Forever, Estelnya

Summary: Arwen had told Aragorn she would love him forever, and she thought he had meant the same. Now after the birth of their second child she was starting to doubt that, and seeks comfort from an old friend.

Rating: M - adult themes.

" " spoken words

' ' thoughts

Chapter 1: And so it begins

"He's always gone, always off somewhere. Not even days after Lúthien was born, he left again, but I suppose that was my fault. It's just so frustrating to want to be near your husband but he doesn't want anything to do with you. But I'm getting a head of myself I should start at the beginning." Arwen paced nervously back and fourth, a wear mark starting to show on the woven rug from her continual trek. She stopped and drew in a deep breath as she looked at the elf sitting cross legged on her bed.

Legolas Greenleaf nodded his blonde head silently, waiting for his friend to continue her rant. It was apparent to him that she needed someone to listen to her.

"I'd noticed something . . . how should I put this . . . different about Aragorn shortly after I told him I was expecting another child," Arwen continued, resuming her walk across the chamber. "He seemed more distant, not as attentive as he had been when I was pregnant with Eldarion. He acted as if he was happy when I told him, but I could easily see through it. This wasn't the Aragorn I knew, my Aragorn would have been ecstatic about having another baby. However there wasn't much I could do for him if he didn't tell me what was wrong."

"Now Arwen do you really think Aragorn would have told you something was wrong and make you worry more?" Legolas gently interrupted. Arwen stopped walking again, her grey eyes clouded with anger as she glared at him. Her look seemed to be saying 'Did I ask for your opinion?'

"Over the next few months I watched him closely, more than worried about my husband. I'm sure the palace staff and other residents found it odd that their pregnant Queen was stalking after her King at every opportunity she got." Arwen did have to laugh at the memory of herself sneaking about the palace and hiding behind things so Aragorn wouldn't see her.

"I was afraid something would happen to him if I let him out of my sight. Though my concern was reasonable, since the closer I got to the end of my pregnancy the more Aragorn distanced himself from me. It was like a child's game of hide-and-seek with one of the players changing their hiding spots. Sometimes I would find Aragorn in the nursery with Eldarion, other times he was locked in his study, and on a few rare occasions I even found him half-drunk in the kitchen. I was finally so mad at him, so sick of trying to find out what was wrong I began locking him out of our rooms at night."

Legolas stared at Arwen in amazement, though he was almost afraid to speak for fear that she would lash out at him. He mentally reminded himself to ask Aragorn how well that went over.

"That certainly snapped him back to attention. The last weeks of my pregnancy Aragorn was the attentive, loving husband I knew him to be. We were both overjoyed at Lúthien's birth, she is after all our first daughter."

Arwen smiled thinking of her young daughter. Legolas took this brief pause to voice his own opinion. "Yes, I remember, I was there too." It had been Legolas' idea to call the child Lúthien, for her raven black hair and crystal blue eyes. "Aragorn was happy about her birth, don't doubt that, Arwen."

"I thought that everything would go back to normal from there, so about two days after Lúthien was born I casually asked Aragorn: 'Estelnya, what's been bothering you these past months? You've seemed so distant.' But I didn't get the reaction I was expecting. Aragorn moved away from me like I'd struck him. He mumbled something about needing more space." Arwen sighed sitting down on the bed next to Legolas, she put her head in her hands close to crying. "So I told him if he needed more space that he should leave. And he did."

The last part sounded slightly unbelievable to Legolas. It wasn't like Aragorn to just up and leave, or to not tell at least Arwen what was wrong. He put a comforting arm around Arwen, gently pulling her close to him. "Do you want me to go find him Undómiel? Maybe it would help if I talked to him." Arwen nodded against Legolas' shoulder, sniffing back her tears.

Legolas stood and kissed Arwen's forehead, "Don't worry, I'll find out what's wrong." He left Arwen's chamber, closing the door as quietly as possible. He headed for the stables, deciding it would be best not to tell anyone else where he was going lest they become more worried about their king than they already were.

Arod looked up sensing his rider near, the stallion shook out his white mane and whinnied at Legolas. Legolas smiled as he opened the stall door, and led Arod out. He quickly saddled and bridled the horse, and led him out of the stable before mounting. Once outside Legolas spurred his ride, and took off toward the city gates.

Arwen stretched out on her bed once Legolas. She buried her face in one of the pillows, not knowing if she wanted to scream in anger or cry in desperation. This wasn't how she had pictured her marriage to Aragorn, she didn't want to fight like this every time one of them was upset. Arwen lifted her head hearing a cry from the nursery, she stood and smoothed her dress out before going to see which of her children needed her attention.

She opened the door to the room adjoining her's and Aragorn's. It had been at one time a study or library of sorts, but after Eldarion's birth almost three years ago Arwen thought it would better serve as a nursery.

Eldarion looked up at his mother, as she entered. He had his hands clasped over his ears, and was frowning, "Too loud, Nanneth," he said flicking his eyes towards Lúthien's cradle. Arwen smiled down at her son as she crossed to the cradle and picked Lúthien up gently. She sat down in the hand carved wooden rocking chair, holding her crying daughter against her.

Lúthien didn't seem to want anything except to be close to her mother. Her big blue eyes held Arwen's grey ones as she smiled. Eldarion pouted, looking jealously at Lúthien. He had been the center of his parents attention for as long as he could remember.

Arwen laughed when she saw her son's unhappy look. "Come here Pen-neth," she cooed, supporting Lúthien's weight with one arm she held her other hand out to Eldarion and helped him up onto her lap. She sighed quietly, 'Well I suppose if Aragorn isn't around I've always got these two.'