Daughter of the Shapeshifter (A Lord of The Rings Fanfiction)

Chapter 17

*Era's Pov-

Boromir carried me all this way?  How long had I been out?  Why was I still so dizzy?  What had happened when I hit that wall of rock?  Why did Boromir help me?  What had I done to help him?

I sat down and shook my head gently, trying to take it all in.  It couldn't be that Boromir loved me, could it?  No...  I focused on Father's energy and watched him appear.

"I'm confused, Era...  You love him, but you don't think he loves you?"  I smiled a little, realizing that, as energy, he could practically read my mind.  I shook my head at him.

"I don't know..."  I shook my head.  "I don't think he likes me."  Father rolled his eyes.

"Try and make anyone believe that, Era...  He looks at you the same way I looked at your mother."  I huffed and shook my head at him.  It did get really embarassing whenever he talked about Mother like that.

"I don't care...  What would Haldir say?"  He shook his head.

"Ah, I see...  You love both, but you hope you won't have to choose."  He nodded.  "I understand."  I huffed and looked at my darkened surroundings.

"I hope I won't have to choose...  I wish I didn't feel this way."  A distant voice called out from the room, snapping me back to reality.  I saw Gandalf starting down a hall and attempted to stand.  Boromir was at my side in a heartbeat, helping me to my feet.

"Do you think you can walk?"  I took a single step and nearly fell once again, only to be caught by him.  "I guess not..."  He helped me stand as guided me down the hall in pursuit of Gandalf.  Before long, we found ourselves in an old room that looked a lot like a tomb.  I frowned as I looked around, sensing something.

"I don't like this place..."  Boromir nodded in agreement.

"I completely understand..."  I looked at each of the dead bodies littering the floor as Gandalf and Gimili spoke.  Hearing a crash, I jumped and turned to find Pippin, who'd accidentally knocked a bucket down an old shoot.

"You fool of a Took!"  I froze as I heard something that resembled a drum.

"What was that?"  The sound grew louder and louder.  I glanced around, feeling the tension in my chest grow.  "Okay, is it just me, or is that the sound of a war drum?"  All around me, the others tensed.  Gandalf herded the hobbits behind him as I limped away from Boromir, drawing my sword.  Boromir frowned as I watched the door.

"What are you doing, Era?"  I shook my head, not taking my eyes off the door.

"Something's coming...  We may have to fight it, whoever or whatever it is."  He drew his sword and stood beside me, nudging me away.

"Get back, Era..."  I growled and lifted my sword.

"Everyone may have to fight, Boromir...  I'm not about to be a burden."  Aragorn nodded as he, Legolas, and Gimili stood beside me.

"She's right, Boromir.  We're gonna need all the help we can get."  He nodded as we watched the door.  I tensed as I smelled something almost too revolting.

"It's here..."  With that, Legolas and Aragorn ran for the door, fighting to hold it shut as something attacked from the other side.  Legolas cursed silently as he barred the door.

"They have a cave troll..."  I swallowed hard and heifted my blade.

"Protect the hobbits...  That's all we can do."  Boromir nodded as the door finally broke down.

I slashed at the first goblin that reached me, beheading it with one swipe.  Dropping to the ground, I saw Boromir slash another as I kicked its leg, sending it to the ground as Boromir beheaded it.  I lunged and shifted into a wolf, launching myself at the cave troll.  I caught it from behind, only to get slammed into a wall.  I roared, calling its attention away from the small hobbits for a brief moment.

It charged at me, its club raised.  Behind it, Merry and Pippin jumped it from behind, causing it to rear.  Before I could stand and attack, Legolas shot it through the throat.  I gasped for breath as Boromir helped me to my feet, and Gandalf checked on Frodo.  Not knowing what had happened, I half limped over to see if he was okay.  I frowned as I examined him.

"He doesn't look hurt..."  Gandalf raised an eyebrow at me.

"He was stabbed by the troll, Era."  I frowned and shook my head.

"I don't smell any blood, Gandalf."  With that, Frodo's eyes flew open as he tore open his shirt.  Under it sat a shirt of chainmail.  I smiled as I shook my head.  "I should have known Bilbo gave it to you."  He stood carefully and smiled.

"I'm okay...?"  Aragorn chuckled as I froze, hearing something from the halls.  I swallowed hard and glanced around.

"We'd better go...  More are coming."  Gandalf lead us through the halls, running us through what should have been a day's journey.

Before long, we were in the middle of a grand hall.  I swallowed hard as I noticed I was still limping and knew I couldn't shift.  Boromir tensed beside me as I held up my sword, ready to fight.  Before the goblins could consider attacking us, a terrifying roar filled the halls, sending them crawling up the walls.  I frowned as I looked towards the glowing, red light.

"Gandalf...?  What is that?"  He swallowed hard.

"That is something none of us can fight..."  He turned back towards the halls.  "RUN!"  I started to run, but, tripping on my only good foot, I found it increasingly difficult to limp.  Boromir wrapped his arm over my shoulder and nodded.

"Come on!"  We both seemed to hobble down the halls, trying to keep up with the others.  Before long, we were running down twisted pathways where, if we took the wrong step, we would have fallen to our death.  Boromir stopped when we came to a crater in the path.  Aragorn shook his head.

"We have to get across!"  Boromir released me and leaped across, followed by Legolas.  Nodding towards Gimili, he caught the dwarf before he could fall.  3 of the hobbits were thrown across, and Boromir looked at me.

"Come on, Era!"  I started to jump, but the pathway gave way.