Silverhelm: A Tale of Two Enemies

We Leave From Rivendell and Make a Bad Choice

We stayed at Rivendell for a month, preparing for our journey. I helped Aragorn teach the hobbits how to fight, and sparred with him on the practice courts. One day, surprisingly, Lord Elrond came out to spar. He completely destroyed me, being a veteran of many wars, but I finally beat him, once. Glorfindel, who had been watching the duel, also came out, but I actually did pretty well against him. After all, he was the one that taught me to wield a sword, and I know how he fights. But I guess I had a slight advantage as I prefer to fight with two swords when I can, though I don't carry two wherever I go:  they're too heavy. Boromir began respecting me like a true warrior. Legolas was the only member of the Fellowship that I did not get along with, and I was fine with that: I did not wish to get along with him.

To compensate for the broken Narsil, the Elves had given Aragorn a different, but equally powerful, Elvish blade: he would need a better weapon than a foot-long hilt-shard.

The day of our departure arrived. We did not carry many weapons or any armor, because our hope was in stealth, not war. Aragorn only carried his new sword, and a bow and quiver full of arrows. I, however, carried everything I had worn into Rivendell: Nahtar, my bow and quiver, and a few knives and daggers: a long dagger, as long as my forearm, hanging from my sword-belt, two elvish knives, made in the fashion of Frodo's sword Sting, in their sheaths on my back along with my quiver, and two small knives, their blades a little longer than my hand-span, strapped to the back of my legs. Legolas carried his bow, quiver, and two knives; Gimli wore only a shirt of dwarf-mail and an axe on his sword-belt. The hobbits wielded the small swords they got from the Barrow-Downs, and Frodo carried Sting. A long sword much like Aragorn's in appearance hung from Boromir's belt, along with a horn. On his back he carried a round shield with the White Tree of Gondor on it. Gandalf traveled with nothing but his staff and his sword, Glamdring, the Foe-Hammer.

Lord Elrond had provided us with long cloaks for the winter, for it was December. As he and the old hobbit, Bilbo, bade us farewell and gave us some last-minute advice, Boromir set his horn to his lips and blew a long call.

"Do not blow that horn again, for it will draw the Riders to you," Elrond advised.

"Maybe. But I always blow my horn before setting  off on a journey. We might be placing our hope in secrecy, but I will not go forward as a thief in the night," Boromir replied.

"And we were off. Gandalf took the lead, for he knew the way, Legolas and I behind him, then the two younger hobbits (Merry and Pippin), in front of Boromir, who was slowed by the weight of the round shield on his back, followed by Gimli, and Frodo and Sam, who was leading Bill, the same pony we brought from Bree, and Aragorn took the rear. I most certainly did NOT want to be anywhere near the pointy-eared blond traitor, but Gandalf insisted, saying we need our archers in the front, and anyways we would have to get along if we are part of the same Fellowship. Ha! if Gandalf expects me to stop hating Legolas just for the sake of Middle-earth, he is clearly mistaken; however, I will endure him for the sake of Middle-earth.

A day passed, then a week. We continued our march as the weather grew ever colder. We were resting one day, among the large stones of whichever mountain we were on (Gimli probably knows its name in Westron and its long, complicated name in Dwarvish and its complete history). Boromir was teaching the hobbits how to fight, when his long sword grazed Merry's hand. Casting his short Barrow-sword aside, Merry tackled Boromir, yelling "For the Shire!" Pippin joined him, and together they held Boromir down.

"Hold him down!" Pippin yelled.

Aragorn and I chuckled at the sight of the two tiny hobbits holding Boromir, a proven Man of Gondor, down. Aragorn went over to pull the hobbits off Boromir, to no avail- they pulled his legs our from under him and he came crashing down.