Fourth age Year 43 F.A

It was early summer. The sun was high in the sky, overlooking the beauty of Gondor. The war of the ring was over, the age of men beginning. The new king and queen holding their new son for all of their people to see. Eldarion. Three raven haired elves were in the crowd, all of which were tall and fair, also related to the queen. The uncles and grandfather of the new prince. The rest of the kingdom, all men and woman from the villages, looked up to their new prince.

"Hail Eldarion son of Aragorn!" They cried with one voice joyed by the birth of their prince.

4 years later Four years old Year 47 F.A

Eldarion lay low. How he got here and this far, he did not know. He watched the guards, each held a gleaming sword in their hands as they stood in battle position. As the training session began the guards twirled around each other, disarming each of their opponents. Without even knowing what he was doing Eldarion wandered through the trees to get a better view. As the guards kept moving, one by one each would drop out of the fray. A short while after only one guard was left armed. A guard of mid age and plenty of experience. Eldarion kept walking forwards in the shadows until he bumped into something. Before he could hit the ground a strong set of arms caught him. The youngest guard, the first one out.

"Watch out there buddy," a guard with shortish light brown hair and hazelnut eyes said "you could get hurt if you're not careful. Why are you out here? We're not used to having children around."

"I...I wanted to s..th.g...ds...ai." Eldarion stammered

"Pardon?"

"I wanted to see the guards train." Eldarion stated gaining more confidence. The guard seemed nice.

"I'm Asher. What's your name?"

"Eldarion."

"How did you get here? Surely your parents are worried."

"Promise you won't tell no one?" The gaurd nodded, "Well my parents think I'm playing in centre square with the other children. Besides I walked out the gates and climbed a tree, then I walked across a path of branches I found and got here. It was actually quite easy. You know that if these guards were as well trained as they are meant to be I wouldn't be able to get passed them. The castle guards would only probably only realise now, and it's been approximately an hour"

"Aha. It's probably best if I take you home. Can you show me the way?"

Eldarion's face fell and tears welled up in his eyes. He never had to show any one to his house, by ground roads. He shook his head in confusion. He didn't know how to get home, or who any of these people were. He felt so lost.

"Come child. Don't cry, I won't hurt you if that's what your worried about. I'll help you find your way home, do you know where your family would be?" Asher said scooping Eldarion up to try and comfort him. The little prince leant into the hold and made himself some what comfortable.

"Na..Nana and Ada wou..would be innn the p..palace." Eldarion hiccuped

"Do you want to come find them with me? I don't know what they look like."

Eldarion nodded into the guards shoulder. He was way to upset to want to talk. Besides who didn't know the king and queen. As Asher carried Eldarion to the palace door the older guard recognised the child immediately.

"Son, why are you carrying the prince?" The older guard asked.

"I found him on the training grounds, well he walked into me."

"Is he hurt?"

"No, I don't think so. As we were talking he started crying so I brought him home."

The older guard quickly turned on his heel and escorted them to the high study picking up on the boy's and his sons distress.

"My lord, your son has been found at the training grounds yet again." The older guard said opening the office without permission

"How did you get there? Come ion nin. Hush now," the king whispered to his son that scrambled into his arms "Thank you Arthur, Asher. I'll be sure to let the guards know that he has once again slipped passed them."

"Thank you my lord, I don't know how he's able to slip passed them but he'll become a good hunter one day if can keep up the stealth work." Arthur said.

Asher just winked at the boy. He knew the child's secret way to the grounds. Eldarion gave a shy smile at the young guard. He liked him.

That night Eldarion woke up afraid. What are those. Why are they out to hurt me? Who wants me dead? Eldarion's head was pounding his heart feeling as if it would burst from his chest, his breath catching in his throat. He burst into tears and curled himself into a ball hiding inside his blankets. The door to his chambers opened slowly and a shadowed figure approached the bed and sat down.

"Ion nin, come out please, what's the matter?"

Before the king could think the young prince flung himself into his arms, drawing all the comfort that he could. The king just hugged his son back bouncing him gently on his knee waiting for the boy to calm down.

He was so tired he forgot his nightmare and fell asleep in his fathers arms. The king sat, still holding his son confused at his sons behaviour. The door opened silently and a thin line of light appeared in the doorway. The queen entered room an crossed the floor and sat next to her husband.

"You were always his favourite weren't you." She chuckled.

"Well, you could say that," the king said stroking his sons hair "Has he been acting strange in your opinion?"

The queen quirked an eyebrow and shook her head.

"Well, Eldarion had a nightmare, I walked into the room and sat here. We hugged whilst he was upset and then he fell asleep. After that you appeared. Why does he have to go through this?" The king slouched his shoulders in mid defeat and moved his son into a more comfortable state. "He didn't even tell me what the matter was."

"Look melith nin, you went through a similar stage when you were his age. The thing is though you went through a lot. He has got nothing to fear."

"Just because you were an elf, saw me grow up and have one of the wisest beings as a father, means that you are right."

The king and queen then tucked the prince back into bed.

"Good night Tithen Maethor. Îdh mae" the king and queen whispered.

Elvish used

Nana - Mum/mummy

ada - dad/daddy

ion nin - my son

tithen maethor - little warrior

îdh mae - Rest well

AN - do you like? Please send me advice for future chapters, constructive chritism most welcome. Also should I make a chapter for each year, or just sugnificent events that aid my plot line?