console a distraught Legolas.

"You are not lost," Aragorn told the elf. "Such things have happened before; do you not remember Kili and Tauriel? Or the tale of Beren and Luthien?"

"Kili was slain," Legolas said. "And Beren and Luthien died also."

"But while they lived they were happy," said Aragorn. "What I mean is that elves have married outside of their race before, and they have never let the prejudice they face keep them from the one they love. Why, even Arwen has elected to wed me, and we do not fear the wrath of those beyond our control. Dwarves, men, even hobbits; it makes no difference who the elves say you must wed. It only matters who you wish to spend your life with."

Legolas tilted his head. "Hobbits? When has an elf married a hobbit?"

"Is that all you heard?" Aragorn laughed. "In my study in Long Cleeve, I looked on a map of the royal ancestry. It appears that Queen Honor's mother married an elf; not a part-elf, as many of the hobbits in Long Cleeve are, but an elf from Mirkwood by the name of Edhel Woodfern. I suspect that he has since passed, given that he would have lost his immortality when he wed Queen Glory, and she has clearly gone. Still it must have worked out. So it was with Beren and Luthien. So it shall be with you and Gimli, if you have the courage to pursue him."

"Have you heard nothing?" Legolas cried, and he put his face in his hands, softening his tone as the others looked on curiously. "It is not only the fact that Gimli is of another race. It is that he is a dwarf, a creature that the elves are sworn to hate; men and women and hobbits are frowned upon but not forbidden. In this I have erred; I should not act upon my feelings."

"In what have you erred?" Aragorn challenged. "In letting go of ages of prejudice and hatred? In finding a worthy one upon which to bestow the affections of your heart? I say unto you again, Legolas, that there is no shame in loving a dwarf; in fact, I think it is all the more beautiful when we think of the circumstances in which you have found your love."

He took the elf's hand gently in his own. "Know that I, at least, shall still care for you no matter whom you may love. So shall everyone in this Fellowship; if your father or your people make this difficult we shall not forsake you."

"But do they know what it is for a male to love another of his own sex?" asked Legolas in a small voice. "I fear that none of them have been introduced to the concept."

"You need not fear that," said Aragorn kindly. "I know that Long Cleeve allows hobbits to marry whomever they choose, and Merry and Pippin—well, let us say that they have been trying to push Sam and Frodo together for years. With the abundance of dwarvish men I should think that Gimli understands, and Boromir—well, I suppose that Boromir may not know, what with Denethor being so strict and Boromir's constant absence for battle. Still I think he shall be supportive, as he is with all else."

The wide blue eyes of Legolas had filled with tears, and he raised Aragorn's hand to his lips and kissed it tenderly. It was done as it had been at the beginning of the quest, when he had first confessed his love for Aragorn.

"Thank you, Estel," said Legolas, tracing the edge of the burn on Aragorn's palm. "My heart is given to Gimli son of Glóin, but I do not think that I shall ever stop loving you. While you may not be the other half of my soul, I shall trust you with my life for as long as we both shall live, and I shall never forget what you have done for me."

"I am grateful for it," said Aragorn, and he took Legolas into his embrace, murmuring into the elf's pointed ear, "I shall enlist the hobbits to help us. We shall employ any means necessary to obtain for you the affections of Gimli."

"You are noble and kind, Estel," Legolas laughed softly. "But it shall be a long and maddening road."

"Already we have set out upon two long and maddening roads," Aragorn pointed out. "Surely this one is within our power."

"And all shall end with a ring," said Legolas, and Aragorn laughed, suddenly thinking that perhaps the rain was not so maddening after all.

PEREGRIN

Pippin curled against Boromir's side, his head resting upon the man's upper arm. He was sleepy but not yet unconscious, and Boromir seemed the same way until he whispered, completely lucidly, "How are you, my little warrior?"

A stone dug into Pippin's back as he rolled over, and he pulled it from the earth, casting it aside as he looked up at Boromir. "I am well, Boromir, apart from the rain."

Boromir shook his head, pushing himself up onto an elbow. "I should have been more clear. What I mean to ask is how…how are you taking my return? Do you find me fearsome or unnatural? I understand if you do not wish to be near me."

"I could never fear you," said Pippin. "You are one of my dearest friends, and I am happier than I can say now that you have returned. And before you speak of how you have returned; well, it is entirely Strider's fault. You needn't blame yourself. And besides Strider seems quite normal; I do not think the Ring has hurt him."

"That is one of Aragorn's faults," murmured Boromir. "He does not let others see when he is hurting, whether in body or in spirit…I suppose it is not a fault. It is how he protects himself and his friends. But if he were hurt we would not know. And I find it difficult to believe that the summoning of my spirit did not require something from Aragorn. What the Ring took from him, I know not, but I feel certain that he has been wounded today."

Pippin sighed. "I wish it were not so. I wish that Strider did not feel so burdened and that this quest allowed us to ride upon horses all the way to Minas Tirith and that it would not rain so heavily. I wish we had Gandalf back as well; perhaps he could help speed our journey or at least lift our spirits with his lovely fireworks."

"That is quite a lot of wishing, Pippin," said Boromir. "Come here, little one; let me tell you something. Since I cannot show you, my words shall have to suffice."

Pippin shifted closer, pressing himself against Boromir's side as the man lifted his eyes to the overcast sky. "Do you know what we do in Gondor for wishing?"

When Pippin had shaken his head, Boromir smiled. "I do not know why I asked that of you; there is no way that you would know. But we wish upon the Morningstar, that one bright star that we see in the dawn light just before the sun rises. I suppose that you will not be able to see it when dawn comes, what with the storm and all, but I think the Valar shall still hear your prayer."

"Have you ever wished on the Morningstar?" Pippin asked, looking up at Boromir with wide eyes. "And did the Valar answer you?"

Boromir's smile was sad. "I have. I and my brother Faramir both wished quite hard upon it twenty years ago, and the Valar did answer us, but not quite in the way we had wanted…Sometimes, Pippin, the will of Ilúvatar is against mine, and that is how it was on that day. It was that day, the morning after I had reached ten years of age, that my mother Finduilas departed this earth, and though we wished upon the Morningstar all through the night before she passed, it did not save her. I hid myself from Ilúvatar for several years after that, thinking that he could not possibly hear me. But Faramir spoke to me one day, with a wisdom far beyond that of his twelve years, and showed me that the Valar had indeed heard my prayer: my mother's death was peaceful and much less painful than we had thought it would be. It was the will of Ilúvatar that my mother be taken then, but he made it all the better for that, and she did not suffer as she departed. Thus I still believe that every wish, every prayer, even that of a hobbit, is heard and answered. There are two forces at work in this world, Pippin, and they are good and evil, light and darkness, joy and suffering. They may go by many names, but they are all the same: the light of the Valar and the shadow of Mordor. And I truly believe that the light shall always overcome the shadow; that the night and the rain which we so dread shall not last forever. All that we must do is hope and pray, and we shall see greater designs than we as mortals can ever comprehend."

He tightened his arm around Pippin, squeezing gently. "Now, my little warrior, what do you wish?"

"I wish that you would talk in words that I can understand," Pippin complained, but there was a smile upon his face. "You seem as though you have a great wisdom about you, Boromir, equal to that of Strider or Gandalf. It is an unexpected change, but not an unwelcome one; I think Strider will like that."

He thought for a moment. "I suppose I mustn't wish for so many things. What I wish for above all else is for all of us on this quest to complete it and to return home safely, and that goes for Frodo and Sam too. Surely they must be worse off than we are, what with there being only two of them upon their quest."

Pippin smiled at Boromir, reveling in the kind, long-awaited face. "That is what I wish."

"It is a wonderful wish," said Boromir, and he lay down again, with Pippin still in the crook of his arm. "I wish it too, as I am sure everyone in our company does. And I have no doubt that Ilúvatar shall do his best to answer. But know this, Pippin: even if your prayer is not fulfilled the way you wish, all souls shall be saved, even if it must be that they pass into the West."

"Still I do not know what you speak of," said Pippin. "But still it is somehow comforting, and I find peace in it."

He pulled his cloak tighter about his shoulders and pressed closer to Boromir's chest. "'Night, Boromir."

"Good night, Pippin."

The morning dawned wet and misty, and Pippin woke to water dripping through Boromir's cloak onto his temple. He sat up, swiping the droplets away, and blinked in the humid air.

"Up you get, Pippin," said Boromir's soft voice, and Pippin felt large, gentle hands pull him to his feet. "We must get to higher ground; the storm is becoming too great for us to ride out. Already the river is rushing and swollen; soon it shall burst its banks."

Pippin put his arms about Boromir's waist, hugging his friend tightly. Boromir hastily returned the embrace and looked down at Pippin, asking, "Why do you greet me so? It is not as though I do not appreciate it, but most do not embrace me this way."

"It feels now as though any time could be the end," said Pippin. "When you were gone there were many times that I wished I had hugged you more often. It is the least I can do to hug you each morning and know that if we die, we shall at least have died knowing the other cared."

There were tears in Boromir's eyes as he took Pippin and lifted him up to set him upon his shoulders. "You are wiser than I give you credit for, Pippin. Hobbits are truly wonderful creatures."

"Have all our company awakened?" Aragorn called from just beyond the edge of the trees. His dark hair was nearly black with rainwater, droplets of which cascaded down his elvin-cloak in rivulets. "Ah, Pippin, there you are; I feared lest you should sleep forever. We had best get to high ground swiftly. The Anduin shall swallow what is left of the bank any moment now."

"Why must the Valar punish us so?" Diamond complained from where she stood in the mud with Gimli. "It is as if they wish the Ring's journey slowed or even ended. Do they care not for our noble errand?"

"If you ask me we need not be concerned with the ways of the Valar," said Gimli gruffly. "We have simply had the misfortune to run across every storm that plagues the land. Fear not, Princess, for we have overcome much worse. If we can stand against the forces of Saruman I think that we can endure a little rain."

Just then a great wave of water came hurtling down the Anduin; Merry, sitting upon Aragorn's shoulders, let out a cry of fear, and Aragorn shouted, "Come! To the top of the ridge!"

The Fellowship climbed a muddy path to the peak of a short cliff overlooking the river, and by the grace of the Valar they moved more quickly than the wave, at least until they were out of its reach. The ridge was quite a ways above the water, so they were in no danger of a soaking, but the grass was slick with rain and interspersed with sodden, loose earth. Pippin wondered how long it would be before one of the company slipped and plunged into the chill water.

Not two heartbeats had passed before that very thing happened. Just ahead of Pippin and Boromir Legolas cried out as he lost his footing, and Aragorn looking back shouted the elf's name. Boromir lunged forward as if to seize Legolas's hand, but it was too late; the elf had slid down the escarpment and disappeared beneath the foaming surface of the Anduin.

"Legolas!" Pippin cried; for a moment he wondered what they should do, if anything, but he was saved from having to decide by Gimli's warlike bellow. Before Pippin could fully comprehend the turn of events Gimli had run over the side of the ridge and splashed into the river.

"They'll both be killed!" Boromir shouted, and with Pippin still on his shoulders he ran toward the far side of the ridge, where it sloped down to the riverbank. He slipped near the bottom, spilling Pippin off his shoulders. Pippin landed on his feet and began to run, staring in horror as the pale head of Legolas bobbed away through the current. The elf was moving too swiftly for any of them to reach out and pull him from the river, but Gimli was closing the gap between himself and Legolas, and as Boromir righted himself and ran after Pippin down the riverbank the dwarf seized Legolas by the hood.

"You must come to the bank!" Aragorn shouted, running along the riverbank and overtaking Boromir. "Come, Gimli, swim!"

"They shall need a rope, Strider," said Diamond, who kept pace with him. "The current is strong; they shan't fight against it for much longer. We must get them a rope."

Aragorn halted, pulling his pack from off his shoulders and thrusting a hand inside. "I think I still have mine. Thank you, Princess, for helping me to recover my senses. We shall have to get in front of them; throw out the rope for Gimli to take. I do not know if Legolas is still conscious; one of both of them may need the Anduin coughed out of their lungs."

"Throwing the rope shan't work," said Boromir. "We must get out into the river; neither shall be able to take hold of such a small thing in the current. I shall tie the rope about myself and go out to them. Aragorn, you must hold fast on the bank."

"We mustn't send you into the river," Aragorn insisted. "If the rope comes free you shall be taken by Anduin."

"You have already given me once to Anduin." Boromir smiled, but to Pippin he looked afraid. "What does it matter if I am taken back?"

With that he took the rope and bound it about his waist, and pressing the free end into Aragorn's hands Boromir began to run. Pippin sprinted behind him, and he heard Merry and Diamond mutter in unison "Oh, Valar!" before they and Aragorn took off after the others.

Pippin's gaze followed the heads of Legolas and Gimli as they were tossed about by the current. To his great astonishment the dwarf managed to grip a stone that rose a little above the frothing water, and Legolas clung to Gimli's neck, his hair slicked back against his skull so that he looked rather like a wet kitten.

"Hold fast, Gimli!" Aragorn cried. "Do not loose your hand! We mustn't lose any more of our company!"

"Men!" Gimli grunted. "So sure of our inevitable demise."

"Aragorn!" Boromir shouted; he had stopped on a grassy part of the riverbank and looked wildly toward the Ranger. "Come, stand upon the bank with me; I must go out to meet them!"

He waded into the river, and Aragorn moved to stand where Boromir had. Pippin pressed against Aragorn's leg and grasped the rope in his small hands, unwilling to let the great river sweep Boromir away.

Boromir fought the current, wading out deeper and deeper until the white-capped water reached his chest. As he drew nearer to the middle of the river, the current fought him back, and by the time Boromir was forced to swim, he could not stand against the might of the Anduin any longer. Pippin and Aragorn kept hold of the rope, but Boromir was pulled downriver, unable to reach Legolas and Gimli.

"I cannot get to them!" Boromir called, floundering desperately in the water as he struggled to keep his head above the surface. "Gimli—"

A crest of white foam pulled him under, and he came back to the air gasping and spluttering. "Gimli, you must let go! Please, you must trust me!"

"Aragorn is not strong enough!" Gimli countered. "He cannot draw us in, not even with all three hobbits! We shall be pulled farther down until we reach our end! It matters not if I trust you, Boromir, for though I do I fear that man's strength is not enough to save us!"

"Please!" Boromir cried. "Come, Gimli, let go; I shall catch you!"

He struck out for the rock again, but the current beat him back, and Pippin could tell as he fought that Boromir was tiring. Rivers exhausted anyone; Pippin knew this firsthand from escapades in the Shire as a wee lad. He could not fathom the strength it must have taken for Boromir to continue toward Legolas and Gimli.

Aragorn dug his feet into the ground, and Pippin held tightly to the rope as Boromir's weight pulled against it. The earth was slick under Pippin's bare feet, and he wondered what might happen if Aragorn slipped.

Just then Gimli let go of the stone, and the river bore him and Legolas towards Boromir. Pippin's heart leapt as Boromir lunged forward and seized Gimli's hand, pulling the dwarf toward him. "Hold on to me, both of you! Aragorn, pull us back!"

But the current was too strong, and the combined weight of Legolas, Gimli, and Boromir tugged abruptly on the rope. Aragorn gasped as he slid, his feet powerless against the slick, muddy earth. He fell, and the rope came free of his grasp and trailed in the current.

"Boromir!" Pippin shouted. He began to run, his own feet slipping in the mud, and Merry and Diamond came close behind, shouting. Pippin heard heavier footsteps and knew that Aragorn followed.

Boromir struggled against the current, but he could not keep himself afloat without releasing Legolas and Gimli. To Pippin's horror all three began to sink below the water, though Boromir and Gimli fought valiantly. Legolas had gone limp in the water, his eyes closed though his arms were still around Gimli's neck.

"I am going to let go, Boromir!" bellowed Gimli. "We only drag you down!"

"No!" cried Boromir, even as his voice was swallowed by a swirl of water. When he came back to the surface he was spluttering, shaking his head to get his clinging hair out of his eyes. "Gimli, do not let go! You shall be taken by the flood!"

"As shall you!" said Gimli. "Farewell, Boromir! Farewell, Aragorn! We shall meet in Minas Tirith!"

And he let go of Boromir. The rest of the Fellowship shouted after Legolas and Gimli, but the deed was done. Anduin had borne them away, and it was swiftly taking Boromir too. He thrashed in the current, gasping for air, but the river beat him back, forcing his head beneath the surface.

The rope, still trailing toward the bank, was whipped about in the frothing waves. Aragorn, still running, bent to seize it again and again, but every time it slipped through his fingers. Pippin wondered desperately if this had always been Boromir's fate: to be claimed by the great Anduin and borne home to Minas Tirith.

The river widened a hundred yards ahead, and Aragorn called, "You must get hold of a stone, Boromir, or a branch or anything that shall stop you! I may be able to take the rope once you have stilled!"

Almost immediately Boromir seized something that Pippin could not see; it seemed that he had taken hold of a stone below the surface of the water. At any rate he stopped moving, though Pippin could tell that Boromir was tired. He had fought the river for too long; soon he would sink below the surface, never to rise again. And the water was cold besides…

The rope was miraculously caught on a smaller stone, a little closer to the bank, and it was this that Aragorn waded out to. The water reached to his chest, but he took the end of the rope tightly in his hands and began to pull toward the bank. Boromir let go of the rock and Aragorn nearly lost his balance, but he clenched his jaw and remained upright.

Pippin's fingernails dug into his cheeks as he watched, the rain soaking him to the point where it looked like he too had nearly drowned. Merry and Diamond stood beside him in similar states of worry; Merry was gripping Pippin's arm tightly and Diamond's jaw was clenched more forcefully than Aragorn's. Her hand was clasped about the Ring, which glowed through her fingers, turning them a warm scarlet.

Aragorn stepped onto the bank and Boromir followed, collapsing onto the earth the moment he reached it. Pippin gasped and hurried toward him, with Merry close behind, but Boromir lifted a hand. "I am alright, little ones, only tired, as I am sure we all are. You need not worry for me; I have sustained no injuries. I worry for Legolas and Gimli, though, for I am not sure that the elf can even swim, let alone survive the flooding of such a great river."

He loosened the knot about his waist, taking the rope and giving it to Aragorn. "Thank Ilúvatar that you had this, my king, for without it I should have been lost. I am sorry; I was foolish in going into the river. It would have caused you all great sorrow had I been lost again. Still I could not stand by; I felt that I must retrieve Legolas and Gimli."

"Perhaps you were foolish," Aragorn agreed, "but you were brave, Boromir, braver than I have ever been. It takes a truly steadfast heart to put aside one's fear of death to save those one cares for. I commend you for it, my friend; fear not, for no one in the company is angry with you."

Boromir smiled, closing his eyes. He lay there on his back for a short while, and then he stood, shaking the water from his hair. "Well! Shall we be off, then?"

So the company set off again down the Anduin, wishing to meet with Legolas and Gimli again when the waters calmed. Pippin hoped that it would not be in Minas Tirith that they saw their companions again; he was sure it was as good a place as any, but it was so far from here, wherever here may have been (Pippin did not know).

They toiled in the deepening mud all day long, and just before nightfall Boromir was carrying Pippin upon his shoulders again. Aragorn bore Merry, who slept soundly despite the pattering of the rain. Diamond had refused to be carried, a fact which Pippin secretly admired. He wished he had the stubbornness to do such a thing. He did, in fact, have a great deal of stubbornness, but not in such matters of comfort. If he did not wish to walk anymore, he would not; it was as simple as that.

When night fell, the Fellowship stopped in a grove of trees. Boromir hung his no-longer-white cloak above the little clearing they all shared; Aragorn added his as well. The cloaks, though filthy, kept the rain out; it seemed that Boromir's cloak was woven of the same material as the elvin-cloaks from Lothlorien.

That night they all slept close to each other; hobbits often slept in piles and Boromir had no qualms about doing so as well. After some persuasion Aragorn joined them, pressing his back to Boromir's and letting Merry drape himself over the both of them. Pippin was curled against Boromir and Diamond had settled herself over the ankles of both men, quipping that they would at least wake her if they tried to take the Ring in the night.

Sleep took Pippin quickly, and he drifted into quiet dreaming. At first they were quite normal hobbit dreams; those of second breakfasts and warm fires and soft lovely sweaters, but during the night they shifted into those of blood and fire and shadow…

Pippin stood upon blackened grass, a reddened, smoky sky above him. Before him Diamond lay against a rocky outcropping in the midst of the desolate plains. Her face was smudged with ash and a cut on her brow shone scarlet. Pippin looked down at his feet and realized that the fetlocks were his own; he knelt beside Diamond, gripping her hand with bandaged fingers.

Valor held Diamond's other hand, speaking swiftly, though Pippin could not hear the words. All he knew was the howling of the scorching wind as it swept over them. As he looked closer at Diamond he realized that her stomach was swollen; she was with child, and here, in this horrid wasteland, was where her halfbit had decided to be birthed.

"She can go no farther!" Valor shouted, and Pippin saw that his eyes glistened with angry tears. He was pleading with an orc, and even when he drew himself up to his full height he did not reach the creature's chest. "Please, I beg you, tell the Lord Denethor to let us rest for the day; my daughter has begun the birthing process and must not be moved."

"You think Denethor will sympathize with you, Halfling?" the orc sneered. "We already go too slowly to Mordor; his patience wears thin."

"Surely he does not wish the Ring-bearer dead," hissed Valor. "I am acting king of Long Cleeve; let me speak to him face-to-face so that he may see reason where you have not."

The orc growled, and Diamond gasped as it struck her father across the face. Valor stumbled but did not fall, though the skin of his cheek was now abraded. Instead he said, "We shall go no farther, chieftain, and if the Lord Denethor shall not stand for it he shall have to kill all three of us—myself, sovereign of Long Cleeve, my daughter, the Ring-bearer, and her husband, the vahka 'en heledh. We are prisoners that he shall not wish to lose."

Perhaps the orc said more, but Pippin could not get his mind to comprehend what Valor had said. Was he to wed Diamond before this horrible dark future came to light? He could not deny the joy that leapt in him at this prospect, but he feared it too: what if by marrying her he thrust Middle-earth into the dark? He had no way of knowing whether his deeds would save or destroy the land or do nothing at all, and the uncertainty terrified Pippin.

Suddenly the wild hot wind began to blow again, and Diamond cried out. Valor dropped to his knees beside his daughter, and Pippin could hear faint shouts from other hobbits, begging their drivers to let them rest. But all Wormtongue and Denethor did was laugh, though Boromir, whose father still held the end of his chain, pleaded desperately on behalf of the hobbits.

Was this the only future Middle-earth had; pain and suffering in a burned-black wasteland? Worse, was it what should come to pass if Pippin gave in to the palantír or what should happen if he did not?

He did not wish to be the vahka 'en heledh; he wished to be simply Peregrin Took and nothing more. Pippin had dreamed once of a grand destiny; now he realized that he did not want it if it would destroy his land and all he held dear.

Please, he begged silently of Ilúvatar. Please, do not let this come to pass; I could not bear it. Do not place the fate of Middle-earth in the hands of one so small.

Then Pippin heard words echoing across the landscape, a trembling voice that seemed at once to thunder and to whisper into his ear:

When the shadow is fallen and all fate is dire,

The light shall spring forth from a trial by fire,

And the reaches of evil the heir shall raze,

Or befall the land with the end of days.