Title: Luthien's flute
Author: B-witched83uk (bwitched83uk@aol.com)
Rating: PG
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.
A/N: A friendly note to all of you who reviewed the last chapter…I DO NOT LIKE BEING THREATENED! You've read the books you know he doesn't die so enough with the death threats. A little angst now and then is healthy.
Chapter 11
There is still hope
Celeborn held Arwen tightly against him, speaking soothing Elven words in to her hair. The utter helplessness of the situation was infuriating him. He could not save Aragorn, therefore he could not save Arwen. She looked up in to his eyes, as tears froze their way down her cold face.
"I don't know what to do!" Her words were helpless. The one man she would turn to at times like these was now gone, on his way to the afterlife. Here was she completely powerless to stop him.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"You have to tell me she will be alright!" Aragorn was yelling at the heavens, his fists clenched at his side. "I can not leave until I know!"
It was no use, he could already feel the tug on his body. He was going and he could do nothing to stop it. He knew he should be scared and worried, but he wasn't. He knew he should care more about leaving Arwen and the children, but it was as though a part of him had been switched off. He had just stopped caring.
Behind him, Aragorn heard a whirring sound like a strong wind playing through the trees. The day, however, was calm. He turned to look behind at what ever was making the noise. Aragorn came face to face with a white swirling hole. It was like reality had been ripped before his very eyes. This small white hole was growing by the second. Little white, glowing balls floated around inside of it.
Aragorn took a step closer to it, his usual caution seemed to have left with his fear. It was like a song, a song he remembered well but couldn't place. It was coming from the vortex, soothing him and pulling him closer.
"Estel."
Aragorn stopped dead in his tracks as he beheld the woman before him. He brought his hand up to his mouth as he desperately tried to stay standing.
"I remember you." He fell to his knees. The vortex had now reached full size and had taken the shape of a door. A beautiful dark haired woman stood in the door way, a smile of love and warmth upon her mouth.
"Estel." Her smiled widened and her white gown whipped around her in the gentle breeze.
Aragorn shakily got to his feet and walked a little closer to the woman. He took in her form, a ghost from his past. "It can not be! Mother?"
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Arwen was beside Galadriel's mirror, eyeing it with ill content. "If I had have looked I may have been able to prevent this!" Her hands found the rim of the basin, the smooth stone cooling her blood. Celeborn stood behind her, his face more solemn then ever Arwen had seen it. "I wish your Grandmother was here." He hung his head.
"What would she say?" Arwen turned to face him now, a small glint of hope resting dangerously in her eyes. Celeborn took her hand, he knew not what to say to comfort her, he knew not that there were words in any tongue to ease her pain.
'Help me Galadriel' he thought to himself 'guide me through this.'
"Arwen, I hold not the power to bring him back and spare your life. I know not if it is even possible. What I do know is that if anyone can get though this it is you. You have the strength and love to never surrender." He let go of Arwen's hand and walked to the mirror.
"Galadriel's mirror!" He traced the carvings with his thumb as he remembered his late wife. "She would consult this in the dark of night. She would always come back to me, to our bed, with a new knowledge in her eyes." His eyes closed as he remembered their very last night together in Lorien.
"Her last night here, she came to me and gave me the flute of Tinuviel. She said that in the thirteenth year of the child Luthien's life, I must send for you and give you this gift that Galadriel had long since held."
Arwen watch her Grandfather carefully, taking in his words. "She said this after looking in the mirror?"
Celeborn faced her, nodding his head. "She told me to tell you that what ever you are feeling at the time you play it, those emotions will be absorbed by those near." He was still deep in thought when he heard Arwen run off in to the dark night.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Gilraen stood still on her spot, eyes joyful yet sad. Long had she desired to once again look upon the face of her only child, but not so soon in his life, not so soon in his children's lives. It was the wish of the Valar, and if he himself could not fight it, then she would have to obey orders.
"It is time my son. You must come with me now." She held out her hand for him to take. Aragorn walked, slowly toward his mother. Tears rolling down his checks "I have missed you so much!"
"Take my hand Estel, you must come with me."
He looked at her hand, and then down at his own. The hand that had not long ago been held by Arwen. Arwen, never again would he know her love. Her sweet touch. The feel of her mouth on his.
"If I go with you now, I will never again see Arwen!" It wasn't a question. Gilraen simply looked at her son, her heart went out to him. She remembered the day Arathorn had died, she felt as though she would die from the pain of it.
"I know that I should be trying to fight this, trying to resist the call but everything inside me is telling me this is the right thing to do." His hand reached out to take his mothers, it was warm and soft, just as he remembered it.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Arwen tossed everything in her chambers to one side, searching franticly for her only hope. She found the flute underneath one of Aragorn's discarded tunics. She held the small mithril instrument in her hands and traced the vines and stars embossed upon it. "What ever I am feeling." She echoed.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Aragorn's lifeless body was cold and stone like as she stroked along the bearded jaw. She cupped his checks in her hands and bent over him to kiss his icy lips, softly.
"Estel if you can hear me, you must hold on. I know not if this will work but it is our only hope." Arwen then made herself comfortable on the bed. She looked down at the flute and silently prayed to the Valar not to take him from her.
"Whatever I am feeling! Well I am feeling strength, love and courage. May they now pass to you and give you the strength to come back to me." The mithril was cold against her lips. Never before had she played it yet to her it seemed now like it was made for her. The love of Tinuviel and Beren flowed through her as the air was filled with her sweet music.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
That sound, it was like angel's crying. Aragorn pulled his hand back instantly. His heart went cold as he remembered his wife, the wife he had been so ready to leave.
"Oh Arwen forgive me." He wept as he thought about what he almost did. A new courage was taking him over, a new determination. She was giving him the strength to fight the call of the stars. He looked toward his mother, who simply smiled and walked back through the vortex. "One day my son, one day."
Aragorn felt light headed as though he were floating, then suddenly as heavy as stone. His body fell to the ground with a thud.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Arwen studied his face as his eyes fluttered open. Her swollen eyes shined down at him, laying so sorrowed.
"I got so lost. I couldn't find my way back." He sobbed unashamedly, tears flooding his saddened eyes. With a cool hand she wiped away his tears and drew her thumb over his lips, relishing the feel of warmth in them once more. She held on to him, her own tears flowing freely.
"I am so sorry Arwen. I couldn't fight it. It was as though I didn't want to fight it. I am so sorry."
He held on to the arms that were wrapped around him.
"Hush love, I found you. I will always find you." She kissed the top of his head and closed her eyes tightly. She could still feel the ache in her heart, a wound that only time would heal. The hurt that he had almost left her, so willingly, would still haunt her but now as she held him, she knew that she would begin to mend.
Aragorn looked up at her and she felt a throbbing go through her. His lashes were sodden with tears and she knew that his hurt would take time also.
"You never gave up on me, even when there was no hope." He reached up his hand to push a lock of dark hair behind her ear.
She lowered her mouth just above his, her breath was warm and comforting as she spoke.
"There is always hope."
