This is a slight AU of my other story. What if Glorfindel had been thought dead for much longer than three years, what if he was still thought dead when Aragorn came to live in Rivendell? Now then at the time of the story Aragorn is only just coming of age and joining the Rangers, he's heard the story of Glorfindel many times while growing up but doesn't fully understand the depth of grief the house has gone through never having been given closure. However he himself will be the source of closure though he doesn't know it. And any Sindarin and Quenya spoken will be in asterisks, and just like with the other story I shall use Imladris and Rivendell interchangeably. Also there is no amnesia regarding Sindarin though he does still (temporarily) forget his name
Aragorn sighed and knew it had been heard when he suddenly hears a question in Sindarin
*What is it Estel?*
*Even though I've been raised here there's just something I still don't understand 'Dan*
*What is it that you don't understand?*
*If he was such a great Captain and so important to you and our father why hasn't anyone looked for Glorfindel in all these years? I have grown up hearing stories about him but never anything about any searches done so that you could finally have closure regarding his death*
Elladan suddenly switches to the Common tongue
"Oh Estel...we have done many searches over the years, not just Imladris but Lothlorien and Mirkwood have searched for him themselves over the years and yet we find nothing even now. As it is we are in regular contact regarding the search and Legolas was here just six months ago stating that yet again Mirkwood's searches have failed and they've asked Dale and Erebor for help and you know the hatred between Elves and Dwarves, especially between Mirkwood and Erebor"
"Do you think you'll ever find the answers?"
"By now...no we don't believe so, though we'll never give up hope on doing so that hope dims more and more every day, especially as times have grown darker"
"I see...I leave for the Rangers tomorrow by the way"
"At least...at least you've been here for the memorial feast as always, the last memorial feast I think"
"Are you sure, after all I thought father..."
"It's time Estel...we have been doing this for too long our souls are weary and the pain gets more sharp every year"
"Does father know your thoughts on this?"
"Actually he and Erestor are the ones who have mentioned this more than once during the upcoming preparations for this feast, we have never held it on the actual day we lost him because that would hurt even more but...even holding it today hurts father immensly because of what today represents to him"
"I see...I must prepare for tomorrow"
"True, I'll tell Elrohir and father about you deciding not to winter here as originally planned"
"Winter is still some time off so I may yet winter here as planned but...I need to leave for now"
"I know"
The next day before dawn saw Aragorn leaving Imladris for a long patrol with the Rangers since he was only just truly beginning to learn of his birthright and as such had much to learn about being Chieftain of the Dunedain though because he was still relatively young and new to his role the Rangers had decided to take things slowly until he was told the full truth of his birthright. Even then the Rangers knew that he would return home regularly, but for now they were all agreed that he would be gone no longer than six months this time around if it could be helped (it ultimately couldn't be helped that he would be gone almost a year) and thus home in time for winter. Five months later Aragorn's patrol was nearing his end and he would in fact be heading back to Rivendell the next morning
"So, tomorrow you head back to Rivendell for a time"
"Yes, it will be nice to get some rest plus...I have some things I need to learn from Lord Elrond regarding healing that I never realized I had yet to be taught"
"That may not have entirely been Lord Elrond's fault, it could be that he was going to teach you soon but you left before he could"
"That's true, I did leave sooner than originally planned after all"
"Well for today we wait on the scout's report and then get ready to head back to Rivendell"
"Look...I know that the plan is I'm back in Rivendell by the time it's been six months but if need be am I allowed to stay longer?"
"That I don't know"
"Fair enough"
Suddenly the scout they had sent ahead in a direction that they had yet to do a quick check on came back and it was obvious between his speed and his body posture as he walked over to the rest of the group that he didn't have necessarily good news
"What is it Halladorn?"
"I need you and everyone you can spare to come with me Halbarath, I found a camp of maurauders and...I think they have a prisoner"
"How far?"
"At least half a day's ride"
"Let's go then"
And so the group was lead back to the camp that the scout had discovered and had managed to get closer than the scout had originally and that's when Halbarath spoke up
"You're right Halladorn, there is a prisoner"
Suddenly Aragorn speaks up and deliberately speaks in Sindarin knowing that everyone could understand him
*Shall we attack during nightfall or not? I also wonder about what we should do regarding their prisoner*
*That will be determined once we know more about them*
*Very well, and depending on their condition...*
*I know, depending on their condition it will be kinder to kill them then to heal them, despite that being against your healer instincts*
*True but...I have seen Lord Elrond do so in the past, it is a peaceful passing though, they simply...they simply go to sleep and never wake up again*
*Do you have the supplies needed to do so?*
*Yes, Lord Elrond insisted as soon as I started joining the patrols*
*Very well*
Once things were ready the group took care of the marauders and once that was done it was discovered that the prisoner was an elf, one who was very much unconscious and potentially already dead. Finally after several agonizing moments Halbarath speaks up again
*What's the status Estel?*
*He's alive but dangerously close to death, he'll never make the journey to Imladris*
*I see*
*How far away are we from a Ranger encampment?*
*At least a week with favorable conditions, longer without*
*We're going to have to try and make the journey within a week, even less if at all possible*
*Understood, but don't be too surprised if it doesn't happen*
*I know, hopefully I don't lose my patient*
*So you've done everything you can for him out here then?*
*Yes*
*Then we move as soon as we're finished here and rest only at need, that ways we might make it to the encampment earlier than a week, and...with your patient still alive*
Miraculously the group did indeed make it to the encampment in only five days and their unknown elf was also still alive, though they had definitely had a few close calls during the trip and the guards were the first to meet the group
"What happened Halbarath? I thought you were going to be wintering in Rivendell alongside Estel and the others that come with you...and who is that Estel is holding in front of him?"
"Change in plans Cousin, as for who Estel is holding in front of him...we're not entirely sure, all we know is that it is a seriously injured elf, one near death"
"How close to death?"
"We almost lost him a few times on the way here"
"We have a place for you fortunately, the elf can be treated there and hopefully we can pull them through"
"Agreed"
And so that night began the true fight for the elf's life, a fight that would last for three months with everyone in the encampment believing more than once that they would lose the elf for his breathing had become so shallow at times no one could immediately detect it and there were also times when his heartbeat became so weak that it seemed like it had stopped a few times. Plus there had been three separate times where the unknown elf had begun seizing and then went horribly still afterwords. And though only Aragorn and one other knew it, twice they had actually lost the elf and yet somehow they had managed to bring him back both times. But finally they passed the crises point and one day while Aragorn was simply taking rest through having food he noticed the first true signs of alertness coming to the unknown elf, for while this elf had moved and stirred many times during the long three months of battle never before had his head actually moved towards any actual sound, plus though it was very, very brief the elf's eyes had actually opened ever so slightly, and so Aragorn decided to take a risk and spoke very softly in Sindarin to see if he would get a response