Someone asked for Melui meeting baby Aragorn.
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It was an Age of Peace, apparently.
Melui didn't care either way, because it was rather a relief to have no wars, to have border patrol only deal with the occasional rabid bear and some bandits, not goblins.
Glorfindel didn't even attempt to stop her when she signed up to be part of the patrol in Imladris, only sighing a little, fingering the blue ribbon on her hair and kissing her chastely. (Blue had also become her house color. It was the bright blue of the summer sky, not the deep blue that the dwarves loved.)
Elrond and Glorfindel became good friends and in extension, Melui, which was strange. Even if her father was a scholar and her mother was a warrior, she wasn't a lady. Hermione's memories told her to hold her head high because everyone was born equal. Melui wanted to smack her other self's memories silent.
Being an elf wasn't just about being ethereal and immortal, it was about being sensitive. And the roiling power of the Eldar contained in Lord Elrond was powerful enough that it made her shiver if he got angry.
She even wondered how she got used to Glorfindel's brilliantly shining presence. It wasn't unnervingly powerful, like Elrond's, but a comforting presence. She got slowly got used to it though and became good friends with the Lord of Imladris. (Because rumors of her practicality had spread and Elrond liked people with sense.)
It was still strange to be in the patrol to discover Gilraen the Fair fleeing from Trolls and holding a baby.
Even in the dark of the night, she could tell something innocent was being hunted and directed her squad to it.
The fight was brief but bloody. Trolls may have been stupid, but they were strong and could move fast when pushed.
Melui leaped from her horse and – in a very Harry move – stood on the shoulders of one troll and encouraged both of them to hit each other with insults.
Her squad moved in to protect the mother and child, most of them shaking their heads at what she was doing.
Melui blamed Harry. She really did.
Glorfindel somehow heard about it and ranted. Oh, the elf could rant. He shook her and patted her shoulders, eyes roving about her in worry.
Melui rolled her eyes and kissed him quiet.
(x)
They did settle down.
Gilraen was sequestered with Lord Elrond and Glorfindel for about a day and Melui waited outside the door curiously, because her beloved had told her to wait.
When they finally did come out, foreheads were crinkled in worry and eyes were dark with memories. The only one happy among them was the toddler, and he didn't count.
"My lord?" she asked.
Both men blinked at her and smiled, though Elrond's was more of a smirk. "I heard of your foolhardy venture on top of a Troll's head."
Melui blushed while Glorfindel scowled at the Lord.
"Melui," Glorfindel said, avoiding the topic with admirable restraint. Melui loved this man. "This is Aragorn, son of Arathorn. The last of the line of Isildur."
What?
"I-what," Melui managed. She looked at the sleeping toddler. "Really?"
"He needs a new name," Elrond continued. "So that the allies of the Sauron do not find him."
The name was out of her mouth before she could stop it. "Estel," she said. "Because he is one."
They nodded. Gliraen looked relieved. "Thank you, my lady. He does not need to know of his burden until he reaches twenty."
Melui agreed, though the Hermione-ish part of her screeched about careful upbringing and an enjoyable childhood. Because those years were important.
She did not doubt that the baby would grow up wise, because even among elves, Lord Elrond was particularly wise.
And Aragorn opened his gray eyes, hazy with sleep, and smiled at her.
Melui felt her heart clench.
"Oh," she gasped. Glorfindel reached for her hand and squeezed.
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