Disclaimer: I own nothing.
Smeagol: Of course I'm not nice. What did you expect? Anyway, suspense means people read the next chapter.
Jo March: Yay! I'm glad you found the story again. No, I haven't actually said yet what happened to Feanor/Chandra. As for learning to love each other, it isn't really something they learn, it just happens. Maybe just a bit of romance later on?
Emmithar: Maybe Estel will save her, maybe not. I mean, neither of them is so well off right now. If you dislike Boromir, you won't mind the way I portray him in this chapter. I did read Carrie's stories, as you already know. Now I'm all indignant.
To everyone: Thanks for reviewing if you did, please do if you didn't. Also, I did not portray Boromir very favourably in this chapter so. . .sorry. I needed something to happen.
".make me want to cry
I close my eyes
When I go to bed and
I dream of angels who
Make me smile
I feel better
When I hear them say
Everything will be
Wonderful someday."
--Everclear, "Wonderful"
*****
Feanor/Chandra paused with her hand on the lock. Could see do this? She knew the tears from earlier were still there, itching to be cried, itching to come out. Could she tell Faramir namarie and be gone? It was unlikely, she knew, but a thought in the back of her mind told her she owed it to him. Indeed, she did. With unnecessary force, she slammed back the lock and flung open the door. Faramir stood before her.
"Chandra, I should have known it was you."
"I suppose you have told your father and brother?" Feanor/Chandra asked with a raised eyebrow.
"No," Faramir responded. "I did not tell them. I'm not stupid. I know that you don't want to return. You left--illegally, but if you were happy you would not have gone. I cannot imagine anyone being happy with that life."
"You are brighter than you let on, Faramir," Feanor/Chandra observed. Then again, the quarts of her blood that had washed over his arms as he carried her body to the healers time and time again had probably taught him something. "I am leaving tonight, Faramir. Now that Estel knows, I cannot stay. I am not going back."
"Very well. Good luck." Faramir could think of no other words. He shifted uncomfortably. "I have to get back. If they notice I'm missing, there will be too many questions."
"Namarie, Faramir. Good luck to you, and the happiest of lives." The two shared an awkward hug, both knowing that that short hug broke a million rules. When the released each other, Feanor/Chandra watched Faramir leave, then turned to leave. To her dismay, she had some regret. Quickly she guarded herself. If she let herself miss Faramir at all, she would begin to miss Estel and even the twins, who were kind although the acted like they were afraid she would break like a doll.
Shaking her head hard, Feanor/Chandra pulled herself onto a dresser. She had been short and small to begin with, but with proper nutrition she was beginning to grow, and her ribs were less. . .outlined beneath her clothes. She had developed some muscle as well, so though it was not incredibly difficult hauling herself onto the dresser was odd. Once up, she pushed open a window and stuck her head out. It was a matter of metres to the ground, maybe seven or eight. She would have to climb down from a tree, whose branches often hit the window on windy nights. Without a second thought, she reached for the branch.
*****
"What is wrong with that boy?" Arwen asked.
"You shouldn't be so hard on him," Elrohir said.
"Estel's a good person, Arwen. I don't know why you're so hard on him. He never did anything to you," Elladan observed. The three had left the hall since their father had gone to speak with Estel, but had not bothered to part ways. Arwen stood in a dignified manner by the door to the twins' room. Elladan and Elrohir sat side by side on Elladan's bed.
"He's mortal, that's enough," Arwen sniffed. The twins traded a look. "Oh, it isn't that! Mortals just have no respect for anything. They destroy and destroy and then die without learning that some things ought to be fixed." She crossed her arms over her chest. The three siblings remained silent for a while.
"Do you think he's all right?" Elladan asked Elrohir softly. Arwen didn't bother making any nasty comments. She heard the strain in her brother's voice.
"He will be, Elladan." Elladan nodded, but looked downcast. Elrohir reached out and put an arm around Elladan's shoulders. "Don't worry," he said, although both Elladan and Elrohir did. Estel may not have been an Elf, but he felt like family to them--in a lot of ways, more so than Arwen.
"He--he'll be just fine," Arwen said, her voice cracking. The boys looked up. Her voice was sincere, no sarcasm and no sneer. Her face betrayed her, showing true care for the boy. Small tears pricked her eyes, but she tried to blink them back.
"Arwen," Elladan said softly, walking over to her. He embraced her, feeling for the first time in a long time that she was truly his sister.
*****
"You thought I wouldn't notice, didn't you?" Faramir jumped. He had not noticed his brother hiding in the corners of the room. "So, where were you then?"
"None of your business, Boromir," Faramir replied. Though Boromir was a bully, Faramir would stand up to him for Chandra.
"Is it Father's business?"
"Boromir, don't!"
"But I want to know, dear brother. If you would but tell me," he said in an oily voice, putting an arm around Faramir's shoulders. That arm, however, did not have the same feeling of comfort as Elrohir's had to Elladan.
"No." Faramir didn't know he could speak so forcefully. Boromir didn't, either, and felt it time to remind the other who was the little one here. With a hard shove he knocked Faramir to the ground. Faramir knew what was coming, and winced as the kick caught him. "Stop it!"
"Tell me!" Boromir demanded, pinning his brother to the ground with his knees. Faramir wheezed, struggling to breath over the weight of his brother. Boromir giggled cruelly. "Tell!" Faramir was seeing spots as he choked out the words.
"Feanor!" Faramir spluttered. His heart sunk. He hadn't even meant to say it, but Boromir had hurt him. Immediately the pressure was lifted, and Faramir drew in a deep breath. "I was seeing Feanor."
"Tell me more."
"She's Chandra."
*****
More than anyone else, Estel direly needed a hug. He didn't ask for one, however, tempted though he was. He simply stood, ready to talk to Elrond as an adult. He would not cry or become emotional. He had, if accidently, referred to himself as Aragorn--and that meant he could no longer be Estel. Elrond, much expecting Estel to be quite the same, waited for questions.
"I suppose you want to know why I never told you before."
"Yes," Aragorn said.
"It was for your own protection. Your mother wanted you to be safe, that was why she brought you here after your father was slain by a band of orcs. I would have told you when you were ready."
Aragorn only nodded. Neither had much to say, nor knew how to say what they were thinking. Elrond looked at his son, a boy of only sixteen years, black hair framing a thin face, gray eyes serious behind dark lashes. "Don't look at me like that."
"Like what?"
"Like I'm your son. I'm not your son, I never was."
"Estel--"
"I am not Estel!" He still had his fears, still believed he would drive Gondor to destruction. He was no hope, he had no hope. He was a thief of hope. To call him that was an insult. Elrond lightly rested a hand on Aragorn's shoulder, but the boy drew sharply back. "I am not Estel," he said in a low voice, "and I am not your son."
"You are though. It does not matter whose blood is in your veins. What matters is in your heart."
"I--my heart. . ." it dawned on him that he did belong in Imladris. Elrond had never treated him any differently than Elladan or Elrohir, and Aragorn had never even met Arathorn. It felt as though a weight had been lifted off Estel's chest. He sighed with relief, then remembered something. "Feanor," he said, rushing out of his room.
Smeagol: Of course I'm not nice. What did you expect? Anyway, suspense means people read the next chapter.
Jo March: Yay! I'm glad you found the story again. No, I haven't actually said yet what happened to Feanor/Chandra. As for learning to love each other, it isn't really something they learn, it just happens. Maybe just a bit of romance later on?
Emmithar: Maybe Estel will save her, maybe not. I mean, neither of them is so well off right now. If you dislike Boromir, you won't mind the way I portray him in this chapter. I did read Carrie's stories, as you already know. Now I'm all indignant.
To everyone: Thanks for reviewing if you did, please do if you didn't. Also, I did not portray Boromir very favourably in this chapter so. . .sorry. I needed something to happen.
".make me want to cry
I close my eyes
When I go to bed and
I dream of angels who
Make me smile
I feel better
When I hear them say
Everything will be
Wonderful someday."
--Everclear, "Wonderful"
*****
Feanor/Chandra paused with her hand on the lock. Could see do this? She knew the tears from earlier were still there, itching to be cried, itching to come out. Could she tell Faramir namarie and be gone? It was unlikely, she knew, but a thought in the back of her mind told her she owed it to him. Indeed, she did. With unnecessary force, she slammed back the lock and flung open the door. Faramir stood before her.
"Chandra, I should have known it was you."
"I suppose you have told your father and brother?" Feanor/Chandra asked with a raised eyebrow.
"No," Faramir responded. "I did not tell them. I'm not stupid. I know that you don't want to return. You left--illegally, but if you were happy you would not have gone. I cannot imagine anyone being happy with that life."
"You are brighter than you let on, Faramir," Feanor/Chandra observed. Then again, the quarts of her blood that had washed over his arms as he carried her body to the healers time and time again had probably taught him something. "I am leaving tonight, Faramir. Now that Estel knows, I cannot stay. I am not going back."
"Very well. Good luck." Faramir could think of no other words. He shifted uncomfortably. "I have to get back. If they notice I'm missing, there will be too many questions."
"Namarie, Faramir. Good luck to you, and the happiest of lives." The two shared an awkward hug, both knowing that that short hug broke a million rules. When the released each other, Feanor/Chandra watched Faramir leave, then turned to leave. To her dismay, she had some regret. Quickly she guarded herself. If she let herself miss Faramir at all, she would begin to miss Estel and even the twins, who were kind although the acted like they were afraid she would break like a doll.
Shaking her head hard, Feanor/Chandra pulled herself onto a dresser. She had been short and small to begin with, but with proper nutrition she was beginning to grow, and her ribs were less. . .outlined beneath her clothes. She had developed some muscle as well, so though it was not incredibly difficult hauling herself onto the dresser was odd. Once up, she pushed open a window and stuck her head out. It was a matter of metres to the ground, maybe seven or eight. She would have to climb down from a tree, whose branches often hit the window on windy nights. Without a second thought, she reached for the branch.
*****
"What is wrong with that boy?" Arwen asked.
"You shouldn't be so hard on him," Elrohir said.
"Estel's a good person, Arwen. I don't know why you're so hard on him. He never did anything to you," Elladan observed. The three had left the hall since their father had gone to speak with Estel, but had not bothered to part ways. Arwen stood in a dignified manner by the door to the twins' room. Elladan and Elrohir sat side by side on Elladan's bed.
"He's mortal, that's enough," Arwen sniffed. The twins traded a look. "Oh, it isn't that! Mortals just have no respect for anything. They destroy and destroy and then die without learning that some things ought to be fixed." She crossed her arms over her chest. The three siblings remained silent for a while.
"Do you think he's all right?" Elladan asked Elrohir softly. Arwen didn't bother making any nasty comments. She heard the strain in her brother's voice.
"He will be, Elladan." Elladan nodded, but looked downcast. Elrohir reached out and put an arm around Elladan's shoulders. "Don't worry," he said, although both Elladan and Elrohir did. Estel may not have been an Elf, but he felt like family to them--in a lot of ways, more so than Arwen.
"He--he'll be just fine," Arwen said, her voice cracking. The boys looked up. Her voice was sincere, no sarcasm and no sneer. Her face betrayed her, showing true care for the boy. Small tears pricked her eyes, but she tried to blink them back.
"Arwen," Elladan said softly, walking over to her. He embraced her, feeling for the first time in a long time that she was truly his sister.
*****
"You thought I wouldn't notice, didn't you?" Faramir jumped. He had not noticed his brother hiding in the corners of the room. "So, where were you then?"
"None of your business, Boromir," Faramir replied. Though Boromir was a bully, Faramir would stand up to him for Chandra.
"Is it Father's business?"
"Boromir, don't!"
"But I want to know, dear brother. If you would but tell me," he said in an oily voice, putting an arm around Faramir's shoulders. That arm, however, did not have the same feeling of comfort as Elrohir's had to Elladan.
"No." Faramir didn't know he could speak so forcefully. Boromir didn't, either, and felt it time to remind the other who was the little one here. With a hard shove he knocked Faramir to the ground. Faramir knew what was coming, and winced as the kick caught him. "Stop it!"
"Tell me!" Boromir demanded, pinning his brother to the ground with his knees. Faramir wheezed, struggling to breath over the weight of his brother. Boromir giggled cruelly. "Tell!" Faramir was seeing spots as he choked out the words.
"Feanor!" Faramir spluttered. His heart sunk. He hadn't even meant to say it, but Boromir had hurt him. Immediately the pressure was lifted, and Faramir drew in a deep breath. "I was seeing Feanor."
"Tell me more."
"She's Chandra."
*****
More than anyone else, Estel direly needed a hug. He didn't ask for one, however, tempted though he was. He simply stood, ready to talk to Elrond as an adult. He would not cry or become emotional. He had, if accidently, referred to himself as Aragorn--and that meant he could no longer be Estel. Elrond, much expecting Estel to be quite the same, waited for questions.
"I suppose you want to know why I never told you before."
"Yes," Aragorn said.
"It was for your own protection. Your mother wanted you to be safe, that was why she brought you here after your father was slain by a band of orcs. I would have told you when you were ready."
Aragorn only nodded. Neither had much to say, nor knew how to say what they were thinking. Elrond looked at his son, a boy of only sixteen years, black hair framing a thin face, gray eyes serious behind dark lashes. "Don't look at me like that."
"Like what?"
"Like I'm your son. I'm not your son, I never was."
"Estel--"
"I am not Estel!" He still had his fears, still believed he would drive Gondor to destruction. He was no hope, he had no hope. He was a thief of hope. To call him that was an insult. Elrond lightly rested a hand on Aragorn's shoulder, but the boy drew sharply back. "I am not Estel," he said in a low voice, "and I am not your son."
"You are though. It does not matter whose blood is in your veins. What matters is in your heart."
"I--my heart. . ." it dawned on him that he did belong in Imladris. Elrond had never treated him any differently than Elladan or Elrohir, and Aragorn had never even met Arathorn. It felt as though a weight had been lifted off Estel's chest. He sighed with relief, then remembered something. "Feanor," he said, rushing out of his room.