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Gondor, S.R. 1425
Kiearâ fumbled with a fringe on her sleeve. She had never been summoned before the King. Or, she corrected herself, the new King. She had always felt obstinate about keeping a good order of proper events of the society around her in her head. That's something Vërtainir had taught her. It was always a good idea to keep a proper record he had said and she agreed with him.
Idly she wondered where Pippin had gotten to lately. She hadn't seen him since she had been summoned back to Gondor by Vërtainir claiming that he needed her help. She had been happy to oblige. The trip from the north to Gondor had improved much more since Aragorn had become King. It took much less time and if she was right about the length of this hearsay meeting, she could be back up north in under a month. That was really the only reason she had left. It was the ease of travel that did it. She never would have left Pippin so quickly if the travel north took as long as it used to.
In an effort to waste the time she studied her surroundings…
To her surprise she found her eyes rested on Aragorn. She hadn't noticed him come in. She tried to straighten up a bit as he approached though she wasn't sure why she felt she had to. Some thing in his eyes made her uneasy.
Standing near to her but no too close, he seemed to wait a moment, then beckoned her a ways down the hallway she had previously been studying.
Puzzled, she followed him slowly. The uneasiness in her began to grow like a weed, taking root in her stomach til it stretched her entire body. She felt a wave of worriness began to sway in her. It was as if she had done something wrong. Had she? Nothing that she was aware of… Shaking her head Kiearâ tried to clear mind as though in an attempt to calm herself. And cut out that horrid "root", she brooded silently to herself.
As they entered one of the many rooms, Kiearâ was startled to note there was already someone in there.
The figure was sitting in such a way; relaxed against one of the stone chairs that they couldn't have seen her and Aragorn enter only moments before. She paused. Something made her stop as she studied what she could see of her acquaintance at this surprise meeting. They seemed far too young for Aragorn to have summoned at so late an hour or else incredibly short for a Man. Kiearâ choked down uneasiness as something familiar, like a memory, began to stir inside her. She watched the figure squirm absently, the candlelight reflecting off his reddish partway-gold locks. Her heart gave a wrench as she realized suddenly who sat before her. Her worry changed to a small panic.
'Pippin.' She moaned instantly without thinking.
Spinning around in surprise, Pippin turned to face his King and her.
'Kiearâ!' he gasped, seeming as stunned as she did.
Almost immediately his eyes shifted suddenly to Aragorn as he had a seat, with a strange mixture of emotions in his eyes. Kiearâ was startled to realize that one was suspicion. She had never seen Pippin act this way. He almost seemed to believe that he had been betrayed in some way. Feeling that perhaps she should sit down she settled on placing herself somewhere between Pippin and Aragorn. The silence hung around them like dust.
Clearing his throat Aragorn began.
'I see you know each other.'
Pippin just glared.
Kiearâ glanced sideways at Pippin. Coughing slightly, she shrugged in response to Aragorn's question.
'I suppose so…'
Aragorn raised an eyebrow.
'You do?'
She supposed he wasn't amused, not that she had been trying of course. She wasn't sure what to say. What in the world was he trying to discover?
Suddenly Pippin spoke up, rather rudely she thought.
'Come off it Strider, what do you want? What has it got to do with Kiearâ and me?'
Aragorn visibly cringed at that, then composed himself right away sighing heavily.
Kiearâ hadn't realized kings were so jumpy sometimes. Still. What had Pippin meant? Though now that she thought of it she was beginning to feel a tad suspicious herself. How had Aragorn known to get them both here? There was no way in could be coincidence. Not the way he seemed to be acting toward them both. What business was it of his to get into their lives like this, as he almost seemed to be doing? And just what did he know? And if knew something how had he ever discovered it?
She watched Aragorn warily, as though she didn't quite trust, which she wasn't quite sure she did anymore anyway.
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Aragorn sighed. It filled the silence of the room. Neither Pippin, nor her had said anything. Aragorn seemed to believe he was over burdened with something. She dreaded to know what it was…
'Pippin,' he paused, 'I have heard rumors…from up north. They say that you broke my order.'
'But that hasn't been--' Pippin began, anger and offense clouding his voice. Aragorn promptly ignored him.
'And brought a woman into the Shire, the very thing the order was made to prevent.'
Kiearâ opened her mouth to protest, but Aragorn continued on, not giving her a chance to get a word in.
'There are other rumors also…and judging by your responses I might believe them.'
Kiearâ's eyes widened in shock. How could he be saying that? What did he have, spies living up there? What kind of king was he? Pippin's face reddened as he glared with such intensity at Aragorn that the King faltered for a moment. Aragorn blinked suddenly as though that would settle him down. He seemed just a tad unsure suddenly. He glanced wearily up, gazing toward a high window in the room they were sitting in. Through it the moon could be seen, it's pale beams of light shining through the open window. As though seeing something in the light that moved him Aragorn sighed, passing a hand over his eyes.
'Pippin forgive me, but I don't have a choice.' He murmured his voice thick with some untold emotion.
'Of course you do! You're the king!'
'No!'
He yelled it as he banged his fist loudly on the table before them, taking Pippin and her both by surprise. Blinking again Aragorn shook his dark mass of hair. They were all silent a moment, being bathed in the soft light of the full moon as it watched the three of them as though with a mind of it's own.
Suddenly without warning, Aragorn spoke again. He spoke calmly.
'Peregrin for disobeying me, I banish you from Gondor for ten years.'
Pippin gaped. Kiearâ sat stunned. What was he saying? Ten years?
Without a glance in their direction, Aragorn rose with an amazing grace and left them in silence.
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She heard Pippin sigh wearily suddenly. Turning in surprise in her chair, she spun to face him, her gaze resting on his tilted down head. She watched him a moment, running a finger idly through a dark strand of hair.
Gazing upward she watched the moon shine through the small window near the ceiling. She heard herself sigh, as though releasing some unknown strain that had been building up ever since she had arrived.
Pippin must have heard, but she wondered how he couldn't have heard her in this small chamber. He moved from his seat and down near her side. Kiearâ glanced down at him as he settled down next to her, taking the chair beside her. He leaned against the stone chair that seemed too big for his smaller stature.
'Kiearâ.'
She watched him a moment.
'Yes, Pippin?'
He sighed again. Taking her hand in his, he held it against his face and looked up at her, his bright eyes darkened by the night.
'Kiearâ. I know Aragorn didn't mean it.'
She was a little stunned by him saying that. Though she thought he was right. Aragorn hadn't seemed happy at all about his decision.
'But Pippin,' she paused. 'How could he have known those things? I'm not saying he wanted to do it,' she added quickly, 'but that it just seems…odd, don't you think?'
Pippin nodded, agreeing with her.
'You're right there Kiearâ. I'm not sure either. I suppose he's trying his hardest and he's probably horribly afraid to make a mistake, or at least I would be if I were him anyway.'
She nodded. She reached out to hold her hand against his, resting it gently against his. He smiled at her, slowly at first, than with more sincerity as she leaned in near him.
'You know Pippin, Aragorn's decision wasn't all that bad after all…'
Pippin raised an eyebrow looking intrigued bending toward her, his eyes intent, yet he didn't say a word, just waited curiously for her to continue.
She grinned at him, kissing him suddenly, gently, on the mouth, watching with pleasure his eyes widen in astonishment. She laughed delicately leaning into his arms across the small space between their two chairs.
'He never said I couldn't leave Gondor Pip.'
He blinked. Then he laughed, hugged her, and pulled her to him, kissing her soundly.
She chuckled quietly, murmuring.
'I guess you hadn't noticed that? Your friend Aragorn isn't so bad.'
'Of course he isn't.' Pippin responded, grinning down at her, now that she lay with her head in his lap, slightly propped up in his arms. She smiled at him as he bent down to kiss her again.
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Kiearâ woke the next morning early, the sun's first rays warming her face. She smiled. Her and Pippin had planned on leaving today. Well, he was at least. He doesn't have a choice she thought wryly, remembering the night before. She yawned, stretching her arms out as she lay there in the sun's golden rays. They had decided on having her leave Gondor an hour after he did, since they had agreed that Aragorn might not want them to be seen leaving at precisely the same time.
A part of her thought for a moment that she should be more upset with Pippin's banishment, but truly she couldn't fine much fault with Aragorn, and besides she loved it up there, up near the Shire much more than she ever had in Gondor.
Feeling settled she rose from her bed idly watching her sun lighted room.
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Kiearâ was shocked. Or else furious. She hadn't quite decided yet. The guards at the first Gate would not let her pass. They claimed that they had had orders not to let someone of her description pass the city Gates.
'How do you know it's me the King spoke of?' She retorted angrily.
Getting fed up on his part the guard answered sharply, 'How many women do we have of such small stature?'
She glared at him for a moment than stormed off to go find Aragorn if he wasn't too busy as she had the strange suspicion he would be.
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Sulking, Kiearâ glared at the fire in her mother's house. She was staying with her mother in a silent protest against Aragorn's command that she stay in the city for at least one year.
Her mother fussed about her daughter as though she believed it was her duty to worry heedlessly about her.
Kiearâ, much too annoyed to venture any kind of considerate response in light of the circumstances, growled slightly at her mother.
Her mother arched an eyebrow at Kiearâ's sullen moodiness but said nothing, though seemed to be surveying her daughter in some peculiar way. Looking sharply at her daughter, she replied, 'You haven't eaten anything for breakfast.'
'I wasn't hungry.'
'You said that yesterday.'
Kiearâ raised an eyebrow, wondering where her mother was going with this.
'I wasn't in the mood.'
'Oh really.' Now it was her mother's turn to sound vaguely annoyed. Kiearâ knew her mother could never really lose her temper, that was too beyond the "proper" role of a woman in her mother's mind.
Feeling annoyed at the interrogation Kiearâ mumbled, 'I was sick.'
Her mother looked at her in surprise as though Kiearâ had just said something scandalous.
'What is it?'
Her mother didn't respond, and her face remained calm, which was a warning hint to Kiearâ that something was seriously bothering her mother. She never acted so calm unless she was about to bust, which of course she wouldn't and never did.
'Kiearâ dear, I've seen this more than once to know a woman with child when I do.'
Kiearâ gawked at her moment in shock before the words sunk in, slowly flittering through her high grown wall of annoyance. She had been clinging so tightly to her grief; she hadn't noticed the telltale signs herself. Kiearâ suddenly felt a strangely protective feeling that spread suddenly through her as those words sunk into her consciousness and that quiet happiness filling her heart, which she had never known before. She watched the fire as she felt herself smile slightly, her mood changing. It wasn't right to say her mood had improved though her feelings had changed, more because her mind had found something better to think on than Aragorn, that she felt her feelings for Aragorn softening slightly. Perhaps it had been best after all that Aragorn's command had come when it had, and she had the strange suspicion that perhaps the King had known and had seen something that neither her or Pippin had realized…