Disclaimer: I do not own Lord of the Rings. It belongs to the wonderful
author J.R.R. Tolkien.
A/N: Thanks to everyone who has reviewed. Sorry it took so long to post this chapter. The next chapters will be posted quicker, especially if I get many reviews. So, please review.
Chapter 3
Staying with Elves
Aragorn walked toward the river where Ninde had taken Reallan to play. He soon found them laughing and playing together. Ninde's dress was soaked and her hair which was dripping wet, clung to her head. Reallan was also soaked. The mud was gone from her face and hands. Her hair was combed out and it hung down her back.
Aragorn smiled as he watched them play. Then silently he crept down toward the river. Ninde smiled as she saw him. Reallan looked up and ran to him.
"Strider," She said with a huge smile on her face. She grasped his hand with both of hers and began to pull him toward the river. "You have to see this waterfall. It's so beautiful." She exclaimed.
Aragorn smiled and let the child lead him to the waterfall. Indeed it was beautiful and no matter how many times Aragorn had come here he still loved to look at it. For a moment, he looked at it, then he turned to look at Ninde who had followed them.
"Thank you for watching Reallan." Aragorn said. "Lord Elrond would like to speak with you."
Ninde smiled and nodded. "I'll watch her anytime you need." Looking at Reallan, she added a goodbye.
Reallan waved to her as she left.
For a moment Aragorn was silent, then he bent down near Reallan. "I'm going to be leaving tomorrow morning, Reallan."
Sadness filled Reallan's face. "Why? Where are you going?" She asked.
"I'm going to try to find your town and see if I can find out what happened." Aragorn said gently.
"Can I come with you?" She asked eagerly. "If my parents survived they must be worried about me."
Aragorn tensed. He knew her parents were most likely dead or had been made prisoners. "You stay here in the safety of Rivendell. I'll see what I can find." Aragorn said.
Reallan nodded. "Do you think my mum is still alive?" She asked.
"That's what I'm going to find out." Aragorn said calmly.
Reallan nodded again. "Be careful." She said, as she looked him in the eyes. "I wouldn't want you to get hurt, but please find my mum and dad."
Aragorn forced himself to smile. "I'll do what I can." Standing up he said. "I don't leave till tomorrow, so would you like a tour of Rivendell?" Aragorn asked.
Reallan grabbed his hand. "Yes, please. I would love it." She said, now smiling.
Aragorn nodded and began to show her around. Later in the day, after they had ate, Aragorn led Reallan to her bed chamber. Lord Elrond had prepared a room for her next to Aragorn's chamber.
"Do you think the elves will mind me staying with them?" Reallan asked as they entered her room.
"Mind? No, of course not. Think of yourself as the guest of honor here, Reallan." Aragorn said cheerfully.
Reallan half smiled. "It's really nice here, but I miss my home and my parents and my brother."
"Your brother?" Aragorn asked. "You never mentioned him before."
Reallan nodded. "Amras has been gone for a few weeks on some journey. I miss him a lot."
Aragorn nodded. "Try to make yourself as comfortable as you can here. I'll see what I can find out and maybe I can find your brother for you." Aragorn encouraged.
"He was suppose to be back any day now." Reallan said. "I wish I could go with you, so I could see him."
Aragorn smiled at her as he tucked her into bed. "I'll be back in a couple of days. While I'm gone Ninde will look out for you."
Reallan nodded. "Good night, Strider." She said as she placed a kiss on his cheek.
*~*~*
Aragorn awoke early the next morning. After dressing, he went outside. Elladan was already waiting.
"Good morning, Estel." Elladan greeted.
Aragorn bowed his head. "Good morning."
A few seconds later, Elrond came outside. Behind him, another elf was leading Aragorn's horse. For a short time, Elrond talked with Elladan and Aragorn. When he finished Aragorn mounted his horse. Elladan did the same.
"Be careful!" Elrond warned them both. "Find out any information that you can."
"We will be careful Father." Elladan replied.
With that, Aragorn and Elladan spurred their horses and were off.
*~*~*
Reallan awoke a few hours later. For a moment, she could not remember where she was, but as she looked around the room, she felt at peace. Suddenly she leapt out of bed as she remembered that Strider was going to be leaving. She walked outside and soon found Ninde waiting for her.
"Where is Strider?" Reallan asked.
Ninde smiled at the use of Aragorn's ranger name. She had only heard it used a few times. "He left early this morning."
Reallan let her head drop. "I was hoping to be able to see him before he left."
Ninde stooped down and looked Reallan in the eyes. "He'll be back soon. Don't worry." Standing up Ninde placed her hand out for Reallan. "Come on. One of my friends is waiting for us near the river."
Reallan looked up and sighed. "Alright." She said as she took Ninde's hand. In a few moments, they made it to the beautiful flowing stream. Another elf girl was sitting by the water's edge. She had long black hair that glistened in the sunlight. When she turned to face them, her brown eyes sparkled.
"Good morning," she said with a smile.
"Reallan, I would like you to meet Itarilde." Ninde said.
Itarilde stood up. "I am glad to meet you, Reallan."
"It is a pleasure to meet you too, Ee-thi-al-arday." Reallan said trying hard to pronounce the name correctly.
Itarilde smiled at her pronunciation.
For the rest of the day, the two elves showed Reallan all the beautiful sights of Rivendell. They also began teaching her some elven words. Reallan enjoyed all the sights and especially enjoyed learning the elven language, but she was still worried. She wished she knew if her parents were alive. She wished she knew if her brother, Amras was okay and she also worried for Strider. She only hoped he would return soon and bring with him good news.
*~*~*
Throughout the day, Elladan and Aragorn rode, hardly stopping. At night, they finally stopped. They found a place near the river to rest their horses and a peaceful place to rest themselves.
Aragorn sat down comfortably and began to eat the food Elrond had packed for them. Elladan sat down beside him.
"It's been a while since you and I have been out together." Elladan said breaking the silence.
Aragorn looked at him and nodded. "Yes, it has been, mellon nin."
For a moment, Elladan observed his half brother. Aragorn was lost in thought. "What is on your mind?" Elladan asked.
Aragorn turned to look at him. "I'm just thinking."
"Tell me what troubles you."
Aragorn sighed. "I worry about what we will find when we reach the town. I hope that Reallan's parents are still alive and that she can go back and live with them, but my heart tells me otherwise. I don't want Reallan to grow up alone in Rivendell. She deserves better."
"Oh so you're saying Elrond didn't do a good enough job of raising you?" Elladan joked.
Aragorn shot him a glance. "Elladan, that's not what I meant and you know it. She deserves to live among her people, to live with her real parents." Aragorn looked up at the sky.
Elladan placed a hand on Aragorn's shoulder. "Yes, I know what you mean. Do not give up hope. Her parents might still be alive."
Aragorn nodded, but remained silent.
A/N: Thanks to everyone who has reviewed. Sorry it took so long to post this chapter. The next chapters will be posted quicker, especially if I get many reviews. So, please review.
Chapter 3
Staying with Elves
Aragorn walked toward the river where Ninde had taken Reallan to play. He soon found them laughing and playing together. Ninde's dress was soaked and her hair which was dripping wet, clung to her head. Reallan was also soaked. The mud was gone from her face and hands. Her hair was combed out and it hung down her back.
Aragorn smiled as he watched them play. Then silently he crept down toward the river. Ninde smiled as she saw him. Reallan looked up and ran to him.
"Strider," She said with a huge smile on her face. She grasped his hand with both of hers and began to pull him toward the river. "You have to see this waterfall. It's so beautiful." She exclaimed.
Aragorn smiled and let the child lead him to the waterfall. Indeed it was beautiful and no matter how many times Aragorn had come here he still loved to look at it. For a moment, he looked at it, then he turned to look at Ninde who had followed them.
"Thank you for watching Reallan." Aragorn said. "Lord Elrond would like to speak with you."
Ninde smiled and nodded. "I'll watch her anytime you need." Looking at Reallan, she added a goodbye.
Reallan waved to her as she left.
For a moment Aragorn was silent, then he bent down near Reallan. "I'm going to be leaving tomorrow morning, Reallan."
Sadness filled Reallan's face. "Why? Where are you going?" She asked.
"I'm going to try to find your town and see if I can find out what happened." Aragorn said gently.
"Can I come with you?" She asked eagerly. "If my parents survived they must be worried about me."
Aragorn tensed. He knew her parents were most likely dead or had been made prisoners. "You stay here in the safety of Rivendell. I'll see what I can find." Aragorn said.
Reallan nodded. "Do you think my mum is still alive?" She asked.
"That's what I'm going to find out." Aragorn said calmly.
Reallan nodded again. "Be careful." She said, as she looked him in the eyes. "I wouldn't want you to get hurt, but please find my mum and dad."
Aragorn forced himself to smile. "I'll do what I can." Standing up he said. "I don't leave till tomorrow, so would you like a tour of Rivendell?" Aragorn asked.
Reallan grabbed his hand. "Yes, please. I would love it." She said, now smiling.
Aragorn nodded and began to show her around. Later in the day, after they had ate, Aragorn led Reallan to her bed chamber. Lord Elrond had prepared a room for her next to Aragorn's chamber.
"Do you think the elves will mind me staying with them?" Reallan asked as they entered her room.
"Mind? No, of course not. Think of yourself as the guest of honor here, Reallan." Aragorn said cheerfully.
Reallan half smiled. "It's really nice here, but I miss my home and my parents and my brother."
"Your brother?" Aragorn asked. "You never mentioned him before."
Reallan nodded. "Amras has been gone for a few weeks on some journey. I miss him a lot."
Aragorn nodded. "Try to make yourself as comfortable as you can here. I'll see what I can find out and maybe I can find your brother for you." Aragorn encouraged.
"He was suppose to be back any day now." Reallan said. "I wish I could go with you, so I could see him."
Aragorn smiled at her as he tucked her into bed. "I'll be back in a couple of days. While I'm gone Ninde will look out for you."
Reallan nodded. "Good night, Strider." She said as she placed a kiss on his cheek.
*~*~*
Aragorn awoke early the next morning. After dressing, he went outside. Elladan was already waiting.
"Good morning, Estel." Elladan greeted.
Aragorn bowed his head. "Good morning."
A few seconds later, Elrond came outside. Behind him, another elf was leading Aragorn's horse. For a short time, Elrond talked with Elladan and Aragorn. When he finished Aragorn mounted his horse. Elladan did the same.
"Be careful!" Elrond warned them both. "Find out any information that you can."
"We will be careful Father." Elladan replied.
With that, Aragorn and Elladan spurred their horses and were off.
*~*~*
Reallan awoke a few hours later. For a moment, she could not remember where she was, but as she looked around the room, she felt at peace. Suddenly she leapt out of bed as she remembered that Strider was going to be leaving. She walked outside and soon found Ninde waiting for her.
"Where is Strider?" Reallan asked.
Ninde smiled at the use of Aragorn's ranger name. She had only heard it used a few times. "He left early this morning."
Reallan let her head drop. "I was hoping to be able to see him before he left."
Ninde stooped down and looked Reallan in the eyes. "He'll be back soon. Don't worry." Standing up Ninde placed her hand out for Reallan. "Come on. One of my friends is waiting for us near the river."
Reallan looked up and sighed. "Alright." She said as she took Ninde's hand. In a few moments, they made it to the beautiful flowing stream. Another elf girl was sitting by the water's edge. She had long black hair that glistened in the sunlight. When she turned to face them, her brown eyes sparkled.
"Good morning," she said with a smile.
"Reallan, I would like you to meet Itarilde." Ninde said.
Itarilde stood up. "I am glad to meet you, Reallan."
"It is a pleasure to meet you too, Ee-thi-al-arday." Reallan said trying hard to pronounce the name correctly.
Itarilde smiled at her pronunciation.
For the rest of the day, the two elves showed Reallan all the beautiful sights of Rivendell. They also began teaching her some elven words. Reallan enjoyed all the sights and especially enjoyed learning the elven language, but she was still worried. She wished she knew if her parents were alive. She wished she knew if her brother, Amras was okay and she also worried for Strider. She only hoped he would return soon and bring with him good news.
*~*~*
Throughout the day, Elladan and Aragorn rode, hardly stopping. At night, they finally stopped. They found a place near the river to rest their horses and a peaceful place to rest themselves.
Aragorn sat down comfortably and began to eat the food Elrond had packed for them. Elladan sat down beside him.
"It's been a while since you and I have been out together." Elladan said breaking the silence.
Aragorn looked at him and nodded. "Yes, it has been, mellon nin."
For a moment, Elladan observed his half brother. Aragorn was lost in thought. "What is on your mind?" Elladan asked.
Aragorn turned to look at him. "I'm just thinking."
"Tell me what troubles you."
Aragorn sighed. "I worry about what we will find when we reach the town. I hope that Reallan's parents are still alive and that she can go back and live with them, but my heart tells me otherwise. I don't want Reallan to grow up alone in Rivendell. She deserves better."
"Oh so you're saying Elrond didn't do a good enough job of raising you?" Elladan joked.
Aragorn shot him a glance. "Elladan, that's not what I meant and you know it. She deserves to live among her people, to live with her real parents." Aragorn looked up at the sky.
Elladan placed a hand on Aragorn's shoulder. "Yes, I know what you mean. Do not give up hope. Her parents might still be alive."
Aragorn nodded, but remained silent.