Gwin...Gwin! It s time to wake up. Let her sleep, it s been a hard few weeks The sun s been up for two hours, Beren. Alm r a, there are no lessons or meals to attend here. There s no need to be in such a rush. With a flutter Gwin slowly opened her eyes to the site of her older brother and sister standing next to her small bed, light softly streaming through the window on the other side of the room. Beren, her 16 year old brother, stopped arguing with Alm r a to smile at her.
Morning sleepy head. He said ruffling her messy hair.
Ten year old Gwendolin sat up and rubbed her eyes with the back of her hands. She looked around the room with confusion, not recognizing the stone walls, and the very plain furniture. Every day for the past couple of months it was a new site to wake up to. But this was the first time she had woken up in a stone room. Suddenly, all the events of the past few months came crashing down on her. I ll go heat some breakfast for you, Alm r a said leaving the room. Gwendolin sat still, staring after her until Beren caught her attention again. What s the matter Gwin? I thought- But Gwendolin was already on her feet and out the door, following her sister. Frantically she looked desperately around the small room, she had come out of a short hallway into a small sitting room with two small sofas and a couple of chairs, adjoining was a dining room with a table and chairs. She hear pots and pans being moved around on the other side of a wooden door and walking through the dining room pushed it open to find her sister placing a pot over a small fire in a tiny kitchen. But that wasn t what she had been looking for. She heard her Beren walking up behind her, but she payed him no mind and headed for the door that led out to a small garden. Gwin. Called Beren, Gwin stopped realizing there wasn t anyone outside. She felt tears stinging at her eyes. Where...Where... But a great sob escaped her lips, and she wasn t able to finish her sentence. Beren knelt down in front of her and wrapped her in a giant bear hug as she felt her tears start to fall. He s gone Gwin, he said quietly. He pushed her back and held her at arms length. And you promised you would be brave, remember? He smiled at her and wiped the tears from her cheeks. And look, you ve got my new shirt all wet. Sorry, said Gwin sheepishly. I just thought... She trailed off and scowled at the ground. Come on now, the day s wasting away, and you re standing around in your night clothes! Beren laughed, trying to lighten her mood. And you will age another thirty years if you do that. He pressed his hand over her forehead, smoothing out the crease between her eyebrows. Standing, he offered her his hand which she placed hers in. As Beren led her back to her room the events of the night before played through her mind.
Are you sure you can not stay just a little while longer? Said Alm r a quietly, staring at the ground. I am sure, child, I am already pressed for time at is. With a smile, he lifted her chin to look at him. Listen to me, I have been gone so long I have failed to realize you have grown into a beautiful young women already, Alm r a. You will have to make sure and continue to help your sister grow into a lady, as well. I will father. She whispered. Her father kissed her forehead, and pulled her into a tight embrace.
But, you will be back soon, won t you father? The man then turned to his third child, Voronw . I do not know, Voronw , the next time I see you, you may be a full grown man. Maybe I will be a soldier of Gondor, like you once were, and we will fight side by side in battle, father! Voronw responded, much more enthusiastically now. Perhaps, his father responded, but I hope the time when I have to see my sons fight in battle does not come too swiftly. And he embraced his twelve year old son Voronw , like he did Alm r a.
Turning, he addressed his oldest son, Beren. You are now the head of the house. Beren lifted his chin a little at his father s words, You must lead the others in my stead. I will father. I am sure of it. And I am sure you will make a strong soldier. He embraced his eldest before kneeling down to look at his youngest child, Gwendolin, holding her oldest brothers hand and leaning against him, barely keeping her eyes open. Gwin, he whispered softly, are you still awake? She merely nodded slowly, not lifting her eyes from the ground. Why can t we stay in Rivendell anymore? She whispered.
It is not that you can not stay there, he explained yet again, but here will be a better place for you to stay. Because we re not elves? It hadn t been a question. Her Father pulled her into his arms lifting her off the ground. I don t want you to leave. Gwin said, wrapping her tiny arms around his neck and crying into his shoulder. Why can t you stay? I will return for you one day, I promise. He said, I love you. He pried Gwin s arm from his neck and placed her in Beren s arms. All of you. He added, and after one final nod at Beren, he placied his hand on Voronw s shoulder, and touching Alm r a s cheek, he turned and pulled his hood over his head and soon had disappeared into the shadow s of the streets of Minis Tirith, leaving his children in front of a small house under the care of an old couple. Aragorn did not see his children the rest of the war of the ring.
Morning sleepy head. He said ruffling her messy hair.
Ten year old Gwendolin sat up and rubbed her eyes with the back of her hands. She looked around the room with confusion, not recognizing the stone walls, and the very plain furniture. Every day for the past couple of months it was a new site to wake up to. But this was the first time she had woken up in a stone room. Suddenly, all the events of the past few months came crashing down on her. I ll go heat some breakfast for you, Alm r a said leaving the room. Gwendolin sat still, staring after her until Beren caught her attention again. What s the matter Gwin? I thought- But Gwendolin was already on her feet and out the door, following her sister. Frantically she looked desperately around the small room, she had come out of a short hallway into a small sitting room with two small sofas and a couple of chairs, adjoining was a dining room with a table and chairs. She hear pots and pans being moved around on the other side of a wooden door and walking through the dining room pushed it open to find her sister placing a pot over a small fire in a tiny kitchen. But that wasn t what she had been looking for. She heard her Beren walking up behind her, but she payed him no mind and headed for the door that led out to a small garden. Gwin. Called Beren, Gwin stopped realizing there wasn t anyone outside. She felt tears stinging at her eyes. Where...Where... But a great sob escaped her lips, and she wasn t able to finish her sentence. Beren knelt down in front of her and wrapped her in a giant bear hug as she felt her tears start to fall. He s gone Gwin, he said quietly. He pushed her back and held her at arms length. And you promised you would be brave, remember? He smiled at her and wiped the tears from her cheeks. And look, you ve got my new shirt all wet. Sorry, said Gwin sheepishly. I just thought... She trailed off and scowled at the ground. Come on now, the day s wasting away, and you re standing around in your night clothes! Beren laughed, trying to lighten her mood. And you will age another thirty years if you do that. He pressed his hand over her forehead, smoothing out the crease between her eyebrows. Standing, he offered her his hand which she placed hers in. As Beren led her back to her room the events of the night before played through her mind.
Are you sure you can not stay just a little while longer? Said Alm r a quietly, staring at the ground. I am sure, child, I am already pressed for time at is. With a smile, he lifted her chin to look at him. Listen to me, I have been gone so long I have failed to realize you have grown into a beautiful young women already, Alm r a. You will have to make sure and continue to help your sister grow into a lady, as well. I will father. She whispered. Her father kissed her forehead, and pulled her into a tight embrace.
But, you will be back soon, won t you father? The man then turned to his third child, Voronw . I do not know, Voronw , the next time I see you, you may be a full grown man. Maybe I will be a soldier of Gondor, like you once were, and we will fight side by side in battle, father! Voronw responded, much more enthusiastically now. Perhaps, his father responded, but I hope the time when I have to see my sons fight in battle does not come too swiftly. And he embraced his twelve year old son Voronw , like he did Alm r a.
Turning, he addressed his oldest son, Beren. You are now the head of the house. Beren lifted his chin a little at his father s words, You must lead the others in my stead. I will father. I am sure of it. And I am sure you will make a strong soldier. He embraced his eldest before kneeling down to look at his youngest child, Gwendolin, holding her oldest brothers hand and leaning against him, barely keeping her eyes open. Gwin, he whispered softly, are you still awake? She merely nodded slowly, not lifting her eyes from the ground. Why can t we stay in Rivendell anymore? She whispered.
It is not that you can not stay there, he explained yet again, but here will be a better place for you to stay. Because we re not elves? It hadn t been a question. Her Father pulled her into his arms lifting her off the ground. I don t want you to leave. Gwin said, wrapping her tiny arms around his neck and crying into his shoulder. Why can t you stay? I will return for you one day, I promise. He said, I love you. He pried Gwin s arm from his neck and placed her in Beren s arms. All of you. He added, and after one final nod at Beren, he placied his hand on Voronw s shoulder, and touching Alm r a s cheek, he turned and pulled his hood over his head and soon had disappeared into the shadow s of the streets of Minis Tirith, leaving his children in front of a small house under the care of an old couple. Aragorn did not see his children the rest of the war of the ring.