LOTR - The Fellow Ship (fan fiction - Aragorn love story)

Chapter Eight

Three boats sail down the river. The sun is sitting late in the day. Aragorn puts his hand on Ariel's shoulder and calls to Frodo who looks to him. He nods his head forward and both Ariel and Frodo look forward seeing two large statues.

"The argonath. Long have I desired to look upon the kings of old. My kings." Aragorn says softly. Ariel closes her eyes, letting her senses take over. She feels strength and bravery flowing off the statues. She smiles and looks back up at them as they sail through them.

...

They pull up to shore just before the waterfall. Aragorn helps Frodo out then turns to Ariel smiling. He puts his hands on her waist and lifts her out of the boat carrying her to shore so her feet don't get wet. She shakes her head with a smile at his silliness. "What isn't going to melt me Aragorn" she jokes. "Just making sure my love" he returns a cheeky smile before turning back to help the others unpack the boats.

Ariel and the hobbits have started a fire when Aragorn calls out to everyone "we cross the lake at nightfall, hide the boats and continue on foot. We approach Mordor from the north." Gimili cuts Aragorn off "oh yes, just a simple mater of finding our way through emyn Muil? An impassable labyrinth of razor sharp rocks. And after that, it gets even better! Festering, stinking marshlands, far as the eye can see!"

Aragorn pipes up again "that is our road. I suggest you take some rest and recover your strength master dwarf". Gimili then goes on mumbling. Legolas walks up to Aragorn as he watch's Ariel poking at the fire.

"We should leave now" says Legolas. "No, orcs petrol the eastern shore. We must wait for the cover of darkness." Aragorn replies. Legolas looks back at the group "it is not the eastern shore that worries me. A shadow and a threat has been growing in my mind. Something draws near, I can feel it."

They stop when they hear merry say "where's Frodo?". They look and notice Ariel and Boromir are gone too. They race off into the trees trying to find everyone.

Ariel is walking with Frodo when Boromir appears before them. Whispers start sounding in Ariel's head. Warnings. Something is wrong with Boromir. Ariel stands in front of Frodo. "None of us should wonder alone. "Ariel quickly replies "we clearly are not alone".

"You least of all, so much depends on you."he continues as if she doesn't even exist. Frodo holds onto Ariel as he turns to them "Frodo? .... I know why you seek solitude. You suffer, I see it day by day. You sure you do not suffer needlessly? There are other ways Frodo. Other paths that we might take. "

Frodo cuts in "I know what you would say, and it would seem like wisdom but for the warning in my heart." Boromir stars walking towards them. Ariel is doing her best to keep herself between the pair.

"Warning? Against what? We're all afraid frodo. But to let that fear drive us to destroy what hope we have, don't you see it? This is madness" Frodo replies "there is no other way. Boromir continues to advance on them. "Are ask only for the strength to defend my people!" Boromir starts to yell angrily.

"If you would but lend me the ring" Frodo recoils at his words "no!". "Why do you not recall that I am no their." Frodo holds onto Ariel tighter "you are not yourself". Boromir starts to look at them madly "what chance do you think you have? They will find you, they will take the ring and you will be for death before the end!"

Ariel quickly push's Frodo to start walking away from him back to the others. "Fool! It is not yours, saved by unhappy chance. It could have been mine! It should have been mine! GIVE IT TO ME!" Boromir yells and lunges at them. Ariel push's Frodo out of that way and gets tackled by him.

She starts to wrestle with him to stop him from getting to Frodo. "Frodo run! NOW!" She yells. She watch's him run but is overpowered by Boromir has he starts to choke her. She feels the hum under her skin as a branch snaps out from a tree pulling him off her and flinging him back.