Shameless Announcement: Beta needed!
I am at the moment looking for a Beta reader for this very fic. What I will mostly ask from him/her will be spelling, grammar and vocabulary checking. Maybe characterization as well. As for plot holes, being myself a logic freak I doubt it will be needed to check for them, but you never know, so I guess, why not. Having a good knowledge of LOTR's universe is *of course* necessary.
Please send a curriculum vitae and a cover letter to -
Hum, I think I got a bit carried away, sorry...
Anyway, if you are willing to Beta this story, please contact me! (e-mail in profile)
One last note before the chapter begins: while I *do* use a name generator for my original characters, I didn't use one to find a name for Aragorn's and Arwen's first "unnamed daughter". Thus, the name is copyrighted Morphea, 2003. Unless the name has already been used before, which I doubt, but it would be an incredible coincidence.
Anyway, on with the story.
Chapter 1:
A messenger brings news from the South
It was a quiet day of spring that was beginning in Gondor. The sun was skimming the skyline behind Minas Tirith, bedecking the sky with warm colors. Many years had gone by since the War of the Ring, and the peacefulness around the White City would seem unbelievable for one who had known the dark days.
The palace had quickly regained its erstwhile greatness after the newly wed royal couple, Aragorn son of Arathorn, and Arwen daughter of Elrond of Rivendell, had settled there.
Life had granted them so far a son, Eldarion, now aged five, and a daughter, Enariel, only a few months old. And it was with pride that at the break of that day they were watching the cradle of their sleeping last-born in the nursery, their hands tenderly intertwined.
"She is so beautiful…" Arwen whispered to her husband.
"As beautiful as you are…" Aragorn murmured back, lifting a hand to rest it lovingly on the Queen's cheek. A soft smile appeared on her lips, and they remained there for a few moments, still, just enjoying each other's presence.
"Do you have any news from the Hobbits?" Arwen finally asked, making sure she did not speak too loud and thus did not wake the baby.
"Sam was elected Mayor of the Shire again." was the answer she got from the King of Gondor.
She smiled. "I got wind of that. Who would have guessed all those years ago that Sam would become a Mayor?"
Aragorn nodded with acknowledgement. "He is indeed a good Mayor. And it keeps him really busy, which is great for him as he does not have much time left to think about Frodo."
Both of them remained silent during a few seconds for they knew Sam had truly missed Frodo ever since his Master decided to leave the Shire and to cross the Great Sea with Bilbo and Gandalf.
After a while, the elven Queen broke the silence and declared: "We have not seen any of the Hobbits much lately. It seems that their new responsibilities, Sam as the Mayor of the Shire, Merry as the Master of Buckland, Pippin as the Thain, keep all of them busy. It truly is a pity, for every time they came here they brought happiness and liveliness with them, and I miss the sound of their voices echoing in the dining hall." Her voice showed her sadness.
"I am sure they will find some time soon to come back here, my love." Aragorn assured her.
"What about Gimli and Legolas?" Arwen enquired. "You told me a few days ago that they had decided to visit us, when will they arrive?"
"Soon, most probably today."
"I heard they had…" Arwen broke off as a sudden agitation was heard in the hallway while hurried steps began to converge towards the nursery. In an instinctive movement conditioned by years spent as a ranger, Aragorn held his hand to the hilt of his sword and faced the door with determination, standing protectively in front of his wife and his daughter.
He could hear the voices of the guards posted outside the room rise, and he quickly understood that whatever had been coming towards them, it had been stopped at the door. Slowly, he walked to the door, trying to make out words of the ongoing argument outside, and finally opened it and stepped out. There, he saw two members of his personal guard blocking the way to a young man dressed in Gondor's colors. The dust on his tunic and the exhaustion that could be read on his face indicated a long and recent journey.
"You can not go any further." One of the guards stated menacingly to the young man while the other began to unsheathe his sword.
But none of those threats seemed to discourage the young man as he insisted with vehemence. "I have to talk to our Lord as soon as possible, it is…" His voice suddenly trailed off as he noticed Aragorn behind the two guards. During split seconds he gaped at him in surprise, before he took a knee and looked down, slightly embarrassed. "Your Highness…"
When the guards turned round and saw their King as well, they quickly stood to attention on each side of the hallway. Aragorn made a step towards the young man.
"Stand up, and tell me at once what is going on."
The man complied and stood up, but he barely dared look up to his King as he spoke. "My Lord, I apologize deeply to burst in so irreverently in your palace, but I carry an urgent message for you."
As he finished, Arwen walked out of the nursery, silently closing the door, and stepped next to her husband. Aragorn stared at the young man, trying to size him up. He finally declared: "We should take this conversation to a more suitable place."
Taking his wife's hand in his, he walked between the two guards and down the hallway, to a throne room. It had statues and paintings of the past kings on each side, and as they entered the room the young soldier looked around in awe. Aragorn settled on a decorated throne, Arwen at his side.
"Now, tell me what brings you here."
The man cast an hesitant glance at Arwen.
"Do not fear to talk. Whatever you have to tell me can be heard by the Queen."
The soldier moistened his lips before speaking. "My name is Dwild, and I am stationed at Linhir harbor. Three days ago, a boat entered the bay of Belfalas and anchored in Linhir. A Norean boat." He added.
Aragorn looked at him with surprise. "A Norean boat?"
"Aye, my Lord. There was only one man aboard, which confused us greatly as no man can sail alone." He paused. "He just… crossed the city and went North. But he…" He hesitated.
"Go on." Aragorn demanded impatiently.
"He killed some people on his way, including civilians."
The royal couple exchanged a look. They both knew this could not be, as Noreans were known to be pacifists. "Did you arrest him?" the King asked.
The young soldier looked down with obvious unease. "Unfortunately, he escaped us. He carried no visible weapon, but he was quick, almost as quick as an Elf could be. I do not know how he killed those people, for I did not witness it myself, but I saw the bodies, and it was no pretty sight."
"So you are telling me that you could not stop a single and unarmed man?" Aragorn coldly asked.
The man looked down again. "A group of soldiers went looking for him, but I do not know if it proved fruitful as I left just as the search started. And honestly your Highness, I doubt they will find him themselves."
Aragorn remained silent a few seconds, pondering over those news. An unarmed man, coming from a community they had little contacts with, not to say none, was killing his people and was still free. His instincts told him there was something extremely abnormal with this.
Arwen shared the same doubts as she asked: "Are you sure he was a Norean?"
"I am my Lady, for I have not told you the full story yet. A couple of hours after the first boat, another one arrived. Three people were aboard this one, and claimed to be Noreans. They seemed to know about the other boat, and said it was the reason for their coming. When we interrogated them, they confirmed that the man was a Norean too. They also expressed their desire to converse with the ruler of this land as soon as possible. All they agreed to tell us was that it dealt with their compatriot."
"They are on their way here," Aragorn guessed.
"Aye, with a few guards as an escort. To make sure naught happens to them as well as to make sure they do not make things happen to innocent people, if you see what I mean, my Lord." At his King imperceptible nod, he went on. "I am a fast rider, thus I was sent here to warn you of their coming. But I probably outran them only by a few hours. They will certainly arrive today before dusk."
"Is that the full message you had for me?"
"Aye, my Lord."
Aragorn remained silent a few seconds, lost in contradictory thoughts, and finally spoke those words: "Go see one of the guards posted outside, and ask him to show you a place where to eat and to rest."
The young soldier nodded gratefully. "I thank you, my Lord." Silently he left, leaving Aragorn and Arwen alone in the throne room.
It was the Queen who broke the silence first. "The man that killed those people, he can not be a Norean. Noreans are pacifists."
Aragorn sighed. "I am not sure. What do we know exactly about Noreans? Gondor has not had any contacts with them for centuries; maybe what we think to know about them is wrong. Do not forget that Noreans, pacifists or not, are Men above all. And I may ignore the reason of these killings if there is one, but I know something for sure about Men: pacifism is not in their nature."
Arwen could only agree to that. "That is right, but my knowledge about Noreans might be more extended than yours, for I met one of them before." Seeing her husband's questioning look she added with a smile: "In Rivendell, some two hundred years ago. You were not born yet. Anyway, I had the opportunity to talk with him and learn about his culture, and believe me when I say those people truly have no knowledge about the art of war and are not seeking to learn any."
An anxious frown appeared on the King's forehead. He knew so few about those people he did not know what to expect from them, and despite his will to believe Arwen, he still had doubts. He wished Gandalf was around, for his knowledge about Arda was great and even beyond the one of elves in many domains.
The Queen saw his puzzlement. "This should not be treated lightly, Aragorn. Seldom do those people venture farther than the shores when they reach Middle-earth, thus if those three Noreans felt they had to do so, it means it is very important matter they wish to discuss with you."
Aragorn let go another sigh. "Hopefully those Noreans will bring some light to this mystery."
* * * * *
Aragorn remained there for the rest of the day, lost in his thoughts. He only nibbled to the food a maid brought him, for he was deeply worried by the news he had received.
During his various journeys through Middle-earth as a ranger, he had met many people belonging to many races, and he considered himself able to tell which were friends of Gondor.
But those Noreans were a complete mystery to him. Knowing that one of them had killed some of his people for no apparent reason should be enough to put them into the enemies category. It should have been. But it was not, for almost the only thing known about Noreans was the fact that their knowledge about the art of war could be considered nonexistent, and one of them going on a sudden killing spree in Gondor could only mean something went horribly, terribly wrong.
His musings were interrupted as he heard two familiar voices.
"What do you think, master Dwarf? Should we indicate our presence?"
"I do not know, master Elf, for he seems too busy staring at the floor."
The King looked up and saw Gimli and Legolas only a few steps from him, amusement on their faces. Aragorn smiled too, slightly embarrassed at not hearing them coming, and stood up to greet his friends. "I am glad to see you both here."
"Pleasure shared, Aragorn." Gimli said, while Legolas frowned looking at their host.
"Is everything well, Aragorn? You seem anxious."
"I am, my friend. I would have preferred to welcome you both in more festive conditions, but a few hours ago I received confusing news." He paused. He trusted his friends enough to tell them what had transpired, and felt he had to, especially if as he feared the news that were to be brought by the Noreans were bad enough to concern both their races as well. "Two Norean boats docked at Linhir's harbor, in the south of Gondor." He finally said.
"Norean boats?" Legolas exclaimed, a sudden gleam in his eyes that only Gimli noticed.
The dwarf's voice rose. "I understand that this can be surprising as Noreans are not often seen in Middle-earth, but what are the confusing news you spoke of, Aragorn?"
"You probably heard as I did that Noreans were pacifist people. Yet one of them went through the city and killed civilians, managing to escape the guards posted there."
A weird silence settled while the two former members of the Fellowship pondered over that.
"Are you sure he was a Norean?" Legolas finally asked.
"To be honest, I can not know for sure yet Legolas, but I have good reasons to think so. Anyway, we should get to the bottom of it soon as the three Noreans that were onboard the second boat asked to talk to me."
Another short silence settled.
"So, those Noreans are coming here?" Again, only Gimli noticed the concealed excitement in the elf's voice.
He knew well what was going on his friend's mind. He had witnessed his sea longing many times, for he had accompanied him on many journeys since the end of the War of the Ring. And Gimli could guess that the prospect of meeting Noreans, the sea travelers, those who knew the sea as well as the elf knew trees; the prospect of talking to those people who dwelt so close to Aman; that all this would probably rouse Legolas's sea longing.
"Aye, they are."
Just as Aragorn finished his sentence, a guard rushed in the room. Out of breath, he announced: "My Lord, the Noreans have arrived."
----------------------------------
End of Chapter One...
Please let me know what you think of this story so far!
I am spending an awful lot of time writing it, and I'd love to hear a bit about what you guys think before posting the next chapter, which should be called "An Evil Revealed" (ah, I'm so good at finding lame chapter titles, aren't I?)
Anyway, I'm sure you've already noticed the pretty little button down there. Yes, this one... Now go and click on it!
I am at the moment looking for a Beta reader for this very fic. What I will mostly ask from him/her will be spelling, grammar and vocabulary checking. Maybe characterization as well. As for plot holes, being myself a logic freak I doubt it will be needed to check for them, but you never know, so I guess, why not. Having a good knowledge of LOTR's universe is *of course* necessary.
Please send a curriculum vitae and a cover letter to -
Hum, I think I got a bit carried away, sorry...
Anyway, if you are willing to Beta this story, please contact me! (e-mail in profile)
One last note before the chapter begins: while I *do* use a name generator for my original characters, I didn't use one to find a name for Aragorn's and Arwen's first "unnamed daughter". Thus, the name is copyrighted Morphea, 2003. Unless the name has already been used before, which I doubt, but it would be an incredible coincidence.
Anyway, on with the story.
A messenger brings news from the South
It was a quiet day of spring that was beginning in Gondor. The sun was skimming the skyline behind Minas Tirith, bedecking the sky with warm colors. Many years had gone by since the War of the Ring, and the peacefulness around the White City would seem unbelievable for one who had known the dark days.
The palace had quickly regained its erstwhile greatness after the newly wed royal couple, Aragorn son of Arathorn, and Arwen daughter of Elrond of Rivendell, had settled there.
Life had granted them so far a son, Eldarion, now aged five, and a daughter, Enariel, only a few months old. And it was with pride that at the break of that day they were watching the cradle of their sleeping last-born in the nursery, their hands tenderly intertwined.
"She is so beautiful…" Arwen whispered to her husband.
"As beautiful as you are…" Aragorn murmured back, lifting a hand to rest it lovingly on the Queen's cheek. A soft smile appeared on her lips, and they remained there for a few moments, still, just enjoying each other's presence.
"Do you have any news from the Hobbits?" Arwen finally asked, making sure she did not speak too loud and thus did not wake the baby.
"Sam was elected Mayor of the Shire again." was the answer she got from the King of Gondor.
She smiled. "I got wind of that. Who would have guessed all those years ago that Sam would become a Mayor?"
Aragorn nodded with acknowledgement. "He is indeed a good Mayor. And it keeps him really busy, which is great for him as he does not have much time left to think about Frodo."
Both of them remained silent during a few seconds for they knew Sam had truly missed Frodo ever since his Master decided to leave the Shire and to cross the Great Sea with Bilbo and Gandalf.
After a while, the elven Queen broke the silence and declared: "We have not seen any of the Hobbits much lately. It seems that their new responsibilities, Sam as the Mayor of the Shire, Merry as the Master of Buckland, Pippin as the Thain, keep all of them busy. It truly is a pity, for every time they came here they brought happiness and liveliness with them, and I miss the sound of their voices echoing in the dining hall." Her voice showed her sadness.
"I am sure they will find some time soon to come back here, my love." Aragorn assured her.
"What about Gimli and Legolas?" Arwen enquired. "You told me a few days ago that they had decided to visit us, when will they arrive?"
"Soon, most probably today."
"I heard they had…" Arwen broke off as a sudden agitation was heard in the hallway while hurried steps began to converge towards the nursery. In an instinctive movement conditioned by years spent as a ranger, Aragorn held his hand to the hilt of his sword and faced the door with determination, standing protectively in front of his wife and his daughter.
He could hear the voices of the guards posted outside the room rise, and he quickly understood that whatever had been coming towards them, it had been stopped at the door. Slowly, he walked to the door, trying to make out words of the ongoing argument outside, and finally opened it and stepped out. There, he saw two members of his personal guard blocking the way to a young man dressed in Gondor's colors. The dust on his tunic and the exhaustion that could be read on his face indicated a long and recent journey.
"You can not go any further." One of the guards stated menacingly to the young man while the other began to unsheathe his sword.
But none of those threats seemed to discourage the young man as he insisted with vehemence. "I have to talk to our Lord as soon as possible, it is…" His voice suddenly trailed off as he noticed Aragorn behind the two guards. During split seconds he gaped at him in surprise, before he took a knee and looked down, slightly embarrassed. "Your Highness…"
When the guards turned round and saw their King as well, they quickly stood to attention on each side of the hallway. Aragorn made a step towards the young man.
"Stand up, and tell me at once what is going on."
The man complied and stood up, but he barely dared look up to his King as he spoke. "My Lord, I apologize deeply to burst in so irreverently in your palace, but I carry an urgent message for you."
As he finished, Arwen walked out of the nursery, silently closing the door, and stepped next to her husband. Aragorn stared at the young man, trying to size him up. He finally declared: "We should take this conversation to a more suitable place."
Taking his wife's hand in his, he walked between the two guards and down the hallway, to a throne room. It had statues and paintings of the past kings on each side, and as they entered the room the young soldier looked around in awe. Aragorn settled on a decorated throne, Arwen at his side.
"Now, tell me what brings you here."
The man cast an hesitant glance at Arwen.
"Do not fear to talk. Whatever you have to tell me can be heard by the Queen."
The soldier moistened his lips before speaking. "My name is Dwild, and I am stationed at Linhir harbor. Three days ago, a boat entered the bay of Belfalas and anchored in Linhir. A Norean boat." He added.
Aragorn looked at him with surprise. "A Norean boat?"
"Aye, my Lord. There was only one man aboard, which confused us greatly as no man can sail alone." He paused. "He just… crossed the city and went North. But he…" He hesitated.
"Go on." Aragorn demanded impatiently.
"He killed some people on his way, including civilians."
The royal couple exchanged a look. They both knew this could not be, as Noreans were known to be pacifists. "Did you arrest him?" the King asked.
The young soldier looked down with obvious unease. "Unfortunately, he escaped us. He carried no visible weapon, but he was quick, almost as quick as an Elf could be. I do not know how he killed those people, for I did not witness it myself, but I saw the bodies, and it was no pretty sight."
"So you are telling me that you could not stop a single and unarmed man?" Aragorn coldly asked.
The man looked down again. "A group of soldiers went looking for him, but I do not know if it proved fruitful as I left just as the search started. And honestly your Highness, I doubt they will find him themselves."
Aragorn remained silent a few seconds, pondering over those news. An unarmed man, coming from a community they had little contacts with, not to say none, was killing his people and was still free. His instincts told him there was something extremely abnormal with this.
Arwen shared the same doubts as she asked: "Are you sure he was a Norean?"
"I am my Lady, for I have not told you the full story yet. A couple of hours after the first boat, another one arrived. Three people were aboard this one, and claimed to be Noreans. They seemed to know about the other boat, and said it was the reason for their coming. When we interrogated them, they confirmed that the man was a Norean too. They also expressed their desire to converse with the ruler of this land as soon as possible. All they agreed to tell us was that it dealt with their compatriot."
"They are on their way here," Aragorn guessed.
"Aye, with a few guards as an escort. To make sure naught happens to them as well as to make sure they do not make things happen to innocent people, if you see what I mean, my Lord." At his King imperceptible nod, he went on. "I am a fast rider, thus I was sent here to warn you of their coming. But I probably outran them only by a few hours. They will certainly arrive today before dusk."
"Is that the full message you had for me?"
"Aye, my Lord."
Aragorn remained silent a few seconds, lost in contradictory thoughts, and finally spoke those words: "Go see one of the guards posted outside, and ask him to show you a place where to eat and to rest."
The young soldier nodded gratefully. "I thank you, my Lord." Silently he left, leaving Aragorn and Arwen alone in the throne room.
It was the Queen who broke the silence first. "The man that killed those people, he can not be a Norean. Noreans are pacifists."
Aragorn sighed. "I am not sure. What do we know exactly about Noreans? Gondor has not had any contacts with them for centuries; maybe what we think to know about them is wrong. Do not forget that Noreans, pacifists or not, are Men above all. And I may ignore the reason of these killings if there is one, but I know something for sure about Men: pacifism is not in their nature."
Arwen could only agree to that. "That is right, but my knowledge about Noreans might be more extended than yours, for I met one of them before." Seeing her husband's questioning look she added with a smile: "In Rivendell, some two hundred years ago. You were not born yet. Anyway, I had the opportunity to talk with him and learn about his culture, and believe me when I say those people truly have no knowledge about the art of war and are not seeking to learn any."
An anxious frown appeared on the King's forehead. He knew so few about those people he did not know what to expect from them, and despite his will to believe Arwen, he still had doubts. He wished Gandalf was around, for his knowledge about Arda was great and even beyond the one of elves in many domains.
The Queen saw his puzzlement. "This should not be treated lightly, Aragorn. Seldom do those people venture farther than the shores when they reach Middle-earth, thus if those three Noreans felt they had to do so, it means it is very important matter they wish to discuss with you."
Aragorn let go another sigh. "Hopefully those Noreans will bring some light to this mystery."
Aragorn remained there for the rest of the day, lost in his thoughts. He only nibbled to the food a maid brought him, for he was deeply worried by the news he had received.
During his various journeys through Middle-earth as a ranger, he had met many people belonging to many races, and he considered himself able to tell which were friends of Gondor.
But those Noreans were a complete mystery to him. Knowing that one of them had killed some of his people for no apparent reason should be enough to put them into the enemies category. It should have been. But it was not, for almost the only thing known about Noreans was the fact that their knowledge about the art of war could be considered nonexistent, and one of them going on a sudden killing spree in Gondor could only mean something went horribly, terribly wrong.
His musings were interrupted as he heard two familiar voices.
"What do you think, master Dwarf? Should we indicate our presence?"
"I do not know, master Elf, for he seems too busy staring at the floor."
The King looked up and saw Gimli and Legolas only a few steps from him, amusement on their faces. Aragorn smiled too, slightly embarrassed at not hearing them coming, and stood up to greet his friends. "I am glad to see you both here."
"Pleasure shared, Aragorn." Gimli said, while Legolas frowned looking at their host.
"Is everything well, Aragorn? You seem anxious."
"I am, my friend. I would have preferred to welcome you both in more festive conditions, but a few hours ago I received confusing news." He paused. He trusted his friends enough to tell them what had transpired, and felt he had to, especially if as he feared the news that were to be brought by the Noreans were bad enough to concern both their races as well. "Two Norean boats docked at Linhir's harbor, in the south of Gondor." He finally said.
"Norean boats?" Legolas exclaimed, a sudden gleam in his eyes that only Gimli noticed.
The dwarf's voice rose. "I understand that this can be surprising as Noreans are not often seen in Middle-earth, but what are the confusing news you spoke of, Aragorn?"
"You probably heard as I did that Noreans were pacifist people. Yet one of them went through the city and killed civilians, managing to escape the guards posted there."
A weird silence settled while the two former members of the Fellowship pondered over that.
"Are you sure he was a Norean?" Legolas finally asked.
"To be honest, I can not know for sure yet Legolas, but I have good reasons to think so. Anyway, we should get to the bottom of it soon as the three Noreans that were onboard the second boat asked to talk to me."
Another short silence settled.
"So, those Noreans are coming here?" Again, only Gimli noticed the concealed excitement in the elf's voice.
He knew well what was going on his friend's mind. He had witnessed his sea longing many times, for he had accompanied him on many journeys since the end of the War of the Ring. And Gimli could guess that the prospect of meeting Noreans, the sea travelers, those who knew the sea as well as the elf knew trees; the prospect of talking to those people who dwelt so close to Aman; that all this would probably rouse Legolas's sea longing.
"Aye, they are."
Just as Aragorn finished his sentence, a guard rushed in the room. Out of breath, he announced: "My Lord, the Noreans have arrived."
----------------------------------
End of Chapter One...
Please let me know what you think of this story so far!
I am spending an awful lot of time writing it, and I'd love to hear a bit about what you guys think before posting the next chapter, which should be called "An Evil Revealed" (ah, I'm so good at finding lame chapter titles, aren't I?)
Anyway, I'm sure you've already noticed the pretty little button down there. Yes, this one... Now go and click on it!