No one spoke.
Beríadanwen felt her heart sink to he stomach. Not believing what she was hearing from Lord Elrond.
"My sister lives..with a son?"
Her eyes swivled to her naneth's paling form. The Dúnadan woman began to tremble in her seat. Ignoring her husbands furrowed brows as he turned her to face him. "..A son.." The whisper was soft, full of pain.
Beríadanwen stood from her chair and walked around the table, pulling her naneth's arms away from her ada's. Tugging Ioreth out of her seat and away from the table.
"Nana? Nana focus on my voice" she spoke gently. "It's alright, nana."
The woman allowed the tears she held back to finally fall down her whitened cheeks. Low sobs fell from her mouth as she grasped onto her daughter tightly. Happy that her sister still lived, but heartbroken that she never spoke of having a son.
"Sit nana."
Beríadanwen guided her crying mother onto a stone made bench, near the balcony. She held her naneth and willed her strength to the woman.
Lord Elrond slowly glides to the women. Kneeling before Ioreth and taking her hand in his. "Lady Gilrean bore her son, Aragorn, two summers ago.
He squeezed her hands, glancing over to Beríadanwen and sighing.
"She thought it best to keep his birth a secret, as did Arathorn. The boy is the last Direct descendant of Isildur, now that Arathorn lingers in the Halls of Mandos."
Beríadanwen felt her naneth freeze, yet another blow to the Dúnedain.
"Where is she now" Ioreth leaned away from her daughter and Elronds hold. "I want to see my sister, to hear her tale, myself."
Beríadanwen grew concerned for her naneth and now her Aunt.
Death's blows seeming to eradicate all they held dear.
Behind them a familiar voice spoke from the doorway. "I'm here, my sister."
A median height woman slips out of the doorway and across the room.
Long blonde hair, like her naneth's, flowed around her hips. Bright blue eyes sought theirs. Telling tales of great sorrow and happiness.
"Gilrean."
Beríadanwen stood alongside her naneth and let Ioreth walk away.
"Is it really you, little sister" Ioreth croaked softly. "Aye, tis me, Ioreth."
Both Dúnadan women stood but a foot from one another. Eyes raking over each others form, checking to see if they were both unwounded.
The air was dense with a grey cloud of confusion and hope.
Silently Gilrean reached out and grazed Ioreth's arm. Her own eyes held tears when Ioreth launched herself at Gilrean.
Both sobbing and laughing as they hugged one another.
Beríadanwen released the breath she held. Happy now that some of her naneth's kin still lived. "Never give up hope, iell-nîn." She looks over her shoulder to see the tall form of her adar.
Thaladír had stood from his own seat and walked over to his daughter and lord Elrond. His quiet eyes reveling in his mortal wifes cries of joy. "There was Estel in the First Age and it will remain this age." His large hands fell onto her shoulders, leaning her against his side with a small smile. "You are wise as always, adar" she chimes quietly in his dark green cloak.
The ancient Noldo chuckled.
"Many years of living will make one wise, estent-nin iell." Laughing Beríadanwen shook her head and glances back to her reuniting naneth and Aunt. "Besides our Lord Elrond is much wiser than I." Thaladír nods to the half-elven lord.
Beríadanwen turns her attention to the elf lord.
"You jest, mellon-nin" he drank the goblet of wine in his hand. Usually stern features softening ever so slightly.
"As you are hundreds of years older than I." His dark grey orbs stared Thaladír in the eyes. "You have seen more than I've dreamt of."
Thaladír gives into the joke and bumps his Lords shoulders while looking to his daughter, shaking away the hair from his eyes.
"Do not give your elders age away, little one." He scolds. Although he enjoyed the teasing his old time friend had dealt him.
Beríadanwen marvels at the two ancient ellons laughing like they were younger than their age. Her thoughts were halted when she was torn away from her adar's arms and squeezed into a much softer hold.
"Thank the Valar you remain safe, my dear sweet niece!"
Beríadanwen knew it was her Aunt that now hugged the life out of her.
Gilrean continued to cry, her shoulders trembling as she rocked the young peredhil in her arms. "I feared the worst when I didn't recieve any word."
The Dúnedain woman pulled back and kissed her head.
"Goheno-nin" Beríadanwen murmured in her Aunts golden hair.
She felt the guilt crushing her chest. Beríadanwen did not like being weak, nor did she like making others worry.
But right now she gave in to the weakness, hugging her Aunt and letting her worries wash away.
"We could not save Grandfather or Grandmother..We were too late." A heavy sigh was Gilreans reply. "Tis not your fault, dear Danwen. You should never have to carry such a burden that is not your's to carry in the first place." Her voice was stern.
Staring into Beríadanwen's eyes with her lips in a firm line. "My parent's knew what was coming, I sent warnings a day before..My father died in his village and kept my mother with him, for he had no wish to abandon the Village."
Her words hit home.
Like knives penetrating old wounds, Beríadanwen's jaw clenched and she held the tears at bay. Controlling her emotions. She collected herself and turned to her naneth. Shoulders straight and jaw flexed.
"Come. There is someone that I want you to meet, before he settles in to sleep." Gilrean grabbed her and Ioreth's hands and began towing them out of the room.
Saying their goodbyes and walking down the long hallways with quick steps.
Beríadanwen kept pace with her naneth and Gilrean.
"My wish to keep my son a secret was to keep him safe..not to banish my kin from his side." Gilrean talks quietly as she guides her kinswomen to the chamber down the hall. "I never meant to hurt you both, you must know this." She tightened her grip on Ioreth and Beríadanwen's hands. The woman gathering strength from her family.
"We never held any ill thought towards you, Aunt. You did what any mother would do for her son."
Beríadanwen grinned and snuck a look to her own mother. "Nana has done the same. In our travels I'm known as ada's sister." She laughed alongside her mother and Aunt.
"Now let us forgive and forget."
Gilrean nods. "You have grown wise, dear niece." She gazed at the young 64 peredhil with pride.
Ioreth smirked, proud of her daughter's wisdom. "Indeed she has."
They grew quiet when Gilrean stops before a wooden door that led into a bed chamber. Smiling at her sister and niece Gilrean quietly pulled the door open to allow them entry.
The trio walked with silent footsteps through the beautiful bed chambers.
Gilrean closes the door with a soft click. "While residing in Imladris my son has gained an epessë, it is Estel. The hope of my life and many others."
Beríadanwen's eyes fell gently onto the small form lying on the bed. She could see the two year old boy, the blankets seeming to concoon the adorable boy in their grasp. She leant over the bed and almost awed out loud.
The small boy blinked his beautiful grey-blue eyes open. Gazing around the room with shyness as he saw noticed the newcomers in his room.
Beríadanwen and her naneth hovering near the bed. Their eyes wide and mouths slightly agap.
"Nana?" The boyish squeak twinkled like little bells in Beríadanwen's ears.
This was the future heir of Gondor.
Hope of Men.
The last direct line of Elrond's twin brother, Elros Minyatur the first King of Numenor, and Isildur the last king of Gondor.
"Shush my sweetling". Gilrean picks the two year old Estel up and hugs him. His soft curly brown hair hiding his eyes as he ducked his head, behind Gilrean's neck.
"Estel?" She croons and kisses his forehead.
"Why don't you greet your Aunt Ioreth and your Cousin Beríadanwen.." Both she and her mother cooed as the boy slowly peeked his head out.
Staring at them with wide curious eyes.
"Greetings little nephew, I am your Aunt Ioreth." The usually strong woman softens and reached out to kiss the boys hand. Estel giggles at the kiss.
Leaning forwards and shyly greeting his new Aunt.
"Gi athan bain, henig". Beríadanwen whispers lowly in Sindarin.
Estel perks up at the soothing sound of the elvish language. "You may call me Danwen, pen-neth" she laughs when he gasps at the sight of her slightly pointed ears. "Elf! Ada!" He reaches for her.
Beríadanwen was a little shocked.
"He calls Elrond his Adar. He cannot remember Arathorn, so as Elronds ward he calls our Lord his Adar." Gilrean explained with a mixture of happiness and sorrow. "I do not mind, for Lord Elrond takes good care of my son."
She passed her son to Beríadanwen.
A smile lighting the peredhil's face when the young boy giggles at her silly faces.
"That was kind of you, sister." Ioreth placed a comforting hand on Gilrean's shoulder. "You made the right choice."
The women both smiled and looked back to the grinning Peredhil and boy.
"We will be great friends, little cousin. I will always protect you from those who seek to harm you..I swear it." Beríadanwen held her little cousin tighter. Promises strengthening when his eyes gazed at her in child like wonder.
"Anuir."
Thanks for reading! Please review if you would like to!
Elvish words.
~Iell-nin~ "My Daughter"
~Estel~ "Hope"
~Estent-nin~ "My Short"
~Mellon-nin~ "My Friend"
~Goheno-nin~ "Forgive Me"
~Epessë~ "Nickname, a name used by friends and close family"
~Gi athan bain, henig~ "You are beyond beautiful, child"
~Pen-neth~ "Little One"
~Anuir~ "Forever"