[Pervinca Took]

That's a difficult one. In the book, of course, the companions' decisions to accompany Frodo - with the exception of those of the hobbits - happen offstage. However, Aragorn states his intentions when they are gathered together - and says that, because he is going to Gondor, Boromir is coming with them too, and that he is "a valiant man." Plus Gandalf said earlier, "I think I shall come with you."

Boromir may have been proud, but he was also warmed by the idea of companionship in the wild, I think. And he had journeyed to Rivendell to find the answer to the riddle, and Aragorn was the one who answered it, producing the sword that was broken. In that sense, it was natural to travel back with the one who had answered it, rather than return alone, since the errand had been considered sufficiently important for a dangerous journey in the wild in the first place. Plus, his pride aside, "I did not come to beg any boon," he admitted that Gondor needed help - "For though I do not ask for help, we need it." He was learning from Aragorn, and he did care about his city. They were going to Minas Tirith together. He accepted Elrond's insistence that the Ring should be destroyed at the time. It was the collective decision of those he had ridden to see for advice and answers, and Aragorn shared it. And Gandalf, even if he did not have as close an affinity to Gandalf as did his brother, Faramir (although the perceived extent of that was possibly augmented by the jealousy of his father).

Of course, when the idea of abandoning the journey to Minas Tirith was posited, as the Quest of the Ring was more important, he became impatient and troubled. He was still going to Minas Tirith, as he had always said, but he had hoped for fellowship on the way, and the help of Aragorn. Otherwise, why had he waited for a month, and for the onset of winter, or even, perhaps, left his home in the first place? And he also felt an appropriate measure of loyalty to those he had journeyed with: "It is not the way of the men of Minas Tirith to desert their friends at need ... and you will need my strength, if ever you are to reach the Tindrock. To the tall isle I will go, but no further. There I shall turn to my home, alone if my help has not earned the reward of any companionship."

All that said, I wonder what Boromir did for the whole month they were at Rivendell before setting out. I suspect that he spent a lot of time with Aragorn. Would he have gone out on some of the scouting missions? And would he fully have understood that Aragorn was going to claim the kingship of Gondor?

It's never really occurred to me before, but why on earth did someone as important to Gondor as the Steward's eldest son set out to Rivendell alone, with no escort or at least without even one other companion? Sure, he was hardy and mighty, but "the mightiest man can be slain by one arrow," as Pippin observed. Did he insist upon setting out completely alone? (It might have been said that he did, and I don't remember).

One unrelated thing: when I checked a quotation I used in my last post, Merry's "we did not realize what that would mean," I noticed the American use of z in realize, in two different editions, but both in British publications.

BTW, a very warm welcome to the Downs, Calacirya.