The next morning, Aragorn would not leave his wife's side. She had been
dead for nearly a day, and he showed no signs of loosening his grip on her.
Gingerly, Faramir spoke to him.
"My Lord?" He asked. Aragorn neither shouted at him nor burst into tears. This was a vast improvement on his previous behaviour whenever anyone approached him. "My friend." He said. "If I talk, will you promise to listen?" No reply, Faramir took the answer as a yes. "Aragorn, you have to let the undertakers remove the queen's body and begin preparations for her funeral." He said.
"Never!" Aragorn shouted, turning around and facing Faramir. "She shall not leave my side."
"Please see sense Aragorn." Faramir pleaded. "We need to have her body removed, much as we may want her here. Death brings disease. Do you really want her body to decay here, or do you want to give her a proper resting place, just as she deserves?"
Aragorn faltered at this. Seeing that he was winning, Faramir continued.
"Come, we can arrange the most beautiful and fitting funeral that Gondor ever did see! She shall be remembered as a true beauty and a wonderful queen. But the people need to watch her go to be cremated, as she chose when she knew that she could die." Faramir said gently. "She does not need to be physically next to you, to be with you." He said. "She is alive in your mind and in your heart."
Aragorn sighed. "You are right Faramir." He said. "Take her body away." He got up and left the room. Faramir gave orders to some servants before following Aragorn.
"And Aragorn." He said, catching up with him. "She is not entirely dead. A part of her is alive in your son, whom you are still to name!"
Aragorn stopped and turned around, venom in his face. "That thing is no child of mine!" He growled. "I have nothing to do with it. It is an orphan. It killed my wife. It should be taken away and killed!"
" 'It', as you call him, is your son!" Faramir exclaimed.
"I have no son!" Aragorn spat, striding away from Faramir.
Faramir was left in the hallway as Aragorn strode into his private room and sat down at a table, his head in his hands. He did not even notice a figure in the shadows.
"I grieve for your loss, my friend." Gandalf said, emerging from a corner and standing next to Aragorn, who leapt up having been startled out of his own misery.
"Gandalf!" He exclaimed. "What are you doing here?"
"I came to congratulate the proud parents of my godson." Gandalf said. "But I have already heard that I am too late to say 'goodbye' to Arwen."
Aragorn sat down again, sighing. "I never even said goodbye." He said sadly, but then he frowned again. "And I am sorry to say Gandalf, that you have no godson."
Gandalf frowned, but having already spoken to Faramir, he knew of Aragorn's attitude towards the baby boy, who as yet had no name. "Now see here Aragorn." He began.
"No, YOU see here!" Aragorn shouted, jumping up to face the old wizard. "That thing killed my wife. Am I not allowed to hate it with every fibre of my body because it killed the one I love?" He asked angrily. "Why is this any different? I would hate any murderer for killing my friends. I hate the orcs that killed Boromir. Why can I not hate the thing that killed my Arwen?"
"Because the boy is a mere infant, and did not want to kill its own mother!" Gandalf exclaimed. "You must acknowledge the heir to your throne Aragorn."
"I refuse to." Aragorn said stubbornly. "The child shall be killed as punishment for it murdering my wife."
Gandalf was taken aback at this. "You can not mean that!" He exclaimed.
"I do, I shall give the order in a short time." Aragorn said, sitting back down. Gandalf crossed to him and knelt at his side.
"Aragorn, my friend, I pray you reconsider!" He pleaded. "At least look at the child before condemning him."
"I dare not look at it." Aragorn said. "For fear that I should see Arwen in him. I can not live every day seeing an image of Arwen living and breathing, and not have her by my side."
"Then I beg of you." Gandalf said. "Let the child be taken safely away from here. He is half elf. Send a message to Lothlorien. I am sure that someone from that beautiful forest would adopt your child. He need not ever know of his heritage, and you need never lay eyes upon him."
Aragorn looked at his friend and considered. "Very well." He said presently. "Have the child taken to Lorien. But I warn you Gandalf, he must be gone by sunset and I must not lay eyes upon him until then, or ever."
"It is done." Gandalf said sadly. "I shall have Faramir take the child immediately. A messenger shall be sent to Lorien to warn then of his arrival."
Gandalf crossed to the door, bent on doing his best to ensure the child at least lived a happy life. As he opened the door, a figure moved into the doorway.
"Good day Elrond." Gandalf bowed. "I wish we were not reunited on such sad terms."
"Good day, Gandalf." Elrond replied. "I wish it from the bottom of my heart. To where do you hurry to?"
"I have." Gandalf began, but then realising that in saving the baby boy from Aragorn, he was taking him away from his grandfather. "I have things to do." He said finally.
"You may as well tell him Gandalf." Aragorn said dejectedly. "Or I shall."
"Very well." Gandalf sighed. "I am going to make preparations to have Arwen's baby boy taken to Lothlorien to be adopted. Aragorn does not wish to see him."
"I see." Elrond said, frowning. "And I can see Aragorn's point of view, although I do not agree with it. Very well, take my grandson to Lothlorien for the time being. When he is old enough to make the journey, I shall take him to Rivendell, where he can be among family." He said pointedly. "And now Gandalf, if you will excuse us. I have much to discuss with Aragorn regarding funeral arrangements, and other business."
"Our paths shall cross again Elrond." Gandalf promised.
"I for see that they shall indeed, wise Gandalf." Elrond said, shutting the door. He turned to Aragorn. "So Estel, it is sad news that brings us together."
"You arrived quickly." Aragorn said. "I didn't expect you to get here for at least another week, the journey from Rivendell is long, and a message was only sent to you yesterday."
"I saw my daughter's death in a vision." Elrond replied, taking a seat opposite Aragorn. "I travelled here as quickly as I could, hoping to be able to do something to stop events occurring. It would seem I am too late. But that is my own private sorrow, and not to be discussed now. I actually want to sort out funeral arrangements with you, there are a few elven traditions that I wish to be upheld, even though my daughter died a human."
Aragorn listened and nodded numbly as Elrond talked long through the morning. Nothing could consol the King, except the thought that soon, the 'thing' that had killed his wife would be out of his sight forever.
AN - another chapter churned out, and I already have another waiting to be uploaded. Review and I may update quicker than usual!
Response to reviewers
ShawThang - I know it's sad, and this chappie got sadder. There's gonna be a bit more tragedy before a happy end though!
Faye*Evenstar - glad u like it, u r probably my most enthusiastic review. Have an award! (Presents Most Enthusiastic Review Award to a teary eyed Faye!) Hehe, keep reviewing, hope you liked this chapter!
ParaKeet007 - I thought the dream was a bit weird too, but I felt like putting it in to show how Aragorn was scarred by the experience. I might do similar things with the other characters as we meet them, what does everyone think? More dream sequences or not?
Death Imortalis - I hadn't read the books till I saw the film, you should try the books, they are easier to follow when you know what is going on and can picture the characters! Give it a try, the books are amazing, far better than this terrible attempt at a sequel to an incomparable trilogy!
"My Lord?" He asked. Aragorn neither shouted at him nor burst into tears. This was a vast improvement on his previous behaviour whenever anyone approached him. "My friend." He said. "If I talk, will you promise to listen?" No reply, Faramir took the answer as a yes. "Aragorn, you have to let the undertakers remove the queen's body and begin preparations for her funeral." He said.
"Never!" Aragorn shouted, turning around and facing Faramir. "She shall not leave my side."
"Please see sense Aragorn." Faramir pleaded. "We need to have her body removed, much as we may want her here. Death brings disease. Do you really want her body to decay here, or do you want to give her a proper resting place, just as she deserves?"
Aragorn faltered at this. Seeing that he was winning, Faramir continued.
"Come, we can arrange the most beautiful and fitting funeral that Gondor ever did see! She shall be remembered as a true beauty and a wonderful queen. But the people need to watch her go to be cremated, as she chose when she knew that she could die." Faramir said gently. "She does not need to be physically next to you, to be with you." He said. "She is alive in your mind and in your heart."
Aragorn sighed. "You are right Faramir." He said. "Take her body away." He got up and left the room. Faramir gave orders to some servants before following Aragorn.
"And Aragorn." He said, catching up with him. "She is not entirely dead. A part of her is alive in your son, whom you are still to name!"
Aragorn stopped and turned around, venom in his face. "That thing is no child of mine!" He growled. "I have nothing to do with it. It is an orphan. It killed my wife. It should be taken away and killed!"
" 'It', as you call him, is your son!" Faramir exclaimed.
"I have no son!" Aragorn spat, striding away from Faramir.
Faramir was left in the hallway as Aragorn strode into his private room and sat down at a table, his head in his hands. He did not even notice a figure in the shadows.
"I grieve for your loss, my friend." Gandalf said, emerging from a corner and standing next to Aragorn, who leapt up having been startled out of his own misery.
"Gandalf!" He exclaimed. "What are you doing here?"
"I came to congratulate the proud parents of my godson." Gandalf said. "But I have already heard that I am too late to say 'goodbye' to Arwen."
Aragorn sat down again, sighing. "I never even said goodbye." He said sadly, but then he frowned again. "And I am sorry to say Gandalf, that you have no godson."
Gandalf frowned, but having already spoken to Faramir, he knew of Aragorn's attitude towards the baby boy, who as yet had no name. "Now see here Aragorn." He began.
"No, YOU see here!" Aragorn shouted, jumping up to face the old wizard. "That thing killed my wife. Am I not allowed to hate it with every fibre of my body because it killed the one I love?" He asked angrily. "Why is this any different? I would hate any murderer for killing my friends. I hate the orcs that killed Boromir. Why can I not hate the thing that killed my Arwen?"
"Because the boy is a mere infant, and did not want to kill its own mother!" Gandalf exclaimed. "You must acknowledge the heir to your throne Aragorn."
"I refuse to." Aragorn said stubbornly. "The child shall be killed as punishment for it murdering my wife."
Gandalf was taken aback at this. "You can not mean that!" He exclaimed.
"I do, I shall give the order in a short time." Aragorn said, sitting back down. Gandalf crossed to him and knelt at his side.
"Aragorn, my friend, I pray you reconsider!" He pleaded. "At least look at the child before condemning him."
"I dare not look at it." Aragorn said. "For fear that I should see Arwen in him. I can not live every day seeing an image of Arwen living and breathing, and not have her by my side."
"Then I beg of you." Gandalf said. "Let the child be taken safely away from here. He is half elf. Send a message to Lothlorien. I am sure that someone from that beautiful forest would adopt your child. He need not ever know of his heritage, and you need never lay eyes upon him."
Aragorn looked at his friend and considered. "Very well." He said presently. "Have the child taken to Lorien. But I warn you Gandalf, he must be gone by sunset and I must not lay eyes upon him until then, or ever."
"It is done." Gandalf said sadly. "I shall have Faramir take the child immediately. A messenger shall be sent to Lorien to warn then of his arrival."
Gandalf crossed to the door, bent on doing his best to ensure the child at least lived a happy life. As he opened the door, a figure moved into the doorway.
"Good day Elrond." Gandalf bowed. "I wish we were not reunited on such sad terms."
"Good day, Gandalf." Elrond replied. "I wish it from the bottom of my heart. To where do you hurry to?"
"I have." Gandalf began, but then realising that in saving the baby boy from Aragorn, he was taking him away from his grandfather. "I have things to do." He said finally.
"You may as well tell him Gandalf." Aragorn said dejectedly. "Or I shall."
"Very well." Gandalf sighed. "I am going to make preparations to have Arwen's baby boy taken to Lothlorien to be adopted. Aragorn does not wish to see him."
"I see." Elrond said, frowning. "And I can see Aragorn's point of view, although I do not agree with it. Very well, take my grandson to Lothlorien for the time being. When he is old enough to make the journey, I shall take him to Rivendell, where he can be among family." He said pointedly. "And now Gandalf, if you will excuse us. I have much to discuss with Aragorn regarding funeral arrangements, and other business."
"Our paths shall cross again Elrond." Gandalf promised.
"I for see that they shall indeed, wise Gandalf." Elrond said, shutting the door. He turned to Aragorn. "So Estel, it is sad news that brings us together."
"You arrived quickly." Aragorn said. "I didn't expect you to get here for at least another week, the journey from Rivendell is long, and a message was only sent to you yesterday."
"I saw my daughter's death in a vision." Elrond replied, taking a seat opposite Aragorn. "I travelled here as quickly as I could, hoping to be able to do something to stop events occurring. It would seem I am too late. But that is my own private sorrow, and not to be discussed now. I actually want to sort out funeral arrangements with you, there are a few elven traditions that I wish to be upheld, even though my daughter died a human."
Aragorn listened and nodded numbly as Elrond talked long through the morning. Nothing could consol the King, except the thought that soon, the 'thing' that had killed his wife would be out of his sight forever.
AN - another chapter churned out, and I already have another waiting to be uploaded. Review and I may update quicker than usual!
Response to reviewers
ShawThang - I know it's sad, and this chappie got sadder. There's gonna be a bit more tragedy before a happy end though!
Faye*Evenstar - glad u like it, u r probably my most enthusiastic review. Have an award! (Presents Most Enthusiastic Review Award to a teary eyed Faye!) Hehe, keep reviewing, hope you liked this chapter!
ParaKeet007 - I thought the dream was a bit weird too, but I felt like putting it in to show how Aragorn was scarred by the experience. I might do similar things with the other characters as we meet them, what does everyone think? More dream sequences or not?
Death Imortalis - I hadn't read the books till I saw the film, you should try the books, they are easier to follow when you know what is going on and can picture the characters! Give it a try, the books are amazing, far better than this terrible attempt at a sequel to an incomparable trilogy!