"You know it's bad when a Hobbit won't eat," Gimli growled from the tent. "But I don't suppose you should say much, Aerin. You don't eat either." Aerin dropped her head. It was true, she did not. She was too restless here, with the constant chance of being killed by orcs. They sat in silence for a moment. His face must have looked troubled, for suddenly Frodo felt a rough but soft hand upon his cheek. "What are you thinking that makes your face look so grave?"
Frodo instinctively leaned into the touch. "The Lady," he whispered so quiet that Sam could scarcely hear, "it's when she told us that the Fellowship is breaking." Aerin moved her hand away from Frodo's face and he immediately missed the touch. She then replaced it with an arm around Frodo's shoulders. She pulled the Hobbit into her embrace and Frodo leaned his head against the Aerin's chest. He noted the sweet scent and the warmth one would expect from an elf. "Yes, but she also said that hope remains while the Fellowship stays true," Aerin reminded him. Frodo shook a little, despite the warmth. Aerin pulled him closer. "Yes, while they remain true. But, I do not know if they will...if they can," Frodo added quietly. "I will," Aerin told him. "I wish to believe you, Aerin...but I am afraid that I cannot." Aerin gave Frodo a weak smile before walking towards Aragorn. ''When do we leave, Aragorn?'' She asked. ''We should leave soon,'' Legolas appeared next to Aerin, ''I don't think we should wait much longer.''
''No. Orcs patrol the eastern shore. We must wait for cover of darkness,'' said Aragorn. ''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 almost pleaded. ''If you have learned anything, it is to trust the instinct of us Elves, Aragorn,'' Aerin said. ''I know,'' he agreed, ''But leaving is simply not the better option right now.''
''And what of Gollum?'' Aerin asked, ''Do we still not do anything about it? Even now he is near, tracking us like prey.''
''I was hoping we would lose him, but he is too skilled a tracker, and a swimmer,'' Aragorn explained, ''I do not wish him at our heels any more than you do, but I must leave him be. It is not our mission to kill the wretched creature. We cannot devote any time to that.''
''But he could expose us to the enemy.'' Aerin raised her voice. "What will we do then?"
''If they catch him, he might,'' he said, ''But it is not his personal concern or interest. His interest is something different entirely. Try not to mind him, and we'll try harder to lose him once we're back on our path.'' Aerin could still hear Gimli's grumbling in the background. ''No dwarf need recover strength! Pay no heed to that, young hobbit.'' He continued to grumble. ''Master Gimli, don't nag so much!'' Aerin tried to laugh, but all she could was sigh. ''Where is Frodo?'' asked Merry suddenly. Aerin turned to face Merry and where she and Frodo had just been sitting. He was gone. ''Boromir.'' It was all Aerin had to say to Aragorn. ''All of you, stay here! Legolas, Gimli, keep an open eye!'' Aragorn instructed, before he and Aerin rushed out and disappeared in the woods.
...
Aragorn and Aerin ran with as much strength as they could muster. Aerin's thighs were starting to burn rather soon from the high speed sprint she did not prepare herself for, but all she could think about was what could happen if she didn't get to Frodo on time, and so she ran and ran even when she felt she could just fall down on her knees. All the while they were looking around, searching as intently as they possibly could. Aerin was beginning to panic, but then Aragorn decided they should go for the top of Amon Hen. And indeed, they found Frodo there, and when Aerin saw him seemingly intact she could almost collapse on the ground in relief. Boromir wasn't there, however.
When Aerin finally looked up again, she saw Frodo on the ground, looking as frightened as ever. Every time Aragorn tried to approach him, he pulled back, looking absolutely terrified. He was afraid of them, and Aerin no longer saw trust in his eyes. She could not understand. ''Frodo, it's us,'' Aerin said, feeling a bit stupid to state the obvious. ''Frodo?''
''Uh... It has taken Boromir,'' Frodo said weakly, with fear still present in his voice. ''What has taken him?'' Aerin asked in panic, though she already knew the answer. ''Where is the Ring?'' Aragorn asked cautiously as he stepped closer, to which the halfling pulled even further back. ''Stay away!''
''Frodo!''
''I swore to protect you!'' Aragorn tried to reassure him, but nothing could diminish the fear in the hobbits eyes. ''Can you protect me from yourself?!'' he asked, and he took out the Ring and raised it in the air as if offering it to Aragorn. ''... Would you destroy it?'' The moment Aragorn took to answer was too long. Even Aerin had an uneasy unfeeling as he approached the halfling slowly. But then he simply closed up Frodo's hand over the Ring and pushed it to the his chest, and Aerin exhaled a breath she did not know she was holding. ''I would have gone with you to the end, into the very fires of Mordor,'' he said. ''I know,'' Frodo said apologetically, ''Look after the others, especially Sam. He will not understand.'' Aragorn simply nodded in understanding. Aerin, on the other hand, stood completely clueless, not understanding at all what was happening before her. Did Frodo decide to leave? By himself? Had he gone mad? ''Frodo, what are you doing?'' Aerin asked. ''What I have to,'' the hobbit replied.
Aerin was confused and afraid, and before all she felt... powerless, useless in the matter. How could he ever survive on his own? And how could Aragorn let him go just like that? It made her angry, even; and broken in a way she could not yet quite understand. The Fellowship was breaking, as Aerin was soon to become aware of, and so was the hope that it carried. ''Go, Frodo,'' said Aragorn as he drew out his sword.
Aerin had no idea why he did it, until she saw Frodo's sword turn blue. She inhaled sharply, unsheathed her sword as well, closed her eyes for but a brief moment to compose myself. ''Go with all the blessings, our little friend,'' Aerin said. ''Run. Run!'' Aragorn urged him, and the hobbit didn't waste a second more; as fast as he could he started running down the hilltop.
YOU ARE READING
to love someone else
Fanfiction''My heart doesn't matter, does it? Even if it is true, and he feels something for me too, it is still doomed to fail, isn't it? Elves can only love once. I am doomed to die of heartbreak, it's my fate as I know Haldir was the one... I'd never want...
