Right Where We Belong

"How long have you been here?" Annie asked as she sat down at the edge of the forest floor camp.

"I don't know," I said with a shrug. "I was...umm...sleeping most of the time. I didn't recognize you at first." I added quickly wanting to change the subject. "You look like a true warrior Annie. If I didn't know any better, I would've said that you belong here."

"What about you Jamie? I thought you were one of those...people...back there until I actually started paying attention. I refuse to call them what they think they are. This has got to be a bad...game or something gone wrong." She paused for a moment worrying her bottom lip before pulling me down to sit next to her. "What is it with this place Jamie? I think I kind of like it here, and I shouldn't."

I giggled and touched my sister's shoulder lightly. "I know...it's weird isn't it. I feel at peace here when I know that I should be terrified without Thea. I don't think you can help but feel at peace here. Besides, I don't think we're supposed to stay here. Galadriel said that I'm supposed to help him. And I know he needs me Annie. The funny thing is…I think I need him too. When I saw him..."

"Boromir?" My sister said a scowl covering her face.

"Yes," I said with a voice that was a trembling whisper. "I can see it in him now too. He's in pain. There is something very big going on here Annie. I-I don't think that this is a game at all. I think that this is real. Really real and that what that woman, that elf Galadriel told me is real too."

"Oh?" Annie asked coldly. "And what was that?"

"He'll be able to overcome a trial on his own…but if he is forced to do it alone…he'll die Annie. I don't want him to die. I can't let him die. What if I can help him? What if for the first time in my life, I can actually help someone instead of being the one who needs rescue. Please Annie..."

I looked imploringly into my sister's eyes and saw the terror in her eyes. "Ugh," Annie growled and glared at me. "You're going to be the death of me Jamie."

My sister's frightening demeanor didn't scare me though. I threw myself into my sister's arms and hugged her tight. "Thank you Annie. You have no idea how much I appreciate this."

"Yeah, yeah," Annie grumbled. "But don't expect me to do all the work kiddo."

"You only wish."

"Lady Jamie," Boromir stood a little ways away from the bedding that separated him from Annie and I. "May I speak with you privately?"

I didn't bother to look at Annie to see her reaction. I already could guess what it was and I didn't want to see it. Instead I stood up and walked over to join Boromir. "I wanted to speak with you too," I assured him with a smile. Boromir held out his arm and I took it. We walked in silence until we were at the other end of the area that had been given to the party as their campground. Boromir sat across from me and waited a moment after we sat. I could tell from the look on his face that he wasn't sure how to begin the conversation.

"Who are you Lady Jamie? Why was it that when I saw you…you drew my eyes even more than the elf queen who held the awe of my companions?"

"I don't know," I told him quite honestly. "But I know that when I saw you…I couldn't look away. Not until you looked at me at least once. I see the pain in your eyes and I know that I won't be able to live with myself if I don't help. I don't know you Boromir, but I know that you'll die soon after you overcome a terrible trial unless I help."

Understanding flashed in his eyes. There was pain there too and it made my heart ache that I had caused this. "I'm sorry," I said quickly. "I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you. I don't want that. I just want to help you." The clearing filled with silence for a moment as I moved towards him. "They don't know...do they?" I whispered.

I reached out and held him in my arms, refusing to let him go. I knew how safe it made me feel when The idd this to me and I wanted him to feel the same thing. And I wasn't afraid. That was the greatest miracle of all. Even as I held this stranger, I didn't feel the innate fear that I felt near all men. It was right. I was glad that I had come here. I needed desperately to help this man. I had to do everything in my power to protect him from himself and from whatever it was that was looming before him to kill him.

Boromir pulled away and looked into my eyes. His eyes were so beautiful. They were profound and moving. I wanted to look into those eyes and forget the world. "They do not," he agreed in a soft, almost awed voice. "So then how is it that you do?"

I didn't know how to tell him. I bit my lip and frowned as I concentrated on the ground. "I am going to tell you a story of a young woman. The world she lived in was very cruel. The only people that she loved and could trust were her two sisters who cared for her very much. One day, she went walking in the woods with her sisters. Then the world came crashing down around them. They were traveling somewhere far away. They weren't staying together. Her sisters didn't notice at first. But she did. And she couldn't stop it. There was nothing she could do to warn them. She found herself in a beautiful place instead. And as much as she loved that beautiful place, it terrified her. Her own world had hurt her so much that trust is the thing she fears most. And so she felt sad and alone and afraid. A beautiful queen came to her. The queen told her that there was a warrior who needed her. She would have to endure great trials, but only she could allow the man to keep his life when he over came his own tests. The young woman didn't understand. But soon, a party came to see the queen and her king. The girl saw her warrior among them. She could see then what others hadn't. She saw his pain and struggle. She knew she couldn't turn away from this man."

"Why would this girl care about such a man?" Boromir asked softly.

Tears clouded my vision as I looked back up at Boromir. "Because she needs him as much as he needs her. She wants to believe in the world and you might be my only chance..."

This time, it was Boromir who drew me into his arms and held me tight. "You speak of something I find frighteningly real Lady Jamie. I do not understand these things. And I do not like that fact." His whispers were harsh in my ear.

I clung to him and looked deep inside for something to say. "I have never been of any real worth to anyone outside my family…but I know…I know that whatever this is…we can fight it or we can accept it. And that means that I can be of worth to you. That is...if we fight it. Then again...if we fight it...I fear that things will happen. Terrible things will happen. If we accept it, we have a chance."

"We must accept it," his whispers were ragged with fear and grief. "I have to return to my brother."

I couldn't explain the pain that cut through my heart at those words. I still meant nothing to anyone but Thea and Annie. I never would. And what made it worse was that...I wanted him. I needed him. I wanted to prove that I could be something to him. It is irrational to love someone you have only just met. I did though. I loved him. And even if I saved him…with those words I was afraid that I would lose him. "You will…no matter what else happens…you will return to your brother."