Author's Note: I was watching The Last Unicorn ::ahem:: one of my favourite movies as a child, recently and when this song came on it just struck me as so utterly perfect for Aragorn. I have been dwelling on doing a song-fic about it for some time and I finally forced myself to write it. It is very short, and I am not entirely happy with it but I am going to post it anyway. I hope no one else has done this one before. (Although I would not be surprised) I did check on the search engine but didn't find anything... so if there is another one I'm sorry!
Disclaimer: I don't own Lord of the Rings, and am not making any profit. The song, 'man's road' is property of America (the band) and probably 'The Last Unicorn' too. (If you haven't seen it-do.)
Walking Man's Road
The dark hunched figure walking along the street was no ordinary man, although he tried to disguise that fact. He usually looked grim and unapproachable and mostly people kept their distance, which was as he desired. His general appearance, by his own admission, was "rather rascally" and many years of hard toil and wanderings were evident in his weather-beaten and lined face, his mud stained attire. Yet there was something special about this man: an aura of importance and strength surrounded him no matter how hard he tried to hide it. He was Aragorn, last descendant of a line of great kings, destined for greatness himself.... And yet he rejected his fate.
The Dúnadan chose instead the life of exile, wandering the wild as a Ranger for he feared his lineage, feared the weakness that was in his blood. He was not ready to take up the burden of what he must yet become:
A king among men.
Horizon, rising; up to meet the purple dawn.
Dust demon, screaming; bring an eagle to lead me on.
For in my heart I carry such a heavy load.
Here I am, on Man's Road.
Walking man's road.
Through many different lands and climes he roamed for so long a time, denying his birthright, yet now Aragorn was growing tired of the nomadic life. He wished for something different. His heart for many years had lain in Rivendell, in the House of Elrond, yet though it was there that it rested Aragorn knew he could not dwell there in peace. He knew all the paths that he trod, through wilderness, through war, were leading him to his one ordained future. But he did not want to take those final steps...
He did not know whether he could face the darkness and overcome it.
I'm hungry, weary. But I cannot lay me down.
The rain comes, dreary. But there's no shelter I have found.
It will be a long time till I find my abode.
Here I am, on Man's road.
Walking man's road.
And all the long years of his life had passed, and now, finally, the time had come. Darkness was filling the land once more. The world of men was weak, ready to fall and they needed their leader. But was their leader ready to raise his standard and take up the quarrel with the foe? So many seasons he had walked the roads of the Ranger. Now he must walk the road of the king.
He must walk a Man's road.
Moon rising, disguising lonely streets in gay displays
The stars fade, the nightshade falling makes the world afraid.
It waits in silence for the sky to explode.
Here I am on Man's road.
Walking man's road.