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Ch. 10

S.R. 5039, Spring

They lost the beast by crossing a swollen river, and- thankfully- it did not pursue any further. Anarion thanked Eru for the kind blessing.

During the first few days of riding through most of the day and all of the night, Aratan had fallen from barely awake, to completely unconscious. His wound, though wrapped as best as could be done on the road, did not cease it's bleeding, and Anarion was fearing for her nephew'slife.

They were still several days from making it to the borders of Gondor, but it would be a small victory, as they still had to get to Minas Tirith, and that would take several days more.

Aniron was as solemn and silent as stone during the journey, but she always aided her aunt when they stopped to rest themselves and the horses. The young elfling was pale with fright of losing her brother, but she didn't once cry while they were riding or helping Aratan. Though Anarion did hold the weeping Elf-girl in her arms while the injured boy slept.

One the third day, they crossed into Gondor, but that afternoonAratan began to spit up blood, andthe wound in his leg was festering. They didn't have much time.

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S.R. 5039, Summer

When we reached Minas Tirith the gates were opened and Aniron and I raced our exhausted horses up the seven levels of the city to the very top, where the throne hall and the courtyard of the White Tree was.

I shouted at the guards there. "We have an injured boy!" The men raced to us and they took Aratan from my arms. As several of them carried my nephew to the House of Healing I suddenly felt the strain of the past week, and it weighted heavily on me.

I looked over to Aniron, who was pale and she was near faintingas a guard pulled her from her horse's back.

"Milady," I heard, and looked down at my own horse's side, where a familiar face held my gaze; the ranger Faramir, whom I had met once before at Elessar and Arwen's wedding.

At my exhausted appearance it seemed what he was going to askhe hadforgotten, and instead said, "You are very pale, lady. You need rest."

"No, send for the queen. I must see her before I can sleep." I replied, then Faramir nodded and rushed off, as I was pulled from my horse into the arms of two guards.

Now, my mind was working to see Arwen, but my body would not agree. So, I collapsed.

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S.R. 5039, Autumn

Aratan survived, thank Eru, but his leg will forever be weakened. He can still use it, but it can only hold him for several minutes before he falls to his knees or has to lean on his good leg.

Several weeks after he regained enough strength to stand, Arwen, her girls, and Aniron and I took him for a walk about the White Tree courtyard. The petals of the tree were falling now, and the girls found a full one to set in Aratan's hair. He, as a young male, did not tolerate it, and so stuck the flower in his mouth and cause the desired effect; Aniron and Arwen's daughters cried out in disgust, later claiming that the dear dying blooms should not have to go into his nasty throat.

As Aratan grew tired Arwen and I set him on the bench beneath the White Tree. Though my nephew was young, he was definitely a flatter. He instantly loved Arwen's daughters like his own dear sister, and the five of them were inseparable, even though he was the only boy in a group of four girls, including Aniron.

As he began to tell the girls his story of how bravely he ran from the vicious beasts that gave him the wound on his leg, a man appeared with a long bundle under his arm. This was not unusual for anyone coming to the top level, for Elessar dealt with affairs of state everyday, and so we ignored him.

However, when the man saw us, he wandered up, and bowed to Arwen and myself. "My queen, my lady," he had said to us and kneeled. He held out the bundle under his arm, and extended it to me.

"King Elessar spoke to me several days ago, and asked if I would make this for your nephew, lady." he had said, and I took the cloth-wrapped object from his hands. It was fairly long, and I wondered what it could be.

"Thank you," I said, "but my nephew, Aratan, is here. I would have him give you his thanks in person."

The man nodded and Arwen bade him to stand. He seemed fidgety to me, and I was curious about it. Later I learned that men and women were awed by Arwen's beauty, for though she gave her immortality to live with Elessar, she had not aged a day, save for her eyes, asnd thus mortals, usually men, were nervous around her.

My nephew hobbled forward, using Aniron to lean on for support, and looked up at the man. "The king asked you to make this?" he asked, as I handed him the bundle.

"Yes, young master," the man said, "he believed it would come in handy."

Aratan, curious to a fault, nearly tore at the package, and once the cloth was gone, he stared in awe at the long white walking stick. It had Gondorian designs yes, but he loved it the first moment he saw it.

Aratan looked up with tear-filling eyes, and bowed his head to the man before him. "Thank you, sir. This means much to me."

After that, Aratan was winning footraces with his sister and cousins- as we called Arwen's children- and he had to never use help from anyone again. It was as if his pride was returned. And also after that day he was as unruly as ever once again.

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S.R. 5040, Winter, near Spring. The New Year has passed.

The builder of the ship in Ithilien is coming to visit Elessar soon, for I am told they are old friends. I suppose I should speak to him- the shipbuilder- so myself andthe twinsare familiar with him when we leave Gondor for Ithilien.

Aratan has been getting rather tedious of late. Several months ago he was content to play with the young boys. But now that his leg is much stronger, he wishes to train with the men.

When I asked him what he would train for, I felt stupid that the answer had been clear as day: he wanted to train in fighting. I instantly recoiled from the idea and said no. Though he argued passionately with me, I would not be moved, so he stormed out of the room in a in a black mood.

After days of him not speaking to me, I asked Arwen what she thought. And like her father, she gave good counsel. "Our son, Eldarion, went through the same stage as Aratan is now entering." she said, as we walked through the Great Hall where Elessar's throne sat.

"Eldarion, too, felt the need to prove himself, and that is exactly what Aratan is doing now. The boy wishes to do things for himself, as we have very well seen him do. I understand your disagreement with such a thing happening. You worry for him constantly, Anarion, yet he does not to be sheltered under your wing any longer."

Now she stopped walking and turned me. "Rethink your quick decision, Anarion. You do not want him fighting and have the possibility open that he may hurt himself, but think about his pride. It is very sensitive." she finished, and said goodbye, for she needed to find her husband.

I did rethink my decision, and that night I told Aratan that he may train with the men, so long as he was careful.

Aniron has surprised me, for she wishes to learn to play an instrument like I can my old harp, which I play at night and sometimes at midday. I told her that was fine, and we searched for an instrument for her to play.

Suddenly I remembered Anariel's flute, and so I rushed to my room and dug through the chest at the end of my bed. I tossed aside clothing, and books, and near the bottom, I caught sight of the metal instrument.

The flute sat on an envelope, and I recognized it as the one Anariel had given to me the night she died so many years ago. I had never read it.

My interest peaked, I took the flute and set it on the bed to later give to Aniron, and I opened the old package. The paper inside was yellow with age, but otherwise it was in good condition.

I pulled the parchment out and this is what I read:

To my sister, Anarion,

This is my will, and last word of what I have left to say to the world and to you. In this envelope you will find what Elanwë gave me before we left our first home. It is mother's will, and in it you shall read that she left the house to us.

I implore you to return there, sister. I understand how bitter you are about never knowing our parents, and I am sorry Iknew when you could not. But please, I believe you will find some of our lineage there, and what it means to be a daughter of Gil-Galad. You remember how we kept our true names secret from everyone save few? Keep it a secret no longer sister. I realize you would never rush down the streets of Imladris screaming that you are the daughter of an old king, but let whoever asks know…

I couldn't read anymore, for I was crying and laughing until my sides hurt at my dear sister's accurate predictions and the hilarious image she had created of my screaming that I was a daughter of a dead king. However, even if I did scream at all in Imladris, she would not have been there screaming with me, and no one would have heard anyway, for all were gone from that place, save Elrond, Elrohir, and Celeborn. How I miss her dear humor and bright company. I felt ashamed thatI was such a bore and melencholy companion, and I shall regret it for the remainder of my life.