Chapter Two: The Lady of the Mountain
There was silence cast over the great city of Minas Tirith. The only sounds were those of the morning serf's who were setting about to clean the castle before everyone woke.
Aranee sat on her balcony that set herself above everything else in the city. Aranee did not live in the palace like the others. Instead she lived high above in the mountains, which had earned her the name Lady of the Mountain. Her home was set in a large cavern beside where the Beacon was mounted. She'd chosen this place because of its isolation. She liked to be alone. Ever since she was a little girl she'd liked to be alone. She'd lived in the palace until she was grown and the war began, then she moved out because she could not bear the horror of Gondor politics. Denethor was not too lenient in dealings with other Middle Earth nobles, or his battle formations. If men were not to his liking, he would dismiss them without even hearing their pleas. He was a very suspicious man to say the least. And if men were not mortally wounded, he would insist they keep to their posts, even if the men in question could hardly stand, or hold a sword. It was this that had second compelled her to becoming a healer. The first was when Faramir had broken his collarbone as a boy. And ever since then she'd been obligated to help those who could not help themselves.
Adjusting to this newfound peace was hard for her though. Adjusting to her newfound king was harder still. Her instincts told her that Aragorn would indeed be a good king. And his fate would not be tied to the Ring like Isildur's was. This made her calm somewhat.
But the fact still remained that his father had been Arathorn, a name not unknown to Aranee. Far from it, in fact. The fact was somewhat frightening, and terribly worrisome.
Arwen gazed across the table at her love. He looked troubled. She wished he would share his troubles with her. As she was about to say something, Faramir entered the room, closely followed by Éowyn and Éomer.
"My lord," Faramir nodded at Aragorn, then to Arwen, "My lady."
"Faramir," Aragorn said, "You have come to join my breakfast table?"
"Aye my lord. If it is fitting?"
"Have not a doubt in your mind. You are always welcome here. Lady Éowyn, Éomer, you are welcome as well."
"My lord," Éomer said, nodding his head. He was never all that close to Aragorn, but he was close enough to have the trust and respect of the great warrior.
Faramir sat beside Aragorn, as did Éowyn. Éomer sat opposite them beside Arwen. The others remaining in the castle seemed still asleep.
Éowyn was the first to speak, and it was to Faramir. "Where does Aranee stay, Faramir? I noticed her leave the castle when everyone goes to their rooms and she did not return."
"Ah she did return, but probably not in view of any windows of the keep. She lives where the Beacon resides. Her home is high in the mountain where she finds peace."
Arwen frowned at that, "Peace? Doesn't she find it lonely?"
"Of course my lady, but she stays there even with all her loneliness. After she left to live there, I once tried to convince her to come back down and live with us again, but she refused. She is very testy when you push her."
Arwen nodded at the information. Aragorn seemed to nod as well at the information, though he had not been included in the conversation as much as the others had been. It was strange to hear of such a woman choosing solitude over life in the city.
"When does she come down?" Éomer asked.
"When she sees fit. Because she lives so high up, she has eyes and ears over the entire valley, so she comes down through the inner mountain tunnel to the back of my chamber, and slips through."
"Your chamber?" Aragorn said, raising an eyebrow.
"Yes. The tunnel was built directly from the back of my chamber and it is the only passage to the castle without her having to precariously climb down the rock face. She's been going to the cavern since we were little. Father was rather hard on her when we were young. He was hard on all of us. And because she was not his daughter, he had no right to do so. He could not call upon her like he could Boromir and myself. She was a free spirit, so when she needed to escape, she went to the cavern. Now she comes down when she senses wounded or illness, or even death. She has a very good ear for those kinds of things. She hears everything at that height." As he spoke, he enthralled all those sitting at the table. They looked at him with aw, and compassion showed through his speech towards Aranee. He indeed cared for her very much.
"She only comes down to tend to wounded?" Éomer asked, setting his mind to the task of finding out more about the young maiden. The other night he had not spoken to her because Legolas had been with her, but he had felt sure that she was an intriguing character. And she had beauty to her that could not compare.
"Aye, she does. Or when she sees fit. It really all depends on her mood."
Éomer walked along the streets of Minas Tirith, taking a short break from his hard labor. He and the other men of the city had started to rebuild some of what was damaged. There were some things that could not be repaired until they attained good stone from the quarry opposite them at Osgiliath, and that would take months to bring over. It was hard work, but it proved to be quite satisfying after something was rebuilt.
Éomer walked up to Legolas and Faramir, who were also taking a break. "Things are going quite well," he commented.
The other men were sweaty and drinking from a large barrel of water set out for the workers. "Indeed, things are progressing nicely," Faramir commented.
"With any luck, Aragorn will be able to make a deal with the elves of Rivendell and Lothlorien and we will get the much needed stone we need. The elves have wonderful stone that is strong and sturdy," Legolas said, making the remark upon his own elven culture.
"Aye," Éomer said, "I have heard as much. Aragorn and Lady Arwen can do such a thing. It will bring prosperity and wealth to Minas Tirith, that is for sure."
"When do you return to Edoras?" Faramir asked, picking up the water ladle and dipping it into the water barrel. The cool from sitting in the shade and it tasted wonderful.
"When Minas Tirith is complete. It is an obligation Éowyn and myself feel towards Aragorn. We do not mind it here at all."
Faramir nodded, thinking of the day when Éowyn was to leave the city. That would be a grave day, but he knew she was now Lady of Rohan, and was to rule in the golden hall in her uncle's stead. Theoden had died in the great battle, and so she was the new ruler of Rohan, as per the instruction that Theoden had left before leaving Edoras. Faramir felt some distress in seeing her leave. He had grown quite attached to her in the past month.
Legolas saw the look in Faramir's eyes and nodded to himself, acknowledging what he saw as love for Éowyn. "Come along," he said, "We should get back to work."
Walking down the cold and deserted tunnel, Aranee thought of Faramir and Éowyn, her old friend and her new friend. It was unmistakable that Éowyn had feelings for Faramir, and Faramir had feelings for Éowyn. The way she laughed around him when he talked. The way he was enraptured by everything she said. They were in love, and it was evident. Aranee had some sight from above in her isolated place, but she also had a sight when up close, and she could sense emotions sometimes when it was strong enough. It wasn't really a special skill or anything; just something she had happened to come by when she was younger.
Faramir was her oldest and dearest friend. He was the same age and they were both born in the same month, days apart from each other. She had never found that she loved him in any other way than as a brother, so it was all right for him to be in love with someone else. And Aranee knew Éowyn only a month and a bit, but she knew Éowyn's character and her compassion was evident. It was pleasing to see her new friend and old friend together.
Coming down to the end of the tunnel she lifted her skirts to jump a small gap in the tunnel floor. It was no more than a foot wide, but in depth it was nearly twenty feet to the ledge. The door of the tunnel ahead of her was five feet by four feet. It wasn't that wide, or tall for that matter, but Aranee could fit through it, even if she was 5 foot 6 inches. Faramir could fit through as well, for he was the only one who visited her that way. He also summoned her plenty of times when Lord Denethor requested her presence. She went through the hole that served as a door, and closed the door behind her, and came face to face with Faramir. She yelped and fell back against the closed door. She fell in a heap on the floor and sighed. She wasn't usually this jumpy, but he had really startled her.
"Oh my Aranee!" Faramir said, just as surprised as she had been.
Aranee shook the thought and started to get up. "Faramir, goodness you nearly made me jump out of my own skin."
Faramir laughed as he gave her a hand up. "You forget this is my room Nee. You should have known I would be in here."
She smiled as she stood, "Yes I suppose. But, I thought you would be out still with your men in the city."
He shook his head. "You must have been off in your own world Nee. I know you well enough to know you watch the city as if it was your child. There is nothing you don't notice here. You knew I came into the palace."
She nodded and said, "True, I did have the idea of you being in here, but I suppose I was being careless with my thoughts. My mind was wandering."
Faramir smiled and went away from her towards his clothes trunk. She followed him closely with her eyes, marking his every step. He was indeed handsome. "What have you come for?" he asked.
"Dinner," she said smiling. "Have you forgotten what time it is?"
"All right Nee, there's no need to be sassy. Let me get ready and I shall accompany you to dinner."
Aranee dipped her head. "What about Éowyn?" she said.
Faramir's head snapped at the question. "What do you mean, 'what about Éowyn?'"
"Are you not accompanying her to dinner?"
"What gave you that idea?" he asked, as he was putting on his vest.
"Come on Faramir. You don't have to lie to me. I know you have feelings for her. Have you asked her about it?"
"No. Have you?" Aranee raised her eyebrow, and Faramir shrugged defeat. "Okay, okay, all right. I know you know. You fiend, you know everything."
She laughed, "Not everything friend. Just enough."
Faramir turned to look at her. "Do you know if she likes me?"
"How could she not? God Faramir, you believe yourself to be detestable, with the way you're acting." She walked towards him and put her hands on his forearms. "You are a great man Faramir. Even if I had not known you my entire life I would have seen it in a glance."
He looked deep into her eyes and she looked back. There was a true friendship in the relationship they shared. He pulled her into his arms and embraced her. He hugged her close and shared the special moment together.
"Ah, Aranee. You are so very dear to me. Is there any hope that you could be as happy as I?"
"What makes you think I am not happy?"
"From the way you are alone. From the way you look at the people around you and then look away. You are not happy being the Lady of the Mountain, Nee. Why do you not tell Aragorn?"
Her eyes popped open and she pulled away from him in haste. "Tell him? How can I?"
He raised an eyebrow and said, "By simply talking to him. He needs to know. They all need to know who you are."
"They know who I am Faramir. They need not know the rest." She turned and walked away from him. Her head was whirling with nervousness. Faramir was right, but she could not begin to conceive how Aragorn would take the news.
"You fear how he will react then Nee?" Faramir said, as if reading her mind. "He will react stunned and upset at first, not thinking it possible. But he will come to see the similarities between you and himself. You must tell him you are his sister."
She gasped at his bluntness and spun to face him. She was sure he knew, but she never thought he would admit it. "How can you say that? He won't believe me. He will never be able to come to terms with the fact. How can I tell him?"
"God, Aranee, I just told you how. Weren't you listening? I'll tell him even if you won't."
"You wouldn't dare? He won't believe you anymore than he will me. Faramir, can't you just let it be? If I tell him I tell him, if I don't I don't. Please just keep quiet." She pleaded with him to make him stay quiet. If anything she wanted to tell Aragorn herself, but she didn't know if there was ever going to be a time.
"Fine, fine. I'll stay as silent as the grave. But you know my thoughts on the matter. You have to tell him eventually." He went forward and put his hand on her chin, making her look at him. "You know how I feel about it."
She touched his hand with hers and melted towards his body. She loved him so dearly, and even though he didn't like the way she acted sometimes, he let it slide, and loved her still. "Thank you Faramir."
She stood in his arms for mere minutes when suddenly she went stiff. She raised her head from his shoulder and looked around tensely.
Faramir knew that look and looked where she looked, "What's happened?"
She let go of his arms and darted for the door, "Someone's been hurt."
Lifting the boulder had been a great task for Éomer and Legolas. They had thought that they could lift it into place without any help. They tugged and tugged on the rope, which was attached to the boulder on the other end. It hadn't really worked out that way though.
They levered it off the ground and then it was in the air. When it was almost at the ledge they had aimed for, the rope started to stretch. It stretched right near where Legolas was holding on. He saw this and tried to grab the length just ahead of the stretch, but as soon as he let one hand off the rope to reach for it, it slipped from Éomer's grasp. From the angle of the boulder, it was directly above them. When Éomer saw it fall he leapt out of the way, but Legolas wasn't fast enough. It came down, just as he was about to get out of the way. Instead it knocked him down at the waist and crushed his legs.
He cried out in agony and Éomer was screaming for help. Legolas' vision started to blur when a whoosh of air hit him in the face. It was from a skirt that was now directly in front of him.
"Try and move the boulder off him," Aranee said to the guards that had accompanied her and Faramir down. "We have to free his legs."
There was an immediate shuffle of feet and in less that a minute, the weight on his legs was lifted. Aranee grabbed his underarms and heaved him from under the hovering boulder. She set him back down and turned him on his back. He looked up into her face and she smiled, "Stay with me Legolas. Ignore the pain and keep consciousness."
"WHAT HAPPENED?"
Aranee whirled her head and saw Aragorn and Arwen coming rushing towards them. "Calm Aragorn. It was just an accident." Aranee tried to warn her king, but he was still frantic.
"Get out of the way," he ordered, shoving her to the side. "Legolas, Legolas, can you hear me?"
Legolas nodded his head and Aragorn sighed in relief.
Aranee shifted to her feet again and coughed to get his attention. When Aragorn looked at her she smiled sarcastically, "Aragorn, will you kindly step aside it let me heal Legolas. He may be your best friend, but I am the best healer around. So," she then changed the tone of her voice to harsh and very firm and said, "MOVE!"
Aragorn was up on his feet in the blink of an eye, but not because she had told him to. Now he knew it wasn't in him to yell at a woman, let alone a healer, and it wasn't that he wanted to be a harsh king, but it was a simple reaction what he did next. "You cannot tell me to 'move'. He is my friend and my powers of healing are just as strong as yours are. So if you'll excuse me, I'm the king and he's my best friend, so you will have nothing to do with healing him."
Aranee's mouth dropped open in surprise. No one had ever told a healer that she was not able to heal the wounded. She was the best healer around, save Ninia, who was at present taking an extended vacation after the wartimes. True he was a king and the king's healing powers were supposed to very prevail above all others, but still. She had been the healer of Gondor for most of her life, and now, as soon as the king comes along, she is cast aside.
Until then, she had not noticed those around her, whose mouths were also gaping open. They too were stunned at the king's behavior.
"Aragorn," Aranee said firmly, "Might I remind you that you wished to thank me before on my superior healing skills. You were very sincere when you 'commended me on my extremely talented skills of mending.' Or have you forgotten your words already?"
Aragorn's eyes narrowed on the young woman in front of him. He was about to give her a piece of his mind when Arwen placed her hand on his arm. In elven she said, "Let it go Aragorn. She is wise. Let her heal Legolas."
He replied, also in elven, "Very well, my love." He then turned back to Aranee and bowed his head in acknowledgement, though looking somewhat distressed at the idea, "Very well my lady, you may heal him, but I will always be by his side."
"If you wish it," Aranee replied. She then nodded her thanks to Arwen for getting Aragorn to concede to let her heal Legolas.
It hadn't taken long for Aranee to heal Legolas' legs. There was only one that needed to be splinted so that the healing would be allowed to take. With the splint on Legolas felt rather useless. He could still walk, but he needed a walking stick and someone at his side at all times. Aragorn had stubbornly taken that responsibility. But Legolas, who was just as stubborn as Aragorn, had insisted to his friend that he needed to set to work once more. He said that it wouldn't do any good for the king to be sitting on his ass as the city went up around him.
Aranee had taken to hiding in various places, a thing she'd done when she was younger, and only Faramir knew how to find her. She avoided Aragorn, coming to visit Legolas only when she knew Aragorn was at dinner, in his chambers or otherwise occupied. He had bothered her beyond recognition and another outburst was something that Aranee had no wish to provoke.
About a week after healing the elf, Aranee went to see him. She had always liked elves, no matter how the Lord Denethor despised them and made his people fear their kind. It was a fascination she couldn't help.
She knocked on the strong wooden door and heard a voice from within. She inched the door open to see Legolas sitting at the window seat, looking out over the city. He looked back at her and had a surprised look on his face. "Oh," he said, "I thought you were Aragorn."
Aranee winced at the name but then shoved the thought aside. She didn't think very much of the king right now for all his fussiness. "No, I'm not. Are you disappointed?"
"Not in the least," he replied, smiling at her. "I am quite pleased to see that it is you, and not Aragorn. He is getting to be quite bothersome." She knew the feeling.
Aranee went over to him and looked at the splint he had rested in front of him and the walking stick beside his shoulder. "Are you in pain?" she asked, referring to his left leg.
"Not anymore," he said, looking up into her soft eyes. "Your hands work wonders. How is it that you came to be a healer?"
Aranee smiled. "Faramir broke his collar bone one day when we were young. We had gone up the mountain and he slipped on a loose rock and fell to a ledge. I climbed down carefully and I couldn't leave him by himself there. I just did what I learned from Ninia, the old healer here, and pushed the collar gently till I heard a small snap back into place. By then Faramir had passed out so he couldn't feel anything. Lucky too, for he would have found it truly painful had he been awake. Ever since then I've wanted to be a healer, and trained hard to get where I am today."
Legolas nodded in understanding, "Tis an honorable profession Aranee. Truly admirable for those many lives you have saved."
Thinking of the many times when she'd lost the battle with a life, she shrugged, "And a great many lives that I have lost. I do what I can with the agents of healing that I am given."
"You're too modest, my lady."
"Not in the slightest," Aranee smiled. "I've given to speaking the truth and no lies. Not but one."
"One?" Legolas asked, his brow quizzical.
"One secret I suppose. It's not that I haven't told the truth, it's that no one's really asked, and I do not feel the need to tell them." She didn't know why she was telling this to Legolas. She knew it would only increase suspicion on his part. She might even confess and then where would she be? He would be forced to keep a secret from his best friend, should she so wish it.
"I do not understand," Legolas said finally, "but I can tell you do not want to tell me. There is something in your eyes that makes me believe it is something for you to tell and not for me to know, correct?"
She nodded slightly before turning her attention to his left leg. "Does it hurt when I do this?" she asked as she prodded and massaged his bare kneecap.
He shook his head, "No, I can't feel a thing."
She frowned, "Oh, that's weird."
He shrugged, "Not really. I put some of the leftover herbs on it this morning before you came so that I wouldn't be able to feel it. It's healing but the pain is still there."
"Oh, okay then," she said, her hands retreating. "It should be better in about seven days time, and I'll bring more of the cacao for the kneecap. It must have been what took the brunt of the break. Don't worry about it however. You'll be back to your old self soon enough."
"I'm glad to hear that," Legolas returned. "Perhaps Aragorn will stop nagging me like an old woman then, when I'm useful once again."
"I agree, quite frankly. He's being most uncharacteristic, especially for a new king. He has much more to occupy his time than Lord Denethor ever had, that is for sure, and yet he seems fit to sit by you day in and day out as if he'll see you heal immediately. He is strange."
"You talk about him as if you know him well. 'Uncharacteristic' is a term used mostly when you know the person's character well. How is it that you can use it so candidly?"
Aranee shrugged off the notion. Legolas was right, however she wasn't about to admit it. "I've just seen my fair share of royalty, that is all."
Legolas nodded, "Very well, keep your secrets." He winked at her.
She chuckled, "I'm going to go mix up some more cacao now. Stay put, don't move and I'll be back later for another dosage."
He didn't reply to her command, but instead turned his head out the window to look down at the White City. It sparkled in the noonday sun, sending a blinding light high into the air above the mountain. He smiled at the small glorious pleasure he was receiving.
Aranee noticed his placid face when looking out over the city and said, "You miss your home, don't you?"
He did not turn to look at her but simply nodded his head, "Yes."
Aranee knew that the elf no longer needed her assistance, therefore left him in peace to dwell in his own thoughts. She left, shutting the door behind her before coming face to face with Éomer.
