Title: An Angel for Aragorn

Author: chescaOtaku

E-mail Address: chesca14316@yahoo.com

Disclaimer: All recognizable characters and settings belong solely to J.R.R. Tolkien. No infringement intended, this is written for pure enjoyment only.

Summary: Aragorn's life takes an unexpected turn when a mysterious and ethereal being by the name of Legolas comes to him through a dream, enters his world and reveals that he is Aragorn's guardian angel.

Genre: Alternate Universe (AU). Fantasy, Action/Adventure, Drama, and slight Humor. Friendship fic only. NON-SLASH.

Rating: PG – 13

Status: 1/?, series.

Important Notes: As said above, this is an Alternate Universe fic. Meaning, the plot of the story does not necessarily follow the setting and given timeline in the LotR books. Also, there will be spoilers for The Silmarillion in the upcoming chapters. If you already read Tolkien's first and last book about the First Age of Middle Earth, you will know what I'll be presenting in the future, but if you haven't, don't worry, you'll still understand this… I just got minimal information about the history of Iluvatar, the Valar, and the exile of the Quendi from the said book. Moreover, in this story, all elves reside in Valinor and only hobbits, dwarves, and men live in Middle Earth. You will learn more of this as the story progresses. Furthermore, this will not, in any way, violate the Church's concept of angels (hell, this is a fic…) and their roles toward human beings. So…

I've read lots and lots of fics that use Aragorn to describe Legolas as an angel and I just though that, what if he really is one of them? What will happen? Well, this is my account of it. 

By the way, this fic is still unedited so please forgive and inform me if you do encounter some grammatical and typographical errors. Please let me know what you think and review! Thanks! ^_^

Anyway, enough babblings and ramblings…

Happy Reading and Happy New Year to all!! ^_^

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Chapter One: Of Reveries and Realities

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A lone man stood wearily at middle of the small battlefield and surveyed for the first time the wreckage that the brief encounter with Orcs has created. Blood stained the once grassy plains and several Orc parts encompassed the lush panorama. Blades that are tarnished with crimson color lay lifelessly beside the dead bodies of their masters and arrows, obviously shot with ruthless precision, punctured the foul creatures' lungs, thighs, and heads. One Orc head is pierced through a metallic spear and another is embedded with a rusted silver dagger. The site is obviously sickening; and one can wonder how such beautiful and tranquil scenery can suddenly change into an ambiance of war, death, and evil in a matter of minutes.

The young Ranger gently cupped his injured arm and traveled his tired eyes once more to the mess the fiendish beings have produced. The deep gash on his right arm continued to bleed copiously and he knew that if he didn't go home soon, the wound might get infected and that can lead into a more serious and unwanted health problem. With a heavy and exhausted sigh, he wobbly walked out of the battlefield and went straight into his cottage to tend the injuries he has sustained. What a great trip. I wanted to hunt animals for dinner, not some foul and filthy unearthly beings worse than the most ferocious of creatures. Great luck, Aragorn. Just perfect. And by your sorry look, it seems that you're the one who was mercilessly hunted. He continued to rant other curses and ponder with sarcasm until he reached his little home and went inside to clean his nasty-looking wounds.

Earlier that day, he was supposed to go into a simple and peaceful hunting trip into the woods when suddenly a small group of Orcs, probably around twenty to thirty in number, have unexpectedly attacked his way. He took the first six beings down without any difficulty but bad luck has paved its way to him when the second batch of eight Orcs assaulted him from behind. One Orc managed to lunge its dagger into his right arm when he was caught unawares and its partner almost succeeded to cut his defenseless throat if not for his keen, almost inhuman, senses that spared him from such an early and undignified death. Luckily, the Ranger brought with him his bow and his quiver that has a total load of fifty arrows and used it to his advantage. He brought down five Orcs in succession with a deadly accuracy and killed three more afterwards. Aragorn continued to defend himself with his arrows and twin daggers, piercing each being and ending its life pitilessly until there was none standing to challenge him more.

He gingerly sat at the wooden chair near his bed and tenderly covered his bleeding wound with several athelas leaves after cleaning it with water. He wrapped it securely with a white cloth and proceeded to clean and tend other cuts and bruises. When he was sure all his wounds have been attended with utter care and have been bandaged neatly, he went straight to bed (not even minding to take his dinner—he had nothing to eat anyway) and soon fell into a deep slumber.

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First, there was nothing but sweet darkness. Aragorn felt he was floating into nothingness when he heard a sweet and melodious voice reaching out to him. Curious, he followed the direction of the musical voice and soon found himself in a middle of a very beautiful, lush, and enchanted garden. How the garden came about, he cannot tell, but he could care less about it anyway for he was deeply mesmerized by its ethereal beauty. When he observed his new surroundings, he saw flowers of different happy colors standing out amidst the crowd of rich-green leaves and trees. He began to walk above the narrow pavement made of flattened, irregularly shaped stones and stared in wonder at the nature that encompass him. He continued to walk and heard a new sound ringing in his ears. Aragorn deciphered that it was a sound of a nearby raging water that seems to be a waterfalls that blends well with the melodious, singing voice that called him earlier. Probing once again, he traveled into the path of the falls and what met him there left him rooted into his place for a long moment.

A silhouette of an ethereal creature was standing above a protruded rock and was singing a tune Aragorn can't recognize. The silhouette was illuminated by a strange, blinding light and that a voice beyond beauty was coming out of its mouth. Although the Ranger cannot distinguish the tune, the magnificent sound hypnotized his whole being. Behind the mystical being was the waterfalls that seems to sing with it and the Ranger, for the first time, was totally awe stuck at the sight the beheld him. Not long after, the blinding light suddenly dimmed and at last, the young man saw what the creature looked like. It—no, he has a long, silky golden hair and his skin can be compared to that of smooth porcelain. He has tantalizing deep blue eyes that almost reflect the waves of the sea and thin, but rosy and perfectly shaped lips that seem to move with every note he was singing. His blonde eyebrows are weaved perfectly above his long, curly lashes. A long velvety green cloth that mimicked his surroundings covered the creature's body and an unearthly aura highlighted his entire being.

It was then that Aragorn realized that the singing creature was simply the most beautiful thing he had ever seen.

The young man did not even realize he was holding his breath until the being temporarily stopped singing and went down from the rock he had stepped on.

"Welcome, young one." The creature said. His musical voice echoed throughout the garden and sent shivers into Aragorn's spine.

"Uh.. yeah… Uh… T-th-thank you…" Damn it. What am I supposed to say to him? I must look like a total idiot standing here…

The creature came closer and closer to the young man until they were only inches apart. The creature then cupped Aragorn's face and said, "You're hurt, aren't you?" His eyes suddenly reflected sadness and he traveled those blue orbs into the young man's face.

Aragorn was stunned was once more and for a moment, he was drowned into those deep blue eyes that held many emotions.

"Uh… kind of. But, hey… it.. it's not  something I can't handle, you know… uh.."

He was never able to finish his sentence as the mystical being started to touch his injured arm. The Ranger tried to recoil to the touch but it was strong and firm yet tender and warm. His eyes traveled to where his gash was located and was surprised that a bright light emitted beneath the creature's hand for a few seconds.

"What are you doing?" Aragorn queried.

He received no answer but when the creature's hand withdrew from his arm, he was shocked to see that the wound was gone as if it was never there and that his other injuries were healed. He looked at the creature once more and asked, "How.. how did you do it? Who are you?"

"What does your heart tell you?" the being asked back.

"I…"

"Soon. You'll know soon. Do not worry Estel." the being smiled.

"But my name is not Estel! I'm Ara—" the Ranger was cut off when the finger of the mysterious creature silenced his lips.

"You are Estel. Hope. Rest now young one, for tomorrow shall be a brighter one."

But before Aragorn could reply, the garden, along with the being, suddenly vanished and he was alone in the nothingness once more.

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Aragorn blinked and squinted his eyes as a ray of sun rested upon his face. He looked at the window and stared at it for a while. What a dream. It felt so real. When he sat upright, he was surprised that he felt no pain at all. He unwrapped the bandages and was even more shocked when he discovered that the cuts and bruises he sustained during the fight with the Orcs yesterday vanished and left no ugly traces in skin. Wait. Something it not right here. Am I still dreaming? He then removed the cloth and athelas he used to cure his injured arm and was further astonished to see that the deep wound had miraculously faded. He moved it carefully and not even a zing of pain rewarded his little action. By the Valar! It.. it cannot be! But what flabbergasted him most—if that was still possible considering his shocked state—was that when he turned to the other area of the bed, he saw a single strand of long golden hair lying above the pillow at his side.

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To Be Continued

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