Author's Note: I'm sorry it's taken so long to update this story, but there are two reasons. One, I've been working so that I can afford to eat at university. Two, I've just finished writing my novel and that's been taking up most of my writing time recently.
Anyway: onwards to the final chapter.
Legolas found Aragorn and Arwen together. Arwen was frantically shoving clothes into bags, Aragorn just watching, neither helping nor hindering. Both of them had been crying and, even as Legolas watched, Arwen stopped her activity to sob, breaking down violently.
Aragorn put his arms round her, holding her close as she cried into him.
"Your father loves you, Arwen," Legolas said, "and you, Aragorn. He grieves as much as you do for what happened. But nothing can change that. Running away can't bring you back what was lost."
"I can't stay," Arwen sobbed, "I can't stay, knowing what I know."
"It's too dangerous out there for you, Arwen," Aragorn said. "I don't want to lose you so soon after I have found you again. Please stay, for a while at least. When my life is no longer so perilous, I can come back for you."
"How can I stay with someone I can't trust?"
"Lord Elrond wanted to protect you," Aragorn said, "He loves you."
"Your father didn't know," Legolas added, "He didn't know what his actions would cost you. Go to him. Speak to him. I believe he will give you what he couldn't give before, his blessing and his support."
"I can't," she said. There was no hatred in her, not even much anger. There was just grief and that would fade in time. The love she had held for her father was still there, waiting to be recovered. She could come to be happy here again.
"I will speak to him," Aragorn said. "Legolas, will you stay with Arwen." Legolas nodded, taking a seat on the bed beside her. She leaned into him, though she clung to Aragorn's hand with her own for several moments longer.
Aragorn looked briefly in on Eltha before going to his father. She was looking better, though confused. He promised her that he would explain soon, when hopefully there would be better things to tell.
Lord Elrond was sitting beside Elrohir's bed, his eyes filled with tears. Such a pitiful sight, Aragorn had no choice but to forgive him. Aragorn shared the same feelings, the fear that Arwen would lose her life because of her love. Aragorn found he couldn't even hate the killer of his child.
"I understand why you did it," Aragorn said.
"I have lost her just as surely," Lord Elrond replied.
"She's angry," Aragorn told him, "but you haven't lost her yet. Please, give us your blessing. In time she will remember that she loves you."
"I would not have her be the bride of any man less than the king of both Gondor and Arnor," Lord Elrond said, "You have a long journey ahead of you, Aragorn, beset with perils. If in the end you come to your heritage, I shall give you my blessing."
"And if I do not?"
"Then the world will be swallowed in darkness, and you and Arwen will not be the only ones to whom happiness is denied. A great burden rests on you. Let Arwen be the hope you can cling to during your struggles."
"I would not have her come with me into the wild," Aragorn told him, "I face too many dangers every day and I wouldn't be happy knowing that each day she might be snatched away from me. I will speak to her, see if I can persuade her to remain here where she is safe." His hand rested on the hilt of the broken sword by his side.
"The Sword that is Broken will be remade in my lifetime?" It was only half a question and he expected the nod that came. "Then if I fail to claim my heritage, Arwen would not be able to marry me whether you agreed or not." Aragorn understood his doom: either death or leadership, greatest or the darkness.
He turned to return to Arwen, to tell her what had been discussed.
"Aragorn, you have a strength and wisdom in you that Arathorn would have been proud of. As I am."
"Thank you," Aragorn said, "father."
THE END
Anyway: onwards to the final chapter.
Legolas found Aragorn and Arwen together. Arwen was frantically shoving clothes into bags, Aragorn just watching, neither helping nor hindering. Both of them had been crying and, even as Legolas watched, Arwen stopped her activity to sob, breaking down violently.
Aragorn put his arms round her, holding her close as she cried into him.
"Your father loves you, Arwen," Legolas said, "and you, Aragorn. He grieves as much as you do for what happened. But nothing can change that. Running away can't bring you back what was lost."
"I can't stay," Arwen sobbed, "I can't stay, knowing what I know."
"It's too dangerous out there for you, Arwen," Aragorn said. "I don't want to lose you so soon after I have found you again. Please stay, for a while at least. When my life is no longer so perilous, I can come back for you."
"How can I stay with someone I can't trust?"
"Lord Elrond wanted to protect you," Aragorn said, "He loves you."
"Your father didn't know," Legolas added, "He didn't know what his actions would cost you. Go to him. Speak to him. I believe he will give you what he couldn't give before, his blessing and his support."
"I can't," she said. There was no hatred in her, not even much anger. There was just grief and that would fade in time. The love she had held for her father was still there, waiting to be recovered. She could come to be happy here again.
"I will speak to him," Aragorn said. "Legolas, will you stay with Arwen." Legolas nodded, taking a seat on the bed beside her. She leaned into him, though she clung to Aragorn's hand with her own for several moments longer.
Aragorn looked briefly in on Eltha before going to his father. She was looking better, though confused. He promised her that he would explain soon, when hopefully there would be better things to tell.
Lord Elrond was sitting beside Elrohir's bed, his eyes filled with tears. Such a pitiful sight, Aragorn had no choice but to forgive him. Aragorn shared the same feelings, the fear that Arwen would lose her life because of her love. Aragorn found he couldn't even hate the killer of his child.
"I understand why you did it," Aragorn said.
"I have lost her just as surely," Lord Elrond replied.
"She's angry," Aragorn told him, "but you haven't lost her yet. Please, give us your blessing. In time she will remember that she loves you."
"I would not have her be the bride of any man less than the king of both Gondor and Arnor," Lord Elrond said, "You have a long journey ahead of you, Aragorn, beset with perils. If in the end you come to your heritage, I shall give you my blessing."
"And if I do not?"
"Then the world will be swallowed in darkness, and you and Arwen will not be the only ones to whom happiness is denied. A great burden rests on you. Let Arwen be the hope you can cling to during your struggles."
"I would not have her come with me into the wild," Aragorn told him, "I face too many dangers every day and I wouldn't be happy knowing that each day she might be snatched away from me. I will speak to her, see if I can persuade her to remain here where she is safe." His hand rested on the hilt of the broken sword by his side.
"The Sword that is Broken will be remade in my lifetime?" It was only half a question and he expected the nod that came. "Then if I fail to claim my heritage, Arwen would not be able to marry me whether you agreed or not." Aragorn understood his doom: either death or leadership, greatest or the darkness.
He turned to return to Arwen, to tell her what had been discussed.
"Aragorn, you have a strength and wisdom in you that Arathorn would have been proud of. As I am."
"Thank you," Aragorn said, "father."
THE END