Resting in the leafy shadow of Lothlorien, the weary travellers could well
have spent the entire spring and autumn lazing in the green light that
burst through any gaps in the ceiling of the forest. Only Aragorn noticed
how much time was passing, merely because the agonising pain of Arwen not
being by his side was gradually numbing to a dull aching, that grew
stronger at night.
On the morn of their seventh day in Lorien, Gandalf finally made an announcement that the next day they would leave and head northwards. This declaration was met with mixed feelings. The hobbits and Gimli were loathed to leave Lorien and its shining hospitality. Legolas was also saddened by the news of their departure, but deep down he longed to be on the move and travelling again. Aragorn felt, for a moment at least, joy that he would be moving closer to Arwen. But then, as ever the sadness drew around him again like a thick mist, clouding his features and setting him apart from the others.
Anánia said little about the news, but they could all tell that she was now afraid. Lothlorien had been her home for over two thousand middle-earth years. But she was resolute; she would follow her adopted son to the ends of Middle-earth if she had to.
So preparations were made. Their horses were made ready, and the delicate palomino mare that had been brought along merely to carry their bedding, was assigned to be Anánia's mount. Anánia had done much riding before, but as they mounted their horses on that fine morning, she felt extremely nervous. A craftsman of Lorien had made a kind of sling for Eldarion to be put in, and then strapped to Anánia. She wore the sling with the baby lying at her front, so she could see him at all times. Now he lay there, looking around him with his big, dark eyes as the final preparations were completed.
"Travel safely." Galadriel said as they mounted their horses and loaded up the three packhorses.
"Your fellowship reunites." Celeborn said. "You are now the Fellowship of Hope, for Elendil is the elven word of hope and also our name for your Aragorn, and you bring hope to his heart."
Gandalf thanked them all profusely, and then turned Shadowfax to the north. They began moving off. Anánia's parents were there to wave her goodbye. Her father could not have looked more proud, whilst her mother could not have cried any more. Aragorn followed closely behind Gandalf, with the hobbits in tow leading a packhorse each. Anánia followed the hobbits, not daring to look back at her receding home for fear that she should cry.
Legolas and Gimli, mounted on the same horses as always, were just about to follow leading the final packhorse, when Silia, Anánia's mother, ran up to them.
'Please make sure she doesn't get into any trouble.' She spoke in elven to Legolas.
'I already have Legolas's word that he will take care of your daughter.' Celeborn assured the distraught woman.
'I shall follow her anywhere.' Legolas assured Anánia's parents. 'I will protect her with my life, and this promise has been made to the Lord and Lady of your fair country.'
He turned the horse and they trotted off to catch the others, leaving the small group watching them go, and wondering when they would see them again.
Soon they left the safety and confinement of Lothlorien. They turned around for a moment and looked towards the haven that they had left, still glimmering in the sunlight.
"You have seen Lothlorien at it's most fair." Anánia sighed. "And you have left it when its hold on you should be greatest. Ou either have strong will power, or a greater longing for home." She sighed and then adjusted the sling that Eldarion to her side and said no more.
"Where do we go from here Gandalf?" Frodo asked presently. They were walking sedately along the western bank of the Anduin. The snow melting from the mountains and flowing down to the great river had made it wide and fast, and icy cold even in the warm spring sunshine.
"Ultimately, we shall go to the forests and mountains of Mirkwood, where Legolas assures me we shall be welcomed and furnished with fresh supplies and soft beds to sleep in." Gandalf said to the little hobbit. "But first we must find a safe place to cross Anduin, and I fear that the only place we shall be able to do this at will be the bridge on the Eastern Road, which runs to your dear Hobbiton."
"I know of the crossing of which you speak." Legolas said. "North of Gladden Fields and south of the Isle of Caddock. Indeed, if we strike a path across the river at that bridge we shall be on the Eastern road that will lead us straight to Rhosgobel, where we shall be welcomed among my people."
"Then we have a plan." Gimli said, but Sam looked very pale.
"What is the matter Sam?" Frodo asked, turning around in his saddle to look at Sam, who sat just behind him on their horse.
"I have never much liked roads Mister Frodo." Sam said quietly. "Not since we had those Black Riders chase us for so long out of the Shire."
"The Ringwraiths are a distant and old enemy Sam." Legolas chuckled, catching their entire conversation with his sharp elven hearing.
Gandalf frowned, but said nothing. For a while now he had been beginning to wonder if perhaps the power of the Ringwraiths had diversified. He knew their power had been drawn from Sauron himself, but towards the end of the quest for the one ring, Gandalf had been noticing a power surge and sense of individuality in the Ringwraiths. He had feared for a while now that they had managed to break away from Sauron's ranks before the ring had been destroyed, and could somehow have been able to survive without drawing power from Sauron or the ring. However he knew his fears were largely unfounded and would only scare the others.
He did know however, that some orcs had survived the hunts launched by Gondor, Rivendell and Mirkwood to track them down and eliminate the foul beings. He did not tell his companions about this either, mainly because he did not believe that the orcs would bother them now.
The mountains looming to their left did not worry any of them. There was something about spring in the northern central areas of Middle-earth that was calming and so beautiful.
For the first time that morning, Aragorn spoke. "Rivendell would be beautiful now." He said no more, and it almost seemed as if he thought he had already said too much.
The conversation that day was stilted and rather awkward, perhaps because Aragorn was extra sullen because he was aware of the presence of the son that he would not acknowledge. His coldness towards Eldarion only served to distance Anánia from them, because he totally ignored her and the others didn't want to get on the wrong side of him.
"We shall rest here." Gandalf said finally, pulling his horse to a stop. "We have made good speed and this seems as good a place as any to stop for the night."
They all began dismounting. Anánia seemed to be having some trouble dismounting with Eldarion strapped to her side. Seeing her difficulty, Legolas and Gimli went over to help her. Gimli took hold of the horse's reins and Legolas stood beside Anánia.
"Let me help you." He said. "I'll hold Eldarion whilst you get down."
Anánia looked at him doubtfully.
"He won't hurt the baby." Gimli said. "Whatever you may think of us, young lass, not all of us want that child dead."
Anánia smiled weakly and un-strapped the pouch that held the boy to her side. Gently she lifted him down to Legolas, who took him gently. She climbed down and stood still, glad to feel the firm ground under her feet. Gimli un-tacked the horse and turned her loose, as Gandalf said 'As long as Shadowfax stays near, the horses will not stray, and Shadowfax will not leave me.'
Eldarion gurgled, possibly puzzled by the new person who held him. Used to a woman's soft touch, it was strange to him to be held by a larger man. He looked up into Legolas's face, and Legolas instantly melted.
"If Aragorn could only bear to hold you." He whispered. "He wouldn't ignore you so."
Gimli peered at the baby in interest. "May I?" He asked shyly. Anánia nodded and Legolas tenderly passed the babe into Gimli's arms. Gimli looked down at Eldarion's big brown eyes, and tried not to smile. He didn't want to seem soft or soppy. "He's alright." He shrugged. Legolas just smiled, knowing that inside his friend was cooing over the baby as much as he himself had. Gimli handed Eldarion back to Anánia taking care not to show too much care, but he couldn't disguise how much he had liked the little child in their few moments together.
Gandalf had already conjured up a little fire for them, and the hobbits sat around it. Anánia sat down on her bedroll, rocking Eldarion gently. He had cried when they left Lothlorien, maybe sensing that he was now in the open and vulnerable to the world. It had taken a while for him to get used to the rocking motion of the horse too, but after a while he had stopped crying and settled down, to the relief of all the others.
The hobbits also took their turn admiring the baby and holding him carefully, watched by Gandalf. When Gandalf took the child, Eldarion looked him straight in the eye and to anyone looking on, it would have seemed as if they were talking to each other.
Anánia took him back and then looked piercingly at Aragorn. "Wouldn't you like to hold your son?" She asked coldly.
Aragorn looked back at her with as much venom in his eyes. "He is not my son." He said through gritted teeth.
"Well, whose child is he then?" Anánia asked calculatingly. "I'm sure Arwen would turn in her grave if she saw the way you were treating HER son now!" She realised what she had said too late. "I didn't mean it!" She said quickly. "I didn't think." She pleaded.
But the damage was done. Aragorn got up and stalked out of the light of the fire. The hobbits looked on in shock, Gimli grimaced and busied himself sharpening his axe. Legolas gasped at her effrontery, and refused to meet anyone's gaze. Gandalf frowned deeply.
"Was that necessary?" He asked coldly. Anánia hung her head and spoke softly.
"I didn't mean it, I just said what I thought." She said sadly. "It's a curse of mine."
"We all have our private thoughts." Gandalf said harshly. "But if we went around saying them all the time then who knows what would happen. I doubt if you would want to know our thought's of you at the moment."
Anánia didn't answer. She really hadn't meant to say what she had said. But she had felt so angry that Eldarion was being denied what he deserved, a father. She placed him gently next to her bedroll and lay down dejectedly, refusing any food.
Aragorn returned to the fire later that evening and she pretended to be asleep. She heard Gandalf talking to him, defending Anánia's comment, saying that she was young and impetuous and hadn't meant to say it.
"She didn't mean to say it." Aragorn said. "But she meant to mean it."
AN – Ok, I know this isn't a lot like the Aragorn you all know, but he has gone to the extremes of grief now...and trust me he can't stay that way for long! (That's a BIG hint there by the way!) Anyway, read and review please!
Response to Reviewers
Terreis – I can forgive you for not reviewing. Sometimes I forget too, and I never used to review until I knew how valuable and inspiring they really are to authors!
Ciel-Undomiel – OMG I was crying with laughter and your review! Keep them coming like that!!!
Cerridwen Evereven – (nice username!) Aragorn will come to terms with his grief soon. Arwen might come back soon, but in my plan at the moment soon will be in about ten more chapters! I might cut that down quite a lot though!
Queen Arwen – I'm going to start buying my reviewers Kleenex if they all keep crying!
Alasse Calmacil – I never meant to copy a book title in this title. But the phrase 'Until Death Do Us Part' seemed really poignant, especially as it is part of the traditional wedding vows. Maybe I could later do a sequel to this story using another wedding vow....hey, I'm liking that! I might suggest it later on, and see what my reviewers all think. Thank you for that idea!!!
Ringmarciel – I'm looking forward to read the simarillion, but I probably will find it incredibly confusing. Well anyway, thanks for the suggestion to read it, in a later chapter I'm going to describe Mirkwood, unfortunately it is going to have to be my version of Mirkwood so I apologise in advance if this is wrong!
The True Evenstar – I love messing with the English language too, but not in stories, just in my own words!
Jamie Cullum's Pixie Wife – Those elven words were based on an email I read once, but I added quite a bit and changed bits too. As for the sex, it won't be explicit or anything like that I'm afraid, I want to keep the rating on this fanfic low. There will be a subtle and tasteful suggestion of sex, but I'm afraid that is it. Sorry to disappoint, but most of the other reviewers said they didn't want too much sex in it!
Shady Lane – my updates normally take about a week, simply because I don't always have the time to update and my computer is also really moody, it's going through it's teenage rebellion I think! I'll try to update quickly for you though!
On the morn of their seventh day in Lorien, Gandalf finally made an announcement that the next day they would leave and head northwards. This declaration was met with mixed feelings. The hobbits and Gimli were loathed to leave Lorien and its shining hospitality. Legolas was also saddened by the news of their departure, but deep down he longed to be on the move and travelling again. Aragorn felt, for a moment at least, joy that he would be moving closer to Arwen. But then, as ever the sadness drew around him again like a thick mist, clouding his features and setting him apart from the others.
Anánia said little about the news, but they could all tell that she was now afraid. Lothlorien had been her home for over two thousand middle-earth years. But she was resolute; she would follow her adopted son to the ends of Middle-earth if she had to.
So preparations were made. Their horses were made ready, and the delicate palomino mare that had been brought along merely to carry their bedding, was assigned to be Anánia's mount. Anánia had done much riding before, but as they mounted their horses on that fine morning, she felt extremely nervous. A craftsman of Lorien had made a kind of sling for Eldarion to be put in, and then strapped to Anánia. She wore the sling with the baby lying at her front, so she could see him at all times. Now he lay there, looking around him with his big, dark eyes as the final preparations were completed.
"Travel safely." Galadriel said as they mounted their horses and loaded up the three packhorses.
"Your fellowship reunites." Celeborn said. "You are now the Fellowship of Hope, for Elendil is the elven word of hope and also our name for your Aragorn, and you bring hope to his heart."
Gandalf thanked them all profusely, and then turned Shadowfax to the north. They began moving off. Anánia's parents were there to wave her goodbye. Her father could not have looked more proud, whilst her mother could not have cried any more. Aragorn followed closely behind Gandalf, with the hobbits in tow leading a packhorse each. Anánia followed the hobbits, not daring to look back at her receding home for fear that she should cry.
Legolas and Gimli, mounted on the same horses as always, were just about to follow leading the final packhorse, when Silia, Anánia's mother, ran up to them.
'Please make sure she doesn't get into any trouble.' She spoke in elven to Legolas.
'I already have Legolas's word that he will take care of your daughter.' Celeborn assured the distraught woman.
'I shall follow her anywhere.' Legolas assured Anánia's parents. 'I will protect her with my life, and this promise has been made to the Lord and Lady of your fair country.'
He turned the horse and they trotted off to catch the others, leaving the small group watching them go, and wondering when they would see them again.
Soon they left the safety and confinement of Lothlorien. They turned around for a moment and looked towards the haven that they had left, still glimmering in the sunlight.
"You have seen Lothlorien at it's most fair." Anánia sighed. "And you have left it when its hold on you should be greatest. Ou either have strong will power, or a greater longing for home." She sighed and then adjusted the sling that Eldarion to her side and said no more.
"Where do we go from here Gandalf?" Frodo asked presently. They were walking sedately along the western bank of the Anduin. The snow melting from the mountains and flowing down to the great river had made it wide and fast, and icy cold even in the warm spring sunshine.
"Ultimately, we shall go to the forests and mountains of Mirkwood, where Legolas assures me we shall be welcomed and furnished with fresh supplies and soft beds to sleep in." Gandalf said to the little hobbit. "But first we must find a safe place to cross Anduin, and I fear that the only place we shall be able to do this at will be the bridge on the Eastern Road, which runs to your dear Hobbiton."
"I know of the crossing of which you speak." Legolas said. "North of Gladden Fields and south of the Isle of Caddock. Indeed, if we strike a path across the river at that bridge we shall be on the Eastern road that will lead us straight to Rhosgobel, where we shall be welcomed among my people."
"Then we have a plan." Gimli said, but Sam looked very pale.
"What is the matter Sam?" Frodo asked, turning around in his saddle to look at Sam, who sat just behind him on their horse.
"I have never much liked roads Mister Frodo." Sam said quietly. "Not since we had those Black Riders chase us for so long out of the Shire."
"The Ringwraiths are a distant and old enemy Sam." Legolas chuckled, catching their entire conversation with his sharp elven hearing.
Gandalf frowned, but said nothing. For a while now he had been beginning to wonder if perhaps the power of the Ringwraiths had diversified. He knew their power had been drawn from Sauron himself, but towards the end of the quest for the one ring, Gandalf had been noticing a power surge and sense of individuality in the Ringwraiths. He had feared for a while now that they had managed to break away from Sauron's ranks before the ring had been destroyed, and could somehow have been able to survive without drawing power from Sauron or the ring. However he knew his fears were largely unfounded and would only scare the others.
He did know however, that some orcs had survived the hunts launched by Gondor, Rivendell and Mirkwood to track them down and eliminate the foul beings. He did not tell his companions about this either, mainly because he did not believe that the orcs would bother them now.
The mountains looming to their left did not worry any of them. There was something about spring in the northern central areas of Middle-earth that was calming and so beautiful.
For the first time that morning, Aragorn spoke. "Rivendell would be beautiful now." He said no more, and it almost seemed as if he thought he had already said too much.
The conversation that day was stilted and rather awkward, perhaps because Aragorn was extra sullen because he was aware of the presence of the son that he would not acknowledge. His coldness towards Eldarion only served to distance Anánia from them, because he totally ignored her and the others didn't want to get on the wrong side of him.
"We shall rest here." Gandalf said finally, pulling his horse to a stop. "We have made good speed and this seems as good a place as any to stop for the night."
They all began dismounting. Anánia seemed to be having some trouble dismounting with Eldarion strapped to her side. Seeing her difficulty, Legolas and Gimli went over to help her. Gimli took hold of the horse's reins and Legolas stood beside Anánia.
"Let me help you." He said. "I'll hold Eldarion whilst you get down."
Anánia looked at him doubtfully.
"He won't hurt the baby." Gimli said. "Whatever you may think of us, young lass, not all of us want that child dead."
Anánia smiled weakly and un-strapped the pouch that held the boy to her side. Gently she lifted him down to Legolas, who took him gently. She climbed down and stood still, glad to feel the firm ground under her feet. Gimli un-tacked the horse and turned her loose, as Gandalf said 'As long as Shadowfax stays near, the horses will not stray, and Shadowfax will not leave me.'
Eldarion gurgled, possibly puzzled by the new person who held him. Used to a woman's soft touch, it was strange to him to be held by a larger man. He looked up into Legolas's face, and Legolas instantly melted.
"If Aragorn could only bear to hold you." He whispered. "He wouldn't ignore you so."
Gimli peered at the baby in interest. "May I?" He asked shyly. Anánia nodded and Legolas tenderly passed the babe into Gimli's arms. Gimli looked down at Eldarion's big brown eyes, and tried not to smile. He didn't want to seem soft or soppy. "He's alright." He shrugged. Legolas just smiled, knowing that inside his friend was cooing over the baby as much as he himself had. Gimli handed Eldarion back to Anánia taking care not to show too much care, but he couldn't disguise how much he had liked the little child in their few moments together.
Gandalf had already conjured up a little fire for them, and the hobbits sat around it. Anánia sat down on her bedroll, rocking Eldarion gently. He had cried when they left Lothlorien, maybe sensing that he was now in the open and vulnerable to the world. It had taken a while for him to get used to the rocking motion of the horse too, but after a while he had stopped crying and settled down, to the relief of all the others.
The hobbits also took their turn admiring the baby and holding him carefully, watched by Gandalf. When Gandalf took the child, Eldarion looked him straight in the eye and to anyone looking on, it would have seemed as if they were talking to each other.
Anánia took him back and then looked piercingly at Aragorn. "Wouldn't you like to hold your son?" She asked coldly.
Aragorn looked back at her with as much venom in his eyes. "He is not my son." He said through gritted teeth.
"Well, whose child is he then?" Anánia asked calculatingly. "I'm sure Arwen would turn in her grave if she saw the way you were treating HER son now!" She realised what she had said too late. "I didn't mean it!" She said quickly. "I didn't think." She pleaded.
But the damage was done. Aragorn got up and stalked out of the light of the fire. The hobbits looked on in shock, Gimli grimaced and busied himself sharpening his axe. Legolas gasped at her effrontery, and refused to meet anyone's gaze. Gandalf frowned deeply.
"Was that necessary?" He asked coldly. Anánia hung her head and spoke softly.
"I didn't mean it, I just said what I thought." She said sadly. "It's a curse of mine."
"We all have our private thoughts." Gandalf said harshly. "But if we went around saying them all the time then who knows what would happen. I doubt if you would want to know our thought's of you at the moment."
Anánia didn't answer. She really hadn't meant to say what she had said. But she had felt so angry that Eldarion was being denied what he deserved, a father. She placed him gently next to her bedroll and lay down dejectedly, refusing any food.
Aragorn returned to the fire later that evening and she pretended to be asleep. She heard Gandalf talking to him, defending Anánia's comment, saying that she was young and impetuous and hadn't meant to say it.
"She didn't mean to say it." Aragorn said. "But she meant to mean it."
AN – Ok, I know this isn't a lot like the Aragorn you all know, but he has gone to the extremes of grief now...and trust me he can't stay that way for long! (That's a BIG hint there by the way!) Anyway, read and review please!
Response to Reviewers
Terreis – I can forgive you for not reviewing. Sometimes I forget too, and I never used to review until I knew how valuable and inspiring they really are to authors!
Ciel-Undomiel – OMG I was crying with laughter and your review! Keep them coming like that!!!
Cerridwen Evereven – (nice username!) Aragorn will come to terms with his grief soon. Arwen might come back soon, but in my plan at the moment soon will be in about ten more chapters! I might cut that down quite a lot though!
Queen Arwen – I'm going to start buying my reviewers Kleenex if they all keep crying!
Alasse Calmacil – I never meant to copy a book title in this title. But the phrase 'Until Death Do Us Part' seemed really poignant, especially as it is part of the traditional wedding vows. Maybe I could later do a sequel to this story using another wedding vow....hey, I'm liking that! I might suggest it later on, and see what my reviewers all think. Thank you for that idea!!!
Ringmarciel – I'm looking forward to read the simarillion, but I probably will find it incredibly confusing. Well anyway, thanks for the suggestion to read it, in a later chapter I'm going to describe Mirkwood, unfortunately it is going to have to be my version of Mirkwood so I apologise in advance if this is wrong!
The True Evenstar – I love messing with the English language too, but not in stories, just in my own words!
Jamie Cullum's Pixie Wife – Those elven words were based on an email I read once, but I added quite a bit and changed bits too. As for the sex, it won't be explicit or anything like that I'm afraid, I want to keep the rating on this fanfic low. There will be a subtle and tasteful suggestion of sex, but I'm afraid that is it. Sorry to disappoint, but most of the other reviewers said they didn't want too much sex in it!
Shady Lane – my updates normally take about a week, simply because I don't always have the time to update and my computer is also really moody, it's going through it's teenage rebellion I think! I'll try to update quickly for you though!