Hidden Secrets
Disclaimer: I only own Aranwen, Beran, Star, and the plot!
Chapter Twenty-four: Possession
T.A. 3019
'That's it. End his pain,' whispered the voice in Aranwen's head.
She had to help him. She had to end his pain. She was his daughter, she could not sit idly and watch him suffer. She could not. She had to end it.
The dagger flashed through the air and headed for Aragorn's heart. Aragorn had yet to notice his daughter sneaking up behind him, let alone the dagger headed for his heart. Legolas was still arguing with his good friend. His Elven eyes picked up on the dagger before Aranwen could raise it. What was she doing? At first the Elven prince was confused but then he realized what was happening. Aranwen was going to kill her father.
Legolas tackled Aragorn to the ground, knocking him out of the path of Aranwen's dagger. The dagger sliced harmlessly through the air.
"Valar damn you, Legolas Greenleaf!" Aranwen hissed and turned on the blonde Elf near her feet.
Gandalf rushed over and grabbed Aranwen's arm. He twisted it and pried the dagger from her tightly closed fingers. She screamed at him and fought to keep the dagger. Aragorn and Legolas moved a little ways away from Aranwen and Gandalf. Legolas did not have to keep his good friend back from the dagger-wielding Aranwen. Aragorn seemed content to stand back and watch his daughter fight with the wizard. Something wasn't right.
'Kill the Elf. He wants to let Beran live. He wants Beran to kill your daughter,' whispered a voice in Aragorn's head.
But Legolas was his friend. He would not want his friend dead.
'He wants her dead as much as Beran. He loves your wife. He would see and your daughter dead.'
Legolas in love with Arwen? Impossible! But they were good friends… Arwen would never leave him for Legolas! Would she? What if he were dead? Nothing could keep his best friend from stealing Arwen if he was dead and so was Aranwen. He could not allow Legolas to steal his wife.
"Traitor!" Aragorn hissed and drew his dagger and turned to attack Legolas.
By sheer luck and Elven reflexes, Legolas was able to avoid the cleverly wielded dagger from the Ranger. What was Legolas to do? This was Aragorn. This was his best friend! Why would Aragorn attack him?
He would not—unless…
Unless he was possessed.
It suddenly all made sense. The reason Aragorn was acting strange. The reason Aranwen had raised a dagger to stab her own father. The two Rangers were being possessed by some unseen evil. Saruman was possessing Aragorn and Aranwen.
"Gandalf! It's Saruman! He's possessing them!" the Elf shouted to the wizard.
Gandalf raised his staff and shouted, "Begone!"
Aranwen and Aragorn froze for a second. Then they moved and Aragorn dropped his dagger. Aranwen's hand flew to her stomach, feeling for her baby. They both looked exhausted.
"Nana," whispered Aranwen softly, tears coming to her eyes. "I'm so sorry…"
Aragorn noticed Aranwen's tears and softly walked over to where she had sunk down to the ground, her back against a tree. He saw the tears and wanted badly to comfort her.
"Aranwen," he said softly, sitting down beside her.
"She's dead!" she cried, tears flowing freely. "He killed her!"
"What are you talking about?"
"Nana, she's gone!"
Aragorn suddenly realized that Aranwen had been tricked. He looked down to the Evenstar, which was glowing brightly and reassuring him that everything was alright. Arwen was fine, yet whatever had just happened had preyed on one of Aranwen's greatest fears.
"No, she's alive," he said and he removed the Evenstar and placed it in Aranwen's hand. "She's fine."
The light from the Evenstar was reassuring and calming. How could she have been tricked into believing that her mother was dead? She would be able to tell if Arwen was gone, she would feel it. Arwen was alive, at least for the time being.
"What happened?" Aranwen asked.
"You and Aragorn were being possessed by Saruman," said Gandalf. "It was not a strong possession, at least not as strong as the one Saruman holds over Theoden."
"We must stop Saruman," Aranwen said, getting off the ground. "Before Theoden does something he will regret."
"We must make haste to Edoras," said Gandalf as he led the way from Fangorn Forest.
At Gandalf's call, four horses galloped into view. They were Hasufel, Arod, Star, and Shadowfax. Star tossed her head and whinnied to Aranwen.
"One of the Meras, unless my eyes are deceived," muttered Legolas, looking at Shadowfax.
"He is Shadowfax and he has my friend through many journeys," Gandalf remarked, patting the white horse on the neck.
Aranwen hopped on Star's back with a little help from Aragorn and she handed him back the Evenstar. Aragorn smiled and swung onto Hasufel's back. Legolas and Gimli mounted Arod. Gandalf jumped onto Shadowfax bareback.
"Well? What are we waiting for?" Gimli asked.
No one replied and four horses turned and headed for Edoras.
The following day, Aranwen, Aragorn, Gandalf, Legolas, and Gimli arrived in Edoras. People stared at them but no one said a word. They silently rode past the houses until they reached the Golden Hall of Meduseld. They dismounted near the steps and led their horses into the stables. After seeing to the horses, the weary riders climbed the steps to the Golden Hall and met with the doorwardens.
"Who are you and what brings you here?" asked one of the doorwardens.
"Did Lord Eomer not give you word of our coming?" Aragorn asked.
"Eomer has been banished. He gave no such word."
"We have come to speak to your king, Theoden. This is Aragorn, son of Arathorn, Gimli, son of Gloin, Legolas of the Woodland Realms, and Aranwen, Ranger of the North. I suspect that you already know who I am," said Gandalf.
"That I do. If Theoden, King, will speak with you, I must bid you to lay your weapons aside," said the doorwarden.
"Let us know if your master will speak with us and then we shall lay down our weapons," said Aragorn.
The doorwarden nodded and went away to announce their coming to Theoden.
"Lay down our weapons?" Aranwen said. "Why should we do such a thing?"
"No doubt that it is a rule coming from Saruman. He may mean to bring others against us once we are in the hall, guards to kill us," said Legolas.
"I will not lay down my weapons!" Aranwen insisted. "I will not go into the unknown unprotected!"
"Aranwen, we may need your help if Gandalf is to succeed in removing Saruman's presence. You must lay down your weapons!" Legolas told the stubborn half-Elf.
"No denying who her father is," Gimli remarked under his breath.
"Ada, must I relinquish my weapons?" Aranwen asked Aragorn, her blue-gray eyes staring him down.
"Tancave, Aranwen," replied Aragorn. (Yes, Aranwen.)
"I will, as long as no one touches them," Aranwen agreed, caving in. She really didn't want to go unarmed into the Golden Hall. What if Saruman himself was inside? She was so used to carrying weapons, that she did not want to lay hers aside. She always had at least a dagger with her at all times. When Aragorn wasn't looking, Aranwen slipped her dagger up her right sleeve, just incase.
"Theoden will see you," said the doorwarden, returning from the Golden Hall. "Now you must lay down your weapons."
Gimli laid down his axe, Legolas laid down his bow, quiver, and fighting knives, Gandalf laid down his sword and Aragorn laid down his bow, quiver, sword, and dagger. Aranwen hesitated but lay down her sword, bow and quiver. No one noticed that her dagger was missing. Yet the doorwarden would not let them in.
"Your staff," he asked Gandalf.
"You would not part an old man from his walking stick, would you?" Gandalf replied and the doorwarden moved to allow them entry. Legolas helped Gandalf through the doors, adding to the image of an old man. Aranwen, Aragorn and Gimli followed them inside.
Gandalf walked straight to Theoden's throne. Theoden looked to be a very old man, but Aranwen knew for a fact that Theoden was younger than her father. Was Saruman's possession doing this to him? A creepy looking man robed in black stood beside Theoden. Aranwen glared at him, sensing his evil. He was the one responsible for the possession of Theoden. He worked for Saruman. Saruman had convinced her that her mother was dead and tried to have her kill Aragorn. She would kill him and his minion.
Some people were following the group at a distance. Aranwen scanned the group with her eyes, looking for potential threats. No, Beran was not in the group, nor was Saruman. It was just a group of people loyal to Grima Wormtongue. No major threat.
Aranwen tuned out Gandalf and Theoden's speech. She did not care what words were said. All she cared was that Saruman would no longer possess anyone. That was all that mattered.
Suddenly, the group that had followed them, attacked. They were trying to stop Gandalf in the middle of removing Saruman's presence. Aranwen join in fighting the attackers, punching and kicking her way towards Gandalf, to keep people from interfering with the wizard. She made her way towards the throne and was almost there when she saw a young woman, not much older than herself, come running into the room. Aragorn grabbed her by the arm before she could run to Theoden's side. At the same time, Aranwen felt the evil that was Saruman, leave.
Theoden was no longer possessed.
Author's Notes:
Sorry that this is a bad chapter. I'm in a hurry to get this written and posted. Sorry if it's terrible!
Reviewers!
IwishChan – Legolas notices! It was a shame that they couldn't have a normal birthday—but oh well! Nothing is ever normal for them: )
Fae Black – Thank you so much! Everyone does have a voice in their heads, but these were different. : )
Jedi Padfoot – Aranwen would never want to kill Aragorn and Arwen's not dead—at least not yet. I make no guarantees. : )