Hey all, sorry it took so long. Linwen had to remind me to post. I am like Dori from Finding Nemo when it comes to memory. [shrugs] Anyway, onto the lovely reviews.
Thanks Arwen-Evenstar2!!!! I am very proud that you like it. I am sure Linwen would say the same. But since I do the author notes, that is kinda not possible. But thanks!!!!! Hope you like this.
Thanks Ymmas Sirron!!!! I am so glad you liked it!!!! Always look forward to your reviews.
Ok. Well I guess that is all. My reviews are in jumbles and I can not find anymore for this, so I hope I got you all. If I did not, sorry, truly I am. You can try reviewing this time and maybe it will work better. J
Enjoy!!! No Flames!!!!! Only correctional criticism please.
Chapter 3
Identity
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Landed in the middle of a dessert
And I'm wondering why what keeps me alive
When the water I drink and the air that I breathe is dry
- Zoegirl
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Aragorn whimpered as a tight locking pain took hold of his stomach. He starred at the haze ahead.
The dust rolled across the bare plains, his own ragged breaths echoing in the dry world around him.
He could see nothing, nothing for miles and miles.
The course wind hit his face and scratched at his eyes. The hot wind bit at his face and ground into his scrapes.
"Who's there?!" a voice called from the sandy haze. Aragorn tried to answer, but each time he felt the breath sucked from his very lungs.
He tried to speak but every breath beat against his torso like a fiery ball of unbearable pain.
The mortal tried one more time to speak back, but could not, as his vision cleared he saw he was surrounded by houses and walls.
But that was the last thing he saw, his mind escaped him and his knees buckled. He fell to the dusty ground in a heap.
The last words that reached his dying hearing was a beautiful maiden.
"Sir! Lesier, get papa!"
All his senses failed and he was left to a complete darkness.
"Gwen! Get me some cold water!"
"Yes mama."
"Lesier?!"
"Yes marm?!"
"Get pa!"
Aragorn moaned as something freezing cold was placed upon his forehead. It felt nice to his unnaturally hot skin.
"Shhh. Your alright. Just hold on youngling." The voice was sweet, but hoarse with many years of life. It seemed kind, but at the same time seemed that the being who was tending to him could become nasty at any moment.
"Can ya' open your eyes?"
Strider complied, he opened the silver eyes to see an older woman standing over him. She was stout and had a short build. Her eyes were bright, and the amber color matched her apron and dress. She had gray and white hair, it shined in the morning sun.
"Welcome hun', how are you feeling?" she asked kindly.
Aragorn looked around nervously, nothing around him was at all familiar.
The walls were of a cream color. The window sills made of oak, and the furniture was made of oak too.
"Where am I?" his mind began to reel, and he caught his breath.
"Easy, we almost lost you last night. Calm yourself child."
His eyes met the amber and he took a deep, uneven breath.
"Well, you are in Minas Tirith. My husband, Deollyn's home. You have been very sick." she smiled and looked over her shoulder as her daughter came in.
The young mortal looked up and looked at the girl, she was about nineteen, with beautiful long black hair. It reached to a little above her hips and was tightly kept in a perfect braid. Small strands fell out from the sides. Her eyes sparkled like the stars and her irises were deep blue.
"Arwen?" he whispered looking at her with wide eyes. He looked down in confusion. 'Who is Arwen?' he looked at his hands, one was lightly wrapped in a cool cloth, the other was rough. 'Who am I?"
The maiden came over to him, a smile upon her face.
"What is your name?" she asked searching the silver eyes, he only starred a moment before the question reached him.
"Who am I?" he repeated, but that was changed a moment later when he frowned in deep confusion. "I-I don't know."
At that moment Lesier entered, and Estel raised flustered eyes on the seven-year old boy.
"That is my brother." Gwen commented softly as Aragorn watched the young boy. He seemed smart for his age, and oddly tall. He had inquisitive amber eyes and soft dark brown hair. "He is shy." she whispered.
"But enough about him, we have a serious problem on our hands." Gwen looked up at her mothers words.
"Danlea." the mother looked up to see her husband walk into the room and set eyes upon the young man that was sitting in the guest bed.
"Yes Deollyn?"
Deollyn was extremely tall for a mortal and had dark eyes. They were blue like his daughters, but they somehow seemed worried. He was dressed in the outfitting of a Gondorian captain.
"I must go." he smiled at Estel. "I will see you in a few weeks. I am riding to Rohan on a mission and must speak with Theoden King."
He eyed Aragorn with interest. He shook his head and smiled.
The family sobered and watched as Deollyn shut the door behind him, all looked as if they might weep.
"What is wrong?" the ranger asked, confused at this sudden change in emotion. It seemed everything was new to him right now, he could not even remember his name.
Gwen smirked sadly and wiped a forlorn tear from her eye.
"It is just, father always just suddenly has to leave. And being in the military, who knows what could happen to him." she let her body succumb to the ragged sobs.
"I am sorry. I did not mean-" but Aragorn was interrupted as Danlea shook her head and brought her big comforting arms around Gwen.
"No, do not apologize. It is not of your doing. In fact you are rather lucky that he is in the army. You were in a lot of trouble when Gwen found you."
"What do you mean?"
"You do not remember? Gwen went outside, she was supposed to meet the stewards son, Denethor. But Denethor got to the fountain first, he found you leaning, barely hanging on."
"But no matter, you rest now. You look weary, and are still weak. I will bring you up some food later and I want you to eat it all! Lord only knows how you got so lean."
Strider looked down at his lithe frame. It seemed normal to him, but then again he was rather bony for a mortal. He considered why that was. He shrugged, all he knew was it sounded good to him.
By now Gwen had fallen asleep, she was comfortably leaning against the young ranger's leg and a smile was upon her face.
Aragorn yawned and stretched as the wonderful realm of sleep blew away and color reappeared to his world.
He was feeling much better than he had the previous day.
The sun shined clear yellow through the open window and outside the birds sang merry songs.
Aragorn carefully slid his legs from under the sheets and walked to the window. The cold floor made shivers run up his spine.
The sun crept in warming patterns along all the angles in his not fully angular features. The warm glow played on the beautiful white night shirt that he wore, he looked at it with a new interest and saw the beautiful beads that lined the collar.
Slowly he brought his hand out of the window and whispered in a beautiful cavalcade of flowing sounds. His tongue seemed to already know the letters, he did not really know what he was saying, but it did not matter.
The wind brushed his hair and the small scratch of little bird claws danced upon his arm.
He brought his arm in and looked at the little beast that had landed upon his hand.
It was Small and bright blue, black patches marred the rims of it's eyes and it blinked up at him.
He turned around carefully and walked back to the bed.
Sitting himself upon the bed he layed back against the many pillows, he watched the little bird and smiled brightly.
"Well my friend, it seems you are quite alone and confused, as am I." he whispered in the interesting tongue.
The bluebird chirped and hopped upon the man's stomach.
Estel closed his eyes, tired of being flustered by all the confusion in his new life he decided that it would be less of a confusion to merely sit upon the bed and not wake up.
Footsteps down the hall alerted him that someone was coming his way. He did not care, he was content to play with the approaching person.
Aragorn slowed his breathing and stilled his fidgeting fingers.
The door creaking to his left alerted his senses of the person entering, he could tell from the sounds in the boards that it was a woman, she was not heavy and very slim.
"Sir?" the low voice floated to his ears.
Seeing he must still be asleep she smiled and walked forward. As she came closer, she could see upon the rumpled sheets and quilts was a little beast. It was a bird.
It chirped at the sight if her and became rather fearful.
Feeling this tension Aragorn opened his eyes and touched the little creature gently.
It sobered and hopped onto his finger, he smiled and looked up into the deep blue eyes.
"Sir? I was only um…." she averted her eyes and held up the tray that was filled with bread, cheese, and fruit. "I brought you some food, mama said you were probably hungry."
"I am fine." the words were tinged with pain and she quietly sat on the bed, setting the tray on a table.
"What is your name? I can not keep calling you sir." she looked over at his old clothes that were drying on a chair near the window.
He sighed and rolled his eyes, carefully bringing the little bird up to his chest and ruffling the feathers.
"I know not…..nor do I know my origin, my home, or family. I do not know how I can call birds and calm animals or how I came here." he bit his lip and smiled as the bird looked up at him again with big eyes.
"Well, then…" she looked at her chore clothes and brushed off the dust. "The Rohirrim are good with horses, maybe you are from Rohan. Though." She looked at his complexion and sucked in a breath through her impish grin. "You do not look like one from Rohan. I know a bit of the Rohannian tongue. How about I name you in there tongue?" She waited patiently until he nodded, the dark unruly locks going forward with the motion of his head.
"Hmmmm….." she though a moment and looked at the small bluebird. "I will name you…" she looked at Aragorn once more and for a moment, she became entranced with his eyes. They were so true, so kind.
"Yes?"
"Oh!" her cheeks became red but she shook the color away. "Thorongil!" she concurred with a very convincing nod. "That alright?"
Aragorn had to repeat the name a few time. "Thorongil……Thorongil…."
He nodded and smiled. "I suppose that will have to suffice. I mean it is better than sir." he laughed lightly and she smiled, taking back up the tray and put it in his lap.
"Now eat! Mother will have my head if you do not eat."
"Then what?" Aragorn asked as he picked up a piece of bread.
"We will go on a walk, I am sure you a sick of this house." She spread her arms out for emphasis.
"Alright."
Gwen stood up to leave but she was stopped when a small voice came to her ears and she turned her head.
"Gwen?"
"Yes Thorongil?" she spoke the name smiling.
"I know this sounds a bit daft, but may I call you Arwen?"
Gwen smiled and nodded. "Yes, I would be honored."
Aragorn blushed and went back to eating, he felt quite hungry. He gave the bluebird a small piece of fruit and watched as the maiden closed the door, leaving him to eat quietly and ponder his identity.
TBC~
Ok, so that is all she wrote. Hehe. Anyway, I gotta post this now! So see ya all later. Well I won't see you, oh well I might but I would never know it. Um….anyway, read your reviews later!! Adios! Namarie!! Goodbye!!! And if I knew anymore languages I would say it in those. J
