AN – Thanks for all your support. I have not been able to update so
frequently because my computer was broken. Now its back and working
properly so I can also respond to reviewers again, yay!
They left the talan on which the meeting had been held. Aragorn was the first to leave, ignoring the murmuring bundle in Anánia's arms. She sighed and looked down at the sleeping child.
'He is blind if he can not see how special you are.' She whispered in elven. 'But I won't stop making him try to notice you. A baby needs his father.'
She felt a shadow fall over her, and turned around to see Legolas standing over her. The others were talking further off.
'Your knowledge of the common tongue is very good.' Legolas said kindly. 'I was under the impression that the elves of Lothlorien seldom learned common tongue, and only spoke in their own language.'
'My father used to be the head archer of Lothlorien.' Anánia replied. 'He learned the common tongue and taught it to me when I was a child. I have never really had chance to practice it, because I have never left the confines of the forest.'
'In which case your knowledge of it is excellent.' Legolas said. Anánia blushed slightly at the compliments of the Prince of Mirkwood. Eldarion stirred in his sleep and she quickly turned to rocking him gently and making soft shushing noises. 'You seem to have grown very attached to him.' Legolas commented, sitting next to her and looking at the child.
'He is beautiful.' She breathed. 'I have never seen anything quite so perfect in all my years.'
"We must go Legolas." Gandalf said, walking over to them and placing a hand on Legolas's shoulder. "There will be plenty of time to get to know each other on our journey. For now we must rest, we have travelled long and hard today."
"Indeed." Legolas stood up and stood beside Gandalf. He turned to Anánia, who remained seated. "Goodnight." He said to her, before leaving with the others. She remained alone on the flet for a few moments before getting up herself. She did not, however, follow the fellowship down but walked to the edge of the flet and looked out over Lothlorien.
'I shall be loathed to leave this place Eldarion.' She said sadly to the little baby. 'But I feel like a potted plant, my roots are all tangled up in a restricted tub. Now perhaps is my time to explore the world around me and find out if I want to settle my roots on foreign soil or return home. And I would never leave you.'
Meanwhile on another flet, Aragorn sat with his legs dangling into space. There was something fascinating about feeling nothing under his feet. He edged to the very edge of the platform, so that he was only perching on the edge of space.
"What would it be like?" He whispered to no one in particular. "To feel the wind rushing through my hair, whistling past my body. To feel the thump as my body hits the ground below."
"It would not be a good idea my friend." Gandalf said from behind him. Aragorn looked up at the figure clad in white and suddenly seemed to realise what he was doping. He pulled himself back onto the safety of the wooden platform and leaned back on it, panting slightly.
"I just wondered, that's all." He said breathlessly. "I wanted to feel...something."
"You wanted to feel anything but emotional pain." Gandalf nodded, sitting next to him. "I understand. You wanted to feel all those feelings, the air, the wind, and the crunch. Anything to make you feel more alive."
"I am alive." Aragorn said bitterly. "I wish I were dead and she were alive again. I would give anything to have her back, Gandalf. I would give the whole of Gondor. All the riches of Moria in its heyday. I would sacrifice anything and everything to get her back."
"It sometimes helps to talk about it." Gandalf said kindly. "I would like to consider myself your friend Aragorn. Unburden your heart to me if you so wish."
Aragorn sighed for a moment, trying to find the words to describe how he felt. "I feel..." He began, stopped and then took a deep breath. "She made me feel...when she cried I wanted to change the world so it didn't hurt her anymore. But when I looked into her eyes I knew, I knew that I was someone special."
"I think there is an old elven saying that could perhaps sum up how you feel my friend." Gandalf said.
"Yet regardless if you love them, Or hate them, Wish they would die Or know you would die without them...
It matters not.
Because once in your life, Whatever they were to the world, They become everything to you.
Because once in your life you meet The other half of your soul Without which your own will wither and die.
Because you get many chances to know One chance to live And one chance to love.
When you look her in the eyes Travelling to the depths of her soul And you say a million things Without trace of a sound, You know that your own life is inevitably consumed Within the rhythmic beatings of her very heart.
We love for a million reasons. No paper could do it justice. No ink could capture it precisely. No words could voice the feelings. No action could portray the mind.
For it is not a thing of the mind, But a beat of a heart.
A feeling.
Only felt."
Gandalf paused and looked at Aragorn. The tears in his eyes reflected the stars. Or maybe for an instant the stars reflected his tears.
"Damn the elves." Aragorn whispered. "Why must their words be so beautiful? And so heart wrenching to hear?"
"It has often been thought that elves can find words for any emotion, be in fleeting or eternal." Gandalf smiled knowingly. "For they feel everything tenfold to how a mere man could feel it, and yet feel nothing that we feel at the same time. They are mystical beings, and I am afraid I shall never understand them. How an elf can die of grief, and yet seem unfeeling to the plights of those around them."
"At the final hour they always seem to help us." Aragorn muttered.
"Indeed." Gandalf agreed, watching another light in a house die as the elves turned to sleep. "I have ne'er had a truer friend than an elf. Except perhaps the promise of a hobbit, the alliance of a dwarf, or the word of man." He stood up. "In short Aragorn, all races have their virtues when you look hard enough. Beneath the murkiest lake can lurk the most beautiful treasure. Under the cloudiest sky can lay the most fantastic sights."
Aragorn nodded as Gandalf backed away. Aragorn either did not hear or did not heed Gandalf's final words. "And inside the meekest baby can dwell the most true and brave man. Eldarion would not disappoint you as a son, if you would only be his father."
Response to Reviewers
OMG I have so many reviewers to catch up on, so I'm just going to answer specific questions for now. I'll be back to responding individually next time.
All Reviewers – yes Aragorn is being a jerk, but he might change soonish. I promise. He may be acting slightly out of character according to the books, but you never know what grief will do to someone. If you don't swallow that line call it Artistic License!
Ciel Undomiel – Wow, you reviewed every chapter. I'm really flattered that you told my friends about this story, you liked it so much! Thanks for your support, and your reviews that made me laugh til I cried.
Curlycurlz – I think Haldir only died at Helm's Deep in the film, to my knowledge he doesn't even go there in the book, but I might be wrong.
Ringmarciel – no, I have not read the simarillion, but I intend to once I finish re reading the books!
The True Evenstar – I made up the story of Elenviel, I hope you liked it!
Mirrowa – I'm sorry, but I'm not online enough to commit to an RPG at the moment, but thank you very much for the invite!
Jamie Cullum's Pixie Wife – mmmm, Pringles! It is true, once you pop you can't stop!
They left the talan on which the meeting had been held. Aragorn was the first to leave, ignoring the murmuring bundle in Anánia's arms. She sighed and looked down at the sleeping child.
'He is blind if he can not see how special you are.' She whispered in elven. 'But I won't stop making him try to notice you. A baby needs his father.'
She felt a shadow fall over her, and turned around to see Legolas standing over her. The others were talking further off.
'Your knowledge of the common tongue is very good.' Legolas said kindly. 'I was under the impression that the elves of Lothlorien seldom learned common tongue, and only spoke in their own language.'
'My father used to be the head archer of Lothlorien.' Anánia replied. 'He learned the common tongue and taught it to me when I was a child. I have never really had chance to practice it, because I have never left the confines of the forest.'
'In which case your knowledge of it is excellent.' Legolas said. Anánia blushed slightly at the compliments of the Prince of Mirkwood. Eldarion stirred in his sleep and she quickly turned to rocking him gently and making soft shushing noises. 'You seem to have grown very attached to him.' Legolas commented, sitting next to her and looking at the child.
'He is beautiful.' She breathed. 'I have never seen anything quite so perfect in all my years.'
"We must go Legolas." Gandalf said, walking over to them and placing a hand on Legolas's shoulder. "There will be plenty of time to get to know each other on our journey. For now we must rest, we have travelled long and hard today."
"Indeed." Legolas stood up and stood beside Gandalf. He turned to Anánia, who remained seated. "Goodnight." He said to her, before leaving with the others. She remained alone on the flet for a few moments before getting up herself. She did not, however, follow the fellowship down but walked to the edge of the flet and looked out over Lothlorien.
'I shall be loathed to leave this place Eldarion.' She said sadly to the little baby. 'But I feel like a potted plant, my roots are all tangled up in a restricted tub. Now perhaps is my time to explore the world around me and find out if I want to settle my roots on foreign soil or return home. And I would never leave you.'
Meanwhile on another flet, Aragorn sat with his legs dangling into space. There was something fascinating about feeling nothing under his feet. He edged to the very edge of the platform, so that he was only perching on the edge of space.
"What would it be like?" He whispered to no one in particular. "To feel the wind rushing through my hair, whistling past my body. To feel the thump as my body hits the ground below."
"It would not be a good idea my friend." Gandalf said from behind him. Aragorn looked up at the figure clad in white and suddenly seemed to realise what he was doping. He pulled himself back onto the safety of the wooden platform and leaned back on it, panting slightly.
"I just wondered, that's all." He said breathlessly. "I wanted to feel...something."
"You wanted to feel anything but emotional pain." Gandalf nodded, sitting next to him. "I understand. You wanted to feel all those feelings, the air, the wind, and the crunch. Anything to make you feel more alive."
"I am alive." Aragorn said bitterly. "I wish I were dead and she were alive again. I would give anything to have her back, Gandalf. I would give the whole of Gondor. All the riches of Moria in its heyday. I would sacrifice anything and everything to get her back."
"It sometimes helps to talk about it." Gandalf said kindly. "I would like to consider myself your friend Aragorn. Unburden your heart to me if you so wish."
Aragorn sighed for a moment, trying to find the words to describe how he felt. "I feel..." He began, stopped and then took a deep breath. "She made me feel...when she cried I wanted to change the world so it didn't hurt her anymore. But when I looked into her eyes I knew, I knew that I was someone special."
"I think there is an old elven saying that could perhaps sum up how you feel my friend." Gandalf said.
"Yet regardless if you love them, Or hate them, Wish they would die Or know you would die without them...
It matters not.
Because once in your life, Whatever they were to the world, They become everything to you.
Because once in your life you meet The other half of your soul Without which your own will wither and die.
Because you get many chances to know One chance to live And one chance to love.
When you look her in the eyes Travelling to the depths of her soul And you say a million things Without trace of a sound, You know that your own life is inevitably consumed Within the rhythmic beatings of her very heart.
We love for a million reasons. No paper could do it justice. No ink could capture it precisely. No words could voice the feelings. No action could portray the mind.
For it is not a thing of the mind, But a beat of a heart.
A feeling.
Only felt."
Gandalf paused and looked at Aragorn. The tears in his eyes reflected the stars. Or maybe for an instant the stars reflected his tears.
"Damn the elves." Aragorn whispered. "Why must their words be so beautiful? And so heart wrenching to hear?"
"It has often been thought that elves can find words for any emotion, be in fleeting or eternal." Gandalf smiled knowingly. "For they feel everything tenfold to how a mere man could feel it, and yet feel nothing that we feel at the same time. They are mystical beings, and I am afraid I shall never understand them. How an elf can die of grief, and yet seem unfeeling to the plights of those around them."
"At the final hour they always seem to help us." Aragorn muttered.
"Indeed." Gandalf agreed, watching another light in a house die as the elves turned to sleep. "I have ne'er had a truer friend than an elf. Except perhaps the promise of a hobbit, the alliance of a dwarf, or the word of man." He stood up. "In short Aragorn, all races have their virtues when you look hard enough. Beneath the murkiest lake can lurk the most beautiful treasure. Under the cloudiest sky can lay the most fantastic sights."
Aragorn nodded as Gandalf backed away. Aragorn either did not hear or did not heed Gandalf's final words. "And inside the meekest baby can dwell the most true and brave man. Eldarion would not disappoint you as a son, if you would only be his father."
Response to Reviewers
OMG I have so many reviewers to catch up on, so I'm just going to answer specific questions for now. I'll be back to responding individually next time.
All Reviewers – yes Aragorn is being a jerk, but he might change soonish. I promise. He may be acting slightly out of character according to the books, but you never know what grief will do to someone. If you don't swallow that line call it Artistic License!
Ciel Undomiel – Wow, you reviewed every chapter. I'm really flattered that you told my friends about this story, you liked it so much! Thanks for your support, and your reviews that made me laugh til I cried.
Curlycurlz – I think Haldir only died at Helm's Deep in the film, to my knowledge he doesn't even go there in the book, but I might be wrong.
Ringmarciel – no, I have not read the simarillion, but I intend to once I finish re reading the books!
The True Evenstar – I made up the story of Elenviel, I hope you liked it!
Mirrowa – I'm sorry, but I'm not online enough to commit to an RPG at the moment, but thank you very much for the invite!
Jamie Cullum's Pixie Wife – mmmm, Pringles! It is true, once you pop you can't stop!