Hidden Secrets

Disclaimer: I only own Aranwen, Beran, Star and the plot!

Chapter Twenty-seven: Breath of Life

T.A. 3019

Was this what it felt like to be dead? If it was, death was not as bad as he had thought.

Dead? He could not possibly be dead—not now. Not when people needed him the most. Not when Aranwen needed him and the people of Rohan needed him. He could not be dead.

Aragorn opened his eyes slowly as he felt warm breath upon his face. He was wet and lying near a river that had washed him up on shore. The warm breath had come from the muzzle of a horse, specifically the one he had met in Rohan and told Eowyn to free. Brego snorted at him and lay down beside him. Aragorn reached out to pet him and relaxed for a moment, enjoying the fact that he was very much alive.

What would Arwen have done if he had died? Who would have been the one to break the news to her? Would she have sailed with Elrond? And Aranwen? She would have been devastated, as would Arwen. Had Aranwen seen him fall? Did she know what happened? Did she know he was still alive?

Lately, she had not been having many visions and she could not trust most of them. Something was affecting her, but Aragorn could not figure it out and Aranwen was not telling him. Aranwen hardly ever told him anything. He supposed it was a reflex from living in the Wild and having to keep secrets. He wished she would feel comfortable enough to share her secrets with him. He knew firsthand how much of a burden keeping secrets was.

Brego snorted and Aragorn grabbed a hold of his mane, attempting to pull himself up on the back of the large bay horse. As soon as he was on the horse's back, Brego stood up and turned towards Helm's Deep making his way to the fortress, determined to help those that he could.

Aranwen was deep in thought. Her father was dead. Her father was dead. It was an endless stream of depression and it all circled around Aragorn's death. So much pain that she could hardly bear it. It all hurt so deeply and badly. How could so much pain affect her at the same time? The entire situation with Beran and now her father's death?

Then the darkness came, and Aranwen had a vision.

Ten thousand Orcs and Uruk-hai were marching from Isengard to Helm's Deep. They were coming to slay all the people that were hidden and protected by the fortress. They carried with them pots of fire, full of a black powder. Up on a hill, not far from them, stood a horse with an injured man on his back. Dark tangled hair covered the face of the man, but Aranwen knew the ragged Ranger anywhere. It was Aragorn, and he was alive.

Suddenly, a voice broke through her vision and called her to another one.

"Aranwen, Aranwen," called the voice, a sweet voice. Her mother's voice.

Arwen was dressed in a navy blue gown covered with a gray riding cloak. The hood covered her dark hair and she was preparing to leave Rivendell. Tears were in her eyes.

"I've got to leave, my daughter. I want to stay with you and Aragorn, but I can't. I must leave these shores. One day, you too will understand. Take care of your father, Aranwen. Help him to become the great king I know he will be… Namarie, Aranwen…" (Farewell, Aranwen.)

"Nana," whispered Aranwen. "Don't leave me!"

But her vision of Arwen was gone and so was her mother. And the painful truth began to sink in. Her father was alive for the time being and her mother was leaving Middle-earth. And Saruman was sending troops to kill them all. She was going to die and so was her father, if he didn't die before reaching Helm's Deep. If he made it to Helm's Deep, it would be her job to tell him that Arwen had left. That she had deserted them both.

Did Arwen understand the effects of her actions? Did she know that she was leaving Aranwen to raise a child or if Galadriel's vision was correct, twins? Did she know how miserable Aragorn would be without her? Did she realize that they were committing them to misery? Aranwen did not know how to care for children and she had hoped that Arwen would help her. And Aragorn would be a wreck without her! What was Aranwen supposed to do? What could she do?

But she couldn't do a damned thing.

Author's Notes:

I hope this chapter is better! I'm going to try to update by Thursday.

Reviewers!

YoginiGal – I'm trying to stick to the movie because I don't have a lot of time to keep going through my books, which are quickly falling apart. As for Beran, you'll see. : )

ElvenRyder – Thanks, here's a new chapter Jossy: )

ArwenFairTinuviel – I will change the view again at some point, most likely after the battle. This chapter shows a little more of her feelings that I didn't fit into the last chapter. My updates will most likely be once a week due to my homework load but I will update back to back on weekends. This means the chapters will be better. : )

Ainariel – Thanks! And no, because of the charm that Galadriel placed, no one will notice. She appears to look like she always has even though her stomach is growing. : )

Fae Black – It's still going to take nine months for the baby to be born, but as time goes on, she becomes more intuned to the baby and it may at times seem like the baby's been born or she's close to it. Glad you like it: )