Hidden Secrets
Disclaimer: I only own Aranwen/Wanderer, Beran, Star, and the plot!
Chapter Thirty-nine: Two Ends
T.A. 3019The world was changed. The peoples of Middle-earth were free.
Aragorn had claimed the long-empty throne of Gondor and Anor. He had accepted his destiny. Arwen had rejoined him, no longer fading away in Rivendell. Aranwen however was still running from Beran and her old life.
He found her when she was most vulnerable, after giving birth to her child, a son. She was sitting alone in a room in the White City, cradling the newborn baby. Her blue-grey eyes snapped up as soon as the door opened softly.
Beran stalked in, a knife gripped tightly in his right hand.
"I trusted you," he cried in disbelief, starting at the baby that she held closely. "I trusted you and you betrayed me, Wanderer!"
Aranwen shook her head fearfully. "No, Beran…"
He was beyond reasoning with now. The Ranger was angered and would listen to words no longer. He raised the knife and struck at her. Aranwen screamed, but it was too late…
A flash and the vision changed, as Aranwen screamed aloud. No, this could not happen! Beran could not kill her and his son!
She was in the midst of a battle. The dead bodies of the fallen Men surrounded her as she continuing fighting against the Orcs and other forces related to Mordor. She was exhausted and bleeding from several minor cuts.
The forces of Good were failing; too greatly outnumbered by Mordor to even put up a good fight. Everyone who tried to fight was quickly cut down by the enemy.
"Ada!" she cried, searching for any sign of her father. He had disappeared in massive crowd of the enemy soon after arrival. The Dead had refused his plea for help, leaving them alone in their struggle. "Ada!"
She found him in enough time to see an Orc's blade pierce his heart. She screamed loudly and shook her head. No, not Aragorn, not her father.
Nearby, Legolas fell, as did Gimli and the others that she knew. Soon, she was the only one left standing on the desolate field. The enemy was converging on her.
"Kill the heir…" they chanted.
Aranwen turned to run, but she was powerless. She was too weak to continue.
Her vision ended and she was now crying. Aragorn's worried blue-grey eyes peered at her as she opened her identical eyes. Her body shook slightly.
"Aranwen, what did you see?" inquired Aragorn. "Are you okay?"
"Two ends…neither good…" she sobbed, unable to look at her father. His death in her vision was still too fresh and painful.
"What ends?"
"Either evil prevails, or we do. Either way…I die."
"That is madness. You will not die," Aragorn insisted.
"You cannot stop it, ada. It is my future. Only I can change it. If it can be changed," she murmured solemnly.
Hope had faded once more. It was her destiny to die, as it was her father's to become King of the Reunited Kingdoms. If she were lucky, she would live long enough to pass on life to her unborn child and hand him over to her parents for care. Then, despite the heartbreak that would ensue, she would disappear into the Wild, never to return. Beran would not be allowed to kill their child. Aragorn and Arwen would raise him if she had any say in the matter.
"The Dead have joined us, Aranwen. We still have a chance. Do not give up all hope so soon."
Author's Notes:
Just a quickie, but hey, it's a chapter. I'm still on a streak! Yes! Another chapter tomorrow (I hope) and it will be the Corsair part, I think. There will be a time jump, but everyone will get over it. Enjoy and please, please review! Reviews help keep me going! I don't mean to beg, but it helps me to know that there are people out there reading this. I'm having a hard time keeping going, so even something so small as an 'update soon' makes my day.