Prologue
Pain
The first thing Aragorn felt, when he woke up, was pain. That and the overwhelming smell of Alcohol, Poppy and Comfrey. „Dear God" he groaned and slowly opened his eyes.
He was lying in bed in a simple, plain room without unnecessary decorations and a stern looking man was sitting on a chair nearby, looking at him not that friendly.
As soon as Aragorn's mind comprehended who that man was, he already tried to lift himself up in a more dignified position. "Stay!" ordered the man on the chair and narrowed his greyish blue eyes.
"You were lucky, my friend, Gahad already had a look on your leg. You broke it quite nastily."
Aragorn tried to protest quietly but- being remembered of his leg, even lying in bed turned out to be painful.
"Ecthelion… what happened?" Aragorn asked quietly "All I remember is a group of wargs- the Gods know what they were doing so far from the Misty Mountains!"
The steward sighed "You and your 12 were training outside, near the Pelennor fields when the wolves attacked. Although your men fought them off easily, one of them wounded your destrier, Rohallor. He stumbled, you were thrown off him and he crushed your leg beneath him."
Aragorn sighed "How bad is it?"
At the same moment the door flew open and Gahad, the healer, rushed inside.
"'How bad is it?'" he asked "Look at you, Captain, how many times have you been to the houses of healing this year? It seems as if your mere presence would attract danger, conflicts and injuries" he panted with rage "I will not allow you near your or anyone's horse for the next 4 months!"
"But my men-" Aragorn protested
"Are old enough to-" the healer interrupted
"They need training!"
"-train alone-"
"But what if something happens?"
"Captain Thorongil, don't be ridiculous. What should happen?"
"But Gahad-"
"You will stay here."
"Ecthelion?" Aragorn started, hoping for help "My men-"
"My dear Captain, you are in the houses of healing" Ecthelion interrupted with an amused glimmer in his grey eyes "Do what the healer says"
"You heard the steward, Captain" Gahad said in a voice that choked off any argument "You will survive the next 4 months without warfare. Steward? Let's give him some peace to sleep."
The steward rose and was about to leave, but then he turned around again.
"Estel?" he asked smiling "Do obey. It's the best for your leg"
"I'm sorry, my friend, I am not a man who follows orders easily" Aragorn said and his silver eyes twinkled in amusement.
"I know, Captain" Ecthelion went to the door "But you could at least try"
Notes:
In my Story, Gondors Army is divided into three thirds, each of them commanded by a different Captain. (Thorongil-Denethor-*another one, who has no name yet*)
Additionally, Aragorn also commands a small troop of Gondor's finest warriors. Together they are 13 and are often falled "the thirteen" or "Thorongil's twelve".
It is only in my story ;) If you want, you can see them like King Arthur's Knights.