Elrond, Lord of Imladris, sat in his room with his head in his lap. "How could I have done that?" Elrond asked himself. "How could I have been so cruel?" He would never have intentionally hurt his youngest son, yet he doubted any one had ever hurt Estel more than he had two days past.
Flashback
Such a wondrous day, thought Elrond wistfully as he gazed out his study's window. He had been trapped there all day, signing papers and dealing with foreign affairs.
"I think the paperwork can survive on its own long enough for me to get a breath of fresh air," said Elrond to himself. Humming quietly, the Lord of Imladris made his way to the gardens. This had always been a favorite spot of his. The gardens held a tranquility and peacefulness that usually soothed his very soul.
Today, however, that was not to be the case. Even as he neared he could hear the voice of his youngest son. Elrond smiled as he came closer, for he could tell that his Estel was trying very hard to be suave. I wonder who the lucky she-elf is, Elrond mused, smiling to himself. He had thought to pass Estel and his friend by. That is, until he recognized the second voice.
"It has been too long since I last looked upon your beautiful face, my love," Aragorn said, voice thick with emotion, "for I had nearly forgotten how you put the very sun to shame with your glowing beauty." Estel had been away with rangers for the past two months, and before that the beautiful elf maiden in his arms had been away for six months with her grandparents.
"I have missed you also, Estel," Arwen whispered into Aragorn's shoulder. "My heart breaks every day that passes when we are apart. Yet even when we are together, we cannot share our love because of Ada ."
Aragorn sighed deeply. He loved Arwen with all his heart, but he could not show it openly because he was human and she was an elf, and both knew that their ada would never approve. "I know, Arwen. I know," breathed Aragorn as he pulled Arwen closer to him. "I love you."
"I love you, too." Arwen replied. She lifted her head up and soon her lips found his.
In the bushes Elrond seethed with rage. His daughter with some mere human. He would not stand for this. He quickly pulled himself free of the shrubbery and stormed toward his daughter and foster son. What happened next was the direct result of pure rage and terror: terror that his daughter might fall for some human and leave him forever, and rage that any mortal thought himself good enough for Arwen Undomnial. For that moment he forgot that this mortal was his own son, whom he loved. Elrond never stopped to think of Aragorn or Arwen's feelings. All he saw was a mortal with an immortal.
Arwen was the first to look up and see her father coming. Being an elf and all she should have heard him sooner, but she was, to say the least, distracted. " Ada !" she cried.
Aragorn whipped around just to see his foster father push him out of the way. Elrond grabbed Arwen's arm and began yelling things at Aragorn that aren't worthy of being repeated.
" Ada , please," begged Aragorn sadly, "please let us explain. I never wanted you to find out this way. Please listen to me. Am I not also your child?"
"You are no son of mine," hissed Elrond.
The words were not even completely out of the elf lord's mouth before he regretted them. He would have given anything to make that look of pain and confusion leave his Estel's eyes. Aragorn began to slowly back up, shaking his head as though trying to rid himself of a troublesome bug.
"Estel…" started Elrond, but he never got the chance to finish, because as soon as he started to speak, the 20 year-old future king of Gondor ran with all speed.
Aragorn ran as fast as his legs would carry him. You are no son of mine. The tears running down his face were seen by all as he ran toward the Imladris stables. Without even bothering with a saddle, Estel rode out of Imladris, not even looking back.
End Flashback
Elrond looked up as a soft knock came from his door. He knew even before the door opened that it was Elladan and Elrohir, his twin sons, returning from the search for their brother.
"Did you find him?" Elrond asked
"No," said Elladan sadly. "I don't understand what could upset him so bad that he would run like that. I thought Estel knew he could speak to us about anything."
"Yes, and the stable boy said that he thought Estel was crying," Elrohir added. That thought alone worried the twins greatly, for they knew that their stubborn foster brother would rather fight a thousand orcs than show the weakness he considered crying to be. Elrond hadn't told anyone what had happened and Arwen was refusing to leave her room, not that he could blame her.
Before Elrond could tell either of them the truth, he was interrupted by a slight blurring of his vision. Elrond had had the gift of foresight long enough to know that a vision was coming. He quickly sat down and waited to see what was coming.
Vision
Aragorn is riding through the foothills of the Misty Mountains . His tear-streaked face is staring ahead, so he sees nothing of the danger until it is too late. An arrow comes flying out of nowhere and strikes him directly in his shoulder. Caught at unawares, Aragorn flies from the horse and lands in a heap on the ground. Quickly, he rolls and gets back on his feet. He is surrounded by goblins. The horse is quickly killed and this leaves Aragorn in a fit of rage. He fights using only his right arm seeing as he has an arrow through the left one. The battle is going in Aragorn's favor and it seems he would win, but as he kills the last of them, a goblin on the ground behind him and runs his blade straight through Aragorn's back. Aragorn turns and cuts off the goblin's head. Then he drops to his knees and says, " Ada forgive me," a drop of blood running from his mouth.
End Vision
"NOOO!" screamed Elrond.
