A/N: Thank you reviewers, I'm taking this opportunity to tell you how much
I love you.
Yes, Aragorn knows about the queens of the Valar, but Arwen, being one, once Galadriel turns the title over, knows them intimately.
Thanks again
Samantha.
Part 72.
They rode swiftly for the next few days, reaching the village of Bree well before Aragorn had anticipated.
The watchman who minded the gates was surprised to see such a large and varied company arrived, but bowed low to the ground when he saw the crown adorning Aragorn's brow, and the Elven jewel upon Arwen's.
After handing the horses over to stable lads and the like, the weary travelers entered the Inn of the Prancing Pony.
Arwen smiled at the Innkeeper, Butterbur, whom she had never met before, but had heard about from the others on their travels together.
"Welcome to Bree, travelers." He greeted them. "I've got plenty of rooms available, even some nice hobbits sized ones. Not many folk travel abroad these days. What brings your company so far from wherever you came from?"
"Here in the beginning, Butterbur." Aragorn told him.
"Strider." The astonished barman breathed. "Well I never thought I'd see you or those little masters again."
"Butterbur," Gandalf began, "This is King Elessar of Gondor and the West, and his wife, Arwen Undomiel, Queen of Elves and Men."
"Begging your pardon, your Highnesses. I'll take you up to some rooms now." Butterbur bowed clumsily, then started up the stairs.
Arwen nodded, tiredness getting the better of her. Aragorn smiled at her and wrapped his arms around his wife, lifting her from the floor and carrying her up the stairs after Butterbur.
He laid her down on the bed and spoke softly to her in Elvish, "Quell Kaima, Hiril-nin. Reniannen ol." *Sleep Well, my Lady. Stray into dreams*. He kissed her forehead, and left the room, closing the door after himself.
He paused outside the door to speak with Butterbur. "See that none disturb my wife. She is weary with travel. A guard will be posted at the door. Do not hinder him, for he will protect my wife to the death."
"As you wish, your Highness. Now I shall see about some rooms for your companions." Butterbur answered him, before darting down the stairs.
***********
Once everyone had been shown to their rooms, they met Aragorn downstairs once more, finding him in the parlor, a pint of ale at his side.
"How do you like that?" Pippin cried. "We've traveled far and wide with him, and he doesn't even wait for us to sit down before the first ale!"
Legolas laughed merrily. "Remember though Pippin, Aragorn may be your friend, but he is also your King."
"Bring ale for my companions too, please!" Aragorn called to the barman.
Gandalf settled himself on one of the wooden benches and lit up his pipe. "A fine rest near the end of a long journey is a welcome friend indeed." He told the others, blowing several intricate smoke rings.
"Is Queen Arwen all right?" Frodo asked, concerned.
"She is sleeping. Tired out from the journey. I think she worries that her time draws near and we will not have returned to Gondor." Aragorn told him.
As he spoke Arwen entered the room, looking refreshed from her short nap. "Le naeth sai-vanwa." She smiled, laying her hand on Aragorn's shoulder, the guard stationed her door, followed her into the room. *You worry overly much.*
"Are you feeling better?" Aragorn asked her, still concerned.
Arwen smiled and sat down beside him. 'Im vesta. Now enough." *I promise.* She picked up his mug and sniffed it, then shook her head. Legolas laughed and called for the barman to bring something Arwen would drink.
Arwen thanked the barman, and smiled at him, making the man blush when he set her drink upon the table.
"It seems you have at least one admirer in Bree, dear Lady." Gimli chuckled.
"More than one." Merry gestured towards the parlor door where men passed by frequently, pausing to take a good look at Arwen."
Butterbur, the Innkeeper, entered the room though the doors, bustling men out of the way. "If they are bothering you, I can close to the inn to all but your people." He told Aragorn.
Aragorn turned to Arwen. "Do they bother you, Arwen?"
"No." She answered, "Not unless they bother anyone else. The men are just curious. Words has spread about the town that the King has returned and also that he is now staying at the Inn."
"So the men come to see the King, and get a glimpse of his wife, and stay so that they can see her once more." Legolas mused. "How left out you must feel, Aragorn." He teased.
"Legolas, behave yourself!" Arwen admonished him. "You know better, and I should know that you do, for I taught you your manners."
Gimli chuckled, and gave the embarrassed Elf a good-natured shove.
"Stop now you two." Aragorn told them, his eyes shining.
Arwen leaned her head against his shoulder and relaxed, feeling safe and at peace with all in the world, for just that night.
As only old and dear friends can, the nine of them, those that remained of the Fellowship of the Ring, stayed up late into the night, talking and singing amongst themselves.
Part 73.
Arwen rose late the next morning, to find Aragorn was not beside her. Unhurriedly she washed and dressed, then opened the door and was greeted by her guard, one of the Rangers of the North, a man named Aranon.
"Good morning my Lady, and well met. The King wished me to tell you that he is downstairs, and bade me to watch over you as you slept."
She smiled at him, "Thank you Aranon. I am well rested now."
Arwen smiled to see Aragorn puzzling over a game with Merry in the parlor, which Butterbur had kept out of bounds to the people of Bree, so that the King and his party would have some privacy.
"Quell amrun." She said to all, looking around the room, seeing Frodo by the fire, with Sam his side, and Legolas and Gimli talking quietly together. *Good morning.*
"Did you sleep well, Lady?" Frodo asked.
Noticing the strange note to his voice Arwen crossed to his side, even before she went to Aragorn. "What ails you, Frodo?" She asked him, gently laying her hand upon his brow.
With his discomfort now known Frodo managed to choke out a reply.
"Can you stand and walk?" She asked, concerned for the small hobbit with whom she had been through so much. In pain, Frodo managed to nod, and Arwen helped him to his feet and up the stairs.
********
With a maternal air Arwen tucked him up in bed and examined the source of his woe, the old injury left by the Morgul blade he had been stabbed with at Amun Sul.
She covered the site of the wound with a sweet smelling ointment, then poured the hobbit a draft of sleeping flower nectar. "Drink this now Frodo and rest." Arwen said to him, "You are almost at the end of your journey. May your dreams be all that you hope for." With those words she kissed the sleeping hobbit's forehead, before weaving a peaceful dreams spell upon him and leaving the room.
When she returned to the parlor the others clamored about her, eager to find out what ailed Frodo.
Arwen turned instead to Butterbur, the Innkeeper. "Master Butterbur, please leave our friend, the hobbit Frodo Baggins. He is unwell and needs to be left to sleep."
"As you wish, your Highness. May I bring you anything?" Butterbur asked her politely.
"No thank you." Arwen rewarded him with a smile, before turning to the others.
"Frodo is afflicted once more by the wound he received at Amun Sul. He will be all right, given time." She told them.
"Where is he?" Sam asked.
"Tucked up safely in his bed. I gave him something to make him sleep, and peaceful dreams." Arwen told him. "He should sleep until mid-afternoon at the least, dark at the latest."
"Does he need constant attention?" Aragorn asked.
"No, sleep is the best thing for him now, save one. But even that will come to him in time." Arwen told him.
"Then come out with me. We'll take the horses and just look around Bree. It will be good for us to get out and relax for a day." Aragorn told her.
Arwen nodded her head and slipped her arm around his waist. "That sounds wonderful. I barely get to spend any time with you anymore."
"That's what you get for marrying a King." Legolas told her cheekily.
"Do you happen to remember what happens to cheeky little Elves who forget themselves?" Arwen asked him.
At once Legolas dimmed and behaved himself.
"Let me go up and get my shawl." Arwen told her husband. "And tell Aranon that he can take leave of me this day."
With those as her parting words Arwen walked back upstairs to retrieve her shawl.
"How does she persuade me to do everything she wants me too?" Aragorn asked the others.
"You love her, and you'd see her happy if that was the only thing you ever did in your life." Sam surprised them with his words.
"Mistress Rose waits for you back in the Shire doesn't she Sam?" Arwen asked him, coming back down the stairs.
The hobbit nodded his head and smiled, thinking of the hobbit-lass still in the Shire.
"Come then Arwen. Let us go and start our day." Aragorn urged her.
One hand on her swelling belly Arwen looked at him, almost horrified. "I hope you don't have anymore plans than a blanket on the grass somewhere." She told him, "Because at the moment I think that's all I'll be able to manage."
"You look beautiful." Aragorn told her.
"Yes well you try having children. It isn't all it's supposed to be." Arwen told him.
"It looks like it." Legolas eyed her swelling belly.
"No one tells-, oh, never mind. Estel if we're going, then let's go." Arwen said. Then she turned to the others, "If Frodo wakes up, and needs more medicine just come and find me."
Looking a little confused Aragorn lead her from the room and out into the brilliant morning sunshine.
Yes, Aragorn knows about the queens of the Valar, but Arwen, being one, once Galadriel turns the title over, knows them intimately.
Thanks again
Samantha.
Part 72.
They rode swiftly for the next few days, reaching the village of Bree well before Aragorn had anticipated.
The watchman who minded the gates was surprised to see such a large and varied company arrived, but bowed low to the ground when he saw the crown adorning Aragorn's brow, and the Elven jewel upon Arwen's.
After handing the horses over to stable lads and the like, the weary travelers entered the Inn of the Prancing Pony.
Arwen smiled at the Innkeeper, Butterbur, whom she had never met before, but had heard about from the others on their travels together.
"Welcome to Bree, travelers." He greeted them. "I've got plenty of rooms available, even some nice hobbits sized ones. Not many folk travel abroad these days. What brings your company so far from wherever you came from?"
"Here in the beginning, Butterbur." Aragorn told him.
"Strider." The astonished barman breathed. "Well I never thought I'd see you or those little masters again."
"Butterbur," Gandalf began, "This is King Elessar of Gondor and the West, and his wife, Arwen Undomiel, Queen of Elves and Men."
"Begging your pardon, your Highnesses. I'll take you up to some rooms now." Butterbur bowed clumsily, then started up the stairs.
Arwen nodded, tiredness getting the better of her. Aragorn smiled at her and wrapped his arms around his wife, lifting her from the floor and carrying her up the stairs after Butterbur.
He laid her down on the bed and spoke softly to her in Elvish, "Quell Kaima, Hiril-nin. Reniannen ol." *Sleep Well, my Lady. Stray into dreams*. He kissed her forehead, and left the room, closing the door after himself.
He paused outside the door to speak with Butterbur. "See that none disturb my wife. She is weary with travel. A guard will be posted at the door. Do not hinder him, for he will protect my wife to the death."
"As you wish, your Highness. Now I shall see about some rooms for your companions." Butterbur answered him, before darting down the stairs.
***********
Once everyone had been shown to their rooms, they met Aragorn downstairs once more, finding him in the parlor, a pint of ale at his side.
"How do you like that?" Pippin cried. "We've traveled far and wide with him, and he doesn't even wait for us to sit down before the first ale!"
Legolas laughed merrily. "Remember though Pippin, Aragorn may be your friend, but he is also your King."
"Bring ale for my companions too, please!" Aragorn called to the barman.
Gandalf settled himself on one of the wooden benches and lit up his pipe. "A fine rest near the end of a long journey is a welcome friend indeed." He told the others, blowing several intricate smoke rings.
"Is Queen Arwen all right?" Frodo asked, concerned.
"She is sleeping. Tired out from the journey. I think she worries that her time draws near and we will not have returned to Gondor." Aragorn told him.
As he spoke Arwen entered the room, looking refreshed from her short nap. "Le naeth sai-vanwa." She smiled, laying her hand on Aragorn's shoulder, the guard stationed her door, followed her into the room. *You worry overly much.*
"Are you feeling better?" Aragorn asked her, still concerned.
Arwen smiled and sat down beside him. 'Im vesta. Now enough." *I promise.* She picked up his mug and sniffed it, then shook her head. Legolas laughed and called for the barman to bring something Arwen would drink.
Arwen thanked the barman, and smiled at him, making the man blush when he set her drink upon the table.
"It seems you have at least one admirer in Bree, dear Lady." Gimli chuckled.
"More than one." Merry gestured towards the parlor door where men passed by frequently, pausing to take a good look at Arwen."
Butterbur, the Innkeeper, entered the room though the doors, bustling men out of the way. "If they are bothering you, I can close to the inn to all but your people." He told Aragorn.
Aragorn turned to Arwen. "Do they bother you, Arwen?"
"No." She answered, "Not unless they bother anyone else. The men are just curious. Words has spread about the town that the King has returned and also that he is now staying at the Inn."
"So the men come to see the King, and get a glimpse of his wife, and stay so that they can see her once more." Legolas mused. "How left out you must feel, Aragorn." He teased.
"Legolas, behave yourself!" Arwen admonished him. "You know better, and I should know that you do, for I taught you your manners."
Gimli chuckled, and gave the embarrassed Elf a good-natured shove.
"Stop now you two." Aragorn told them, his eyes shining.
Arwen leaned her head against his shoulder and relaxed, feeling safe and at peace with all in the world, for just that night.
As only old and dear friends can, the nine of them, those that remained of the Fellowship of the Ring, stayed up late into the night, talking and singing amongst themselves.
Part 73.
Arwen rose late the next morning, to find Aragorn was not beside her. Unhurriedly she washed and dressed, then opened the door and was greeted by her guard, one of the Rangers of the North, a man named Aranon.
"Good morning my Lady, and well met. The King wished me to tell you that he is downstairs, and bade me to watch over you as you slept."
She smiled at him, "Thank you Aranon. I am well rested now."
Arwen smiled to see Aragorn puzzling over a game with Merry in the parlor, which Butterbur had kept out of bounds to the people of Bree, so that the King and his party would have some privacy.
"Quell amrun." She said to all, looking around the room, seeing Frodo by the fire, with Sam his side, and Legolas and Gimli talking quietly together. *Good morning.*
"Did you sleep well, Lady?" Frodo asked.
Noticing the strange note to his voice Arwen crossed to his side, even before she went to Aragorn. "What ails you, Frodo?" She asked him, gently laying her hand upon his brow.
With his discomfort now known Frodo managed to choke out a reply.
"Can you stand and walk?" She asked, concerned for the small hobbit with whom she had been through so much. In pain, Frodo managed to nod, and Arwen helped him to his feet and up the stairs.
********
With a maternal air Arwen tucked him up in bed and examined the source of his woe, the old injury left by the Morgul blade he had been stabbed with at Amun Sul.
She covered the site of the wound with a sweet smelling ointment, then poured the hobbit a draft of sleeping flower nectar. "Drink this now Frodo and rest." Arwen said to him, "You are almost at the end of your journey. May your dreams be all that you hope for." With those words she kissed the sleeping hobbit's forehead, before weaving a peaceful dreams spell upon him and leaving the room.
When she returned to the parlor the others clamored about her, eager to find out what ailed Frodo.
Arwen turned instead to Butterbur, the Innkeeper. "Master Butterbur, please leave our friend, the hobbit Frodo Baggins. He is unwell and needs to be left to sleep."
"As you wish, your Highness. May I bring you anything?" Butterbur asked her politely.
"No thank you." Arwen rewarded him with a smile, before turning to the others.
"Frodo is afflicted once more by the wound he received at Amun Sul. He will be all right, given time." She told them.
"Where is he?" Sam asked.
"Tucked up safely in his bed. I gave him something to make him sleep, and peaceful dreams." Arwen told him. "He should sleep until mid-afternoon at the least, dark at the latest."
"Does he need constant attention?" Aragorn asked.
"No, sleep is the best thing for him now, save one. But even that will come to him in time." Arwen told him.
"Then come out with me. We'll take the horses and just look around Bree. It will be good for us to get out and relax for a day." Aragorn told her.
Arwen nodded her head and slipped her arm around his waist. "That sounds wonderful. I barely get to spend any time with you anymore."
"That's what you get for marrying a King." Legolas told her cheekily.
"Do you happen to remember what happens to cheeky little Elves who forget themselves?" Arwen asked him.
At once Legolas dimmed and behaved himself.
"Let me go up and get my shawl." Arwen told her husband. "And tell Aranon that he can take leave of me this day."
With those as her parting words Arwen walked back upstairs to retrieve her shawl.
"How does she persuade me to do everything she wants me too?" Aragorn asked the others.
"You love her, and you'd see her happy if that was the only thing you ever did in your life." Sam surprised them with his words.
"Mistress Rose waits for you back in the Shire doesn't she Sam?" Arwen asked him, coming back down the stairs.
The hobbit nodded his head and smiled, thinking of the hobbit-lass still in the Shire.
"Come then Arwen. Let us go and start our day." Aragorn urged her.
One hand on her swelling belly Arwen looked at him, almost horrified. "I hope you don't have anymore plans than a blanket on the grass somewhere." She told him, "Because at the moment I think that's all I'll be able to manage."
"You look beautiful." Aragorn told her.
"Yes well you try having children. It isn't all it's supposed to be." Arwen told him.
"It looks like it." Legolas eyed her swelling belly.
"No one tells-, oh, never mind. Estel if we're going, then let's go." Arwen said. Then she turned to the others, "If Frodo wakes up, and needs more medicine just come and find me."
Looking a little confused Aragorn lead her from the room and out into the brilliant morning sunshine.