Disclaimer: This chapter also contains diologue written by Tolkein, which
can be found in 'The Tale of Aragorn and Arwen'. I don't own Aragorn or
Elrond, or any other of the characters as I'm sure you know.
-------------------------------------
Lord Elrond sat in his chamber, deep in thought. He had noted the way his foster-son's eyes lingered on his only daughter, the change in the young man's mood, the melancholy yet blissful glaze that shone in his eyes… He was not worried for his daughter, for he knew Aragorn was a true and honest man, and held respect for all things in the world. But he highly doubted his daughter would return his love, for she had been sought by many, and always they sought in vain, for she was dependant and free. There was no need to worry for Arwen, and yet, he saw the situation from both points of view, because Aragorn was to him, indeed a son. And he felt pity for the young man, that he had fallen subject to the beauty and majesty of one so high above him, and would, like so many others, be turned away. It would hurt, however gently and casually it was done. And yet… was it possible that Arwen might feel some small affection for this mortal? As Elrond saw it, it was a lose-lose situation… Arwen would reject the boy, and he would be crushed, or she would embrace him, and she would be diminished, and die. He had better put Aragorn in his place, and turn his thoughts away from her right away.
"Master Elrond?" said Aragorn, entering cautiously.
"Yes," he replied. "Aragorn, son of Arathorn, Lord of the Dunedain, listen to me! A great doom awaits you, either to rise above all the heights of your forefathers since the days of Elendil, or to fall into darkness, with the rest of your kin. Many years of trial lie before you. You shall have neither wife, nor bind any woman to you in troth, until your time has come, and you are found worthy of it."
Aragorn was silent for a moment, the fullness of this statement sinking in. Of course, it made sense… He was to have a hard life, and it would be long before his struggles were over; he could ask no woman to share his burdens until all his work was finished. But why was Elrond telling him this now? Why did he deny him, so decidedly, a wife? "Can it be, that my mother has spoken of this?" he asked.
"No, indeed," said Elrond, raising an amused eyebrow. "Your own eyes betrayed you," he said with a teasing smile. "Yet I speak not of my daughter alone," he continued, regaining his serious tone. "You shall be betrothed to no man's child, as of yet. But as for Arwen the Fair, Lady of Imladris and Lorien, Evenstar of her people, she is of greater lineage than yours, and she has lived in the world already so long that to her you are but as a yearling shoot beside a young birch of many summers. She is too far above you. And so, I think, it may well seem to her." He winced inwardly, hearing the fatherly pride and favoritism for his daughter become apparent, and also the harshness of his words, though he spoke the truth. "But even if it were not so, and her heart turned towards you, I should still be grieved because of the doom that is laid on us. The choice awaits my children, whether to part with me, or with Middle-Earth. But for my Arwen, there will be no choice, lest you Aragorn, Arathorn's son, come between us and bring one of us, you or I, to a bitter parting… beyond the end of the world…. You do not yet know what you ask of me."
Aragorn lowered his head shamefully, for he saw the grief Elrond felt merely imagining the parting, and knew that he was unworthy of the Evenstar, and that he asked more than was proper. And Elrond had already given him so much…
After a while, Elrond raised his head and looked gravely upon the young man once more, and sighed. "The years will bring what they will. There is no need to burden ourselves with sadness over things that may never come to pass. We will speak no more of this today."
"Thankyou, my lord."
Elrond remained seated after Estel left the room, still thinking. He thought of his lovely daughter, and how tiny she had felt in his hands, so many, many years ago. He thought of his beautiful bride, and wife, Arwen's mother. He missed her so much. He loved Middle-Earth, but he knew he would not remain on it much longer. He could not. As a ring-bearer, he was burdened with the fate of Middle-Earth and its races, and he would remain here until the rings' powers left, and the fate of the world was decided, for good or evil. Yet his heart longed for the Light of the Valinor, and for Celebrian's waiting arms. So much waited for him, beyond the Western Sea, along pathways only the Eldar were permitted to find, including the father and mother he had barely known.
Earendil the Mariner had left early in Elrond's long span of memories, in search of Manwe, in hope that his people might be forgiven and accepted back into the Blessed Realm. And Elwing, his mother, had fled from Feonor's oath-bound sons who's lust for the Silmarils was unending, and she followed her husband across the sea as a bird. Elrond sighed as the memories plagued him incessantly. They had left him and his brother, so young, so helpless, victim to Maglor and Maedhros, sons of Feonor. Yet if it had not been for Maglor, neither he nor his brothers would have survived most likely… And they had developed a strange love for him… He had, in all honesty, been the only true father of Elrond and his brother Elros. His brother Elros… The only one who would not be waiting in the West. When the choice had been laid before the two half-elven brothers, to decide with which of their people their fates would follow, Elrond has chosen to live immortally, and Elros has chosen to abide by the Doom of Men... He was gone… Gone forever. And yet, at rare moments, he could see and hear his brother still in Aragorn, and in Aragorn's people… Children of Elros...
-------------------------------------------
Author's Note: Those last two paragraphs most likely will not make any sense to anyone who hasn't read the Silmarilion. So if you're confused that's alright, don't worry, it's not important. I only added it because Elrond is one of my favorite characters and I wanted to show how heavy his heart must be, with all that's happened to him and having lived soooo long. Anyways. Here ends Estel's childhood pretty much.
-------------------------------------
Lord Elrond sat in his chamber, deep in thought. He had noted the way his foster-son's eyes lingered on his only daughter, the change in the young man's mood, the melancholy yet blissful glaze that shone in his eyes… He was not worried for his daughter, for he knew Aragorn was a true and honest man, and held respect for all things in the world. But he highly doubted his daughter would return his love, for she had been sought by many, and always they sought in vain, for she was dependant and free. There was no need to worry for Arwen, and yet, he saw the situation from both points of view, because Aragorn was to him, indeed a son. And he felt pity for the young man, that he had fallen subject to the beauty and majesty of one so high above him, and would, like so many others, be turned away. It would hurt, however gently and casually it was done. And yet… was it possible that Arwen might feel some small affection for this mortal? As Elrond saw it, it was a lose-lose situation… Arwen would reject the boy, and he would be crushed, or she would embrace him, and she would be diminished, and die. He had better put Aragorn in his place, and turn his thoughts away from her right away.
"Master Elrond?" said Aragorn, entering cautiously.
"Yes," he replied. "Aragorn, son of Arathorn, Lord of the Dunedain, listen to me! A great doom awaits you, either to rise above all the heights of your forefathers since the days of Elendil, or to fall into darkness, with the rest of your kin. Many years of trial lie before you. You shall have neither wife, nor bind any woman to you in troth, until your time has come, and you are found worthy of it."
Aragorn was silent for a moment, the fullness of this statement sinking in. Of course, it made sense… He was to have a hard life, and it would be long before his struggles were over; he could ask no woman to share his burdens until all his work was finished. But why was Elrond telling him this now? Why did he deny him, so decidedly, a wife? "Can it be, that my mother has spoken of this?" he asked.
"No, indeed," said Elrond, raising an amused eyebrow. "Your own eyes betrayed you," he said with a teasing smile. "Yet I speak not of my daughter alone," he continued, regaining his serious tone. "You shall be betrothed to no man's child, as of yet. But as for Arwen the Fair, Lady of Imladris and Lorien, Evenstar of her people, she is of greater lineage than yours, and she has lived in the world already so long that to her you are but as a yearling shoot beside a young birch of many summers. She is too far above you. And so, I think, it may well seem to her." He winced inwardly, hearing the fatherly pride and favoritism for his daughter become apparent, and also the harshness of his words, though he spoke the truth. "But even if it were not so, and her heart turned towards you, I should still be grieved because of the doom that is laid on us. The choice awaits my children, whether to part with me, or with Middle-Earth. But for my Arwen, there will be no choice, lest you Aragorn, Arathorn's son, come between us and bring one of us, you or I, to a bitter parting… beyond the end of the world…. You do not yet know what you ask of me."
Aragorn lowered his head shamefully, for he saw the grief Elrond felt merely imagining the parting, and knew that he was unworthy of the Evenstar, and that he asked more than was proper. And Elrond had already given him so much…
After a while, Elrond raised his head and looked gravely upon the young man once more, and sighed. "The years will bring what they will. There is no need to burden ourselves with sadness over things that may never come to pass. We will speak no more of this today."
"Thankyou, my lord."
Elrond remained seated after Estel left the room, still thinking. He thought of his lovely daughter, and how tiny she had felt in his hands, so many, many years ago. He thought of his beautiful bride, and wife, Arwen's mother. He missed her so much. He loved Middle-Earth, but he knew he would not remain on it much longer. He could not. As a ring-bearer, he was burdened with the fate of Middle-Earth and its races, and he would remain here until the rings' powers left, and the fate of the world was decided, for good or evil. Yet his heart longed for the Light of the Valinor, and for Celebrian's waiting arms. So much waited for him, beyond the Western Sea, along pathways only the Eldar were permitted to find, including the father and mother he had barely known.
Earendil the Mariner had left early in Elrond's long span of memories, in search of Manwe, in hope that his people might be forgiven and accepted back into the Blessed Realm. And Elwing, his mother, had fled from Feonor's oath-bound sons who's lust for the Silmarils was unending, and she followed her husband across the sea as a bird. Elrond sighed as the memories plagued him incessantly. They had left him and his brother, so young, so helpless, victim to Maglor and Maedhros, sons of Feonor. Yet if it had not been for Maglor, neither he nor his brothers would have survived most likely… And they had developed a strange love for him… He had, in all honesty, been the only true father of Elrond and his brother Elros. His brother Elros… The only one who would not be waiting in the West. When the choice had been laid before the two half-elven brothers, to decide with which of their people their fates would follow, Elrond has chosen to live immortally, and Elros has chosen to abide by the Doom of Men... He was gone… Gone forever. And yet, at rare moments, he could see and hear his brother still in Aragorn, and in Aragorn's people… Children of Elros...
-------------------------------------------
Author's Note: Those last two paragraphs most likely will not make any sense to anyone who hasn't read the Silmarilion. So if you're confused that's alright, don't worry, it's not important. I only added it because Elrond is one of my favorite characters and I wanted to show how heavy his heart must be, with all that's happened to him and having lived soooo long. Anyways. Here ends Estel's childhood pretty much.