Disclaimer: Sadly, I don't any of Professor Tolkien's characters, so I can't lay claim to them.  I also don't own this Alternate Universe, which is the property of Evendim and she's kindly allowing me to play in her sandbox.  Thanks, mate!  The Sea Hawk, however, does belong to me so if you'd like to use her in a fic, please ask first.  Enjoy!

A/N: I always thought Boromir got short-changed in the books.  He had such potential!  Thankfully, Evendim has restored him to life in a way which I found quite believable.  Some things you should do or know before reading this fic:

1. Read Evendim's fics.  Please.  Behind Closed Doors and Beyond Closed Doors will give you enough to go on with, but ALL of her fics are excellent!  There's so much backstory here that I can't list it all, it would take three chapters!  LOL  Everything you need to know will be presented there.

Oh, one more thing, please be gentle with reviews.  Constructive criticism is more than welcome, but flames will be used to heat the house with.  Onward!

Prologue

Boromir, Captain-General of Gondor's armies, High Warden of the White Tower, and Prince of Anorien, looked out over the Bay of Belfalas with anger in his heart.

Too long had these pirates, these --- Corsairs wasn't the right word, since this one didn't claim Umbar as his lair --- these thieves, terrorized the Bay.  Imrahil, Prince of Dol Amroth (and Boromir's uncle) had tried vainly to capture this group, with no success. 

The fact that they had claimed few lives meant nothing to him.  They were engaged in activities that endangered his people, and he meant to put a stop to it at all costs.

He knew that Imrahil had swallowed his pride in order to petition the King for aid.  The fact that his Swan Knights had been unequal to the task must gall him bitterly. 

Enough dallying, he told himself sternly.  Time to get to his ship and put an end to these mercenaries as soon as possible.

One

The Valour had been at sea now for over a month, and no sign of his quarry.  He became more and more determined, as the days went past, to bring this pirate chieftain to justice.  The Sea Hawk, as he had been dubbed, was a thorn in Boromir's side.  One that vexed him sorely and he would not rest until it had been removed.

"Sail ho!" came the call from the bow.  Boromir turned the wheel over to his first mate and went forward.  He followed the sailor's gesture and indeed, there were sails on the horizon.  A triple mast, so not a small ship.  And, Eru, were those sails red?  Finally, he had his quarry in sight!

"Stations!" he roared.  "Unship the oars and close this gap!  Our quarry has been sighted!  Archers, at the ready!"

The distance began to shrink quickly between the two ships, and Boromir held himself ready.  His lame right arm troubled him no longer, and instead, he unsheathed his Elvish blade, Astaldar*, wrought for him in Mirkwood by none less than King Thranduil himself. 

His keen eyes were soon disturbed, however.  There was no sign of life on the offending vessel, and he ordered them in close.  "Oy, Aergil*, heave to and prepare to be boarded!" he called for good measure.

A few moments later he was certain there was no one aboard.  He picked his boarding party carefully and was the first to set foot upon the pirates' vessel.  They explored silently, an unease growing as they found no one.  Where was this ship's crew?  She couldn't have gotten this far out to sea without one.

"Captain?" 

"Be at ease, Findol," Boromir said quietly.  "Wherever the crew went, there's no one aboard now.  Take her in tow, we can at least return her to Dol Amroth." 

Lines were run between the two vessels, and the Aergil was duly secured and taken in tow.  Boromir chose to remain aboard, with a skeleton crew to run her in addition to the tow from the Valour.  But even he was unprepared for what happened next!

The knife at his throat took him by surprise and he made to disarm his opponent, thinking it was one of his men playing a trick.  But the voice in his ear told him otherwise and his blood ran cold. 

"If you so much as change the rhythm of your breath, I will slit your throat."  The tip of what felt to be a rather large dagger poked him painfully to drive the pirate's point home.  "Order them to release the lines."

Boromir remained silent, hoping his men would see he was under duress, but alas, it wasn't to be.  The pirate had chosen well his hiding place; he was totally concealed from any but Boromir, yet still in a position to do maximum damage.  "I will not ask again," came the hiss in his ear as the knife jabbed more painfully into his flesh.

"Release the lines!" he shouted.  "This ship will carry herself to Dol Amroth, not be dragged like a recalcitrant child!"  There, his men would realize something was wrong, for though Boromir had a reputation for respecting the sea and her vessels, not even he would trust a ship this size with a bare dozen men.

The pirate captain stepped closer behind Boromir, chuckling softly.  "A nice try, my Lord Boromir of the House of Hurin, but you fail.  You see?" 

Once the lines had been cut, pirates were swarming over the ship's sides.  Boromir cursed roundly as his loyal sailors were quickly subdued.  The knife was withdrawn from his throat and he whirled, Astaldar in hand, to do battle with the pirate ---

--- but his blade found no mark.

How in the name of the Valar was this man moving about?  He seemed more shade than man!  A glance upward told him and he roared.  "You impudent little whelp!  Come down and face me, if you dare!"

"Come up and fetch me, Prince of Anorien, if you dare!" came the taunt from above, and Boromir realized he was surrounded by the pirate's men, all of whom were sporting naked blades of all lengths and sizes.  He allowed himself to be disarmed rather than become a pincushion and was soon tightly bound at the wrists. 

The pirates swiftly turned their ship about before Valour could respond and began a swift retreat as Valour turned to pursue.  They had a wide start, and meant to make the most of it, but the Sea Hawk leaped to the rail and hailed her.

"Oy, Valour!  We've your Captain!  Stand down and return to port!"  The voice was strident, but there was something about it that made Boromir take careful note.  "My word of honor that he will not be harmed, but you shall take word to your King that Prince Boromir shall be our guest for a time.  Our demands will be sent to the King!"

He stepped lightly down from the rail as Valour signaled agreement and turned away.  The Sea Hawk returned to stand before Boromir, eyebrow raised.  "Cat got your tongue, Boromir?"

Boromir gave them his best parade ground glare.  "Not a cat, just a naughty little bird," he ground out.  "So tell me, how does a woman become a pirate chieftain?"  His voice was scornful.

"A fair question, but one I don't care to answer at the moment," she purred back.  "Take him below, boys, and see that he's comfortable.  But see that he can't run about and get underfoot until we get to port.  I don't want him making any mischief for us."

TBC

*These words are Elvish, Sindarin to be precise.  Astaldar means "Valiant One" and Aergil is "Sea Star."