Chapter Two

And you look reflective, but you're so disconnected
Just think about it, what's really on your mind?
For you I would steal time.

-Daydreamer, Young the Giant

Five weeks later

"Aragorn, we're friends right?" Daisy asked suddenly. They were sitting on the riverbank, lying on their backs and watching the clouds.

He turned to look at her, a bit suspicious. "Yes..."

"And friends always forgive each other right?"

"Daisy wha-"

He never finished his sentence, as Gwen, who had been sneaking up behind him while Daisy talked, poured the bucket of ice-cold river water on his head. The two burst out laughing at Aragorn's furious face. "No, no they don't! I'm going to kill you two!" Considering the fact that he was dripping pond water and his hair was sticking to his head, it didn't scare the girls very much.

"That is the best thing I have ever seen in my life!" Gwen giggled, holding her sides. Beside her, Daisy was practically hysterical.

In the few weeks Aragorn had known them, he learned quite a lot about the pair. Gwen was friendly, funny, and a bit of a pickpocket. She loved pretty things and was rather protective of her friends. Daisy was a bit shyer, and quite the dreamer. She was kind, and could make Aragorn laugh harder than anyone he'd ever known. Both loved pulling pranks and coming up with ridiculous plans on how to get revenge on the high-born. Aragorn enjoyed their company immensely, although they did not yet know he was the heir to the throne of Gondor, and he intended to keep it that way. He feared they would treat him differently, as most did, or simply hate him altogether.

If there was one thing he disagreed with them on, it was Legolas. The two, especially Daisy, thought him a spoiled, self-centered princeling. As much as Aragorn tried to convince them otherwise,they were adamant about it. One of the times he had tried to bring it up with them, Daisy had lost her temper.

"Oh it's alright for you, you don't have to mend the sheets he practices archery on! You don't have to explain to your boss that the priceless handmade china is now scattered across the floor in pieces! I will never, never respect someone like that Aragorn, you should know by now!"

They had both apologized profusely since then, and hadn't brought it up since. Deep down, a part of him thought there was another reason for Daisy's deep anger of royalty, but if there was, she never told. And for now, Aragorn was content to watch, and wonder about the strangeness that was Daisy Haneth.

Ever since that fateful day on the stairs, Daisy tried her very hardest to avoid Cilneth and her gang. She took different routes, backtracked, and once hid in a broom closet for a hour. It was exhausting, but well worth it, even if Tuarwen boxed her ears on more than one occasion for being late.

There was one thing that puzzled the half-elf however, and it was this; who was the strange elf named Arwen? She hadn't ridiculed Daisy like her friends, and had looked downright uncomfortable the whole time they had been doing it. Daisy had seen her a few times from afar, tagging behind her posse, looking lost and disoriented. The first time she had spoken directly to her though, happened on a Thursday, after dinner.

Daisy and Gwen had finished the days work, and were lazing by the practice fields, trying to convince Aragorn to let them do his hair. Gwen was describing all the hairstyles she could do, "The ladies love this one, it'll get you a girlfriend like that," and Daisy was attempting to make a flower crown out of wild pansies. The three were joking and talking quite loudly, and more than a few curious eyes glanced their way.

"For the last time, I am not letting you try something called the 'troll tooth braid' on me!" Aragorn patted his tangled, brown locks.

"Honestly, there's no way I could make it worse than it already is." Gwen said reasonably. Daisy rolled her eyes good-naturedly at the pair.

"Hey!"

"Come on Aragorn, don't you trust me?"

"No!"

"Um- guys?" Daisy said suddenly, glancing to her left. Aragorn and Gwen stopped squabbling and followed her line of vision to an elf walking directly towards them.

It was Arwen, looking beautiful in a deep green dress and matching necklace. Her long hair was flowing freely down her back, and her face had the beauty of one who had never done a days work in her life. She was walking slowly along the path and looked up at seeing the trio. "Hello, Aragorn was it?"

Gwen elbowed Aragorn in the side; he had been staring quite openly.

"Yes my lady, and you must be Arwen."

"And we must be invisible," Daisy whispered to Gwen, causing the maid to giggle. Arwen turned a curious eye to them, taking in their raggedy dresses and frizzy hair. Daisy felt the all-too-familiar rush of anger. She thinks she's better than us.

To her surprise however, the lady smiled.

"And you are Daisy, am I right?" after getting a nodded confirmation, Arwen moved on to Gwen, who looked shocked. "I do not know your name."

"Gwen." She said shyly, flattered at being asked. "Nice to meet you." Daisy fought back a grin at Aragorn's spellbound face.

"The pleasure is mine. I have a bit of a apology to make to Daisy I'm afraid. My friends were being very rude the other day, and I fear they angered you."

Daisy did smile then. "Thank you, it wasn't your fault."

Arwen smiled back at her warmly, then turned to Aragorn. "I hope to see you in the future, Aragorn. Goodnight."

"Er, yes." He agreed, mumbling.

They all watched her walk away, Gwen and Daisy curiously, and Aragorn longingly. The second she turned the corner, the girls grinned knowingly at Aragorn with identical smiles. He looked right back at them, embarrassed. "What?"

The two just laughed at his crimson face.

"What is it?"

Daisy smirked. "I bet you want that hairdo that the girls like now, don't ya?"

Over the next few days, Gwen and Daisy had endless fun playing matchmaker for their friend. They very much enjoyed seeing how red they could make his face before he threatened them with his sword. He didn't believe he had a chance with the lovely maiden, and their antics both flattered and infuriated him at the same time.

At the time, Aragorn had far more pressing matters on his hands then one beautiful she-elf, he told himself. There was a talk of strange black riders around Bree, riders that rode horses with red eyes. Such foul creatures the world had not seen since... But no, it couldn't be.

Aragorn was determined to see these beasts for himself, and so the next week he asked for a horse to be prepared. It was a rangers business to know what was going on out there, and he had spend far too long in Rivendell. The road called to him, he itched to travel fast and free once more.

As much as he wanted to go, another part of him longed to stay. He loved those quiet days in Rivendell, with the two gitls that had become very dear to him. Sitting in a tree, planning pranks with Gwen, or naming stars with Daisy, he could almost forget his destiny, he could forget everything.

To them he was not a future king, but just Aragorn, and he enjoyed being just Aragorn far more. Yes, for the first time in his life he was truly happy, and sometime along the way Rivendell had become his home. But deep down, he knew he played a bigger part in the world outside Rivendell, and this scared him more than anything. It was time to go.

His bags packed, his steed ready, all that was left was to say goodbye to his friends. He both dreaded and feared telling them he was going, but there was no getting out of it. He just hoped they would understand, and not judge him too harshly.

"Daisy."

The girl jumped, pressing a hand to her heart. "Don't do that!" Pushing her unkept hair out of her face, Daisy turned to face her friend. She had been walking home after a grueling day, wanting nothing more than to collapse on her creaky bed in Tuarwen's house.

"I thought elves had such great senses," he quipped, resting a dirty arm on the petite girls head. Daisy scowled; she hated being short. It was just another in the long line of things that made her different. Abnormal.

"Half-elf, remember?" She wrinkled her nose dramatically. "Though it's surprising I didn't smell you first." The ranger would fight off a league of orcs without a second thought, But the second you approached him with a bar of soap? Halfway to Gondor.

Aragorn chuckled softly, absentmindedly playing with her hair. "I'm going to miss those clever comebacks of yours."

"I- wait what?"

"Daisy... I can't stay here any more." Aragorn began, sounding awkward even to himself.

She gave him a confused look. "Alright weirdo, then let's go inside."

"No." That's not what I mean. Here, Rivendell."

"You can't stay." Daisy repeated, still confused.

"I've stayed much longer than I planned too, and only because of you and Gwen."

"Are you serious?" Daisy spluttered. "Very funny, I'll be sure to remember that on-"

"Daisy." This was worse than he could have imagined.

"Tell me this is a joke." She said calmly. "Please." He was too serious, too solemn-looking. She just wanted him to smile, tell her it was one of his pranks, and sling an arm around her shoulders.

Aragorn sighed, running a hand through his hair nervously. "I can't."

"So that's it? You're just going to pack up and ride away?" She spat.

"I have too!" He hissed, voice raising.

"No, Aragorn, you don't have to do anything! Stop acting like you don't have a choice! No one's forcing you to get up and leave us!"

"It's my duty!"

"Stop acting all high and mighty!" Daisy was practically shouting now, her hands in fists. "Aragorn, you- you just make me so angry sometimes! The way you talk about destiny and duty, but you know what I think? I think you just got tired of us, and don't have the courage to admit that, so you blame it on your duty! That's bullshit!"

"Would you stop putting words in my mouth?" Aragorn retaliated. "Of course I want to stay!"

"Then stay! Because that's not fair to the rest of us, you just riding out of our lives! We're the ones that have to pick up the pieces, Aragorn! You- you're just like my mom!"

"Daisy-"

She shook her heard, eyed shining with tears. "If you are going to leave. Don't you think I deserve to know why?"

"Hey." Aragorn tilted her chin up with his fingers, reassuringly. "I just, thought I could stay here forever. That if I hung up my cloak, the world outside would just stop. But- it doesn't work like that, Dai." Saying the familiar nickname brought a fresh wave of pain.

"It's not fair," she muttered, looking up at him.

"I know." And for the first real time, Aragorn was really struck with how unfair life really was.

Gwen babbled on, hugging him tight. "You will be safe, and won't go looking for trouble, and for goodness sake actually bathe once in a while, right?"

"I will try, but trouble always seems to find me first.'

Daisy then hugged him tightly. "Come back to us, you will come back to us."

He promised of course, and left the next morning for wherever the road would take him, be it Erebor or Bree. But it was not the same, for he had not been the same man back then that he was now. Aragorn kept seeing his friends mournful faces as he rode, and it was with a heavy heart that Aragorn left Rivendell.