Title: A Time Forgotten

Summary: Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli take Eldarion down the path of the fellowship to teach him of sacrifices made and things forgotten.

Disclaimer: I do not own them, a pity

A/N: This is an AU fourth age fic, the times to get to many places may not be exact.

Chapter 29

They could hear the others long before they got there. They were laughing and Gimli was grumbling about not going into the water.

"It is freezing cold out there. Have you elves lost your mind, you will catch your deaths in that water."

"You forget Master dwarf that elves do not feel the elements as you and I do," Aragorn said coming up behind Gimli, making him jump just a bit.

"Well, I am no elf, and I shall not be entering that water, and neither should you," he said as he watched Aragorn strip down to his leggings.

"The water although very cold is refreshing. A small dip in the water and then some dry clothing will make your skin feel alive again."

"Have you lost all your senses Aragorn. You will be sick come morning, and I will not be the one waiting for you on our journey as you heave the contents of your stomach up over a bush."

Eldarion laughed out loud but then ran straight towards the edge of the lake and jumped in, splashing Legolas as he did. When he came up his arms were covered in goose bumps, but he only felt slightly cold.

"Do you see, your son flailing about in there. You all without good sense. I shall be waiting here till you regain them and come back out."

"Are you not going in the water?"

Gimli scoffed, "and have Eldarion steal my clothes again? I think not."

Aragorn's face grew almost sinister as an idea came to his mind.

"Well, Gimli son of Gloin if you will not come out of your clothes then you shall have to join us clothes and all," and with that Aragorn picked up the struggling dwarf and threw him over the edge, right into the lake.

Gimli came up sputtering, claiming death to Aragorn and all of his kin.

"Come Gimli, is the water not refreshing?" Legolas asked.

Gimli could not deny although it was freezing cold the water still felt rather good. He nodded that it did indeed feel good but when Legolas turned his head, Gimli dunked him under.

"Look at my hair!" Legolas shouted.

Everyone else burst out laughing for it was long known that Legolas did not like to have his hair messed with and those that did could expect some kind of revenge.

Each of them swam around until Elladan looked over at Aragorn and noticed his lips were starting to turn a pale shade of blue.

"Estel why do you not get out and start a fire so that we may warm ourselves by it." he suggested, knowing his brother would not get out otherwise.

Estel knew what his brother was doing and swam over to the side and walked out of the water. His brother had thought of everything and had spare tunics sitting on the blanket for each of them. Aragorn grabbed one and pulled his wet one off, hanging it over one of the nearby branches to dry.

The twins an Eldarion soon came out and Legolas helped Gimli up the side of the small embankment. The first thing Gimli did was take his boots off and pour the water from them.

"You know you could have let me take these off before tossing me in Aragorn."

"Forgive me Gimli. If you will hand them to me I will sit them by the fire in hopes that they will dry by morning."

Gimli handed Aragorn his boots an Aragorn hung them upside down on the branch so that the water could drain out and the fire could dry them. Everyone else had changed into a dry tunic but Gimli still sat in his wet clothing.

"I brought you a tunic as well Master dwarf," Elladan claimed. "It is not your usual clothing, but it is dry and warm, and you look a bit chilly."

Gimli took the offered tunic and went behind the tree to change, but when he came back around, Elladan burst out laughing.

"It seems to be a bit big for you, but you will manage I think."

Gimli hoisted up the tunic which was down to his knees and sat down on the blanket.

"Just be silent and let me get warm. I still think you elves have lost all sanity, and you Aragorn for going along with them."

There were no more words as each of them tried to get warm by the fire. Next to them the dew on the grass looked like crystals, from the small droplets turning to form ice.

The smell of the roasted chicken had them all turning their gaze back to the blanket though. Elladan pulled out enough food to feed half of Imladris. There were yams, and beans, and even more corn smothered in butter. Elladan next pulled out a melon sliced up into many pieces and a basket of fresh baked bread, but when he pulled out the blueberry pie Eldarion squealed.

"What in Valar's name was that noise that just came from your son?" Elrohir exclaimed.

"We do not know, but I have an idea it came from his mother. Never have I made or heard such a noise."

No one else had time for any words as all mouths were full of food. Gimli had taken two ears of corn and was smothering them in butter, the niblets from the corn finding a home in his beard.

Eldarion cleared his plate, and asked for a piece of pie. Elladan sliced him a rather large piece and Eldarion made quick work of it, burping when the last bite entered his mouth.

"Pardon me," he said covering his mouth.

"Better from the lips than to let one rip," Gimli stated, rising his buttocks from the blanket.

Legolas caught him by his shoulder and slammed him back down on the blanket.

"If you so much as dare even think about it dwarf, you will wish the balrog had taken you in those mines. I will not have this beautiful lunch tainted by your obnoxious odors."

Gimli looked properly chastised, and everyone else finished their meal, not talking again as they were too busy eating.

"That was a fine meal, one that I will miss once we leave here tomorrow," Aragorn said, laying down on the blanket.

"We shall be saddened to see you go gwador nin, but we will force a promise out of you to visit again soon."

"Aye, now that I have returned the call of home will haunt me until I come back for a visit."

"Let us go back to the house and freshen up. Perhaps a small nap is in order," Legolas said stretching.

"I believe Eldarion had already taken you up on that offer," Aragorn said, pointing to Eldarion who was curled up on the blanket fast asleep.

Elladan picked up the blanket and Elrohir followed with the basket of leftover food. Legolas grabbed his tunic and the others off the trees, while Aragorn carried Eldarion back to the house.

Once inside they each went off to their separate rooms. Aragorn laid Eldarion down on his bed, and covered him up, pulling the blankets to his chin, but he could not bring himself to leave. Laying down beside him he wrapped his arm across his son and fell asleep.

All of them slept through dinner and did not waken until a few hours after the setting of the sun. Erestor called them down to the Hall of Fire were a table was laid out, and many plates of food sat upon it. Each person grabbed a plate and took a seat around the room. While they ate they were entertained by singing and dancing, and they spent the night enjoying the hospitality of Imladris and the elves that dwelled there.

Loving all of the dancing but quite tired from the early morning that they had.

"We have to get an early start out tomorrow so I bid you all a goodnight," Aragorn said.

Taking Eldarion he walked down the hall towards their room, but Eldarion stopped by the picture of Isildur. He looked at it his eyes wandering over the fallen man.

"I see the picture also draws you to it like I once was. This is about the fall of Isildur and how he defeated Sauron only to fall to the power of the ring."

Eldarion stared at the picture. It somehow haunted him, pricking at something inside him, but he could not guess at what. Shrugging the feeling off, he turned to see a statue but nothing lay on the satin cloth atop it.

"Once the broken shards of Narsil lay there," he explained.

Eldarion turned around and smiled then. "Now they have been reforged right Ada? You carry that sword now." Eldarion said, beaming with pride.

Aragorn pulled his son into a hug, "Aye, I carry that sword now. A decision I came by with much thought. Come it is time for bed, we leave early tomorrow to head for The Shire."

Eldarion did not want to leave Imladris he liked it here, but he also wanted to meet Merry and Pippin, and even Sam. He was sad that Frodo was gone, and that he would never get to meet the ringbearer but he also knew that Sam carried the ring for a short time too. He would ask him what it was like to carry the most powerful thing in all of Arda."