"Aragorn!" I burst into the dining hall completely out of breath,
but not caring. I also did not care about the numerous stares that I
received from the small mixture of elves and men that sat around the
breakfast table. All I wanted was to tell him how sorry I was, how sorry
for everything from tagging along after him to Lorien to even having been a
bit snappy sometimes.
Aragorn quickly pushed his chair back from the table and guided my away from the prying eyes of the others sitting there. I could see a hint of concern buried deep in his brow, so I tried to quickly ward it off by flashing him a small smile. Before he even had a chance to ask me what was wrong, the words just tumbled out of my mouth.
"I'm just so sorry for being such a burden lately. I...just wanted to belong, to feel more..." I now couldn't quite muster the words for the feelings that I felt. So I let silence take over as I watched the smile grow on Aragorn's scruffy face. It was then that he wrapped his arms around me and embraced me.
"You do belong. Never let yourself think that you do not. You are just like a sister to me and the twins and like a daughter to Ada." He said as I smiled. The rest of the room was silent and I began to realize that all eyes were on us. Instead of getting angry, Aragorn turned back to the small crowd with his hand clasped in mine.
"In a few days we will ride back to Rivendell. And that means all of us- my brothers, Arwen..." He paused for a moment, looking down at me. I simply smiled back up at him and wiped the few tears the gathered in my eyes. This time they were not tears of sorrow, but rather ones of joy. "And my sister, the Lady Kaurea."
-Four Days later- Arrival back in Rivendell-
I cannot explain the joy that my heart felt as I crossed back in the realm of Rivendell, the place that I now know to call my home. It had been only a little more than a week, but during that time I had grown more than I ever had before. I had gained more as well- a home and a family that would never leave me. I sat upon Sutal and pondered this as we passed through the gates of the Last Homely House.
Ada stood upon the steps of the city, watching the horizon carefully with his hand to his forehead to shield his eyes from the late afternoon sun. It was not until I had quickly dismounted from my horse and began to run towards him that he noticed me. I had given no care to the fact that my dress and traveling cloak were in disarray nor that I had just left my beloved horse standing there. All that mattered was that I was where I belonged.
"Ada!" I cried as I ran to him. He scooped me up into his arms and swung me around, a happy look upon his face and upon mine. I could hear the hoofbeats of my brother's horses not far behind me and then the footfalls as they raced to greet the man who had cared so much for them.
"It is good to see you again. I have heard of your adventures and though I am less than happy about you sneaking away, I assume that Galadriel has given you proper council already." He said as he placed me back down upon the ground and embraced his sons. I was still feeling guilty over something that I had not thought about in a while. Quietly, I withdrew the sword that I had found buried in the haystack the night I ran away.
"I found this in the stables the night I left. Perhaps you know who it belongs to." I said quietly as I held it out to him. My father took it in his hands and held it up to the dying light, carefully reading the inscription upon the scabbard, the inscription that I had failed to notice earlier.
"I just think I might." He said to me as he handed the delicate sword back. "It was suppose to be a gift for when Estel was going to teach you to fight, but I suppose now is as good a time as any for me to give it to you." I smiled and hugged him again as I refastened the sword around my waist.
"Ada....I have just one more thing to ask. Would you please tell me about my mother?" I knew that this was a painful subject for him, but I could not help wanting to know. He sighed and slowly waved my brothers away. Gently, we sat down together upon a small step.
"Merheyl was... special, in a way. She had a gift that runs through the blood of our family, though some might call it a curse. Whenever she was angered enough, her mind held the power to kill without even touching the victim." He closed his eyes for a moment and smiled, almost as if he were remembering something that had passed long ago. "It is a gift that I call the Estanesse, for it will always be present in the blood of the first born child in my family."
It now all made perfect sense to me and I was finally at peace. I wasn't a freak or anything to fear. As long as I controlled this power, I would be able to live like I always had. Like my mother had. So I snuggled close to my Ada and said nothing, perfectly content to lie in his arms for as long as I could. Slowly, sleep overtook me and I drifted away.
The End
A/N- Yup, that's it. Well, for this little story anyway. I like Kaurea so much that I'm working on a story about her set during the War of the Ring (incase you didn't notice, this one is definitely set either pre WOTR or AU) So look for it coming soon. Till then, toodles and thanks to all my loyal reviewers!
Aragorn quickly pushed his chair back from the table and guided my away from the prying eyes of the others sitting there. I could see a hint of concern buried deep in his brow, so I tried to quickly ward it off by flashing him a small smile. Before he even had a chance to ask me what was wrong, the words just tumbled out of my mouth.
"I'm just so sorry for being such a burden lately. I...just wanted to belong, to feel more..." I now couldn't quite muster the words for the feelings that I felt. So I let silence take over as I watched the smile grow on Aragorn's scruffy face. It was then that he wrapped his arms around me and embraced me.
"You do belong. Never let yourself think that you do not. You are just like a sister to me and the twins and like a daughter to Ada." He said as I smiled. The rest of the room was silent and I began to realize that all eyes were on us. Instead of getting angry, Aragorn turned back to the small crowd with his hand clasped in mine.
"In a few days we will ride back to Rivendell. And that means all of us- my brothers, Arwen..." He paused for a moment, looking down at me. I simply smiled back up at him and wiped the few tears the gathered in my eyes. This time they were not tears of sorrow, but rather ones of joy. "And my sister, the Lady Kaurea."
-Four Days later- Arrival back in Rivendell-
I cannot explain the joy that my heart felt as I crossed back in the realm of Rivendell, the place that I now know to call my home. It had been only a little more than a week, but during that time I had grown more than I ever had before. I had gained more as well- a home and a family that would never leave me. I sat upon Sutal and pondered this as we passed through the gates of the Last Homely House.
Ada stood upon the steps of the city, watching the horizon carefully with his hand to his forehead to shield his eyes from the late afternoon sun. It was not until I had quickly dismounted from my horse and began to run towards him that he noticed me. I had given no care to the fact that my dress and traveling cloak were in disarray nor that I had just left my beloved horse standing there. All that mattered was that I was where I belonged.
"Ada!" I cried as I ran to him. He scooped me up into his arms and swung me around, a happy look upon his face and upon mine. I could hear the hoofbeats of my brother's horses not far behind me and then the footfalls as they raced to greet the man who had cared so much for them.
"It is good to see you again. I have heard of your adventures and though I am less than happy about you sneaking away, I assume that Galadriel has given you proper council already." He said as he placed me back down upon the ground and embraced his sons. I was still feeling guilty over something that I had not thought about in a while. Quietly, I withdrew the sword that I had found buried in the haystack the night I ran away.
"I found this in the stables the night I left. Perhaps you know who it belongs to." I said quietly as I held it out to him. My father took it in his hands and held it up to the dying light, carefully reading the inscription upon the scabbard, the inscription that I had failed to notice earlier.
"I just think I might." He said to me as he handed the delicate sword back. "It was suppose to be a gift for when Estel was going to teach you to fight, but I suppose now is as good a time as any for me to give it to you." I smiled and hugged him again as I refastened the sword around my waist.
"Ada....I have just one more thing to ask. Would you please tell me about my mother?" I knew that this was a painful subject for him, but I could not help wanting to know. He sighed and slowly waved my brothers away. Gently, we sat down together upon a small step.
"Merheyl was... special, in a way. She had a gift that runs through the blood of our family, though some might call it a curse. Whenever she was angered enough, her mind held the power to kill without even touching the victim." He closed his eyes for a moment and smiled, almost as if he were remembering something that had passed long ago. "It is a gift that I call the Estanesse, for it will always be present in the blood of the first born child in my family."
It now all made perfect sense to me and I was finally at peace. I wasn't a freak or anything to fear. As long as I controlled this power, I would be able to live like I always had. Like my mother had. So I snuggled close to my Ada and said nothing, perfectly content to lie in his arms for as long as I could. Slowly, sleep overtook me and I drifted away.
The End
A/N- Yup, that's it. Well, for this little story anyway. I like Kaurea so much that I'm working on a story about her set during the War of the Ring (incase you didn't notice, this one is definitely set either pre WOTR or AU) So look for it coming soon. Till then, toodles and thanks to all my loyal reviewers!