Authors Note: Sorry it has taken me so long to update Real Life has
inevitability gotten in the way of my typing (My college reduced the time
in which I can complete my coursework by 3 weeks!) so sorry again and thank
you to everyone who has reviewed everyone has been encouraging and
supportive, thank you.
Chapter Four
Silence fell between the two of them. The only noise came from Aranel's damp cloth sliding roughly against the wooden surface.
"You were brought up by your elven parent?" Tavaril asked trying to recapture the conversation.
"No." She replied, glancing back at him for a moment.
"But you do not act as though you are completely comfortable here, around human's I mean."
"I was not brought up by either of my parent's." She said slowly. "I was cared for and loved greatly by a dear and trusted friend of both my father's. Though it is no concern of yours." She added, almost spitefully. Why was he asking all these questions?
His eyes widened while she spoke, his mind taking in the information and slowly processing it.
"I have read about a small number of male elves which can carry children but it is rare to find one now. The texts that I have read about them were written many years ago, long before I was born." He whispered gently. "What is his name, your elven fathers?"
"Why are you so interested in me?" She asked finally giving up her cleaning and moving to face the tall, dark elf that refused to leave her alone to finish her work.
"Why not?" He smiled but continued quickly as he noticed her glare. "The child of an elf and a human is rare but to find one alone, without family and working as a kitchen maid is completely unheard of, especially one born of two males."
"So you see yourself as my rescuer?" Aranel looked unconvinced. "You seek to save me from a life that I chose for myself?" Tavaril sighed heavily and shook his head in denial but she would not let him speak, not until she had finished what she had to say. "I am not a damsel in need of your help Tavaril, and do not think that you will be able to win my favour by assisting me!"
"Aranel I mean no such..."
"What in Middle Earth are you doing down here master Tavaril." Gwen's voice echoed round the poorly lit room startling them both. They had been so caught up in their conversation that neither had noticed her arrive. "Your father has been searching for you for quite some time I believe." She stepped through the door which Tavaril had entered the room her arms full of what looked like a range of different fabrics.
Aranel almost laughed as she watched Tavaril's delicate elven features turn into a grimace at the mention of his father. But he quickly concealed his expression as he turned to face the interrupting woman.
"Thank you lady Gwendaline, do you know where my father now resides?" He asked some what reluctantly.
"I believe he was headed for the library with Lord Elladan when I passed him in the hallway just a few moments ago, and it is Gwen as you well know!" She smiled before turning her back on the two of them to place the material in her arms on one of the small wooden tables.
Tavaril moved to face Aranel once again and smiled gently as he took her hand carefully in his. Her first thought was of the softness of his skin, so smooth, unlike her own calloused fingers.
"I will see again soon Lady Aranel." He bowed graciously, bringing her hand to brush against his lips, before finally letting go and leaving the kitchen, the wooden door closing with a creak behind him.
"Quite a charmer that one." Gwen laughed still concentrating on sorting through the material she had carried in. "Watch yourself with him Miss Aranel I am told that he can be quite persuasive."
Aranel forced a laugh. Tavaril's exit had left her feeling slightly confused and more than a little intrigued. What was it that he wanted from her?
~*~
"Ada?" Tavaril asked quietly as entered the formal place library. It was completely silent inside and was empty except for the presence of two older dark haired elves standing silently side by side, next to the far window. "Ada." He said again, this time with more force in his voice.
Both elves turned to face him smiling gently. It still unnerved him slightly at the similarity of the two elves, his father and uncle, when he had been much younger he had often found it difficult to tell them apart, and both had enjoyed teasing him for it.
"I search for you for hours Tavaril and I can not find you yet when I stop you come right to my side, perhaps I should not bother in future and just wait for you to come to me?" The elf on the right said loudly making Tavaril jump as it echoed around the quiet room.
"Perhaps Ada." Tavaril grinned in response before moving closer so that he now stood side by side with the older elf. "Lady Gwendaline found me and told me that you were searching for me."
"Ah and where pray tell were you hiding this time?" He grinned.
"I was not hiding." Tavaril said indignantly. "I was just..."
"Avoiding your duties as usual, I know you to well Tavaril and you are far too much like I was at your age for my liking."
"Oh no Ada, from the stories that I have heard you were far worse than I." Tavaril laughed. "Now what is it you wish to speak with me about?"
Both elves joined in his laughter, before his uncle stepped away from them.
"Elrohir, Tavaril I will leave you both to talk in peace." He smiled. "I will find you both later at eve meal I am sure."
After short good byes Tavaril watched as his father moved to one side indicating for him to follow and guided him over to a set of well cushioned chairs to one side of the window.
"I wish for you to befriend Prince Cadell." Elrohir began slowly, placing a comforting hand on his sons shoulder knowing already Tavaril's response.
"Why?" Tavaril groaned. "You know well that he and I will never see eye to eye on any subject! He is just so..."
"He is your cousin Tavaril no matter what your differences." Elrohir interrupted his voice, although calm left no room for argument.
"Ada there is nothing but differences between us. We have nothing similar to discuss he is quiet and short tempered." Tavaril continued, shaking his head from side to side in annoyance. "Why Ada." He asked again, he needed a reason before he could waltz off and attempt to draw his elusive cousin into conversation.
"I am concern for both him and his father. The both of them are so similar it worries both myself and Elladan." Elrohir responded easily. "They continue to dwell on what has been lost to them rather than concentrating on what has been gained."
"And what is it exactly that they have lost?" Tavaril studied his father's face instantly picking up on the uneasy spark that entered his dark expressive eyes.
"When Cadell was young he spent much time in the company of his father but Aragorn suffered a great loss and with that loss the king became reclusive, hiding himself away from everyone especially his family. Cadell, beginning only six years old at the time did not understand his father's sudden disappearance from every day life and at the time believed that he was some how the fault. Since then he has become the withdrawn, short tempered being that you know very little about."
"What loss affected Aragorn?" Tavaril asked curiously. "I need to know if I am to understand everything that has happened." He pointed out.
Elrohir sighed heavily. "You promise not speak a word of what I tell you not even to Cadell as I am sure that he is unaware of what truly took place."
"I promise Ada, you know I would not betray your trust." Tavaril shifted in his chair to face his father, looking directly into his eyes, trying to convince him with the emotion in his eyes.
"When Aragorn married Arwen it was out of politics rather than for love."
But I thought they had been together for many years before they wed, why would they voluntary spend time together before they had to if there was no love between them?" Tavaril interrupted. The stories of Elrond's daughter and the King of men were well known across Middle Earth, they were cherished tales of love and hope.
"Do not judge them too harshly." Elrohir said slowly. "There was once love between them but it was soon over powered by Aragorn's love for another."
"Another? So he was unfaithful!"
"Tavaril, will you let me speak?" Elrohir sighed, his tone obviously frustrated. "He took a lover a blond elf named Legolas, to help him ward off the darkness that threatened to engulf him on the quest of the one ring. But after the quest was over neither could bear to be parted from the other permanently. Believing that it was the best for his people Aragorn married Arwen and his lover travelled Middle Earth with a close companion, both thought that if they spent long periods of time apart then their love would lessen." Elrohir continued carefully watching Tavaril's expression as he spoke of things that had been concealed many years ago. "That of course did not happen, their love only grew stronger."
"What of Lady Arwen?" Tavaril could no long keep silent, so many questions had formed in his mind and he needed them answered.
"She of course knew of their arrangement but could do very little to change it, she often spoke of it with both me and Elladan and she made it clear that she had no problem with the situation she believed that deep down Aragorn loved her and that she only had to share his love when his blond lover visited Gondor on his travels."
"So she did not mind?" Tavaril shook his head in disbelief.
"She knew that Legolas would not continue to return to Gondor for much longer. His father was due to leave for the Undying Lands and as his heir Legolas would have been called to take his place."
"So Aragorn lost his lover when he went back to his home land?" Tavaril was confused surly Aragorn had been expecting that for years why would he become reclusive over some thing which he should have been prepared for?
"If only it had been that simple." Elrohir breathed heavily, his features now downfallen and saddened. "Legolas's last visit was a joyful one for Aragorn but it was a confusing one for the rest of us. You see Legolas was one of very few male elves that could carry and bare children and half way through his visit he announced that he was pregnant."
Tavaril gasped but this time did not interrupt, now content with letting his father finish the tale.
"Aragorn was overjoyed at the idea even though he knew that it would cause a lot of problems in the future. Now elven pregnancies are a lot longer than those of humans and so Legolas determined not to be a burden made arrangements to visit his father in Mirkwood. Aragorn protested almost ordering Legolas to stay, at least for the duration of the pregnancy but Legolas was a free spirit and began his journey home with a dwarf as his only protector." Elrohir paused for a moment as if trying to find the right words to say next. "Both were attacked and killed a short time after leaving the safety of Minas Tirith."
~*~
Behind a book case on the opposite side of them room Aragorn slumped, silently to the cold stone floor. Tears threatened to escape his eyes. It was the first time he had heard either of his foster brothers speak kindly of his relationship with blond Prince of Mirkwood.
The conversation between his brother and nephew had brought back painful yet unforgettable memories. No matter how hard Elrohir tried, there was little to no chance that anyone would be able to make him forget and live happily with his wife and children. Not as he had constant reminders of the lover and child he had lost.
~*~
TBC...
Cadell: Battle spirit (Gaelic)
Thank you for reading & please review.
Chapter Four
Silence fell between the two of them. The only noise came from Aranel's damp cloth sliding roughly against the wooden surface.
"You were brought up by your elven parent?" Tavaril asked trying to recapture the conversation.
"No." She replied, glancing back at him for a moment.
"But you do not act as though you are completely comfortable here, around human's I mean."
"I was not brought up by either of my parent's." She said slowly. "I was cared for and loved greatly by a dear and trusted friend of both my father's. Though it is no concern of yours." She added, almost spitefully. Why was he asking all these questions?
His eyes widened while she spoke, his mind taking in the information and slowly processing it.
"I have read about a small number of male elves which can carry children but it is rare to find one now. The texts that I have read about them were written many years ago, long before I was born." He whispered gently. "What is his name, your elven fathers?"
"Why are you so interested in me?" She asked finally giving up her cleaning and moving to face the tall, dark elf that refused to leave her alone to finish her work.
"Why not?" He smiled but continued quickly as he noticed her glare. "The child of an elf and a human is rare but to find one alone, without family and working as a kitchen maid is completely unheard of, especially one born of two males."
"So you see yourself as my rescuer?" Aranel looked unconvinced. "You seek to save me from a life that I chose for myself?" Tavaril sighed heavily and shook his head in denial but she would not let him speak, not until she had finished what she had to say. "I am not a damsel in need of your help Tavaril, and do not think that you will be able to win my favour by assisting me!"
"Aranel I mean no such..."
"What in Middle Earth are you doing down here master Tavaril." Gwen's voice echoed round the poorly lit room startling them both. They had been so caught up in their conversation that neither had noticed her arrive. "Your father has been searching for you for quite some time I believe." She stepped through the door which Tavaril had entered the room her arms full of what looked like a range of different fabrics.
Aranel almost laughed as she watched Tavaril's delicate elven features turn into a grimace at the mention of his father. But he quickly concealed his expression as he turned to face the interrupting woman.
"Thank you lady Gwendaline, do you know where my father now resides?" He asked some what reluctantly.
"I believe he was headed for the library with Lord Elladan when I passed him in the hallway just a few moments ago, and it is Gwen as you well know!" She smiled before turning her back on the two of them to place the material in her arms on one of the small wooden tables.
Tavaril moved to face Aranel once again and smiled gently as he took her hand carefully in his. Her first thought was of the softness of his skin, so smooth, unlike her own calloused fingers.
"I will see again soon Lady Aranel." He bowed graciously, bringing her hand to brush against his lips, before finally letting go and leaving the kitchen, the wooden door closing with a creak behind him.
"Quite a charmer that one." Gwen laughed still concentrating on sorting through the material she had carried in. "Watch yourself with him Miss Aranel I am told that he can be quite persuasive."
Aranel forced a laugh. Tavaril's exit had left her feeling slightly confused and more than a little intrigued. What was it that he wanted from her?
~*~
"Ada?" Tavaril asked quietly as entered the formal place library. It was completely silent inside and was empty except for the presence of two older dark haired elves standing silently side by side, next to the far window. "Ada." He said again, this time with more force in his voice.
Both elves turned to face him smiling gently. It still unnerved him slightly at the similarity of the two elves, his father and uncle, when he had been much younger he had often found it difficult to tell them apart, and both had enjoyed teasing him for it.
"I search for you for hours Tavaril and I can not find you yet when I stop you come right to my side, perhaps I should not bother in future and just wait for you to come to me?" The elf on the right said loudly making Tavaril jump as it echoed around the quiet room.
"Perhaps Ada." Tavaril grinned in response before moving closer so that he now stood side by side with the older elf. "Lady Gwendaline found me and told me that you were searching for me."
"Ah and where pray tell were you hiding this time?" He grinned.
"I was not hiding." Tavaril said indignantly. "I was just..."
"Avoiding your duties as usual, I know you to well Tavaril and you are far too much like I was at your age for my liking."
"Oh no Ada, from the stories that I have heard you were far worse than I." Tavaril laughed. "Now what is it you wish to speak with me about?"
Both elves joined in his laughter, before his uncle stepped away from them.
"Elrohir, Tavaril I will leave you both to talk in peace." He smiled. "I will find you both later at eve meal I am sure."
After short good byes Tavaril watched as his father moved to one side indicating for him to follow and guided him over to a set of well cushioned chairs to one side of the window.
"I wish for you to befriend Prince Cadell." Elrohir began slowly, placing a comforting hand on his sons shoulder knowing already Tavaril's response.
"Why?" Tavaril groaned. "You know well that he and I will never see eye to eye on any subject! He is just so..."
"He is your cousin Tavaril no matter what your differences." Elrohir interrupted his voice, although calm left no room for argument.
"Ada there is nothing but differences between us. We have nothing similar to discuss he is quiet and short tempered." Tavaril continued, shaking his head from side to side in annoyance. "Why Ada." He asked again, he needed a reason before he could waltz off and attempt to draw his elusive cousin into conversation.
"I am concern for both him and his father. The both of them are so similar it worries both myself and Elladan." Elrohir responded easily. "They continue to dwell on what has been lost to them rather than concentrating on what has been gained."
"And what is it exactly that they have lost?" Tavaril studied his father's face instantly picking up on the uneasy spark that entered his dark expressive eyes.
"When Cadell was young he spent much time in the company of his father but Aragorn suffered a great loss and with that loss the king became reclusive, hiding himself away from everyone especially his family. Cadell, beginning only six years old at the time did not understand his father's sudden disappearance from every day life and at the time believed that he was some how the fault. Since then he has become the withdrawn, short tempered being that you know very little about."
"What loss affected Aragorn?" Tavaril asked curiously. "I need to know if I am to understand everything that has happened." He pointed out.
Elrohir sighed heavily. "You promise not speak a word of what I tell you not even to Cadell as I am sure that he is unaware of what truly took place."
"I promise Ada, you know I would not betray your trust." Tavaril shifted in his chair to face his father, looking directly into his eyes, trying to convince him with the emotion in his eyes.
"When Aragorn married Arwen it was out of politics rather than for love."
But I thought they had been together for many years before they wed, why would they voluntary spend time together before they had to if there was no love between them?" Tavaril interrupted. The stories of Elrond's daughter and the King of men were well known across Middle Earth, they were cherished tales of love and hope.
"Do not judge them too harshly." Elrohir said slowly. "There was once love between them but it was soon over powered by Aragorn's love for another."
"Another? So he was unfaithful!"
"Tavaril, will you let me speak?" Elrohir sighed, his tone obviously frustrated. "He took a lover a blond elf named Legolas, to help him ward off the darkness that threatened to engulf him on the quest of the one ring. But after the quest was over neither could bear to be parted from the other permanently. Believing that it was the best for his people Aragorn married Arwen and his lover travelled Middle Earth with a close companion, both thought that if they spent long periods of time apart then their love would lessen." Elrohir continued carefully watching Tavaril's expression as he spoke of things that had been concealed many years ago. "That of course did not happen, their love only grew stronger."
"What of Lady Arwen?" Tavaril could no long keep silent, so many questions had formed in his mind and he needed them answered.
"She of course knew of their arrangement but could do very little to change it, she often spoke of it with both me and Elladan and she made it clear that she had no problem with the situation she believed that deep down Aragorn loved her and that she only had to share his love when his blond lover visited Gondor on his travels."
"So she did not mind?" Tavaril shook his head in disbelief.
"She knew that Legolas would not continue to return to Gondor for much longer. His father was due to leave for the Undying Lands and as his heir Legolas would have been called to take his place."
"So Aragorn lost his lover when he went back to his home land?" Tavaril was confused surly Aragorn had been expecting that for years why would he become reclusive over some thing which he should have been prepared for?
"If only it had been that simple." Elrohir breathed heavily, his features now downfallen and saddened. "Legolas's last visit was a joyful one for Aragorn but it was a confusing one for the rest of us. You see Legolas was one of very few male elves that could carry and bare children and half way through his visit he announced that he was pregnant."
Tavaril gasped but this time did not interrupt, now content with letting his father finish the tale.
"Aragorn was overjoyed at the idea even though he knew that it would cause a lot of problems in the future. Now elven pregnancies are a lot longer than those of humans and so Legolas determined not to be a burden made arrangements to visit his father in Mirkwood. Aragorn protested almost ordering Legolas to stay, at least for the duration of the pregnancy but Legolas was a free spirit and began his journey home with a dwarf as his only protector." Elrohir paused for a moment as if trying to find the right words to say next. "Both were attacked and killed a short time after leaving the safety of Minas Tirith."
~*~
Behind a book case on the opposite side of them room Aragorn slumped, silently to the cold stone floor. Tears threatened to escape his eyes. It was the first time he had heard either of his foster brothers speak kindly of his relationship with blond Prince of Mirkwood.
The conversation between his brother and nephew had brought back painful yet unforgettable memories. No matter how hard Elrohir tried, there was little to no chance that anyone would be able to make him forget and live happily with his wife and children. Not as he had constant reminders of the lover and child he had lost.
~*~
TBC...
Cadell: Battle spirit (Gaelic)
Thank you for reading & please review.