AN: I'm sorry for the lateness of this chapter everyone! I started classes today at school, with a Microbiology Lab at 8:30AM. Great class, though, and the lad was a good time. Extremely nerve wracking but a good time. I'm going to have to pick a new update day since I have an early lab this semester. I promise, though, I'm going to keep updated. This stuff keeps me sane when the semester gets really crazy. I also started dance classes today! After an entire summer, it's one of the best feelings in the world to put on tap shoes or jazz sneakers and get down to dancing. I don't start ballet until Saturday, though, but that's worth the wait! Ballet is, probably my favorite class out of all the dance classes I've ever taken. I'm hoping all of you, my always wonderful reviewers, are going to be of great help to me this semester. I'm taking creative writing and I'm using whatever advice all of you have given me to help improve my writing skills. Please keep those reviews coming!
pixie88: Hi there! I hope your move went well and your classes are going well too! She's going to find someone to tell everything to…eventually. I'm glad you like the whole martial arts part. I was afraid that it wasn't going to work out. You are right, her martial arts is somewhat like Emma's dancing. They're both things that have shaped them and have made them who they are. I'm glad you liked the chapter and I apologize for the shoddy grammar. If I recall correctly, I was writing this chapter at about 3:30AM.
Ms. Unknown: You're very welcome! Here's the next part and, again, I apologize for it being late. I'm going to try my best not to make that happen again.
IrethAncalime3791: And thank you, as always. No matter how many times I say it I have to say it one more time: You reviewers are the best and make putting this story up worthwhile. You shall see who is waiting in the shadows and what he/she/it is going to do to the folks waiting. The conversation you want is also coming up. Elrond's confronted nearly everyone else related to Niphredil, save Aragorn. He's going to have something to say to the resident king. Again, I'm glad you like this story!
sunni07: It's quite alright. I hope everything sorted out with you on your side. I'm quite glad you liked the two chapters and here's the next one. Albeit, a late one but it's up nonetheless.
LJP: Niphredil will find herself a love interest once she figures out just what she wants to do in Middle Earth. I already have one in mind for her, actually. I just have to get there, first. She may yet do some comparing of Elrond to Agent Smith, since she knows about the movie character. As for the person waiting off in the wings, well, that's going to be revealed quite soon! Very soon, actually. She'll also get to meet Lady Galadriel in order to have some…things…explained to her.
(Estel- elvish word for "hope," also Aragorn's name when he was being raised in Rivendell)
Disclaimer: I own nothing except for a handful of made up characters. Tolkien thought up the concept and, as such, it belongs to him. I'm just playing in his world. I'm broke and in college. All I own are Pointe Shoes.
She opened her mouth to say something but Elrond silenced her with a glance. He, too, had noticed the movement on the edge of his vision. The figure did not seem a threat but one could never be sure. There were things one could never discern from mere appearance.
Though the citadel was well guarded, not just with mortal guards but with a cadre of elven rangers lead by an ancient elf- No one was quite sure how old he was and he was not keen on telling anyone anytime soon- who designated himself as Captain. It was under his leadership that Ice and Fire worked, though Ice had all the markings of a leader herself. She preferred being a tactician, working out careful plans for a small strike team of elves she had come to befriend.
"We see you," Niphredil called, "and your skulking about over there is none to comforting. Have you been listening to our conversations?"
No sooner had the words left her mouths, Niphredil regretted them.
Looking none to pleased with her role as a simple page was Fire. As her name indicated, a wave of preverbal fire- whatever emotion that was supposed represent be it anger or something else- passed through the grayish eyes of the light haired elven female. She had taken offense to Niphredil's comments. Most keenly to the one that called into question her honor. She had not been listening to their conversation, despite what Niphredil stated.
With a almost pleading look, Niphredil stared at the other entrances. She was hoping to spot the one person- Elf? - that could temper Fire's rage. That being her sister and the holder of a higher rank, Ice.
Her search was in vain however. Ice was no where to be seen. She would have to face the wrath of Fire on her one.
"Not on my own," she, suddenly, realized as she caught the stern look that had fallen over Elrond's features.
"You have something to say, Fire," he said, standing up and taking a regal looking stance, "Deliver your message and be done with it. Then you can return to your sister or to Captain or to whomever you desire."
Despite the fact both his tone and posture frightened Niphredil slightly, Fire refused to quail. She stared Elrond in the eyes, defiance pained all over her face, almost like some sort of odd mask. She wanted to show him what she was not afraid and was an elven maiden to be reckoned with. It was in her nature to want to appear tougher than she really was.
"You are wanted in Lord Aragorn's study, sir," she snapped, "he respectfully requests to speak with you as soon as you are able or as soon as possible. I am not quite sure which term he used, sir."
Elrond seemed slightly amused by Fire's message, his posture changing ever so slightly revealed that much. It was quickly covered over, though, with well practiced skill. It seemed he expected some vagueness in Fire's message. Some purposeful way to get her "revenge" after she had been "dishonored."
"My child, I will speak with you again. I am very interested in this 'martial arts' you spoke of and I wish to see some type of demonstration. Perhaps a test of skills against you and Lady Fire, someday," Elrond said, turning to Niphredil.
Thinking it the best idea, she gave him another bow and smiled.
"I was very pleased to meet you, sir, and I will give that decision you presented me with some serious thought. I promise I will not take too long," she stated, giving him a thoughtful look.
The decision she was being asked to make had not entered into her mind for sometime. Now that she had mentioned it again, even in passing as she had, it started to play on her mind again. Her mood fell and her expressional visibly darkened. It was not a decision to be made lightly, that much she knew.
Seeing the change, Elrond, in an almost undertone, said, "Do not think on it too much today. Enjoy the day. There will come a time for decision making but it is not today."
Niphredil looked confused but managed a nod. That sounded like some type of foresight to her. As if he knew whether or not she was going to be making any major decisions in the very near future. It sounded like sound advice, though, and she was determined to take it.
It was a day to enjoy just being alive and part of the world. Something she was quickly learning came easily when one was happy. In the other world her happy times came only when she was in the company of her scant few friends or her Tae Kwan Do class. Here, though, it seemed to be a pleasure just being alive. Everyday was a new day to learn something about herself or her new home. Even with that much, she was content. It helped to be surrounded, mostly, by people who actually wanted here there. That, in and of itself, was a weird feeling.
"I will try, sir, I really will," she assured Elrond.
After exchanging another round of farewells, the two parted company, Elrond taking the rather annoyed looking Fire down to the study with him. I would not suit to leave the angry elven maiden- nay, warrior- with Niphredil lest tempers flared again.
Large doors, massive carved creations with almost as large shining knobs, separated Aragorn's study from the hustle and bustled of everyday life. They were imposing, almost as imposing as the man working on the other side of them. Imposing to anyone who was not friend or family to the king in any case.
"I will take my leave," Fire spat, bowing her way out of the hall.
Where she went, Elrond failed to note, as said doors opened with an audible creak. Silent as a shadow, moving with the silent speed all elves moved with, he entered the vast room.
It took a full minute before Aragorn and Elrond even acknowledged each others presence.
"My Lord Elrond," Aragorn said, rising from his desk and whatever work he had been doing, "forgive me for I did not see you standing there. I am afraid you have caught me somewhat off guard. I was not expecting you until much later. Things turned ill?"
"Sit, please. Do not be so formal. I am here to visit my family, not the King of Gondor," Elrond reprimanded with a slight laugh, "the only thing that turned ill was the messenger you sent. Fire does not take to doing anything she sees as underneath her well, I take it."
It was Aragorn's turn to laugh as he gestured for Elrond to take a seat on the other side of the large desk he was working at. Pieces of parchment and other items were quickly piled away, leaving just a blank expanse between the two men.
Two who were so alike yet unlike. Both were Lords of their respective lands and were held in high regard by the people under them. They were good rulers, offering aid and bringing hope to their kingdoms. They were battle tested, hardened like diamonds in the heat of battle, forged like steel. Warriors they were, fighting for what was a common cause---to rid Middle Earth of evil once and for all.
Both were now family men, wives and children depended on them.
Of course, Elrond's children were grown- adults in their own right- where Aragorn's daughter was still very much a child and saw Middle Earth as such. True too was the fact that Aragorn's wife was still with him. Elrond's had departed Westward, never to touch the shores of Middle Earth again, ages ago.
The glaring difference between the elven lord and the human king was that they did not see each other as equals or even rivals. Forevermore they would be linked as father and son.
"Fire is like that," he commented, "she was the only one I could locate in order to act as a messenger. It seems all of my pages have taken their leave for the day."
For a few heartbeats, the room was silent and a strange tension filled the room. There was something that needed to be said but either man was afraid of saying it.
"You did not call me here to talk about pages and Fire. This has nothing to do with them and everything to do with your daughter, does it not," Elrond stated, saying what needed to be said.
"Aye, that it does," Aragorn agreed, "I wanted to know how things went with her. Your feelings towards her or her parents, perhaps."
That was the crux of the matter, the heart of the problem. Aragorn wanted to know if his esteem in his foster-father's eyes had fallen. That he, who was thought of as a father, saw him in an ill favored light now that he learned of his actions. His breaking of the mandate that had been set down for him all those long years ago.
"Estel, you know I must be angry with you. I set down that mandate for your own good. This was your destiny," Elrond stated, making an expansive gesture not to indicating the room they sat in but the kingdom Aragon ruled, "You broke an agreement that should have never been breached. I would call you to task for 'dishonoring' my daughter by your actions if the situation was different. If I had found out of your actions sooner, I would have never allowed you to marry my Arwen. I would have had her sail West no matter how much hope she had in you. No matter how much she loved you."
He sighed, anger spent, for he could not undo what had been done. There was no one in Middle Earth who could such a thing. It was unheard of, like bringing back the dead.
"I can not change the past, though. Your actions, no matter how embarrassing they may be, can not be taken back. I do not begrudge your daughter- nor would I ever for she is my kin and had no choice in the matter- but I am hurt. That hurt will heal, though it will take sometime. I expect you will do an admirable job of raising her no matter what choice she makes," the elven lord finished.
He waited, watching Aragorn process the information he had just learned. Behind the king's eyes, he could see ideas forming and being discarded. Thoughts were jumbled up and put together in more or less coherent orders. If the situation had been different, it might have been amusing. Not with this topic, though. Not with so much on the line.
"I am glad you feel that way. Your anger is a comfort to me for I would not have my actions be accepted in such an easy way. I broke a most important decree and, for that, I deserve your anger. In equal measure, though, I appreciate that you harbor no ill will for my daughter. It is true; she was given no choice in this matter. I hope, in time, your anger will heal, if you chose to allow it to," Aragorn commented, as his shock abated.
"Choice is always a problem. To make a choice requires you to have both a reason and a purpose. I have both a reason and a purpose to allow my anger to heal, Estel. I cannot harbor life long grudges. Nor would I ever want to," Elrond assured the king.
With the air clear, the room fell strangely silent. A breeze rushed through, oddly enough. A sigh, maybe, that the air had truly been cleansed between the pair. The old, stale air pushed away to allow new, sweet air to enter the space.
"You have told Niphredil of her choice?" Aragorn questioned, almost tentative in his delivery.
"I have. It is truly terrible for someone so young to have to make such a decision. There is nothing we can do about it, though. She will have to decide in order for me to decide what it to become of me," Elrond answered.
"I only hope she is ready to make such a decision. The implications are something she may not be able to fathom at her young age with too short a time in her true home," Aragorn worried.
"She is ready to make such a decision. It is on par with the one she made to come here. To leave everything she had ever known, no matter how evil and vile it was, and to come to a strange place with no friends and only a spider's thread thin link to a family she'd never known. She is mature enough to understand the implications of whatever she choices," the elven lord assured Aragorn.
Even Niphredil's ultimate fate was hidden from his foresight. He could no more guess what choice she was going to make then stop the sun from rising. It was up to her now. To her though processes and her experiences, whatever those may be.
That seemed to reassure Aragorn. For so long, he had come to thinking of Niphredil as a hapless child. For, to the elves, she was just a child with too few winters in her. To the race of men, though, she was nearly grown. Almost ready to strike out and being searching for someone to start a family with.
Though his daughter looked like a child, she had the wisdom of the race of men in her as well. Tough times she had gone though had helped, not hindered her growth. If anything it made her stronger. That gave her father some comfort.
"She will stay here, though," Aragorn wanted to know, "not feels the need to return to the other world and remain there?"
One did not need foresight to guess the answer to that query.
"She may want to pay a visit someday to that world, if only to deal with what she left. I can promise you, though; that she will chose to remain in Middle Earth. Here she has what she's always wanted…a family who wants her as badly as she wants them," Elrond answered.
A content smile crossed Aragorn's face at that news. To know that Niphredil was not going to want to leave his halls was good news indeed.
"Where did you leave Niphredil?" curiously, Aragorn asked.
"I left her standing where we spoke. Is something wrong with that?" Elrond replied.
"There is nothing largely wrong with that. It is just that there are certain people I'd rather not have Niphredil meet along, if you understand me properly," Aragorn commented.
Thinking for a moment, Elrond was inclined to agree. That meeting was something that should happen under the strictest conditions, not randomly. There was a small amount of inherent danger to that. Danger that they could have avoided if not for a small oversight in their plans.