Not All Legends Are True

The next day we set out from Lorien on three little row boats. Legolas, Gimli and I were in one, Aragorn, Frodo, and Sam were in another, and Boromir, Pippin, and Merry in another. The river was long and winding. We rowed for days down the river. And all down the river I had the feeling that someone was fallowing us.
Legolas, Gimli, and I were behind the others when Aragorn tapped on Frodo’s shoulder.
“Frodo,” he whispered. “The Argonath.” I looked up and saw large statues of Men standing, holding their hand up. “Long have I desired to look upon the kings of old. My kin.”
We rowed passed the large statues and from the narrow river into a large lake that ended with a waterfall. We rowed to land and quickly made camp.
“We cross the lake at nightfall,” spoke Aragorn once we had a fire going. “Hide the boats and continue on foot. We approach Mordor from the North.”
“Oh yes?” asked Gimli. “Just a simple matter of finding our way through Emyn Muil an impassable labyrinth of razor-sharp rocks,” he said sarcastically. “And after that, it gets even better. Festering, stinking marshland as far as the eye can see.”
“That is our road,” said Aragorn. “I suggest you take some rest and recover your strength, Master Dwarf.”
“Recover my--,” he growled.
“We should leave now,” Legolas said urgently.
“No. Orcs patrol the eastern shore. We must wait for cover of darkness.”
“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.”
I turned to see Merry returning with firewood.
“Recover strength? Pay no heed to that, young Hobbit,” growled Gimli.
Merry looked around. And I did too. Someone was missing. “Where’s Frodo?” asked Merry.
Instantly everyone was on high alert. I pulled out my sword and ran into the forest.
“Ireth!” Legolas and Aragorn called after me. But I had to find Frodo.
There were many ruins in the forest but I could not find Frodo. I climbed up the leaf filled forest hill. I trekked up the hill, searching the horizon for Frodo and any evil beings as well. I could hear Boromir yelling in the distance. I frowned knowing he had finally broken. I ran to him. I had to help him.
“Boromir,” I whispered.
“Frodo! Frodo, I’m sorry,” he cried.
I pulled him to me, “Boromir. It’s okay. Frodo is alright. You are alright. Everything will be alright. But Boromir, please, which way did Frodo run to? I feel an Evil here. He is not safe alone. Which way did he go?”
“I…I…I don’t know,” he whispered getting up.
I nodded and we both started to trek through the woods. Looking for Frodo and the others. I could hear the Orcs in the distance. And the contact of two swords could be heard as well as, “Find the Halfling!”
“No,” I whispered and ran from Boromir. I saw Legolas, Gimli, and Aragorn all fighting Orcs but I ran past them. I had to get to Frodo. I had to keep him safe. Then I heard Merry and Pippin’s voices and they almost brought tears to my eyes of what they were yelling.
“Hey! Hey, you!” shouted Merry.
“Over here!” shouted Pippin.
I changed course to fallow Merry and Pippin’s voices, cutting down all the Orcs I saw running to them.
“Over here!” shouted Merry.
“This way!” called Pippin. “It’s working!”
“I know it’s working! Run!”
“No,” I whispered, tears running down my face. I heard Merry and Pippin stop but I heard another set of footsteps running towards them. It was Boromir. I continued to cut down Orcs, left and right stopping all those that were coming after Pippin and Merry. Soon they were in sight with Boromir making sure they were safe. I ran down next to Boromir and began to fight with him. We turned and ran once more came running and Boromir blew the horn of Gondor.
“Run!” yelled Boromir as he shoved us away.
“I’m not going anywhere,” I hissed as I cut the head off an Orc.
Suddenly an arrow hit Boromir in the chest. I looked up and saw an Orc archer. I pulled out my bow and took aim I shot but it only hit him in the arm and it didn’t faze him. Growling I turned and shot the oncoming Orcs to get them out of the way. I saw the Orc archer take aim again this time aiming for me. As the arrow flew I ducked and it the tree behind me. Boromir stood up again and started to fight, even though there was an arrow in his chest, possibly near his heart.
“Go, Boromir! Take the Hobbits and run!” I cried.
“No,” he growled.
The archer took aim again and shot. I didn’t have enough time to stop him. I jumped in front of Boromir and the arrow went into my shoulder. I cried in pain as I fell to the floor. But I pulled the arrow out and got back up. But my actions were useless. The Orc took aim again and hit Boromir, this time in the stomach.
“No!” I cried. I notched two arrows and shot but I missed. My judgment was clouded by hate, and I knew it.
Even though Boromir had two arrows in him, he continued to fight. But the archer took aim, one last time and hit Boromir, in the chest again.
I turned to the Hobbits, “Run!”
I then turned back to continue fighting. But I couldn’t keep them away. There were too many. And the grabbed Merry and Pippin.
“No!” I cried cutting down another Orc. They all started to run past me. Ignoring me now. I tried to run after them but I felt a pain in my back. The Orc archer had shot me. I turned to him, on the ground now to look like I went down. He was standing over Boromir, grinning. He notched another arrow. He was about to shoot him when Aragorn jumped at the Orc. I quickly got up and went to Boromir.
“Boromir,” I whispered, helping him lay backwards. “Boromir,” I whispered, crying. “No. Please, don’t die on us now. Please.”
Aragorn came to my side. “They took the little ones,” gasped Boromir.
“Hold still,” whispered Aragorn.
“Frodo. Where is Frodo?” asked Boromir.
“I let Frodo go,” whispered Aragorn. Tears slipped down my face.
“Then you did what I could not. I tried to take the Ring from him.”
“The Ring is beyond our reach now.”
“Forgive me,” whispered Boromir. “I did not see it. I have failed you all.”
“No, Boromir. You have not,” I whispered crying now, holding Boromir’s head in my lap. “No,” I kissed his forehead.
“She is right, Boromir. You fought bravely. You have kept your honor.”
Aragorn went to pull out the arrows. “Leave it,” hissed Boromir. “It is over.”
“No,” I whispered. “Please, Boromir. We can save you.”
“The world of Men will fall. And all will come to darkness and my city to ruin.”
“I do not know what strength is in my blood but I swear to you, I will not let the White City fall, nor our people fail,” Aragorn whispered to Boromir.
“Our people,” whispered Boromir. “Our people.” Aragorn grabbed Boromir’s sword and Boromir held it to his chest. Legolas came running down and stared at us in sadness. I looked up at him, with tears in my eyes. “I would have followed you, my brother. My captain. My king.” I choked on tears and held Boromir closer. “And you, Lady Ireth, you are the sweetest Elf I know. You will be loved by all, My Lady.” Boromir’s breaths ceased and he was no more. I watched as my tears fell into his har. I stroked it away from his face and closed his eyes. Aragorn then leaned forward and kissed his forehead in respect to his death.
“Be at peace, son of Gondor,” he whispered he then stood but I did not move. “My Lady,” Aragorn said urgently. “You are hurt.” I nodded as he ran behind me to the arrow that was sticking out of my back.
“Is it deep,” I asked.
“No,” he said inspecting it.
“Pull it out,” I whispered. Aragorn then grabbed the arrow and pulled it from my flesh. The pain was unbearable but I made no noise. “Boromir shouldn’t have died. He deserved to live,” I whispered. “I should have died in his stead.”
“Do not say that,” snapped Legolas. “You lived for a reason. And Boromir died for a reason.”
“He died trying to save the Hobbits and I,” I cried at Legolas. “He and the Hobbits should have run when I demanded them to!”
“But then you would be dead!”
“But I would have died knowing it was saving my friends. Or at least trying to,” I said with tears pelting down my face. “Knowing Boromir is dead, and it is I who could have saved him will haunt me for the rest of my life.”
“Then you must fight so he did not die in vain, Ireth. You cannot give up,” spoke Aragorn.
“He is right, My Lady,” grunted Gimli. “You must continue on.”
“Boromir would have wanted it,” Legolas said, calmer now.
I looked down to Boromir, whose head still rested in my lap. I nodded and then stood up, placing Boromir’s head carefully onto the ground. Aragorn and Legolas carefully picked up Boromir’s body and started to carry him back to the campsite. As we trekked over the hill, I could see the two little Hobbits, Frodo and Sam, rowing acrossed the lake.
Legolas and Aragorn set Boromir in a boat. They removed the arrows and placed a blanket beneath his head. They moved so his sword hilt was on his chest and the sword itself facing down. I grabbed Boromir’s shield and placed it above his head. I leaned into the boat and kissed his forehead on last time. “I will not let you die in vain, my friend,” I whispered.
Aragorn then pushed the boat out and we watched as Boromir was sent over the side of the waterfall. Tears weld in my eyes again, though I could not cry anymore.
“Hurry!” said Legolas as he pushed the last boat into the water, “Frodo and Sam have reached the eastern shore.” Legolas turned to Aragorn and his face fell realizing what was happening. “You mean not to follow them.”
“Frodo’s fate is no longer in our hands,” said Aragorn.
“Then it has all been in vain. The Fellowship has failed,” spoke Gimli.
I stood between Legolas and Gimli. Aragorn stood up from the rock he had been leaning against and placed one hand on Legolas’s shoulder and the other on Gimli’s. “Not if we hold true to each other,” he whispered. “We will not abandon Merry and Pippin to torment and death. Not while we have strength left.” Aragorn then turned. “Leave all that can be sparked behind.” He picked up his dagger. “We travel light. Let us hunt some Orc.” Aragorn then started into the woods.
Gimli, Legolas, and I exchanged glances. “Yes!” cried Gimli as he chased after Aragorn.
I smiled, “Let us go!” I said following after the Dwarf. Legolas chuckled and followed close behind me.
And so the hunt for Merry and Pippin began.