One Last Kiss
Part 8
Disclaimer: I don't own it...it owns me.
~*~
Arwen looked at her daughter, shocked. "You mean to tell me", she
whispered dangerously, "that you wedded Elboron in the wee hours of the
night?"
Ariwen met her mother's glare. "That is exactly what I'm saying,
mother."
"But the priest would not have wed you! He would fear the King's wrath.
Who then?"
Since Ariwen seemed at a loss for words at this point, not wanting to
betray her brother. Elboron stepped in, "My lady, we bargained with
your son, Eldarion. He was loth to do so at first, but I managed to
convince him. If anyone is to be put to blame, let it be me."
The Queen stared at him long and hard, until finally coming to a
decision. "Nay, the blame shall not fall on thee or any other. Twas an
act of love, as much as I wish otherwise. We need only worry what
Aragorn will do should he return from this war."
Ariwen gasped, "Mother, speak not as such! Father will return, you know
that. So will Lord Faramir, and all that we hold dear. They always
return." She looked frightened, despite her bold words.
Arwen smiled at her daughter sadly. "Child, you have never tasted the
spoils of war. None of you have, whether it be Elfwine of Rohan, Celewen
of Gondor or Elboron of Ithilien. It is like a bittersweet song, one
that enchants you, but in the end brings only death and destruction.
Most of those men will never return. I can feel it in my heart."
Shamed by her mother's speech, Ariwen lowered her eyes and Elboron as
well. Faramir's son then spoke. "What then should we do if they return
not to us?"
"Continue on with life. Grieve and then forget the pain. Raise the
heirs of the fallen to take the places of those who were lost." Here
her eyes lingered of her new son-in-law, "But forget not the person,
for you may yet meet them beyond the Halls of Mandos."
Comforted, Elboron allowed a small smile to grace his face. At that
moment, Eldarion burst into the private sitting area in which they
sat. The Prince glanced quickly at Elboron, who nodded slightly to
confirm that the Queen knew of that previous night's activities.
Upon seeing her son, Arwen's seething anger was renewed once again. "Why
did you do it? What means did these scoundrels use to convince you, ion
nîn (my son)?"
Eldarion eyed the Queen warily. He did not want his mother to know of
his antics anymore than he did his wife. Finally submitting to her cold
glare as he had done countless times as a child, he answered, "I was
presented with a bargain that thoroughly convinced me to agree to their
request."
"And what was that bargain?" Arwen pressed.
Eldarion paused before responding. "I would speak of it not, mother, if
that may be permitted."
Arwen looked at her only son suspiciously, but let the matter drop. "I
suppose that is it, then. Such a thing cannot be undone." Turning back
to the newly married couple, she said, "Daughter, will you be moving
into the Steward's House or will Elboron move to the King's House?"
After a moment of silent communication, Elboron spoke. "It would be
unseemingly for one of the Steward's Line such as I to dwell in the
House of Kings. If my lady wife be willing, I shall remain in the house
of my forefathers."
Stifling a small giggle at her lover's formality, Ariwen spoke, "I shall
move to the Steward's House, for eventually, in some way, word shall
get out that we are wed."
Seeing a chance to escape, Gondor's Prince stammered, "I-I shall see to
it immediately." With that, he fled the room and started dishing out
orders to nearby servants.
Elboron smiled. "He is afraid of what the King will do to him when he
finds out, that much is clear. I suppose I am a bit nervous myself."
Unless his face spoke lies, Elboron was far more than 'a bit nervous'
about the prospect.
Ariwen laughed at the petrified look on his face. Until her father
returned (or if, if her mother was to be heeded, she thought solemnly),
her husband would most likely be jumping at every dark shadow in the
alley as a small child would. As much as she had tried to reassure him,
Elboron had always been a bit intimidated and frightened of her father.
She supposed it came from the fear of what he would do if Elboron was
found dishonoring her in any way. The fear would soon fade away, though.
The King was merciful, even when it came to matters such as these.
~*~
Please Review!
Part 8
Disclaimer: I don't own it...it owns me.
~*~
Arwen looked at her daughter, shocked. "You mean to tell me", she
whispered dangerously, "that you wedded Elboron in the wee hours of the
night?"
Ariwen met her mother's glare. "That is exactly what I'm saying,
mother."
"But the priest would not have wed you! He would fear the King's wrath.
Who then?"
Since Ariwen seemed at a loss for words at this point, not wanting to
betray her brother. Elboron stepped in, "My lady, we bargained with
your son, Eldarion. He was loth to do so at first, but I managed to
convince him. If anyone is to be put to blame, let it be me."
The Queen stared at him long and hard, until finally coming to a
decision. "Nay, the blame shall not fall on thee or any other. Twas an
act of love, as much as I wish otherwise. We need only worry what
Aragorn will do should he return from this war."
Ariwen gasped, "Mother, speak not as such! Father will return, you know
that. So will Lord Faramir, and all that we hold dear. They always
return." She looked frightened, despite her bold words.
Arwen smiled at her daughter sadly. "Child, you have never tasted the
spoils of war. None of you have, whether it be Elfwine of Rohan, Celewen
of Gondor or Elboron of Ithilien. It is like a bittersweet song, one
that enchants you, but in the end brings only death and destruction.
Most of those men will never return. I can feel it in my heart."
Shamed by her mother's speech, Ariwen lowered her eyes and Elboron as
well. Faramir's son then spoke. "What then should we do if they return
not to us?"
"Continue on with life. Grieve and then forget the pain. Raise the
heirs of the fallen to take the places of those who were lost." Here
her eyes lingered of her new son-in-law, "But forget not the person,
for you may yet meet them beyond the Halls of Mandos."
Comforted, Elboron allowed a small smile to grace his face. At that
moment, Eldarion burst into the private sitting area in which they
sat. The Prince glanced quickly at Elboron, who nodded slightly to
confirm that the Queen knew of that previous night's activities.
Upon seeing her son, Arwen's seething anger was renewed once again. "Why
did you do it? What means did these scoundrels use to convince you, ion
nîn (my son)?"
Eldarion eyed the Queen warily. He did not want his mother to know of
his antics anymore than he did his wife. Finally submitting to her cold
glare as he had done countless times as a child, he answered, "I was
presented with a bargain that thoroughly convinced me to agree to their
request."
"And what was that bargain?" Arwen pressed.
Eldarion paused before responding. "I would speak of it not, mother, if
that may be permitted."
Arwen looked at her only son suspiciously, but let the matter drop. "I
suppose that is it, then. Such a thing cannot be undone." Turning back
to the newly married couple, she said, "Daughter, will you be moving
into the Steward's House or will Elboron move to the King's House?"
After a moment of silent communication, Elboron spoke. "It would be
unseemingly for one of the Steward's Line such as I to dwell in the
House of Kings. If my lady wife be willing, I shall remain in the house
of my forefathers."
Stifling a small giggle at her lover's formality, Ariwen spoke, "I shall
move to the Steward's House, for eventually, in some way, word shall
get out that we are wed."
Seeing a chance to escape, Gondor's Prince stammered, "I-I shall see to
it immediately." With that, he fled the room and started dishing out
orders to nearby servants.
Elboron smiled. "He is afraid of what the King will do to him when he
finds out, that much is clear. I suppose I am a bit nervous myself."
Unless his face spoke lies, Elboron was far more than 'a bit nervous'
about the prospect.
Ariwen laughed at the petrified look on his face. Until her father
returned (or if, if her mother was to be heeded, she thought solemnly),
her husband would most likely be jumping at every dark shadow in the
alley as a small child would. As much as she had tried to reassure him,
Elboron had always been a bit intimidated and frightened of her father.
She supposed it came from the fear of what he would do if Elboron was
found dishonoring her in any way. The fear would soon fade away, though.
The King was merciful, even when it came to matters such as these.
~*~
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