AN: YAHOOOOO!! We have just passed the 150 mark with reviews. ::tears in eyes:: you like me, you really like me… Anyways, to all of you who have reviewed and even to those of you that have not, thanks for coming along for the journey. There are still many more chapters (yay!!) to go so I hope y'all hold out for those. The best is yet to come. I love you all!!
Chapter 32
Will you find the answer
in all you say and do?
Aragorn shifted in the silks as his eyes fluttered open. A smile formed on his face when he beheld Arwen watching him. He reached out a hand, drawing his fingers down her jaw line to tip up her chin.
" Arwen, have you…"
The twins entered and just froze. Their eyes traveled between the two and their expressions became abruptly closed and wary.
" Are you still our sister or have you forsaken us?"
Aragorn sat up.
" She is still your sister."
" I hope Arwen is still your sister."
Legolas poked a head around the door and his eyes fell on Aragorn. Immediately, guilt registered in the Elf's face though Aragorn could not analyze why.
" Estel, what a surprise."
" Equally here. Your father released you from your silver cage?"
Legolas shrugged.
" Aye."
Arwen looked between the four men.
" What do you wish?" she demanded crossing her arms.
Elladan took a step forward, his expression still blank.
" Some Rangers arrived earlier with news." He glanced at his sister. " It is not proper to speak such in front of Arwen."
Arwen's eyes narrowed.
" Lose the detached attitude brother. It is most unbecoming," Arwen said as she brushed by.
Elladan and Elrohir simply looked at Aragorn. They motioned for him to follow and he did.
~*~
Aragorn paused, speaking with the hobbits, while his eyes were really set to another goal. The news had taken much longer than he had imagined. It was evening now. His eyes fell on Arwen sitting silently beside her father. Aragorn strode beside her, falling on one knee to kneel between her and Elrond's chairs.
" Bilbo is set on reciting his verses of Eärendil," Aragorn warned softly.
Elrond's hands clenched the gilt chair a bit harder, but his expression did not change. Arwen touched Aragorn's hand laying in it something heavy and cool. He looked in it, beholding the long forgotten engagement ring. He looked up at her questioningly.
" You forgot it when you left," she said softly, " As well as Narsil, which lies in your top drawer."
Aragorn searched her eyes, beginning to shake his head. He pressed his lips together and closed his hand over the ring.
" Indeed I did."
Elrond glanced down at them, a slight smile on his face, though it was overshadowed with grief. Arwen met her father's eyes. Elrond only nodded, watching Aragorn unclasp the necklace and slide the ring off with both pride and loss in his gray eyes.
*Tis her choice.
~*~
Aragorn found a light on in Elrond's study. He carefully peeked in, finding his foster-father, facing the fire, an elvish pipe lying against his lips. Elrond's eyes darted up when the man made a move to leave.
" You may enter, Estel."
Aragorn did as told, feeling like a young child again. He sat by Elrond's chair, staring at the dancing flames.
" Will you be attending the council in the morn?" Elrond's voice was the first to break the silence.
Aragorn looked up.
" Will it please you?"
Elrond looked down.
" I would not suspect you to be elsewhere."
Aragorn pulled his knees up to his chest.
" Are you angry with me, Elrond?"
" Nay, why should I be angry?"
Aragorn put out his hand, revealing the ring upon his finger.
" Because I refuse my destiny."
Elrond sighed, leaning down and resting a hand on Aragorn's shoulder.
" You will know what road to take when the time comes." Elrond was silent for a moment. " Imladris has missed you, my son."
Aragorn smiled, rising to his knees as he looked up at his foster father.
" I have missed home also…Ada."
Aragorn rose, exiting the room. Elrond leaned back, a smiling lighting his tired face as he chewed on the edge of his pipe.
*He called me Ada.
~*~
Aragorn found himself awake long before dawn. He wandered the hallways, treading as softly as he could. A head poked out.
" Why are you up?" Elladan asked groggily.
Aragorn waved a hand.
" Go back to sleep. I am just going to the library."
Elladan nodded and closed his door again.
Aragorn entered the library, pulling out a well-read book. He ran his fingers over the title: Of the forging of the Rings of Power and the First Darkness. He settled in a chair and began reading. His sharp ears turned when he heard footsteps three hundred and sixty-seven pages into the enormous volume. Aragorn glanced up, finding a familiar-looking man gazing at the mural of Isildur.
*He looks plenty like…that is it…Boromir, eldest of Denethor. We were introduced before I even had these dealings with the hobbits.
Boromir looked towards him, the man's face apprehensive, as if he expected to see an Elf. The face relaxed.
" You are no Elf."
Aragorn shook his head.
" The Men of the South are welcome here."
Boromir was not so easily fooled.
" I seem to recall your face. Who are you?"
" A friend of Gandalf the Grey. They call me either Strider or Thorongil."
" Ah! That is a name well known to me." Boromir smiled. " My father spoke highly of you."
Aragorn merely nodded.
" Perhaps, my friend, you should seek out your room. The council tomorrow will be no means short," Aragorn said.
Boromir approached.
" You seem to know Elvish ways well."
Aragorn nodded.
" I have lived here many years."
Boromir's eyes rose to a light behind Aragorn.
Aragorn looked also. Arwen slowly approached, glimmering like a precious jewel.
" Master Estel, may I request an audience with you?"
Aragorn closed his book with a firm slap as he rose.
" Would you excuse us, Boromir?"
Boromir nodded.
" Of course. I shall see you tomorrow at the Council."
Aragorn nodded.
" Till then, my friend."
~*~
Aragorn heard a knock on his door. He pulled his cloak on, trying to hide what he had attached at his waist.
*What led me to tie Narsil to my waist shall always remain unknown to me.
" Come in," he called, sitting on the bed to put on his boots.
Elrond entered.
" All those in the council that know of your true identity have been warned not to speak of it. You are Strider today, unless you speak different."
Aragorn sighed in relief.
" When did this decision come about?"
Elrond's lips tightened.
" When Boromir, son of Denethor, arrived last night."
Aragorn nodded.
" Tis a wise choice then. I would not wish to raise any hopes as long as my choice remains the same."
Elrond's eyes caught sight of a glimpse of silver amidst Aragorn's traveling clothes.
" What is…" Elrond trailed off.
The Evenstar charm lay nestled against the middle of Aragorn's collarbone. Aragorn pushed it under his clothes.
" She gave it to me."
Elrond nodded, keeping his expression unnaturally cool while his heart broke inside him again and again.
" Come, son. The council is soon to start."
~*~
Aragorn found a corner where he could assess all and hopefully be ignored. He watched the room begin to fill up.
" Why are you hiding over here?" Elladan whispered, taking a seat beside him.
Elrohir sat on the other side.
" I had hoped to go unnoticed," Aragorn replied.
Almost every eye was on them, noting the alikeness in all three of them.
" Why, if I did not know better, the three of you all look like you should be my sons," Elrond said in a gravelly, yet semi-joking tone.
A slight chuckle went around. Elrond merely shook his head at his sons, motioning for them to take their usually empty spots. Aragorn leaned back in his chair, glad to be half-hid by the shadows. Elrond stepped forward, lifting his hands calling the council to order.
~*~
Aragorn moved restlessly as the Dwarf continued in a gruff monotonous voice. Elrond sent him a warning glance. Aragorn merely fidgeted more. Elrond shook his head, noting that the dwarf had finished his story. Elrond then began his account, and Aragorn was far from bored. Elrond's voice rose and fell, enunciating certain points and then letting some words fall to oblivion with his low voice. Pictures were painted of the glorious Second Age. Aragorn stiffened when it came to Elendil and then…Isildur. Elrond caught his eyes in the briefest of gazes, before the tale swept on, telling of what then had befallen Aragorn's relative. Boromir was the first to speak when Elrond had finished. Aragorn sat up a little more once Boromir commenced to speak.
" Believe not that in the land of Gondor the blood of Númenor is spent, nor its pride and dignity forgotten"
Boromir went on until a riddle was spoken that set the very hairs on Aragorn's head on edge.
" Seek for the Sword that was broken: in Imladris it dwells; there shall be counsels taken stronger than Morgul-spells. There shall be shown a token that Doom is near at hand, for Isildur's Bane shall awaken, and the halfling forth shall stand."
Aragorn drew in a breath.
*This is why I was to bring Narsil.
Aragorn waited until Boromir concluded to speak.
" And here in the house of Elrond more shall be made clear to you." Aragorn rose, coming forth from the shadows.
Many noted Elrond's sudden tenseness as he exchanged glances with his sons. Aragorn cast his sword upon the table before Elrond. Gasps came when they noted it was broken in two places.
" Here is the Sword that Was Broken."
Boromir stared in wonder at the sword.
" Who are you and what have you to do with my city?" Boromir asked, still in awe of the weather beaten ranger.
Elrond stood, coming down from his dais. He laid a hand on Aragorn's shoulder.
" He is Aragorn, son of Arathorn."
AN: It is noted that in FOTR Aragorn does have Narsil with him at the Prancing Pony. I could change that, but I love the storyline I have planned. In this, Aragorn left it in Imladris. Small change, but nevertheless to be noted. Please R/R. I'd greatly appreciate it. Hope you had a great Easter!!