Can someone explain a one-short for me? Like obviously it's one chapter, but any particular characteristics?
Please review!
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Arwen walked to the makeshift sleeping area that had been set up for her companions and herself, watching where she was going but not truly paying attention. Galadriel was a veritable enigma. What had she meant?
The only thing Arwen could tell for certain was that Galadriel intended for her to go to the mirror. But for now, it was too much. She gracefully crumpled to the ground at her destination, leaning against a tree and closing her eyes to think.
She had looked into the mirror several times in the past, though never by herself. And never had she witnessed anything worrisome... though, after some consideration, Galadriel likely could have influenced it.
And yet, Arwen still found herself quite concerned. Her train of thought was interrupted by the return of her brothers and Aragorn. It came as a relief.
"Anything interesting?" She asked, wanting the distraction.
"Celeborn said they're being stretched thin," Elladan replied.
"He has options," Aragorn added.
"Until the need is dire, they will not ask for help," Elrohir countered.
Arwen sighed. Not quite the distraction she had been looking for...
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A few hours later, the travelers, well supplied with blankets and other ammenities, had spread out for the night. However, once again it was only the twins who were asleep.
From watching Arwen, one could easily tell she was tense. Her breathing was awkward, and she was staring straight up into the sky. She couldn't be blamed for that, though, because it was captivating- heat lightning burst in strokes, soundless but humbling.
Aragorn sat at the base of a nearby tree, unable to sleep. He had tried, but his mind was racing. He started at the sound of rustling behind him.
It was just Arwen. He leaned back, then peered around the tree, watching her. She had stood up and was intently staring at the ground, making sure not to step on either of her brothers. Once she cleared them, she picked up her pace. Curiosity was overwhelming him to the point of not being able to help it...
"Manke naa lle autien?" (Where are you going?)
Arwen's step faltered and she glanced over her shoulder before pivoting to face the speaker. Even in the dark Aragorn could see that her eyebrows were raised, and a coy expression settling onto her visage. But all the same, he had also seen the stiffness that gripped her when he spoke up.
"Mankoi lle irma sint?" She countered. (Why do you want to know?)
Aragorn just shrugged in reply, though he did offer a smile. Above them, the sky blanched with lightning, which in turn illuminated the elven face before him. She was thinking... reasoning. Against or for him, he couldn't tell. Finally...
"Khila amin." She motioned for him to follow, giving him only seconds to acknowledge her and stand up before walking away. (Follow me.)
Lothlorien certainly was an eerie place at night, Aragorn thought to himself. Completely silence engulfed the woods, save for the rustle of his boots in the grass. All the same, he was well aware that they were hardly the only ones awake. With the new threats, surely more wardens were around and above them... perhaps just more than the wardens. They walked for several minutes, not speaking, save for a soft apology when his shoulder brushed hers. After observing for her for a few minutes, he felt his curiosity peak. It was as if she knew where she was going, but wished her feet to go the other way... peculiar. And yet, he knew not to question her.
They covered the ground quickly enough, and came soon to a short set of stairs. Arwen's feet barely seemed to grace them as she descended, Aragorn noticed. But the pedestal in the clearing caught his attention, and his narrowed gaze observed it for a few seconds before he took a seat at the base of the steps.
Arwen had composed herself to the point of being tense as she drew up some water. She managed to let out a breath she hadn't realized she was holding when she poured it slowly into the shallow basin.
This is awkward, she thought to herself. She could feel Estel's gaze on her, though she couldn't help but to interpret as less than flattering. Forcing herself to ignore it, she set the pitcher down gently and gazed into the basin.
The water's silver surface reflected a bolt of heat lightning, and with that it faded into an image. Arwen gripped the edge of the pedestal as the image zoomed quickly over a seemingly endless field. Suddenly, a mountain came into view, and moments later, a city on the mountainside. Minas Tirith, she thought to herself. She had no time to ponder it before the image began to morph- now she was certain that she was inside the city, looking out from a first person view. On a bench perhaps, near the White Tree. Suddenly, black bars rose up stonework, forming a loose ellipse around her and the Tree. The guards and civilians all moved freely, as if they were blissfully unconcerned. Concern clouded Arwen's countenance, but once again the image began to morph back into a translucent state.
Overwhelmed with a sudden pang of self consciousness, Arwen tore away from the mirror, all composure lost. She took a deep breath, willing herself to calm, but knowing her eyes would deceive her. For something so tame, she was stricken with fear. Fear of what? She couldn't say.
Aragorn stood quickly, stepping over to the elf. A different type of concern emanated from him- nothing short of protective. He instinctively knew that he couldn't ask her what she had seen- it was her information to divulge. But he glanced towards the mirror suspiciously all the same, half expecting the vision to still teasingly linger.
Arwen shook her head slowly, as if trying to clear her thoughts before she spoke. "Sometimes it shows the past, the present, or the future... other times it has the most despicable intentions of confusing the viewer." Aragorn left her side to observe the mirror from a different angle.
"You may look, if you wish," Arwen said after minute's silence. Aragorn looked doubtful, but couldn't assuage his curiosity without doing so.
Expecting the worst, he was oddly surprised to see a vision of a forest. It was strange, though- a very straightforward path leading up to a hill, the ground packed tight, and the corridor bordered by towering black trees. Slowly, it proceeded closer to the base of the hill. Everything began to change shape- the trees were columns, the ground was marble, the path a hall, the hill a throne...
Aragorn had never seen the throne room of Gondor, but this was unmistakably it. A scowl crossed his face, feeling as if he was being taunted by the basin.
Without warning, the throne dropped away, revealing a cliff behind it. Below, he could barely see anything- save for a glint of silver against the soil bordering a swift moving stream. The vision led him closer to the item, stopping abruptly when he recognized it to be the Evenstar pendant Arwen bore...
The water in the basin smoothed to black, and Aragorn stepped away, his eyes downcast momentarily. When he looked up, he was under Arwen's imploring gaze.
"I saw Gondor," he offered simply. He made a futile attempt at not looking at her pendant- but his eyes locked onto it. It was what he had seen, without a doubt. The fact did little to calm him.
Arwen was shaking her head softly. "I shouldn't have come." Aragorn went to her side, and gently extended a hand, placing it under her chin and lifting it. He could not hold her gaze long, though. It felt too personal, as if he wad doing her some great wrong. Aragorn sighed and shook his head softly. "If I had known this was something that would be regretted..."
Arwen smiled slightly, betraying the glassiness in her eyes. "I only wish I had seen more. Perhaps interpreting it would be easier..." As her voice trailed away, Aragorn's eyebrow arched, barely noticeable in the darkness.
"My lady... I do not promise an answer, but if you just told me..."
A very quiet huff of laughter escaped her. "Anyone else, perhaps." Aragorn's confusion spiked, yet he stayed silence, still hoping to draw an answer out from her.
Finally... "We both saw Gondor, then. Mine was far more negative, to be certain- generally the thought of being jailed is as such. Your interpretation is just as good as mine." She paused for several long seconds, debating whether or not to divulge the matter of the Tree. Perhaps it was the most important element of all. "I... I was seated by the White Tree, and it was in full bloom..."
Both were silent for minutes. Aragorn wasn't quite sure what to say- her statement sounded almost accusing. "I promise you, the city isn't as cruel as it would appear to be." He said it in a half joking manner, though deep down, he had slid into the role of king in that he wanted no bad perceptions of Minas Tirith.
"I've never been- and I certainly won't form an opinion from that thing..."
"Never?"
"Unfortunately, but somehow I don't believe the steward would be very inclined to welcome any elves."
Aragorn was taciturn as his thoughts wandered. He wasn't enamored with the idea of staying in Lothlorien much longer, nice as it was- but they were close to the White city. Was anything stopping him from going there?
On an impulse, he spoke up. "Lle merna aut?" He could sense her hesitancy near immediately, even more so when she tried to disguise it with a quick laugh. "Estel..." she whispered, shaking her head. (Shall we go?)
"Why not? I would not ask you to ride into the city, for neither would I. It pales in comparison to Rivendell, but even so, it's worth a look..."
Arwen looked away, still trying to compose her dignity. When she finally looked back to him, her countenance had softened. "The idea of staying here, in Lorien, isn't the most appealing, I admit." After another glance up at the sky, she shrugged her shoulders gently. "With the threat of orcs, though, I don't see the wardens just letting us go our own way."
"It is not yet dawn." Aragorn wished it wasn't completely obvious that he was hoping for her approval... Even already he was filled with apprehension- the thought of being alone with her did that to him.
Finally, Arwen's shoulders dropped and she smiled. "I trust you, Estel... Iire lye auta?" (When do we leave?)