*** I have bad news and good news for you. Bad news: This is the very last chapter of "Assassins"! Good news: I'll probaby do a sequel. That is, if anyone is actually interested in reading a continuation of this piece of fanfiction.

Anyway, THANK YOU SO MUCH EVERYBODY for all your reviews!! You all rock!! They mean a lot to me and I was very flattered and often very moved and touched by the positive ones, but I also appreciated the "negative" & constructive criticism very much! I still can't believe that there are so many of you who actually read this story and liked it. I'm truly honored! I made a list of people I wanted to thank and wrote some more lines to them, so if you want to read that, you'll find it right behind this chapter.

Have a nice day!

Yours

SpaceCowgirl ***   

When Aerilyn woke up the next day, she was disappointed but not exactly surprised to find the large bed she was lying in empty. Lids and limbs still heavy with deep slumber, she languidly outstretched a hand to run it over the cushion Boromir's head had rested on not long ago. The comforting, soft feel of the fine cloth under her skin was interrupted when her fingers suddenly touched the rough fabric of paper. Curiously, she sat up in bed and after trying to rub the sleep out of her tired eyes, she carefully unfolded the small, white sheet of paper that had been placed on the abandoned cushion. She revealed a few lines of black ink that were written in an unexpectedly nifty and tidy handwriting. A weak smile upon her lips, she began to read.

Aerilyn, my dearest,

I hope you slept well. Excuse my stealthy departure, my presence was called for at an hour too early to wake you. Be assured that I will seek you out as soon as business permits it. Until then, do as you please and enjoy the day. I will meet you later.

In faithful loyalty

Boromir

After finishing the short message, Aerilyn read the letter again. And then again, and each time the smile on her face grew wider. Suddenly, the peaceful silence was disturbed by a loud, rumbling noise from her stomach which caused her grin to peak in a chuckle. It was probably too late for having breakfast together with the others. She hated to eat all on her own, but if she didn't want to starve she wouldn't have another choice this morning. Since she didn't have to leave the building to get to the dining-hall, Aerilyn just slipped in light-coloured, ordinary robes and tied her unruly hair back with a simple ribbon. She didn't expect to meet anybody on her way and was joyfully surprised to find somebody else who obviously had slept late sitting in the great dining-room.

"Good morning, dear brother!" she exclaimed gleefully as she approached a very tired and groggy looking Atalar. Instead of returning her greeting he only grimaced as if he was in pain.

"I suggest you speak a little more muted unless you want your brother to go insane with severe headaches," a kind voice made her swirl around with a start. "Good morning, Lady Aerilyn," Legolas added with an apologizing tone in his voice.

"Good morning, Prince Legolas. I didn't notice you when I entered the room," she replied with a weak smile. "Please excuse my looks, if I had known that you were here as well, I would have –"

"Could you continue your conversation somewhere far, far away from me? Please?" Atalar interupted his sister without looking up from his breakfast he was basically picking at instead of eating anything. His voice was so throaty and miserable that Aerilyn couldn't suppress a short laugh.

"Is it that bad?" she asked with a hint of both compassion and amusement in her voice.

"I'm afraid yes," Legolas answered when Atalar didn't show any reaction to his sister's question.

"You aren't going to eat that, are you?" she then asked, gesturing at Atalar's breakfast. Finally he turned his face up to her and Aerilyn felt a sudden wave of sympathy well up inside of her when she saw how miserable he looked.

"No, help yourself," he replied with his hoarse voice and pushed the dish towards her with a dull movement. "Where's your husband?" he added while she began to eat and raised a hand to his face to carefully massage his aching temple. Aerilyn shrugged her shoulders.

"I don't know. He left me a note that he has business to see to."

"Ah, how romantic," Atalar said ironically and rose from his chair with a groan. "If you will excuse me now, I have to go to bed again."

"When shall we send somebody to wake you?" Lyn asked, hoping that she would have the opportunity to spend some more time with him later today.

"No sooner than the day after tomorrow. Thank you," Atalar replied as he slowly scuffed out of the dining room.

"I hope my brother has more manners when he is with you, Prince Legolas," Lyn said as she looked after Atalar who seemed as if he would collaps to the ground and fall asleep immediately within the next seconds. Legolas replied with only a smile and approached the table the young female was sitting at.

"May I?" He pointed at the chair that was on the other side of the table, opposite hers.

"Of course, I'd love to have some company," Lyn beamed. As soon as Legolas had taken his seat, she said: "And there's something I wanted to tell you. I thank you from the bottom of my heart. It was very kind of you to take care of Atalar like that and I don't take your help for granted."

"Please don't mention it. I would have supported him even if you hadn't asked me to do so. Even though we don't know each other for very long, I care for your brother. And I felt so sorry for him when I found him on the corridors, staggering and stumbling and just lost."

Lyn let her fork sink and troublesomely swallowed down the food in her mouth. "He was staggering and stumbling along the corridors?" she asked, totally aghast. "Oh no, I hope no member of Boromir's family saw him like that. Or anybody else for that matter. How embarassing!"

"I doubt that anybody noticed."

"I hope you are right," Lyn said. "I mean, if my father finds out that he behaved so shamefully... Atalar is never going to hear the end of it."

"He didn't have the intention to bring shame to your family. He didn't want to burden you with anything or darken your wedding day, either. You need to understand that the wedding celebrations were very, very hard for him. He had to face the fact that he did not only loose his beloved, but to a certain extent also his only sister. And all the happy couples that were dancing and laughing were surely hard to bear for him. He didn't want to leave because of you. He wanted to stay because he knew it would make you happy. But at one point, he couldn't handle it anymore. I don't think that shameful at all. It's only understandable."

"Believe me, my father would be of another opinion," Aerilyn stated and then decided to change the subject of their conversation. She was indeed very grateful that Atalar had obviously found a new friend in this elf, but after all she didn't know Legolas very well and wasn't very keen on discussing her family affairs with him. "May I invite you to join me by the riverside later today, maybe for taking a walk? I was actually hoping Atalar would come as well, but now that I know the condition he is currently in, I doubt that will happen."

"It's my pleasure to accept your invitation, Lady Aerilyn," Legolas said, and he meant every word. He was curious to get to know Atalar's little sister a bit better and see whether she was anything like her brother.

After Legolas and Aerilyn had finished their breakfast and parted again, the young woman spent plenty of time on her personal hygiene. Or rather she spent time on letting others attend to it. A long, hot bath enriched with sweet herbs and flavorsome blossoms was followed by a massage by two maidservants who had already helped preparing Aerilyn for yesterday's wedding celebrations. With gentle and pleasant strokes they loosened the tension in Lyn's muscles and rubbed essential oil into her soft skin to preserve its smoothness and suppleness. The newly wed girl almost fell asleep under the very comfortable ministrations, but before her light dozing could develop into deep slumber, the handmaidens' treatment reached its end and Lyn had to get up. Next was getting dressed and getting her hair made, a procedure of which she had always hated the latter, especially because it always took so long. When finally she was neat and clean, all dressed up in beautiful and precious attire, the pitchblack curls tamed with countless ribbons, pearls and other hair decorations, it was already time for her appointment. After dismissing her maidens, Aerilyn rushed to her brother's chambers and, when there was still no reaction after she had knocked for the third time,  stepped in without his approval.

Atalar was lying in his bed with all his clothes still on, and even from where she stood Lyn could make out the groggy look on his face. She silently crossed the room and sat down on the corner of the bed with a small sigh. For a few moments, she just watched him sleep. His lips were a little parted, his cheeks reddened and his forehead somewhat sweaty as he breathed deeply and slowly, chest rising and falling in the even rhythm of sound sleep. Reminding herself of her appointment, Aerilyn reached out and quickly but carefully undid the laces of Atalar's crumpled shirt. He didn't notice her presence at all and hardly showed any reaction, not even when Lyn tried to wake him by gently shaking him by his shoulder.

"Atalar!" she called out to him and shook him harder, causing him to murmur something incoherent and furrow his brows in his slumber. After two more attempts, he eventually blinked open only one eye and tried to focus on her.

"Time for dinner?" he asked with a throaty voice as his open eye narrowed to a thin slit.

"No," Aerilyn said and tugged at his shoulders to guide him into a sitting position. "Come, help me a little, will you? You are much heavier than you look."

With an unhappy groan, Atalar struggled to sit up and let his sister pull his shirt over his head and arms. While he limply flopped back on the bed again, Lyn freed her brother from his heavy boots, as well as from his belt. With some effort on her part and some ineffectual wriggling on his part, Aerilyn somehow managed to pull the blanket from underneath Atalar's weary body in order to spread it over him instead.

"You will make a perfect mother," Atalar mumbled as his little sister tucked him in and lay one hand on his forehead as if to take his temperature. She smiled at his words and for a second considered telling him that she and Boromir were indeed going to be parents in foreseeable future, but judging from what she saw Atalar was not very likely to remember a thing she said when he woke up again later on.

"Sleep now," she ordered gently and bent down to press a quick kiss to his forehead. "You need it. And if you feel well rested and more or less sober, you are very welcome to join us by the riverside. We'll probably spend the remaining day by the water. Prince Legolas will be there as well."

She wasn't sure whether he had registered what she had said since there was no visible  reaction to her words, but she didn't want to drag him out of sleep again. She kissed him one more time and then left as quietly as she had entered.

Atalar slept for hours without the slightest interruption, and when he finally woke up again, he felt a little better. Not really animated and fit, but better. He was terribly thirsty and clumsily fought his way out of the sheets and blankets to get to the table in his room a water jug was placed on. The water was wonderfully cool and tasted fresh. A servant must have replaced the jug from this morning with a new one within the last half hour.

I didn't even notice that someone was in my room, Atalar thought, amazed, as he quaffed off a great amount of the coolish liquid. Only when his thirst was satisfied, he realized that his headaches were almost completely gone. A little more bright-tempered, he went back to his bed, but on his way almost tripped over his boots that lay tossed on the ground. After some moments of contemplating, he put his boots as well as a clean shirt on, hesitatingly at first, but when he closed the buckle of his belt, he was already rushing towards one of the exits of the huge building.

It was easy to find them. Joyous and lively laughter reached his ears quite some time before he actually reached them, and he would have sounded out his sister's from out of a million voices. After guiding his horse over another small slope, he finally caught sight of the people the active voices belonged to. Lyn was engaged in an obviously very entertaining conversation with Legolas as well as, much to Atalar's surprise, Lady Arwen. The female elf was the first one to take notice of Atalar and apparently pointed out his arrival to the other ones since suddenly all three were gazing in his direction. When Lyn waved at him he waved back half-heartedly and then dismounted his horse with a low sigh. Suddenly he wasn't so sure anymore whether it had been a good idea to join the others. He left his steed with the three other horses that were grazing not far from their owners and approached the small group with mixed feelings.

"Atalar! I'm so glad you finally joined us!" Aerilyn called out with an eager tone in her voice, a beaming smile on her face. He smiled back, noticing that her cheeks were glowing in an eye-catching shade of red. Also her eyes betrayed her excitement, dark and agleam as they were. Even for a complete stranger it should be more than easy to read Lyn's face like an open book. "Will you play with us?"

"Play?" he echoed and only then saw that a weird composition of several stones of various colours and sizes and some thin sticks was arranged in the middle of the small group.

"Our elven friends were so kind to show me a game that is common among their folk," Aerilyn explained joyfully.

"Oh... Well, I'm afraid I won't be very helpful. I am not familiar with any elven games," Atalar blocked, hoping the others would let him just watch. This looked much like a game that required a lot sleight of hand, and that was something Atalar could definitely not serve with right now.

"You are not the only one, believe me," his sister said and chuckled lightly. "Actually I am still trying to figure out how exactly it has to be done!"

Atalar gave her a sheepish look and slowly shook his head in refusal, but she didn't seem willing to accept his decision.

"Oh, please Atalar! Now that you are here we can finally play in proper teams," Aerilyn begged and, since he knew her better than anyone else, Atalar could hear that she was very close to pouting and with that winning him over, like she always did. But before he could reply, Arwen raised her soft voice, causing Atalar to gulp down the words he had wanted to say.

"Don't be so anxious, Lord Atalar," she said with a gentle and encouraging smile. "It is only a game. Besides, I am more than sure that you have the potential to master it in no time."

"Maybe if last night I hadn't..." His voice trailed off when he couldn't think of a way to put If I hadn't drank myself to unconsciousness in a less embarrassing wording. Three pairs of attentive eyes stared at him, obviously expecting him to continue, and so he cleared his throat and simply said: "I'm not well rested. I didn't sleep much. I fear I won't be able to focus on a complicated and tricky game."

"No more excuses now," Legolas said, a smile crossing his fine features. "Sit down and join us, please. In order to equal the degree of difficulty at the best possible rate, Lady Arwen and I will play with only one hand whereas you two may use both. We are going to divide in two teams. A female team and a male team."

"Teams by gender?" Atalar blurted out a little louder than he had intended to. "Is that not a little unfair?"

"Why that?" Arwen asked, genuinly surprised. "It does not matter whether you belong to the fair or the strong sex when you play this game. Physical strength is not at all important for winning. Women are not disadvantaged."

"Who said I meant a division by gender is unfair towards women?" Atalar asked back, causing Arwen to smile amusedly.

"There's only one way to find out which is the better team, right?" Lyn stated enthusiastically.

"Correct," Legolas agreed. "We can get started as soon as I have explained the rules to Atalar. May the best team win, indeed."

They played for quite some time, and Aerilyn proved to be an even worse participant than Atalar who was so disadvantaged because of his poor condition, but nobody cared that she slowed down the game. It was a wonderful day and the atmosphere between them was very pleasant, and this was all they needed to be cheerful. Or in Lyn's case, almost everything.

She missed Boromir terribly and more than once cast a searching gaze over the slopes, hoping her husband would come to join them. Late in the afternoon, a male rider approached them and for a moment she dared hope it was him, but quickly she had to find out that it was Aragorn. He brought word that Boromir was still very busy with preparations, discussions and provisions and would not have time to spare before nightfall. Lyn tried to put a good face on the matter, but she didn't feel like playing anymore and left her place by Arwen's side to Aragorn who willingly accepted to join in the game, which caused a turbulent discussion between him, Legolas and Atalar about whether Aragorn would have to play with one hand on his back or not. But Lyn didn't pay attention to the playful quarrel.

Her mood didn't swing to the better for the remaining day, and when finally she was resting in the large and sadly empty bed she and Boromir had shared their wedding night in yesterday, she couldn't hold back the tears anymore. Very quietly the salty drops seaped into the precious cushions and blankets she was nestled in until she had cried herself to sleep.

She woke a few hours later, when strong arms carefully wrapped around her form and drew her close to a warm, broad body that had joined her in the bed.

"Boromir...?" she murmured and turned around so that she faced him, but it was too dark to see anything. He answered by lowering his mouth on her lips, starting a slow and gentle kiss. She could tell that he was tired and worn out from the long day and yesterday's lack of sleep and therefor didn't protest when he soon broke the kiss again, although she would have liked to taste him for a little longer. Her hands slid around his waist and came to rest on his back as she pressed the side of her face against his chest with a low sigh. He just held her, his chin resting upon the top of her head. They lay like that for a while, until Boromir took a deeper breath and whispered: "Are you sleeping?"

"No," she whispered back. She thought he was going to apologize to her because he hadn't managed to spend time with her today, but he didn't. Instead, he addressed quite a different topic.

"Aerilyn, promise me that you will take good care of yourself while I will be gone. I won't be here to make sure that you and our unborn are well and secure. You will have to see to it yourself, with the help of our servants of course, but still..." The concern was thick in his quiet voice as he spoke on. "I really want you to take care of yourself, especially in your current condition. You are not yet in perfect health, you are still fragile. Rest whenever you feel tired or exhausted. And please eat."

A smile enfolded on her face when she replied: "I am pregnant for only a short time now, but you speak like a severe father already."

"I am serious about this," he said sternly and moved a hand to start gently fondling the nape of her neck.

"I will take care," Aerilyn assure him in a low voice as she backed away a little, although she couldn't see him anyway. "There is no need to be concerned. I am as thoughtful and protective as you when it comes to our offspring, please be certain of that. You can put your mind to rest."

The fingertips on her neck travelled to her face and cautiously caressed her cheek, the sensitive skin under her chin, her lips.

"I know you will be strong," he said just before he leaned in for another kiss, now both his hands holding her face. When their mouths parted again, Lyn turned around and cuddled herself into the line of Boromir's body, her back flattened against his chest and the swell of her bottom molded against his lap. His embrace didn't yield as they lay together, silently, and long after Boromir's breathing had turned deeper and slower, betraying his sound sleep, Lyn was still thinking about the fact that it was possible that they would never again be together like this.

Aerilyn slowly woke up when familiar fingers tickled her under her chin. She blinked her eyes open and looked at Boromir's face that was bent over hers. The corners of his mouth moved slightly and formed a weak smile.

"Good morning, my love,"  he whispered and cupped her cheek with his hand, gently stroking her face with his thumb. She smiled back drowsily and slowly stretched under the sheets.

"You can go back to sleep in a minute, I just wanted to say farewell,"  Boromir jumped right to the matter. She frowned and sat up abruptly, making him back away so their heads didn't collide.

"Now?"  she asked in disbelief, eyes wide with shock.

"Yes. We decided to set out at dawn,"  he explained, closed his arms around her and drew her slender frame close to his body. She felt the stiff leather of the bracers that covered his forearms gliding over her back, and when she nestled against his chest her cheek didn't press against warm skin but the cold hardness of a chainmail that he wore underneath a splendorous dark tunic embroidered with silver and golden ornaments. She felt him kissing the top of her head and let her worry out with a heavy sigh. After a few moments in his embrace she backed away so she could see his face.

"I promised you to take care of our baby and myself. Now please, do the same for me. Promise me that you will be careful and return to me safely," she demanded and looked him deep in the eyes. He grabbed her small hands and squeezed them tightly.

"There's nothing I would rather do than returning home to you, my love. To you and to our child,"  he said and lifted one of her hands to his face to kiss it.

"I hope you will come back before I give birth,"  she said.

"I hope that too,"  Boromir replied, but he knew that it wasn't very likely to happen. He did not speak it out loud though, he didn't want to shatter Aerilyn's hopes.

"If it is possible, please watch a bit over Atalar. He is young, inexperienced and hotheaded, I fear he will act without thinking and..."  Aerilyn sighed again and gently wiped a strand of hair from Boromir's face.  "I just want him to return home together with you. I know you are not very fond of him, but he's my brother and I love him dearly."

"I know. I will do what I can to keep his life safe,"  Boromir promised and let his hand vanish in his clothes to get out a sealed envelope.

"Speaking of Atalar..." he said softly and lay it on Aerilyn's pillow. "It is a letter from your brother."

"A letter?" she repeated and swallowed with effort. "Will he not come and bid me farewell in person?"

"No. Atalar already set out during the night. He rides with Legolas and a few of Gondor's scouts," Boromir replied. "I'm sorry," he added when he saw the sad expression in Aerilyn's watery eyes. "I guess he wanted to spare you another nerve-racking parting."

"It is not your fault," she whispered, obviously struggling with the tears that were slowly filling her eyes. Boromir placed a hand on her cheek soothingly, but he could not linger for long. He cleared his throat before he declared: "My soldiers are awaiting me, I have to depart now."

"I will miss you,"  Aerilyn whispered while she tried to fight back more and more tears that welled in her eyes.

"I will miss you too,"  Boromir said, stroking her soft cheek.  "And now smile for me, my sweet one, for I want to remember your pretty face with a joyful expression when I am on the battlefield."

She tried her best to do as he wished, but the smile was of sad nature and soon joined by salty tears that left moist paths down her pale face.

"I know this is not enough comfort, but my thoughts, my heart, and my soul will be here with you all the time,"  he said and gently lowered his mouth upon hers as if to seal the vow. She responded with desperate passion, bruising his lips with deep and affectionate kisses. This time he gave in and reacted with equal devotion and fervour. It was the kiss of lovers who were very aware of the fact that this could be the last one they would ever have the chance to share, and it took a great deal of discipline from Aerilyn to not sob loudly when Boromir finally ended it.

"Here," he murmured and stripped his necklace over his head. "I want you to wear it."

"No... No, I can't accept this. This belongs to you."

"But I want you to have it. At least for the time that I will be gone." He attempted to put the fine chain with the beautiful amulet around her slender neck, but she shyed away.

"It's your mother's necklace. I don't want to take it from you," she explained.

"You are not taking it from me. You are keeping it for me until I return. Will you not do that for me? Keep this close to your heart until I come back?" When he again moved to put the necklace on her, she did not pull away or protest.

"I don't have anything at hand to give you in return," she said and wanted to get up in order to fetch something appropriate, a piece of jewellry, a silken handkerchief or one of the colorful ribbons she always wore in her hair, but her husband grasped her by her arms and made her sit back down on the bed again.

"There is nothing I want more from you than your word that you will be here when I return," he said as he took her hands in his. "This is all I'm asking for."

"I will wait for you, my Boromir, no matter for how long this war will separate us," she then said, her voice cracking. "When you come back to Minas Tirith I will be right here and welcome you with open arms, because I love you."

"These words are surely the sweetest and most precious treasure you could possibly send with me on my way. Your love gives me the strength I will need to lead my people, our people, to victory. I thank you, Aerilyn."

"You do not need to thank me, I only speak the truth. I will send you letters to let you know I'm thinking of you every minute and to remind you that you promised to get back in one piece. You know how angry I will get if you break your promise, don't you?"

A soft smile spread on his face. "Yes, my love, I know. I won't disappoint you."

With that, he rose from the bed and stood in front of her, a tall and proud warrior. He seemed invulnerable in his dark armor and magnificent clothing, with the large sword that hung at his side, with the brave and determined expression on his noble face. But Aerilyn knew that her mind was playing her a trick, and that her husband who seemed so strong was not at all invulnerable. He surely was a true and great warrior, but he was neither invincible nor immortal. She watched him putting his dark gloves back on and realized that the hands he was covering weren't going to hold and caress her for a long, long time.

"I will come back to you,"  Boromir promised again, captured her face with now gloved hands and bent down to press his lips to hers for one last time.

"I will wait,"  Aerilyn whispered, tears streaming down her face in glimmering rivulets.

"I love you,"  he said with a strong voice and kissed her forehead.  "I love you, Aerilyn."

"I love you too,"  she replied and tried to smile.

And then he was gone, heading for a great war that was to fight, determined to help his soldiers to victory. And all Aerilyn could do was hope that he would be able to conquer the opposing empire as successfully as he had once conquered her heart.

~ THE END ~