Chapter Text
As the Anduin swapped over the riverbed, none of the elves noticed, as they were still too busy singing Gandalf's lament. It was the moment Frodo looked into Galadriel's mirror and decided to offer her the ring - which she declined, though she would have very much loved to be the famous Dark Queen. However, as harvest season was drawing near, she had no time to rule middle-earth. Really, Sauron could do his work well enough on his own, if he was clever enough to steal the ring from Frodo.
Hours later, when the dawn painted the sleeping faces red, and when the river water seeped through their travel clothes, the fellowship woke, staring at each other in disbelief.
Water. Water all around them, already an inch above the ground. Their pillows and blankets were soaked through and the elfs, all save Legolas, who had tightly slept till now, stood on the stairs and tree branches, chattering loudly. None of them had thought about waking the eight companions, possibly already preparing laments for each of them.
"Peregrin Took, do you know how this happened?" Aragorn asked, trying to figure out the reason.
"Why? No! I would never! I was just sleeping, dreaming 'bout the Shire and all. I've done nothing wrong!" Pippin exclaimed, looking at Merry for support.
"I don't think he can do that much trouble. Perhaps it is just a normal flood, I've seen such high tides around the Brandywine river at least twice or thrice; they usually don't last very long," Merry said after a while.
"I hope you're right," answered Aragorn, face furrowed as he looked around. "But I'm worried we have overstayed our welcome, since Lady Galadriel now has more important matters to solve. We should leave immediately, and take the road by the river, as long as we still can. I would not risk boating until the waters are safe."
"I do not think that we should risk the lives of the halflings with a such ridiculously hurried decision. It would be better to stay and wait, till the safest road is clear again," Boromir argued, standing up to the ranger.
"Boromir, please, it is no time for rivalry. The river seems to rise further, possibly induced by magic. It could be one of Saruman's spells that makes the snow on the mountaintops melt, and if it is so, it could take weeks to find a safe moment to take the boats. We cannot wait that long."
From the distance, Frodo watched as the discussion unfolded even further, till Boromir resorted to clear insults, of which he seemed to know a lot.
"Master Frodo, you must eat. I asked the elves for food and the only thing they gave me was this," Sam opened his hands, revealing three small slices of lembas bread, "It ain't much, but it's better than starving."
"I'm not that hungry. You should also have some. If Aragorn can convince the others, we will have a long way ahead today," Frodo answered wearily.
After that, they sat in silence for some time, the two men of Gondor walking up and down in the knee-deep water, gesturing wildly.
They did not notice Legolas leaving the camp and returning with a lowered gaze, the hands clasped behind his back. Silent, the elf sat next to Gimli, who had started to braid his beard.
As the dwarf turned his head, he eventually realised something wasn't alright. "What's wrong, my lad? Elvish food going on your nerves? Don't worry, we'll have a feast in Erebor on our return journey, then you'll see what real hospitality means."
But Legolas wasn't up to jokes today, no matter how much he usually loved to tease his friend. "The Lady of the Golden Forest wants us to leave. It is her firm belief that Frodo has brought this peril with him, as a ring-bearer."
The next joke remained stuck in Gimli's throat. "Aye, that is bad news. D'you want to tell the others, my lad, or shall I?"
"I would be very grateful for your help, if you would grant it. I had expected better of my own kin." His eyes were teary.
"Don't cry, laddie, I've expected no more of elves. Fair face and black heart, that's the truth! I told you!" Gimli said without thinking twice.
Now Legolas wiped away the tears, as he could not answer the insults anymore. Fair Lady Galadriel, what cruelty hath befallen thee? he asked himself.
"Ah, don't mind my words, I entirely forgot you were an elf, too. You're more of a dwarf, really, if I think about it. Only the obligatory beard is missing." Gimli patted his shoulder, an encouraging smile on his face.
Now, Legolas felt more miserable than ever - not only was his kin turning their backs on him, no, he was also compared to a dwarf! How could he ever sink lower?
"Well, I'm off to tell Aragorn." With those words, Gimli left towards the ranger and his kinsman, who had not yet ceased to shout.
An hour later, they were already on their way, all walking in pairs except for Aragorn and Boromir - one leading the group and one walking behind it, angrily talking to himself.
Legolas was still crying, wishing to go back to his father, Thranduil. Had he only never left Mirkwood! He could deal with orcs and spiders and even every other kind of foul creature creeping through the woods, only ignorant elves and an infinitely annoying dwarf could bring him down. Due to the rushed departure, he had even forgotten his hairbrush, having to walk with filthy hair all the way to Mordor.
Frodo was crying, too, mostly because Legolas was, but also because he remembered the images from Galadriel's mirror. Soon, he and his friends would be enslaved and taken to Mordor, and the Shire would burn - if he failed, which he believed to happen.
Only Merry and Pippin were in a great mood, teasing each other jokingly and splashing their friends with water, which now reached to the hobbit's shoulders, although they were half a mile away from the river, walking amidst trees.
Suddenly, Aragorn stopped, which none of the others noticed. Frodo and Sam ran into him simultaneously, followed by Merry and Pippin, Legolas and Gimli, and at last Boromir, who managed to knock over the entire fellowship.
Having no chance against the current, all eight companions were swept into the Anduin, trying to hold on to broken branches or even small twigs that swam in the water. Frodo and Sam drowned multiple times, holding onto each other, being rescued just in time by Aragorn, who barely managed to keep his head above the water and an eye on the two hobbits at the same time. Boromir held the other two, being the only one able to swim good enough, although the heavy armour was pulling him down. Other than Frodo and Sam, they did not struggle against his grasp, glad to have time to look at the landscape passing by. Legolas was swimming on his back, his arrows keeping him above the water, though the weight on the dwarf pulled him down, as he held Gimli by his beard. At least, this time, the dwarf did not complain, since he had swallowed so much water that he could not stop coughing, pressing his axe against his chest so it would not get lost.
"To the shore!" Aragorn cried out, pointing to a small island amid the water masses, just before an undertow got hold of him, pulling him into the deep.
With their last ounce of strength, Frodo and Sam managed to push each other towards the land mass, followed by Boromir who held one grinning hobbit under each arm.
"Great! Let's do that again!" Pippin said cheerfully, ready to enter the water as Boromir sat him into a very short and wide tree with orange fruit. He was immediately distracted by the opportunity of a second breakfast (not that one lembas bread really counted as first breakfast, for that matter, since that was all he had today), throwing some at Merry, who also started eating right away.
"Gandalf said: Don't you lose him, Samwise Gamgee. And I don't mean to," Sam exclaimed, embracing Frodo, who would have rather had a moment alone so that he could calm down.
"I know, Sam. You've said that often enough to make me believe you're a great friend. But I'm very tired."
"'Course, Master Frodo, I'll give you my blanket and get us something to eat." He handed Frodo the soaking blanket and went over to the tree, gathering as many fruit as possible.
Some minutes later, Legolas pulled Gimli onto the sandy shore, immediately counting the others. "We're one person short!" he exclaimed.
Boromir turned to him, his face rather calm. "I know. We've lost Aragorn." He took a bite of a mango. "Very tasty, this. We don't have this kind of food in Gondor."
"Boromir! You have to get Aragorn out of the water!" Gimli said, raising his axe.
"Why me?" cried the man. "I've already done more than enough today! It's not my fault his plan failed!"
Frodo stared at the roaring river, his mind deeply troubled by the supposed loss of another friend. "We must save Aragorn, he is our friend!"
"Master Frodo is right!" Sam chimed in, though he could not tell what exactly the conversation was about, since he had not noticed Aragorn drowning.
"He is not my friend!" Boromir responded to the ring-bearer, looking at him in anger. "You should go, Legolas, you can swim as well as I!"
"I cannot dive, yet I will still go. Sing my lament, Gimli, for it seems I have no other friends now." He patted the dwarf's shoulder affectionately, asking whether he would see this annoying being ever again.
"Aye, I could do that. Farewell, dear laddie." He hugged Legolas, making the four hobbits cry.
"Farewell, may you remember me dearly, my friend, shall this be my end." With these words, he dramatically stepped into the shallow water on the shore.
"Thank you very much, my friend, for your kind words, but I've already gotten out myself, so no need for dying," said a deep, amused voice from behind.
Everybody turned around to see Aragorn, still in one piece, his pipe in one hand and his sword in the other. He was perfectly alive and grinning.
Without hesitation, the four hobbits went to embrace him, knocking him over again. Only Boromir looked slightly disappointed, at least on the exterior. Internally, he was glad to have somebody to argue with, even if it was the man he liked least of all, as he was going to take the position he had always wanted.
"So there will be no need for a lament tonight," Gimli said with teary eyes.
"Well, you might still sing a song, perhaps one about Erebor, if you wish to. I would listen," Legolas said, smiling.
"Aye, I could do that."