standard disclaimers apply.
Chapter Four: Decisions
Aragorn woke that morning before the light of the new day. He knew not what awoke him from his peaceful slumber in the arms of his beloved, but whatever it was drew him to the window to behold the splendor of Imladris in the time before the city would awaken.
Something inside was begging him to go out into the wild and explore the paths of the nearby trees and forest as he had done in his early youth. A yearning pulled at his heart.
So some moments later he found himself clad in scouting clothing that was burried in the back of the closet. His sword dangled like a trustworthy friend at his side. Walking over to the bed he kissed Arwen softly before turning and walking out the door.
The darkness that had shadowed the city while still standing in his bed chamber was now fading, and the midnight sky was now turning into daylight in the east. He needed to hurry and find his way out of the city before any of the council members of the day found him. He just knew that they would pull him abck into the political world and his time would be spent thinking of the adventure that lay just outside of the city.
As he escape finally out to the main path from Imladris he let out a sigh of relief. No one had followed him, but he could not be sure for he was still not perfectly in tune with his elven senses.
"Thank the Valar," he murmered.
"For what?" came a voice from above. Faramir, the Captain of Gondor jumped from a high branch of a tree to land in front of Aragorn.
"You startled me," Aragorn said as he let go of the hilt of his sword.
"It is not often that one startles an elf. Surely you knew I was here with you?"
Aragorn was at a loss for words. He had felt something strange upon walking into the forest, something not unlike the feelings he got from his ranger sense when alone in the world of men. But he had dismissed it. Now he knew.
"Yes, but I did not expect you to jump from that tree," he replied.
"You could have taken my head off with your sword," Faramir said in amusement.
"I could have."
"Well no longer shall we fret over small things such as you killing me or I jumping out of a tree to startle you. Let us shake hands and be friends."
Faramir stuck his hand out to Aragorn to shake. Aragorn reached out and clasped it tightly, surprised at the familiarity of the feel. Many times had he shaken hands with Faramir in the other life.
"Friends," Aragorn said. Faramir nodded in response.
The two walked along the path away from Imladris for a while before passing well beyond the city's borders. For Faramir he was walking in unfamiliar territory, but Aragorn knew the setting well enough. He used to play in the trees in his youth with Elladan and Elrohir. But that had been back before his ranger days. When he was jsuta teenager, and Elladan and Elrohir no more mature than him in their own youth.
Faramir noticed the smile that played at Aragorn's lips and he could do nothing but ask what amused the elf so much.
"I was just recalling my childhood," Aragorn answered. "Myself and my wife's brothers used to play in these trees."
"I have heard that elves can hide themselves in plain site in the foliage," Faramir said questioningly.
Aragorn laughed lightly and nodded. That skill was not only limited to the elves. The twins had also taught him the skill of keeping one's self concealed in danger. Aragorn had taught this skill to the other rangers in his early days.
"The sun is high enough in the sky that we should be getting back," Faramir said.
"Can council not wait?" Aragorn asked. "How often is it that you get to enjoy such scenery as what you have before your very eyes?"
"There will be much time for this later, Estel," Faramir stressed.
"Perhaps you are right. But council does not appeal to me," Aragorn said with an air of finality. He had not been informed about the council's meaning or if he was to speak in it. What if they asked him something he did not know the answer to? What would the men think of the elves then?
"Let us return," Faramir said as he turned to the opposite direction and began to walk.
Aragorn had no other legitimate choice but to follow in Faramir's footsteps and hope for the best.
When they arrived back in Minas Tirith, the council members had already assembled and waited on the two men that had come back from their walk in the woods. Elrond looked at Aragorn curiously as the younger elf took his seat next to his father.
"Lord Elrond," Faramir said as he stood before the council. "Myself and my people have come to Rivendell in a matter of warning. There has been spotted a large grouping of a colony of orcs and spare uruk hai near our northern borders."
"This is a serious problem," Elrond said solemnly. "What have you done to rid yourself of them?"
"At first we sent out scouts to assess the problem, and they came back with news of their multiplication. Their numbers are growing at a rate faster than they can be slain. I fear that this band will not only advance on Minas Tirith, but continue north."
"Rivendell is far away from Minas Tirith," Elrond said.
"We reached Rivendell in two weeks time on horseback. It will not take these fiends much longer than that. And think of everyone that could be slain in the process."
Elrond sat in quiet contemplation at this news presented to him. Aragorn on the other hand was still trying to process this new information. If there were Uruk Hai running about, then surely they had been created by Saruman, and that must have meant that the war of the ring had been done and finished.
"What is it that you require of us that Minas Tirith cannot provide?" Elrond asked.
"Archers to shoot at these monsters from a distance so that no one may be hurt from a close up battle," Faramir answered.
"There will always be hand to hand combat in a battle, Captain. But if it is assistance you require, I will send archers to help you slay these demons."
Faramir smiled and nodded, taking his seat with the ither men of Gondor.
"When you depart from Imladris, my son," Elrond said while putting his hand on Aragorn's shoulder. "Will accompany you. He is not only an accomplished swordsman but has a fine eye for archery. His skills will be most prominent on the field of battle."
Aragorn smiled weakly at Elrond. Going to Minas Tirith was the farthest wish from his mind, as he had hoped to stay close to Arwen. But he would fulfil his duties wholeheartedly.
"Now on to other matters," Elrond continued.
Aragorn stopped listening at that point and concentrated his thoughts on a certain dark haired elf. He didn't want to break the news to her that he would be leaving. Although he knew she would accept the news, it would still break his heart to tell her.
It was with his mind still on these thoughts that he left the council later in the day to retreat to his chamber.s He found Arwen there waiting for him.
"Is it true?" she asked unmoving from the window. "Are you leaving Imladris to go with these Men?"
Aragorn walked over to Arwen and wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her against him. She took in a shakey breath and closed her eyes, listening to the beat of his heart. A tear escaped her eyes, landing on his hand.
"I know you must leave, but it still tears at my heart to let you go," Arwen said.
"I will make my return swift," Aragorn pledged.
"Please."
a/n: yes, I know it's probably a bad ending to the chapter, but this one killed me to write as well. dunno why, but it did. maybe it's because i've had another fic plaguing my mind lately. i'm about to start a new boromir fic and it's gonna kick this one's ass. although i do hope you review, for it makes my writing of the chapters much more quick and enjoyable for you.
Chapter Four: Decisions
Aragorn woke that morning before the light of the new day. He knew not what awoke him from his peaceful slumber in the arms of his beloved, but whatever it was drew him to the window to behold the splendor of Imladris in the time before the city would awaken.
Something inside was begging him to go out into the wild and explore the paths of the nearby trees and forest as he had done in his early youth. A yearning pulled at his heart.
So some moments later he found himself clad in scouting clothing that was burried in the back of the closet. His sword dangled like a trustworthy friend at his side. Walking over to the bed he kissed Arwen softly before turning and walking out the door.
The darkness that had shadowed the city while still standing in his bed chamber was now fading, and the midnight sky was now turning into daylight in the east. He needed to hurry and find his way out of the city before any of the council members of the day found him. He just knew that they would pull him abck into the political world and his time would be spent thinking of the adventure that lay just outside of the city.
As he escape finally out to the main path from Imladris he let out a sigh of relief. No one had followed him, but he could not be sure for he was still not perfectly in tune with his elven senses.
"Thank the Valar," he murmered.
"For what?" came a voice from above. Faramir, the Captain of Gondor jumped from a high branch of a tree to land in front of Aragorn.
"You startled me," Aragorn said as he let go of the hilt of his sword.
"It is not often that one startles an elf. Surely you knew I was here with you?"
Aragorn was at a loss for words. He had felt something strange upon walking into the forest, something not unlike the feelings he got from his ranger sense when alone in the world of men. But he had dismissed it. Now he knew.
"Yes, but I did not expect you to jump from that tree," he replied.
"You could have taken my head off with your sword," Faramir said in amusement.
"I could have."
"Well no longer shall we fret over small things such as you killing me or I jumping out of a tree to startle you. Let us shake hands and be friends."
Faramir stuck his hand out to Aragorn to shake. Aragorn reached out and clasped it tightly, surprised at the familiarity of the feel. Many times had he shaken hands with Faramir in the other life.
"Friends," Aragorn said. Faramir nodded in response.
The two walked along the path away from Imladris for a while before passing well beyond the city's borders. For Faramir he was walking in unfamiliar territory, but Aragorn knew the setting well enough. He used to play in the trees in his youth with Elladan and Elrohir. But that had been back before his ranger days. When he was jsuta teenager, and Elladan and Elrohir no more mature than him in their own youth.
Faramir noticed the smile that played at Aragorn's lips and he could do nothing but ask what amused the elf so much.
"I was just recalling my childhood," Aragorn answered. "Myself and my wife's brothers used to play in these trees."
"I have heard that elves can hide themselves in plain site in the foliage," Faramir said questioningly.
Aragorn laughed lightly and nodded. That skill was not only limited to the elves. The twins had also taught him the skill of keeping one's self concealed in danger. Aragorn had taught this skill to the other rangers in his early days.
"The sun is high enough in the sky that we should be getting back," Faramir said.
"Can council not wait?" Aragorn asked. "How often is it that you get to enjoy such scenery as what you have before your very eyes?"
"There will be much time for this later, Estel," Faramir stressed.
"Perhaps you are right. But council does not appeal to me," Aragorn said with an air of finality. He had not been informed about the council's meaning or if he was to speak in it. What if they asked him something he did not know the answer to? What would the men think of the elves then?
"Let us return," Faramir said as he turned to the opposite direction and began to walk.
Aragorn had no other legitimate choice but to follow in Faramir's footsteps and hope for the best.
When they arrived back in Minas Tirith, the council members had already assembled and waited on the two men that had come back from their walk in the woods. Elrond looked at Aragorn curiously as the younger elf took his seat next to his father.
"Lord Elrond," Faramir said as he stood before the council. "Myself and my people have come to Rivendell in a matter of warning. There has been spotted a large grouping of a colony of orcs and spare uruk hai near our northern borders."
"This is a serious problem," Elrond said solemnly. "What have you done to rid yourself of them?"
"At first we sent out scouts to assess the problem, and they came back with news of their multiplication. Their numbers are growing at a rate faster than they can be slain. I fear that this band will not only advance on Minas Tirith, but continue north."
"Rivendell is far away from Minas Tirith," Elrond said.
"We reached Rivendell in two weeks time on horseback. It will not take these fiends much longer than that. And think of everyone that could be slain in the process."
Elrond sat in quiet contemplation at this news presented to him. Aragorn on the other hand was still trying to process this new information. If there were Uruk Hai running about, then surely they had been created by Saruman, and that must have meant that the war of the ring had been done and finished.
"What is it that you require of us that Minas Tirith cannot provide?" Elrond asked.
"Archers to shoot at these monsters from a distance so that no one may be hurt from a close up battle," Faramir answered.
"There will always be hand to hand combat in a battle, Captain. But if it is assistance you require, I will send archers to help you slay these demons."
Faramir smiled and nodded, taking his seat with the ither men of Gondor.
"When you depart from Imladris, my son," Elrond said while putting his hand on Aragorn's shoulder. "Will accompany you. He is not only an accomplished swordsman but has a fine eye for archery. His skills will be most prominent on the field of battle."
Aragorn smiled weakly at Elrond. Going to Minas Tirith was the farthest wish from his mind, as he had hoped to stay close to Arwen. But he would fulfil his duties wholeheartedly.
"Now on to other matters," Elrond continued.
Aragorn stopped listening at that point and concentrated his thoughts on a certain dark haired elf. He didn't want to break the news to her that he would be leaving. Although he knew she would accept the news, it would still break his heart to tell her.
It was with his mind still on these thoughts that he left the council later in the day to retreat to his chamber.s He found Arwen there waiting for him.
"Is it true?" she asked unmoving from the window. "Are you leaving Imladris to go with these Men?"
Aragorn walked over to Arwen and wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her against him. She took in a shakey breath and closed her eyes, listening to the beat of his heart. A tear escaped her eyes, landing on his hand.
"I know you must leave, but it still tears at my heart to let you go," Arwen said.
"I will make my return swift," Aragorn pledged.
"Please."
a/n: yes, I know it's probably a bad ending to the chapter, but this one killed me to write as well. dunno why, but it did. maybe it's because i've had another fic plaguing my mind lately. i'm about to start a new boromir fic and it's gonna kick this one's ass. although i do hope you review, for it makes my writing of the chapters much more quick and enjoyable for you.