He remembered the first time he saw the sun rise.  He must have seen it before his memory, for he had been to Dol Amroth as a babe, but at the time he had hardly any idea what sun-rise and sun-set were.

This time, though, he was four, and he did not understand when the sun came from the horizon and not from behind the clouds.  It was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen.

Now, at last, his father at his left and his brother at his right, they could see the sun rise again.  The power that had done, at last, what Gondor had been trying to do all its millennia of struggle, lay hidden, in the root of the mountain.  He had spoken again with Mithrandir, and at last agreed what the Council had agreed to long ago—that this thing should be destroyed.  But not yet, he argued—not while there was so much it could still do!

He had offered it to Aragorn first—after all, he was his King—but the man had refused, saying he did not possess the strength to deal with such a mighty object.

Which left it to Boromir—if the King would not take up what was rightfully his, then perforce it must go to the Stewards.  He did not understand why they parted ways shortly after that, after all the help that Isildur’s heir had promised him.  But perhaps it was better this way—better not to deal with a claim to the throne while his father was Steward.

The sun shone brightly, the women and children heaped praise after praise upon him, but Boromir suddenly had to retire.  In his mind’s eye, he saw a small form slumped to the ground and a sword stained in red.  Anger surged within him, and he looked away—

And there he was, in the fay forest, and the Lady had moved on.  How dare she! he thought.  How dare she offer what I can never have?  He looked keenly at the Halfling Frodo—how heavy a test she must have offered him.  No, he told himself.  He would never—could never—possess the Ring if it meant bringing the one he had sworn to protect to harm.  You are cruel and harsh, Lady, he thought, but I will thank you at least for this—that you have shown me what I must fight if I am to remain true to the Company.  I pass the test.