DISCLAIMER: See Epilogue.
CHAPTER ONE: ESCAPE FROM MINAS TIRITH
Two cloaked figures swept furtively through the stone corridors of the White Tower. Their heavy boots barely made a sound as they walked - these Men were Rangers, and stealth was their skill.
The leader held his hand out to halt his companion. Someone was drawing close: he could sense it. They slunk into a corner, as drunken laughter filled the air. Seconds later, two diminutive figures staggered along the hall, not noticing the men hiding in the shadows.
"Come on, Pip!" Merry's voice rang clearly in the emptiness. He pulled fork from his belt. "To the wedding!"
"Right behind you!" Pippin hiccuped, tripping mere feet away from the Rangers. He grasped a marble statute of Elendil for support, and clambered unsteadily to his feet. "Thank you, my good fellow!" He smiled at the figurine then stumbled onwards. "Don't start without us!"
"They'll be suffering in the morning," one man sniggered once the hobbits had disappeared, and were reassured of their absence by the cries as the two drunks plummeted down a staircase and landed in a heap on the floor.
"Shh..." His companion hissed, grey eyes scanning the area like a bird of prey.
"Honestly, Aragorn!" Faramir shook his head. "It is almost morning. Everyone is either sound asleep, or is in the banquet hall, still drinking themselves senseless or having collapsed from doing so. No-one is going to stop us!"
"Caution, Faramir," the King replied. "You forget that most of our guests are elves. They can sense things you and I cannot."
Faramir shook his head. "Trust me, Aragorn. If they are anything like Elladan and Elrohir, we are perfectly safe." He smothered a grin at the memory of Elrond's twin sons, drowning pints of ale and collapsing in unison. Elrond was less than impressed, and it had taken the combined efforts of him, Celeborn, Glorfindel and Erestor to drag the sleeping elves to bed. "By the way, whose idea was it to order twenty-seven barrels of beer from the Prancing Pony Inn, in Bree?" Faramir narrowed his eyes accusingly.
Aragorn feigned solemnity. "I have no idea."
* * * * * * * * * * *
"It's almost time..." Eowyn murmured. "They should be here by now." She rose from the armchair, and began to pace. "What if they have been caught?"
"Be still, Eowyn!" Arwen stood, smoothing a crease from her black skirt. "Estel moves as stealthily as an elf. He will come. Have no doubt."
Eowyn still did not look convinced.
A sharp knock drew her from her reverie.
"Who is it?" Arwen called softly.
"Evenstar, it is us." The voice responded, causing Arwen to smile.
Faramir and Aragorn stepped into the room, each embracing their betrothed, and kissed them. For a few silent moments, each couple remained locked into their private world, oblivious to the outside world.
"Are you ready, vanimelda?" Aragorn whispered to Arwen.
She nodded. "Yes, aran-nin. It is almost time."
They each slung a pack over their shoulders, grinning at one another in anticipation. Aragorn took her gloved hand in his, before leaning forward to brush a kiss to her cheek.
"Take care!" Eowyn smiled at the couple, feeling a momentary pang of guilt that she had almost destroyed their perfect love.
"We will," Aragorn reassured her. Turning to Faramir, he asked, "How will you explain this to the lords?"
The Steward grinned. "I'll improvise. They'll believe anything. Elrond, on the other hand..." He shrugged.
"Speaking of my father..." Arwen shot a glance outside. "It is nearing dawn. Estel and I should leave soon, lest we be caught. If Ada ever gets his hands on you," she stared at her future husband. "Not even the Valar could stop him unleashing his fury on you. I love you too much to see you hung, drawn and quartered." She placed a kiss on his brow.
"Do not fear, Evenstar!" He grinned. "I shall tell him that this was you idea!"
* * * * * * * * * * *
Asfaloth and Roheryn stood saddled and ready as Arwen and Aragorn slipped from the palace into the stables. Arwen, blessed with the heightened senses of the Eldar, wrinkled her nose at the stench. She stroked her stallion's nose lovingly, before mounting.
"Are you ready, meleth-nin?" Aragorn asked, before pulling up the hood of his cloak. She nodded, and did the same.
They dug their heels into their stallions' sides, and rode into the emerging dawn. "Noro lim, Asfaloth! Noro lim Roheryn!"
* * * * * * * * * *
Translations:
vanimelda = beloved
aran-nin = my king
meleth-nin = my love
Noro lim = ride fast
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
Thanks for reading! And keep the reviews coming!
CHAPTER ONE: ESCAPE FROM MINAS TIRITH
Two cloaked figures swept furtively through the stone corridors of the White Tower. Their heavy boots barely made a sound as they walked - these Men were Rangers, and stealth was their skill.
The leader held his hand out to halt his companion. Someone was drawing close: he could sense it. They slunk into a corner, as drunken laughter filled the air. Seconds later, two diminutive figures staggered along the hall, not noticing the men hiding in the shadows.
"Come on, Pip!" Merry's voice rang clearly in the emptiness. He pulled fork from his belt. "To the wedding!"
"Right behind you!" Pippin hiccuped, tripping mere feet away from the Rangers. He grasped a marble statute of Elendil for support, and clambered unsteadily to his feet. "Thank you, my good fellow!" He smiled at the figurine then stumbled onwards. "Don't start without us!"
"They'll be suffering in the morning," one man sniggered once the hobbits had disappeared, and were reassured of their absence by the cries as the two drunks plummeted down a staircase and landed in a heap on the floor.
"Shh..." His companion hissed, grey eyes scanning the area like a bird of prey.
"Honestly, Aragorn!" Faramir shook his head. "It is almost morning. Everyone is either sound asleep, or is in the banquet hall, still drinking themselves senseless or having collapsed from doing so. No-one is going to stop us!"
"Caution, Faramir," the King replied. "You forget that most of our guests are elves. They can sense things you and I cannot."
Faramir shook his head. "Trust me, Aragorn. If they are anything like Elladan and Elrohir, we are perfectly safe." He smothered a grin at the memory of Elrond's twin sons, drowning pints of ale and collapsing in unison. Elrond was less than impressed, and it had taken the combined efforts of him, Celeborn, Glorfindel and Erestor to drag the sleeping elves to bed. "By the way, whose idea was it to order twenty-seven barrels of beer from the Prancing Pony Inn, in Bree?" Faramir narrowed his eyes accusingly.
Aragorn feigned solemnity. "I have no idea."
* * * * * * * * * * *
"It's almost time..." Eowyn murmured. "They should be here by now." She rose from the armchair, and began to pace. "What if they have been caught?"
"Be still, Eowyn!" Arwen stood, smoothing a crease from her black skirt. "Estel moves as stealthily as an elf. He will come. Have no doubt."
Eowyn still did not look convinced.
A sharp knock drew her from her reverie.
"Who is it?" Arwen called softly.
"Evenstar, it is us." The voice responded, causing Arwen to smile.
Faramir and Aragorn stepped into the room, each embracing their betrothed, and kissed them. For a few silent moments, each couple remained locked into their private world, oblivious to the outside world.
"Are you ready, vanimelda?" Aragorn whispered to Arwen.
She nodded. "Yes, aran-nin. It is almost time."
They each slung a pack over their shoulders, grinning at one another in anticipation. Aragorn took her gloved hand in his, before leaning forward to brush a kiss to her cheek.
"Take care!" Eowyn smiled at the couple, feeling a momentary pang of guilt that she had almost destroyed their perfect love.
"We will," Aragorn reassured her. Turning to Faramir, he asked, "How will you explain this to the lords?"
The Steward grinned. "I'll improvise. They'll believe anything. Elrond, on the other hand..." He shrugged.
"Speaking of my father..." Arwen shot a glance outside. "It is nearing dawn. Estel and I should leave soon, lest we be caught. If Ada ever gets his hands on you," she stared at her future husband. "Not even the Valar could stop him unleashing his fury on you. I love you too much to see you hung, drawn and quartered." She placed a kiss on his brow.
"Do not fear, Evenstar!" He grinned. "I shall tell him that this was you idea!"
* * * * * * * * * * *
Asfaloth and Roheryn stood saddled and ready as Arwen and Aragorn slipped from the palace into the stables. Arwen, blessed with the heightened senses of the Eldar, wrinkled her nose at the stench. She stroked her stallion's nose lovingly, before mounting.
"Are you ready, meleth-nin?" Aragorn asked, before pulling up the hood of his cloak. She nodded, and did the same.
They dug their heels into their stallions' sides, and rode into the emerging dawn. "Noro lim, Asfaloth! Noro lim Roheryn!"
* * * * * * * * * *
Translations:
vanimelda = beloved
aran-nin = my king
meleth-nin = my love
Noro lim = ride fast
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
Thanks for reading! And keep the reviews coming!