Aerin led Araiel into the middle of the woods to a secluded cave where he started a small fire. He also handed her a cloak.
"Here ye go, angel. It's going to get cold soon. Wrap up."

She fixed the cloak around her neck and draped it around herself. Aerin soon had a fire roaring, and he took a seat across from her and watched the flames dance across her face. She was even more beautiful than he had seen her in Gondor. She was the first to break the silence.
"Well, will you tell me what is going on?"

"I have a surprise for you first."

"A surprise?"
Aerin let out a shrill whistle which made her jump. And then a small figure appeared at the mouth of the cave. And then she realized what it was. The silver wolf emerged into the cave and approached the fire. She widened her eyes.
"You remember him?"

"It's Celevon! We got lost that one day in the woods. He was only a cub then, but he led us back to your house." The wolf nestled down beside her taking in her familiar scent.

"Well he came back. He and I became friends as ye might say. There was an arrow in his thigh, and I tended to th'wound for weeks. And then he just stayed. I guess he liked the free meat I gave him. Speaking of which…"

Aerin fished into his sack and withdrew a large piece of ham and threw it across the fire to the wolf who instantly devoured it.

"And now it is your turn, Aerin."
"All right, angel, all right. I can see ye're eager. Well, where do I start? After ye left me. Well, ye wrecked me, lass. I loved ye very much."
She focused on the fire as he continued. "I left Gondor. I didn't want to be anywhere near the place of your birth. Felt the only way for me t'cope was t'get away. Well, I went to seek my fortune on the sea. I joined a merchant ship as a midshipman. I did very well, love, and I became rich. I was really good with the ship. However, one day, we were attacked by pirates. I was captured, and they made me their cabin boy while they marooned the others. They saw how good I was on the ship. It took me months to earn their respect. I had to use my fists for most of it."

She glanced at Aerin's hands. They were strong and big showing the months of hard work.

"I became a pirate, luv. I became really good at robbing people. We're thieves but respectable thieves none the less. We never rob from women or from the poor. Only the rich deserve t'suffer at our hands. There are many people throughout the world who put up with the rich never giving them anything, and we do our best t'help them. Skrane is our captain. He was once a slave driver, and he came to know of your journey to Gondor. I have just told him of our background together, and he has agreed not to sell ye. I paid him off of course, but his mouth's finally stopped by a gold coin. Well, lass that's my story. And now it's ye're turn."

She took a deep breath in. "Well, Aerin there's not much to tell. I've been living this past year in Elendriel. I was married a few days after Winter Solstice."
"What's the great city like?"
"It is beautiful and very ornate. The oases surrounds us and…"
"Us?" he looked up. "You mean Hamir."

"Well, he is my husband."
Aerin looked up at her. "Do ye love him, Ari?" she nearly smiled at the familiar name he called her by long ago.
"I do. I learned to love him within the months. He is a good man, Aerin. You would like him."
"Does he make ye laugh?"
She pondered the question. She had loved Aerin in a different way. They had been friends for years. She only began to feel more for him after the day he rescued her from a bear in the woods. She had received her first kiss from him. He was two years older than she was, and he had grown very good looking during the years. He looked even more handsome now. But not in a regal way like the prince. Aerin was rugged, roguish. His hair had paled to a dirty blonde, but those warm brown eyes were still the same.

"No," she finally said in a soft voice, "he doesn't make me laugh."

Aerin stared into her eyes. They were locked within the fire, and he knew she was thinking. He wondered if she still loved him. She had come back into his life like a sudden flame as if by fate. Would he take this opportunity that had been given him? After all, Araiel was rightfully is. It was a cruel twist of destiny that caused her to be ripped from him. And he wanted that connection again more than anything.

"Well, angel, it's getting dark. We should probably make camp here tonight. Celevon will alert us if anythin happens, but I doubt it. Ye should get some sleep."
"Aerin, what are we going to do?"

"What do ye mean?"
"I mean, can I go back to Minas Tirith t'see my family?"
"Oh luv," he let out a chuckle. "I plan to escort ye there myself."
She smiled. "Thank you, Aerin."
"And along the way, I'll teach ye how to use a sword."
"I learned fencing and fighting in Elendriel. I've excelled."
"Well, we'll see tomorrow. Git some sleep, angel."

She gave him a wry smile. "Goodnight, Aerin."
"Goodnight, princess."
He tossed her a pillow from his sack, and she nestled on the floor already warmed from the fire's heat, and Celevon's body remained close keeping her warm throughout the night. However, Aerin remained up and watched her as she slept taking in the sight of her beautiful form.

(I know this was kind of short, but I didn't have enough time to type more, but I wanted to leave you with an explanation)