A/N: Lest this story leave one with an impression of love always occurring at first sight, a small added prequel on the first meeting of a favorite canon couple. Not mine, of course.
Thanks to Fire for pointing out my history issues. They should hopefully be fixed.
"What type of stray have you picked up this time, Father?" Arwen straightened her dress as she came in from her walk in the forest. Lord Elrond's daughter had but recently returned from her maternal grandmother's home in Lothlorien, and her deep attachment to the forests still showed itself in her frequent excursions into the fringes of Mirkwood. She reminded Elrond very much of her mother in this regard; Celebrian had been just as fond of the woodlands before she had set sail for the Gray Havens.
"What do you mean, Arwen?" he asked his daughter. "None of my guests are exactly the type to be found at the side of the street."
"No, that shameless puppy that calls himself Isildur's heir was trying to follow me home from the woods." She hung her woolen cloak up to dry and tossed back her long, dark hair. "I do believe he was attempting to seduce me."
Despite the righteous fire in her eyes, the elf lord indulged in a small round of teasing. "Can you really blame the boy, Arwen Evenstar? You're the most beautiful woman Estel has ever seen, the prettiest any of us has seen in quite some time." Elrond kissed his beloved daughter on the cheek, but his thoughts were not so irreverent as the casual observer might infer from his actions. Gandalf had warned Elrond that Aragorn would fall for Arwen at first sight, and that she might fall for him as well. That was why the elf had encouraged his daughter's visits to Lothlorien, in hopes that her heart would not be torn in two.
Aragorn, or Estel, as he was known in Rivendell to prevent enemy spies from finding Isildur's heir, was a good lad; Elrond had practically raised him as a son after his mother's disappearance and was very fond of the boy now poised on the verge of manhood. Yet the memory of Isildur's failure, nigh on three thousand years ago, was still fresh in the long-lived elf's mind. Estel had yet to prove himself. Would he reclaim the throne of Gondor and become a leader of men, or would Aragorn's resolve weaken in the face of temptation, as his ancestor's had? Elrond could not give the youth his heartfelt consent to court his youngest child and only daughter until Isildur's heir had proven himself worthy.
Elrond had always felt closer to Arwen, especially after her mother's passing, than to his sons, and would not quickly separate from her. Yet the elf knew he would not remain in Rivendell forever. Already he could feel the call of the sea and the Gray Havens across the ocean in his bones. He sensed it would not be too many years yet before he was forced to heed that call. His sons would travel with him, of course. He had been even surer of Arwen's accompaniment, until Gandalf had warned him of this strange twist of fate. How ironic, that this boy that the elf had welcomed into his household should prove Elrond's undoing.
"I shall have a word with Estel, don't you worry," he reassured his daughter.
"I should certainly hope so, father." Arwen contented herself with this, brushing away with a light kiss upon his cheek.
The opportunity for such a word came quickly. Aragorn stood outside in the gardens, his dark gray eyes wide with awe. "How long have you been hiding her, Lord Elrond?" the young man asked.
"I didn't. Arwen has been staying with her mother's family in Lothlorien these last two decades," the elf answered half-truthfully.
"Your daughter is amazing, my lord," the Dunedain said in hushed, reverent tones. "When you first told me about my history, I felt that no man could equal me. But when I saw her, I felt very common, indeed." He bowed his head ashamedly.
"You are human, Aragorn," Elrond reminded him firmly. "To her, you are common, and will remain so until you can prove yourself worthy of your heritage. You would have to claim the kingdom of your ancestors." The elf laid a conciliatory arm on the youth's back.
"You think I have a chance at winning her, then?" Estel was really taking this too far, but Elrond saw no reason for stopping him. Not then.
"When the king returns, and Sauron is banished to the Void, I will give you my blessings with her." The elf promised with tongue-in-cheek. Aragorn looked a bit crestfallen, but there was still a hint of hope in his eyes.
"I'll prove myself worthy, someday," he promised. "For both of you."
"Your resolve suits you. It does me proud, Aragorn. We shall see what shall come to pass." Elrond reassured him. The Lord of Rivendell walked a delicate line between protecting his daughter and bolstering his adoptive son's ego. Elrond could only hope that the love-struck light in Estel's eyes did not foreshadow him doing something stupid.