"Why is the sun so bloody bright?"
Elle tilted her head up to the midday sky, blinking at the cloudy horizon. Then she looked back forward, where Gimli rode on Arod behind Legolas. "The sun isn't out."
Gimli grunted, dropping his head. "I can't even see!"
"That would be the after-effects of the liquor, Gimli." Boromir chuckled, "I myself am surprised you've even stayed atop your horse for so long."
Elle snorted at that and Gimli grumbled, "I drank no more than the elf."
"I did win the competition," Legolas mused. "I suppose I can actually hold my ale."
"Are you saying I cannot outdrink an elf?" Gimli spluttered.
Elle could hear the grin in Legolas's voice as he shrugged. "The words came from your mouth, not mine."
Laughter rolled through the group and as Elle spurred Firefoot up beside Aragorn, she caught Gimli's red face.
"Very funny," he mumbled. "Just wait, I'll show you."
Theodred looked up as Elle slowed beside him and Aragorn. "Lady Tinnúviel--" A smile tinted his lips. "Or should I call you Lady Elle?"
"Elle," she cracked a grin. "Without the Lady, if you'll please."
"Not a Lady," Theodred nodded, amusement in his eyes. "Based on your actions on the battlefield, perhaps I should call you a Lord."
"I wouldn't recommend that," Aragorn interjected quickly. "She backs a powerful kick behind her grin."
"Eru," Elle shot him a glare. "Only for the bothers that irk my last nerve."
"And I am safe from that category?" Theodred laughed.
"I would say yes," Elle grinned crookedly. "For the time being."
As they rode on, Elle's eyes roamed until she spotted Eowyn, riding farther toward the back of the group.
In the blistering heat, Elle couldn't imagine how hot she likely was, hidden under her thick metal helm.
But if Eowyn was uncomfortable she didn't show it, her blue eyes smiling as they caught Elle's gaze.
Elle masked a grin, wiggling her eyebrows at the girl. Instantly, Eowyn's eyes narrowed and she lifted her chin higher, looking away.
Chuckling to herself, Elle fixed her gaze back upon their path, listening to the other converse.
Under the cloudy sky, the road stretched ever on.
They rode straight for nearly two days, only stopping to water the horses and eat from their limited rations.
Elle's bottom was beginning to ache from the endless hours of riding, but she kept her complaints to herself, determined not to be the one to break first.
It was a silent competition going between her, Gimli, Boromir, and Legolas. The first one to cave would be stuck on horse duty for the remainder of their travels.
But at this rate, they would reach Gondor before Elle allowed her to resolve to crumble.
"How are you doing?" Legolas chuckled, riding up beside her.
Elle shot him daggers, clenching her jaw. "Better than ever. And you?"
"Like an elf with a millennia of practice."
"Hmph," Elle grunted, gritting her teeth. "Wonder why that would be."
"Don't you be complaining, lassie," Gimli muttered from behind the elf. "I'm the one stuck inches from his arrogant nature."
"I could move," Legolas suggested. "But then you'd have no protection from the sun."
Elle attempted to cover her laugh with her hand, but Gimli caught her crinkled eyes and scowled.
"Hey, don't get angry at me," she chortled. "I'm didn't force you to chug twelve mugs of ale last night."
"It was actually eleven," Legolas grinned. "He passed out halfway through my sixteenth."
Gimli's face turned redder than his beard and his narrowed eyes looked away, "I would rather be walking."
"Was that a complaint I just heard?" Boromir interjected suddenly, dropping his horse beside them.
Gimli choked on his breath, his gaze snapping upward. "Why in Durin's beard would you say that?"
But Elle sat straighter, grinning ear to ear. "As a matter of fact, I believe it was. Legolas?"
"Most certainly a complaint," the elf nodded. "I say we have a loser in this game."
"Well I say you can take your princely face and go--"
"Gimli!"
They all snapped to Aragorn's voice and the man shot him a warning look over his shoulder.
Boromir roared with laughter, nudging his steed's side and riding up beside Aragorn and Theodred.
If possible, Gimli turned even darker red.
"Good game," Elle winked at Legolas, then beamed at Gimli. "Firefoot likes carrots."
On the night of the third day, Elle took watch, sitting hunched beside the flickering fire.
She fumbled with her thumbs, feeling the heat of the fire on her face. Glancing up from under her hood, she caught a star cut through the night sky.
Elle walked beside a woman without her left eye, thickly built and armed with a double-edged axe.
They were known as the Black Order, a group of criminals and rogues. Elle had barely been in their company for a few days and she was already on edge.
"How much longer, Gael?" The woman spoke up, her greased blonde hair falling in a braid down her back.
Ahead, a stick of a man tensed, looking back over his shoulder. His face was marred with white scars, his eyes a pale green. "Would you calm yourself, Morla? It'll be a few more days, at the least."
Elle lowered her eyes at the tone of his malicious voice, gritting her teeth. She was surrounded by criminals-- she was one of them.
"I say we send the wench in first."
A deep voice rumbled in the back, making Elle start. Her hand went to her stolen dagger as she turned.
The speaker was a bear of a man, taller than Elle by at least two feet and with arms thicker than her torso. He arched a thick brow as she stared. "Got a problem with that, girl?"
Elle thrust her jaw forward, hoping her edging fear wasn't as noticeable as she thought. "I would gladly do the job you're too afraid to do, Larn."
"Oh shut yer mouth," Morla growled. "I'm willing to bet my rations you haven't even taken in a life in your short lifetime."
Anger filled Elle's thoughts and she opened her mouth-- then quickly closed it. She reached up, tugging at her bangs.
She remembered seeing her appearance in a dirtied mirror weeks ago, brown hair cut to her ears, scars across her face. She had looked barely twenty; too young.
It had been almost seventeen years since her escape
How could she tell people she was nearing her thirties? That she didn't seem to age as quickly, that she wasn't some child?
She already stood out as odd as she was. Elle didn't dare give them a reason to be any more suspicious than they already were.
"What is this again?" She voiced tightly. "Where are we going?"
"To test your iron will, girl," Gael spoke ahead. "We wouldn't just let you walk into our ranks based purely on tale."
The criminals around him rumbled in agreement. Elle tried to shake off her rising nervousness. "Well, what do I have to do?"
"All in good time," Gael shot her a brown-toothed smirk over his shoulder, shaking limp hair out of his eyes. "All in good time."
"How goes the watch?"
Elle snapped out of her thoughts, looking over the flames. Legolas sat across from her, his blue eyes sparkling in the night.
"Oh," she wiggled, trying to get comfortable. "Dark."
Legolas smiled, rolling back his shoulders. "Brings back memories of months ago, does it not?"
Elle's mind went back to their stories around the fire as Gimli snored, Sam cooking sausages over the fire, Merry and Pippin joking at each other's expense.
Gandalf would sit quietly, making smoke ships with his pipe and sparing a rare rumbling chuckle at Pippin's funnier comments.
Elle smiled sadly, chewing on her lower lip. In her hands, she rubbed her thumb over and over again the handle of her blade. "It does."
Somewhere in the night, an owl hooted as the silence stretched between the two of them.
Then Legolas shuffled. "What we spoke of back at Helm's Deep..."
"I will take it to my grave," Elle promised softly. "I'm only sorry you ever had to go through any of that."
Legolas lowered his eyes. Deep down, Elle knew it didn't end with the battle-- but she didn't press.
In her own thoughts, she wrestled with her feelings. She had only grown more and more confused since their capture, their escape, and finally, the battle.
Fear-- she didn't fear the raven-haired ellon. But the prince? Her emotions spun a million was toward his chuckle, his gaze.
They sat in silence until Elle felt her eyelid starting to flutter, grown heavier and heavier with every second passed.
"I can take watch, mellon-nin," Legolas smiled, seeing her struggle.
Elle wanted to argue, but she was too tired. Nodding half-heartedly, she moved over to her bedroll and slipped into the warmth.
With memories of the previous months dancing through her mind and faint laughter in her ears, Elle slipped into a deep slumber.
"Elle, wake up."
A soft voice brought her back from her dreams.
Elle grunted, rolling over and pulling her arms around her face. "It's too early."
A soft sigh sounded. Then her blankets were ripped off and light flooded her eyes-- Elle gasped sitting straight up.
"Hells! I swear to the Valar up high--"
"Hush, Elle!"
Elle blinked, slowly closing her mouth. As her eyes adjusted, she made out-- "Eowyn?"
"Keep it down, Elle, the others aren't awake yet." The girl didn't wear her helm, her blonde hair around her face.
"But what about Legolas--"
"He's off checking the perimeter."
Elle rubbed sleep from her eyes, yawning widely. Mordor, it was early. "Is something wrong?"
Eowyn hesitated for a moment, fiddling her hands. "I may not have thought this plan through."
"I figured as much," Elle mumbled tiredly. "Can I go back to sleep now?"
Eowyn glared venomously at her and Elle sighed, "I feared not."
"When we reach Gondor, I'm going to need an alibi," Eowyn said. "Théodred won't be happy once he finds out I came along."
Elle opened her mouth, but before she could say a word, a gruff voice cut through the air.
"No, you are right. He wouldn't."
Eowyn whirled around-- yet for a split second, Elle wondered if she was still sleeping.
But then Gimli's snore broke through the morning air and she realized she was wide awake.
Oh, hells.
Slowly, Elle turned to see Théodred, arms crossed and unshaven beard almost hiding a frown. Aragorn and Boromir stood beside him.
Eowyn slowly stood, "Theodred, I can explain..."
"Explain what exactly, Eowyn? That you followed us from Gondor, or that you actually thought you could hide until we actually arrived?"
Elle shrunk away, hoping that maybe she could stay away from the heat. But Aragorn's words froze her in her tracks.
"Do not only blame, Eowyn, Théodred. I have no doubts that Elle was a full part of this plan."
"Well, excuse me," Elle shot him a glare, climbing to her feet. "For all you know I am perfectly innocent to this cause."
"Are you?" Boromir arched a brow.
"Uhm," Elle slumped down, lowering her eyes. "Not necessarily."
Theodred arched an eyebrow, looking from her to Eowyn, as if he couldn't decide who to berate first.
But at that moment, Legolas came appeared back, a fresh pile of dry wood in his hands. He came to a sudden halt upon seeing Eowyn.
Oh, bugger. Elle rubbed tiredly at her eyes.
"Estel?" Legolas set down the sticks, padding over. "What going on?"
Aragorn pursed his lips, shooting a sideways look at Elle. "Tinnúviel here helped smuggle Eomer's sister into our group."
A small smile tinted at Elle's lips, but she forced it away. Instead, she looked anywhere but the accusing eyes.
"Well, I'm here now," Eowyn interjected. "And there is no way in Middle Earth I am going back."
All eyes snapped to her. Sunlight gleamed off of Eowyn's armor and she lifted her chin stubbornly.
Then Théodred sighed, shaking his head. "It would set us too far to travel with her back. And there is no way I would let her go alone."
"We could send Elle with her," Aragorn suggested. "They'd likely be safe together."
Elle tensed, alarm flaring through her thoughts. "I'd ride a warg first!"
Théodred arched an eyebrow at her loud claim. Then he sighed. "My father will have my hide when he finds out."
"So we're not going back?" Eowyn's face brightened.
Slowly, Theodred exchanged a look with Aragorn.
Then he nodded. "We continue to Gondor."
Eowyn straightened, beaming widely. Aragorn regarded her with a strange light in his eyes, before turning to wake Gimli.
"Well, there goes your problem," Elle whispered with a grin.
"Don't think you both are out of the heat yet," Boromir said, catching Elle's comment.
Both Eowyn and Elle stood straighter as Boromir looked from the waking Gimli, back to them. His eyes danced with a light that made Elle nervous.
The dwarf rose unsteadily to his feet, squinting at Elle and Eowyn. "What's goin' on?"
"Congratulations, Gimli," Boromir smiled. "You're off horse duty."
Théodred grinned at that, shooting Boromir an understanding look. Elle tensed, watching them warily.
"Agreed," Theodred chuckled. "Oh, and Eowyn? Brego likes carrots."
Elle's one comfort was they were within a day's ride from Gondor.
She rode beside Eowyn, Theodred, Aragorn, and the others up front.
Eowyn seemed relieved not to have to wear the helm though, breathing in the air loudly. "I've never loved fresh air so much."
"Better being found out now than later, then?" Elle chucked.
Eowyn nodded enthusiastically. "I had my doubts-- but even if they sent us back, that wouldn't happen. Right?"
Elle cracked a grin, "Aragorn wouldn't get rid of us so easily."
Her spirits lifted; they laughed and joked as the day stretched on, the sun rising higher into the sky.
Then suddenly as Elle glanced up, she caught the sight of gleaming white walls; a city built up the cliff hundreds of feet in the air.
"By the Valar," she breathed. "It's beautiful."
"Indeed it is," Boromir grinned from atop his horse. "Minas Tirith, the jewel of Gondor."
They rode across the grasses; ten riders in all.
Gazing over them all, Elle realized how odd they were of a group; an elf, a dwarf, soldiers and the prince of Rohan.
Elle looked back at Boromir, whose eyes gleamed as he gazed upon the White City.
"Home," the Gondorian man smiled.
Elle's heart twisted, home. She wondered briefly what it was like to belong to one place, one location that you could always return to.
After the war, she hoped she could find somewhere she could call home.
They rode toward the closed gate but suddenly a tight voice broke the air; "Halt! Halt in the name of the Steward of Gondor!"
Elle reigned Firefoot to a halt, squinting to make out the voice. But she could only make out a helmed figure on the wall.
"State your business, strangers!" The voice shouted.
But at that, Boromir tilted his head, riding forward. "Faramir?"
The figure on the wall suddenly stilled.
Then he reached up, yanking off his helm and peered down; brown hair fell over his eyes. "Boromir?"
Boromir grinned widely, dismounting and leading his horse closer. The figure vanished and the gates began to clank open.
"Boromir!" A man ran out; he was quite a bit younger than Boromir, shorter, but with the same brown eyes.
He came to a halt a few feet from Boromir, his eyes alight. They regarded each other for a moment, then Boromir embraced his brother.
"It's been months," he shook his head as they pulled apart. "I was beginning to fear for you, brother!"
"I would never fail to return," Boromir laughed merrily. "It would take a lot more than a simple orc to take me to my grave."
"A horde, perhaps?"
Boromir scoffed. "Do I hear a sense of disappointment in your voice?"
"Nay," the young man chuckled. "Never, Boromir. I am beyond gladdened to see your return."
Boromir grinned, shaking his head. "As am I."
Hesitantly, the brother stepped by his side, looking sideways at the others. "And your companions?"
"They are part of the fellowship I traveled with," Boromir inclined his head toward them all. "And a group of Rohan men."
"And woman," Eowyn mumbled under her breath.
Boromir's face turned scarlet and he rolled his eyes. "And woman."
Faramir inclined his eyes respectfully. Elle noticed his soft brown eyes linger on Eowyn, interest flickering across his face.
"Come," Boromir beckoned them forward and clapped Faramir on the shoulder. "I trust father is doing well?"
A twinge of unreadable emotion sparked through Faramir's eyes; Elle furrowed her brow, catching the look.
Then he smiled tightly and nodded. "Indeed. He will be pleased to hear of your arrival."
Firefoot's hooves clopped loudly on the white cobbles as Elle edged him forward, sparing a small glance with Eowyn.
They rode down the streets, which were filled with people. Every person they passed stopped and stared as they did so, as well as the guards dressed in black and silver.
"I'm surprised they haven't tried to stop us," Elle murmured softly.
Eowyn chuckled. "Well, we do ride with the two sons of their steward. I think they are more surprised to see Boromir than threatened by a few strangers."
Looking around, Elle noticed she was right. Shocked recognition shone in the Gondorian's eyes as they stared after Boromir. Some bowed, some just stared.
Elle glanced sideways at Aragorn; he looked uncomfortable. Nervous, almost.
It took Elle a moment to realize that this was his kingdom, where he would have grown up had things been different.
Where she might have grown up had things been different.
They delved deeper and higher into the city; Elle followed the Legolas's lead and dismounted, leading Firefoot forward.
But as she placed one step in front of the other, she noticed the pebbles on the ground trembling.
Slowly, Elle paused, lifting her foot off the ground.
"Elle?" Legolas cast her a confused look but her eyes were transfixed on the ground; the ground itself seeming to quiver.
"Can you..." Elle blinked slowly, tilting her head. "Can you feel tha--"
Boom!
An eardrum bursting explosion struck the air and the entire world shook, Elle stumbled back, losing her balance and falling to the ground.
Her head snapped toward the sound; in the distance, smoke billowed into the air.
Another explosion sounded, louder this time, and flames joined the curdling shadows, the smell of burning instantly meeting her nose.
"Eru, what the hells was--"
"Mordor," Aragorn rose unsteadily to her feet; the horses tossed their manes, stamping nervously.
Elle felt a hand on her arm and looked up to see Legolas. She took his hand and he carefully helped her to her feet.
"Wait, what?" Elle stared into the distance, blinking at the smoke. "That's...?"
"Mount Doom," Legolas finished her sentence in soft words. "That was Mount Doom."
"By Durin's axe," Gimli swore. "And exactly what does that mean?
Elle looked at Aragorn, but his face was deadly pale. He shook his head, turning back to Boromir. "We need to speak to Denethor."
"Of course," Boromir nodded, starting forward.
They hurriedly filed after him, but Elle risked one last glanced over her shoulder, gazing at the horizon.
Suddenly she felt a sharp tingling in her shoulder; a warmth feeling like a million tiny needles.
Then it spread, engulfing her entire body with pinpricks of heat. Elle faltered, her breath whooshing in with a gasp of shock.
"Freedom..." A cold voice filled her thoughts, laughter rolling through her ears and claiming her mind. "Finally, freedom."
Hey guys!
Golly goshes, I enjoyed writing this chapter!
Eeeee I cannot believe we are so close to the end! It just so terribly crazy.... *wipes away tear*
What did you guys think? Boromir and his brother were reunited!! That made me pretty happy inside! #BoromirProtectionSquad
Discussion starter: Gondor! Boromir and Faramir, Eowyn unmasked, and thheee voicceee! Whadda guys think?