The evening sun was shining through the wide windows of Elrond's study when
Elrohir entered, followed more slowly by Elladan. Mercifully, thought
Elrond, by now in clean clothing. A small circle of chairs was arranged
around his desk, where a plate of sweet biscuits and a pitcher of fruit
drink were arranged.
Elrond motioned to his left side as Elrohir came in. Smiling Elrohir took the seat surveying the other members of the council. Glorfindel sat to the right of his father, deep in thought. Glorfindel still looked as young as he and his brother, but Elrohir knew he had been his father's closest friend and advisor since before he had been born. Close by sat Erestor, tall and dark and beneath his stern exterior extremely fond of all young elves in Rivendell. Two others, Angolin and Elestil identically dark and as Elladan said identically boring sat on either side of himself and Erestor.
Elladan, having grabbed half the biscuits off the plate, went to sit on the window ledge before being firmly pointed towards one of the remaining chairs.
"Elladan" Elrond's face was amused but his voice left no room for argument. This was a serious council and he would not have his son jeopardise the future of men.
"Yes my lord" Elladan saluted, a custom not often seen among elves, as he sat down. He enjoyed teasing his father and thousands of years had perfected the talent.
Elrond was glaring at his son who was laughing while munching biscuit, when the door opened and Gilraen was ushered in. She looked uncomfortable in the unfamiliar elven clothes, but still held the child, now dressed in the short tunic and shorts it was customary for young elves to wear.
The elves stood as she walked in, only causing her to become more awkward as she took her seat.
"Master Elrond" her acknowledgement was only a slight nod of the head in the direction of the elf, the others she ignored although her eyes showed recognition as she gazed at the faces of his sons.
"Gilraen" Elrond smiled at her. She really was very young. She didn't deserve any of this. "These are Glorfindel, Angolin, Elestil and Erestor my advisors. You have already met my sons, Elladan and Elrohir"
Gilraen nodded and smiled slightly.
"We are here Gilraen, to discuss the future of the Heir of Isildur"
Dark eyes met his, challenging him.
"We are here to discuss the future of my son" her voice was soft, but left no room for compromise.
"Indeed, but you must realise that your son's safety is in question solely because he is his father's son" Elrond was smiling, but he intended to win this battle of wills.
Gilraen looked at him questioningly, waiting for whatever suggestion should come.
"You will be safe here. I would like you to stay."
Gilraen nodded her acceptance.
"However," Elrond continued, "There is another issue I would like to discuss" Glorfindel smiled to himself as all other eyes turned to Elrond.
"The Eye of the Enemy will not see the child here, I can guarantee you this. However, there are many unfriendly ears in these parts and I would not have it passed on that the Heir of Isildur not only existed, but was vulnerable and living in this house".
Gilraen looked calm on the outside, but her eyes betrayed her fear as she renewed her grip on her wriggling son.
"So, you think that they will find him then?"
"No, I do not" Elrond spoke firmly, "But there are precautions I must take, with your permission".
There was a slight bang as the book Elladan had been fiddling with fell over, followed by a thud as the rest of the books on the shelf tilted. Elrond scowled at his son before continuing.
"I would like to conceal his heritage from him, at least until he is old enough to know not to speak of it"
From the look Gilraen gave him it was obvious she was not impressed by this idea.
"You would have my son grow up without knowledge of his father. Without knowing the history of his people?"
Elrond cringed inwardly at the tone of her voice. He had not meant to hurt her, but she had taken his comments as an attack on her race, her people.
"No, he must know of his people. He must certainly learn of his people."
"Especially his father" Elladan spoke firmly, surprising his father "He was a fine man".
Gilraen looked at Elladan in relief and gratitude. She did not know why the rather stern, silent leader of the elven hunting party was sticking up for her; especially since he had never spoken to her, unlike his brother who had often helped protect the child on the journey, but it made her feel safer.
"Indeed Elladan," Elrond said, "Of course the child must learn of his father and the history of his people. I suggest merely concealing the knowledge that it is he who is the heir of Isildur, and it was his father who was killed".
Gilraen relaxed slightly.
"This must be done," she said, more in a statement to herself than a question.
Elrond nodded
"If he is to be safe"
"Then let it be done" Gilraen spoke with finality, her voice trembling slightly.
Elrond smiled, and glanced towards the door. All but Glorfindel and his family left the room.
"Gilraen, I have a proposition to make to you. It also concerns my family, which is why they are here".
Gilraen glanced from the solemn face of Elrond to the similar yet more lively faces of his sons, Elrohir's puzzled and listening hard, Elladan's thoughts far away.
"Aragorn is my nephew. I would like him to enter into my family, as a foster son."
Gilraen gazed at him, trying to understand the motives of such a decision.
"In this way Aragorn may have the treatment and training he needs without suspicion being raised". That was enough, he needn't add that the sight of the child gazing around the room with innocent blue eyes and grizzling as a paperweight was removed from his grasp, had reminded him so much of his own children that the desire to nurture and protect had been almost overwhelming.
Elrond looked at his sons, each nodded signifying their acceptance of the plan.
"Very well, let it be so" Gilraen's voice was tired suddenly. She had lost her husband and had left her people. The relief of security and acceptance after the uncertainty was enough to bring tears to her eyes.
Elrohir sprang up and went to her chair, lifting the child from her lap and helping her up.
"Father, I will show Gilraen to her room. Where will she be sleeping?"
Elrond smiled. Elrohir always wanted to make things right.
"I think in the Ash Bedroom" Elrond said at length. The room was next to his own, within the private living area of the family. The room adjoined a large light nursery where all his children had slept before they had been given rooms of their own.
Elrohir turned to leave, guiding Gilraen.
"Gilraen, you are free to wander Rivendell as you will and make use of anything you wish. Elrohir, will you show Gilraen the sitting room and dining hall?"
Elrohir nodded, shifting Aragorn in his arms. Elrond paused, wondering whether to leave his last comment, but proceeded.
"Gilraen, I would like you to choose an elven name for the child. He can no longer use that of Aragorn".
Gilraen looked at him, crying now, but silently. Everything was lost, even the name they had chosen for their child.
"Call him Hope, he is all I have left now" Gilraen's voice spoke of defeat and tears were rolling down her cheeks. Elrohir put a comforting arm on her arm as he guided her out of the room.
Elrond and Glorfindel exchanged glances. They had got what they wanted.
Estel. Hope. It was not a bad name for the child.
Elrond motioned to his left side as Elrohir came in. Smiling Elrohir took the seat surveying the other members of the council. Glorfindel sat to the right of his father, deep in thought. Glorfindel still looked as young as he and his brother, but Elrohir knew he had been his father's closest friend and advisor since before he had been born. Close by sat Erestor, tall and dark and beneath his stern exterior extremely fond of all young elves in Rivendell. Two others, Angolin and Elestil identically dark and as Elladan said identically boring sat on either side of himself and Erestor.
Elladan, having grabbed half the biscuits off the plate, went to sit on the window ledge before being firmly pointed towards one of the remaining chairs.
"Elladan" Elrond's face was amused but his voice left no room for argument. This was a serious council and he would not have his son jeopardise the future of men.
"Yes my lord" Elladan saluted, a custom not often seen among elves, as he sat down. He enjoyed teasing his father and thousands of years had perfected the talent.
Elrond was glaring at his son who was laughing while munching biscuit, when the door opened and Gilraen was ushered in. She looked uncomfortable in the unfamiliar elven clothes, but still held the child, now dressed in the short tunic and shorts it was customary for young elves to wear.
The elves stood as she walked in, only causing her to become more awkward as she took her seat.
"Master Elrond" her acknowledgement was only a slight nod of the head in the direction of the elf, the others she ignored although her eyes showed recognition as she gazed at the faces of his sons.
"Gilraen" Elrond smiled at her. She really was very young. She didn't deserve any of this. "These are Glorfindel, Angolin, Elestil and Erestor my advisors. You have already met my sons, Elladan and Elrohir"
Gilraen nodded and smiled slightly.
"We are here Gilraen, to discuss the future of the Heir of Isildur"
Dark eyes met his, challenging him.
"We are here to discuss the future of my son" her voice was soft, but left no room for compromise.
"Indeed, but you must realise that your son's safety is in question solely because he is his father's son" Elrond was smiling, but he intended to win this battle of wills.
Gilraen looked at him questioningly, waiting for whatever suggestion should come.
"You will be safe here. I would like you to stay."
Gilraen nodded her acceptance.
"However," Elrond continued, "There is another issue I would like to discuss" Glorfindel smiled to himself as all other eyes turned to Elrond.
"The Eye of the Enemy will not see the child here, I can guarantee you this. However, there are many unfriendly ears in these parts and I would not have it passed on that the Heir of Isildur not only existed, but was vulnerable and living in this house".
Gilraen looked calm on the outside, but her eyes betrayed her fear as she renewed her grip on her wriggling son.
"So, you think that they will find him then?"
"No, I do not" Elrond spoke firmly, "But there are precautions I must take, with your permission".
There was a slight bang as the book Elladan had been fiddling with fell over, followed by a thud as the rest of the books on the shelf tilted. Elrond scowled at his son before continuing.
"I would like to conceal his heritage from him, at least until he is old enough to know not to speak of it"
From the look Gilraen gave him it was obvious she was not impressed by this idea.
"You would have my son grow up without knowledge of his father. Without knowing the history of his people?"
Elrond cringed inwardly at the tone of her voice. He had not meant to hurt her, but she had taken his comments as an attack on her race, her people.
"No, he must know of his people. He must certainly learn of his people."
"Especially his father" Elladan spoke firmly, surprising his father "He was a fine man".
Gilraen looked at Elladan in relief and gratitude. She did not know why the rather stern, silent leader of the elven hunting party was sticking up for her; especially since he had never spoken to her, unlike his brother who had often helped protect the child on the journey, but it made her feel safer.
"Indeed Elladan," Elrond said, "Of course the child must learn of his father and the history of his people. I suggest merely concealing the knowledge that it is he who is the heir of Isildur, and it was his father who was killed".
Gilraen relaxed slightly.
"This must be done," she said, more in a statement to herself than a question.
Elrond nodded
"If he is to be safe"
"Then let it be done" Gilraen spoke with finality, her voice trembling slightly.
Elrond smiled, and glanced towards the door. All but Glorfindel and his family left the room.
"Gilraen, I have a proposition to make to you. It also concerns my family, which is why they are here".
Gilraen glanced from the solemn face of Elrond to the similar yet more lively faces of his sons, Elrohir's puzzled and listening hard, Elladan's thoughts far away.
"Aragorn is my nephew. I would like him to enter into my family, as a foster son."
Gilraen gazed at him, trying to understand the motives of such a decision.
"In this way Aragorn may have the treatment and training he needs without suspicion being raised". That was enough, he needn't add that the sight of the child gazing around the room with innocent blue eyes and grizzling as a paperweight was removed from his grasp, had reminded him so much of his own children that the desire to nurture and protect had been almost overwhelming.
Elrond looked at his sons, each nodded signifying their acceptance of the plan.
"Very well, let it be so" Gilraen's voice was tired suddenly. She had lost her husband and had left her people. The relief of security and acceptance after the uncertainty was enough to bring tears to her eyes.
Elrohir sprang up and went to her chair, lifting the child from her lap and helping her up.
"Father, I will show Gilraen to her room. Where will she be sleeping?"
Elrond smiled. Elrohir always wanted to make things right.
"I think in the Ash Bedroom" Elrond said at length. The room was next to his own, within the private living area of the family. The room adjoined a large light nursery where all his children had slept before they had been given rooms of their own.
Elrohir turned to leave, guiding Gilraen.
"Gilraen, you are free to wander Rivendell as you will and make use of anything you wish. Elrohir, will you show Gilraen the sitting room and dining hall?"
Elrohir nodded, shifting Aragorn in his arms. Elrond paused, wondering whether to leave his last comment, but proceeded.
"Gilraen, I would like you to choose an elven name for the child. He can no longer use that of Aragorn".
Gilraen looked at him, crying now, but silently. Everything was lost, even the name they had chosen for their child.
"Call him Hope, he is all I have left now" Gilraen's voice spoke of defeat and tears were rolling down her cheeks. Elrohir put a comforting arm on her arm as he guided her out of the room.
Elrond and Glorfindel exchanged glances. They had got what they wanted.
Estel. Hope. It was not a bad name for the child.