Thank you to Kaisaan Greenleaf for being my sole reviewer. I am now creating a new rule, if you want to Story Alert this PLEASE review as well.
Sorry this chapter took a while but it's extra long to make up for it.
NB The entire of the (english) discussion; from "Elrond replied in the same tongue" to the end of that section, is actually spoken in Sindarin but it would have taken to long and been to bothersome to write out then re-translate. These rendered conversations will pop up through the story and I will attach a note saying so at the head of any appropriate chapter
Three days later Elrond topped a rise and smiled, at the command "Daro" Suldal stopped dead. There in front of them rose the mountain of Mindolluin, attached to it, the city Minas Anor; Capital of Gondor and home of his mortal kin. He reached down and patted Suldal's neck lightly "This is it mellon nin, our new home" the mare's ears went forward at the mention of home, he chuckled; no doubt she was linking it to stable and groom and (most importantly to her) food.
As they rode up through the city streets Elrond was free to marvel at the change that had occurred since he'd last been in the city. Every house had a garden, most overflowing with bushes and trees. Children laughed and waved as he passed, climbing up the tall trees that sat in every gate square. The gates themselves were mithril and walls had been repaired with the best stone.
Yet grandest of all was the sight of the White Tree, standing tall and laden with blossom. Proclaiming without doubt that the true king of Gondor was alive and ruling
"My lord?" the young stable boy stepped up to his side as he dismounted
"This mare has borne me a long way, take her and feed her well... the best you have." Still looking down at the youngster, despite having dismounted, he continued "She is an Elven horse and also half meara, if you want her to do anything a polite request should suffice" After handing the boy the reins he suddenly spun around and took hold of the bridle's cheek pieces, locking the mare's eyes with his own, "Avo deilio"
When Suldal made to lower her head in submission he released her and turned away to find another boy, this one dressed as a page, on his other side.
"Do you wish to be taken to the king my lord?" the voice was quiet and respectful
Elrond nodded, once again mentally reminding himself to speak the common tongue "I do".
He followed the boy through a labyrinth of passages and corridors that was the main building in the Citadel. Guards posed no questions and bowed deeply when they saw him, courtiers doing the same. Finally the page stopped at a fairly plain wooden door and knocked twice.
"Come in" Aragorn's warm voice came from the other side, the boy opened the door and stepped in
"An important visitor for you, Your Majesties"
Leaning to peep around the door Elrond saw his adoptive son smile
"Thank you Bergil, send him in and you may go"
The boy bowed and Elrond ducked back to his former place just before the page, Bergil he mentally amended, returned. Instead of coming forward this time Bergil stood back from the entry and ushered him into the room before closing the door behind.
Aragorn stared as their visitor entered. Automatically he stood and bowed in Elven fashion "Hîr Elrond, Govannen hí na 'lass"
Elrond replied in the same tongue "Sit down Aragorn, I should bow to you" The king obeyed but also shook his proud head "No... never bow to me"
"Father!" the delight in Arwen's voice was undisguised, Elrond accepted her embrace and returned it firmly
"Undómiel" When she released him he stepped back slightly, then took the offered seat at the table in the centre of the room. Now he had time to look around he realised that this was probably part of the private quarters. It was a small room, on one side two deep windows looked out over the city. In the other walls there were doors, the one he'd come through and two on each of the others which no doubt led to the ante-chambers of the bedrooms.
Aragorn noticed the look in his father-in-law's eyes as he quickly surveyed the entire room. To prevent himself from panicking he cut a fair sized slice off the loaf of fruit-bread that sat in the centre of the table, put it on a plate, buttered it and then pushed it into Elrond's hand.
"Thank you" The elf lord lifted the plate off the table and took a bite of the bread. He nodded in appreciation "This is good, very good"
Aragorn gave a relieved smile, glancing at Arwen he saw she was doing the same, like him having read in that comment an appreciation for their living quarters. Elrond finished his bread and sat back, letting them pick the time to speak. Arwen went first
"I didn't expect to see you Father we..." she had trailed off with a choking noise. Aragorn finished the sentence
"We thought you had sailed to the west with Galadriel and the others."
Elrond lent back in his chair and placed his hands on the arms, slowly letting his fingers curl around the carved wood, delaying the time when he would have to tell his story. A gentle cough from Aragorn finally indicated that he could put it off no longer.
"I nearly did sail... but before I stepped aboard the boat a flash of foresight came. What it showed made me realise that I still had a life to live here on Arda" he raised his eyes away from their study of the carvings and held Arwen's gaze for a long moment, trying to work out if she had told Aragorn of exactly what she had seen. The tiny shake of her head provided his answer.
"Hypocrite" it should have stung but the warm love behind it removed all hurt "And you were so cross with me for turning back." He glanced back at his daughter to see her grey eyes dancing with laughter.
"Truce?" he held out a hand but Aragorn spoke before she could answer
"Where is Vilya?"
Elrond looked at him "Haldir took it across the sea, with instructions to give it to Celebrían..." Arwen made a strange sound, something between a cough and a giggle. "Are you alright Undómiel?"
She nodded but still replied in Quenya "Nalyë indolóra atar? Ammë nehtuvas"
Elrond grimaced slightly and looked to the ceiling as he spoke "Áni apsenë Haldir"
Aragorn frowned, he knew very little Quenya and couldn't even grasp the gist of his adoptive fathers reply, much less his wife's first comment, though it had obviously caused some problem for Elrond.
"What did you say?"
The elf lord looked at him "It doesn't matter Aragorn, just something I should have remembered earlier" he smiled slightly "The city looks much better than it did last time I came, more like the Minas Anor of old."
The king noticed the tactful subject change and followed it "People are beginning to use that name again, now that Mordor is beaten there is little to guard against..."
"And perhaps also because the return of the king has allowed a new sun to rise" Elrond watched as Aragorn dropped his head, something that looked suspiciously like a blush creeping over his cheeks. "Or were you being modest enough not to mention that part?"
"Atar!" a partially enraged exclamation came from Arwen, Elrond gave up on his teasing and laughed at the looks on their faces. Gradually they understood and also joined in.
They talked for hours, the sun passing across the sky out of sight. Only when it began to light the room with the golden light of evening did Elrond stir away from conversation
"Annûn" He stood up "I should like to see it from this view... as I did once before"
Aragorn also rose "Ben iest lîn, tolo na nin"
He led Elrond to the top of the Tower of Ecthelion, where a balcony looked southward and also provided clear veiws of the West and East.
"Alae" The elf-lord gazed into the distance, looking at something only he could see "You have cast down Minas Morgul and Barad-dur fell when the ring was destroyed... There is nothing left of the old Mordor" as the last rays sank to ground level he turned and faced Aragorn "Except the evil bled into its stones"
"That will take many years to vanish Hîr"
Elrond nodded to concede the truth in the statement, then walked away from the balustrade and back to the tower "Boe i poston, lend and o Mithlond. Sevin dhâf ledhed Âr nin?"
Aragorn nodded "Sevig dhâf ledhed. Elrond..." The elf turned back in the door way to look at him, suddenly seeing tears brimming in the man's eyes "Avo esto nin 'Âr'. Ci adar nîn an-uir"
"Henion Aragorn"
As he went down the stairs to the chambers that he had been given Elrond thought hard about his actions. He had been wrong to address Aragorn so formally and it had obviously hurt him that he did so.
Of course it would hurt said a voice inside his head that sounded suspiciously like Gil-Galad You're the only father he's known for almost all his life and you treated him like your own son... then you suddenly go all formal because he's finally gained his birthright.
He opened the door and walked through the anteroom into the main sleeping chamber before sitting on the bed. He shook his head slowly, unable to voice the feelings he held inside save through a sigh.
Translations (Sindarin)
Avo deilio= Don't play games
Govannen hí na 'lass= You are welcome here
Annûn= West/Sunset
Ben iest lîn, tolo na nin= As you wish, come with me
Alae= Behold
Boe i poston, lend and o Mithlond. Sevin dhâf ledhed Âr nin?= I need to rest,it was a long journey from Grey Havens. May I go, my king?
Sevig dhâf ledhed= You may go
Avo esto nin 'Âr'. Ci adar nîn an-uir= Don't call me "King". Forever you are my father.
Henion= I understand
Translations (Quenya)
Nalyë indolóra atar? Ammë nehtuvas= Are you insane Father?Mother will kill him
Áni apsenë Haldir= Forgive me Haldir
Atar= Father
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