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"The Lord wants to see you."
"He is no Lord of mine," I replied to the black-clad minion, who smirked in the way of servants who know they have enough cunning to rise in the ranks. I had seen it before, on the faces of traitors.
Unannounced and unlooked-for, Aragorn entered the room and placed a hand on my shoulder, though whether it was to calm me or to steady himself, I do not know. In a moment he became again the King of Gondor, tall and stately, resembling the monuments of the Argonath, cowing the simpering vassal.
"What errand has Sauron with us?"
"My lord," the servant slimed, "My good, noble lord, I know not. Only that he desires to speak with your lordships."
"It is a small matter, of little consequence." Sauron himself had entered. Aragorn straightened and moved up to stand before me, leaning on me only a little.
Sauron's shape changed at his will, this we knew, but still it was a shock to see him so different from the huge, warlike creature we beheld on the day Arwen lost her life. Now he was small, smaller than either Aragorn or myself, slight, pale as cream, and as smooth; his hair was soft and dark, and he was touched by a strange beauty...I could not bring myself to look into his eyes.
"You have two daughters, Lord Elessar," Sauron said. I felt Aragorn shudder against my shoulder.
"Aye."
"It does not suit me that two such lovely maidens should be brought up with no...refinement."
"It does not matter much to me what suits you, Sauron, and I assure that all care is being taken with their...upbringing."
I do not know what hit him, but Aragorn recoiled and staggered as though he had been struck. Sauron smiled a little and turned on his heel.
"I will return to speak with you when you have regained a little sense," he said as he swept out. I held to Elessar's arm hard, both to keep him from falling and to hold him back. He had the air of an insulted wolf, eager to taste blood.
His rage and strength grow daily.
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He soon grew well enough to see his daughters, I believe through pure strength of will. Eldarion came running to me as I was trying to reconcile the fueding Eva and Analera, calling joyously that I was to bring the girls to see their father.
To my discomfort, the twins looked up at me in confusion.
"What is 'father', Legolas?" asked Analera, the bolder of the two. Eldarion's eyes grew wide and he knelt down to look at her.
"You remember our father, Analera. You remember our Da." She furrowed her brows a little, thinking hard, and Eva mimicked the expression. They are always eager to please their brother.
"Look." Eldarion drew out the pendant all three children wore. "Look. Who gave you this, eh?"
Eva burst into tears. "Da!" she cried. "Where is Da?" Analera hugged her. It was a strange sight for me, the tiny little girls embracing and their brother looking on, half worry and half satisfaction.
"Stop your crying," the boy commanded, echoes of his father in his voice. "Come! Come see Da."
They followed him as though they would have done so to the very ends of the earth.
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