Trapped

Chapter 9

Real quick...
Adventurer-- Arrow to the knee, gives up on life.
Boromir-- Three arrows to the chest, keeps fighting for the Hobbits.

____________

The water turned a deep crimson, and I saw the terrified face of Gandalf as he released the stones and plummeted into the magma deep below. Everything I knew in the books was running in the basin, until I saw a sword go through my own chest.

Gasping, I jumped back from the pool and clutched at my ribs. Surely this couldn't be true...

"Are these things that will pass, or things that may pass?" I asked Galadriel weakly.

"The pool shows many different things," she responded softly. "They may happen by fate, or they may be things that can be changed." I shook off the uneasiness. If I died in this world, what would that mean for my family back in the real world?

This is a real world too, Orlando, an inner voice scolded.

But I have a family. I have a wife, a child...

"What are you speaking of, Legolas?" I was startled back into reality... well, semi-reality... when Galadriel touched my face. "You are not wed."

"It's difficult to explain, Lady." She nodded slowly.

"There are many things that cannot be explained." She waved me away. "Go, now. You will need your strength for the journey ahead of you."

...

We left the Lothlorien some time later. I'd lost track of the time, but Galadriel reassured me that we would not be set back. I was given a gift by the Lady, as did the rest of the Fellowship. We all received long green cloaks with leaflike fasteners. The Dwarf in our party had gotten three strands of Galadriel's long silver-blonde hair, and when we sailed away, she gave ma a single nod. At that moment, I knew she held the knowledge of my origins.

...

I kept a closer eye on Boromir during this time, constantly catching him looking at Frodo with greed clear in his expression. I resolved to keep him busy when we arrived to the island. After a few hours, we reached the bank and unloaded our supplies. Boromir did his part obediently, and I turned my head to the task in front of me.

"Frodo, would you please--" Aragorn looked around. "Frodo? Sam?" Both Hobbits had disappeared-- along with the knight of Gondor.

"Where's Boromir?" Gimli asked.

"He went to collect firewood," Aragorn replied.

"Dammit," I hissed angrily, cursing myself. "I'll go find them!" Without waiting for an answer, I bounded up a set of stones. Recalling the faint memory of the old ruins, I realized that I'd gone the wrong way for quite some time. I focused my thoughts to Frodo and the Ring. I hoped that I would find him before Boromir did.

Of course, I would have no such luck. Boromir smashed into me with fear in his eyes. "What have I done?" He croaked.

"Did you try to take the Ring from Frodo?" I demanded. "Tell me!"

"Aragorn's with him... Orcs..." I ran up the hill, putting on extra bursts of speed. Frodo couldn't die, and while he succeeded in the lore, that was with the help of Legolas the Elf. If I didn't act, he could fail in his quest. If he failed... would I ever return home?

The heavy grunts of the brutes grew louder, and I charged forwards with my bow in my hand. Before I'd even entered the clearing, three arrows had been fired.

"Where is Frodo?" I yelled above the clamor.

"He ran away!" Of course he did. This was when we lost him. We fought them back, until a loud bellow ripped through the air.

"The Horn of Gondor!" I shouted, killing several Orcs while heading towards the sound. Still, history cannot change. Aragorn ran in front of me, running faster than I'd ever seen him before.

We reached Boromir just after the third arrow pierced his chest. The Orc that shot Boromir... Lurtz, if I remembered correctly... aimed the final killing blow at him. Just in time, Aragorn leapt at Lurtz, throwing the bolt elsewhere. He tumbled to the ground, and Aragorn fought before completely decapitating him. I caught up to the Orc, laughing inside as his dark blood stained the ground.

"They took the little ones," Boromir gasped.

"Be still," Aragorn breathed.

"Frodo... where is Frodo?" He continued, rasping with each word.

"I let Frodo go," the ranger replied lowly.

"Then you did what I could not," he groaned. "I tried to take the Ring from him."

"The Ring is beyond our reach, now," Aragorn reassured the dying warrior.

"Forgive me... I did not see... I've failed you all."

"No," Aragorn objected. "You fought bravely. You have kept your honor." Aragorn reached down to remove the arrows, but Boromir stopped him.

"Leave it... it is over. The world of men will fall. All will come to dark... and my city to ruin." His words ran together, and could hardly be understood. Aragorn said something to Boromir before promising that he would not let the White City fall.

"Nor our people fail," Aragorn vowed. I could hear the sorrow in his voice.

"Our... people..." Boromir's speech came in short pauses, and I knew it pained him to speak. "Our people..." Aragorn handed him his sword, which he clutched to his chest with his dying strength. "I would have followed you... my brother. My captain... my... king." With those final, agonizing words, Boromir's last breath left his body, and his heart gave its final beat.