Chapter Eleven - Tying loose ends

Aragorn was nervous, in his whole life never had he been nervous, well perhaps just once or twice, he corrected himself.

When he had asked Elrond for the hand of Arwen.

And then, when he had sealed his bond with her, one night under a moonlit sky.

But that had been nothing he guessed compared to now. Now he had to face his kingdom, the one his father had handed down to him. The one that Isilme had guarded, cherished and helped grow over the years. Yes he had much to thank her for; she had done what most men had feared to do. Take it by the hand and lead it to a garden full of paradise and that is what he would continue to do, for her, and for his people.

"You have nothing to be fearful of Aragorn, they will accept you, and she has prepared them for this day". A soft voice told him. He turned to see Gandalf. He offered the wizard a smile.

"Since setting foot in this city, I realize what it is that boromir saw, I realize what has made Isilme so proud of". He answered. Gandalf nodded.

"True, now is her time, for too long has she been chained, so to speak, if you will excuse the pun".

"Where is she now?" Aragorn asked.

"Out in the hills with legolas, they needed some time alone". He answered. Aragorn was confused, had she not been joined with Haldir?

"I had thought her heart taken by Haldir". Aragorn expressed his confusion.

"what she had with Haldir is something that will never exist ever again, something so rare of this world, that it died the day Haldir was slaughtered, her relationship with legolas is more, how shall I put it, more normal for the elves?, Haldir was something extraordinary even though you nor I saw, she saw Haldir for who he truly was, and she was the only one he had opened himself up to, to the extent that she could have taken his heart and stomped it on the ground".

"So much love and he was taken by extreme force". Aragorn commented.

"Yes, but now all his hard work has paid off, and the lands and Lorien will live on".

"What will be of the Lady?"

"She will go to the gray havens, and join her kin, but she will have one final battle". Gandalf murmured. Aragorn looked at him sharply but the wizard had the kind of expression that told him that he would get no more out of him this day. So he wandered away with the excuse that he wanted to meet faramir before meeting the people.

~*******~

"He is your king faramir, I thought we had already discussed this and lay the matter in the past". A woman's voice said softly. To soft to be that of a human woman. Aragorn paused outside the door.

"My king who has been absent these last 30 years, does he know how to rule a kingdom?" was the reply.

"it will come to him as It came to me, do not put mistrust here faramir for it is not welcomed, I have done what I was asked to do, I will not be held here any longer, gondor is ready to take her king back into her fold and hold him, Aragorn is ready, what would you do faramir, if your father was killed in front of you, and your mother ran to hide you amongst her kin?, with hope that you would be safe, that you would not be slaughtered for the blood that you carried in your veins, that she offered her life for yours, and that they took it?, faramir, the only memory he has of her is a shrine in Rivendell where he goes to pray, and beg that she give him strength". The woman argued, which he now assumed to be Isilme.

Silence, the captain did not have an answer to that.

"you used to have an answer for everything faramir, do not let the feelings you have for me cloud your visions of what you hope gondor to be, gondor will be great, I have seen it". She told him promising him gold at the end of the rainbow.

"I will pledge my loyalty to him Isilme, but I will always hold reserve to him until he proves himself to me and to her". Was the captain's reply.

"For that I thank you captain". Aragorn said walking in. he nodded to Isilme acknowledging her presence. Where was legolas?

"I know you do not trust me, but all I can do, is pledge myself to gondor as you did to me, in time we shall see". Aragorn told him. He looked at Isilme. About to ask her where legolas was when he realized that the elf had been there all along, standing in the shadows like a guard to his queen.

"It will be this way Aragorn - ". He held his hand up to Isilme. "Nay he is not king yet, he has yet to pledge himself publicly to her, if the people accept him". With that he walked away.

Aragorn sat down.

"If I fail she will be yours again maiden". He told her.

"No, if you fail she will have no one, as I said, I will not be held here any longer, so pray Aragorn to your gods that you will succeed, if you do not have faith in your heart, then how can the people have faith in you? She asked before silently leaving.

Legolas did not move to follow her.

"she is right Aragorn, here you can have the life you dreamed of with Arwen, settle, have children, and live your life as you were meant to, not to scour the wilds and kill, now you will have the responsibility of protecting those weak and children that will someday become warriors of gondor, I will see you tomorrow at the ceremony". Legolas also left, leaving him to his thoughts.