Thank you all who reviewed!
Malethwen: hey there thanks hun, damn right he'll make a good father!
The True Evenstar: Sorry! Hope this one is longer!
Grumpy: Ahh well we won't know that just yet, but I can tell you that Aragorn will open the box in next chappie.
aimz-246: Why thank you! Will try to update as fast as I can. Hope this chap was worth the wait!
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Viviana: Thank you sooo much!
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AN: Talvereth is just a name I made up. I've never heard of it so if it is a proper LotR name I'm sorry. He's just a soldier who guards the borders of Gondor. Like a Ranger I guess. The Dunlendings were enemies of Gondorian Kings, and others, but are allies with the Haradrim (sometimes) and others. For my story, I'm going to use the Dunlendings (even though I think they are dead during the Third Age) along with Easterlings and maybe Haradrim. Just to let you know. Apologies if anything is wrong. Oh and incase anything is confusing about Aragorn's and Arwen's whereabouts, they are passing through the pass between the White Mountains and the Western side of Mordor. Look at a map if you don't get it.
Two weeks passed and Aragorn and Arwen came into the land of Gondor, near to Ithilien. As they drew further into Gondor, soldiers dressed in shining Gondorian armour began to spring out from the trees and bushes, armed with swords and bows.
They all bowed low when the King and Queen passed, some passing word of how they were so glad that they had returned at long last. Aragorn looked back quizzically to Arwen, who shrugged her shoulders. Where had all the men come from? And why?
As if to answer the question growing in Aragorn's mind, one of the captains stepped forward. He approached Aragorn and bowed low. "Your Highness, it is our humble pleasure to greet you back to Gondor. We had been told of your coming, and so have come to ensure that your arrival goes unhindered." He said.
Aragorn nodded and smiled, but a thought crossed his mind. "Tell me, why would our journey of been hindered?" he asked the Captain, whose name was Talvereth. He looked around and then whispered "My Lord, I do not wish to worry you but many strange men have been seen wandering around the borders of Gondor. From the look of them, though I have never seen one up close, they are Dunlendings. Rumour has it that they are joining forces with the Easterlings, as there is too few of them left to stage a war on there own."
He paused seeing the look on Aragorn's face. "Why would they want to start a war?" he asked.
"I don't know my lord. They were allies of the Dark Lord, perhaps they come to avenge him. Perhaps they want to take over power. One thing that is certain, they have always hated the Kings of Gondor, and are sworn enemies of Rohan." He looked up to Aragorn, who fell quiet and stared at the ground.
He finally looked up at then across to Arwen. He held her hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze. "Avo 'osto meleth nin. Ortheritham hain. (Don't worry my love. We will defeat them.) Arwen gave a small smile and squeezed his hand in return, but inside she was the most terrified she'd ever been. Images of Aragorn in battle swirled in her mind. And then it struck her. Like a bolt of lightning from the heavens an image flashed in her mind- A tall figure appeared. It was Aragorn. He was riding on a grey horse in a wide open field which looked vaguely like Pelennor, except it was totally deserted. There were no buildings or settlements here. Aragorn was riding slowly along when his expression suddenly changed. His face darkened until it looked like he was in great pain. The next thing she saw was Aragorn in a bed in the Houses of Healing in Minas Tirith.
She gasped out loud, and her face paled. Her hands began to shake slightly as she thought of Galadriel's mirror, and all that she had seen. Aragorn turned around when he heard his wife's sudden intake of breath.
"Arwen? Arwen are you alright?"
Arwen nodded her head and squeezed her horse into motion. Aragorn looked down at Talvereth. "Talvereth how long have these men been passing?"
"For about a month now my Lord. Sometimes there's just a couple, other times there can be a crowd of 'em, with a cart or two."
"Do you know where they are heading?"
"Not exactly. My guess is that they make for Easterling settlements."
Aragorn paused and sighed. "It burdens my heart to come back to this Talvereth. Yet, in my mind I knew that something was stirring, but didn't know what. Thank you for your vigilance. There is one thing I would ask of you though."
"Anything your Highness."
"Post some of you most talented men at the edges of the mountains. Keep a sharp eye for any strange occurrences. I want as much information on this matter as can be found. I will send more men if needed, just send word."
"Yes my Lord, of course." With that Talvereth bowed and walked back to his awaiting men, and back into the shadows of the sparse trees.
Aragorn looked ahead to see Arwen was a long way in front. He got his horse into a steady canter and soon caught up with her. He slowed down and took her hand.
She looked up and smiled, but her eyes were clouded with sadness. Aragorn caught onto this. "Arwen what is wrong?" He brought his horse to a stop and Arwen did the same, albeit reluctantly. "Arwen..."
"Nothing is wrong. I'm just tired. Very tired. I want to get home now." She wasn't lying, she was tired, and she did want to get home. Of course, the fact that Dunlendings were joining forces with Easterlings played heavily on her mind, particularly when it may mean that there would be a battle. This worried her further-a battle would mean a greater chance of her vision coming true. But she wouldn't tell Aragorn that. 'What use would that be?' She thought to herself.
She gently squeezed her horse into a slow trot, and Aragorn halfhearted did the same. He also had many things on his mind. Were the Dunlendings going to stage a war on Gondor? Would he have to take his men into battle through no fault of their own, but to have them destroy another evil, even though Sauron was defeated? Would he have to leave his beloved Arwen, and maybe never return? Many questions needed answering, but they would have to wait until he was home.
Trotting around the mountains to either side of them, glistening flickers of shining silver caught Aragorn's eye many times. Soldiers were spaced out in twos all the way along the mountain side to his right, and a few to his left, as they didn't have many places to hide. Ithilien was fairly close now, but Arwen and Aragorn decided not to stop, but to continue on their way straight home to Minas Tirith.
