Nín Anoriel - Sun Maiden
They found Aragorn mere moments after the second explosion, Èowyn leading the search party. She had shrieked when she saw him slumped next to the tree, blood streaming from the enormous gash upon his brow, sustained during the accident. For a moment she stood unable to stir herself to him, her face stricken of blood. It occurred to her in that moment, she had never seen Aragorn unconscious and the mere sight of him injured, sickened her to unlimited bounds.
He dreamt as he lay upon the cold earth, memories of his life flashed quickly past him. The faces of those who had moulded him for his role, a role he had been unwilling to partake of until he had met her. He could see his mother, soothing him with her gentle smiles as a child and of their last meeting in Eriador where she had bade him goodbye. He had left her heavy of heart, yet he had journeyed on to another place.
Then he was standing in Cerin Amroth, the scent of elanor and niphredil pervading the moonlit sky, and it was here, gazing into the eyes of Arwen they had pledged their troth. It was a promise foretold to be broken by the seeing mirror Galadriel though he did not know until his coronation day.
The scenery shifted once more and he was now standing in the Golden Hall of Medusled before Theoden watching with morbid fascination the battle between Gandalf and Saruman over the king yet he was distracted at the sight of the young maiden who stood loyally behind the old king. She seemed to be a delicate flower touched by winter's icy hand. So beautiful, yet so cold. In that moment as he gazed upon her, he had momentarily forgotten Arwen's existence. He felt the strength she exuded, though she seemed dismayed at the situation at hand and was drawn to her unconsciously. Observing her, he believed she would perform extraordinary deeds in her life.
He found himself in a room filled with the aroma of fresh spring flowers and cool breeze wafting through and illuminating with a dazzling white light. He stood there in centre dressed in his royal robes unable to move and then he heard the whisper of voices. They were voices which haunted him in his life and even to his dreams. Then they appeared before him, visages of beauty. Èowyn and Arwen side by side dressed in white and blue, respectively; gesturing to him arms open with anticipation.
"Come Estel.... I await you. Forgive my harsh words at our parting. Your face has never left my heart and I know you still hold me in yours." Arwen whispered to him her dark eyes flashing.
He smiled but stood his ground watching the Lady of Rohan, dressed in a gown of white and silver; her golden tresses spilling over her delicate shoulders, a radiance surrounding her in this serene place. She smiled fairly at him, saying nothing but her eyes expressing the thoughts she said not.
"My Lady will you not say anything to me?" he asked curiously a bemused smile gracing his face. "The Lady Undomiel beckons me and yet you stay silent." He asked her much to the dismay of Arwen. Èowyn merely smiled softly and stood her ground still displaying no emotion at his words.
He walked towards Arwen, drawn to her as he had been in their first meeting in the forest of Neldoreth. She was icon of perfection. Her elvish beauty and grace illuminated every feature of the woman he had loved, yet to Aragorn; the force which drew him initially to Arwen had dissipated with the passing years. She could not be for him, he was of the flawed caste and she of those held high above him.
"Come to me in Valinor Estel, I await thee." She said softly to him touching his face with her graceful fingers luring him in. He closed his eyes and accepted her contact gratefully, revelling in the caress. It was a moment he would remember. "Look I still wear our ring faithfully." She stated proudly and showed him the Ring of Barahir set upon her smooth hand.
"Nay Arwen you are mistaken for I carry it and have done so, since you returned our symbol of love." He said gravely staring into the dark pools of light before him. "And I cannot forsake my people my duty lays with them. It was you who forsook our troth." He turned without another word and made his way before the White Lady of Rohan.
"Estel?" Arwen's voice followed him as he stood before the Shieldmaiden, eyes not leaving her; memorising every detail of her beautiful face. Yet she stood defiant, unwilling to state the words which lay in her heart and he felt his heart surge with a love for this woman. A love he had not even felt with the famed Evenstar. Èowyn was his equal there was no doubt of it. Words needed not be said on her part to reveal the profundity of her love for him.
Èowyn; looked upon his face and smiled tenderly, revealing her true self to him, he gazed upon her fair face with wonder and adoration. She was the woman for him; there was no doubt of it anymore. Her temperament matched his perfectly; their love and wisdom of the people who surrounded them had cemented their relationship. He looked at her and she uncurled her fingers to reveal the Elfstone within them, glowing with an iridescent light.
"Take my hand and we shall depart from this place. Your journey does not end here Aragorn." She whispered and he abided at once clasping her pale hand, white and olive joining as one.
"Meleth nín, Amin mela le (I love you)." he whispered as they floated upwards into the pure light. "I shall never leave you." He vowed and kissed her gently as they traversed nearer into the tunnel of light.
He awoke groggily, his eyes burned with the light which shone in his face, blinking he cleared his vision and saw before him, a pair of the most beautiful crystal blue eyes, peering at him with concern at his welfare. He smiled brightly at the sight of Èowyn hunched over him, lines of worry and love etched upon her striking face at his discomfort. Then they were gone as he awoke fully and he received one of the most alluring smiles he had ever seen.
"Valar, I wish I was injured more often, if only to be gifted smiles like those." He jested as he struggled to rise.
"Thank the Gods you are in fine health." Èowyn replied gratefully and embraced him fiercely, her tears soaking into his tunic. "I feared....the worst when I saw you lying there." She choked as she burrowed her face in his chest.
He held her intensely, enjoying the warmth of her skin on his, caring nothing about his wound, the feel of her hot tears upon his body and he felt as though his heart would shatter seeing her distressed. He knew his injury had reopened wounds she had desired to be rid of. Seeing him near the clutches of death had reminded her of his mortality, and the same fate which fell upon all those she loved would be his as well.
"I know you fear for me Èowyn; as I do for you, but my time may come at anytime. I am not of the immortal kind, though I have some of their blood through my veins." He whispered, stroking her hair soothingly.
"I am aware of the fact Aragorn. I just could not bear to loose you just as we....we.." she stated unable to finish as he held her firmly in his arms.
He lifted her chin forcing her to face him; a combination of blue and grey meeting; speaking volumes of the emotions flowing through their bodies. It was a moment none wished to shatter; for it was the beating of two broken hearts rejoicing as they united. It was a memory they imprinted upon their souls for the rest of their lives.
"As long as the sun shines upon Minas Anor, we shall never be apart Nín anoriel." He said softly and kissed her tenderly; holding to her lithe form in his powerful arms unwilling to let go of her in the talan of Galadriel and they fell asleep both exhausted from the excitement of the day.
Legolas and Matejé watched silently from the entrance with contented smiles. It was hearting to see the mortals unite after so many trials and tribulations. Legolas smiled at his friend and turned to his love, who appeared even more beautiful in the moonlight if it was possible and kissed her passionately, their testimony of love witnessed by the elements surrounding them.
"Come let us leave them, they are weary." He said breathlessly as they broke away. "I promised to show you the wonders of Lorien, which is even more enchanting at night." He said softly.
"It heals my heart to see them bond meleth nín." Matejé whispered as they descended from the talan.
"And mine as well. Come let us be off. They have a long day before them, let them rest." Legolas replied as both elves disappeared into the night mist. Knowing little of the fate to befall them in the days to come.
They found Aragorn mere moments after the second explosion, Èowyn leading the search party. She had shrieked when she saw him slumped next to the tree, blood streaming from the enormous gash upon his brow, sustained during the accident. For a moment she stood unable to stir herself to him, her face stricken of blood. It occurred to her in that moment, she had never seen Aragorn unconscious and the mere sight of him injured, sickened her to unlimited bounds.
He dreamt as he lay upon the cold earth, memories of his life flashed quickly past him. The faces of those who had moulded him for his role, a role he had been unwilling to partake of until he had met her. He could see his mother, soothing him with her gentle smiles as a child and of their last meeting in Eriador where she had bade him goodbye. He had left her heavy of heart, yet he had journeyed on to another place.
Then he was standing in Cerin Amroth, the scent of elanor and niphredil pervading the moonlit sky, and it was here, gazing into the eyes of Arwen they had pledged their troth. It was a promise foretold to be broken by the seeing mirror Galadriel though he did not know until his coronation day.
The scenery shifted once more and he was now standing in the Golden Hall of Medusled before Theoden watching with morbid fascination the battle between Gandalf and Saruman over the king yet he was distracted at the sight of the young maiden who stood loyally behind the old king. She seemed to be a delicate flower touched by winter's icy hand. So beautiful, yet so cold. In that moment as he gazed upon her, he had momentarily forgotten Arwen's existence. He felt the strength she exuded, though she seemed dismayed at the situation at hand and was drawn to her unconsciously. Observing her, he believed she would perform extraordinary deeds in her life.
He found himself in a room filled with the aroma of fresh spring flowers and cool breeze wafting through and illuminating with a dazzling white light. He stood there in centre dressed in his royal robes unable to move and then he heard the whisper of voices. They were voices which haunted him in his life and even to his dreams. Then they appeared before him, visages of beauty. Èowyn and Arwen side by side dressed in white and blue, respectively; gesturing to him arms open with anticipation.
"Come Estel.... I await you. Forgive my harsh words at our parting. Your face has never left my heart and I know you still hold me in yours." Arwen whispered to him her dark eyes flashing.
He smiled but stood his ground watching the Lady of Rohan, dressed in a gown of white and silver; her golden tresses spilling over her delicate shoulders, a radiance surrounding her in this serene place. She smiled fairly at him, saying nothing but her eyes expressing the thoughts she said not.
"My Lady will you not say anything to me?" he asked curiously a bemused smile gracing his face. "The Lady Undomiel beckons me and yet you stay silent." He asked her much to the dismay of Arwen. Èowyn merely smiled softly and stood her ground still displaying no emotion at his words.
He walked towards Arwen, drawn to her as he had been in their first meeting in the forest of Neldoreth. She was icon of perfection. Her elvish beauty and grace illuminated every feature of the woman he had loved, yet to Aragorn; the force which drew him initially to Arwen had dissipated with the passing years. She could not be for him, he was of the flawed caste and she of those held high above him.
"Come to me in Valinor Estel, I await thee." She said softly to him touching his face with her graceful fingers luring him in. He closed his eyes and accepted her contact gratefully, revelling in the caress. It was a moment he would remember. "Look I still wear our ring faithfully." She stated proudly and showed him the Ring of Barahir set upon her smooth hand.
"Nay Arwen you are mistaken for I carry it and have done so, since you returned our symbol of love." He said gravely staring into the dark pools of light before him. "And I cannot forsake my people my duty lays with them. It was you who forsook our troth." He turned without another word and made his way before the White Lady of Rohan.
"Estel?" Arwen's voice followed him as he stood before the Shieldmaiden, eyes not leaving her; memorising every detail of her beautiful face. Yet she stood defiant, unwilling to state the words which lay in her heart and he felt his heart surge with a love for this woman. A love he had not even felt with the famed Evenstar. Èowyn was his equal there was no doubt of it. Words needed not be said on her part to reveal the profundity of her love for him.
Èowyn; looked upon his face and smiled tenderly, revealing her true self to him, he gazed upon her fair face with wonder and adoration. She was the woman for him; there was no doubt of it anymore. Her temperament matched his perfectly; their love and wisdom of the people who surrounded them had cemented their relationship. He looked at her and she uncurled her fingers to reveal the Elfstone within them, glowing with an iridescent light.
"Take my hand and we shall depart from this place. Your journey does not end here Aragorn." She whispered and he abided at once clasping her pale hand, white and olive joining as one.
"Meleth nín, Amin mela le (I love you)." he whispered as they floated upwards into the pure light. "I shall never leave you." He vowed and kissed her gently as they traversed nearer into the tunnel of light.
He awoke groggily, his eyes burned with the light which shone in his face, blinking he cleared his vision and saw before him, a pair of the most beautiful crystal blue eyes, peering at him with concern at his welfare. He smiled brightly at the sight of Èowyn hunched over him, lines of worry and love etched upon her striking face at his discomfort. Then they were gone as he awoke fully and he received one of the most alluring smiles he had ever seen.
"Valar, I wish I was injured more often, if only to be gifted smiles like those." He jested as he struggled to rise.
"Thank the Gods you are in fine health." Èowyn replied gratefully and embraced him fiercely, her tears soaking into his tunic. "I feared....the worst when I saw you lying there." She choked as she burrowed her face in his chest.
He held her intensely, enjoying the warmth of her skin on his, caring nothing about his wound, the feel of her hot tears upon his body and he felt as though his heart would shatter seeing her distressed. He knew his injury had reopened wounds she had desired to be rid of. Seeing him near the clutches of death had reminded her of his mortality, and the same fate which fell upon all those she loved would be his as well.
"I know you fear for me Èowyn; as I do for you, but my time may come at anytime. I am not of the immortal kind, though I have some of their blood through my veins." He whispered, stroking her hair soothingly.
"I am aware of the fact Aragorn. I just could not bear to loose you just as we....we.." she stated unable to finish as he held her firmly in his arms.
He lifted her chin forcing her to face him; a combination of blue and grey meeting; speaking volumes of the emotions flowing through their bodies. It was a moment none wished to shatter; for it was the beating of two broken hearts rejoicing as they united. It was a memory they imprinted upon their souls for the rest of their lives.
"As long as the sun shines upon Minas Anor, we shall never be apart Nín anoriel." He said softly and kissed her tenderly; holding to her lithe form in his powerful arms unwilling to let go of her in the talan of Galadriel and they fell asleep both exhausted from the excitement of the day.
Legolas and Matejé watched silently from the entrance with contented smiles. It was hearting to see the mortals unite after so many trials and tribulations. Legolas smiled at his friend and turned to his love, who appeared even more beautiful in the moonlight if it was possible and kissed her passionately, their testimony of love witnessed by the elements surrounding them.
"Come let us leave them, they are weary." He said breathlessly as they broke away. "I promised to show you the wonders of Lorien, which is even more enchanting at night." He said softly.
"It heals my heart to see them bond meleth nín." Matejé whispered as they descended from the talan.
"And mine as well. Come let us be off. They have a long day before them, let them rest." Legolas replied as both elves disappeared into the night mist. Knowing little of the fate to befall them in the days to come.