Disclaimer: All the settings and characters belong to J.R.R. Tolkien. This story is my way of working out or interpreting ideas and concepts already present in The Lord of the Rings. This is done for enjoyment, and for sharing, but not for profit.

Author's Note: Last year I needed to have time absent from online activities, due to real life being rather busy. As a thank-you to people who helped make sure that I stayed off Live Journal during that time, I wrote these drabbles for the first three people to request scenarios. Curiously, all three asked for some kind of interaction with one of the "big" folk, and so that makes for a handy theme for this installment of "drabbles." (two of which outgrew their 100 word boundaries...)

Shirebound asked for a little scene from Rivendell, where Frodo first 'officially' meets Legolas in the days following the Council.

Shirebound's drabble

You have pledged to take the Ring to Mordor, and I, too, will go with you. Death is a possibility for all of us. Some would say a probability. But I am immortal and so I must face the idea of my death to my kind. You are mortal and have expected to die at your natural time. And so now, you must face the idea of death after only a part, a regrettably short part, of your finite life.

Which of us, I wonder, chances the worse fate?

"I am honoured to meet you, Frodo Baggins of the Shire."

The second request, by Sandy, was for an internal monologue from Aragorn shortly after the fall of Gandalf in Moria. It seems to have been written for movie-canon.

Aragorn’s Monologue

"Give them a moment for pity’s sake!"

A moment? What will a moment do us? We have lost you, Mithrandir! I do not indulge and say I failed you, for you said the truth. It was a foe beyond us all. But now I must harden my resolve and lead the remainder of our company to Lothlorien. May they find it within themselves to trust me as they trusted you.

The hobbits know me well. I do not fear their doubt, although I must continue to earn their trust. But you, Boromir, who stand there in shocked disbelief. And you, Legolas! Your puzzled incomprehension marks you. Innocent in your immortality, you still do not understand death. Gimli, I am in your debt, for you stand waiting. You are grieved, but you accept what must be done. Help me! Stay by my side until I knit this shattered fellowship together.

If I cannot bring us together once more - if doubt, and worse, forces us apart? What then?

Frodo - you are the only one left. For all that I lead in practice, you lead in truth. I must relinquish my power to you, though you do not ask for it.

Forgive me!

The third request was by Claudia who asked for a scene in which Frodo and Boromir talk at some point during the quest.

Boromir and Frodo

The edges of the Woods of Lothlorien were within sight now. Even the hobbits could see the distant golden smudge on the horizon, and they pressed on eagerly even amidst their tiredness and grief.

Frodo walked behind most of the Fellowship. Although Aragorn’s ministrations had eased and helped him greatly, he found it difficult to keep to the pace set by the Ranger.

You shall not pass!

Frodo shook his head violently and blinked furiously. As he lowered his head doggedly, he caught, out of the corner of his eye, Boromir watching him. Discomfited, he watched the ground pass away under his feet, step by step, until he became dizzy from the motion.

Fiery thongs curling through the air. "Fly, you fools!"

Frodo bit his lip and looked up to focus on Gimli’s back. His head cleared slightly. But there was a slight motion to his right as Boromir’s head turned away.

Resentfully, he shifted the straps of his pack slightly away from his sore ribs. The pace of the company quickened slightly and so he concentrated on forcing his legs to move faster.

Falling into flames...

Now he was the last one of the Company, save for Boromir. With a sense of dismay, he realized that the Man was now looking at him openly.

"Frodo?" The voice was gentle.

"Yes?" he said, reluctantly. Why did he have such a sense of unease?

"May I help?" The voice was open. Unguarded.

Frodo looked at Boromir then. Gone was the confidence and the bravado. What there was now, he was not sure. But Boromir’s face was friendly and kind.

"I’m all right," said Frodo cautiously.

"I’m not sure you are," the Man said. "I see you gradually falling behind. I would carry you if you let me."

Frodo hesitated. The offer was tempting.

Fly, you fools!

Boromir watched the Ring-bearer. The hobbit was wavering, uncertain about the offer. But he could see that Frodo wished to accept it, though the halfling was guarding against something. Against what?

In all honesty, Boromir admitted to himself, he had been doubtful about the wisdom of entrusting the Ring to the Halfling who struggled on beside him.

After Frodo had been appointed to the Council, Boromir had wondered if the Ring-bearer had a strategy. As time went on, however, he began to suspect that indeed there was no strategy, and he despaired.

A Halfling with little strength, and with no plan beyond walking into the evil land. Folly!

A thought touched his mind then. Perhaps there could be no strategy. If the Ring were indeed as perilous as they so said, then perhaps, just perhaps, there could be no controlling it.

"Yes, please."

Boromir looked down at the Ring-bearer’s upturned face and rejoiced. He had grown fond of Frodo during their journeys together. The brief thought fled, and he lifted the halfling up. To him, Frodo’s weight was negligible.

There had better be a strategy, he thought.

The End