Chapter 30
A Reunion so Sweet
Author's Note: Well, I guess the muse has struck me this week because I've been working on this story constantly. This was a scene that's been in my mind since I started writing this story and, frankly, I'm excited that I finally made it to this point in the story. We've hit a milestone peeps! Remember, if you like it, hate it, or despise it let me know by review and/or favorite/follow.
January 15th - Evening - Lothlorien - Near the Banks of the Nimrodel - Night
Artemis had elected to leave Caras Galadhorn the day after it was determined that her niece was bound for Mordor and traverse the borders of Lothlorien with Haldir and his brothers. They'd spent two days traveling to said borders in silence. She hadn't been in the mood to enjoy the scenery or do much of anything other than hunt for something to kill - and she really hoped there would be something she could rip apart with her bare hands if able - and Haldir, Rumil and Orophin all had been annoyingly understanding of her attitude. Needless to say, when she saw a group of men enter the borders of Lothlorien, Artemis decided to track them. Haldir, after listening to one of them speak of Lothlorien and the general lore of the area, was convinced that he was of Thranduil's ilk.
Artemis had heard something of King Thranduil of Mirkwood. She knew the elf king was, actually, a king of the elves by virtue of marrying her older sister, Athena, and that their youngest spawn was traveling with the Ring-Bearer. She also knew that sending a very pointed message to her brother-in-law about the fact that his sister-in-law happened to be present in Arda would be absolutely hilarious.
Silently, she listened to the song this Northern Silvan elf sang concerning Nimrodel and Amroth - some local legend she didn't particularly care for - and followed him and the little company of males a little ways from the Nimrodel into the forest. When they stopped under a particular tree and began debating the merits of sleeping in trees, Artemis decided it was her time to pounce. She told Haldir and the other elves to stay low and crept down the high place to the trunk of the tree that the company were looking to nest in for the night.
"Whatever it may be," piped up one of the little men, "they will be marvelous trees, indeed, if they can provide any rest at all. I can't sleep on a perch."
"Then dig a hole in the ground," quipped the one Artemis knew to be the elf, "but if that is your aim, you must dig swift, indeed."
With that, Artemis stepped around the trunk of the malorn tree and drew her bow to point it directly at the blond elf whom she deemed the greatest threat and said, "No one's digging any hole until I'm provided with everyone's names and ranks. Immediately."
The company tensed and the blond elf turned to face her. Numb, Artemis dropped her bow and arrow at the sight before her.
"What the hell?" She asked, stunned.
He gaped at her as the swords of his comrades sang from their scabbards. She blinked and shook her head.
"I know you're not father. I watched my dick of an uncle murder him," she muttered directly to him while pointedly ignoring the rest of the men around her.
He narrowed his eyes at her and fingered the sword at his side, "Am I to assume you're one of my aunts."
Artemis fixed him with a glare, "That depends on who's asking."
The blond smiled and replied, "I am Legolas Thrandulion. Which aunt am I addressing?"
She gaped at him for a moment and took in his grey eyes. They were her father's eyes, her sister's eyes, and hers and Apollo's eyes - the eyes of the House of Turthin. In that moment, she broke his gaze and cast a quick glance at the rest of the company. One dwarf, two men, and four hobbits and the only one missing was the one wizard.
"Which one of you is Srtider?" She asked, remembering what her niece said about revealing the ranger's name in unprotected places.
The tall, dark haired human stepped forward cautiously. His sword was trained on her - the suspicious strange elf who clearly wasn't from Lorien - and his dark blue eyes were focused on her with the promise of death should she prove an enemy. A smile crept across her lips at the sight.
"I am the one who calls himself Strider, Lady Elf," he said in the smoothest baritone Artemis had ever heard from a human.
She studied him from head to toe and quickly decided that he wasn't as handsome as the other human in their company. Even so, he had a nice voice and an air of strength even her newly discovered nephew didn't have. Despite the fact that she might approve of him, Artemis wasn't inclined to be anything less than difficult. She sniffed and looked at her nephew, eyebrow raised.
"I suppose he'd do for our niece, what do you think?" She asked and then held up a slim finger before her nephew could reply, "And I am your Aunt Artemis ven Turthin, half sister to your mother, Queen Athena ven Turthin, and leader of OLYMPUS."
Their collective shock almost made her break into fits of hysterical laughter.
Almost.
January 17th - Lothorien - Cerin Amroth - Late Morning
She'd spent hours in the thrill of enith gilthaes reaching into the make of the world and searching for a way to best attack the decay around Mordor that would both route it out and repair the rest of the breech. There was no good way to go about the attempt, but Brianna attempted it anyway. She pulled and pulled from her vast repertoire and poked and prodded the decay and the breech. Neither would budge no matter her efforts and she found herself exhausted at the end of it.
As the morning waned, Brianna lay in the grass and rested her eyes and mind. Lothlorien's magic welcomed and comforted her like an old friend and soothed the stress of the many hours' work. Despite entering into such a peaceful rest, Brianna found herself having to meet the dreaded reality of what her current failure might mean. With the peace enabled by the realm's magic, Brianna began sorting through her thoughts on the matter once more.
Aragorn was her destined one. Galadriel's mirror hinted him coming to Lorien with the Fellowship - or so she assumed. The Lady seemed to think it was a certainty, though Brianna wasn't entirely sure how that was. If and when he arrived she would be forced to speak with him of the matter. Everything needed to be revealed to him and she could hold nothing back. Whether she would accompany the Fellowship to Mordor, or go with Boromir and Aragorn to Gondor remained to be seen. Either path led to Mordor, of that much she was certain, and she was inclined to make the trek to Gondor. Not only would she be with Aragorn - an ideal situation for her personal protection - but she would also be away from the One Ring and Frodo. Any distraction she could be for Sauron would be ideal and it would allow Frodo to pass into Mordor and complete his task without Sauron actively looking for him. Brianna would be a more immediate threat and, by extension, would Aragorn.
That was another issue with such a plan. It wasn't a tactical issue. What better way to distract their mutual enemies then to show that Earth's elven queen and the scion of Isildur were not only united with purpose, but also in matrimony? Sauron, Hades, Aries and Persephone wouldn't know what to do with that bit of information and would do everything in their power to complete their mission in exerting a hold over Brianna's body, mind and magic. If she and Aragorn married, the only way such a curse could truly take her is if Aragorn were killed by them and if she gave into her grief. Thus brought forth a personal issue with the plan to get the young elf queen hitched.
Brianna had a history of losing herself to her grief. In the second world war, after the terrible deed she'd been forced to perform, her aggression against the enemy in the war overtook her ability to think rationally. She'd taken risks that, even now, she admitted were a fool's gamble against death and death had been kind enough not to claim her then. Allyson and Alyan's tortures and murders at the hands of her family's age old enemy, Ba'al, caused her to to embark on her own solo quest for revenge. Judah, her best friend, had brought her out of herself in time for Ba'al to kill him as well. She might have lost herself again immediately had her anger not overcome her grief enough to reach out with enith gilthaes and wrap it around the knife she used to stab the bastard in the heart. She hadn't stopped there. Ba'al's corpse was unrecognizable when she was finished with it, but as the world had returned to her so had her grief.
Then she'd been officially crowned queen of her people and thus began another revenge quest. Ba'al hadn't worked alone and Artemis and Apollo, her twin, had confirmed evidence of several leaders of the noble families, as well as those who were related to them and served them, turned to sorcery and the Cult of Ba'al and betrayed her family to the massacre she couldn't remember. Consumed by the grief of losing not one, but two elf men she loved, her best friend, and plagued with the ever lingering blank where memories of her dead family should have been, Brianna began cleaning house.
She was effective in her wrath and cleaned out the elven nobility of all sorcerers in one swift and decisive raid that had taken three years to plan. Apollo and Landion, her cousin and the son and heir of Apollo, helped her in all of this. Both showed admirable restraint considering the situation and in their restraint had kept Brianna from wrongfully condemning the innocent. It had been a close call. Such was the nature of her all-consuming revenge that, when the time came for the final sentencing and executions, Brianna had awakened from that waking nightmare consumed by her need to butcher everyone who had ever had dealings with Ba'al she'd taken a look in the mirror and saw the face of the monster she was becoming. On the final execution where she beheaded Lord Darron Garvellion, she'd called the Counsel of the Elders, the Wizard Counsel, and the Counsel of Nobles to her person and attempted to abdicate the throne and renounce her title as queen. The Triune had seen fit to deny her that kindness, but Brianna had a contingency plan in mind and ordered an indefinite regency where she established her cousin, Landion ven Turthin, as her regent and left the thrown to him until she decided she was ready to take it back.
That was forty-four years ago! It's a wonder Lan hasn't hunted me down, tied me up, and tossed me back on the throne where I'm supposed to be, she thought.
Professor Moruni had taken one look at her when she'd appeared on her doorstep asking for help in hiding from their people and made the decision to take her in. After all, someone from at least one of the counsels needed to know where she was besides Artemis who had a knack for keeping tabs on her. Aracasse remained Brianna Davis, received her doctorate in cultural and mythological studies and followed the professor on many an archeological excursion. As Doctor Davis, she taught a multitude of students, uncovered strange and wonderful artifacts, and communed with a part of magical and non-magical society in a way she never had before. Then Artemis asked for her help with fighting against The Morrighan and the end result landed her in Arda directly on top of the man who the Triune had apparently ordained to be the next elven king.
Brianna sighed and breathed in the warm, spring-like air of Lothlorien. She shifted her prone position so her arms cradled her head and felt the wind's kiss on her brow. The grass caressed her bare arms and cheek and clung to her freed bronze locks.
Destined Ones were a strange package. Their occurrence was rare in elfdom by virtue of an elf's long life and reluctance to recognize the very person who fit that category. Many never met, or they met too late and were already married. Some avoided the union and some partook in the union only to be parted for some reason other than death later on. She had heard stories of elves existing beyond the end of their destined one, but usually in a significantly diminished capacity. Or they faded from the world altogether never to be seen among the living again.
If their mutual enemies led to Aragorn's demise, Brianna wasn't entirely sure what she would do in retaliation. Would she be able to stop herself from leaving devastation in her wake? Would Gondor survive such a bid? Would it matter in the end?
Yes, she thought, it will always matter.
In many ways, she wasn't ready for such a union. Even if she and Aragorn met many months later and resolved to enter such a sacred bond, Brianna doubted she'd be ready. There was so much baggage, so many memories, and so much fear that she worried she would push him away and kill any potential for happiness they may have.
A contrary voice that sounded suspiciously like Artemis piped in and said, You're assuming he will let you do any of that. Destined Ones exist as foils to our worst selves. That's how they've worked since the beginning of creation. You're overthinking everything as per usual.
With that thought, her mind's eye conjured up the image of Aries commanding her to kill Aragorn and the expression of great sorrow in his eyes as she caused his body to burst into flames. The mere memory of that vision made her sick and the warning was clear. If she didn't let go of her fears and just give her whole self to him, the consequences would be disastrous.
She opened her eyes and moved to sit and gaze absently at the lush world of Cerin Amroth. She loved Aragorn. The seed for that love had been planted long before they met and was cultivated by the weeks the spent together and apart. Much of her time was spent attempting to keep her emotions at bay and bury that love deep into her subconscious. Learning the magic forced her to accept it and, with that acceptance, came the longing.
That longing in her heart swelled and she began to sing:
"Where Lagan stream sings lullaby
There blows a lily fair
The twilight gleam is in his eye
The night is on his hair
And like a love-sick lennan-shee
He has my heart in thrall
Nor life I owe nor liberty
With love is lord of all.
And sometimes when the beetle's horn
Hath lulled the eve to sleep
I steal unto his shielding lorn
And through the dooring peep.
There on the cricket's singing stone,
He spares the bogwood fire,
And hums in sad sweet undertones
The song of heart's desire
The song of heart's desire."
(My Lagan Love in the Style of Celtic Women. The "she's" are changed to "he's" for artistic purposes and effect)
Brianna blinked as the well of song and magic opened within her. Instead of resisting, she closed her eyes and embraced it like and old friend.
January 17th - Lothlorien - Cerin Amroth - Noontide
On several occasions in recent days, Aragorn asked himself which course or reaction Gandalf would have had in certain situations. The business regarding the Lady Huntress - Legolas' aunt - had left him feeling a complex stream of emotions that ranged between relief and irritation. After spending a bit of a the day with her, Haldir, and Haldir's brothers, Aragorn concluded that Brianna had learned some of her snark from the aunt. He'd narrowly avoided tension between Legolas and Gimli earlier that morning regarding the blindfolding of their dwarf comrade due to age old prejudices by suggesting the entire company be blindfolded. Legolas hadn't been thrilled with the notion, but went along with the decision as Aragorn was their de facto leader and Gimli was, by now, a friend. Artemis, to his surprise, had attempted to argue in Gimli's favor citing her belief that age old conflicts regarding a people who are completely uninvolved with the sins of their ancestors as ridiculous. Haldir's steadfastness won out in the end and Aragorn found himself walking around blindfolded with the elves offering themselves as guides.
Being blindfolded wasn't too much of a detriment for him. He had grown up around elves. He'd learned their ways and, by extension, honed the senses he received from his Numenorien and elven lineage. Legolas, being an elf, hardly needed the help. The rest of the company; however, ran into a similar issue the hobbits had when traversing through the midgewater marshes. Merry regaled Lady Artemis of that particular tale after she'd carefully steered him around what was described to be a particularly nasty root system.
"You mean to tell me that your friend, Strider over there, guided my niece through a swamp?" She asked, highly amused.
"They weren't really friends at the time," Pippin offered.
"I should think not! I wouldn't exactly like the stranger who fell out of the sky and landed on top of me for no good reason," said the Lady with just a touch of smugness.
Aragorn lips tightened. He wondered what, exactly, Brianna had told her aunt about him. There was an ever-occurring undertone that left him feeling like she'd approved of him, but had also threatened him in the same breath.
"So, Master Merry, tell me this one thing. Which of the two wanted to kill each other the most during the swamp escapade? Strider or my niece?" The lady asked with a smile in her voice.
There was a pause.
"Strider, I think," Frodo said from a little ways to the left.
The huntress laughed heartily and Aragorn found his lips twitching to a brief smile. It fell a moment later when the conversation took a different turn.
"Is our niece still here?" asked Legolas eagerly.
"She is."
Aragorn did his best to remain stoic at the news. She was still here in Lorien? As happy as it made him to know he'd see her again, Aragorn was troubled by the news. She hadn't expected to remain in Arda for too long after she completed the task assigned and he had believed their parting in the lands just outside of Rivendell would be the last time he'd see her.
"Has she not completed her mission as of yet?" Legolas asked.
"That's the complicated part of it, I suppose," Artemis replied tersely.
It was a non answer, but the unspoken words were clear. They weren't going to speak of Brianna's work in the open. Aragorn, caught between his grief and his joy, chose to remain silent on the subject.
On they walked, speaking of happy things with the elves. Artemis was a charitable companion to Gimli and cheerfully described some of the scenery. Aragorn was amused by the gesture and suspected that Haldir wasn't entirely happy with the lady towing the line between acceptable and unacceptable. Artemis had a presence about her that challenged the world around her and called for it to justify it's existence to her. If she offended, she challenged the one who took offense to justify the feeling. Her authority was felt by all and her presence filled the forest.
By noon, they came to a stop when they came upon a susurration of voices. Haldir replied to one of them, pitching his voice as low as the others. In a moment, he understood why the elves were quiet. A silver voice lifted in song danced through the air and filled his heart with deep longing. Aragorn strained his ears to better listen. The song wasn't familiar, but the voice was. Could it be…?
He was interrupted from his thoughts by Haldir giving the company a brief report of what the new company of elves had told him. The orcs that had pursued them a day before had been nearly destroyed and the remnant pursued. The elves also found a creature marauding through the woods, but they couldn't identify what it was with certainty and were loth to shoot it.
"Also, one brings a message from the Lord and Lady. They know who and what your company is about and have commanded your company walk free, even the dwarf Gimli," Haldir said and moved to unfasten the blindfolds.
Upon the removal, Aragorn beheld Artemis who looked incredibly self-satisfied. Then his gaze caught the area around him and his breath caught in memory. They were at Cerin Amroth. Caught in the beauty and the peace of the place, Aragorn picked up the song in the air once again.
"It's sunlight and bright day," Sam muttered in wonder. "I thought elves preferred the moon and stars, but here we are. It's like I'm in a song."
"Yes," Haldir agreed. "Her Grace has been working tirelessly at the top of the mound working whatever magic she was tasked to do. Though I must say this feels different then the past few weeks."
Aragorn approached the hill as if in a trance. Haldir's words and the voice in the air compelled him with a hope he only just dared. Her voice became clearer as did the words of her song.
"My love said to me,
My mother won't mind
And me father wont slight you
For your lack of kind,
Then she stepped away from me,
And this she did say,
It will not be long love,
'Til our wedding day."
He reached the hill and stopped. His heart pounded in his chest as his eyes settled on the top of the hill where a small figure in royal blue sat completely oblivious to those below.
"She stepped away from me,
And she moved through the fair,
And fondly I watched her,
Move here and move there,
And she went her way homeward,
With one star awake,
As the swans in the evening,
Move over the lake."
Slowly, Aragorn ascended. The wind kissed his brow and check and the sun enveloped him with a calming warmth.
"The people were saying,
No two e'er were wed,
But one has a sorrow,
That never was said,
And she smiled as she passed me,
With her goods and her gear,
And that was the last,
That I saw of my dear."
When he crested the hill, her back was turned to him and head thrown back to greet the sun. It was as if he'd walked into a dream, but he was certain this was real. She was real. She was here. Tears pricked his eyes and he allowed them to fall as he silently listened to her sing.
"I dreamed it last night,
That my true love came in,
So softly she entered,
Her feet made no din,
She came close beside me,
And this she did say,
It will not be long love,
Till out wedding day."
("She Moved Through the Fair" as sung by Loreena McKennitt)
Her voice faded, but the spell was still around them. She seemed to be waiting for another song to come to mind and continue to manifest the thoughts and feelings echoing within her. The hum of her voice, holding a single note until a new song came to mind, filled him and Aragorn was tempted to let her continue oblivious to his presence. The desire to see her and interact with her quickly stamped out that notion.
"Aracasse," he whispered.
The song faded. She tensed and then slowly rose to her feet. When she turned to look at him, the wide-eyed shock in her expression brought a smile to him.
"I'm dreaming," she breathed.
"No, I am here."
She approached him in a daze and cautiously reached out her hand to cup his wet cheek. Aragorn leaned into her hand and breathed her in. Her eyes became glassy and he cupped one cheek, then the other, and, before he could remind himself of the impropriety of the move, Aragorn leaned down and kissed her.
Her lips were as soft as he imagined and had anticipated his move. They entered the gentle dance that made his heart sore and caused desire to pool in the lowest pit of his stomach when those very lips parted to invite him to take further liberties. He might have taken her up on the invitation if they were truly alone. Sadly, such wasn't the case and he pressed a final soft kiss before reluctantly pulling away. Brianna smiled at him through tears of her own and Aragorn found himself lost in her eyes.
That smile dimmed a little as the world came back to her and she reached up and grasped his hands in her smaller ones. Aragorn sobered as well, though the high of seeing her again still touched him.
"We have much to speak on," she said.
He inclined in head, "That we do."
She held up one finger and a playful smile slipped onto her face, "But, that will have to wait until we get to Caras Galadhorn. I'm sure Lady Galadriel will want to speak with us both."
Aragorn raised an eyebrow, "This seems serious."
"It is, and it concerns both of us," she confirmed.
He frowned, but he allowed the matter to rest for the moment. All would be revealed later in the evening. Brianna turned to descend the hill and Aragorn, not quite ready to share her, caught her waist and pulled her to him. His lips caught hers once more for a few moments and then he pulled back to meet her laughing gaze.
"You realize my aunt will be merciless after this?" She asked, chuckling.
"Yes. I've met her," he said.
Her eyebrows rose and she glanced over her shoulder and down the hill, "Don't tell me she's with you right now?"
Aragorn's lips twitched into a wan smile, "If you wish."
She stared at him, horrified. Aragorn laughed and kissed her once more for good measure.