Far Horizons ❦ Boromir

twєntч-σnє: ѕєєk fσr thє ѕwσrd

HALIFIRIEN had been the last beacon outpost they had camped at and within that week they had made it to Edoras as well. Now, however, Boromir and Aeardis were truly in the wilderness as the Gap of Rohan drew closer with each passing day. More than a fortnight had passed since they set off from Osgiliath and the weariness of long days riding and short nights was beginning to show on Aeardis's delicate features. She was unused to traveling such distances, since arriving in Middle Earth the furthest she had ventured was back to Pelargir and to the seat of the Riddermark.

The Misty Mountains, at one point even before Edoras, were nothing more than ghostly shapes on the horizon, angled panes of white and gray, but as she and Boromir drew nigh, the range acquired substance. Soon after Aeardis could make out the dark band of trees along the base and, above that, the even wider band of gleaming snow and ice. Still higher, the peaks themselves, were bare stone, too high for plants to grow and even for snow to fall. Their path drove them toward the Misty Mountains, and into the dense forest at its base.

Shortly after midday, the heavy downpour began. Lightning flashed above in the dark sky and thunder cracked, sometimes shaking leaves and needles from trees. Even as the worst of the storm passed, the rain still came down in hard pelting sheets through the foliage. "Is there no dry place in this accursed forest?" Boromir questioned with his teeth gnashing together, droplets of water beaded down the hood of his leather cloak.

Aeardis rode ahead, straying from the well-worn path to find a decent spot to make camp. With the rocky soil and proximity to the mountains, she suspected they would stumble upon a cave or even an alcove created by a rockslide. Within another hour, her theory had been proven right.

There was an opening in the ground, large enough even for the horses to pass through. Boromir slipped through the entry, his sword drawn as caves were seldom unoccupied, but a moment later he reappeared. "It seems safe enough, though I would not risk a fire," he said. It would have been nigh impossible to find wood and kindling dry enough to even start a fire.

She guided her horse down the sloping entrance and hefted the saddle from the stallion's back as Boromir did the same with his own mare. The ceiling of the grotto was rock and root, sometimes water would drip down off of a hanging rootstock. Aeardis unclasped her water-sodden cloak and pulled off the soaked doublet, laying both pieces over the jagged rocks lining the back of the cave. She turned, wearing only her breeches and a thin undershirt and opened her mouth to say something but Boromir beat her to it.

"What are you doing?" He asked with reddened cheeks, not daring to meet her gaze. "We'll catch our deaths out here if we stay in these wet clothes," she explained whilst plundering in the pouches on her saddle to pull out two blankets that would serve their purpose until her clothes were dry. Despite her reasoning, the stubborn captain stood unmoving though he was soaked to the bone.

Unwilling to be caught off-guard without his hauberk, Boromir moved closer to the entrance of the cave and sat. Aeardis frowned and went over to him, resting her hand on his shoulder. "We are well hidden here, you must rest too."

He peered up at her and frowned. "Aeardis," he admonished. "Boromir," she responded in the same chiding tone. "There's room for the both of us," she motioned toward their bedrolls and the blankets that they could share until the morn. After a short while, he stood unbuckling his sword belt and loosening the silver clasps on his leather jerkin.

*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧

Another month passed, for now, they were north of Dunland, near the ford of Tharbad. Boromir had offered to set up camp and tend to the horses while Aeardis bathed in the nearby river. It was an offer she was eager to accept as the dirt and grime from hard and long days were beginning to cake within her hair and on her skin. There were many things about traveling long distances and ranging that she had yet to grow accustomed to, being covered in filth was one of them. She had scrubbed her clothes first and left them drying on the bank.