Hidden Secrets
Disclaimer: I only own Aranwen, Beran, Aranwen's horse, and the plot.
Chapter Fifteen: Aranwen's Secret
T.A. 3019
It was early January before Aranwen had a vision again and felt troubled. She had been moping in her room when the vision hit.
She saw the Fellowship of the Ring and they were in Moria. They were in front of Balin's tomb when Pippin dropped a bucket and a dwarf's body down some type of well. The noise caused the banging of drums to be heard in the deep. Goblins, Orcs, and other foul creatures were coming to kill them. Aranwen watched as Boromir and Aragorn boarded up door with axes.
"They have a cave troll," announced Boromir, as the foul creatures reached the door.
Aragorn joined Legolas and the two well-trained archers fitted arrows to bow strings and began to fire into a rapidly widening hole in the doors. The creatures shrieked as they were hit. The door eventually flew open and the creatures rushed in. Aragorn abandoned his bow and drew his sword.
The battle was complete and utter chaos. Her vision shifted its focus to Frodo as the cave troll stalked him. Aranwen was afraid that Frodo would die and the Quest would fail. She watched as the troll grabbed Frodo who cried out for her father.
Aragorn picked up a spear and drove into the belly of the beast, who roared. The troll glared at the Ranger before sweeping him aside with a giant hand. Aranwen heard herself cry out as she watched, helplessly, as her father was thrown into a stone pillar and lay frozen upon the ground. She deeply regretted not saying good-bye to her father and saying rude things about him as he abandoned her and her mother in the safe haven of Rivendell. If he were dead, she would never forgive herself.
The troll pried the spear from its belly and stabbed Frodo in the chest. The Hobbit's blue eyes went wide in pain and shock as he gasped aloud and collapsed to the floor, unmoving. The Ringbearer was pierced--probably dead.
Aranwen began to weep for her father and for Frodo when she awoke, knowing that she was too late to do anything. She would never make it to Moria in time to save them. She was completely and utterly useless in the Fellowship's time of need. They needed her and she was stuck in Rivendell. She knew that she had to at least attempt to help them.
Aranwen raced to her wardrobe and pulled her jacket on over her vest and tunic and fastened her cloak around her neck. She reached in the back and withdrew a sword and its scabbard. She belted the sword around her waist and slipped her dagger into its sheath. She also found her quiver and bow and slug it over her shoulder. She turned to leave the room and grabbed her packed saddlebags as she left.
She raced down to the stable and saddled Star in record time. She slipped her saddlebags on behind the saddle and was preparing to mount when Arwen entered the stable. The beautiful Elf seemed puzzled at Aranwen's appearance and weapons. She had never seen her daughter decked out in all of her weapons and Ranger attire.
"What is wrong, Aranwen?" she questioned.
"I'm going to save ada and Frodo," replied Aranwen.
"Aranwen, they are doing just fine," Arwen said, attempting to reassure her daughter.
"No they are not!" Aranwen insisted. "I saw them, nana! I saw them die! They died! I need to save them!"
"Where, Aranwen?"
"Moria," she said softly, looking down towards her boot clad feet.
"You are not going, Aranwen. I suggest that you head back up to your room. You will not being going to Moria on your own."
"Nana, I've been to far more dangerous places than Moria in my life!"
"That may be true but Middle-earth is a dangerous place now. It is not safe for you to go wandering on your own."
"I'm not going to let ada die!" Aranwen yelled.
"Aranwen, if Aragorn is truly dead, or dying, than you are no longer safe here. They will come for you here and kill you," Arwen said, with tears in her eyes. "They will kill you."
"Who?"
"It does not matter who. The only thing that matters now is keeping you safe. You must go to Lothlorien, to my mother's people. They will keep you hidden."
"Nana, what about ada?" she asked, trying to read Arwen's face, searching for hints as to her mother's feelings.
"It is too late to save him. We must now save you. He would want you to be safe."
"I'm not going to give up on him!" she cried, distraught.
"I'm not asking you to. There is always hope. Now, you must run. I will gather a guard and you will run."
"No…" she whispered, shaking her head. How could her mother expect her to abandon her father?
"Come with me," Arwen said, wrapping her arm around her daughter and leading her back into the Last Homely House.
Within an hour, Aranwen left Rivendell with an escort of ten Elves. They were to be silent and swift. Arwen and Elrond would have liked a larger guard, but they understood the importance of speed and they did not want Aranwen to be seen. The lady Galadriel and her husband, the lord Celeborn, personally greeted the small group upon their arrival in Caras Galadhon.
"My dear Aranwen, you are the mirror image of your parents. What brings you here?" Galadriel asked the young half-Elf.
"Ada is dead, as is the Ringbearer," Aranwen said solemnly, as tears formed in her gray-blue eyes.
"Sen tir?"
"I had a vision of the Fellowship in Moria. They were attacked, and my ada and Frodo were slain by a cave troll. I was unable to save them because I am here."
"Tell me, how is Arwen taking the news?" Galadriel asked as she wrapped her arm around the distraught half-Elf and steered her towards her garden, where the Mirror resided.
"I could not tell her emotions. She said nothing to me except that ada would want me to be safe," Aranwen told the regal Elf.
"She does not believe that he is dead yet and nor do I. The Mirror may tell us if he is."
"The Mirror?"
"It shows things that were, things that are, and some things that have not yet come to pass," she said mysteriously as she poured water into the silver basin.
"Does it ever lie?"
"No, but the future is always changing. So it may be wrong, just as a vision. Or it might not be as it appears."
"How will I know—"
"Just look into the Mirror," Galadriel said and Aranwen swallowed deeply before glancing in it.
The clear water swirled and an image appeared. Aranwen craned her head to get a better look and watched.
The first image was of her showdown with Beran. Aranwen felt nauseous as she watched the fatal encounter. But before she had to see the arrows, the image changed to when she first met her parents. After that, the image became the Fellowship leaving and Aranwen watching Arwen's good-bye to Aragorn.
Now she was into the present. She could see the Hobbits reactions to the lament for Gandalf. She saw Aragorn lost in thought. She saw Legolas' eyes, close to tears owing to the fact that he understood what the Elves were singing. Reaching a hand to her eyes, she wiped away her tears.
Suddenly, the future appeared. Aranwen saw Arwen laying herself down to die in a black dress with red sleeves, tears streaking down her face as she said good-bye to no one. She saw Beran trying to strangle her in the middle of a battle. She saw Aragorn being dragged off a cliff by a Warg. She saw her belly growing and touched it with her hand. She also saw a young boy in Gondor, wearing the Ring of Barahir around his neck. But the boy was alone.
The images ended and Aranwen looked up to face her great-grandmother with tears falling freely from her eyes. Galadriel gave Aranwen a half-smile and hugged her. With a whisper, Galadriel told the young woman, "This is only one possibility. The future is as yet, uncertain."
Aranwen nodded and Galadriel released her and saw Aranwen place a hand over her stomach and bite her lip.
"You are indeed with child," Galadriel said, knowing suddenly what Aranwen herself had only just discovered.
"I guess so. But what am I to do? I can't have a child now, it wouldn't be safe!" Aranwen cried out.
"Aranwen, is Beran the father?"
"Nai Ungoliant meditha Beran!" she cursed.
"Aranwen!" Galadriel replied sharply, shocked by Aranwen's harsh words.
"He tried to kill me! He would have killed me!"
"My dear, he will not harm the child," spoke the wise Elf, foreseeing the future. "The child will be safe."
"Will Beran find out about the child? If he does, he'll do anything he can to take me back! Anything!"
"He will find out, and he will try to take you back, but he can not harm the child nor can he harm you. You will be well protected. He is your husband, I believe?"
"Unfortunately, yes."
"When were you married?"
T.A. 3018
It was September and leaves were falling and changing colors. Aranwen was dressed in her nicest outfit and the top of her dark hair was tied back. As always, the Ring of Barahir hung from its chain around her neck. Beran stood beside, also in his nicest outfit. Smiles were upon their faces as they were pronounced husband and wife and exchanged rings before sharing a kiss.
They were so happy.
Beran picked up a giggling Aranwen in his arms and swung her around before carrying her to their tent. Everyone else in the camp went off to celebrate by getting drunk.
T.A. 3019
"Shortly afterward, I watched Beran murder Walker, our captain, in cold blood. He also ordered the rest of the camp killed. That was when I ran away," Aranwen said, remembering that terrible day.
"Aranwen, there is a charm I could put upon you to prevent others from noticing your pregnancy. It would last until the birth of your child. No one would have to know about your child unless you chose to tell him or her," Galadriel offered.
"Would you please do that for me?" Aranwen asked.
"Of course, my great-granddaughter, of course…"
"What shall I tell ada? I know that he is alive now."
"You can tell him when you are ready."
Author's Notes:
Elvish translations:
Sen tir? – Is this true?
Nai Ungoliant meditha Beran! – May Ungoliant devour Beran!
Did anyone guess that Aranwen and Beran were married? I hinted at it several times before I got around to saying it. Aranwen is four months pregnant so she should just be being to show a little, but she's wearing Ranger clothes so no one would notice. She is due in the summer. Galadriel's charm enables her to continue on with this story and is a concealment charm.
Next update will be about the Fellowship's arrival in Lorien. Look for it within a few days! Sorry that it took so long for this chapter to come!
Reviewers!
IwishChan – But Aranwen has a plan up her sleeve when it comes to joining the Fellowship! You'll see soon! Aragorn and Arwen will fix things when they see each other again.
YoginiGal – It was nasty but Aranwen was upset. She's now forgiven him and regrets her harsh words. She would never mean something like that, it was just something that she said in anger! I will keep writing, don't worry!
ArwenFairTinuviel – It took me a long time to get to this part of the story and things should hopefully keep getting more interesting because I have the whole story figured out, it's just getting to certain things that is a pain. There are lots of little twists planned similar to the Elrond possession. As the story goes on, more of Beran and Aranwen's past will be revealed. I don't plan on stopping writing as long as everyone wants to keep reading!
Jedi Padfoot – Thanks for the review and I'm so pleased that you like the story:)