Ch. 31
Aragorn tried to sit up. About halfway there, he grabbed hi aching chest and lay back down.
Arwen sat by his side and gently spoke to him. "Be still," she cooed. "You will heal quickly."
A stream of profanities expelled from his mouth. In his anger he tried to sit up again, and again he was in pain. "I need to be well now," he groaned. Seeing the fearful and hurt look on Arwen's face, he leaned towards her and stroked her cheek. "I'm sorry, Melethnin. Im meleth lle." (My love, I love you)
"Im meleth lle," she replied. Pausing first, she continued. "Aragorn, I have something to tell you. Something that will change our lives forever."
Pippin had sidled into the room, quietly so that no one would notice. Elrond stood with Galadriel, silently, but looking at Aragorn and Arwen before looking back at each other repeatedly gave Pippin the notion that they were speaking to each other in their minds.
Rosie and Elanor were with Sam. Elanor sat on her father's lap, while Rosie ran a cool cloth over his brow from his side. Pippin noticed Sam's eyes beginning to twitch, but that would not last unless the plan was carried out.
Tarien had fallen asleep in Legolas's arms. He carefully lifted her in his powerful Elf arms and carried her into a bedroom, where they remained.
Arwen was talking to Aragorn, her attempted somber expression being broken by her radiant smile. Pippin had exactly one second to wonder as to what they were talking about before a grunt behind him startled him. Knowing that no one must know he was back in there, he spun to silence whoever it was.
Gimli sat against the wall, his head drooping. His hands were limp at his sides, and the corners of his mouth shone wet. Lying next to him, however, was the reason Pippin had left Gandalf in the kitchen.
Merry's eyes were beginning to flicker, a sign that he was not quite yet asleep. Sleep, however, was a gift, and Pippin was feeling rather greedy. Merry was needed elsewhere.
Pippin bent down and shook his friend. "Merry," he whispered. "Merry, wake up."
Merry stirred, groaned, and turned to the other side, not ready to awaken. But, alas, he would. Reaching into his pocket, Pippin pulled out a small pouch. Covering Merry's mouth, Pippin opened the pouch under Merry's nose.
It was a good thing that his mouth was covered, too, because the second the scent of the weed hit his nose, Merry shot awake, and said, "Longbottom leaf!" Luckily, it came out muffled and no one heard.
"Come on." Pippin made a hand motion as he mouthed the words, and the two slipped out the door.
Gandalf dragged the two over to the table. Merry looked at what the two of them had gathered around.
"Sam?" he asked. Pippin and Gandalf nodded.
The three began to discuss their plan to cure Sam, covering or including all obstacles. The final verdict was that Rosie must not know, because she'd disapprove. Everyone else was needed, at least a bit. Everyone would be informed only of what they needed to know.
They stood and made to reenter the hall. Upon entering, Gandalf whispered, "Elrond and Galadriel first."
They walked over there, but were waylaid. Arwen was speaking to Aragorn in a tone mixed with soothing, excitement, and worry. He was now sitting, and had his head in his hands.
"I can't," he was mumbling, over and over.
Gandalf approached him. "What is it?" he asked.
"I have ridden to war under many a king and steward. I've traveled all of Middle Earth. I've braved infinite battles and terrors. I've gone over mountains, and under them. I've conquered the dark of Fangorn Forest and the Paths of the Dead. I've been crowned king, and been married. Now I come to a challenge I fear to face." Aragorn lifted his face and glanced at Arwen before looking to Gandalf. "I'm going to be a father."
Aragorn tried to sit up. About halfway there, he grabbed hi aching chest and lay back down.
Arwen sat by his side and gently spoke to him. "Be still," she cooed. "You will heal quickly."
A stream of profanities expelled from his mouth. In his anger he tried to sit up again, and again he was in pain. "I need to be well now," he groaned. Seeing the fearful and hurt look on Arwen's face, he leaned towards her and stroked her cheek. "I'm sorry, Melethnin. Im meleth lle." (My love, I love you)
"Im meleth lle," she replied. Pausing first, she continued. "Aragorn, I have something to tell you. Something that will change our lives forever."
Pippin had sidled into the room, quietly so that no one would notice. Elrond stood with Galadriel, silently, but looking at Aragorn and Arwen before looking back at each other repeatedly gave Pippin the notion that they were speaking to each other in their minds.
Rosie and Elanor were with Sam. Elanor sat on her father's lap, while Rosie ran a cool cloth over his brow from his side. Pippin noticed Sam's eyes beginning to twitch, but that would not last unless the plan was carried out.
Tarien had fallen asleep in Legolas's arms. He carefully lifted her in his powerful Elf arms and carried her into a bedroom, where they remained.
Arwen was talking to Aragorn, her attempted somber expression being broken by her radiant smile. Pippin had exactly one second to wonder as to what they were talking about before a grunt behind him startled him. Knowing that no one must know he was back in there, he spun to silence whoever it was.
Gimli sat against the wall, his head drooping. His hands were limp at his sides, and the corners of his mouth shone wet. Lying next to him, however, was the reason Pippin had left Gandalf in the kitchen.
Merry's eyes were beginning to flicker, a sign that he was not quite yet asleep. Sleep, however, was a gift, and Pippin was feeling rather greedy. Merry was needed elsewhere.
Pippin bent down and shook his friend. "Merry," he whispered. "Merry, wake up."
Merry stirred, groaned, and turned to the other side, not ready to awaken. But, alas, he would. Reaching into his pocket, Pippin pulled out a small pouch. Covering Merry's mouth, Pippin opened the pouch under Merry's nose.
It was a good thing that his mouth was covered, too, because the second the scent of the weed hit his nose, Merry shot awake, and said, "Longbottom leaf!" Luckily, it came out muffled and no one heard.
"Come on." Pippin made a hand motion as he mouthed the words, and the two slipped out the door.
Gandalf dragged the two over to the table. Merry looked at what the two of them had gathered around.
"Sam?" he asked. Pippin and Gandalf nodded.
The three began to discuss their plan to cure Sam, covering or including all obstacles. The final verdict was that Rosie must not know, because she'd disapprove. Everyone else was needed, at least a bit. Everyone would be informed only of what they needed to know.
They stood and made to reenter the hall. Upon entering, Gandalf whispered, "Elrond and Galadriel first."
They walked over there, but were waylaid. Arwen was speaking to Aragorn in a tone mixed with soothing, excitement, and worry. He was now sitting, and had his head in his hands.
"I can't," he was mumbling, over and over.
Gandalf approached him. "What is it?" he asked.
"I have ridden to war under many a king and steward. I've traveled all of Middle Earth. I've braved infinite battles and terrors. I've gone over mountains, and under them. I've conquered the dark of Fangorn Forest and the Paths of the Dead. I've been crowned king, and been married. Now I come to a challenge I fear to face." Aragorn lifted his face and glanced at Arwen before looking to Gandalf. "I'm going to be a father."
