Chapter 7
There is a knock on my door. I expect that it will be Aragorn (I have never been able to call him Elessar, to me he will always be my big brother Aragorn), or maybe Arwen she should have put Eldarion to bed by now, she usually comes by to say good night.
I open the door; it is as I expected Aragorn. My brother looks tired, and I motion him to a seat. `Do you want a cup of tea, Aragorn, or something stronger?' I ask him.
`Tea will fine, little sister. If I have anything stronger I think I will pass out. By the Valar I am tired!' he answered.
`No wonder, with all the different meetings you have been holding all this week till all hours of the night. Even Kings need sleep, my brother,' I replied, handing him a steaming cup.
`Not you too! All have from Arwen lately is that I will kill myself from lack of sleep! he exclaimed.
`Perhaps she is right. Do you have to go back to council tonight?' I asked him
`No, all is resolved for tonight. And that is what I want to talk to you about. Your mission is delayed for a week due to the death of one of our contacts, I believe from poison. So until his replacement arrives, which we think will be about a week, you will remain in Gondor', he said
`Yes, my King', I reply obediently.
Aragorn gave me a keen glance, `Little one, you do not have to do this, I am not ordering you, nor would I order you to do anything', he said.
`I know, but we have no choice but for one of us to go', I said.
He sighed deeply. `Yes, I know, we have been over this before. I will not prevent you from doing this, I am very fortunate to have such a brave sister.'
`Yes we are', came a soft female voice from the door. It is Arwen, she has heard Aragorn and I talking and entered the room silently as only an elf can. `I am deeply grateful to you; you undertake this dangerous mission, and leave me my husband here in safety.' She looked at me, and then said `one day I hope to be in a position to repay you for this'. She walked to where Aragorn is seated, and leaning down kissed him gently. `I am going to bed, dearest. Say what you have to our sister, and then join me. You need to sleep, and I am going to make sure no one wakes you early tomorrow, not unless the castle is afire!'
We all laughed at Arwen's words. She bade me goodnight and left again. `So, what is it that you have to say to me?' I ask.
`Prince Therron again asks for your hand. I must give him an answer. Your mind is set firm, for I will lie to you, he would be a useful ally,' asked Aragorn.
`Is it not enough that Faramir has married Eowyn?' I ask. `Do we really need another marriage between Gondor and Rohan for political ends?'
`No, of course not.' Aragorn looked uncertain as to how to proceed. `I know you have had another offer of marriage, and I know you have neither accepted nor rejected that offer. So I need to ask you, sister, is it Therron you dislike, or the thought of marriage?
`A little of both, my brother. I have never thought of marriage, a female Ranger does not marry, I have been content merely to be your sister. And before you ask, this other offer you refer to has come as a complete shock to me too, and I was not avoiding telling you, I was wondering how to broach the subject with you,' I all but snapped at him.
`I am not angry,' he said, `but you are High Princess of Gondor. That position brings responsibilities, one of them being marriage and children. You are my only close kin, excepting my son; if he and I were to die you would be Queen. I need you to secure our bloodline'.
`Do you order me to marry, brother? I was fuming now, and Aragorn knew it.
`Never would I order you to wed, particularly a man you do not at least like. You need your own life, my dear, if you survive this mission I ask you to give thought to the question of marriage. You do realise that while you are single you are a target for kidnappers; there are those who would take you from here, and force you to wed, to force me to concede to political ends. Please promise me to think on this', he asked.
`Very well, as you ask, I will do', I replied, still a little angry.
`And your secret admirer, I do think you should at least speak to him. He is very hurt by your refusal to even speak to him, and he has done nothing to deserve this treatment. He is in despair, you know as well as I what that can do to one of his kind,' said Aragorn.
`I shall see him tomorrow', I replied
`Tonight', said Aragorn, `he is off watch, and I know neither you nor he will sleep this night.'
`To please you then, I will do this', I said, starting to feel my temper rise again.
`To please him, sister. And if it means anything, I do not object to this proposal you have, although it brings no political advantage, I think it would bring you great happiness', my brother answered me.
`It is not as easy at that. There are hard choices here, brother, choices I can't bring anyone to make for me. And I am not sure of my feelings, he has ever been a friend to me, that he wants to marry me I never considered possible.' I was getting to the point where I would ride out of Gondor in a temper, and Aragorn was not helping me with his insistence.
`Just see him. Talk to him, he loves you truly and needs to see you. He is on the North tower, and I know will be there till morning.' Aragorn said. `I will go now, please do as I ask, I can't afford to have my Captain of the Guard sick with despair on your account', he said as he left my rooms.
I was now thoroughly angry. I threw an empty cup at the wall, and was rewarded by a satisfying crashing sound. But of course that did not solve a thing. I walked out of my room, even angrier because I know Aragorn is right, I storm to the North tower, and my anger dissolves when I see him walking up and down, the moonlight shinning in his pale blonde hair.
He hears my step, and turns toward me. `Lady Elandra', he says in greeting, his Elvish voice soft and beautiful.
Who is Elandra's admirer? I will only say it is not Legolas!!
There is a knock on my door. I expect that it will be Aragorn (I have never been able to call him Elessar, to me he will always be my big brother Aragorn), or maybe Arwen she should have put Eldarion to bed by now, she usually comes by to say good night.
I open the door; it is as I expected Aragorn. My brother looks tired, and I motion him to a seat. `Do you want a cup of tea, Aragorn, or something stronger?' I ask him.
`Tea will fine, little sister. If I have anything stronger I think I will pass out. By the Valar I am tired!' he answered.
`No wonder, with all the different meetings you have been holding all this week till all hours of the night. Even Kings need sleep, my brother,' I replied, handing him a steaming cup.
`Not you too! All have from Arwen lately is that I will kill myself from lack of sleep! he exclaimed.
`Perhaps she is right. Do you have to go back to council tonight?' I asked him
`No, all is resolved for tonight. And that is what I want to talk to you about. Your mission is delayed for a week due to the death of one of our contacts, I believe from poison. So until his replacement arrives, which we think will be about a week, you will remain in Gondor', he said
`Yes, my King', I reply obediently.
Aragorn gave me a keen glance, `Little one, you do not have to do this, I am not ordering you, nor would I order you to do anything', he said.
`I know, but we have no choice but for one of us to go', I said.
He sighed deeply. `Yes, I know, we have been over this before. I will not prevent you from doing this, I am very fortunate to have such a brave sister.'
`Yes we are', came a soft female voice from the door. It is Arwen, she has heard Aragorn and I talking and entered the room silently as only an elf can. `I am deeply grateful to you; you undertake this dangerous mission, and leave me my husband here in safety.' She looked at me, and then said `one day I hope to be in a position to repay you for this'. She walked to where Aragorn is seated, and leaning down kissed him gently. `I am going to bed, dearest. Say what you have to our sister, and then join me. You need to sleep, and I am going to make sure no one wakes you early tomorrow, not unless the castle is afire!'
We all laughed at Arwen's words. She bade me goodnight and left again. `So, what is it that you have to say to me?' I ask.
`Prince Therron again asks for your hand. I must give him an answer. Your mind is set firm, for I will lie to you, he would be a useful ally,' asked Aragorn.
`Is it not enough that Faramir has married Eowyn?' I ask. `Do we really need another marriage between Gondor and Rohan for political ends?'
`No, of course not.' Aragorn looked uncertain as to how to proceed. `I know you have had another offer of marriage, and I know you have neither accepted nor rejected that offer. So I need to ask you, sister, is it Therron you dislike, or the thought of marriage?
`A little of both, my brother. I have never thought of marriage, a female Ranger does not marry, I have been content merely to be your sister. And before you ask, this other offer you refer to has come as a complete shock to me too, and I was not avoiding telling you, I was wondering how to broach the subject with you,' I all but snapped at him.
`I am not angry,' he said, `but you are High Princess of Gondor. That position brings responsibilities, one of them being marriage and children. You are my only close kin, excepting my son; if he and I were to die you would be Queen. I need you to secure our bloodline'.
`Do you order me to marry, brother? I was fuming now, and Aragorn knew it.
`Never would I order you to wed, particularly a man you do not at least like. You need your own life, my dear, if you survive this mission I ask you to give thought to the question of marriage. You do realise that while you are single you are a target for kidnappers; there are those who would take you from here, and force you to wed, to force me to concede to political ends. Please promise me to think on this', he asked.
`Very well, as you ask, I will do', I replied, still a little angry.
`And your secret admirer, I do think you should at least speak to him. He is very hurt by your refusal to even speak to him, and he has done nothing to deserve this treatment. He is in despair, you know as well as I what that can do to one of his kind,' said Aragorn.
`I shall see him tomorrow', I replied
`Tonight', said Aragorn, `he is off watch, and I know neither you nor he will sleep this night.'
`To please you then, I will do this', I said, starting to feel my temper rise again.
`To please him, sister. And if it means anything, I do not object to this proposal you have, although it brings no political advantage, I think it would bring you great happiness', my brother answered me.
`It is not as easy at that. There are hard choices here, brother, choices I can't bring anyone to make for me. And I am not sure of my feelings, he has ever been a friend to me, that he wants to marry me I never considered possible.' I was getting to the point where I would ride out of Gondor in a temper, and Aragorn was not helping me with his insistence.
`Just see him. Talk to him, he loves you truly and needs to see you. He is on the North tower, and I know will be there till morning.' Aragorn said. `I will go now, please do as I ask, I can't afford to have my Captain of the Guard sick with despair on your account', he said as he left my rooms.
I was now thoroughly angry. I threw an empty cup at the wall, and was rewarded by a satisfying crashing sound. But of course that did not solve a thing. I walked out of my room, even angrier because I know Aragorn is right, I storm to the North tower, and my anger dissolves when I see him walking up and down, the moonlight shinning in his pale blonde hair.
He hears my step, and turns toward me. `Lady Elandra', he says in greeting, his Elvish voice soft and beautiful.
Who is Elandra's admirer? I will only say it is not Legolas!!