A/N: Thank you to my one reviewer, Falca! You made my day I can tell you. I hope this chapter is just that bit longer than the other ones. So finally we have some dialogue! My sister said I had got the parts right so if they aren't I'm very sorry. Here we go!

Enjoy

The path to True Love never did run smooth

Chapter 4

Aragorn was angry. He had been talking with Elrond all morning and still hadn't gotten a straight answer out of the elf. Elrond refused to tell him why he couldn't marry Arwen without being King of Gondor.

Originally Aragorn had gone to visit his foster father to ask for his council on becoming king. He stated that he (and he was sure the rest of Gondor) would rather that Faramir was king. He knew that Faramir did not have the correct lineage, he had the lineage of steward not king, but Aragorn did want what was best for Gondor and right now he wasn't sure it was him.

He had then asked if Elrond knew if Arwen would be preferred to be married in Rivendell or Gondor. To which Elrond had replied that a marriage would be impossible if he didn't become king. To this Aragorn saw red:

"Do you not care for us? You will kill us with grief if you do not end this snobbery and let us marry! I may be just a ranger but I am Isildur's heir and I do love your daughter with all my existence, whether I be prince or pauper that should be enough"

The room was so quiet you could hear a pin drop and the tension was so thick you could cut it with a butter knife. Aragorn had never spoken to Elrond like that before, in all the time they had known each other.

"That is enough"

"What are you so grieved about Lord Elrond, that I am mortal perhaps? That one day I will die? Do not think I have not thought of it, but I do know, if we do not marry she will fade with grief at our parting even sooner"

"It is not my own choice, it is the law" Lord Elrond looked away, as if he felt he has said too much. Aragorn's anger simmered down slightly, finally he was being given an answer.

"The law?" What law could there possibly be which prevented Aragorn from marrying Arwen.

"You have read the Old Elven Books, Estel?"

"Yes"

"Even the ones about marriage?"

"Yes"

"Then you should be able to guess why she cannot marry you until you become king"

Aragorn sank into a chair and thought, trying to recall every bit of information. Then one thread of fact broke through the realms of memory into the now, and the very thought made him pale, it made him feel betrayed. It made him feel angry.

"She is not..." Aragorm choked out the next words "...already wed?" He tried to recall more, he now remembered the whole entirety of that particular law. She must be in an arranged marriage, a loveless one at that.

She was already married.

He felt rage building up inside of him, though it wasn't the fact she was already married which made him so annoyed. It was the fact that in the whole time he had loved Arwen, no one had mentioned it to him. He felt like a fool.

"I am so sorry" Elrond's apologies were barely heard by Aragorn, he was so worked up. Why hadn't Arwen told him? Had she hoped she coulf just forget it, it was that bad a time for her? Did she think he would be angry? Well now he was, mad at the whole deception. Then there was the question of this other man, though Aragorn suppose that Arwens...husband (he winced at the thought) would be an elf.

Why? Questions revolved around his head, swimming around and around befuddling his senses.

"Why did she marry?" Aragorn asked slowly, trying to shake his head clear.

"To unite two Elven kingdoms, it was my wish and the wish of his father too, who is the king of that realm" King, that would make his son a Prince, Aragorn now understood why Arwen had to wait until he was king, but something was bothering him. Why wouldn't Elrond mention the other kingdoms name?

"What is the name of the other kingdom, Lord Elrond?"

Elrond visibly paled and seemed to mark out all exits before he spoke:

"Mirkwood, Estel"

At this Aragorn lost all sense of coherent thought.

"Legolas" The name, once sweet, was now bitter in his mouth. He felt betrayed by one who had thought to be his friend. Legolas the only son of Thranduil, King of Mirkwood. That was why Legolas seemed so distant whenever Aragorn mentioned Arwen. He wanted to hurt Legolas for marrying Arwen when he could not. With his purpose set, Aragorn strode out of the office.

A/N: He he he, a sort of cliff hanger, I think. So Aragorn knows, do review and tell me what you think.

MissGracieKathy