CHAPTER THREE
The day of Aragorn's birth celebration dawned just like any other – bright, slightly chilly and the smell of fresh rain hanging in the air. As usual, Aragorn was up to greet the dawn, standing on his balcony, dressed only in a light sleep shirt and leggings. He stood facing the eastern horizon as the sun claimed the inky-blue sky, searching. His hawk-like gaze raked the brightening horizon until they settled on the single reaming pinnacle of light.
"Kalya," whispered Aragorn and the star twinkled. He had associated the morning star with his sister since she had died. Before there had been no need, she had always been at his side, or at least in ear-shot. As children, or really until he had become King, the pair had slept together, each chasing away the nightmares of the other.
"Happy Birth Day, muinthel nîn," he muttered, gripping the mithril ring around his neck. The star twinkled again before gently fading away as the first March sun mounted fully over the dark mountains which continued to separate Mordor from the rest of Middle-Earth. my sister
Half an hour later, Eldarion was sneaking along the corridor to his parent's bedchamber, clutching a fabric wrapped package to his chest with one hand and Faerveren's hand in the other. Gently he pushed the door open and glanced at the bed. Arwen was still sleeping, her breathing slowly and deep. Aragorn however was missing.
"Ada?" asked Eldarion in a whisper, not wanting to wake his other. No one replied but Eldarion could hear his father's breathing in the silent room.
"Ada?" he asked again, moving further into the room.
"Outside, ion nîn," came Aragorn's voice from the balcony. As quietly as he could, the boy made his way around the bed and both royal children emerged on the balcony. my son
Aragorn smiled and knelt down, opening his arms. Faerveren tottered towards him and was bundled into his embrace. Faerveren giggled in delight as Aragorn swung her on to his shoulders.
"What are you two doing up this early?" asked Aragorn, moving over to the bench which was beside the door. Eldarion held out the fabric package in his hand.
"Happy Birth Day, Ada," he said smiling. Aragorn placed his daughter on his knee and took the package from his son.
Unwrapping the object, Aragorn discovered an oil painting. As he registered who the painting was of, the King gasped, glanced at his son and back at the canvas.
The painting showed Aragorn and Kalya. Aragorn was sitting with his legs drawn up in front of him, his forearms resting on his knees and his right hand clasping his left wrist. Kalya was behind him, arms over his shoulder, her right temple leaning against the side of Aragorn's head. Both twins were smiling broadly, cobalt-blue eyes shining and bronzed skin shining with health. Aragorn's hair hung loose just above his shoulders and Kalya's was pulled up into its trademark ponytail, though if you looked closely you could see small, delicate braids threading though.
Eldarion stood nervously as he watched Aragorn take in the painting. "Do…do you like it?" asked Eldarion nervously. Aragorn looked up again and saw his son looking worried.
"Like it?" asked the King. He ran a gentle finger over Kalya's façade. "It's beautiful!" Eldarion relaxed slightly, only to panic when a tear made its way down Aragorn's cheek.
"Ada!" he cried and clambered on to the bench beside his father. Taking the picture from Aragorn's knee and setting it on the table in front on him, Eldarion wrapped his arms around his father's neck.
"Ada, man sa?" he asked. what is it?
"Nothing," murmured Aragorn. He started when a hand brushed his face.
"Wet," said Faerveren, holding out her hand. Aragorn chuckled at his daughter's statement and dried her hand with his own.
"Yes, iell nîn. Wet." Eldarion continued to look concerned. my daughter
"I'm alright, ion nîn. It's a beautiful painting. Hannon le." With that Aragorn pulled his eldest into a tight embrace. my son thank you
"I thought I heard mice," smiled Arwen, sitting down next to her husband and children. Both son and daughter giggled.
"Happy Birth Day, meleth nîn," said Arwen kissing the Man briefly. She handed him a small wooden box, adorned with the White Tree emblem. Shifting Faerveren on his knee, Aragorn opened the box. Inside was a mithril clasp with his Elven name "Estel" wrought into the metal, surrounded by a symbol for each race of Middle-Earth. my love
"It's beautiful, Arwen," said Aragorn in admiration, running a finger over the Elven script. "Hannon le." Arwen smiled and it was then she noticed the painting. Picking it up she gazed at it in amazement. thank you
"Who gave you this?" the she-Elf asked.
"Eldarion and Faerveren," replied Aragorn, closing the box he held to prevent Faerveren picking up the clasp and putting it in her mouth as she was prone to doing at the moment.
Arwen turned her gaze to her son. "So this is what you've been sneaking away to do in the afternoons." Eldarion nodded.
"Prince Legolas gave me the picture last visit and I added some colour," explained Eldarion.
"That Elfling never ceases to amaze me," said Arwen with a smile. "This is amazing." At that moment Eldarion's stomach decided that it was going to growl and the boy reddened slightly.
"Hungry?" teased Aragorn as Faerveren giggled and Arwen shook her head, smiling lightly. Eldarion's stomach replied for him with another growl. Laughing, Aragorn stood up and settled Faerveren on his hip and offered a hand to Arwen.
"I think breakfast is in order." And with Eldarion scampering ahead, the royal family made their way to the breakfast table, none of them caring that they were still in their nightwear.
Not surprisingly, Aragorn and his family were the first down to breakfast but then, not everyone was up to greet the dawn every morning either.
As Arwen was holding out a spoonful of porridge to Faerveren, a cheerful Faramir entered the room along with Elboron and Éowyn. All three gave a small inclination of the head before settling themselves at the table. Well, Éowyn and Faramir settled themselves, Elboron all but threw himself into the chair beside Eldarion and began devouring everything in reach.
"Elboron, slow down!" cried Éowyn. "Anyone would think you hadn't eaten in a month!"
"'m hungry!" mumbled Elboron, through a mouthful of porridge.
"Éowyn leave him be," smiled Faramir. "He's a growing boy who obviously enjoys Elven cooking."
Éowyn turned to her husband, an eyebrow raised, "You have done nothing but talk about Elves since yesterday afternoon! Why the sudden re-inspiration?"
Faramir was positively grinning by this time and he glanced up at Aragorn who was also smiling.
"Estel, what are you not telling us?" asked Arwen, glancing between Faramir and her husband.
"Well…" began Aragorn, his eyes dancing. "In about a months time we were to be heading off to Imladris to celebrate the Spring Festival with Elladan and Elrohir in Imladris. Now, after our little miscreants have finished their punishment, we are heading off to Lórien as well. I told Faramir yesterday and needless to say, he was very excited about the idea."
"Excited about ruling in your stead?" asked Éowyn catching hold of the wrong end of the proverbial stick.
"We're going with them!" said Faramir, his grin becoming impossibly wide. Aragorn laughed, Arwen's gaze flicked between the King and Steward, Éowyn stared at her husband in astonishment and both young Princes dropped their cutlery with a clatter.
"Lórien?" asked Eldarion as Elboron asked; "Imladris?" Both boys glanced at each other at back at the King. "All of us?" they asked together.
"Naturally," said Haldir as he appeared behind them. "Estel is going to Imladris for the Spring Festival and seeing as you two do practically everything together and he depends heavily on Faramir, it only seemed right to invite the Steward's family as well."
Éowyn, Elboron and Eldarion stared at the silver-haired March-Warden as he moved around the table to Éowyn's right. As he walked past Arwen, Faerveren raised her arms and demanded to be picked up by the Elf. Smiling at the child and after gaining a consenting nod from Arwen, Haldir scooped the little girl into his arms. She giggled and snuggled into Haldir's neck as the March-Warden settled her in his arms.
"You spoil them," commented Aragorn. Haldir raised an eyebrow.
"No more than I spoilt you and Kalya!" Aragorn muttered something about that not making the slightest bit of difference while Haldir turned to Arwen and Éowyn.
"Do you object to me kidnapping your offspring for the morning?"
"Not at all," replied Éowyn while Arwen indicated her consent. The Princes laid their cutlery on their now empty plates and bowls and stood. Giving a bow to Aragorn the followed Haldir and Faerveren from the room.
"Eldarion!" called Aragorn. "You might want to change!"
After Eldarion and Faerveren had been changed into clothes more suitable for March air, Haldir led the led children through the lower levels and eventually came to the battlement where they could view the fields of Pelennor.
"Haldir what are we doing here?" asked Eldarion in confusion.
"We are here to meet the guests for your father's celebration this evening," replied the Elf as he sat Faerveren on the wall, keeping his arms wrapped around her chest, lest she fall.
"Why couldn't Ada do that?"
"Because he doesn't know that they are coming," smiled Haldir. "You two are here because you know more about this city's secret passages than anyone else. It is your task to lead them to the Citadel and get them to their rooms without Aragorn finding out." Eldarion and Elboron looked at Haldir as though he had grown a second head.
"Uncle Aragorn will be able to see them arriving from his study!" exclaimed Elboron.
"No because he won't be there. Your mother and the Queen will keep him occupied and I have no doubt that your father will insist that Aragorn takes the day off," replied Haldir.
"Ada would still insist on doing his paperwork," said Eldarion, not believing for a second that his father would stop being King for a day just because it was his birthday. He hadn't done it any other year so there was little chance that this one would be different.
"Queen Arwen and Lady Éowyn can be very persuasive when they want to be," replied Haldir.
"Your guardian is asking for a miracle," muttered Elboron to Eldarion. The younger Prince agreed with a nod of his head. Haldir heard the comment but at that moment Faerveren tugged at his tunic and pointed out to something on the plains. Haldir looked out to where she was pointing and smiled.
"Boys, your guests are beginning to arrive. I think…yes it is young Peregrin and Meriadoc of the Shire along with Legolas of Ithilien and Gimli of the Glittering Caves."
At the mention of Merry and Pippin, all complaints that the boys had disappeared. The two hobbits of the Shire were a lot of fun to be around, both continually acting like children rather than the mature adults they claimed to be. Of all the members of the Fellowship, Pippin was Eldarion's favourite, other than the twins. Elboron preferred Merry.
Haldir scooped Faerveren back into his arms and chivvied the boys down the steps to the Gate which was opening to emit the travellers.
Eldarion smiled at Elboron; "He can show people the way as well," he said, almost in mild relief as the four visitors entered the courtyard.
"Eldarion, he is a guest. Please try and remember that," said Haldir, though he was unable to refute Eldarion's statement.
"We have to do something to keep him busy!" replied Elboron. "He is not the quietest of people."
"You have to keep who busy?" asked Pippin as he slid off his mount.
"You," grinned Eldarion and hugged the former Tower Guard. Pippin gladly returned the child's embrace. Elboron greeted Merry in the same way, which left Gimli and Legolas feeling a little put out.
"And where is our welcome?" grumbled the Dwarf, good naturedly.
"Sorry Gimli," smiled Eldarion, and both hugged the Dwarf, before greeting Legolas in the traditional manner of his people.
"You're out of luck Legolas," smiled Haldir as the blonde Elf returned the gesture. "When I arrived, this pair nearly flattened me." Eldarion glared at his guardian.
"I was getting there!" he exclaimed, flushing slightly.
Due to the guests' obvious inability to coordinate themselves so that they all arrived at relatively the same time, Eldarion and Elboron accompanied by Haldir (Faerveren had been given back to her parents at the midday meal, while Merry and Pippin had been accosted by the kitchen staff and whisked away to provide them with a helping hand in the meal preparation), spent the whole morning and half of the afternoon tailing back and forth between the Main Gate and the Citadel. When Éomer, who was second from last to arrive, had been settled Elfwine, Éomer's ten year old son, had wanted to join them but his mother had insisted that he have a bath immediately as it would not do to be wandering around the Gondorian Court smelling of horse.
After escorting the final contingent of guests – Glorfindel, Erestor and a few of Imladris' younger Elves – the two young Gondorians, who would normally have been running around causing a ruckus at that time of day, wanted nothing more than to collapse into their beds and sleep.
"May be getting into a fight yesterday wasn't such a good idea," muttered Eldarion as he curled cat-like beside Elboron. The older Prince smiled and ruffled Eldarion's raven hair.
"I think we would have had to show the guests to their rooms whether we attacked Halhigil or not. Merry and Pippin would have been travelling for at least a month before they reached here," replied Elboron. Eldarion yawned. He had been up since sunrise and had walked to and from the Gate at least five times with very little rest, pausing only at the midday meal. Curling up closer to Elboron, the raven-Prince closed his eyes. Elboron himself felt his eyes growing heavy and soon both heirs to Gondor were asleep, huddled close together on Elboron's bed.
Three hours later, Haldir and Faramir found the two of them, still sleeping. Both smiled at the sight which greeted their eyes. Though they had been close when they fell asleep, the two friends hadn't actually been touching but somehow in their sleep, the two had moved towards the other and now Elboron's arm was resting over Eldarion's torso while Eldarion's head was in the crook of his neck.
"It seems a shame to wake them," murmured Faramir. Haldir nodded but the two still moved into the room and approached the bed.
"Eldarion," said Haldir, shaking the raven boy's shoulder. Eldarion groaned and moved closer into Elboron's chest. "Eldarion wake up."
Blinking, Eldarion awoke and found himself in Elboron's embrace. His friend was also waking up as he felt Eldarion stir.
"Come on you two, we have a feast to prepare for," said Faramir. Both boys were suddenly wide awake and they scrambled off the bed. Elboron quickly made for his bathing chamber while Eldarion shot out the room to his own. Faramir and Haldir were left standing by the bed, gazing after the two.
"Who would have thought we found them sleeping?" laughed Faramir. Haldir shook his head with a smile and followed his charge out of the room, though at a more stately pace.
Sorry this chapter was so long, my imagination didn't just run away with me, it sprinted! And I couldn't find a suitable place to split it into two chapters. Forgive me?
Response to reviewers;
Chevalliata; I'll try not to but I am not making any promises. It should get easier in a couple of weeks when I finish Uni for the holidays.Not quite decided when the family vacation will be but it is coming.
Angel of the Night Watchers; (laughs) I was just thinking of the way my parents always tried the diplomacy with me when I was younger. Didn't always work, sometimes I am just to stubborn for my own good!
Anyway, the Elvish (names and language) comes from a site called "Méran Anessi ar Quenteli!" One of my reviewers for Princess in the Fellowship gave me the address because my Elvish previously was mainly "grelvish" used in the role play games. It is a very helpful site.
IwishChan; You have to remember Elboron and Eldarion are only 11 and 9 respectively. (Halhigil is 13). They are also the type of kids who enjoy creating a ruckus and generally having fun (they are Gondor's equivalent of 'Dan and 'Ro) Two weeks without pleasure activities will be hard on them. Not that they wont have fun, they can still play around but as less likely to be given the opportunity.
ladyofimladris44; Hey, I can be nitpicky as well when I chose. Anyway, the points that you made were valid and I promptly made the corrections. Thanks. Glad you are enjoying the story.
CapriceAnn Hedican-Kocur; Err… I doubt it, I cannot write romance to save my life! Close friendship which can be read either way – easy, romance – I struggle with. That is going to be fun when I introduce partners for Elboron and Eldarion!Haldir being Eldarion's guardian was a task which Kalya gave him (Haldir was Kalya's guardian, which is something like a godparent, and he promised her that he would care for her nephew the same way as he did her. The three children are what is keeping him alive at the moment.) Naturally, with Elboron being like a brother to Eldarion, Haldir treats him the same way and wouldn't dream of not including the boy.
Haldir's Heart and Soul; I know that you can't stop people (especially teenagers) from saying things but by taking away something which they enjoy doing, for example pleasure activities, then they are more likely to think about what they have done and hopefully not do it again. Giving someone a lecture about what they have done wrong doesn't always work, especially if that person is rather set in their ways.