Title: Remember Estel
Summary: When 2-year-old Aragorn if found by Princess Elliven of Rivendell, she knows that the child is special. He is snuggled into his mother's side, not realizing that she is dead. So Elliven has to try and convince the child that she isn't going to hurt him. But how?
Disclaimer: I do not own the Characters or places that hold pride of place in J.R.R. Tolkien's middle-earth. I do own Elliven and Colton.
A/N: NO FLAMES! Not accepted! Constructive criticism is welcome.
2nd A/N: If anyone seems OOC I'm sorry. I'm still kind of new to this fandom. This is movie-verse with OCs.
Chapter one – Welcome to Imladris
2-year-old Aragorn snuggled closer into his mother's side. They had been going somewhere he couldn't remember the name of. He looked over at their companions that had also protected him. He wanted his mother to wake up. But he had tried shaking her and it didn't work so he'd decided that if she was so tired then maybe he'd better sleep too. Aragorn closed his eyes and snuggled closer again. Closing his eyes to let sleep consume him.
The carnage was beyond anything Princess Elliven and her guard, Colton, had ever seen.
"This is terrible. What happened here?" Elliven wondered out loud.
"Orcs most likely, my lady. There is nothing else that could do it." He replied. Something caught Elliven's eyes and she dismounted.
"Careful, My lady." She shot Colton a look. A middle-aged red-head was lying on her back her eyes closed and snuggled into her side…a child. Elliven sighed. Children shouldn't have been subjected to this. The little child whimpered. He was alive? Slowly and gently Elliven lifted the child away from the red-head and rolled him onto his back. He had rounded ears. Human. He also seemed special somehow.
"Do you think they were headed for Imladris, Colton?" Elliven asked as she brushed the child hair back from his face gently. Colton shrugged.
"I'm not sure. It's possible. Why?" He asked. Elliven examined the ring that sat on a chain around the child's neck.
"This child, he has the ring of the Dúnedain Chieftain's around his neck." She said, the child stirred at her voice and slowly, ever so slowly, he woke. He blinked a few times up at the face that smiled kindly down at him. He shrunk away back to his mother.
"Hello, little one. I'm not going to hurt you." She said. He still didn't do anything but curled a bit closer towards his mother. Elliven flicked some of her hair back behind her ears; he stared at her for a moment until he moved forward slowly and ran his little fingers over the shell of her ear. Surprised Elliven let him.
"Elf." He said softly. She nodded.
"Yes, I'm an elf." She said softly. He smiled. He held his arms out to her; she realized that he wanted to be picked up. She picked him up and settled him down on her hip. Colton raised an eyebrow.
"Don't start. He's coming to Rivendell with us. Now we're less than an hour's ride. You and some guards have to come back and bury them. Bring her body," she pointed to the red-head, "to Rivendell tonight. We'll bury her in the grounds." She said. Elliven left the child up on her horse; he ran his hands over the horse's coat and giggled delightedly when the horse whinnied. Elliven mounted and holding onto the child with one hand kicked her horse forward. The child gripped the horse's mane then realized that the elf had hold of him and loosened his hold on the horse.
"It's okay tithen pen. I've got you." He liked the sound of the strange language on the elf's tongue. It sounded like she was trying to keep him calm. And it did calm him. In fact the Elvish and the gentle motion of the horse lulled the small child to sleep. He fell asleep leaning back again Elliven's chest. She smiled down at him. He was adorable.
When they stopped just inside the gates of Imladris, a stable hand took the reins of Elliven's horse as she lifted the little child into her arms and dismounted. She glanced at Colton who nodded and immediately gathered some guards to help him bury the rangers who had died on the way to Imladris. Elliven felt the little child stir in her arms and he woke, she adjusted her hold so he was nestled on her hip again. She spoke quietly to him as they walked towards the house. She told him her name and he told her his. Aragorn. She knew who he was and that his name had to be protected. She nodded to the guards who opened the doors for her. She was met in the foyer by her father.
"Ada," She smiled hoisting Aragorn a little higher on her hip, he buried his face in her long hair.
"Elliven, welcome home. Who is this?" he asked a little surprised to see his daughter holding a child.
"This is Aragorn. Tithen pen, this is Lord Elrond." She said; Aragorn brought his head back up and looked curiously at the older elf.
"Elf?" Aragorn said, looking at Elliven, she nodded.
"Yes, he's an elf too." She said; noise from the second floor made Aragorn bury his face once more in Elliven's hair.
"He's gotten attached to you I see." Elrond chuckled.
"Yes…Ada…his mother, Gilraen, she's dead. I've asked to have her brought to Rivendell." Elliven said, Elrond nodded slowly.
"Good. It is better if she's buried here." He said. Suddenly two tall, dark-haired figures came down the stairs shoving each other playfully. They spotted their sister and cheered making Aragorn grip Elliven's travelling cloak tighter.
"Sister! Welcome back!" Elladan, the older of the two, smiled and placed a kiss on her forehead.
"Who is this?" Elrohir asked. Elrohir was only 12 minutes younger than his brother, but you'd think sometimes he was older.
"This is Aragorn. He's only a small," Elliven gently pried Aragorn's little fingers from her cloak, "Aragorn, this is Elladan and Elrohir. My brothers." He looked at them and smiled up at her.
"Same!" He cheered pointing at them. She laughed and nodded.
"That's right. They're the same. Aragorn listen…how about you go and play a game with them and I'll be up in a minute to get you ok?" Aragorn looked a little apprehensive and Elliven crouched down to put him on the floor.
"Game?" He asked, she nodded.
"Yes. A fun game. I'll be up in a minute. Okay?" Aragorn looked up at the two older elves. Elladan and Elrohir at their sister's expression also crouched down to his level. Reached out to Elrohir, Aragorn pushed hair away from his ear until he could touch its tip. Elrohir was a little surprised but let the child trace the shell of his ear until Aragorn pleased with the result held out his arms to Elrohir.
"Pick him up." Elliven encouraged. Putting his hands under the child's arms he lifted Aragorn effortlessly into his arms. Aragorn instantly snuggled into the Elf's shoulder. Smiling softly Elrohir was taken by the little boy. He and Elladan took the boy upstairs to either play with him or let him sleep.
"Welcome to Imladris, Aragorn, son of Arathorn. Chieftain of the Dúnedain." Elrond said quietly.