DISCLAIMER: "The Lord of the Rings" and its characters belong to JRR Tolkien, I only borrowed them for some fanfiction. I do not get money out of this, it's only for entertainment purposes.

The characters I made up by myself are mine: Aerilyn, Atalar, Inunyen and Ghorid.

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AUTHOR'S NOTE: I haven't read through all books so far (only the first, I'm working myself through the second at the moment...), so please don't flame me for getting things wrong because of my lack of knowledge. Also, I'm from Germany and English is a foreign language to me, so expect some mistakes in grammar and spelling. This is my first attempt to write a LotR fanfic, so please bear with me!! Oh, and if you want to make my day: Please review!! Thanks! :)

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STORY BACKGROUND (important, please read!): This story is set after the fellowship returns home from their successful journey. Aragorn renounced the crown and Denethor still reigns Gondor (I know, far fetched, but my story wouldn't work otherwise). In order to help Gondor achieve a higher status and grow wealthy again, the wedding between Boromir (who didn't die in this version) and the daughter of the steward of Katalla (a powerful empire I made up) is arranged. Aragorn and Legolas are invited to witness the event and take part at the festivities.

P.S.: It will be explained how it came to be that Boromir lives and Aragorn is not King of Gondor in chapter 15.

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The first chapter is mainly "character introduction", more powerful stuff comes later on. I hope you still like it.

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"What is on your mind, Lyn?"

"Nothing, Atalar. You shall not worry and watch over me all the time. I am not the little girl I used to be."

Atalar laughed softly and moved closer to the young woman who was standing at the window and stared outsides.

"Forgive me, my sister, but for me you will always remain my little Aerilyn." he said with a smile and gently put his hands on her shoulders from behind.

"I am getting married tomorrow." she said to point out that she was a woman now.

Atalar only snorted, took his hands from her shoulders and crossed the huge room to get a glass of wine from the table.

"The man you are getting married to is much too old for a maiden like you." he said with an angry tone in his voice.

"The man I'm getting married to has a name, dear brother." Aerilyn said a bit inpatient. He was slowly getting on her nerves. He brought up the topic every day since their arrival at Gondor two weeks ago.

"The name does not make him younger. Boromir is not the right..."

"Lord Boromir", she interrupted him, "is the man our father chose as my husband. I will do as our father wishes and serve Lord Boromir as his loving wife."

"Serve him as his loving wife? You are not even mature enough to deserve to be called a woman, how can you think you will make a good wife?"

Aerilyn's face darkened with anger, but she didn't reveal it to her brother and remained with her back to him.

"It's our father's wish. If you need to discuss the matter, please do so with him and not with me." she said and forced herself to stay calm. Atalar has always been an overprotective brother. She loved him very much, but he had to learn that she was about to begin a new life. A life seperated from him and their family at Katalla. A life at Gondor, by the side of Lord Boromir. She could tell that the thought of losing his beloved sister made Atalar's heart ache. He didn't hide his dislike towards Boromir, on the contrary. He kept on pointing out that he was a bad match for Aerilyn, far too old, far too serious, far too conceited.

Oh how Aerilyn wished she could take away the worry and fear from her brother's heart. How she wished to tell him the truth about Boromir and herself. But she couldn't.

Her father Ribensis, Steward of Katalla, was an ally of Denethor, Steward of Gondor. They lately had agreed on bonding their children and with that, bonding their empires and help them to greater power and wealth. As the only daughter Aerilyn was to marry Denethor's oldest son, Boromir. In the beginning she had been shocked herself, she was indeed a lot younger than him, and when they met for the first time his rude manners had scared her. She still remembered his rather angry facial expression when he had seen her and then had spoken to his father: "I thought I was to marry a lady, not to adopt and raise a child!" Today she could smile about this exclamation of his that had caused her to cry bitter tears in earlier days.

They both had felt uncomfortable with the arranged wedding at first. Aerilyn was young and innocent, she didn't know what to expect from the future her father had chosen for her. Besides, Boromir's presence had intimidated her. She couldn't imagine spending the rest of her life at this man's side. A man who thought of her only as a burden.

Boromir, on the other hand, had never felt the urge to bond with a woman, not to speak of a girl like Aerilyn. He was a warrior, not a husband. He knew he had to take her as his wife in order to help Gondor, it was his duty as he was the eldest son of the steward. It was nothing more to him, just his duty. But as time went by, they learned to think highly of each other.

What nobody knew was that the two of them had started to meet secretly as soon as Aerilyn had arrived at Gondor. This was the only way for them to talk to and see each other without other people around, and both felt the need to talk alone as they both felt uneasy about the situation. Their secret meetings had always been rather short and only happened during the nights, but nevertheless they got to know each other better and started to treasure each other's company. The unease had faded quickly, and with the first kiss they had shared not long ago the fire of love had started to burn in their hearts and didn't die since. On the contrary, the flames grew hotter and stronger with every day and every night. But she could not tell her brother about the love she had started to feel for Lord Boromir. Their meetings weeks before the wedding had to be kept secret. The reputations of both of them, and also their families, would suffer immensely if anybody knew about it.

Aerilyn gasped almost inaudibly in anticipation when she saw Boromir approaching the house on his strong horse.

"You must depart now, brother." she said and turned around to face him.

"What do you say?" he asked and raised on his feet, smiling about her boldness.

"Lord Boromir comes to visit. He surely wishes to speak to me alone and discuss about tomorrow." she said and hoped that she didn't blush.

"Then he can tell me so by himself." he said. "And I will not leave you with him until Hyeira is back here to watch after you."

"Atalar, I beg you. Do not quarrel with my husband."

"He is not your husband. Not yet." Atalar said just before there was a knock on the door. Aerilyn wanted to open it, but her brother was faster. He shoved her aside with his strong arm and, after opening the door, enjoyed the rather startled expression on Boromir's face when it wasn't his beloved who was revealed, but her brother.

"Lord Atalar..." he said and got control over his face and voice quickly again.

"Lord Boromir." Atalar replied coldly.

"I wish to see Lady Aerilyn." Boromir demanded with a dominant voice.

"Why?"

"I do not need to account to you for wishing to see my betrothed." Boromir responded. Atalar's dark eyes sparkled with fury, but the rest of his body remained calm.

"My sister needs to rest. Tomorrow, you surely do wish to be delighted by a beautiful, well balanced..."

"Atalar!" Aerilyn hissed behind his back.

"Well..." he said to Boromir but looked down to his sister who now stood next to him in the doorway. "The little one seems to be awake again."

"Yes, I am. Please leave us alone now, Atalar. I tell you, Hyeira will be back very soon."

"I trust you." he said, bent down to kiss her head and then left without losing another word.

"My Lady." Boromir said with a slight grin and lifted her delicate hand to his lips and kissed it softly.

"My lord. Please come in." she replied with a smile.

"No."

"No?" she echoed and frowned.

"No, although it is quite tempting, now that Hyeira is not there to watch after you... I am here to ask you to come with me on a ride."

"A ride? Now?"

"Why not. I already prepared you a horse."

"I have to change my clothes, then." she said, looking down to her long dress.

"I will wait here."

"Very well." she said and wanted to turn around to leave for the dressing room, but he gently grabbed her wrist.

"You need to hurry if we want to get away before the others join us." he said in a low voice.

"The others?" she asked a bit confused.

"My father wishes my brother and my cousin to accompany us." Boromir explained, still encircling her wrist with only his thumb and middle finger.

"But", he added with a meaningful undertone, letting go of her arm again, "I believe I did not notice anticipation upon their faces when my father told them so."

"I understand." Aerilyn said, a small smile spreading on her face. "I will hurry."