The Fellowship rode silently down the river, the only sound being the oars gently paddling through the water. Amara looked down into the water, running her fingers through it, before smirking slightly and scooping out a small handful. She splashed it at Gimli, who jerked back at the water and nearly tipped into the water.
His movement swung the boat around, causing Amara to fall back against Legolas, laughing. Gimli stood up, jerking the boat even more.
"Why you little...!" The Dwarf bent down to scoop out water, but Legolas lifted his paddle and tapped Gimli's back. With a shout of surprise, Gimli fell forward into the water. Amara and Legoals began laughing as the Dwarf's head popped above the water.
Boromir let out a laugh as he paddled by. Aragorn shook his head but smiled, grabbing hold of Gimli.
"I can manage!" The dwarf protested as he was lifted out of the water. He climbed back into the boat with the elf and elf-dwarf, who were doubled over in laughter.
"You both with pay for this!" He exclaimed to them. Once the boat stopped rocking, Legolas rowed them back on course. Silence fell again, but everyone now had a small smile on their lips, all except for Gimli who was grumbling to himself.
"Frodo. The Aragornath. Long have I desired to look upon the kings of old, my kin." Aragorn said quietly. All eyes turned upward.
And there two enormous statues of men in armor stood above them, flanking the river, their left hands outstretched in a gesture of warding. The company goes past them, into a lake, where they find an old moorage and beach their boats.
"We cross at nightfall, hide the boats and continue on foot. We approach Mordor from the north." Aragorn commanded as everyone clambered out of their boats.
"Oh? Just a simple matter of finding our way across Emyn Muil, an impassable labyrinth of razor-sharp rocks! And then it gets even better! Festering, stinking marshlands as far as the eye can see!" Gimli scoffed, wringing put his still soaked clothes.
"That is our road, sir dwarf. Perhaps you should take some rest, and recover your strength." Aragorn said.
"Recover my...!" Gimli growled.
"We should leave now." Legolas said quietly, standing by Amara and Aragorn.
"No. Orcs patrol the eastern shore. We must wait for the cover of darkness." Aragorn murmured.
"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." Legolas whispered with urgency.
"As can I. We are not safe here." Amara cut in.
"Recover my strength! Pay no heed to that, young hobbits." Gimli said, sitting down as Merry walked up and dropped a handful of firewood in front of the Dwarf.
"Where is Frodo?" He asked, looking around.
Aragorn looked around in alarm as Amara tapped his shoulder and points to Boromir's shield laying against a tree. He too was missing.
"We split up. They couldn't have gotten far." Amara suggested. Aragorn nodded.
"Hobbits, stay here. Gimli, Legolas, Amara, follow me."
They hurried through the woods, following a path left by Boromir. The ranger came to a stop and looked around.
"They were both here, but I cannot tell which direction they went...the path is all muddled." Aragorn stated, swooping down to look at the ground, "Amara, you're with me. Legolas, Gimli head west."
Amara and Aragorn hurried through the forest, eyes darting in ever direction searching for movement.
"There!" Amara exclaimed, pointing through the trees, coming to a stop. Aragorn ran ahead.
"Keep watch. You and Legolas were right. Something is not right here." The ranger called. Amara drew her sword and scanned the trees. Her ears pricked at the sound of swords clashing together. Suddenly Frodo appeared, running passed her.
She swooped down and grabbed the hobbit who shouted in protest.
"Let go of me!" He cried as Amara tried to calm him.
"Frodo! Frodo, what's wrong? What's happened?" She pressed.
"He tried to take it. Boromir tried to take the ring. I have to go. I have to go on alone." Amara released the hobbit and Frodo stilled.
"Then let me help get you to the boats." Amara said. Frodo nodded and she grasped the hobbits hand, breaking into a run.
"Find the halfling!" A Uruk-hai shouts reached her ears and she dodged behind a tree, holding Frodo close to her.
"Here! Frodo, Amara hide here." Pippin whispers. Amara turns to see Merry and Pippin hiding in the bushes. Frodo shakes his head, pulling away from Amara's embrace.
"What's he doing?" Pippin whispered.
"He's leaving." Merry said.
"No, Frodo!" Pippin bolted from his hiding place, catching the attention of the Uruk pack. Merry rums out after him.
"Run, Frodo. Go." Merry said and began waving his hands waves at the approaching Orcs. Amara stood up and drew her sword, turning to Frodo.
"It was an honor to come this far with you Frodo Baggins. Now go." Frodo nodded.
"Thank you." He whispered before running away.
"Hey, you, over here, this way!" Merry shouted. The Uruks began running towards the hobbits.
"It's working!" Pippin exclaimed as Amara ran out with them.
"I know it's working, run!" Merry shouted. Amara grabbed hold of them both and sprinted down the hill.
"That may have been the stupidest thing you both could have ever done." Amara growled as they ran.
"But also brave right?" Pippin asked. Amara smirked.
"Yes. Also very brave."
They came to a dead end, Uruks coming at them from nearly every side.
"Get behind me!" Amara exclaimed, pushing both hobbits away before turning around. Amara stood between the Urak-hai and the two hobbits, sword at the ready. They came at her all at once and she met them with ease.
The Uruks fell before her one by one, but still more surrounded her. A shout echoed into the air as Boromir jumped into the fight beside her. Despite their differences, Amara looked to Boromir in a silent thank you. He nodded and they fought, back to back.
The Urak hai lay before them dead, but more could be heard coming over the hill.
"Come on!" Boromir shouted to Merry and Pippin. Amara ushered the two hobbits through the trees as Boromir blew the horn of Gondor to alert the others. Amara only hoped that they heard it and came in time.
Boromir ran up behind her as the hobbits ram ahead.
"I..I tried to take it. The Ring." He said, grabbing her arm to stop her. He hung his head, ashamed. Amara placed a hand on him shoulder.
"We've all fallen prey to the Ring, Boromir. It doesn't make me think any less of you. All that matters is that you did not take it." Boromir lifted his head and gave her a weak smile.
"You're a good friend, Amara. I should have never doubted your capabilities." He said. Amara smiled back.
"I'm glad to have you fight at my side, Boromir." A roar of an Uruk cause their attention and they fled.
"We have to face them. We can't run forever!" Amara shouted to Boromir. He nodded and they turned.
Amara let out a battle cry and rushed forward with Boromir, jumping up and kicking an Uruk in the face before spinning around and slicing through another one. She swung it around, hitting the ones that circled her. They fell dead as even more came at her.
"Amara! Get out of here!" Boromir shouted.
"I'm not leaving you!" She shouted back. Her sword was suddenly flung from her hand as an Uruk hit her wrist. It swung at her and she ducked, kicking the back of its leg. Then she pulled out her axe and spun on her knees, cutting off the legs of the Uruks around her.
Then she heard a cry from Boromir. Amara jumped to her feet to see an arrow protruding from his chest. Her eyes followed where it came from to a giant Uruk hai. He smirked and drew another arrow.
The arrow flew through the air and pierced the Gondorian man again.
"No!" Amara fought herself through the dwindling crowd of Uruks. She drew closer to the one with the bow as he shot another arrow. Her ears picked up the sickening thud as it hit Boromir. But his battle cries weren't silenced as he looked to the hobbits who stared in horror and fear.
Amara jumped in front of another flying arrow, hissing in pain as it hit her arm. She broke the shaft and kept fighting.
Her eyes found Boromir who had fallen to his knees, gasping for breath. Merry and Pippin let out roars, drawing their swords. But the hobbits didn't stand a chance as the Uruks merely picked them up as they ran by.
Amara watched helpless as her friends were taken away from her. Uruks rushed passed her, paying her no mind until only her and Boromir remained.
The elf dwarf rushed forward to her friend. She laid him down and looked at his wounds.
"I'm going to pull them out. Okay? Just close your eyes, I'll be quick." She said frantically. But Boromir's hands stilled hers.
"No. No, it's okay." He gasped out. Tears streamed down her cheeks as she looked down at the man she once despised who had now become her friend and brother.
"I'm sorry." She choked out. Boromir lifted his hand to her cheek.
"It's me who should be sorry. I judged so harshly and didn't give you a chance. Forgive me."
"Of course I forgive you. Now please let me help you." She begged.
"You cannot help me. But Merry...Pippin. They need you. Go after them. Please."
"Boromir..." Amara bowed her head and let her tears flow freely.
"So much loss for one to suffer through alone. Don't let this defeat you. Use it to help you fight, Amara. Your part is not yet done in this journey. Remember me fondly."
The creaking of a bow string made Amara freeze. Boromir's eyes widened as the elf dwarf turned to see the giant Uruk hai aiming his bow down at Boromir.
"Go. Run!"Boromir exclaimed. Amara took one final look at her friend and saw the desperation in his eyes.
"Goodbye." Then she was gone. The Uruks were not far ahead of her and she could still hear the frantic calls for help from the hobbits.
"Merry. Pippin. I'm coming." She whispered as she quickened to a sprint.
****
Aragorn knelt down next to Boromir who frantically looked around.
"They took the little ones."
"Stay still." Aragorn whispered, inspecting the man's wounds.
"Amara. Amara went after them." He pressed. Aragorn nodded.
"She will not be alone for long."
"Frodo. Where is Frodo?" Boromir choked out.
"I let Frodo go."
"Then you did what I could not. I tried to take the ring from him." Boromir murmured, ashamed.
"The ring is beyond our reach now." Aragorn assured him.
"Forgive me. I did not see it. I have failed you all."
"No, Boromir. You fought bravely. You have kept your honor."
Aragorn reaches to pull out one of the arrows, but Boromir stops him.
"Leave it. It's over. The world of men will fail. All will fall into darkness, and my city to ruin." Aragron released the arrow and hung his head.
"I know not what strength lies in my blood, but I swear to you I will not let the White City fall, nor our people fail."
"Our people. Our people." Boromir smiled sadly.
Aragorn gives Boromir back his sword, who gripped it tightly against his chest.
"I would have followed you, my brother, my captain. My king." He struggled out with his last breath before falling limp.
"Be at peace, son of Gondor." Aragorn whispered, placing a kiss on Boromir's head.
Legolas stopped short when he saw Aragorn knelt over the lifeless form of Boromir. He looked around at the massacre of Uruk Hai and a something reflected the sun into his eyes. The elf Prince bent down to pick it up, turning over the elvish blade in his hand.
Amara. His head shot up and scanned the bodies, not finding hers.
"They took Merry and Pippin." Aragorn spoke up. Legolas turned, his eyes still on the sword.
"And what about Amara?"
"She went after them."
Boromir's body, in one of the boats, floated over the waterfall. Legolas pushes the last boat to the water.
"Hurry! Frodo and Sam have reached the eastern shore!"
Aragorn buckles on Boromir's bracers, with the white tree of Gondor. Legolas turned realizing that Aragorn wasn't moving.
"You mean not to follow them."
"Frodo's fate no longer rests in our hands."
"Then it was all in vain. The Fellowship has failed." Gimli cried.
"Not as long as we remain true to each other. We will not abandon Amara on her quest to save Merry and Pippin from torment and death. Not while we have strength left. Leave all that can be spared behind, we travel light. Let us hunt some orc."
Gimli lets out a shout of agreement and Legolas smiles. The three took off in pursuit, heading after Amara.
END OF PART I