As promised, here is the next chapter to "A New Hope". But first, here are my responses to the reviews:

Glory Bee: Yeah, I really like writing about their relationship, and how they interact with one another. They're both really similar, actually, despite the fact that they come from different backgrounds. They are both older, protective siblings, they lost a parent when they were fairly young, they are both fearless fighters, etc.

arab57g: Haha, I know; don't worry, there will be much more description in either this chapter or the next one, depending on how far Boromir and Neisa get in their travels. (: Thanks for the review!

Cillyadrian: Aw, thanks! (:

Neisa awoke with a jolt; something soft and damp was brushing across her face, occasionally blowing warm air over her. Laughing slightly, her eyes opened to see Shadow sniffing her face, nudging her until she was awake. "Thank you for that," she mockingly frowned up into his brown eyes; he just snorted once more, tossing his head as if he was actually laughing at his rider.

Shaking her head at her annoying friend, Neisa searched for her other companion, the one who had caused her to be soaked the night before. He was rolling his blanket and placing it back in Shadow's satchel. Noticing her gaze, he gave her a half smile before patting Shadow on the neck and approaching his owner. "Ready?" asked Boromir, reaching out a hand to help her to her feet.

"As much as I shall ever be," replied Neisa, smiling up at him as well as she took his hand.

"How are your hands?" Boromir questioned as she was busy mounting Shadow. "Are they still sore?"

Neisa glanced down at her palms, which were still bandaged tightly from the night before. "Not as badly as before," she responded honestly before taking ahold of Shadow's reins. Boromir took his seat behind her, once again gently placing his warm hands on her hips. "They should be fine for when we spar tonight," Neisa added; she was determined to get in some sparring that night, since they hadn't been able to the night before. She was even coming to enjoy the sessions, even though she had only one of the many rounds.

Shadow burst forward with speed, clearly having anticipated this ride. "We may have to wait until tomorrow to do any sparring," said Boromir, making Neisa whip her head around in surprise. "If our travels go as planned, we should arrive in Rivendell by nightfall."

A happy grin appeared on Neisa's face before she turned back to the road, pushing Shadow even harder to increase his speed. As they rode, she daydreamed of what she would say to her sister about Rivendell, about the magical land where the elves lived. Her sister had always asked her various questions about the elves, curious of their abilities and their grace. They were part of a fairytale to Arya, one that she constantly sighed about and wished she was a part of. And now Neisa would be the one to visit the elves, while Arya was back home, picking up the pieces of her life. The smile slipped off of Neisa's face as they continued on their travels, her stomach twisting in knots as she worried about her young sister and ailing mother.

Their ride was eventless. It was due to this lull that Neisa felt her eyelids beginning to droop lazily as darkness began to creep over the sky, tearing the light away from everything. She felt her fingers beginning to give slack to Shadow's reins, and she was unable to shake herself out of her exhaustion. She was about to tell Boromir that perhaps they should stop for the night, when she felt his arms encircle her as he grasped Shadow's reins, forcing her to lean back on his chest. "Just sleep, Neisa," he said quietly in her ear, and, for once, she listened.

While Neisa slowly began to close her eyes, Boromir took ahold of Shadow, who seemed to immediately recognize the shift in control over him. However, he continued to ride forward, listening to every one of Boromir's commands as they began to near Rivendell. The change in terrain was obvious—the road began to narrow, and the light sounds of water began to echo throughout the valley. Cliffs began to climb up higher and higher, and then the waterfalls came into sight. They poured onto slabs of rock, shaping them into various appearances. Rivendell finally appeared—it looked as if the buildings were made of pale wood and stone, and it all practically glittered under the moonlight. Lights danced from the open windows, balconies, gardens, and Boromir couldn't stop the breath from leaving him as he gazed upon the lovely city.

They rode towards the House of Elrond, where Boromir had been instructed to arrive at. Neisa felt herself beginning to stir, and she slowly opened her eyes to Rivendell right in front of her. Even in her stupor, she was amazed at the stunning land that lay in front of her. Boromir slid off of Shadow and, ignoring her half-hearted protests, picked Neisa up off of her horse and set her down on the ground. Neisa leaned against a pillar, still close to falling asleep once more, when she noticed a tall, old man come out of the building they stood in front of, draped in dark gray cloak. For his hefty age, though, he moved swiftly as he began to talk to Boromir in a low voice. Neisa was unsure of what they spoke of, but after a decent chunk of time, the older man left while Shadow was taken away by an elf with glistening blonde hair.

Before she could even question what was happening, Boromir swept her up into his arms. "Do not be ridiculous, I am perfectly capable to walk—" Neisa tried to say before a loud yawn cut her off. She sighed and continued to try to squirm her way out of his arms, but he simply ignored her, tightening his grip in the process.

Soon they found their way to an empty room; Neisa noticed nothing else but the large bed covered in sheets and thick blankets. Boromir gently placed her on the bed, and took a step away from her, trying to ignore the emotions swimming inside of his heart as he watched her struggle to remove her feet from her boots. Laughing slightly along with her, he bent down and slipped them off, and they both glanced at one another briefly, hearts pounding and emotions running strong.

Neisa was the first to blink, ripping herself from Boromir's gaze, feeling her cheeks burn slightly as she quietly told the man, "Good night, Boromir. I hope I will see you tomorrow."

"Of course," smiled Boromir. "Good night, Neisa," he added before leaving the young woman to slip under the covers in her dirty clothes and drift away into the heavy sleep that she had been missing for many months.

Birds chirped cheerily outside of Neisa's room, some even becoming bold enough to perch on her balcony, glancing through the open doors to gaze upon the slumbering young woman. Sunlight streamed through those same open doors, forcing Neisa to wrinkle her nose slightly at the gentle awakening. She could hear the soft sounds of the waterfalls just outside, and this pushed her even more to open her eyes and embrace the morning. A small smile appeared on her face as she stretched her arms above her head, feeling her joints cracking in pleasure. The bed she laid upon was so comfortable, she was unsure of whether or not she had ever experienced such a beautiful sleep.

Neisa pulled herself out of the warm bed, and immediately began to sniff the fragrant air; her eyes fell upon a small tub hidden behind a pale blue changing screen. The scents wafting toward Neisa's nose was juniper berries and lavender, reminding her of home. The young woman suddenly realized that she would finally be able to bath herself—a luxury lost on her for many months—and instantly rushed over to the tub, tearing her clothes off in record speed before she collapsed into the steaming water.

She wasn't sure if she would ever be able to move again. The dirt and blood slowly lifted from her skin, and her bandages were so soaked that she was forced to tear them off her wounds and throw them into a small pile beside the tub. Neisa ducked her head underneath the water's surface several times, washing her hair and just trying to absorb as much of the scented water as possible. Soon the water began to cool, and Neisa was forced to step out of the tub and dry herself off with a fluffy towel.

As she did her best to remove as much moisture from her hair as possible, Neisa glanced at her disgustingly dirty garb from the past few months, and knew there was no way she could put that back on, not when she had finally taken a bath. Her only other clothing was a pale, sea green dress that was hanging on the changing screen. It was pretty, even Neisa could agree to that, but she had always hated wearing dresses or skirts, even when she was a young girl. Unfortunately, it seemed that she had no choice; she pulled the dress over her body, and frowned at how snugly it fit her body. It just didn't feel natural, not to her.

Sighing at the realization that she was stuck in this dress, Neisa was relieved to see that her boots were still there. She knew they would hardly work well with the dress, but she didn't care, not one bit—the brunette pulled the boots onto her feet, and, after running a comb through her slightly damp hair, she left her room. The outside corridor was empty with the exception of two beautiful she-elves who were holding clean linens in their hands, and were whispering in a language Neisa had never heard of before. Throwing caution to the wind, Neisa approached them and asked, "Excuse me, where could I find Lord Boromir?"

Both of the she-elves exchanged glances with one another, and began to giggle at the young woman before walking in the other direction. Rolling her eyes, Neisa continued to walk through the corridor until she reached the doorway that led to the outdoors. And that was when Neisa was finally able to look upon the beauty of Rivendell.

It was truly a city that she could never have even dreamed of. It was truly something out of a fairytale. The buildings sparkled under the warm sunshine, and Neisa could even smell the airy, floral scents from the gardens surrounding the city. Clear water cascaded down the cliffs surrounding the valley. Neisa couldn't stop the bright smile from forming on her face at the sights, sounds, and smells that she was witnessing. It grew even wider when her eyes came upon, only a walking distance away, the stables.

Neisa did not even stop to wonder where Boromir was; the only thought that crossed her mind as she rushed over to the stables was that she wanted to see her longtime companion, the one person who had never disappointed her. As soon as she entered the stables, Neisa let out a soft whistle—her father had taught her how to whistle when she was very young, and it had stuck with her ever since. It was one of the ways that Shadow recognized her approach, as she had done it for many years.

As expected, Shadow popped his head over the stables door, tossing his head side to side at the sight of her. She laughed slightly and caressed his neck, leaning her head against his nose. "I have decided that I hate dresses," said Neisa quietly to Shadow, a slight smile on her face. "They are the worst of all garments."

While Shadow chomped down on a carrot that his owner had grabbed from a nearby workbench, Neisa searched through the stables until she found her saddle, and, after digging through her satchels, grabbed her bandages. After wrapping her wounds in the white cloth—it was nowhere near as good as Boromir's work, but it would have to do—Neisa bid farewell to her friend and began to explore the mystery of Rivendell. Soon, as she began to walk through the gardens, she stumbled upon an archery range. It was empty; the grass throughout the field was emerald green, marred only by a few arrows and several targets. Neisa spotted a bow lying on the ground, as well as a half-full sleeve of arrows. Deciding to give it a try, she seized the bow and an arrow, and stepped up to the barrier between the field and the trail behind her. She stuck the arrow onto the nocking point, and, putting the bow upright, stretched back the string, looking directly through the sight window. Neisa used all of her strength the keep the bow steady as she let go of the string…and the arrow flew slowly through the air, landing gently on the grass.

"Your stance is off."

Neisa jumped, startled that she was, in fact, not alone. She glanced over her shoulder and found a blonde elf standing a few feet away from her, gazing directly at her. He was exceptionally handsome—as most elves were—with long blonde, dark blue eyes, and high cheekbones. In his hands were a highly detailed bow and a sleeve full of arrows, making Neisa flush—clearly this elf knew more about archery than she did. Shoving away her embarrassment, Neisa asked him, "How so?"

The elf motioned for her to reload an arrow into her bow, and she complied; however, as she began to pull the string back once more, he appeared instantly over her shoulder, telling her to raise her elbow and fix her grip on the bow. When she obeyed him once more, the elf gestured for her to let go of the arrow; she did, and the arrow shot through the air, hitting the closest target on the outside layer. Grinning, Neisa turned back to the elf and said, "Thank you. I am Neisa of Gondor, by the way."

The elf bowed his head slightly, and said, "Legolas of the Woodland Realm. It is a pleasure to meet you, milady."

"Please—it is just Neisa," the young woman interrupted him. "I am no lady."

"Very well," said Legolas with a slightly puzzled expression on his handsome face. "You have travelled here with Lord Boromir for the Council of Elrond, correct?"

A slight frown appeared on Neisa's face; she had no idea what this Council of Elrond was, but she chose not to ask, figuring it best to ask Boromir when she saw him. Pushing away these thoughts, she replied, "Yes, I have. Would you happen to know where I could find Lord Boromir? I have been searching for him all morning."

"He is probably still in the House of Elrond," Legolas replied, studying her face briefly. "You should find your husband there."

"Oh!" gasped Neisa, laughing in awkward surprise. "Oh, no, Boromir is not my husband. We are just travelling partners, nothing more, I assure you."

"Forgive me, I misperceived your relationship," said Legolas, although he seemed to have other thoughts brimming underneath the surface.

"It is quite alright," responded Neisa, giving him a brief smile before turning back to the archery range. She decided that she would try shooting the rest of that sleeve of arrows before going to search for Boromir once more. Her progress was easily apparent—she even managed to directly notch her arrow into the center of the target a couple of times. Neisa grinned as she placed the bow on the ground once more, and glanced over at Legolas, who was now shooting as well. His skill was unworldly, really—it seemed that every one of his arrows went directly where it wanted to go.

Neisa took note of his stance, reminding herself that she must stand directly as he did then, and left the archery range; he was so focused on the range, she did not wish to interrupt him. The young woman returned to the House of Elrond and entered the corridor her room was located in; she was happily surprised to see Boromir standing outside of her door, knocking quietly.

"Boromir!" she called out his name, and the man turned in the direction of her voice. The emotion that Neisa first recognized was surprise, but she was unsure of why the surprise was so strong. She obviously did not realize her change in appearance since Boromir had least seen her—not only was she free of her grungy appearance, she was dressed in flattering dress that hugged her curves nicely. It was enough to startle anyone who was so used to seeing her dressed in her dirty leggings and tunic. "I hope you have not been knocking for very long," said Neisa, smiling warmly up at him as she approached him.

"Not at all," said Boromir, seeming to be as happy to see her as she was him. "How did you sleep?"

"Wonderfully," grinned Neisa honestly as she opened her door; she was hoping that her clothes were still there, as she was already getting sick of the dress that she was now wearing. The young woman was startled that her clothes were now clean and neatly folded on her made bed. These elves were truly magical, thought Neisa.

"I was wondering if you would be interested in some sparring this morn," suggested Boromir, his eyes lingering on her longer than he ever expected they would. "It has been quite a while since you got any practice in."

"Of course," she replied, and glanced down at her attire. "Let me just change into different clothes? I must wear my leggings and tunic, or else I will surely go crazy."

Boromir laughed, and nodded his head. "I shall meet you down on the training field in fifteen minutes?"

"I will see you there," promised Neisa, and she let out a breath as he closed the door behind him. Shaking her head at her odd emotions, the brunette changed into her newly cleaned clothes, and breathed in a sigh of relief. She tied her sheath around her waist, and swept her long, curly brown hair up off her neck. Happy with being back to normal, Neisa left her room and out into the beautiful city of Rivendell, ready for anything to be thrown at her.

So, what do you all think? I'm sorry for the wait, I had some difficulties getting this chapter out for some reason. Anyways, don't forget to review! Thanks for reading!