<Aragorn pauses a moment, panting. He then races to Boromir.>
<<Aragorn: No!>>
<Boromir, pale and bloodied, is now lying on his back, his head close to a tree.>
<Aragorn kneels near Boromir, who grabs Aragorn's shoulder.>
<<Boromir: They took the little ones.>>
<<Aragorn: Be still.>>
<<Boromir: Frodo! Where is Frodo? >>
<<Aragorn: I let Frodo go.>>
<<Boromir: Then you did what I could not. I tried to take the Ring from him.>>
<<Aragorn: The Ring is beyond our reach now.>>
<<Boromir: Forgive me. I did not see it. I have failed you all.>>
<<Aragorn: No, Boromir, you fought bravely! You have kept your honor.>> <reaches out to pull the arrows from Boromir.>
<<Boromir: Leave it! It is over. The world of men will fall, and all will come to darkness… and my city to ruin.>>
<<Aragorn: I do not know what strength is in my blood, but I swear to you I will not let the White City fall…nor our people fail!>>
<<Boromir: Our people? Our people.>>
<He reaches for his sword. Aragorn places the hilt in his hand, and helps Boromir clasp it to his chest.>
<<Boromir: I would have followed you my Brother…my Captain…My King!>>
<Boromir passes away. Aragorn touches his hand to his forehead, then to his lips in respect.>
<<Aragorn: Be at peace, son of Gondor.>> <bends and kisses Boromir on the brow.>
<Legolas and Gimli arrive at the scene. Legolas looks sadly at Aragorn and Boromir. Gimli bows his head and turns away.>
<Aragorn stands up. Boromir lies among the earth: pale and gone, the black arrows sticking from his broken body. The fallen warrior has gone to his last home. The trees, encrusted in lichen and moss, tower around the two warriors, one fallen, the other risen. Mist and light shine through the wood like a vision, in a tapestry of long ago.>
<<Aragorn: They will look for his coming from the White Tower. But he will not return.>>
<He lifts his head and the sunlight plays like the glimmer of water across his features. A tear glints, falling down his cheek. His eyes seem to stare distantly. For a moment, it seems as though he has the dignity of a King.>
<Frodo stands upon the pale grey shore, staring into the distance, with the Ring on his palm, seemingly merely an unadorned gold band.>
<Sam runs through the woods.>
<<Sam: Frodo!>>
<Weeping silently, Frodo hears his voice speaking from his conversation with Gandalf in Moria.>
<<Frodo: I wish the Ring had never come to me. I wish none of this had happened.>>
<He hears a voice rise in answer, to his surprise. Standing in the orange light of evening, Gandalf the Grey speaks to the troubled Hobbit in a vision.>
<<Gandalf: So do all who live to see such times but that is not for them to decide. All you have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to you.>>
<Determined to proceed with the quest alone, Frodo closes his hand over the Ring, and puts it into his vest pocket. He pushes a boat into the river and jumps in. Just then, Sam emerges from the woods. He sees Frodo paddling away and runs after him.>
<<Sam: Frodo, no! Frodo! Mr. Frodo!>>
<<Frodo (quietly): No, Sam.>> <continues to paddle away>
<Sam runs into the river after Frodo. Frodo, hearing the splashes, looks back.>
<<Frodo: Go back, Sam! I’m going to Mordor alone.>>
<<Sam: Of course you are, and I’m coming with you!>>
<<Frodo: You can’t swim! Sam!>>
<Sam struggles to swim then sinks into the water.>
<<Frodo: Sam!!!>>
<Sam sinks deeper and deeper. He sees the sun shimmering up on the surface. His arm floats limply as he descends into the water. Suddenly Frodo’s hand reaches down and grabs Sam’s wrist. Sam tightens his hand around Frodo’s. Frodo pulls him out of the water and up into the boat and Sam tumbles in.>
<<Sam: <dripping wet> I made a promise, Mr. Frodo. A promise! "Don’t you leave him Samwise Gamgee." And I don’t mean to! I don’t mean to.>>
<<Frodo: Oh, Sam! <they hug> Come on. >>
<Frodo and Sam paddle towards the eastern shore.>
<Boromir is laid to rest in one of the boats. His sword rests with him, his shield is above his head and his cloven horn at his side. The boat slips over the falls of Rauros and then drops into the mists below. Gimli watches the boat disappear. Aragorn wears Boromir’s vambraces in his honor. Legolas shoves the third boat into the water.>
<<Legolas: Hurry! Frodo and Sam have reached the eastern shore.>>
<Aragorn stand still and says nothing.>
<<Legolas: You mean not to follow them?>>
<<Aragorn: Frodo’s fate is no longer in our hands.>>
<<Gimli: Then it has all been in vain! The Fellowship has failed.>>
<<Aragorn: <putting his hands on their shoulders> Not if we hold true to each other. We will not abandon Merry and Pippin to torment and death. Not while we have strength left. Leave all that can be spared behind. We travel light. Let us hunt some Orc!>>
<Legolas and Gimli look at each other, grinning.>
<<Gimli: Yes!!! Haha!>>
<Aragorn runs into the woods, followed by Gimli and Legolas.>
<Frodo and Sam stand upon a high hill beside a reflecting pool of water. A dark sky is before them, though light wings beneath it.>
<<Frodo: Mordor. I hope the others find a safer route. >>
<<Sam: Strider will look after them.>>
<<Frodo: I don’t suppose we’ll ever see them again.>>
<<Sam: We may yet, Mr. Frodo. We may.>>
<<Frodo: <turns, smiling> Sam, I’m glad you’re with me.>>
<Frodo walks onwards. Sam stands for a moment, and then follows. They go down the rocky slope into a light mist beneath high, sunlit mountains, towards their destination. They have a long way to go, and a lonely road. So far from home.>
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