Chapter 4 - Old Love
The next day, Alana, determined to forget her pain, had begun to practice with her sword again.
"Pay attention Alana!" Bergil's voice broke through her reverie. "You usually beat me every time we practice. Now I know what is wrong, but you can't let it interfere with your entire life."
"I know, I know." She sighed. "It won't happen again mother." She added laughing.
"It's good to see you smiling again." Bergil said as he laughed. "Now let's get to it. Maybe I can improve that ugly face of yours a little."
"That's it! No Mercy!" She yelled charging at him. She caught him off guard and he fell into the lake behind him. "Oops. My mistake." She said smirking "Let me help you." She held out her hand to help him, and he pulled her in too.
"That looks like fun." Merry said as he looked up from his food. "What do you say you two? Should we join them?"
"What do you think?" Said Pippin smirking. He grabbed a bucket from the well and filled it with water from the lake. "Alana." He said and as she turned around, he soaked her.
"That's it! You're in for it now." She said, with a mouthful of water. She pulled him in and they spent the next part of an hour soaking each other, and Sam, who stayed on the shore watching and laughing.
They finally went back to the house, when Neera came out to scold them for being stupid. She ushered them inside to get dry. "I can't believe you could get soaking wet like that." She scolded. "Now get inside right this instant."
Alana chuckled as she dressed in a fawn-coloured tunic and leggings. She had been able to forget her cares for a little while. She smiled; she could always count on Bergil and the hobbits to make her laugh, when she needed it. Now she needed a walk, she had a feeling that something was about to happen, and something drew her to the gardens.
She made her way down to the gardens at the western end of Rivendell. The day was just turning to evening, her favourite time. She stopped next to a beautiful fountain. It was enchanted she was sure of it, the water turned blue, green and red as it fell tinkling into a carved, stone basin.
"I will not leave without you." A voice whispered in her head, a memory.
"I will not leave Rivendell Alana. The answer is no."
Crying. "I cannot, will not leave without you."
"Then you will stay?" There was hope in his voice.
There had been anger in her voice then. "You know I will not. If you won't come with me, then I will leave you here. Alone." She had walked off then, and never looked back. Ever. "Until now," She whispered to herself, "until now.
"Times change Alana, times change." A voice said behind her.
"Aragorn!" She exclaimed. Times certainly did change, he was more handsome every time that she laid eyes on him.
"I have never stopped thinking about you since that day." He said softly. "I love Arwen, but there will always be a place in my heart for you. No one can replace you, ever. Remember that."
"So much happened between us, how can you just forget. How could you fall in love with someone else? You knew that I loved you." She said, a trace of anger in her voice.
"I loved you too, I still do, just not the way that you want me to. I'm sorry. Things can never go back to the way they were, you know that Alana."
"Maybe, but I just want you to know that you broke my heart. No amount of apologies can change that, but for once in my life, I am not going to dwell in the past. I will look to my future. Shall we be friends now Estel?" She said, a small smile lighting her face. Estel was the name given to him by Elrond when he first arrived in Rivendell. It meant 'Hope', and Alana always called him by that name.
He smiled back. "We shall. Now are you going to take me up to the house so that I can greet my friends?" He offered her his arm and she took it.
"Of course. Let's go." She smiled warmly at him and they walked to the house.
Neera gasped in astonishment as she saw Alana walk in with Aragorn. "My lord." She said. "We expected you days ago. What has delayed you so much?"
"I apologise for being so late my good Neera, I had business to attend to in Lothlorien." He answered.
"My lord!" Cried Bergil, as he entered the main hall. "I have urgent news for you. I apologise if I speak out of turn lord, but you have tarried too long on your journey sire. My messengers reported that a large band of Orcs and Goblins has crossed the Great River and are headed toward the misty mountains, but this is not the worst news sir."
"Then tell me what can be worse." Aragorn said urgently.
"The one who led them was The mouth of Sauron." Everyone gasped.