The Invasion Of Aragorn
Chapter Four: While Hope Remains
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Elrond
gazed at his daughter as she sat before him on the couch in her chamber at
Rivendell. There was a defiant tilt to her chin which told him that he
would not have an easy time persuading her to give up her stubborn belief
that Aragorn would return to her one day. "Arwen," he began gently, "it is time. The ships are leaving for Valinor. Go now... before it is too late." "I have made my choice," she answered him with quiet dignity. At this, the Elf-lord felt a surge of frustration mixed with admiration for her tenacity. Aragorn had left Rivendell weeks ago; he must be hundreds of miles away by now. He had even, at Elrond's urging, set Arwen free before leaving. Yet she still refused to go to the Grey Havens, no matter how many times her father insisted. Elrond drew in a deep breath. The threat of Mordor was growing more desperate every day. He would have to take more direct measures to ensure her safety. In all the centuries of his existence, he could remember no task so difficult, nor so painful. He could not bear to break her heart, and yet he knew he must. "He is not coming back," he said in the same gentle tone. Arwen flinched very slightly, and he knew his words had hit home, though he took no joy in the fact. "I am right here, Lord Elrond," said a regal voice from the shadows. Elrond turned, reluctant to believe his ears. "Estel!" Arwen shouted in gleeful surprise, all of her quiet resignation melting away at the sight of her betrothed. He was travel-worn, to be sure; his coat was tattered and faded, and his skin was marred with the grime of long days spent on the road. Still, his impressive bearing shone through it all. She still found him handsome, despite everything--her father could sense that simply by watching his daughter's eyes. This was a love he could do nothing to quell. Arwen leaped into the arms of her future husband and King. "Father said you were lost!" she insisted. "'Tis how I felt, melon nin, without you," he told her, his gravelly voice choking with emotion. Elrond at long last relented. "You were right, Arwen," he said, "And I was wrong. This man is proof that Men are not truly weak, for he has indeed come back for you. I cannot oppose this match any longer." "I knew you would see it in him!" Arwen smiled at her father. "Yes," Elrond agreed, "He is truly capable of assuming the throne as the King of Men, once he has brought this war to an end. By the way," he added, turning to Aragorn, "Did the Ring get destroyed?" "It will, Ada. I will return to the front and see to its destruction myself," Aragorn insisted nobly. "Will you be gone long, my Love?" Arwen asked, eyes wide and liquid at the prospect of not seeing him for so very long. "Not long, dearest," he insisted, his voice a husky, gentle whisper. "Though any time is far too long for my liking." With that, he swept her back in a long embrace, and kissed her as a King should kiss his Queen. ******* StewardsRule: Are you finished? AragornsBabe491: That's a good place to end, I think. StewardsRule: You notice anybody in that scene who's not supposed to be there? AragornsBabe491: Quit patronizing me. He could've gone home and come back. I'm sure there was down time. StewardsRule: He took the short cut through Moria, I suppose? Leaped the broken bridge in a single bound? AragornsBabe491: He's the King. He can do anything. StewardsRule: I was really looking forward to writing about Elrond. He's an interesting character. Aragorn'sBabe491: You did write about Elrond. StewardsRule: I mean an actual story about him! But it seems we can't write a Lord of the Rings story without Aragorn showing up somehow!! StewardsRule: Hey, that just gave me an idea. AragornsBabe491: Now what? StewardsRule: Tell you next time we get together. ;-) ******* "What am I SAYING?!" Elrond shouted. "Estel, kindly cease pawing my daughter this instant!" "Oh...Ada, I am sorry about this, really." Arwen pouted. "You are?" "I'll *make* him sorry if he doesn't stop," Elrond growled. Aragorn and Arwen reluctantly separated. "I...I'm not exactly certain why I'm here, Lord Elrond," Aragorn said in a hurry, obviously disoriented. "But things have been very strange lately...in Bree, I found that I could not stop talking...and there were the dreams about Galadriel, and then there was a most persistent young woman in Lothlórien...." "A persistent young woman?" Arwen said archly. "How persistent?" "Nothing happened," Aragorn said hastily. Elrond's stern expression softened somewhat. "Ah. I see you have fallen under the curse of fanfiction. It plagues us all at times." "It is not I that am having these thoughts, then? I am not causing it?" Aragorn sighed a sigh of great relief. "No. But that does not lessen the inconvenience of your presence here," Elrond reminded him. "We must get you back where you belong. May the Valar grant we can keep you there!" TO BE CONTINUED GO TO Chapter Five BACK to Chapter Index BACK to GypsieRose Index BACK to Fanfic Index BACK to Main Page |