~* Meanwhile *~
Arwen looked at Aragorn, unable to comprehend the emotions that imprinted his face. She sat down on the edge of the bed, facing him. Both sat silent for what seemed like an eternity.
"Legolas desires to leave Imladris," Arwen said quietly, directing her eyes to the ground.
Aragorn nodded, "I guessed as much."
"It means that I must make my decision now. . ." she mumbled, her voice nearly inaudible. Arwen looked up, her eyes meeting Aragorn's, she quickly averted her eyes, incapable of withstanding the emotion within them.
*****flashback*****
Arwen turned as the door to her room swung open, Elrohir stepped through the doorway.
He cleared his throat, "Estel- Estel has spoken to father about your hand in marriage."
Arwen snapped her head around, "And what did father say?"
"He made no direct answer, but only that Estel had many hard trials ahead of him and should not bind himself to another until he has completed his destined tasks," Elrohir said, making his way to his sister's side.
Arwen shook her head, then sighed, "at least that buys me time."
Elrohir furrowed his brow, "It has been centuries since he left, you have refused every man and elf that has come your way."
Arwen looked at her brother, the sincerity in her eyes undeniable, "He promised he'd return- Legolas has never broken a promise to me- never. . ."
Elrohir sighed, "We've been over this before. . . I loved Legolas like a brother, but- he was facing uncontrollable forces. . . promise or not. . ."
Arwen shook her head, "I just- I don't believe-"
Elrohir cut her off, "Just- don't turn Estel away immediately. . . He's a good man."
Arwen made no answer, as she turned back the letters lying on her desk.
Elrohir looked over her shoulder at the ragged pieces of parchment spread across the oak surface.
He read the topmost letter:
Dearest Arwen,
I cannot wait to see you again. . . The Spring festival seems far too long a time from now. How is Imladris? How I long to see that beautiful city again. . .
Father says he may allow me to go to Rivendell early this year. It depends on how well I do on my studies. . . Although now I have the strongest motivation- the idea of seeing you again.
Your Prince,
Legolas
Elrohir sighed, "There is no use dwelling in the past, it's unhealthy. . ."
Arwen looked up at Elrohir, "It is no business of yours."
"You're well being is plenty of my business," Elrohir countered quickly.
Arwen made no answer.
Elrohir knew further argument would do no good at this time. The prince of Imladris shook his head and departed the room.
*****end flashback*****
Arwen forced herself out of her thoughts, bringing herself back to the present.
"Come visit me in Gondor," Aragorn said, breaking the silence.
Arwen looked at him, confused, "What do you mean. . ."
"You and Legolas, visit me in Gondor, after you get settled of course," he repeated.
"Wha-"
"You obviously have to choose now, so I'm doing it for you," Aragorn answered.
"I-"
Aragorn cut her off, "I'll be fine on my own, but Legolas- he needs you." The king ignored the pain tearing through his heart. He shut his eyes, Elladan's words echoing through his mind: 'It is just your job to support her in such a difficult time. . .'
Arwen sat in stunned silence. . . Aragorn's valor never ceased to amaze her. Tears poured from her eyes, but none of them doing justice the emotion building up in her heart.
"Aragorn, I-"
"Just don't ever forget me," Aragorn said with a sad smile.
She shook her head, "I'll never forget you."
Aragorn felt his own tears stream from his eyes. Such pain he never felt, such fear, such incomprehensible agony, and yet at the same time, he's never felt so sure of himself. He embraced Arwen, planting a kiss on her head,
"Now go to him," he commanded.
Arwen looked sadly at Aragorn.
"Go on," he said.
Arwen rose from the bed, slowly making her way to the doorway, she turned back to look at Aragorn again, "Thank you," she said.
Arwen looked at Aragorn, unable to comprehend the emotions that imprinted his face. She sat down on the edge of the bed, facing him. Both sat silent for what seemed like an eternity.
"Legolas desires to leave Imladris," Arwen said quietly, directing her eyes to the ground.
Aragorn nodded, "I guessed as much."
"It means that I must make my decision now. . ." she mumbled, her voice nearly inaudible. Arwen looked up, her eyes meeting Aragorn's, she quickly averted her eyes, incapable of withstanding the emotion within them.
*****flashback*****
Arwen turned as the door to her room swung open, Elrohir stepped through the doorway.
He cleared his throat, "Estel- Estel has spoken to father about your hand in marriage."
Arwen snapped her head around, "And what did father say?"
"He made no direct answer, but only that Estel had many hard trials ahead of him and should not bind himself to another until he has completed his destined tasks," Elrohir said, making his way to his sister's side.
Arwen shook her head, then sighed, "at least that buys me time."
Elrohir furrowed his brow, "It has been centuries since he left, you have refused every man and elf that has come your way."
Arwen looked at her brother, the sincerity in her eyes undeniable, "He promised he'd return- Legolas has never broken a promise to me- never. . ."
Elrohir sighed, "We've been over this before. . . I loved Legolas like a brother, but- he was facing uncontrollable forces. . . promise or not. . ."
Arwen shook her head, "I just- I don't believe-"
Elrohir cut her off, "Just- don't turn Estel away immediately. . . He's a good man."
Arwen made no answer, as she turned back the letters lying on her desk.
Elrohir looked over her shoulder at the ragged pieces of parchment spread across the oak surface.
He read the topmost letter:
Dearest Arwen,
I cannot wait to see you again. . . The Spring festival seems far too long a time from now. How is Imladris? How I long to see that beautiful city again. . .
Father says he may allow me to go to Rivendell early this year. It depends on how well I do on my studies. . . Although now I have the strongest motivation- the idea of seeing you again.
Your Prince,
Legolas
Elrohir sighed, "There is no use dwelling in the past, it's unhealthy. . ."
Arwen looked up at Elrohir, "It is no business of yours."
"You're well being is plenty of my business," Elrohir countered quickly.
Arwen made no answer.
Elrohir knew further argument would do no good at this time. The prince of Imladris shook his head and departed the room.
*****end flashback*****
Arwen forced herself out of her thoughts, bringing herself back to the present.
"Come visit me in Gondor," Aragorn said, breaking the silence.
Arwen looked at him, confused, "What do you mean. . ."
"You and Legolas, visit me in Gondor, after you get settled of course," he repeated.
"Wha-"
"You obviously have to choose now, so I'm doing it for you," Aragorn answered.
"I-"
Aragorn cut her off, "I'll be fine on my own, but Legolas- he needs you." The king ignored the pain tearing through his heart. He shut his eyes, Elladan's words echoing through his mind: 'It is just your job to support her in such a difficult time. . .'
Arwen sat in stunned silence. . . Aragorn's valor never ceased to amaze her. Tears poured from her eyes, but none of them doing justice the emotion building up in her heart.
"Aragorn, I-"
"Just don't ever forget me," Aragorn said with a sad smile.
She shook her head, "I'll never forget you."
Aragorn felt his own tears stream from his eyes. Such pain he never felt, such fear, such incomprehensible agony, and yet at the same time, he's never felt so sure of himself. He embraced Arwen, planting a kiss on her head,
"Now go to him," he commanded.
Arwen looked sadly at Aragorn.
"Go on," he said.
Arwen rose from the bed, slowly making her way to the doorway, she turned back to look at Aragorn again, "Thank you," she said.