A/N: This will be sort of reminiscent of the end of Return of the King when Aragorn sees Arwen for the first time after being away. I liked how they did that, though there shouldn't have been the crying, disbelief and everything… they knew they would be together, there was no thinking that Arwen left to go to Valinor. Anyway, I am borrowing the scene, credit of PJ.
This story is rapidly coming to a close, and there are only a few more chapters to go, and as a holiday gift to you all,I promise to have it all finished by Christmas. Or perhaps it is not necessarily a gift... you might not be happy that this figment of your imagination is ending. ;-)
I do have the new story called Surreneder that I will be working on when this story is over with, so if you like a good AU Haldir romance, then that's the route for you. Thank you reviewers.
Chapter 24- Gondor: Apparitions
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38 Laer 3019 of the Third Age
Eight days after the wedding of Aragorn to Arwen
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Silaerín had no idea how they did it, but they arrived in Gondor in thirty days, taking the route through Enedwaith. They took only eight days to travel through the many cities of Gondor, toward Minas Tirith on the eastern side of the realm, with relative anonymity that there were travelers heading for the great city. She was not able to contain herself the entire trip, not necessarily because she would see Elladan (as a matter of fact, that actually brought her down a slight bit), but it was the fact that her father had finally seen enough errors in his ways and gave up his long lasting battle trying to tie her down in one place.
And as they now entered through the Great Gate, she was overcome by the beauty of the white stone of Minas Tirith. However, she could not keep her mind on the beauty now, her mind reeling as it tried desperately to decide how she was going to face Elladan when she saw him again. It would take all of her strength not to run to him and throw her arms about him; Elladan was the one who would have to set the preference for the way they were to greet each other. He was the puzzle that caused this trouble so long ago, and only he knew what really was going through his mind. By now he should have received the portion of the letter she had written for Arwen, so he would know how she felt. Yes, she would leave it up to him, and wait to find out his reaction before she did or said anything to him.
People crowded as they rode up the many levels of stairs. She could only imagine what it must have been like to see the party from Imladris to arrive in Minas Tirith, with so many great lords and ladies. Now to see her grandfather, father and brother with a few of the other guards from Mithlond must have been another great treat for them. They rode to the sixth level where they were directed to the stables. Many stewards and maids came out to take their things up to the next level, but they were ushered quickly up to the seventh level and into the great courtyard of the Citadel. But they did not stop there, and were pushed past the large doors of the building and into the meeting hall. There were a few people, probably high ranking in the courts of Gondor, mingling about, who all looked at them curiously.
Silaerín wondered where everyone was. Surely they would know by now of their arrival into the city… there were scouts two days ago that they had spotted watching them to take news back to the city. Her wondering was answered shortly, though, when a side door flew open and banged loudly against a wall, startling everyone. That was when Arwen came walking swiftly for them, directing and snipping at a few of her maids as she went, ordering them to go prepare chambers and baths for their guests. When the maids were dismissed, Arwen took the last few long strides toward them, pulling Silaerín into a long embrace before they could even say anything to each other.
"I thank Elbereth that you are here!" Arwen exclaimed, pulling back. "What of Aman?"
Silaerín smiled meekly, "I felt there were other issues I should see to before I even thought of leaving."
Arwen smiled, "And I would agree, but we will discuss that and other things later. My husband and all of the other males of my family are detained in a battle of wits and skill out in the practice ring for the moment, so if you all would like to freshen yourselves, you are more than welcome to."
Realizing she had neglected the other members of her party, Arwen turned to Círdan and bowed slightly. "The servants will show you to your chambers, and I will escort Silaerín."
Without waiting a moment longer, Arwen linked her arm with Silaerín's and pulled her in the direction she originally came from. "Do the others not know of our travel here? I would have at least hoped if they knew they would be here to greet me."
"Aragorn knows," Arwen replied. "I asked him not to tell anyone, because of Elladan. Though I am sure that my grandmother at least knows of this."
Silaerín nodded her head, and let out a one calming sigh. "Good."
They walked along the halls for what seemed like and age, finally coming to a large pair of doors. Arwen paused before opening them, "Since your letter, my brother has been anything but happy. As matter of fact, doom and gloom seem to come to my mind. He misses you dreadfully, Silaerín, even though he has been too foolhardy to admit that until now."
Silaerín felt her heart skip a beat for a moment, hearing those words from Arwen. Perhaps there was still a chance for a life together with him. She smiled, "That brings a slight amount of comfort to the worries I had for making this trip."
"I am very grateful for the one who talked you into this," she said.
"It was Bainon," Silaerín replied. "He told me that I should do this, because no one would ever be able to fill the gaps Elladan left behind."
Arwen smiled, "Then he is wise, and if he were here I would thank him for realizing that there was a love that should have never ended between my brother and my friend."
"It never ended, Arwen. It was only temporarily forgotten," she said quietly. For the first time Silaerín noticed the gold crown on Arwen's head, and stepped back to look at it. In a jesting manner, Silaerín curtsied, "My queen."
The queen chuckled, "Do not start with that. I am the Queen of Men, now. But should everything should go to plan, you, my dear friend, will be Queen of the Elves still in Arda after my grandmother's departure."
Silaerín chuckled, "While I like the distinction, you will still hold both titles, no matter what choice you have made."
"We shall see about that," Arwen replied, now opening the door to the massive bed chamber. They stepped inside to find two maids running about, one taking care of her clothes and one going into the side room, probably preparing a bath. Each of the maids stopped quickly, and bowed their heads for a short moment, uttering proprieties to their queen. Arwen turned to her then, "I must go disband my ladies so they do not gossip too much. In the meanwhile, my maids will help you with your bath."
"Thank you, Arwen," Silaerín replied as she escaped out the door. She chuckled to herself. Arwen was fitting nicely as the curator of this house, and also as queen to these people. Silaerín always knew Arwen had a domineering side, it just waited until now to show it's face.
The maids directed her to the bathing chamber, and helped her with her clothes. They directed her to sit in the warm bath, and left her in peace for what seemed like only a moment, though she knew it was for quite a while. This bath felt very lovely after riding for a month, and she debated on not leaving it. However, the thought of Elladan changed her mind promptly. Stepping out of the bath, the maids buzzed about her, wrapping her in a drying cloth and going about preparing her gown. Soon she was dressed in one of the nicest gowns she had brought with her, and wondered if that had been Arwen's choice, and the maids were working diligently at drying her hair so that they could place her circlet upon her head. And that was before they went to make up.
Arwen walked in then, when she was being shoved from the dressing table stool. Silaerín's eyes were rolling at this dizzying pace, and Arwen laughed, "Aye, everything goes quickly around here, Silaerín. It is more than just their short lives that go quickly."
"But they are very helpful," Silaerín said and sighed. "Well, mellon, it is now or never."
The queen smiled softly, and linked her arm with Silaerín's again, "Let me lead you to the field. I cannot wait for you to meet Aragorn."
"Let me first see how Elladan is going to react to me being here, though I look forward to meeting Aragorn," she replied and glanced at Arwen quickly.
"Aye, you are correct," Arwen nodded and showed her out of the room and through more winding staircases. Finally they made it to a promenade that stretched around the side of the building, probably in the back of the Citadel, though her bearings were still not very good within this huge palace. In the distance there was the metallic clash of swords and shouts, followed by clapping and laughing at something. Well, it seemed that they were in good spirits. She just hoped Elladan was one of those laughing.
As they rounded a corner, though, she could see that it was Elladan and Elrohir who were engaged in their eternal battle of trying to best one or the other with skills with the sword. It was hopeless to think that either of them would ever be able to call themselves winner when in battle with each other, but they stilled loved to duel it would with each other whenever they were given the chance. Perhaps it was the thing that allowed them to stay so close; their fighting with each other gave them the opportunity to work out their differences.
To the side of the field sat Elrond, Glorfindel, Erestor with Celeborn and Galadriel. Standing in such a way to see them as she and Arwen made their ascent of the small practice area, was the ever handsome Legolas and a man of tall stature, complete with dark hair and dark beard. He looked kingly and of the greatest honor, standing as he was, straight-backed with a prideful expression on his face. His eyes turned to them for a moment, and smiled slightly more. She glanced at Arwen and chuckled at her utterly complacent look, "He is handsome for a man."
Arwen giggled and nodded, "He is, but I love him for other reasons as well."
"I would hope so," Silaerín said, noticing now that Legolas' surprised eyes were on her.
The twins were still busy, trying to hurt each other, until one glanced in their direction quickly. She knew it was Elrohir, but he thought nothing of it and went back to parry a blow from Elladan whose back was still turned away from her. But after that parry, Elrohir snapped his head back in their direction, finally connecting things in his brain. That one moment of indiscretion, though, allowed Elladan an advantage as he quickly swiped his sword at his brother's mid section. Elrohir moved out of the way, but tripped, and stumbled to the ground. He did a quick somersault to try to right himself, but Elladan was already there holding a blade to his neck and smiling.
It was completely surprising to everyone there that one of them actually had won the fight, but Galadriel turned her head to the side, a knowing smile on her face. Celeborn soon followed and sighed in a relieved fashion, Silaerín sure Galadriel had spoken to him through their telepathy with each other. Elladan was still baiting Elrohir, to see if he was going to try anything to try to turn the tables on the fight, and Galadriel stood.
She met them halfway, and Silaerín curtsied to her, "My lady."
Galadriel sighed, and smiled, "You are late. I thought that you actually sailed to Valinor."
"I am sorry, my lady," Silaerín replied.
"At least you realized there was some wisdom in what I told you at your betrothal," she said quietly.
Silaerín glanced at the others, now standing quickly. Elrond had a particularly relieved smile on his face, but she noticed that an odd silence had fallen among the others. She took in a calming breath and turned her eyes to the twins. Elrohir was brushing his clothes of the grass, and Elladan stood completely still, looking at her as though he could not understand what was going on. His eyes were a menagerie of things she could not even begin to decipher, but she hoped one of the emotions encapsulated in his expressive grey eyes was that of love. And then he dropped his sword to the ground, having not yet sheathed it, and strode quickly to stand before her.
His right hand reached out to her, cupping and brushing his thumb across her cheek. She held his gaze, and he said, "What are you doing here? You are not supposed to be here."
"I had to come, Elladan. I could not leave without seeing you one last time, and telling you I love you in person," she said quietly, hearing and feeling the emotions going through him. And then she said, only partly jokingly, "But I can leave if you like."
He grabbed onto her quickly, making sure she could not move, "Do not ever leave my side again."
"That works both ways," she replied.
"I do not plan on ever being so brainless again, Silaerín," he said, and before she could comment, he leaned over and kissed her fully on the lips, tightening his grip around her. "I am so sorry for the wrongs I have made."
Silaerín smiled slightly, "I can tell that."
Elladan kissed her again, "I love you, Silaerín. I never stopped loving you, I only thought it was the right thing to do."
"It is easier to forgive and forget than it is to continue brining it up," she replied. "Let us put this behind us and start back to where we were before all of this came to pass between us."
"Aye," he said quietly.
Silaerín threw her arms about his neck, and pulled his head down so that she could meet his lips. The kiss ended, both in need for a bit of air, and she giggled, saying against his lips, "I love you, Elladan."
They stayed in this embrace for what seemed only a fleeting moment, when there was someone clearing their throat close to them. They turned at the sound, finding Elrohir there, holding Elladan's sword. "You dropped this…"
Elladan chuckled and took the sword, Elrohir quickly grabbing her up into a long embrace. The twin sighed, "I have missed you, Silaerín."
"As I have missed you," she said, placing a kiss upon his cheek.
She was thrown about then, being greeted by the others and ended in front of Elrond. The peredhel smiled and instead of his customary bow, he also took her into his arms, and placed a kiss on her brow, "I am glad you chose to stay, Silaerín."
"As am I," she said.
"Elladan would have made another foolish decision if you had gone, and I am more than relieved he will not," Elrond smiled.
Silaerín chuckled and sighed, "So he has not yet made his choice?"
"Nay," Elrond replied quietly, and pulled away from her. "I do not believe you have met the last member of our family."
"I have not," Silaerín smiled, turning her eyes to the man beside Elrond.
"Then may I introduce to you to Elessar Telcontar, King of the Reunited Kingdom," Elrond announced proudly. "More commonly known to us as Estel or Aragorn."
Silaerín curtsied lowly, and said, "My lord."
When she rose from her curtsy, he took her hand and kissed the back of it. His smile widened, "So you are the elleth I have heard so much about from my brothers and many others."
"I hope I am the one," she replied.
"They have spoken of you a great deal," he nodded. "So has my wife, and I am very glad to finally meet you."
"Likewise," Silaerín said.
Aragorn smiled and stepped back from her, looking around at everyone, "Tonight we will feast on this occasion, but now we should retire to prepare."
The others agreed to that, and slowly began to depart the small field. Elladan joined her side and offered his arm to her, "May I escort you to your chamber?"
"I would love you to, if I knew where it was," she said with a small, embarrassed chuckle.
He laughed, and Arwen walked by then to join Aragorn. She smiled slyly and said, "Her chambers are the ones across from yours Elladan."
Silaerín laughed at that, "Mellon, you are lucky the reunion went so well."
Arwen shrugged her shoulders, "I knew it was going to go well. As I said earlier, since your letter he had not been the most pleasant ellon. Any visit from you would lift his spirits."
"Would you be?" he questioned, and moved them toward the promenade to take her back to the chambers. He waited until they were out of hearing distance and stopped to look down at her, "Something just occurred to me. Arwen spoke of something with Bainon… you should not have come here if it meant hurting another."
"Elladan, I was not in love with him, and he knew that. He is the one that told me to come here," Silaerín replied. "It was more a pleasant dalliance to keep my mind off of you."
"You were involved…" he trailed off.
"Nay, in dalliance I strictly mean diversion," she said.
Elladan smiled slightly, and let out a long, heavy sigh. He closed his eyes for a few moments and swallowed harshly, and said, "I do not deserve this forgiveness, Silaerín."
"Perhaps you do not, but as I said. It is much easier to forgive and forget than it is to live in a life where you feel like you deserve nothing else pleasant because of the wrongs you have committed in your past," Silaerín explained.
"But I feel as though I am unworthy of you, no matter how much I try to forget my past," he said. "I have never felt worthy of you… you could do so much better than me."
Silaerín reached up and brushed some of the hair that had fallen in his eyes back, and said, "No I could not, Elladan. The only person who could even equal you is Elrohir, but there is no else like you."
He sighed again and leaned over her, pulling her close and into a long kiss. Elladan pulled away and smiled, "My lady, I shall say this once more. I am sorry, and I will make it my new mission to try to make it up to you."
"That could possibly be to my advantage," she chuckled.
"Shall we again become betrothed?" he questioned.
Silaerín raised an annoyed brow, "I have not waited for more than one thousand years in this purgatory to again become betrothed, Elladan. I think everyone will expect us to marry quickly now. Perhaps even this eve?"
"I have no rings," he said.
"You should not need to worry about that," she smiled. "My father traveled with my grandfather, brother and me… he has my mother's and his rings."
"Your father is here?" he questioned.
She nodded, "I stood up to him, and told him I was traveling here with or without him. And I believe he had finally realized this is not some farce, and that I truly love you. However, he will probably will still give you the chagrined looks he is so good at."
Elladan smiled brightly, "I am proud of you, then, meleth. And I would expect nothing less, but you do deserve an entire day devoted to this."
"I would not wish for all that attention. Have you ever known me to like that much attention?" she questioned.
"No," he replied. "But it is a marriage."
"Then we shall celebrate it when we return to Imladris," she said with a smile.
Elladan kissed her again, "I shall speak to Aragorn about doing this during the feast."
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mellon- friend
meleth- love