Final Author's note: Oh wow! I can't believe it's finally the last chapter of this story. Originally this story was planned to go much longer than 14 chapters, but some things just don't work out.
I wanted to express my gratitude to all the reviewers for this story. Thanks for accepting this story so well guys! Especially, the ones that reviewed the entire thing faithfully. It was a big motivation, thank you.
I know a lot of people liked this one. But like all things, it must come to a close. It's kinda sad to write the final author's note. I have thought about writing a sequel to this one as well. It's not for certain, but if it's asked for, I'll write it.
And now, finally, enjoy the last chapter to Fading Light!
Chapter 14: And Life Goes On…
My father didn't tell me how to live; he lived, and let me watch him do it.
- Clarence Budington Kelland
"Aragorn…" a distant voice called.
The call was followed by a deep groan.
No, the ranger pleaded. He was content where he was. He felt nothing, he was nothing, and it was just fine with him.
"Aragorn arise…" the voice called again.
It was much louder this time around. Much closer and… more persistent. The ranger was getting angry now. Leave me alone, he mentally shouted back. His mental tantrum only succeeded in doing the opposite of what he wanted. Instead of sinking down into the blackness again it brought his mind further out of it.
This time the ranger could pick out more details about the intrusive voice. It was definitely feminine and had a lovely lilt to it. It was an elvish lilt, he knew, but not like the ones from his home valley. And obviously it was not going to leave him alone. With a mental sigh the ranger slowly opened his eyes.
The sight he saw confused his still wakening mind. He was in Rivendell; he had to be because he was his room, but the face that greeted him was not from the valley. The Lady Galadriel was perched on the edge of his bed with her long golden hair catching the mid morning rays making an even more stunning image than the raw sunrise ever could.
"My Lady…" the ranger began somewhat dazed.
The Lady held up her hand to stay his questions.
"What is your name?" she asked him.
Aragorn stared at her in confusion for the Lady most certainly already knew that answer. She was, after all, the stepmother to his adoptive father.
"I don't understand, my Lady."
"What is your name?" she asked again patiently.
"Estel," was the first answer that came to his mind.
"Your real one?" she persisted.
Aragorn was not sure why he was being questioned, but he trusted the Lady Galadriel with all his being.
"Aragorn, son of Arathorn," he stated.
She smiled warmly down at him as if she approved.
"And where are you Aragorn, son of Arathorn?"
"Rivendell, in my room to be exact," he answered his voice growing steadier all the time.
Galadriel gazed into the ranger's eyes and it felt like she was looking into his very soul. It was a gaze that crumbled most men, but Aragorn had found a long time ago that it didn't bother him. He only wondered what she looking for exactly. They stayed that way for what seemed like minutes until suddenly a warm smile lit the Lady's face, and to the ranger, the whole room. Aragorn was not sure what had just transpired, but he figured he had passed.
"Welcome back Estel," she said simply.
Welcome back? He mused. Where had he gone to begin with?
The ranger closed his eyes and pushed the rest of the fog from his mind. With all his will he forced his mind to remember. He found it wasn't so hard and the last couple of days came back with painful clarity. He remembered it all. His father being poisoned, being taken captive, Elladan and Elrohir risking their lives to set Legolas and he free, the thief poisoning him, and being trapped in a cave with a severely injured Elrohir. By the Valar! He mentally cried. Was everyone all right? Elrohir had been injured the last time he saw him and neither knew how Elladan, still back at that camp, faired. Legolas had been about to face off with that deadly assassin and he didn't know the outcome of that either!
A sickening fear hit the ranger so hard he thought he would be ill. Elrond and he were both poisoned with the same substance and there was only one antidote… yet here he lay alive and well for the most part. Unless they were too late to begin with… Elrond couldn't be…. dead, could he? No… they wouldn't have would they? Not for his sake? But he knew it to be true… he vaguely remembered Elrohir giving him the antidote before all his senses failed.
The ranger's eyes shot open to focus on the Lady Galadriel. She seemed to sense he was straightening his thoughts and memories out and sat patiently.
"Lady, please tell me that…" Aragorn had to stop and swallow the lump forming in his throat.
He just couldn't force the words "Elrond" and dead" out in the same sentence. But he desperately needed to know. He also needed to know how the others were as well. The ranger saw something akin to a twinkle enter Galadriel's clear eyes, but before either could speak the door flew open.
"Not so loud you dolt! What if he is not awake yet?" a familiar fair voice hissed out just beyond the door.
"He has been sleeping long enough!" a voice very close to the first shot back.
"I do not know how any in this entire vale could sleep with the two of you residing here," a third fair voice said dryly.
Aragorn stiffly turned his head as three very welcome figures entered his room. Elladan, Elrohir, and Legolas all froze when they saw the human was awake and looked to the Lady perching on the bed with questioning gazes. She smiled reassuringly at them and nodded.
"The young one's mind did not suffer as much as we had feared. He will be fine," she said softly as she rose from the bed to stand.
The three elves all smiled widely at that. They expected the ranger to be happy as well and were taken back when the he sat up alarmed.
"What has happened? Why am I still alive?" the ranger asked in a jumble.
Legolas, in the lead of the three entering the room, answered first.
"You almost were not. By the time Elrohir gave you the antidote, my friend, the poison had spread too far for the amount given to work effectively."
"You nearly died before we returned back her with you," Elladan spoke up.
"But lucky for you," Elrohir chimed in, "the amount of antidote you received slowed the poison just enough to allow time for more to be made."
"For more to be made? By whom?" Aragorn breathed.
"I made it," a deep voice answered from outside the door.
Aragorn's heart skipped a beat.
"And if the three of you would kindly move aside, I would like to enter my son's room now," the same voice said dryly.
Elladan, Elrohir, and Legolas all adapted sheepish looks, moved farther into the room, and came to stand behind Galadriel. Aragorn was not paying attention to them; however, his eyes were focused on the being stepping through the door.
Aragorn's eyes went wide as Lord Elrond himself walked calmly into the room and came to sit down in the spot on the bed Galadriel had occupied. The Lord of Rivendell looked paler than Aragorn could ever remember seeing him, except for when he had collapsed after being poisoned. And he looked tired as if he was over strained. But it was all trivial to Aragorn at the moment. The sole thing on his mind now was that his father was alive. Alive and right here in front of him!
Before Elrond could say anything and before Aragorn could stop himself, the ranger reached out and embraced his foster father in a hug, so relieved was he. Aragorn felt the slender form stiffen momentarily as Elrond was caught off guard, but then the elf relaxed his pose and actually returned the hug.
Elrond had to hide a smile at his son's reaction. It had been quite some time since Estel had just reached out and hugged him like this, but he should have known. Elladan and Elrohir had practically done the same thing upon returning back to The last Homely Home to find their father awake. The only thing that had stayed their reaction was the fact that Elrohir was about ready to drop from blood loss and Elladan was helping carry the young ranger. When they made it inside and Estel was being seen to, Elrohir had dropped, to be followed by the young prince a short while later.
Elrond couldn't remember seeing his sons, all three, and the young prince in such a bad condition in a long time. Elrohir had come close to dying himself, he was afraid for a short while that Elladan had a cracked skull, and Legolas was sporting a bit of both with a head injury and slashing wounds. It seemed a miracle that Glorfindel had come back with only a minor injury on his arm. Of course, he himself wasn't in peak physical condition either. Elrond barely had his mind brought back from the darkness and learned of what was transpiring when he had to go about the tedious task of bring Vilya back under control before it ripped Imladris apart by the seam. The valley had seen worse in its time though, and it would mend easily. Then after that the group had returned he had to set about making more antidote to save Estel's life. The boy had been out for the past three days. It was only yesterday that Elrond was convinced the young one's life was no longer in danger. They then had to worry about whether the poison had befuddled the ranger's mind. It came very close to doing that to Elrond himself, were it not for Galadriel and Mithrandir's efforts. And no one was certain how a human would react to such a sustenance. If Estel had been this worried over him that the ranger would lose his grip on his emotions than he was fairly certain the poison hadn't affected the boy's mind. Finally, he could stop worrying that any one of his children would suffer permanent injury and he returned Estel's hug with a light heart.
For Aragorn, he had never felt safer in his childhood than when protected in Elrond's arms and this moment brought many of those memories back. His father, brothers, and good friend all looked weary and a bit unstable on their feet, but at least everyone was alive. Aragorn couldn't remember ever feeling so relieved before as when he saw Elrond walk through that door. As Elrond returned his embrace he felt truly safe. Like it truly was over and his heart was full of joy. Aragorn finally wrapped his emotions under control and slowly sat back to give the elf room.
The ranger glanced up at the twins and Legolas and caught a glint in the twins' eyes. Elrond seemed to know what he was thinking and spoke.
"Do not think they would not have done the same thing were they not about to collapse from their own injuries. You have nothing to be embarrassed about, my son," Elrond said calmly.
Just hearing Elrond's calm voice, something he feared he would never hear again, lifted Estel's heart even more.
But the ranger could contain his curiosity no longer and once again asked what had happened while he was unconscious. Everyone took a seat and went about telling their piece of the tale from Legolas' fight with the thief, to Laurelin helping them out, and finally what happened to all involved. When things had settled down once again in Rivendell, Glorfindel and Mithrandir had gone out to retrieve Laurelin's body and look for any sign of Malentuilinn. The twins and Legolas were still supposed to be confined to bed rest and every once in a while one of them gave a nervous glance towards the door. Elrond himself was supposed to be resting and the Lady Galadriel had stayed to help until Elrond was back on his feet. Arwen, who had come with Galadriel, left just this morning to return to Lothlorien to inform Celeborn of all that had transpired and, with any luck, would return shortly with the elven king. Glullyn, one of the mercenaries that had befriended Elladan, had also left this morning. After a lengthy chat with Elrond the human had decided he wanted to repay the elf for all the trouble he helped cause and was on his way to Bree to meet with some of Aragorn's kin and to hopefully start a new life.
They talked long into the day and had just finished telling of Glullyn when a voice cut into the room.
"It would appear we are missing a party."
Everyone turned to see Gandalf the Grey and Glorfindel in the doorway.
"I do believe you are right, my friend," Glorfindel answered lightly cocking his head.
Elrond smiled up at the two.
"Then you are most welcome to join us," Galadriel said and motioned them into the room.
Gandalf simply nodded and stepped into the room to lean of his staff.
"Any sign of the thief?" Legolas asked, although he already knew the answer.
"No, young one," Glorfindel answered, "we found no trace of him."
Legolas simply nodded in response. He knew they wouldn't. He still held the feeling that he had not seen the last of that dangerous human. They would clash again someday.
"Tell me," Elrohir piped up, "what of Laurelin?"
Gandalf frowned and sighed.
"We found no sign of either of the elven maids," the wizard answered looking directly at Elrohir.
"Neither? But how could that be? It is possible that Malentuilinn was washed away in her fall, but Laurelin should be where we left her. She died in Glorfindel's arms," Elrohir protested.
"I am aware of that Elrohir, but she was not there."
"Could Malentuilinn still be alive? Mayhap she retrieved the body. Laurelin was her ward after all," Elladan suggested.
Glorfindel had a feeling that if Malen was still alive and what Elladan suggested was true, they definitely had not seen the last of the golden haired maid. He did not express that out loud, though.
"That is possible" Glorfindel agreed, "the drop was a steep and long one, but if luck is on your side, it may not be a fatal one."
After hearing everyone's views, something still gnawed at the ranger's mind and he noticed that all the elder elves seemed to avoid the subject. But his curiously got the best of him.
"One thing I do not understand," Aragorn spoke up, "Malen apparently helped in all this for material gains, and although Elrond was the blunt of her plans, it seems like the only reason he was, was because he is the ruler over this valley. She seemed to have a great deal of resentment toward you personally Glorfindel. I just do not understand why."
The room fell silent and Aragorn and the three younger elves did not miss the look exchanged between Mithrandir, Elrond, and Glorfindel. Even Galadriel seemed a bit reluctant to break the silence that had descended on the room.
"Well, young one," Glorfindel began, "even elves do not get off from troubling times over the millennia. Her hatred was misdirected and her mind twisted by loathing."
That gentle smile returned to the golden haired elf's face and he turned to Elrond.
"It would seem that matters were getting behind before you fell ill and now it is only getting worse. If you will excuse me, I will go attend to some of them now," Glorfindel stated.
Great, the four younger ones mentally sighed, the elder elf hadn't told them anything at all. Aragorn was a bit shocked; he had never been blown off like that by Glorfindel before. He could tell he struck a nerve, though, and wasn't about to press an issue that was obviously painful for the golden haired elf. With one final look at Gandalf, the golden elf took his leave.
"What, may I ask, is going on in here?"
The room's occupants all turned to see yet another person enter the already crowded room. This time though, the person made the twins and Legolas groan inwardly. Celaviel stood in the doorway and she looked none to happy to see them out of bed.
"Ah," Gandalf began merrily, "you are missing our party."
"That may be fine for some of you, but for others," she paused briefly to eye Elrond, the twins, and Legolas, "that are not supposed to be out of bed. That is out of the question."
"We merely wanted to check on Estel," Elladan said.
"Well, now that you have young lord, you can rest easy back in your room. Along with the rest of you."
Aragorn had to stifle a chuckle at the look of absolute misery that crossed Elladan, Elrohir, and Legolas' faces. All three turned pleading eyes to Master Elrond.
"You heard the lady," the elven lord stated, "back to bed all of you. Besides, I think it past time for Estel to get rest as well and he cannot with us tarrying about his room."
The three merely sighed and rose. They said their farewells to a still smiling ranger and dejectedly left the room to do as told. After the three younger elves had retreated Celaviel looked back to Elrond.
"They are not the only ones who should not be out of bed," she said looking right at Elrond.
Elrond had to hide another smile. To be ordered to bed in his own house… the thought struck the elf as amusing.
"I do believe you are right, my friend. It has been a long day for all of us," Elrond said rising.
Galadriel rose as well.
"Well old friend," she said smiling radiantly at Gandalf, "as everyone but us must retreat to their rooms, let us talk while we have the chance."
Gandalf nodded and held out his arm.
"It has been far too long. And I would like that very much," he responded with his own smile.
The Lady Galadriel placed her arm in his and the two left the room with a final farewell. Celaviel nodded to Elrond and Estel and took her leave.
Since it was only Elrond left in the room, Aragorn once again lay back in bed. Master Elrond came to perch on the edge of the bed once again and he smiled softly down at the young man.
"I know of the trouble the four of you went through to try and retrieve that antidote. And though I would never wish such a burden on my sons, I have to say that as a father, I am very proud indeed."
"Thank you, ada," Aragorn said with a hint of pride.
"I think I began to see some of the worry you must surely go through when one of us comes back severely injured. I admit, I do not know how you stand it."
Elrond simply smiled all the more.
"I stand it because I know that my sons, all of them, have grown to be fine and confident adults. I could not think of any I trusted more. And should the unfortunate happen, I know that it would be for the benefit of all of Arda. Now, I think the both of us are due for a long awaited rest. Sleep peacefully, my son, for I shall be here when you wake."
Elrond gave the ranger's shoulder a light squeeze then rose from the bed. Aragorn could already feel his eyes getting heavy as he watched his father walk to the door.
"I still do not think I understand ada," he said somewhat sleepily.
"You will one day Aragorn, son of Arathorn."
And before Aragorn could say more, the Lord Elrond of Rivendell walked out the door. The ranger was asleep in a matter of moments.
Outside the peaceful halls of the Last Homely Home, the valley of Rivendell was already beginning to heal itself. The air held the sense of agelessness once more and birds sang merrily in the trees. The sun shone brightly down illuminating the forest floor with splotches of light. The felled trees and scattered leaves would soon become nourishment for the surviving ones. The animals of the forest had returned to their normal routines and for them, life as it always had, would go on.
And it would be the same for Rivendell's elven and human inhabitants.
Repairs would be made, and life as it had before, would go on.
Wow, I still can't believe it's all over! For those who read Choices, see? I can do happy endings! I wanted to say, thanks again for those who stuck with the story. I appreciate it so much! Any final thoughts on the story would also be appreciated. Reviews are great motivation, after all. And don't' forget to mention if you want a sequel to this thing.
And as promised, since this story is ending, I will resume work on Shadows of the Soul. That's right! Look for an update real soon! All you angst and suspense lovers are welcome.
Namaarie, my friends!
--Shandrial—
Fair Lady Miriel – Thanks! And welcome to the story!
Zammy – Well, probably not as quick as you like, but here ya go! Last chapter!
Lirenel – Thanks! And here you go!
Barbara Kennedy – I agree, I love Elrond! And as I promised to go back to work on Shadows of the Soul after this story was complete, you can look for more Elrond angst there… a lot of it. And thanks for adding me to your alerts!
A'mael Eledhwn – Thanks for the complement! And thanks for reviewing, welcome to the story. Wow, that's one of the better complements I've gotten. Hehe, yeah it is a longer one, not as long as Choices, though.
Sárince – Hey, thanks for reviewing now anyway! It's appreciated! And it has been sort of a wild ride, uh? Thanks for sticking with it!
Merlyn1382 – Thanks very much for the complement! And this one wasn't quite as long of a wait as the last one! Hehe, thanks for reading!
Alariel – Honestly, me either, but then I've never lived that long! =P Thanks a bunch! And for sticking with it!
Coolio02 - Yea, it is, but it was her choice. And she was satisfied. Thanks! And here ya go!
Kedi – Hehe, like you expected anything else from me? And you sound as accident-prone as I am! Thanks for sticking with the whole thing! I appreciate it!
Goblz – Thanks! And see, Elrond is just fine. Hehe, the story isn't AU, I couldn't kill him, te he he. As a matter of fact, everyone is fine! How's that? Hehe, thanks for sticking with this story! I appreciate it.
THECheeseTurkey – I checked out the story, and yes, they do have a few similarities, don't they? Thanks for the complement! And hoped you liked,
KissTheRainGirl12489 – Hehe, I am known for suspense, so I'll take that as a complement! See? Elrond is alright! As is everyone else. And for some good Elrond angst, Shadows of the Soul is going to be strongly centered around that. Welcome to the story and thanks for reviewing!
Haldir's Heart and Soul – Yeah, but it was her choice and she was satisfied. And sadly to say, Malen may have gotten neither. We shall see if people request a sequel or not. Thanks for reading and reviewing!
Deana – Well, this one was a shorter wait than last time, by far! Hope you liked the end!
Red Tigress – Hehe, look what Shan-chan finished while you were away! Aww, thanks! Beams Glad ya like 'em! It just may! We shall see Red. And semi alive is probably very accurate, haha. Talk to ya when you get back mellon nin!
Kathira – Well, I like torture of ALL kinds, hehe. Most characters are fair game to me. You know, I have no idea why my mind totally missed over that word. Hehe, don't worry, I DO know the difference. I guess it's just one of those things where my mind had already shut down. Thanks a bunch for pointing it out! It is corrected now. Thanks for reviewing!
Leggylover03 – I knew you'd like the Estel suffering! And yeah! They both did make it. And as promised, a little father/ son fluff. Or as close to fluff as Shanny gets, anyway.
Karri – Thanks! And as it was the final battle there had to be a lot of fighting! Hehe. Glad you enjoyed it mellon nin! I also wanted to thank you for reviewing this entire story. It means so much to have readers like you. You are greatly appreciated. Thanks again!