A/N: As for minor spelling mistakes, I just do this to pass time in between writing real stuff, so please don't nit-pick too much. I would appreciate Reviews though! I'm very flattered that so many of you have added this to your favorites, but please just drop a review even if it's just to say good job, or you suck, or whatever.

Chapter 6

January, Year 3019

They'd been walking for maybe a week, little goings on had happened. Estel more often brought up the rear, always checking that they weren't being followed, always making sure none of the Hobbits had fallen behind. She was pretty sure Boromir believed her to fall behind out of weakness or fatigue.

"I'm hungry," Pippin was complaining again, typically he'd be the first to start, and the other Hobbits would join in sort of off-handishly, trying not to sound serious, but alerting others to their own fatigue.

"We should make camp, rest for the night," Gandalf said, setting his hand on a rock, and leaning a bit onto his staff. She didn't protest, but lifted her pack off her shoulder and let it fall against a rock. "Samwise? Perhaps you'd like to start to make some dinner?" Gandalf said, smiling broadly at the Hobbit.

Sam nodded, and the other three hobbits split up, started collecting wood, Boromir joined in. Gimli sat down against a rock, rummaging through his pack for some pipeweed, and Legolas scouted further ahead, briskly jumping rock to rock, almost as if he was floating; elven eyes were scanning the horizon for any unseen dangers.

"How many days further south, Gandalf?" Frodo inquired softly.

"Depending on our pace, the passage south should only take us a few more weeks, then we strike out through Rohan, towards Mordor," Gandalf uneasily set back, resting on a rock.

Once Sam started up the fire, Frodo sat by him and Merry and Pippin seemed a bit uneasy on their feet, glancing around in their boredom.

"Perhaps you'd like to learn a few things about those swords you carry," Boromir abruptly said, obviously acknowledging the two mischief makers. Estel smiled, eyes glancing to Legolas' back once again. The two young hobbits glanced at each other, before stepping up to Boromir smiling.

He went through the motions, basic at first before attempting to get a little bit more complicated. When to stab, when to parry or slice. Estel watched intently, particularly Boromir's actions. When she first saw him in the council, she had an immediate distaste that she'd had for his father, Denethor when she'd met him. Long before he'd become steward. She'd expected as much, Denethor didn't like her much, no reason for Boromir to feel any other way.

"Faster, Pippin," He said, now following through different motions. Gimli started in again about some alternate route, and she paid little heed to him because Gandalf seemed very opposed. Her travels through the Mines weren't the most favorable, but she'd lived through it.

"ACH," Pippin yelped as Boromir clipped his fingers.

"Sorry!" Boromir exclaimed, stepping up trying to get a look at the damage he might've caused. She laughed out loud when he in turn, kicked Boromir in the shins. The two hobbits tackled him to the ground.

"For the shire!"

She got up quickly, trying to relieve Boromir as they started tickling him. As she stepped up, both hobbits grabbed her by the back of the knees and before she knew it she was plopped down onto her back laughing along with them.

"Is that any way to treat a lady!" Boromir exclaimed, laughing at the their antics. He stood up and offered her a hand. She studied him for a moment, not sure how to feel about it, but took his hand anyway. He pulled her up easily, and patted her on the arm.

"No differently than a man I suppose," Estel said carefully, watching Boromir's green eyes. He looked back at her for a second, not dropping her hand.

"No… My apologies," He bowed his head slightly. "I meant no offense," He smiled. "Perhaps, you could show me a bit of your skill?" He nodded towards the sword she'd set against the rock she was previously sitting on. Estel glanced up at him through her bangs, then looked at the sword. Purposefully, she pulled her hand from his and picked up her own sword, giving Boromir a small smile.

"Alright, just to give the Hobbits an example," Estel looked over at the hobbits who were looking back and forth between the two with interest.

Boromir held his sword out respectively, and when she raised hers equally, he smirked. Estel took his moment off guard to clash his sword sideways, and when he came back to compensate, she ducked and brought the hilt of her sword up to his neck, as if to bash him in the chin.

He raised his eyes surprised as the Hobbits giggled.

"What is that?" Sam said somewhere behind her. Estel stepped back, ready to go again, but

"Nothing! A bit of cloud!" Gimli grunted. Estel looked backwards to where Legolas's eyes were fixed on the horizon.

"It's moving awfully fast, against the wind…" She looked to Gandalf, then to Legolas who already started shouting.

"CREBAIN FROM DUNLAND!"

"Hide!" She grabbed both hobbits by the shoulders, and in turn felt two hands clasp her from behind, pushing her to hiding spot by the rocks.

They all scooped up whatever they could find and ducked behind and under any rocks and bushes they could.

Estel's heart pounded. She hid under a rock glancing sideways at Boromir who lay on his back under a bush with the two hobbits. She glanced upwards, then down at the two hobbits, after a moment, she slid out carefully. Perhaps Men of Gondor weren't the weak, beings that she'd remembered from Elrond. When she was last there, The Lord Denethor made her life miserable. Even Ecthelion shoved favoritism for her over his own son. There was honor there, but none that could compare to the elves.

"The passage South is being watched! We must take the pass of Caradhras!" Gandalf called out over the Fellowship.

~*~

"Perhaps you'd have seen it sooner, were you not fooling around," Legolas said quietly. Estel looked at him incredulously for a few minutes,

"As if you were never one for fun and games, Legolas," She muttered back, surprised at his uncharacteristic sign of annoyance. She glanced back around the camp, making sure that no one was awake. Everyone's breathing was deep and even, eyes closed except for Gandalf who stood a little bit off smoking his pipe.

"What bothers you more, that I was playing games or that I was friendly to Boromir?" She shakes her head.

"He's not like you, Estel, you must be wary," Legolas' intense blue eyes skimmed over the sleeping man's form. "He does not have your strength,"

"He and I both are mortal," She pulls her blanket closer to her. "You forget I am not elf-kind. And that you are not my brother. "

"I am acutely aware," He sat back, "I've never said that because you are mortal, you lack strength." He started off, eyes scanning over to Boromir. "You are of the line of Kings," He turned back and smiled softly at her. "You have elf blood in you,"

"Not since the division of Numenor." She shook her head, annoyed at his technicality.

"You know multiple queens ruled Numenor," He nodded carefully, still smiling at her, wondering when it'd start to get on her nerves.

"Two," She shot back, "One didn't want to be queen."

Legolas rolled his eyes, and glanced over at Gandalf, who looked back at him with a small twinkle in his eye.

~*~

Climbing up the snowy mountainside, through the pass of Caradhras was the last place she'd wanted to go. It was cold, she couldn't imagine being one of the Hobbits, unable to feel their leathery toes. They had smaller legs too, harder to get themselves through the snow.

Even as she had these thoughts, Frodo stumbled and began to slide down the mountain towards her. She stepped sideways catching him carefully. Helping him up, he suddenly panicked, grabbing for his throat.

"Boromir," She said, catching his eyes intently gazing at the ring he'd lifted from the snow.

"It's such a strange fate that we should suffer so much fear and doubt over so small a thing… such a little thing." She reached down, placing her hand on her sword tensing carefully. She glanced up at Gandalf who's eyes were scrutinizing them carefully.

"Boromir," She said louder. "Give the ring to Frodo."

Boromir snapped back, almost like he was out of a trance. He looked at her first, almost apologetically. Then stepped forward, Estel tensed, watching the look of desire in his eyes ebb slowly.

"As you wish… I care not," He came down the hill gently, handing the ring back to Frodo. She grimaced, not returning the half smile he gave to her. He looked sorrowful, then sighed, slinging the shield back onto his back. She let her hand slide from Frodo's back; he looked back up at her carefully. She looked upwards to where Legolas and Gandalf stood still, overlooking the scene. She sighed

~*~

A/N: Please Review!