"Sister, what troubles you so?" Eldarion asked concerned as Alcarohtarë pressed a hand to her bosom.

"Tis nothing, Eldarion. Just something I did not expect," she murmured before walking quickly from the room.

Eldarion looked after his sister before turning to Renatus. He pulled the sheet up to cover the elf's body and blew out several of the candles. Motioning for Gimli and Legolas to follow him, Eldarion left the healing room and stood quietly in the hall.

"What do you think Lord Renatus discovered?"

"It must be something to do with the Corsairs for it was their arrow that produced that damage to Renatus," Legolas commented as Gimli nodded.

"Aye, an the elf wasn't in 'es room."

"We can learn nothing of certainty until Renatus awakens. I will assign an apprentice healer to stay with him until he awakens and we may question him. The guards are on high alert until we decide what happens with the Corsairs."

"Have you decided what our next course of action may be, my king?"

"Nay, but I am slowly forming a plan from my readings," Eldarion mused quietly.

"What readings are those?"

"Some things that Renatus gave me," he answered distractedly as he crossed his arms across his chest and stared at the ground.

Legolas raised an elegant eyebrow as Eldarion waved over an apprentice healer. Instructing the healer, Eldarion slowly walked away, still deep in thought. The elf and dwarf stood quietly for a moment as the young healer slipped into the healing ward.

"Now what do we do?" Gimli asked, leaning against his axe.

"Wait until Renatus awakens and discover what happened."

(I)(I)(I)

Alcarohtarë dismissed the apprentice healer and slowly walked closer to the bed where the elf lay unconscious. That small distance never seemed so large to her with the knowledge that weighed heavily on her mind. Everything she saw and felt in the elf's mind was shockingly clear and only one answer came to her mind to explain. It wasn't impossible, for it happened to Lord Glorfindel and Gandalf from what she read and remembered from her history lessons. This Lorien elf was her deceased father. Her fingertips softly touched the fair skin of the immortal elf before she jerked her hand back as if she had been burned. The rational part of her was instructing her to be calm and think everything through like a scholar. There must be a reason why he was here and did not tell anyone of who he was. 'Because he does not intend to stay,' the logical part of her brain yelled. There would be a good reason for him to not tell his own son or best friend, she figured and pulled a chair closer to the bed. Dipping a cloth into a bowl of cool water, she gently mopped the elf's forehead. She could feel the heat radiate from his body from his climbing temperature. Looking over the nearby table, she selected several items and dropped them into a bowl in her lap. Pouring in a bit of water, she ground the leaves and berries together to eventually produce a thick paste. Scooping a handful of the paste, she pulled down the sheet covering the elf and rubbed the paste across the top of his chest. A strong, aromatic scent filled the healing ward as Alcarohtarë withdrew her hand and wiped it clean. Renatus breathed deeply and relaxed as the scent wafted around. Alcarohtarë smiled softly and leaned back in her own chair to watch over the other elf.

Several hours later, towards early morning, Alcarohtarë jerked awake from sleep when Renatus shifted and groaned. Standing, she moved to the bed side and gently pressed a hand to the elf's shoulder.

"Lie still or you shall tear your stitches," she murmured as Renatus' eyes fluttered wildly.

Renatus' eyes slowly opened and focused on Alcarohtarë as he grimaced in pain. He breathed shallowly to minimize the pain as the princess smeared a cream across the top of his chest. The strong scent invaded his nose and the pain faded to a manageable level slowly.

"The pain will fade more as the cream works. I learned of the mixture from your books."

Aragorn froze as he heard her words and she watched him. Tears sparkled in her eyes as she looked deeper into the elf's eyes. Aragorn tried to turn away but Alcarohtarë held his gaze and he felt her looking deeper into him. She knew who he really was! Did she tell anyone? Does Eldarion know? Is the king safe?

"Everyone is safe and I have told no one. Your secret is still safe."

"What are you talking of, my lady?"

"I see it in your eyes and when I called you back. You are Aragorn Elessar. I do not know how but you are," she whispered with a smile.

"You are mistake, my lady, I am Renatus of Lorien," he stated and tried to get up.

Pain flared around his abdomen wound and he gasped as he curled around the pain. 'This is not happening,' his mind screamed as he gritted his teeth against the agony. Alcarohtarë pressed a hand to his shoulder to keep him on the bed and pressed a hand to the side of his head. She entered his mind and pressed the pain into a small corner and she knew that she was right. Renatus was her father. Aragorn jerked away from her hand and pressed her away from him before bracing himself to the bed. Alcarohtarë stood up to her full height and her eyes sparkled dangerously as she glared at the silver-haired elf. The air crackled around her as she released a side of her that she rarely released. This side was dangerous and volatile.

"You speak untruthfully, so-called Renatus of Lorien. I see it now every time I look in your eyes and into your soul. It is a blinding light of kingly power and renowned courage that citizens still talk of. I see the same man that I looked up to and thought that no one could ever outdo or out think. I see the King of Gondor that challenged Sauron himself and his armies. A man that faced and led the Cursed Men of the White Mountains, stared a Balrog directly in the eyes and stood against the ultimate evil of Middle-Earth. My father was a man that legends are made of and I believe that you are him reborn. Now tell me, Renatus of Lorien; tell the Princess of the strongest realm in Middle-Earth that she is wrong."

Her speech was punctuated by a soft sound that only their elvish ears could hear. Renatus looked towards the window as his eyes narrowed in thought. He knew that sound but from what? Slowly getting off the bed and moving to the window, he parted the blinds before his eyes grew large.

"Get down!"

He lunged at Alcarohtarë and they both tumbled to the ground as a boulder exploded into the side of the room. Screams exploded from the other tiers as countless other boulders rained down onto the city of Minas Tirith. The horns of warning from the guards blared to warn others of the falling projectiles as the section of the healing ward started to collapse around Aragorn and Alcarohtarë. Stones rained down around them as Aragorn looked around quickly for shelter. The far wall was teetering slowly and threatened to fall. Spotting the large and sturdy desk against the wall with a large opening for the chair, he stood and grabbed Alcarohtarë up. Pushing her in front of him, he shoved her under the large desk and dove in behind her. He covered her body with his and pressed her head down as they pressed themselves into the small shelter. The wall lost its battle with staying upright and crashed down atop the desk and they both flinched when a fracture shot through the center of the desk from the weight of the stone.

"The desk is going to break! We need to get out!" Alcarohtarë yelled over the other loud sounds as Aragorn nodded.

Pressing his feet against the stone, he flexed his thigh muscles and grunted as the stone moved away from the opening. Alcarohtarë moved out and pressed her back to the stone to brace it as she held out a hand to Aragorn and get him out. Both of them pushed away the broken piece of wall and Aragorn helped his daughter over the debris while keeping an eye out for other falling boulders.

"We need to get to the Citadel," Alcarohtarë said and lifted up her skirt to run from the ward.

"Alcarohtarë! Watch out for other stones! I do not want you to be injured!" he yelled, going after her.

Alcarohtarë stopped and spun around before grabbing his arm in a biting grip.

"Tell me, Renatus! Tell me the truth that I wish to know!"

Aragorn looked at her dirt smudged face and carefully brushed aside a stray strand of hair. He could see so much of Arwen in his daughter it almost pained him to look at the youthful face. And what would happen when he had to leave again? Would she be devastated and broken? Or would she cherish the time and learn from it?

"You are just as strong as your mother and I always hoped you would be," he murmured softly as he gently cupped her cheek.

Alcarohtarë grasped his hand and kissed it quickly before pulling him after her. The two of them ran down the street, weaving through the crowd of running citizens as boulders continued to fall. Soldiers were running around trying to help trapped citizens or trying to detect from where the boulders were coming from. Aragorn kept looking towards the tier's wall and above them, watching for any other falling boulders to could injure them. They ran down one of the main streets and saw a soldier run towards them with a panicked expression on his face. He quickly saluted before speaking and pointing.

"Lady Alcarohtarë, we need your help. One of the boulders hit a small school and several of the children are trapped and injured," he said breathlessly.

He quickly led the way as Alcarohtarë and Aragorn followed. Aragorn's arms were wrapped around his abdomen as he ran to brace his wounds while gritting his teeth against the pain. Boulders had stopped falling and now chaos was setting in as the damage was realized. Aragorn grabbed another soldier that was passing and held tightly to the man's arm.

"Go to the tier wall and get an all wall damage report; outer wall first. Make sure there are no weak areas where the city may be breeched. Call the horn for all reserve soldiers from all tiers to aid their specific tier. And tell the wall guards to watch the outlaying land warily. We can not afford to be surprised by a sudden attack from the Corsairs. GO!"

He could hear the children's cries for help before he reached the crumbling school building. One of the boulders appeared to have knocked out the main foundation pole causing the building to be extremely unsound. Several of the children were out on the street crying and Alcarohtarë ran towards them to check for injuries. Aragorn saw an opening on part of the roof that still had yet to fall as he quickly used scattered pieces of wood and stone to move up there. His light weight allowed him to move quickly and move across weak pieces of wood. Jumping down the hole, he crouched on a broken beam and allowed his eyes to adjust to the dimness.

"Anyone here?" he called and ducked to the side as a piece of roofing almost fell on him.

He heard a cry filter over to him from a child as he carefully moved through the crumbling building. There was only two floors but the roof had already fallen and the second floor was about to give way. His eyes pierced the darkness to see two little children hiding in the corner of the collapsing structure. Grasping a beam, he swung down and moved quickly to the children.

"Are either of you hurt?" he asked while looking for visible injuries.

Both shook their heads while sniffling and Aragorn reached for the oldest looking of the two children. Picking up the child, he held one on one arm and the other on the other arm. Aragorn slowly started to move towards the center of the buildings to hopefully find an exit for them. The way he came in was impossible with two children. He could see another exit but there was a large gap of nothingness between him and the only visible way out. Standing at the edge of the hole, he looked down into the wood strewn cellar. Too far down he quickly decided, they would never be able to climb out.

"Renatus!"

Jerking his head up, he saw Legolas slip through the exit with Eldarion close behind him.

"Legolas, thank the Valar. Are all the other children out?" Aragorn called as he lowered the children to the floor.

"All but those two. Can you jump?"

"Not with the children and my injury. It is a long jump even for a healthy elf."

Legolas nodded in agreement before turning to talk with Eldarion. Aragorn kept both children near him as he thought about what he could do. He would barely be able to leap the gap himself.

"Renatus! Can you throw the children?" Eldarion asked and Aragorn's eyebrows shot up to his hairline.

"Throw them? You want me to throw children?" he asked shocked.

"It is the only option open to me at the moment," Eldarion replied exasperated.

Telling the children to close their eyes. He picked one up and heaved it over the gap with a grunt of effort. Legolas walked back a few steps to catch the child in his arms. Nodding to Eldarion, he slipped out the hole to take the child outside. Aragorn picked up the second child and took a deep breath before heaving the child to Eldarion's open arms. Just as the child left his hands, Aragorn felt the child's foot strike his tender wound. Muting his cry of pain, he curled over and slowly knelt on the floor. 'Valar, that hurt' he thought and released his bottom lip from between his teeth.

"Are you coming, Renatus?" Eldarion called as he moved towards the hole.

"Of course," he muttered and slowly straightened.

Backing up a few strides, he sprinted to the edge and pushed off. Once his feet departed from solid ground, he knew he wouldn't make it. Eldarion must have realized it also for he quickly set the child on the ground and spun to run towards the edge. Diving forward and landing hard on the floor, he grabbed Aragorn's hand and gasped as he was jerked forward. Aragorn tightened his jaw as he felt his stitches tear and blood start to flow from his wound. He looked up to Eldarion's face and was shocked to notice how alike Eldarion looked like him when he was young. The king's dark hair framed his youthful face as he tightened his grip on Aragorn's hand. Not saying a word, he slowly started to pull Aragorn up and helped him over the edge. They both lay on the floor catching their breath as Aragorn stared at the edge.

"I believe we are even now," Eldarion muttered with a weak smile.

"Aye, I believe we are," Aragorn agreed and slowly stood. "Let us leave this place."

He limped towards the exit and felt Eldarion's hands help him through the opening. The sky was overcast and a chill was in the air from the looks of it.

"It will rain soon," Aragorn commented quietly as he looked to the sky.

"How can you tell?"

"I can hear it already falling and its scent is heavy in the air. As is the scent of the Corsairs. They launched those boulders at the city; I am not sure how but I have a suspicion," Aragorn responded and brushed away Legolas' helping hands.

He followed a small path of destruction that one of the boulders had made. Reaching the area where the boulder shattered into pieces, he knelt and picked up a chunk of boulder. Ignoring the blood that trickled down his side, he held the piece of stone and lightly sniffed it.

"What is it?" Legolas asked as Aragorn handed the piece to the other elf.

"Helm's Deep's Bane. It is what they used to breech the wall at Helm's Deep," he answered and wiped his hands on his leggings.

"I have read of it in my father's writings. I had no idea of its true power until now," Eldarion murmured as he accepted the rock from Legolas.

"It blew the wall to pieces and shook the ground we stood on. The scent lingered in the air for hours before it lifted."

Aragorn stood and was suddenly light headed. Holding his ground, he waited for it to pass before looking around. He needed to find a place to patch his wounds and rest before blood loss sent him to the ground.

"Please, excuse me, my king," he said and bowed slightly before turning to leave.

His footsteps were steady as he moved towards the Citadel. If only he could get to his room where he could bandage himself up and stop the bleeding. Entering the building and out of everyone's sight, he pressed his tunic against the wound and it was immediately soaked with blood. Hissing softly, he moved as quickly as he could towards his room without allowing himself to pass out. Only a few more steps away from the door, he stopped and leaned against the stone wall to catch his breath.

"I do not know why elves never ask for help."

Aragorn's head snapped around to see Eldarion hurry to his side. Eldarion helped him to his room and kicked the door open before helping the elf to the bed.

"I will be right back with some supplies. Do not move," he ordered and pushed Aragorn back.

Aragorn rolled his eyes as he listened to Eldarion hurry away to collect herbs and bandages. His hands were slick with blood as he pressed his tunic to the wound. So much blood, he mused quietly and slowly turned his head to look towards the open window. Rain fell silently on the city as the fresh scent invaded the room and Aragorn breathed it in deeply. Eldarion hurried back into the room and set everything on the table next to the bed. Gently pulling Renatus' hands away from the wound, he pushed the bloody tunic away and picked up a thick cloth. Dipping it into water with athela leaves, he gently wiped away the blood.

"You did a nice job tearing these stitches," Eldarion said and pressed the cloth directly onto the wound.

Aragorn sucked in a breath sharply at the bite of the mixture. Grunting his acknowledgement, Aragorn pressed his head back as Eldarion carefully started to remove the stitches.

"My father always said that I never did anything half-assed," he replied, the pain helping to clear his mind.

"Mine did also. If you are going to do something, do it all the way and never part ways. Finishing something and finishing it well was what my father instilled in me."

"And always do what is right and just," Aragorn murmured as he rolled onto his side for Eldarion to clean the wound.

"I do not know what is just for the Corsairs."

"Ask them what they want."

Eldarion paused and set down the cloth before reaching for needle and thread.

"What do you mean? Just ask them?"

"Always try every diplomatic route before resorting to violence. Send a pigeon requesting a cease of hostilities and a royal conference somewhere open in the fields. Try and solve this before any lives may be forfeited in war," Aragorn hissed as the needle pierced the flesh.

"And what do I do if what they want is impossible?"

"Issue an ultimatum. The might of Gondor is not to be dismissed."

(I)(I)(I)(I)(I)(I)(I)

My life is just collapsing around me and school is the sledgehammer causing everything to crumble. Finals and work have just been really cutting into my writing time and I have had a huge writer's block that has prevented anything from coming. But I took a small break and started writing slowly and this chapter slowly emerged. So I really hope you enjoy this chapter and I do apologize for taking so long.

CHALLENGE: This is a small challenge that I have decided I wanted to try. I was kind of hoping all readers/reviewers could give me a small sketching of how they think Legolas or Eldarion should find out who Renatus really is. I have some ideas but I just want to see what some other readers would like to see. Does not have to be long but a quick summary. Just put in your review and I will love you all to ME and beyond.

Linuvial Greenleaf- I must admit that this story is one of the most unique of all the ones I read but I do owe some of it to you. You were the one that insisted that I write it and you have helped me along whenever I am stumped. I have to get to a post office to mail you your Christmas present. Maybe I can do that tomorrow before going to work.

Elvendancer- I have been keeping sane hours, really. Well, as sane as they can be. I do not get in from work till about twelve o'clock or twelve thirty but I go straight to bed once I get in. Now that I have classes and work then I have to keep sane hours or else I lose my mind. Tell your brother congratulations for me.

XxgemxX- I apologize for taking so damn long with this chapter. But it is here and I hope you like reading it. Enjoy!

Isadora2- I am continuing the story; it just takes me a little while to get the new chapters up. I am also working on the sequel to An Ancient Bond so that should hopefully be up soon. Enjoy! And guess what??? I might be in German some time next year studying for a few months!

Beling- I took my time and here is the new chapter. Enjoy!

Wolf Jade- You got someone else hooked onto my stories? I feel so loved! Legolas and Renatus will have to work out a few more things and probably have several more conflicts. I am just having so much fun have those two clash head on so often. Hope you enjoyed this chapter; till next update.

Hiei-Rulez- Easy girl! Or you will give yourself and aneurism. Linuvial Greenleaf has four life-size cutouts in her room. That would freak me out so bad if I woke up in the middle of the night with four life-sized any things standing over my bed. I once had a poster fall on my face during the middle of the night and yeah, that poster did not survive till sunrise.

Levaire- From this chapter, yes, Alcarohtarë found out who he really was. The journal idea just kind of popped up because I figured he must have had something that he wrote all his feelings and thoughts in. So, it just kind of slid into the story.

Sielge- Thank you so much for the Birthday congrats. Alcarohtarë did find out but she will not tell the others. I am not saying that they will not find out but just not from her. And I am so sorry for taking so long with this chapter. I am so horrible about taking so long in typing. Bad habit of mine.

Viviana- I do update; it just takes me a while to do it. I do not like to rush myself in writing because then it does not turn out as nicely as I would like it to. But I have already started on the next chapter and hopefully will have it up around Christmas time because I am taking off two weeks from work and doing nothing else so it should be a writing time for me while I am at home with my family. So, keep your fingers crossed.

Got-lotr- Definitely, evil math. I just got done studying for my calculus final tomorrow and my brain hurts really badly.

Elven Kitten- Well, Alcarohtarë knows who Renatus really is. Hope you enjoy this late chapter.

Grumpy- It is a permanent curse; no matter be he elf or human, he can not stay in a bloody tree. Heehee, Renatus is just having one of those days where you want to curl up in bed and pull the blankets over your head and ignore the world. I have had plenty of those days lately. Blame it all on school and work.

Kelly Kragen- She knows. I knew I wanted one person to find out who he really was but I was having a hard time deciding who I wanted to find out. Then I thought that his daughter would be one of the easiest to write and her reaction but then when I tried to write it, nothing sounded right. Some days I realize that I am 21 and I just can not believe it. I mean, last night after work a bunch of us went out drinking and I just had a hard time believing that I was that old. I have several ideas of how I will make Legolas discover who Renatus really is so I just have to decide on which one I will use. Hope everyone would like it.

Cosmic Castaway- My time has certainly flown by and it annoys me because I do not realize it has flown by. And I look to when I last updated and I am shocked beyond belief. And then I feel all guilty because it has taken me so damn long. Hope I did not take too long.

Neoinean- Aragorn is just not a tree person/elf. He must have done something bad to them in a previous life before being a human. Revenge of the Trees, heehee. Legolas still has a lot to work through before he and Renatus can really work together. I plan on making it very interesting.

Dha-Gal- Honey, I cringed all the way over here in South Carolina at your singing. Heehee, gah, I love reading your…conversations…between all of them. Hope you enjoyed this chapter.

Megaroo- I did not think it was that bad of a stopping point. Well, yeah it kind of was now that I look at it. I have a knack of finding really bad stopping points. I must have taken a class in it and not remembered taking it.

Cloud-123- I do not think that I can make Alcarohtarë do anything. She creates her own scenes. But I will urge her to do something.

KeshieShimmer- Hook, line, and sinker; heehee. When I first thought of this story idea I thought that I would not be able to pull it off but it is coming along far nicer than I expected it to. Can you keep a secret? motions for KeshieShimmer to come closer there will be a showdown later. Maybe in the next chapter or the one after; I hope anyway. I am so sorry for taking so long in updating; I am a bad author. Bad, bad author for making them wait so long.

Elysia of Corellia- Honey, I am really starting to admit that I do need Carcharoth behind me growling continuously to make me write as often as I like. I mean I look towards my notebook with all my stories in it and then I look to my school books and notebooks and I just have to work on the school work. Even when I finish one subject I move to a next one to be ready for the next test and then it is about midnight and I have to go to bed so I can get up the next morning and go to class. I want to write!!!!! It is not like I want to be studying Marketing and Hospitality classes or Calculus; I would much rather be writing my stories but no; I need to study. I am glad that you liked my cliffy. I wrote it just for you because I knew you would get irritated. Heehee. But you are going to have to wait. I mean come on; I can not have the climax this early in the story. Tell your sister hi from me. Just tell Carcharoth to sit behind me and growl occasionally to keep my writing. That will work some.

Horsiegurl- Thank you so much for the compliment. Well whenever you post a story let me know and I will be there with bells on reviewing. Enjoy!