Aleana and Aragorn

Chapter 27

***Aragorn***

The next morning, we had boarded the boats once more and continued to paddle down the river. Boromir kept giving me scathing looks, but I refused to return his glances. I had made Aleana sit with me this time, sending Sam to sit with Gimli and Legolas. I could tell Boromir's behavior had hurt her, though she refused to voice it. For her, he was like a brother and seeing him in this condition because of the ring made her feel upset and guilty. 

My eyes fall on two enormous rock statues and I quietly call out to Frodo who slowly looks up. His eyes widen with amazement and Aleana leans down towards him.

"It is the Argonath," she whispers to him as he continues to gaze at the Gondorian Kings of old. 

"Long have I desired to look upon the kings of old...my kin," I whisper, more to myself, but Aleana hears and she turns to give me a smile. A yawn escapes her lips and she shakes her head slightly as if trying to keep herself awake. 

She had sat beside me all night, not getting one wink of sleep. I had told her to rest, but she had refused, sitting through the night, gazing at the sky, her mind afar. I knew she was tired and as we continue down the river, she places her head on Frodo's shoulder and falls asleep in an impossible angle. 

Many hours later we row up to the shore of New Hithoel. I shake Aleana awake, and she jumps up, afraid, but when her eyes fall on me she relaxes. As the others leap out of the boats and clamber onto the shore, I help Aleana out, then turn to address the others.  

"We cross the lake at nightfall, hide the boats and continue on foot," I say, "we approach Mordor from the North."

"Oh yes," Gimli says gloomily, "just a simple matter of finding our way through Emyn Muil, an impassable labyrinth of razor-sharp rocks. And after that, it gets even better...a festering, stinking marshland as far as the eye can see."

"That is our road," I say with a chuckle, "I suggest you take some rest and recover your strength, Master Dwarf." 

I move to help the others with the boats, leaving Gimli and Aleana standing there. 

***Aleana POV***

Aragorn walks off to help the others and I take a seat beside Gimli who was muttering how he didn't need to recover his strength. Once the others were done with pushing the boats to safety, Sam started a campfire and I went to stand beside Aragorn and Legolas, who looked quite concerned.

"Everything all right," I ask and they turn to me.

"We should leave now," Legolas says urgently. 

"No. Orcs patrol the eastern shore. We must wait for the cover of darkness," Aragorn argues.

"It is not the Eastern shore that worries me," Legolas casts a glance around into the Parth Galen forest, "a shadow and a threat has been growing in my mind. Something draws near, I can feel it."

I knew what it was he spoke up. There was a strange evil in the air, a darkness that I could not place my finger on. And I could feel it growing closer ever so fast. But I turn to see Pippin asleep and Sam trying hard not to fall asleep. Gimli looked exhausted as well as Merry gathers kindling. I turn to face Legolas. 

"I feel it too Legolas, but they are all too tired. If we were too leave now, we would only put the enemy at an advantage. They must rest up."

Legolas is about to say something, but is cut off by Merry's question. 

"Where's Frodo?" 

We snap around, our eyes fly to see Boromir's shield lying abandoned by his camp bed, him no where to be seen. Aragorn and I look to each other in fear.