Title: Luthien's flute

Author: B-witched83uk (bwitched83uk@aol.com)

Rating: PG-13

Summary: Aragorn, Arwen and the family travel to Lothlorien after receiving a mysterious letter from Celeborn.

Disclaimer: I do not own The Lord of the Rings. The whole of Middle Earth belongs to Tolkien

Chapter 7

Revelations

"The world can be a cruel place." Arwen's arms slipped around Aragorn's waist and pulled him gently against her. He breathed a sigh into the cold morning air and let his head loll back.

"I am the King of Gondor. I am supposed to be the people's hope. Yet still there is so much injustice and malice. I am afraid that there is nothing I can do about it."

Arwen felt for her husband, He had been deeply affected by the arrival of Maitelea. Aragorn had seen many things in his long life, but this was quite possibly the worst.

"The world has changed, mela nin." She rested her mouth on his neck and drank in the warm smell of the man she craved.

"You fought in an ongoing war for the better part of your life to make this world a better place. Our children are free to be whoever it is they wish to be because you and a group of unlikely heroes risked everything you had." Arwen turned him to look into her eyes.

"Estel. My Estel. You are hope!" Aragorn loved his wife at this moment even more then he had realized. His rough hands reached up to cup her face as eager lips descended to seek comfort.

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Galadwen had sat awake all night listening to the sounds of the wild. Eldarion, for the last few hours, had been sat with her. Together, they remained in complete silence, their minds racing with all the hurt Maitelea had known. Eldarion remembered his own childhood, so safe, so warm. He had not gone a day in his life where he did not feel loved. His sister's face was devastating him, such sadness filled her. She bent down to a small dying plant and looked upon it as though grieved. She thought about how summer died into autumn.

"Laire is falling into yavie. The saddest time of year."

Eldarion watched her as she spoke. "Why so?"

"The earth's children, who she has cared for and nurtured, are now decaying. They begin to wither and rot. It must be the Elf inside of me that can hear her weep for them, as leaf by leaf they fall into shadow." Her face was blank and cold.

"It is a part of life, selerseim. We all die"

*Gentle sister*

Eldarion's words stung Galadwen hard. Why was the world so cruel?

She brought her head right over the plant and breathed on its leaves with her Elvish breath.

"Me'aon huinea. Coia a'gurtha."

*Give light to darkness. Life to death*

Instantly, the plant began to colour and shine. It straightened before their very eyes, leaving Galadwen satisfied. It was a parlor trick their mother had taught them long ago.

The sun seemed reluctant to rise this morning; a greying haze coated the sky.

"Speak to me of Ithiliwen." Galadwen looked at her brother, needing to hear of happier times. "It would lighten my heart to hear you speak of love."

Eldarion at first tensed at her mere name. His heart started beating faster as he closed his eyes, trying to remember the feelings her kisses had evoked. When his eyes turned to his sister he smiled and, for the first time in days, Galadwen found that she could smile also.

"I have not spoken of her until now, perhaps because I felt that if I did, then I would wake up and find that I had dreamt the whole thing." She had never heard her usually proud brother speak so lovingly.

"You are my sister, my dearest friend. I will share with you my happiness because I think you need it." He turned his whole body to face her, his eyes dancing.

"The morning we left Edoras, when I was saying goodbye, I asked Ithiliwen to be my wife."

Galadwen sat still, her eyes as big as the moon. She knew not what to say, she knew not what to think. Was he sure? Did he really love her that much? She had a million questions to ask him but knew not where to start. One look at her brother's face made her mind slow down. Never had she seen him so happy. If Ithiliwen was the cause of this, then it must be right that they marry. He eyed his sister eagerly, desperate for some sign that she approved. Her mouth broke into a wide smile and her eyes glistened with starry tears. Eldarion pulled his sister to her feet and into a tight embrace.

"I knew you would be happy for me." Together they laughed with elation.

"I can not believe that you are to be someone's husband!" Galadwen stepped out of his arms and held his two hands in hers.

"I cannot wait to see her again so that I may tell her every story I have of you." A cheeky, mischievous gleam hit her.

"Does she know about the time you tried to catch one of the Royal peacocks and ended up being chased into the next town?"

Eldarion squeezed her hands affectionately, "You wouldn't dare!"

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Aragorn walked into Maitelea's tent. The boy was still asleep in his bed, with Luthien curled up on the floor beside him. It had been four days since Maitelea had come to them and every morning this is where he had found his youngest daughter. He bent down and stroked her hair, hoping to wake her gently. He minded not that she stayed here; he was happy that she could bring joy to their guest. As she stirred, she looked up at her father and smiled.

"I must have fallen asleep again." She stood and cuddled up to Aragorn's side.

"You can not possibly sleep well like that, elensil nin."

*My shinning star*

He held her warmth close to him, enjoying his daughter's affection.

"Why don't you go and see about breakfast." Luthien walked out of the tent, but not before looking once more to her new friend, as he slept. Maitelea awoke with a start, his eyes fit to burst and his mouth open wide.

"It is alright son, it is just me" Aragorn had become fond of the boy as had the whole family. Maitelea sighed, relieved, as he recognized Aragorn's face. He had been told he was King and knew that he should remain formal, yet Aragorn's warmth toward him told him it was not needed. They had avoided talking about what exactly had happened to him since his arrival. Now Aragorn decided it was time; Maitelea was gaining strength and had even gained weight.

"Will you tell me your story? Tell me how it is you came to be where I found you?" Maitelea's face tightened. He did not wish for the gentle man to know of the shame he had faced. He fought with his fears and with bravery Aragorn was proud of said,"I will tell you all you wish to know, but I would rather tell you all at the same time so I will not have to tell my story more then once."

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Outside, breakfast was over and the sun was dimly lighting the sky. Around a fire the royal family sat, waiting for their new friend's story to begin. He tried to speak a few times but closed his mouth, unsure where to start. Finally, looking at the kind faces, he knew he could put it off no more. They must know the truth; they must know why it is they should banish him. Why it is he could not look Galadwen in the face.

"I was born to a woman of sin." Perhaps not the best opener, Eldarion thought. "My father was her 'client;' I never knew him and never wished to." He fidgeted slightly, egging himself to go on.

"My mother named me Dae because she said I was a shadow cast upon her." Aragorn's mouth tightened with anger, as Arwen's hand fit itself into his.

Maitelea stopped now, unsure of how to tell them the next part of his story. He would just have to come out with it.

"I was sold to a dark sorcerer in my seventh year. He offered my mother great money for me. I have what they called a gift, but to me it is the most bitter of presents." He started down at his unusually clean hands.

"He named me Maitelea because I have the gift of sight. I sometimes see images of things that have not yet happened." His eyes flew to Galadwen, who stared back at him unaware. Her eyes were soft and loving. He could not bear it anymore.

"The man used me to tell him things that he should never have known. For the past seven years, I have had no choice but to tell him what it was he wanted to know. I had no choice. He would starve me or beat me if I did not comply."

Arwen touched her hand to his in an attempt to comfort him, but he pulled his hand away, unable to bear her kindness. If only she knew.

"I lived as his prisoner. He made me call him father. Then, about six months ago, a man started coming to us, an evil man who chilled my very bones." Maitelea looked straight at Galadwen, his eyes pleading for forgiveness.

"The man's name was Tibias."

Galadwen's eyes flew wide open, as did the rest of her family's. Aragorn stood and looked down at the boy, suddenly even smaller, if that were possible. "You told him where he could find my daughter!" It wasn't a question. Maitelea felt tears fall from his eyes. The nicest people he had ever known and he had betrayed them before ever they met. Galadwen's eyes suddenly softened as she looked upon the fourteen year old boy: so small, so abused, so ashamed. Her heart wept for him as she stood up and came before him. She knelt down and placed her hand on top of his.

She forced his eyes to lock with her own. "It is as you said, Maitelea, you had no choice. If you had not have told him then you would have been starved, even beaten." Aragorn remembered the state he had found him in. If this was how he was treated when he complied, Valar knows what would have become of him if he hadn't. His whole face softened as he gazed at the terrified child.

"Galadwen is right, you had no choice. You must not feel bad for something that is beyond your control. The man of whom you now speak is now dead." Aragorn rested his head on Maitelea's shoulder.

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Maitelea wiped the tears from his cheeks and looked up at Aragorn with awe and fear as he walked into his tent later that day. "What will become of me now? Where will you send me?" Aragorn knew not the answer; he only knew the unmistakable need to protect him. Arwen had followed her husband in and was now sitting beside Maitelea, comforting him as only a mother could. Her eyes pleaded with Aragorn's, and he could see the love she already felt for him. He sighed in abandonment as he came to sit on the other side of the boy.

"You will come with us to Lothlorien. Then if it pleases you, you may journey back to Gondor with us." Maitelea looked at Aragorn and for the first time seemed happy. Aragorn's heart melted a little as Arwen hugged the child to her tightly.

"You may live with us in Minas Tirith if you will have us as your family." Arwen already knew the answer before the boy opened his mouth. "Nothing would please me more." He held his new mother tightly as though he would never let her go. Aragorn ruffled Maitelea's hair and grinned openly.

"Welcome to the family, Maitelea." At this, the boy's face dropped causing Aragorn's to do the same. "Please do not call me by that name. It was a name given to me by a man I hate. When a person is named, it should be by someone who loves him. Therefore I hate both names I have been given." Aragorn could feel Arwen's eyes on him as they began to swell with pity for the nameless boy.

Aragorn finally smiled in an effort to comfort him. "Very well, then I shall name you!" Aragorn thought for a moment about everything the boy had been through and how brave he was to still be standing. A smile played on his lips as it finally dawned on him:

"Welcome to the family, Astald"