Hidden Secrets
Disclaimer: I only own Aranwen, Beran, Star, and the plot!
Chapter Thirty-two: Jealousy
T.A. 3019
Aragorn and the others returned to Edoras in time to celebrate the victory of Helm's Deep. Aranwen went, but she was in no mood to join in the festivities. She was feeling sicker than ever before and she had a feeling that Beran was watching her. He was always watching her. He had often watched her while they had been in the Ranger camp.
T.A. 3018
Aranwen sat curled up in a tree. She enjoyed being up high and away from the troubles of the camp. She had heard Walker yelling last night about the pressure from the Gondorians. Blasted Gondorians never cared about anyone other than themselves.
She had retreated to the tree to think. She fingered the ring on the chain around her neck. It was the only thing she had from her parents. It was still hard to believe that they were dead.
Aranwen heard a branch crack below her and felt a pair of eyes on her. It was Beran, like always. He always seemed to be able to tell when she was awake and uneasy. It was unnerving, but so were many things about Beran. He was shadowed in secrets much like herself.
Except she had told him many of her secrets. He had yet to even tell her where he came from and why he became a Ranger. He knew that her life was in danger. He knew that her parents were dead.
Yet he ever remained a mystery.
T.A. 3019
Aranwen's sharp gray-blue eyes scanned the crowd, looking for him. She couldn't find him, but a more disturbing sight met her eyes. Eowyn was offering a goblet to Aragorn. Love shone in her eyes, yet Aragorn's face was hidden. How dare someone who she had counted as a friend betray her like this?
Aranwen ran from the room, heading outside into the cool night air. Her breathing was ragged. She slumped against a pillar and slid down to sit on the ground. Why hadn't she seen it before? Eowyn loved her father. Her father loved her mother. But her mother was out of the picture, headed for the Grey Havens. What a sick and twisted love triangle it was and she was in the middle of it. Did any of them consider how their actions would affect her?
Eowyn had been jealous of her relationship with Aragorn from the beginning. Aragorn respected her, a woman, whereas no one respected Eowyn the way she wished. Somehow she thought she was in love with Aragorn, a man many years her elder and married with a daughter scarcely a few years younger than she.
Beran watched Aranwen flee from the Golden Hall. He smiled to himself. She still ran every time she was upset. Some things just never changed.
Such as his love for her.
He was going to come back for her. Even if he had to kill the Ranger she said was her father. He doubted that the Ranger was her father. He had it on good authority that her father was dead, murdered in a massacre years before. One that she had escaped and had eventually led her to him.
Wanderer was his and no one else would touch her. If they did, there would be Mordor to pay for it. Why else would he have murdered the entire camp?
If Walker hadn't been planning to kill her, they wouldn't be separated and he wouldn't be jealous of anyone in contact with his wife. Not to mention suspicious. If only he could change the past and still find a way to keep Walker from killing her without causing her to run from him.
He knew Wanderer missed him and it was only a matter of time before she came back to him. But he also knew that he had betrayed her trust and she would never trust him again.
Love was complicated.
Author's Notes:
Just a quick chapter. Nothing major here. Next chapter will be up in about a week or two.
Reviewers!
IwishChan – Thanks for the review!
Fae Black – The last one just gave Aranwen a chance to make a friend who she is now suspicious of. But I will say that there is a reason that Aranwen is quick to think Eowyn has betrayed her. You'll find out why soon. And it's not just because she is pregnant. Thanks for reviewing!
ElvenRyder – I wrote soon!
ArwenFairTinuviel – Thanks so much! Aranwen will be fighting through all the battles up to and including the one at the Black Gate. This story will go past that and up until Aranwen gives birth and Beran dies. After that, I'm not sure. That much is going to happen.