Author's note: I've finally updated! Oh, what's the world coming to? Rain, that's what, and tons of it. I certainly pick the best week to take off from work. Anyway, thanks for all the reviews, for those of you still reading this! I apologize for the long delay in updating, but it's been hard to work up anything. Hope this will make up for it!
Rhovanion's Child by Shelly
CHAPTER TWENTY
She awoke the next morning to the sound of birds chirping, the sunlight quickly drawing her attention to the fact that she was supposed to attend the council this afternoon. Boromir was still asleep beside her, his breathing even, but upon feeling her stir awakened himself. "Is it morning already?" he groaned, his voice still thick with sleep.
"I'm afraid it is, sleepyhead," she replied with a hint of laughter. "I warned you what would happen, didn't I?"
He smiled. "I didn't hear any complaints," he replied as he reached up to pull her down for a kiss. "I wish that we could just stay here all day like this. I'm still tired from the journey here."
"Are you sure it was just the journey?" she teased in return. "I also wish the same, but we have a council to attend so I fear there's no rest for the weary."
A look of confusion crossed his face. "You'll be there as well?" he asked.
She had already slipped out of bed and was now getting dressed in a burgundy velvet dress. "Is there a reason why I shouldn't? I'm a ranger, and whatever's decided today will have an effect on us as well. I won't be the only ranger there."
He began getting dressed as well. "I didn't mean it in that way, Elena, you know that," he said as he came up behind her and wrapped her in his arms.
She sighed as she gathered up her courage to try and tell him what needed to be told. "There is...another reason why I have to be there, Boromir. And it concerns the reason why I couldn't tell you more about myself, why I've been holding back."
He allowed her to step from his arms, judging from the tone of her voice that what she had to tell him wasn't good, and he remained quiet while she gathered her thoughts.
She paced the room a little, searching for how to begin...begin to what? Break his heart? Destroy his life? How she wished she didn't have to do this! Then she spotted the dagger that was the only real proof she had of who she really was, and she took it in her hand to try and gain courage from its solidness. "This dagger, Boromir, has been with me all through our journey. If you had looked at it, really looked at it, then you would know who I am. It's the only thing I have of my past as it's been handed down through many generations of my family."
She stopped speaking, and he took the opportunity to ask a question. "Your family...where did they live? You've rarely spoken of them."
She sighed as she guessed this was as good a time as any to tell him. "I was born in Rhovanion and lived there for some time before my mother died. I was still very young, and my father took me to live with the elves in Mirkwood. Shortly after he died in a battle with orcs, and his body was returned there along with this dagger. It was then that I began to question who I was since I was also given something that had belonged to my mother, a pendant that spoke to her family's history as Rhovanion's protector."
His eyes widened. "You're descended from nobility then?" he asked.
"Yes, but that's not all I discovered. I also discovered the story of the Kin-Strife wars which plagued Gondor many years ago. If you recall, there was a wedding between Valacar and Vidumavi, and their son held kingship over both lands as a result."
"Yes, I remember from my history lessons. But Eldacar only had one child, a son who was killed during the wars," he pointed out, already beginning to suspect what she might say next.
"He had others while he was exiled for ten years. I am descended from Eldacar, and from Anarion as well," she said as she offered her dagger to him. "If you doubt my word, maybe this will help you see that my words are true."
Boromir stood there in silence, shocked beyond belief that she could possibly be the heir to Gondor's throne. It was impossible! There was no way! But he accepted her dagger, fearing to look upon it and see the truth of her words for himself. He dropped his gaze, and to his amazement there was the symbol of her proof plain for him to see. "This proves nothing," he finally said. "A weapon cannot prove one's true heritage."
"That is true," she replied. "It was an argument I had with your brother back in Minas Tirith. Yes, he discovered who I was without my even needing to tell him," she answered at his shocked expression. "I asked him not to tell anyone, and he kept his word of honor."
"And why couldn't you tell me? The one you love?" he demanded, some of the anger she expected beginning to surface.
"Would you have believed me? You don't believe me now! I didn't say anything because I have no desire to rule over Gondor. I'd much rather remain a ranger and fight this evil in a different way."
He stood in silence a moment, conflicting emotions crossing his face. "It's hard to believe that just a few moments ago, I thought I knew who you were. You were everything I had ever wanted, everything I could ever ask for. And now all that's changed. I don't know who you are anymore. If you had any of his blood in you, you would not be cowering in fear of who you are now."
"Boromir, please listen to me," she pleaded. "I also didn't want to tell you because of my love for you. I knew that if I said anything, things would change between us. And that's the last thing I want."
"What do you want?" he exploded.
She backed away in the face of his anger, tears shimmering in her eyes. "All I want is to return to Minas Tirith and have things be the way they used to be between us. Whatever comes at us from Mordor, I will defend Gondor with everything that I am. Will you please believe that?" she asked.
He said nothing for a moment then sighed. "I don't know what to believe anymore," he said then walked out, leaving her alone in her grief.
She stood there a moment in stunned silence before walking out onto the balcony. There she sank to her knees and cried with her head in her hands, her heart broken. Why did she have to tell him? Why couldn't he just have accepted her as she was?
She didn't know how long she stayed out there, sitting with her knees drawn up against her chest. Apparently it was some time since she heard a voice calling her name from inside her room, but she said nothing in reply in hopes that they would leave her alone. But fate had other plans since whoever it was found her and approached her quietly.
"Rhiannon?" It was Aragorn's voice, uncertain as to what was going on.
"Leave me alone, Aragorn," she said, her voice emotionless as she stared out across the river below.
He knelt down beside her, knowing what must've happened when he saw the traces of tears on her cheeks. "You told him?" he asked.
"Of course I told him," she replied dryly. "Why else would I be here? He hates me now, for being a coward. And he will think the same of you."
"If he feels that way, then he doesn't deserve you," he replied.
"But what if he's right, Aragorn? And I am a coward? He thinks I should've come to Gondor's aid long before instead of hiding in fear of who I was," she said.
"Listen to me, Rhiannon," he insisted as he moved around in front to take hold of her shoulders. "You are not a coward. You are the bravest person I have ever met. And you did come to Gondor's aid when they needed it. He's just angered at finding out that there's still an heir to the throne out there, and that his chance at being Steward has been denied him."
She smiled a little at his confidence in her. "That's for you to take care of, cousin," she said.
"Now, let's go to the council and show him all the courage you have," he said. "Let's make him see that you deserve to be the heir of Anarion. If he can't accept that, then that's his problem."
He helped her to her feet, and they both shared a loving embrace. "You don't know how much I missed you, Aragorn," she said. "Truly you are worthy of being the king of Gondor."
He offered his arm to her as he smiled. "Time grows short, and we have a council to attend, milady." And with that, he escorted her to a meeting which would decide the fate of Middle Earth.
****************
Next up: the Council of Elrond! Will she fall victim to the ring's persuasions? Will she even be accompanying the Fellowship to Mordor? And what of her relationship with Boromir? Ah, so many questions. Thanks for reading!
Rhovanion's Child by Shelly
CHAPTER TWENTY
She awoke the next morning to the sound of birds chirping, the sunlight quickly drawing her attention to the fact that she was supposed to attend the council this afternoon. Boromir was still asleep beside her, his breathing even, but upon feeling her stir awakened himself. "Is it morning already?" he groaned, his voice still thick with sleep.
"I'm afraid it is, sleepyhead," she replied with a hint of laughter. "I warned you what would happen, didn't I?"
He smiled. "I didn't hear any complaints," he replied as he reached up to pull her down for a kiss. "I wish that we could just stay here all day like this. I'm still tired from the journey here."
"Are you sure it was just the journey?" she teased in return. "I also wish the same, but we have a council to attend so I fear there's no rest for the weary."
A look of confusion crossed his face. "You'll be there as well?" he asked.
She had already slipped out of bed and was now getting dressed in a burgundy velvet dress. "Is there a reason why I shouldn't? I'm a ranger, and whatever's decided today will have an effect on us as well. I won't be the only ranger there."
He began getting dressed as well. "I didn't mean it in that way, Elena, you know that," he said as he came up behind her and wrapped her in his arms.
She sighed as she gathered up her courage to try and tell him what needed to be told. "There is...another reason why I have to be there, Boromir. And it concerns the reason why I couldn't tell you more about myself, why I've been holding back."
He allowed her to step from his arms, judging from the tone of her voice that what she had to tell him wasn't good, and he remained quiet while she gathered her thoughts.
She paced the room a little, searching for how to begin...begin to what? Break his heart? Destroy his life? How she wished she didn't have to do this! Then she spotted the dagger that was the only real proof she had of who she really was, and she took it in her hand to try and gain courage from its solidness. "This dagger, Boromir, has been with me all through our journey. If you had looked at it, really looked at it, then you would know who I am. It's the only thing I have of my past as it's been handed down through many generations of my family."
She stopped speaking, and he took the opportunity to ask a question. "Your family...where did they live? You've rarely spoken of them."
She sighed as she guessed this was as good a time as any to tell him. "I was born in Rhovanion and lived there for some time before my mother died. I was still very young, and my father took me to live with the elves in Mirkwood. Shortly after he died in a battle with orcs, and his body was returned there along with this dagger. It was then that I began to question who I was since I was also given something that had belonged to my mother, a pendant that spoke to her family's history as Rhovanion's protector."
His eyes widened. "You're descended from nobility then?" he asked.
"Yes, but that's not all I discovered. I also discovered the story of the Kin-Strife wars which plagued Gondor many years ago. If you recall, there was a wedding between Valacar and Vidumavi, and their son held kingship over both lands as a result."
"Yes, I remember from my history lessons. But Eldacar only had one child, a son who was killed during the wars," he pointed out, already beginning to suspect what she might say next.
"He had others while he was exiled for ten years. I am descended from Eldacar, and from Anarion as well," she said as she offered her dagger to him. "If you doubt my word, maybe this will help you see that my words are true."
Boromir stood there in silence, shocked beyond belief that she could possibly be the heir to Gondor's throne. It was impossible! There was no way! But he accepted her dagger, fearing to look upon it and see the truth of her words for himself. He dropped his gaze, and to his amazement there was the symbol of her proof plain for him to see. "This proves nothing," he finally said. "A weapon cannot prove one's true heritage."
"That is true," she replied. "It was an argument I had with your brother back in Minas Tirith. Yes, he discovered who I was without my even needing to tell him," she answered at his shocked expression. "I asked him not to tell anyone, and he kept his word of honor."
"And why couldn't you tell me? The one you love?" he demanded, some of the anger she expected beginning to surface.
"Would you have believed me? You don't believe me now! I didn't say anything because I have no desire to rule over Gondor. I'd much rather remain a ranger and fight this evil in a different way."
He stood in silence a moment, conflicting emotions crossing his face. "It's hard to believe that just a few moments ago, I thought I knew who you were. You were everything I had ever wanted, everything I could ever ask for. And now all that's changed. I don't know who you are anymore. If you had any of his blood in you, you would not be cowering in fear of who you are now."
"Boromir, please listen to me," she pleaded. "I also didn't want to tell you because of my love for you. I knew that if I said anything, things would change between us. And that's the last thing I want."
"What do you want?" he exploded.
She backed away in the face of his anger, tears shimmering in her eyes. "All I want is to return to Minas Tirith and have things be the way they used to be between us. Whatever comes at us from Mordor, I will defend Gondor with everything that I am. Will you please believe that?" she asked.
He said nothing for a moment then sighed. "I don't know what to believe anymore," he said then walked out, leaving her alone in her grief.
She stood there a moment in stunned silence before walking out onto the balcony. There she sank to her knees and cried with her head in her hands, her heart broken. Why did she have to tell him? Why couldn't he just have accepted her as she was?
She didn't know how long she stayed out there, sitting with her knees drawn up against her chest. Apparently it was some time since she heard a voice calling her name from inside her room, but she said nothing in reply in hopes that they would leave her alone. But fate had other plans since whoever it was found her and approached her quietly.
"Rhiannon?" It was Aragorn's voice, uncertain as to what was going on.
"Leave me alone, Aragorn," she said, her voice emotionless as she stared out across the river below.
He knelt down beside her, knowing what must've happened when he saw the traces of tears on her cheeks. "You told him?" he asked.
"Of course I told him," she replied dryly. "Why else would I be here? He hates me now, for being a coward. And he will think the same of you."
"If he feels that way, then he doesn't deserve you," he replied.
"But what if he's right, Aragorn? And I am a coward? He thinks I should've come to Gondor's aid long before instead of hiding in fear of who I was," she said.
"Listen to me, Rhiannon," he insisted as he moved around in front to take hold of her shoulders. "You are not a coward. You are the bravest person I have ever met. And you did come to Gondor's aid when they needed it. He's just angered at finding out that there's still an heir to the throne out there, and that his chance at being Steward has been denied him."
She smiled a little at his confidence in her. "That's for you to take care of, cousin," she said.
"Now, let's go to the council and show him all the courage you have," he said. "Let's make him see that you deserve to be the heir of Anarion. If he can't accept that, then that's his problem."
He helped her to her feet, and they both shared a loving embrace. "You don't know how much I missed you, Aragorn," she said. "Truly you are worthy of being the king of Gondor."
He offered his arm to her as he smiled. "Time grows short, and we have a council to attend, milady." And with that, he escorted her to a meeting which would decide the fate of Middle Earth.
****************
Next up: the Council of Elrond! Will she fall victim to the ring's persuasions? Will she even be accompanying the Fellowship to Mordor? And what of her relationship with Boromir? Ah, so many questions. Thanks for reading!