Chapter 17, Heart of Innocence
By: SilverRose82
I'm trying something. It works, it was the web link I was
putting up. ('-')(^'-'^) ('-')
A.N. 6/20/03 This chapter jumps around, A LOT. Well all things
written go together, but they are not pieced together very well. This and the
last chapter were bumpy, has to be written but I don't know how chapters. After
this, only two more chapters to go, unless I find something else that should be
added for a third. I have yet to figure out what caused the mess up for Chapter
16 and have given up on trying.
6/27/03 Even I can't take the poorly written chapter that I have give to you. So I've written more to fill it out. Yes and it seems to be much better because of it. Added some to the first part and much to the last three parts, much more happy with the way this chapter has turned out than before.
Serenity Silvermoon : You so totally confused me with the 100th review thing. Cause my stats page says 101, but then I looked at the pages things and it is 100. It's really 101 though, I got bored and counted
IceDragon : Yes, Ren is Serena
Callisto Star : Maybe, maybe not. Just gotta read the super jumpy, bumpy chapter ~_~* Well it was bumpy before, not so much now.
JaminJellyBean : Read some of my earlier works and you'll see that I've come a long ways, so it just takes time and a lot of late night writing sessions. ^_^
BenRG : I may come back to this universe later on, but right now I've got a lot of other stories that I want to try and finish before I start up another story.
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Ren stood up as she watched Aragorn walk into the old library of Gondor. The soon to be crowned king appeared to be hunting for nothing as he made his ways around, glancing at scrolls and books that had been set upon wooden shelves, many in need of dusting. Pushing some stray hair out of her face she stood to silently make her way over to the stressed man. He never noticed her until he felt her hand lay a top his shoulder. Glancing over he smiled slightly before glancing back at the scrolls before him, she stood behind him in silence awaiting his questions.
"You were crowned queen?"
"No, I would have been, had the Silver Millennium not fallen. But when I became queen, I was not crowned. I arose to power after a thousand year freeze. Which, I do not know how to put this, the freeze freed souls of their evil, and those who did not want to live in peace were banished, not by me, but by my arranged husband. I was queen of the moon, not Earth, never Earth, I was made known of that fact every day." She spoke quietly, before glancing to the floor, she still regretted ever allow him to banish those people, knowing that they would come back for vengeance. Looking back up at him she stared fiercely at him, her eyes blazed with inner strength and knowledge. Aragorn had once again began to leaf through old scrolls and documents, shaking her head Ren slowly made her way back to the worn chair she had been seated in before. There were no words she could say to calm him, knowing that she had never been in his position, she could only answer his questions.
"I have hidden from this destiny for a great deal of years. Behind names that are me, yet are not. The war of the rings are over I should be grateful that this land no longer will be at war. But I know naught if I am ready to be king." Aragorn spoke up as he came out from a row of shelves, an old scroll cradled carefully in his grasp. Ren glanced up at him silently, she smiled secretively up at the uncertain lord, nodding she placed the scripture she had been reading down on a small cherry side table beside her.
"I cannot tell you if you are ready for your destiny, but you will make a great king. You know much, your wisdom great, you will not fail your people." Ren told him with a small smile, picking up the candle she had brought with her she gently blew out the flame, bathing the room into darkness. Only Aragorn's knowledge of the library allowed him to find the oak doors. Pulling the large doors open he turned to call for the Lady Ren, he glanced around the room to find that he was alone, there was not another soul in the library. Shaking his head he left the library in search of Gandalf, hoping that the wizard could do some thing to sooth his frayed nerves.
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Ren stared out across the vast plains of Gondor, it was an occasion for all, the ring had been destroyed and Gondor finally had its king. Glancing over at Merry she smiled at the hobbit's disconcerted gaze at the hills surrounding Minas Tirith. Placing her hands on the stone wall before her she watched the people in the city square hurry around joyful of the free world they now lived in. Her eyes following them as they moved around speaking with friends and loved ones, laughter rang out into the early hours of sunset.
"Are you ever going to go home?" Merry asked as he gazed up at his long time friend and confident, her blue eyes turned from the horizons she watched, to her companion. Merry knew that the subject he was bring up was one that he and the other hobbits rarely brought up, but he was always curious. She had spoken of her life once before to them when they were younger, but after that time she never spoke of it again even when they had Pippin beg for another story.
"Merry, I truly do no know. It is a home that I have not seen for over two thousand years. I know I will be welcomed back warmly but I have casted solitude nearly all my life since I helped that cat. I just no longer care if my life is ever fulfilled again. I have lived a life that I could only dream about, seen places that I could never imagine." Ren told him as she gazed back out onto a land she did not know, but loved never less. She lay a hand on Merry's shoulder, looking up at her he smiled before turning back to watch the sun set behind the horizon, the sky painted in bright reds, pinks and golds. The sun itself was a bright red ball against the canvas it painted. Turning back to Merry as the last of the people left for their homes, she smiled softly.
"Why can we not go back to Hobbiton or Rivendell?" Merry asked suddenly, his eyes darkening with his confusion for their long stay in the Gondorian Capital, he gazed up at Ren hoping that she would have a suitable answer. "They are hospitable, but I wish to be back in my home or in a city of elves. Men folk are too uncaring about their land."
"They care, but many battles have taken place in the white city." Ren whispered as she crossed her arms before her, long burgundy angel sleeves, on her borrowed dress, draped towards the stone floor. "Come we have a feast to go to."
Merry nodded though not understanding why the silver woman beside him did not seem to enjoy her stay in Gondor. He knew he himself did not enjoy the stone city much either, but did enjoy the rest he was able to gather after the war with the ring. He kept up with her slow walk through the castle halls, as the two made their way slowly and silently, towards the dinning hall.
Ren gazed into the eyes of the guards standing before the two oak doors, nodding at Faramir, in greeting, as the steward of Gondor offered her his arm. Ren shook her head politely before smiling at the two guards, waiting for them to open the door she could hear Merry mumbling under his breath as the two heavy door were opened. The noise of people in the dinning room greeted them as they walked into the grand room, it was decorated sparingly in royal purple and burgundy drapes.
Pippin cried out as he spotted his cousin, Merry waved back before jogging off to join Pippin and the hobbits in their feast. Ren smiled as she glanced around the warm room, nodding at Faramir she left the young steward's side to talk to Artemis and Helios, Legolas was speaking to Artemis when Ren appeared beside Helios, the Elysion priest smiled as he spoke in hush tones to Ren.
"Always one to make an entrance." Helios whispered as he handed Ren a small glass filled with a sweet red wine. Ren smiled softly as she took the glass offered to her, leaning closer to Helios so that her soft voice would be heard over the loud dinning hall.
"It happens, especially when one is gazing at a Middle Earth sunset for the first time without worry and hast." Ren smiled as she gazed around the large hall, she saw Éowyn speaking with Faramir, the steward and sheildmaiden seemed to be having a joyous time in each others company.
"Aye, tis a bit of a boring dinner, you have missed nothing in coming late." Helios smirked impishly as he surveyed the room, Artemis and Legolas seemed to be at odds with one another as they continued their talk. He had left their conversation before in had turned into the argument that it had become. Ren just smiled softly as she took a sip from her wine glass, her eyes darting to gaze at the hobbits every now and them.
"I did not think that I would miss anything in coming late, Merry however, must be happy that we were not as late, I fear that between the three and Gimli they would have finished off most of the food before he got to them." Ren laughed softly as she watched the group she was talking about enjoy the large meal before them. Helios shook with hidden mirth as he too gazed upon the table she was speaking of, shaking his head he watched silently as Artemis stalked off leaving Legolas to stare at the angered advisor in confusion.
"Seems I must go calm the fires from the moon cat." Helios apologized as he bowed before Ren his eyes, however, betrayed him and Ren shook her head knowing that he truly did not want to confront the other man. Nodding her head she watched as Helios left to follow after the irate man, turning to Legolas she watched as he continued to gaze at the door.
"He has always been a bit more hot tempered than most." Ren spoke as she appeared next to Legolas, the archer peered over at her, a small smile on his face as he offered her his arm. Ren smiled excepting, looking over at the elf beside her as they slowly made their way over to where the hobbits and the others of the company were eating.
"I did not know that speaking to him of forests would upset him." Legolas told her as he pulled out a chair for her, Ren once again smiled at his manner before seating herself. Legolas took the chair beside her, next to Gimli, before turning to the woman beside him.
"He has never like any forest since some of my friends and I lost him in one when we were younger." She smiled lost in the memory of the small camping trip she had taken with her friends when they were sixteen. "He never forgave us."
"How did you come to loose him?" Legolas asked intrigued that a man such as Artemis could loose his way in a forest. Ren laughed lightly as she gazed towards the ceiling for a moment or two trying to collect her thoughts.
"Artemis was reborn to serve me once more, but when we lost him he was in his cat form, my friends and I had been running towards the lake, leaving him trailing behind us because he had not wanted to be carried." Ren told him as she thought back to the time she was speaking of, trying to remember if that was the exact incident that had gotten Artemis lost or not. "Aye, that is about right, the path we had taken split we went one way he went the other."
"How is it that he is in human form now?" Legolas asked, Ren turned to him seeing the confusion in the elf's eyes, smiling in understanding she thought of how to explain the reasons Helios and Artemis were able to take other forms.
"Well, Artemis originates from a planet called Mau, the cat planet. The people of that planet were able to take on the form of a cat or of a human. They were valued for that, for they were able to sneak up on people suspected of a crime without raising suspicions." Ren answered, leaving out much for there was few questions that she could answer if Legolas did so ask. Legolas nodded excepting her answer, smiling he excepted the offer of more wine from the man before him.
~~~~~~
"Lady Galadriel." Ren greeted as she watched the horses carrying the elven company, beautiful white horses, their silky coats glistened in the early morning light. Galadriel nodded politely in the Star Queen's direction as they past through the gates of Minas Tirith. The Lady of the Golden Woods glanced at the two men standing behind her grandmother, they were both dressed in uniforms of their status. The long haired man wore a loose shirt of muted gold, his sleeve cuffs were decorated with crescent moons, his pants a crisp white, a pair of black boots reached half way up his calves. White hair glistened in the light as it fell to his waist, his dark ice blue eyes glistened with light that reflected off them. The other man, his white hair short but well kept, he stood behind his queen proudly. His grab was pure white, his shirt decorated with ice blue crystals that formed a shallow V, his collar was high, trimmed in a deep navy, a soft baby blue cloth belt tied around his waist.
As Galadriel gazed into his lavender eyes she could see his contempt towards her. She had remembered the white haired priest that guarded the world's most precious gems. The two unicorns and the dreams of children, he had been around nearly as long as her grandmother, the two had fought along side one another for many years. Turning to gaze at the Lady Ren once more she was helped down from her horse by a Gondor guard, following Celeborn up to stand by the elven Queen, the five were silent as they watched Elrond, the twins, and Arwen appear through the stone gates.
"You say nothing for my granddaughter, Lady Serenity?" Galadriel asked as she watched the tall soldier turn to speak to Haldir, the border Guard of Lothlórien spoke quickly and quietly to the women before him. There were angry words past between the two for a moment, the Ren nodded, smiling in the direction of the Lord and Lady of Lórien she disappeared in a flurry of cream silks and white gold hair, she moved quickly and silently into a different part of the castle. Haldir nodded in the direction of his lord and lady, Celeborn nodded in Haldir's direction as the border guard moved to speak to Helios and Artemis, the two advisors were interested in what had passed between the two.
"Why did Serenity leave in such a rush?" Artemis asked as he gazed at the wooden doors Serenity had rushed through, Haldir looked over at the long hair man and sighed. Helios smirked as he watched in silence, looking over at Artemis he smiled before shaking his head in silence.
"She needed to prepare for something." Haldir told the long hair advisor, gazing around the small podium they had taken to standing on to watch the elven company ride through the gates. Artemis shook his head as he turned to Helios, the guardian of Elysion gazed at him lazily. Helios eyed Artemis for a few minutes before muttering something under his breath, closing his eyes for a moment he slowly moved to stand before Artemis.
"She did not bid us to follow, we leave her to her peace." Helios spoke to the moon advisor, his tone serious and urged Artemis to cross him, to go after Ren. Artemis sighed knowing that the man before him spoke the truth, Haldir gazed between the two with slight concern but looking towards his lord he turned to leave.
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The company of elves stood silently behind Elrond, Arwen and Aragorn, below the elven company stood the people of Gondor. Ren with the hobbits beside her smiled softly as she gazed at her granddaughter, Galadriel nodded once before turned back to watch Elrond place Arwen's hand into King Elessar larger calloused one. The lord of Rivendell glanced over to Ren, his brown eyes searching hers before nodding in her direction. Lifting up a small part of her skirt, the Queen of the Cosmos began to walk up the stairs to face Arwen and Aragorn.
Legolas stood at her side dressed in grabs of pale icy white, intricate designs of silver decorated the top half of his tunic, a eight pointed star rested in the center of his chest, a pale lavender stone settled in its center along the trim of his tunic were smaller stars each with a small coloured stone resting in their center. Legolas gazed at Ren as she moved to stand before Arwen and Elessar, her dress was similar to the one she had worn while in Edoras, her dress was similar in colour to his tunic, however, lace work covered the top dress, her sleeves were made a the same lace work cuffed at her wrists.. There was another layer below the first, this a soft silver, a powder blue trim traveled across her shoulders and her waist, placed in the center of each was an eight pointed star, an icy blue gem stone glisten within their centers, a silver circlet lay upon her brow a sky coloured gem rested in its center. Arwen stared into the Lady Ren's eyes awaiting any words that the older woman could tell her, smiling softly Ren clasped her hands before her.
"Arwen, though you will stay on Middle Earth, your elven immortality will never leave you. We shall never seen eye to eye, but I, Lady Serenity of the White Moon and the ruler of the Cosmos grant you this. You shall not have to live on past once Elessar has died, your life with him will be long. But you shall not have to stand over his tomb, forever, as would you for your immortality. If you so choose, I can grant you life as a mortal, you would loose certain elven abilities but you too would die of old age, not of grief." Serenity told the young elf before her, her face was neutral as she awaited Arwen's decision. The chestnut haired daughter of Elrond glanced to her father and then over to her grandmother and grandfather. The three smiled softly in her direction before nodding, understanding. Turned to look at Aragorn she saw the surprise in her soon to be husband's eyes, he turned his gaze to her, his grey eyes locking onto hers and smiled softly at her he grasped her hands tightly.
"It is your decision." Aragorn whispered as he smiled at her, Arwen turning to look back at Serenity smiled up at the older women, her blue-grey eyes held warmth as she looked upon the lone soldier.
"I except your gift, Lady Serenity." Arwen whispered her eyes never leaving the woman before her, Serenity smiled as a small turquoise sphere began to form above her open palm. Serenity's eyes stayed fixated on the small sphere that began to pulse just above her hand. Taking the small glass vial from Legolas she slowly urged the sphere into the glass container, placing the silver eight point star lid over the opening, the four watched as small vines began to wrap around the vial, inclosing the turquoise matter within. A small silver chain allowed the pendent to be worn, unhooking the clasp Serenity gazed up at Arwen, the soon to be queen nodded as she lowered her head for Serenity to reach around and clasp the necklace.
"Your lives will be joyful and peaceful. This pendent contains your elven powers Arwen, they shall give you strength in dire times." Taking a step back Serenity nodded at Arwen and Aragorn, glancing over at Legolas, she placed her hand over his as they slowly made their way down the steps to stand with the remaining members of the fellowship. Turning back around they watched as Aragorn lead Arwen into the inner chambers where they were wed, in the eyes of Galadriel, Celeborn, the twins and Elrond.
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Did anyone got look at the outfits? I know it's a bit late in the story to be uploading them all but yeah….. Link on my bio page.
There you'd be able to see a better image of the outfits I described in this chapter. Enjoy.
Review, Thanks, and Goodnight:
~*~ SilverRose82 ~*~