Legolas and Gimli walked closer, but Celebwen stood where she had watched the whole encounter between the two, feeling stunned. She had not seen this coming.
Aragorn rose. "They will look for his coming from the White Tower. But he will not return." He sighed deeply. "Come. We must bury him."
Together, they carried him down the hill to the beach, leaving the orcs to remain for the carrion and the elements to destroy.
They laid him to rest in a boat, his weapons around him. Then they sent him off towards the falls, an honorary funeral for one of the greatest soldiers that age of Middle-earth had ever known.
As the boat dipped away from view into the surging mist and foam that rose from the bottom of the Falls of Rauros, Aragorn began to sing a lament, a dirge for the fallen hero.
Through Rohan over fen and field where the long grass grows
The West Wind comes walking, and about the walls it goes.
'What news from the West, O wandering wind, do you bring to me tonight?
Have you seen Boromir the Tall by moon or by starlight?
'I saw him ride over seven streams, over waters wide and grey,
I saw him walk in empty lands until he passed away
Into the shadows of the North, I saw him then no more.
The North Wind may have heard the horn of the son of Denethor,
'O Boromir! From the high walls westward I looked afar,
But you came not from the empty lands where no men are.'
Aragorn's voice trailed off and Legolas picked up the song.
From the mouths of the the South Wind flies, from the sandhills and the stones,
The wailing of the gulls it bears, and at the gate it moans.
'What news from the South, O sighing wind, do you bring to me at eve?
Where now is Boromir the Fair? He tarries and I grieve.
'Ask not of me where he doth dwell – so many bones there lie,
On the white shores and the dark shores under the stormy sky,
So many have passed down to find the flowing Sea.
Ask of the North Wind news of them the North Wind sends to me!'
'O Boromir! Beyond the gate the seaward roads runs south,
But you came not with the wailing gulls from the grey sea's mouth'.
When Legolas finished, Aragorn began again:
From the Gate of the Kings the North Wind rides, and past the roaring falls,
And clear and cold about the tower its loud horn calls.
'What news from the North, O mighty wind, do you bring to me today?
What news of Boromir the bold? For he is long away.'
'Beneath I heard his cry. There many foes he fought,
His cloven shield, his broken sword, they to the water brought.
His head so proud, his face so fair, his limbs they laid to rest,
And , golden Rauros-falls, bore him upon its breast.
'O Boromir! The shall ever northward gaze,
To Rauros, golden Rauros-falls, until the end of days.
There was a pause between them, only the roar of the falls to be heard.
Then Celebwen sang, softly at first, the words sad and bitter:
From the east a strong wind blows, the wings of doom outspread,
As the foul winds of Mordor fly o'er the bodies of the dead
And on the wind, a fell voice cries, for they have slain Gondor's captain.
Boromir, of whom your people cry! Alas, no more shall hope remain.
The captain of the White Tower shall not return, the guards wait in vain.
For beneath Rauros-falls, lies the body of him who was slain.
The cloven horn, the sword in splinters, the armor torn.
As he charged once more, against the orcs, blowing again his horn.
But alas, no one came, and with arrows portruding from his breast,
He sank to his knees, all hope gone, he gave his final breaths.
The light now fading, he gasps once more, and falls to the ground, dead.
Dead, dead! That he should die, young captain of Gondor!
Ever shall he be sung of in the high halls of Minas Tirith with great sorrow.
For they have lost their captain, and men in Osgilliath shall wait e'er on,
Till at last they too be slain, and all hope has ceased, with the wind, gone!
They shall wait, and he shall not return. Oh White City! Has it come to this?
That your young men lie dead, and all chance of winning gone?
For even now, doom draws near, yet now silently, so that none should hear...
East wind! East wind! Ever a bringer of sorrow and grief!
Boromir lies slain, and with him, courage dies, as hope fades to nothing...
Her voice faded away into silence.
A bird's call in the trees broke the spell of sorrow that had fallen over them all.
Legolas, spurred into action, ran down to the beach, beginning to push one of the boats into the water. "Hurry! Frodo and Sam have reached the eastern shore." He cried.
Aragorn did not move.
Legolas halted in his movements. "You mean not to follow them then?"
"Frodo's fate is no longer in our hands," was the reply.
"Then it has all been in vain," Gimli said sadly. "The Fellowship has failed."
"Not if we hold true to each other. We will not abandon Merry and Pippin to torment and death. Not while we have strength left. Leave all that can be spared behind. We travel light. Let's hunt some Orc."
Legolas smiled at Celebwen and she smiled back.
Gimli laughed. "Yes!" and ran up the hill after Aragorn.
"You ready?" Legolas asked softly.
"Two hobbits need us to save them. We are the only ones who can help them now... Aye, I'm ready."
Inhaling deeply, she ran up the hill together with Legolas, after Aragorn and Gimli.
The Fellowship had broken, but the tattered remnants still held together.
Indeed, the Fellowship had not failed its true purpose.
Sad and short, I know...
FYI. That song/recording/of a terrible voice/thingy was mine from two years ago. Don't judge. Please. XD
And yes, the song Celebwen sings was of my own making and was NOT in the original books or movies.
As always, vote and comment if you enjoyed!
~ Gwynnedd
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The Daugher of Elrond {Ongoing} Of Every Race Saga Book II
FanficA year before the time The Hobbit is supposed to take place, Elven-King Thranduil and his son Legolas as well as companions from Mirkwood come to Lothlóthrien. During their stay there, Thranduil and Legolas meet the youngest daughter of Lord Elrond...
