Been think about this idea for a while now but now I've finally got enough of it written down. If all goes to plan, this fic should be updated every Friday. As you probably expected, I don't own any rights to LOTR or any of the characters. Enjoy!
Arwen knew she was letting her mind get away from her. And yet, she couldn't shake the looming sense of fear everywhere she went. She told herself it was simply because of what had found itself into Rivendell- the One Ring. But this felt different; more personal than the pull they all felt from the Ring. She had tried to ignore it, but it was always in the back of her mind, taunting her. So, she had decided to try and figure out what it was. But only when she found out the reason for her fear did she wish she had never tried looking for it at all.
It all began when Aragon had asked her to meet him in an area of the forest on the edge of her father's kingdom. She had managed to sneak away unseen and had arrived to see Aragon standing by a tree, looking pensive.
"My love?" Arwen spoke to announce her presence. Aragon lifted his head and greeted her with a weak smile but said nothing.
"Something troubles you," Arwen said more as a statement than a question and instantly, Aragon's attempt at a smile slid from his lips; he should have known he wouldn't be able to hide his distress from her. But how could he tell her the truth, after all that they had been through together? How could he tell her how he had betrayed her trust, night after night? Arwen walked over to Aragon's side upon seeing the growing conflict of emotion in his eyes. Gently, she took his hands in her own and intertwined their fingers.
"You are not the only one concerned about the arrival of the One Ring in this place- our home," Arwen reassured him and he gave her another sad smile; he only wished that was all that he feared.
"The Ring will be leaving soon, and myself with it," Aragon told her and Arwen found herself recoiling slightly in shock.
"What do you mean?" Arwen questioned, confused by Aragon's statement.
"A Fellowship has formed with the purpose of destroying the Ring. I am unsure whether I will return," Aragon spoke calmly.
"I don't understand," Arwen's voice cracked, her eyes welling with tears. Silently, Aragon pulled away from her. For a moment, he simply stood and watched as a single tear rolled down Arwen's cheek. Then he turned and walked further into the forest, out of Arwen's sight. Speechless, Arwen stared at the space in which he had been standing. Only when she looked down did she realised Aragon had placed something in her hands. As she looked at it more closely, her heart momentarily stopped. In her hands lay the Even Star, shining as brightly as ever. Why had he returned this to her? Did her love truly mean so little that he could give and take it as he pleased? No, Arwen decided as her fingers closed around the pendant, there had to be something more behind all of this. The idea of going after Aragon and into the forest briefly crossed her mind but she quickly dismissed it; the forest was large and dense, she would never find him. So, she turned back and walked towards her father's palace.
Day rolled into night as the sun set on the eve of the departure of the Fellowship. Unable to sleep, Arwen had decided to take a walk around her father's palace with the eternal light of the stars to guide her. Apart from a few select night guards posted around the palace, everything was silent and empty as Arwen wandered aimlessly down the moonlit corridors. But then a sudden flash of light in her otherwise dark surroundings caught her eye. She turned around and found that the light was spilling through the gap under a closed door. The light seemed to move and flicker, suggesting that it was coming from a single candle that had been lit inside the room. Arwen frowned to herself, wondering who else would be awake at such a late hour. Curiously, she approached the door as quietly as she could to prevent alerting the occupants of her presence. Once she got closer, she could hear voices from inside but struggled to make out exactly what they were saying. Glancing back over her shoulder to make sure no one would see her, she pressed her ear against the door.
"-couldn't tell her," a voice Arwen instantly recognised as Aragon's spoke. She frowned to herself- these were not Aragon's chambers, so what was he doing out here?
"So, she still doesn't know?" another voice Arwen knew replied- the elf Legolas. What was Aragon doing with him at such a late hour? She knew that the two of them were part of the so-called Fellowship of the Ring. Maybe they were discussing the journey ahead of them? But, from the tone of their voices, Arwen had a feeling there was something more to this late night meeting that it may have first seemed. Staying as still and as quiet as possible, she continued to listen to their exchange.
"I couldn't betray her trust like that," Aragon spoke with such shame in his voice that Arwen's heart constricted in her chest. All she wanted to do was run inside and comfort him. But she knew that she couldn't.
"It isn't your fault," Legolas reassured Aragon who sighed in response.
"I loved her, Legolas. And I still do. But I know who my heart truly belongs to,"
Arwen frowned at hearing Aragon's words. Surely they couldn't be talking about her, could they? Despite what her mind told her, her heart demanded that the questions she had needed to be answered. Holding her breath, Arwen placed her hand on the door handle. Instinctively, she stared down at her feet as she forced herself to push the door open.
For a moment, there was nothing but still silence. Somewhere, a distant hope flickered inside Arwen that Aragon and Legolas hadn't seen her and she could undo the mistake she had just made. But as she looked up, she knew there was no way to erase or go back and her heart shattered into dust at the sight that befell her eyes. There lay Aragon on the bed in front of her, his arm draped over Legolas' waist with their bare legs intertwined and their faces only inches from each other. The light of a single candle shone in Aragon's eyes as he gazed at Legolas and, for the smallest moment, Arwen saw something in his expression that she would never forget; she saw true, undivided love. But the spell was quickly broken as both ranger and elf looked up at her with shock in their eyes. Legolas instantly leapt away from Aragon's embrace and tried to compose himself even though everyone in the room knew it was already far too late.
"Arwen," Aragon stood up quickly, reaching out his hand as though to comfort her. That was when Arwen could finally break free of the silence she had been chained to.
"Do not come any closer, Aragon. I can see the truth now; there is no way to hide it any longer," Arwen spoke with a dark and dangerous voice. Silently, she removed the Even Star from around her neck and tossed it carelessly onto the bed. After a pause, Aragon cautiously leant forward and picked it up. Arwen watched him in silence before turning and leaving the room.
"My love..." Aragon called after her as she stepped out into the night. Arwen stopped but Aragon did not approach her.
"You lost all right to call me such a thing as soon as you chose to share your bed, and your heart, with another," Arwen said without turning back. A moment of silence passed between them before Arwen began walking again and disappeared into the darkness.