Hidden Secrets
Disclaimer: I only own the characters that you don't recognize and the plot.
Chapter Twelve: Hunted No More
T.A. 3018
Aranwen awoke to find both Arwen and Aragorn sitting anxiously at her side. She sat up slowly with their help.
"Beran?" she asked, as soon as she was sitting upright and able to look both her parents in the eyes.
"Elrond and a group of Elves have set out after him. They should return shortly with either news of him or his body," Aragorn told her.
"They will not find him. Beran is never found unless he wants you to find him," Aranwen said, her worried gaze heading to the floor.
"He will not be coming back after you," Arwen said. "My father has assured us of this."
"Until I see his body, I will not be convinced," Aranwen swore, knowing how tricky Beran could be.
"Then come and see his body," Elrond said, as he entered the room. "He is dead."
Aranwen hopped out of her bed and followed Elrond out of the room. Aragorn and Arwen trailed behind Aranwen. Elrond led the way down a dimly lit corridor to a room. Inside the room, upon a table, lay the body of Beran. Aranwen fell to her knees beside the body and tears filled her eyes. Aragorn and Arwen were both surprised at Aranwen's behavior, but they were relieved to know that the threat was gone.
Softly, Aranwen spoke to Beran's body, "I am sorry that it had to end this way. I don't know what happened but somehow this was the only option left. One of us had to die."
Aranwen closed her eyes and with a sigh, she kissed Beran on the forehead. "Good-bye forever, Beran," she said as she stood up and turned away from him. Her saddened grey-blue eyes locked on Arwen's face and Arwen came forward and wrapped her arms around her upset daughter. Arwen led Aranwen back to her room, leaving Aragorn and Elrond to speak about Beran.
Once inside her room, Aranwen began to cry. Arwen tried to comfort her, but she did not understand what was causing Aranwen to cry. Beran was dead and Aranwen should be glad that he could no longer come after her and try to kill her.
"Aranwen, my dear daughter Aranwen, whatever is the matter?" Arwen asked softly.
"Beran is dead, nana."
"Yes, I know he is. Why are you crying over his death?"
"Nana, wouldn't you cry if ada died?" Aranwen questioned, looking into Arwen's startled eyes.
"How did you manage to catch him?" Aragorn asked Elrond. "Aranwen thought that he would not be caught."
"Well Aranwen thought wrong. She does not know everything."
"Aranwen surely knows Beran better than you because she's been running from him for some time."
"But did Aranwen kill him?"
"No, she did not because she was too busy trying to run. He was the hunter and she was the hunted."
"She is no longer the hunted because I have killed the hunter," Elrond said with a smug look upon his face.
"How?" Aragorn inquired.
"It was quite simple. First I tracked him through the forest. Once I caught up to him, I shot him in the heart with an arrow. He died instantly. Of course I removed the shaft before Aranwen saw his body."
Aragorn walked over to Beran's body. His well-trained eyes searched for a wound near the heart, like Elrond had said Beran had died. There was no such wound. Aragorn looked at Elrond and said accusingly, "Beran was not killed by an arrow to the heart. I believe that he was dead when you found him. Tell me the truth!"
"You will never know the truth!" Elrond cried, pointing a dagger at Aragorn.
"Aranwen, what is going on?" Arwen asked but suddenly Aranwen's eyes closed and she froze.
A minute later, her eyes flew open and Aranwen leapt to her feet and pulled a dagger from under her pillow.
"I just need some time alone," Aranwen said before running from her room. Her feet followed the same path that led to Beran's body. Aranwen swung the door open and entered with her dagger out.
"Ada?" cried Aranwen, worried.
"Aranwen, get out of here!" Aragorn warned his daughter. "Drego!"
"No!" she protested aiming her dagger at Elrond.
"Aranwen, please!" Aragorn begged, afraid for his daughter's life.
"Leave my ada alone!" Aranwen hissed, touching her dagger to Elrond's throat. "Or I swear I will kill you."
"You little brat!" Elrond roared, knocking Aranwen's dagger away with his own. He turned to face the young Ranger, furious at her. "You always ruin everything!"
"She hasn't ruined anything!" Aragorn yelled.
"If she had only gone with him—like she was supposed to—Gondor would already be mine!"
"You are not Lord Elrond," Aragorn said coldly.
"He is being controlled," Aranwen said.
"By who?"
"It must have something to do with Beran—Beran must have hired him."
"Hired who?" Aragorn asked and watched Aranwen's eyes close and her right hand tightly grip the Ring of Barahir.
"You want me to kill her?" a wizard robed in white asked Beran.
"No, not kill her! I need your help to catch her. She is in Rivendell and I cannot get to her. If the need be—I will kill her," Beran said.
"And what do I get if I help you?"
"You will receive a position of power and it is one that is much higher than the position that you currently hold, Saruman the White."
"What position?"
"I will give you the throne of Gondor if you will sneak me into Rivendell and help me fake my own death and any other need I may have."
"Who shall I posses?" Saruman asked with a sly smile.
"The esteemed Lord Elrond of Rivendell."
"Saruman. Saruman is possessing Elrond," Aranwen said, fear in her eyes.
"And Beran?"
"Beran hired him and Saruman is to receive the throne of Gondor as payment for his services."
"How would Beran get his hands on Gondor?" Aragorn asked, confused.
"Perhaps it is time for me to tell my secret…"
"No!" yelled Saruman-Elrond. "I will be forced to kill you both if you tell. It would ruin me if it got out!"
"Then let you be ruined, scum of Middle-earth! Together—you and Beran--have already ruined me!" Aranwen yelled.
Saruman-Elrond stepped forward and with one arm, he flung Aragorn into the wall as easily as if he had been a ragdoll. Aragorn slumped to the floor and lay still. Aranwen started to scream but Saruman-Elrond quickly closed his hands upon Aranwen's throat. Aranwen gasped and tried to pry his fingers off her throat. Saruman-Elrond smiled as he tightened his grip on her neck. He was doing the one thing that Beran loathed to do. He was murdering Aranwen.
Author's Notes:
Evil cliffie! And more shall be revealed in the next chapter, which focuses on Beran. Please review! Chapter 13 will be up within two or three days! Sorry for any and all mistakes seeing as my beta, Ari Moon has conveniently disappeared. I'm also sorry if it seems odd or doesn't make any sense. If it does—please let me know!
Elvish Translations:
Drego! – Flee!
Reviewers!
IwishChan – Aranwen's had a rough life and the mess with Beran has only made it harder. You'll see why shortly.
ArwenFairTinuviel – Well this pretty much explains how he got in. And yes, Beran will eventually die—but not yet!
Meekah Greenleaf – I'm glad that you like this story!