Author's Note:

Hello everybody, again!

It appears that I have developed a serious addiction to this site and posting and updating. So here you'll find a set of one-shots to fill in some gaps my story Family Complications left behind, or just provide some additional scenes that I have in my head, but couldn't fit into the story. (That means that I'll keep on this shameless advertising all along, because I need to define in when these scenes take place in the confines of the main story)

Everything is owned by J.R.R. Tolkien.

I hope you'll like this, if you read Family Complications and if you didn't, you can still check it out, if these one-shots hook your attention. No-one is forcing you though, if you don't like it, feel free to stop anytime :) I'd be most happy to receive your comments and reviews and thank you for reading in advance.

SCENE No. 1

- set four months after Sybille's wedding (Family Complications - Epilogue) -

She was sitting in the parlor, on the cushion and velvet covered divan, thick drops of tears falling onto the porcelain faces in her lap. This had seemed a good idea once, to come to their room, to remember, to feel the scent of their things, but there was no scent, there were no things, there was only emptiness and hurt to be found in the girls' chambers.

Sybille took all her belongings, everything to the very last cushion when she and Florian moved to their new home. Only her children's tales books and childhood toys were left in her room, and the furniture covered with huge white canvas to be protected from the metal fangs of time. Gilraen's bedchamber was more or less untouched, books, quills, parchments lying on the table, old toys queuing on the shelves, satin cushions and covers lying neatly on the bed. It was only her dresses and a sign of life missing from the room.

She had found both dolls. Sybille's was lying abandoned on top of an empty chest of drawers along with a cloth teddy bear and wooden box containing lacey dolls' dresses. Gilraen's was perching upright between a brunette doll and a wooden kitten, a proud token of a long gone childhood. There they were, the blond dolls, haunting her nights, embittering her days.

Arwen had no idea how long she had been sitting in the twin's empty parlor crying over the twin dolls, the only things she had left from her golden haired girls. She had heard maids passing the corridor, doors opening onto her, confused voices asking if she was all right, but it all seemed an unimportant blur compared to the dolls in her lap, compared to the hole in her heart.

"Arwen" a gentle voice called and she felt a firm hand touching her arm. "Why are you crying, my love?" Aragorn spoke softly into her ears as he drew an arm around her shaking shoulders and sat beside her.

"I miss my girls" she breathed barely audible as she clutched on the dolls to keep herself from sobbing. "It just breaks my heart to have lost them both…" she whispered burying her face into Aragorn's neck.

"What are you talking about, my love? We haven't lost them. You already visited Sybille a number of times. You can visit her anytime" Aragorn told her gently.

"She is not interested in me visiting" Arwen shook her head sniffing, her fingers messing with the dolls nervously. "She has a new life, a new home, a husband, why would she want me to visit her?"

"Because you are her mother and she loves you. Besides, Florian is in Dol Amroth with Eldarion to seat on Imrahil's council. They won't be back for a month. I am sure Sybille would rejoice to have some company, especially yours."

"Fine, fine, Sybille would not throw me out if I visited. But Gilraen… I haven't seen her for months! I haven't talked to her for more than a year…" Arwen sniffed helplessly.

"It was your choice not to, my love…"

"I know!" Arwen snapped at him. "And you think that makes it easier? It's even worse like this!"

Aragorn just hugged her as she soaked the collars of his doublet with her tears.

"It's not late yet. You can visit Gilraen anytime you want, too and settle things…"

"Like that bastard of hers will even let me step over his threshold…" Arwen grimaced.

"You are the Queen of Gondor, no man has the right to deny you entering their house, especially not your daughter's husband" Aragorn gave her a stern glance.

"Like he ever gave a damn about what he did and didn't have right to…"

"I understand you. You know I do. But if you ever want to make things up with Gilraen, you will need to learn to tolerate Torundir eventually" Aragorn said brushing her face with his knuckles.

Arwen stood up. She had enough of the sorrow, enough of the tears, enough of all the advice to make friends with the man who took away her daughter.

"I learn with difficulty" she told Aragorn with a wry smile who, understanding that she had enough of the topic, only gave her a sympathetic smile and took her hand.

"You need to eat something, Arwen. Let us go and have lunch, shall we now?"

Arwen nodded gratefully. Aragorn was the best man in the world. Nobody understood her like he did. "Hannon le, Aragorn" she whispered and they both knew it was not the lunch she meant to thank him.

Next morning Arwen woke early. As the maids told her, even Aragorn was still in bed. She climbed out of her silken covers and walked to the window to let some fresh air into her bedchamber. Chilly breeze licked at her face as she opened the wings of the painted window to look upon the White City. It couldn't have been more than one hour after daybreak and the warmth of the sun grew fainter and fainter every passing day. She closed the window and thought what to do. She had been a bad sleeper ever since she moved to Gondor, there was no way she could go back to sleep after wake up, no matter how early it was. She considered going to Aragorn's bedroom to wake him and cuddle up beside him, but Aragorn got so little sleep anyways, he had to work late into the night so often, it'd not do to wake him when he could finally rest. Arwen put on her velvet nightgown and stepped out onto the hallway. She would just go for a walk, see her autumn roses in the garden or something; wait for time to pass.

Half an hour later she was standing in the middle of the twin's parlor again. How she ended up here again, she had no idea. The dolls were lying on the divan, where she left them yesterday. We haven't lost them. Aragorn's words echoed in her ears. Not Sybille at least, she thought to herself. With sudden determination, she picked up the dolls. She would go and see Sybille. She would even take her doll to her. Maybe once Sybille would have a daughter and she would decide to pass on the doll to her little one. Or maybe Sybille would have twin girls, like she had, who knows…

After going back to her chamber to wash and dress, she ordered breakfast into her parlor. Proper breakfast. She had yoghurt with light bread and an apple. Then, she went to Brianneth's rooms to ask if her daughter wanted to go along to see Sybille, but she only found the girl's maid telling her that the Princess already left for her dancing lesson at the Academy. And on her way back to her own chambers another maid informed her that the King had left too, for Officer's Council and would have supper with her once he got back. Arwen dismissed the maid and collecting the dolls set off to see Sybille. She had no idea why she took both dolls along, but it just felt right that way.

A groom admitted her into the magnificent entrance hall of the manse. Every time Arwen set foot in Sybille and Florian's home, she understood why her daughter insisted on this place instead of their own quarters in the palace. Sybille was in love with the beautifully ornamented walls, gilded rims and painted frescos of the house, a courtesy of Lord Malberen, commonly known as the wealthiest lord of Minas Tirith, for the freshly married couple.

"Her Highness is being served elevenses in the garden with her guests, Your Majesty" the groom informed her bowing.

Arwen was about to reply when a familiar face appeared in the doorway.

"Mother!" Sybille exclaimed happily as she hurried up to greet her with a blond haired baby in her arms. "I'm so happy to see you! I so missed you, it's been ages since we last met!" Sybille chirped as they hugged.

"Oh darling, I missed you so much too!" Arwen said, joy washing over her heart as she held her daughter. "But you have guests, I hope I do not intrude" she smiled at Sybille.

"How would you? Please join us! We already had a tea and the cakes are coming up too, it's a shame the little ones can't have any yet" her daughter giggled. "But Anarys, you know, Ëlyel's daughter is so excited, she says she loves cherry cakes the best, she is so adorable!"

Of course Sybille would be having guests. She had never been the sort who would sit around bored while her husband is away and Arwen was more than happy to see so.

"I would love to have cakes with you" she nodded at Sybille with a wide smile. She so missed her.

"Splendid! Shall we go to the garden, then?"

"After you, my dearest" Arwen laughed and gestured Sybille ahead. "Oh, Sybille, before I forget…" she remembered suddenly. "I was just checking on the cleaners in your rooms when I found this. I thought you might want to give it to your own daughter once" Arwen smiled as she passed Sybille her old porcelain doll.

"Aw, I can't believe I left this behind!" Sybille sighed as she took the doll with a nostalgic smile. "We played so, so much with these… Thank you for bringing it along!"

"You're welcome, darling" Arwen said concentrating hard not to start crying now.

The baby in Sybille's arm reached out to grab the doll by its blonde wig, but Sybille pulled it out of his reach. "No, no, you naughty boy! It's not a nice thing to hurt girls' dolls!" she laughed at the baby and waved at a maid. "Take this doll to my bedchamber and sit her onto my dressing table. No, wait. Take off her dress and clean it first, then put it back, so she'll be neat and groomed. I'm so glad to have her back!" She smiled at Arwen and dismissed the maid with a nod. "Let us go!"

"And what's the name of this gentleman here?" Arwen asked gesturing at the baby on Sybille's arm. Florian's nephew was her relative at some level too and it was a little awkward not even knowing his name.

"Belendor, son of Barahin, to Your Majesty's service" Sybille cooed instead of the baby who blinked at her wide eyed.

"Ah, what a great knight this little man will make" Arwen smiled at the baby warmly who just yawned at them with sleepy hazel eyes, not understanding a word of the bright future they were visualizing for him.

Arwen followed Sybille along the hallways, up to a two winged garden door where Lady Ëlyel's daughter came running up to them.

"Sybille, when will we have the cakes?" she blinked up at Sybille with sparkling puppy eyes. Arwen thought she was going to melt away. She couldn't remember how many times she heard that sentence from Sybille and Gilraen when they were the little girl's age.

"Oh they haven't yet served it? Well, just a moment, darling, and we'll have the cakes!" Sybille smiled and followed Anarys who disappeared behind an autumn rose arbor.

"Look there now, Auntie Sybille is back" Lady Ëlyel appeared on the corner of the arbor as they approached, holding a darker haired, brownish eyed baby. "And… oh…" her eyes widened in surprise as she caught sight of Arwen. "It's a pleasure to see Your Majesty" the woman said with a curtsy.

Behind Ëlyel, with a loud jangle of porcelain crashing on stone, Gilraen dropped her teacup.

Breath caught in the middle of her tightening throat, Arwen felt dizzy of shock as she beheld her daughter. Frozen silence fell onto the tepid September garden, before Sybille let out a jingling laugh.

"Oh well, that's nothing to worry about, I'll have it cleaned up in a second!" She said and yelled for a maid. "What sort of cake did you say you wanted, Anarys?"

"Cherry! Sweet cherry cake!" the little girl cooed not noticing a thing of what was going on around her.

"If you don't say 'please' you will not get any sort cake, dearest, you know that" Lady Ëlyel joined Sybille leaving only Arwen and Gilraen to the staring at each other in silence game.

Arwen finally recovered. "Well… that took about fourteen years for my son to learn" she said to Ëlyel with a smile and took a stiff step towards her daughter.

"I didn't know I'd find you here…" she started and heard Sybille and Ëlyel fall into a tense silence. "I only came, because I went to…" what was it she lied to Sybille? "…check on the cleaning in her room where I found her twin doll and thought to bring it here, in case she wants to keep it…"

Gilraen merely nodded. She looked unable to utter a word.

"I had no idea, you would be here. But this is a lucky day it seems... that I brought yours along too" she only just realized she was still clutching the other doll. "I know that you have a son… but maybe… you'll have a daughter too and you can give this to her then." In full knowledge that her whole body was shaking, Arwen walked up to Gilraen and held out the doll.

She took it with amused nostalgia. "Thank you" She faltered out choking on the words as she looked up at her.

"You're welcome" Arwen nodded.

Gilraen laid the doll onto the table and messed to put its dress straight and neat as she sat it against the tea jug. She admired her work for a moment, before she spun around, tears welling in her eyes and broke out in heart breaking desperation.

"Mother, please forgive me, I'm so sorry for hurting you, please, please, forgive me!"

A sob escaped Arwen's lips as she threw herself into Gilraen's arms and locked her darling little girl into a suffocating hug.

"No, Gilraen, you forgive me! How could I be so heartless? I missed you so much, you have no idea, I missed you so much, darling…"

"It's fine… Can we… is there any chance that we can forget about everything?" Gilraen looked up at her with teary sapphire eyes.

"It's forgotten, everything is forgotten…" Arwen muttered as she hugged her again, never wanting to let her go. Gilraen was so different from Sybille, so different in every way and it took losing her to realize this, it took starting to miss how different she was to realize it…

Two babies broke into monotone moans behind them.

"See what you have done now? You scared the babies! Shame on you two" Sybille shook her head with a knowing smile. "What are the poor things to think when everybody is crying around…?"

Arwen chuckled as she gave Gilraen one last hug. Then, she turned back to Sybille and an utterly perplexed, but smiling Ëlyel and took the dark haired baby from her arms.

"What a beautiful baby you are!" She whispered in awe as she held and admired her grandson. "And that is something to say with that father of yours… Sweet little Turgalon…"

"You know his name?" Gilraen asked smiling as she walked up to them.

"Darling, I have grown stubborn and resentful, but luckily my memory is still working as it should." Arwen chuckled and rocked the baby. "He doesn't take after you the slightest" she shook her head laughing as she studied him at arm length. His soft, brown baby pile, that characteristic structure of scalp, shining eyes half way between sapphire baby blue and a deep dark chocolate brown color… "How can you look so adorable, huh? How can you?" she cooed to the baby who kicked and wobbled in mid-air, trying to fight his way into Gilraen's arms with frustrated moans.

"He doesn't like me" Arwen laughed and passed the baby to Gilraen. "Taking after your father even in that, aren't you, you angel?" she chirped to him.

"That's not true, he'll like you, he just doesn't know you yet" Gilraen smiled and hugged her son to herself.

"Now this is FINALLY settled, we can have the cakes!" Sybille announced joyfully and gestured at everybody to take their seats. "Or you want to feed the babies first?" she looked at Ëlyel and Gilraen who both shook their heads. "Oh, isn't this just splendid? Now I feel like I don't even miss Florian that badly. I hope Father holds that council long" she giggled.

They stayed at Sybille's all afternoon. Gilraen and Ëlyel wanted to go home when their babies got tired, but Sybille insisted that everybody stayed; she had four empty rooms, enough for both babies to have a short nap while they could chat in the garden. Arwen insisted on accompanying Gilraen once her daughter set off to one of the guest rooms to lull her son into sleep. She wanted to talk privately.

Gilraen laid Turgalon onto the bed and built a barrier around him from cushions to keep him from rolling off the bed in his sleep and started crooning to him, while the child clutched her index finger.

"Is he a good sleeper?" Arwen asked in a low voice, careful not to stir her little grandson.

"Depends" Gilraen replied softly. "Sometimes he sleeps through the night, other times he wakes up at daybreak."

"And he won't even go back to sleep?" Arwen smiled as she handed a light blanket to Gilraen to cover the baby.

"Well, if I'm lucky, I can get him to fall back a sleep for a few more hours, but only if I take him with me into our bed. Mostly he just decides Mama had enough sleep for the night, don't you?" she smiled and kissed the baby's head.

Arwen almost asked if her bastard of a husband didn't even let her have her own peaceful bed, but decided she preferred not knowing the answer.

"Are you happy, Gilraen?" she asked her daughter instead. "Are you happy with that man?"

"Yes" Gilraen looked up at her as she nodded, eyes sparkling with love and happiness.

"I'm glad."

"No you aren't…" Gilraen shook her head knowingly and gave a sad kiss to her son.

"Yes. Yes, I am. I am not glad that you are happy with that man, but I'm glad that you are happy. And if it takes that being with him, so be it."

"Thank you, Mother" her daughter smiled covering her sleeping baby with the blanket. "I think we can leave him now, Sybille said her maid would stay around, so she'll hear if he wakes up."

"Gilraen" Arwen stopped her daughter in front of the door. "Does he treat you well?"

"Yes. Yes, he treats me well. Very well. The best possible way" Gilraen said, tension flashing in her eyes and voice.

"I don't want to accuse him of anything…" Arwen shook her head, to make sure they would not end up in another conflict right after making up. "I just missed you so much. I just have to make sure you are happy and all right."

"I am so" Gilraen gave her a smile. "I missed you too, Mother. I really did… it's like my heart feels so much lighter that you are talking to me again, that you don't despise and condemn me anymore. And I so thank you for understanding me, or at least accepting me. And for not hating Turgalon."

Arwen felt overwhelmed with emotion. She wanted to hug and kiss Gilraen, but she wasn't a little girl anymore… she was her beautiful, grown-up daughter… In the end she just put a hand on Gilraen's arm with a grateful smile and gestured her ahead to return to Sybille and Ëlyel.

They talked for about two hours in the garden - or mostly it was Sybille and Ëlyel talking; Gilraen still preferred the role of the listener in company - before Turgalon and Ëlyel's son woke up and rejoined them. A little reluctant at first, but her grandson finally gave in to be held by Arwen, on the condition that she stood up and rocked him with his face back to her, so he could comfortably observe everything in the garden.

"He always does that to me" Sybille chattered. "Always gets me to walk around with him like that. It's so tiring, but there's just no way denying him, he is so sweet!"

"You are such a charmer, aren't you, my son?" Gilraen shook her head smiling.

"Can't imagine whose blood is that…" Ëlyel exchanged a knowing smile with Gilraen.

All Arwen could do was to exchange her knowing smile with Sybille. There was no way she could ever understand what Gilraen liked about that husband of hers… As if understanding her thoughts, Turgalon kicked in her arms and moaned for his mother. He really was a charmer. Four hours knowing him and Arwen already adored the child.

It was about four in the afternoon when Sybille's maid approached them with a squire at her heels.

"Your Highness, a message for the Lady Gilraen" the maid curtsied and with a bow the squire handed Gilraen a small parchment.

"Thank you" Gilraen nodded and unfolded the note. A chuckle escaped her lips as she read the message with an amused smile, then showed it to Ëlyel who broke into an incredulous chuckle too. "I'm sorry" she looked up to Arwen and Sybille. "I'll show it to you too, if you want. I just thought it's not something you would find amusing…"

"What would I say to it?" Sybille asked twinkling.

"You would just make a face" Gilraen grinned.

"Ah, then it's just the usual" Sybille grinned back. "Mother?" she looked at Arwen with a vicious gleam in her eyes.

"I am guessing that is something your husband wrote and I think I prefer not knowing , but thank you for offering to confide" Arwen inclined her head at Gilraen.

"All right" her daughter gave a soft nod and turned back to Sybille. "So, dearest sister, thank you for the pleasant afternoon."

"You are going?" Arwen was stunned. Did that bastard just order her daughter home?

"Of course she is, she is so in love, she's running home at once every time her precious husband gets back from duty" Sybille teased.

"Like you are not whining after your precious husband for an hour every time we speak" Gilraen shot back with a smile and gathered up her son. "We are going home to Father, baby! Yay, we are going home!" she tickled him kissing into the crook of his neck and the child broke into a fit of giggles that was so cute it made Arwen forget about hating his father for a second.

Hard enough it was to admit, but Sybille was right. Gilraen just seemed madly in love with this man and she was happier than ever with him and their child. Ëlyel expressed her pleasure to be her sister-in-law's guest too and decided to go with Gilraen leaving Arwen alone with Sybille.

"Mother, I'm so glad that we talked. That we… I'm just so glad to have seen you. Thank you for forgiving me. Thank you so much" Gilraen turned to her then.

"I was so happy to see you" Arwen smiled and gave her a swift hug. "You could come to have an afternoon tea in the palace with me once. Aryana and Bria would be so glad. You could bring our little charmer along" Arwen suggested and pinched her grandson's round little cheek softly.

"I would love to. Thank you!"

"We'll arrange something then" Arwen laughed happily and squeezed Gilraen's hand. It was so good to have her back.

"Say 'Byebye'" Gilraen cooed to her son and taking his tiny hand in hers imitated waving goodbye.

"Thank you for everything Sybille" Lady Ëlyel hugged with Sybille and curtsied to Arwen. "It was a pleasure to see Your Majesty."

"Is that a custom? That he orders her around like that?" Arwen turned to Sybille once Gilraen and Ëlyel left the house.

Sybille shrugged with a grimace. "Gilraen doesn't mind. And as long as she doesn't, I don't see why we should. She is happy to run home to him. And you know… I can understand her. I miss Florian, I'd be running to him too if he weren't a thousand miles away…" She pouted.

"Oh my darling" Arwen sighed and drew an arm around Sybille. "He'll be home soon. You knew this would happen. Being the husband of a princess comes with duties. He misses you too."

Arwen stayed with Sybille for another hour before she went home to a rather frustrated Aragorn.

"Where in Valar's name have you been, Arwen? I was worried!"

All Arwen could do was throw herself into his arms with a happy laugh and kiss him.

"Well, I can see wherever you have been , it cheered you up" he smiled at her warmly.

"I visited Sybille!" she told him with the widest smile in the world.

"You see, I told you it would cheer you."

"It did. I feel so much better. I feel so light and so carefree and so happy…" she replied with a relieved sigh. "And how was the council? Valar, my arms ache!" Arwen shook her head with a chuckle. "Was Eldarion that heavy at this age? I guess he was, I just forgot about it…"

"What?" Aragorn raised an amused eye-brow. "The council was… long" he gave a wry smile.

"I know… When was it over, around four, right?"

"After half past three. You can imagine… How is Sybille? And what is it with your aching arms?"

"Sybille is fine" Arwen nodded impatiently. "Oh, guess who I was rocking for a whole hour?"

"Who you were—?"

"Our grandson! He is such a sweet child, you have no idea! I went to see Sybille, but she had guests of course, the maid told me, so we went to the garden and there she was. I mean Gilraen, not Sybille. And it was… oh, it was so good to see her. And we talked and made things up and her son, he is such a sweetheart, Aragorn!" Arwen laughed as words poured from her in excitement.

"Oh Arwen…" he shook his head. "Finally." Aragorn gave her a scolding glare and pulled her into his arms.

Yeah, I hope I managed not to abuse Arwen a lot and also that this lived up to your expectations :)

I'm not sure if I'm allowed to link Family Complications here. I guess you can link stuff within fanfiction. net, but I'm not sure, so right now I won't be doing that until I find out if I can do so without violating any guideline or rule.

Thank you for reading!