Eyes of the Goddess

The battle for Helms Deep ended in triumph for the Rohan. That night Aragorn, Boromir, Haldir, Legolas, Gimli, Gandalf, and Éomer were heralded as heroes. There were many wounded and dying it left no time for celebrations. Late into the night they tended to the wounded. Aragorn and Gandalf were much more skilled healers than Boromir but he could at least tend the least life threatening wounds. Boromir found himself working along side Éowyn most of the night then he fell asleep next to the Lady Éowyn some time in the early morning against a wall. The two had last been tending one of Éomer's men who had sustained a nasty gash on his head, and a stomach wound that while painful would not be fatal.

Aragorn had looked up from the bed of the elf he had been treating and saw the two blonds sitting there next to each other. Éowyn had her head against Boromir's shoulder and a surge of jealousy washed over Aragorn. He saw Éomer heading over to the woman.

He overhead him say "Come sister...you must eat and rest." She looked to Boromir beside her and squeezed his hand then looked to Aragorn.

"He should do the same, my Lord Aragorn." Then she and Éomer left.

Aragorn crossed the room and knelt down in front of his loyal friend, a friend who followed him without question over a cliff without regard for himself. A friend who would follow him to hell and back he believed, and Aragorn knew in hiart art that he indeed would lead him there. This loyal man he loved with all of his heart.

"Boromir...let's get you to bed." He said lightly shaking his friend.

Boromir awoke and looked into Aragorn's blue gaze. "Sorry...didn't mean to fall asleep."

"It's alright...you need rest, you fought hard last night, and worked all day tending the wounded. Have you even eaten?" Aragorn asked touching his cheek lightly. Boromir could not resist leaning toward the light touch.

"No." He answered softly.

"Then come on dear one." Aragorn said standing and like so many other times offered his hand.

Boromir took his hand and followed Aragorn to the bedchamber Théoden had given them. Once inside Boromir looked around, the chamber contained only one bed though it was a large one. There was a fire burning and several candles were lit, at the small table sat a tankard of wine and a loaf of bread and cheese along with some dried fruits.

"I am not sure what I want more...to crawl into that bed or eat." Boromir answered stripping off his outer layers of clothing down to his under tunic.

"How about both?" Aragorn asked lightly as he did the same.

"And get crumbs in the bed?" Boromir teased.

Aragorn laughed and shook his head even as exhausted, as he was Boromir still managed to make him laugh. Boromir sat down at the table and began cutting a slice of bread as Aragorn sat across from him pouring them both wine.

"I had never been as glad to see the sun rise as I was this morning." Boromir admitted softly.

"I felt the same way...I prayed that Gandalf would arrive." Aragorn said then.

"I had no doubt he would be here." Boromir said then and Aragorn stared at him for a moment.

"You have changed much since Amon Hen." Aragorn reflected.

"Yes, I believe that I have. I doubt it was the injury though...I know you say I did not betray the fellowship and perhaps I didn't in so far as I didn't actu tak take the ring but that experience has changed me. I hope for the better of course...Also Gandalf told me I was to die that day but the gods spared me for some reason. He does not know why and neither do I, but I intend to do everything I can to live up to whatever expectations the gods have in me...and whatever expectations you have of me." Boromir said before taking a drink of wine.

Aragorn considered what Boromir had told him and then he thought about the way Boromir held up under such physical duress after his injury and then about the cliff. Boromir had described it as flying not falling. Perhaps the gods had aided him in these as well.

"I lay no expectations on you Boromir...it is you who should expect things from me. After all you have accepted me as your King though I think I am anything but." Aragorn said stabbing a piece of hard cheese with a small knife.

"Aragorn if you could have seen yourself with Théoden when he was unable to find the willcontcontinue the fight you would know you are a King. You are a great King of men, if only you would let yourself be. Perhaps though that is why you would make such a good King...you have what I have lacked my entire life and that is humility." Boromir said smiling.

Aragorn laughed. "Then we balance each other."

Boromir laughed then. "That didn't soveryvery humble, Aragorn."

They continued to eat and discuss their path. "We will head for Gondor next...but the road I must travel first will be difficult to bear. I cannot ask you to follow me." Aragorn said after some time.

"You cannot ask me to follow you, but you cannot command me not to am I right?" Boromir asked then.

"No I will not impose commands upon you dear one." Aragorn said then and leaned back in his chair to regard the handsome blond.

"Aragorn, for some time now you have called me 'dear one' and you said I am dear to you...I want you to know that I...I do care for you I am just not as comfortable with endearments as you seem to be." Boromir said then.

Aragorn smiled. "I know you care, if you didn't care you wouldn't have flung yourself off a cliff on horseback to follow me...I would have to be blind and or stupid not to realize that."

"You are never going to let me live that down are you?" Boromir asked then.

"No, I daresay that we will be old and gray before I forget that." Aragorn teased.

Boromir stood then and walked to the bed...he tugged off his over tunic and Aragorn stared at him. "Boromir why did you not tell me you were wounded!?" He said advancing toward him.

"What? What wound?" Boromir asked then he noticed a large cut across his stomach but it was not deep. "It does not hurt...I never even noticed it until now."

"Lie down on the bed." Aragorn said going to his pack.

"Please don't put that salve on it." Boromir knew he sounded like a petulant child but that salve burned like the fires of Mount Doom itself.

Aragorn laughed. "For such a brave warrior you certainly have an aversion to this salve."

Boromir blushed and Aragorn smiled widely. He looked even more handsome when he blushed. "Just lay down, I promise it won't burn."

Boromir lay back and waited. Aragorn sat on the large bed next to him and rubbed his hands together to warm the oil he had chosen instead of the salve.

"This will not sting or burn." Aragorn promised again.

The oil had a sweet fragrance and when Aragorn touched him with it the liquid was warm and sing ing but did not sting or burn in any way. Boromir closed his eyes and reveled in the light touch Aragorn's callused hands had as they worked across his stomach and up his chest. His chest wasn't injured so Boromir opened his eyes to look at him.

"My chest has no wounds." Boromir whispered huskily. Then Aragorn leaned over him and touched his lips to Boromir's.

"I suppose these don't hurt either?" Aragorn asked pulling away but before he could Boromir's arms wrapped around him and pulled him down for another kiss. This kiss was much more intense than before and Aragorn almost lost all sense of self control when he heard and felt Boromir groan lightly in the back of his throat.

Aragorn sucked his bottom lip into his mouth and then slid his tongue inside Boromir's mouth without any protest. After they broke the kiss both of them were breathless.

"I have wanted to do that for months now." Aragorn whispered running his fingers through Boromir's soft blond hair.

Aragorn smiled and trailed light kisses from Boromir's lips to his throat and then he bit his neck lightly and soothed the bite with his tongue. Boromir wished he were not so tired now.

"Aragorn I would love to continue this, but I am truly exhausted as I am sure you are...just lie with me." Boromir requested and Aragorn stretched out in the bed next to the blond man and pulled him into his arms.

"Sleep dear one." Aragorn whispered kissing Bor'sr's forehead.

That night Aragorn dreamed of Arwen. "This is a dream." He stated as she bestowed a light kiss on his lips.

"Then it is a very good dream my love." She responded.

"I thought you had gone?" Aragorn asked.

"No I have not. The light of the Evenstar does not wax and wane it burns forever eternal. I do see another in your heart Estel...a love that connects you to the world of men more fully. Something I can never provide you with a connection to your people." She spoke in her beautiful lyrical voice.

"I am sorry for betraying your love, Arwen." Aragorn said painfully.

"I can feel that you still love me, but you also love the man of Gondor. I am not selfish, Aragorn." She answered looking deep into his eyes.

"What do you mean?" He asked.

"You love the Steward's son, and you love me...you have chosen your path, you will become King of Gondor. You will need your Steward and you will need a Queen." She answered.

"What are you saying?" Aragorn asked sitting up.

"You may have us both." Arwen answered then she faded away.

Aragorn awoke startled. Arwen had not gone to the undying lands, she waited for him, she would be his queen and she would allow him to love Boromir. Aragorn wondered what Boromir would think of that.

He fell back to sleep curled around his friend and morning found them muco soo soon. "Aragorn...I need to get up." Boromir said pushing at the man whose leg was slung over his. He could feel Aragorn's hard length pressed against his hip and his own erection had tented the covers. He needed to get out of thd, nd, now.

"Aragorn please." Boromir said shaking the man slightly.

Aragorn shifted. "No...this bed is warm and your skin feels so good against mine...no Boromir I do not wish to let you up." Aragorn said then planting a light kiss on the blond mans shoulder.

Boromir smiled, he didn't mind this at all but he needed to relieve himself. After a few more minutes of wiggling tr to to break free of Aragorn's grasp the darker man relented and let Boromir rise. Aragorn immediately fell back to sleep and Boromir began his morning rituals.

When Aragorn finally awoke he saw Boromir sitting at the table reading a scroll.

He sat up in the bed. "What are you doing?" He asked.

"Hmm. Oh I was reading this scroll detailing the history of Rohan. Quite interesting. I am sure I was taught as a child but I didn't take to my lessons as well as my brother Faramir. I was more interested in weapons, armory, and horses unfortunately. Faramir was more interested in history and languages than I. Now I regret it because I would like to understand when you speak Elvish to Legoand and I wished to learn more of the Rohan people. I know and love Éomer as a brother but I knew little of what his people had endured. Their lives have been no less easy than those of the people of Gondor." Boromir said placing the scroll on the table. "They have not had to contend with the forces of Mordor at their very gates every day but they have had their own hardships to bear. Most of our food comes from Rohan you know...without Rohan the people of Gondor would starve. We must keep all of our people inside the city walls so we have no farms. There have been times that Rohan rationed food so they could provide it to Gondor knowing we had no other means. I did not know that. I feel terrible for the way I spoke to Théoden." Boromir admitted running his fingers through his hair.

Aragorn swung his legs over the side of the bed and strode over to Boromir. He sat on his heels and looked up at the man in his chair. "Do not do this...do not despair and do not feel guilt for words spoken in anger. You were both upset." Aragorn said placing his hand on Boromir's knee.

Boromir smiled then. "I know you are right, you slept well?"

"Yes...pleasant dreams indeed." Aragorn said fingering the charm around his neck remembering his dream of Arwen. Boromir noticed the gesture stoostood up.

"I...I need to go speak to Gandalf." He said then and rushed out the door. Aragorn slid into the vacated chair and realized then that Boromir had misinterpreted his actions and words.

"Damn." Was all the man could say.