Hidden Secrets
Disclaimer: I only own the unrecognized characters and the plot!
Chapter Forty-four: Surprises
T.A. 3019Aragorn and troops had left for Mount Doom several days earlier. Aranwen could only pray that they were safe. She had no way of knowing if they had reached the battle yet and how they were fairing. Her visions had ceased, yet was she was still unnaturally tired and spent most of her time abed and usually asleep. Eowyn came to visit her sometimes and they talked. Eowyn had moved on from her feelings for Aragorn and had fallen for Faramir, the brother of Boromir, and the Steward of Gondor since the fall of his brother at Amon Hen and his father's decent into madness that had ended his life.
She woke one day, six days following their leave, due to a terrifying vision. She began crying.
Battle raged on the desolate plains outside the Black Gate, the entrance to Mordor. Sauron, the all-seeing eye and the fortress of Barad-dur could be seen in the distance. Cave trolls wandered the battle, smashing Gondorians into the ground.
The biggest shock came when she saw Aragorn, dressed in his kingly armor, lying in the dirt, a troll foot resting atop him, pressing him into the ground. Anduril was nowhere to be seen, the great sword apparently lost amid the battle. His Elvish dagger was raised and he stabbed the troll's foot, to no avail.
Legolas was not far off, fighting to reach his side, screaming, "Aragorn! Aragorn!"
The troll was about to press harder, to squeeze the life from his body and crush his bones and organs. Aragorn was going to die, die by the black lands of Mordor and by the foot of a gruesome troll. And there was not a thing in Middle-earth that she could do to save him.
"Aranwen, Aranwen!" called Eowyn, flying into her room. "What is a matter?"
"Ada," sniffled Aranwen, tears flowing freely. "He's dead or he is doomed to die. A troll…"
"Surely he is still alive, wouldn't you know if he died?"
"I guess," Aranwen said solemnly, reaching for the ring upon the chain. As if foreshadowing events, the strong chain snapped and the ring clattered to the stone floor. Aranwen was gripped with another vision.
Aragorn was facing off with the Palantir. He had just revealed his true identity to the Eye of Sauron. He replaced the Palantir and stepped back, only to have the Evenstar slip from his neck.
He watched in horror as the gem fell down, shattering upon the floor of the Citadel.
She gasped and gagged, only to be hit with another vision.
Arwen, dressed in a somber black velvet gown, paired with blood-red sleeves lay upon a pristine bed in Rivendell. Tears streaked her face and she was clutching her chest in pain.
"I wish I could have seen him…one last time…" the she-Elf whispered. "I should have followed him to the end."
The fair Elf closed her eyes forevermore. She had faded away at the pain of Aragorn's loss, despite Aranwen's lingering life.
"No," sobbed Aranwen, her body wracked with cries. "No!"
Eowyn tried to comfort her, but no comfort could come. There was no way to ease the pain of the visions, of the terrible events that they foresaw. The Ring of Barahir remained on the stone floor, forgotten.
Aranwen remained bed-ridden and in constant despair for many weeks. She refused visitors and ate little. There was nothing anyone could do to reverse her condition and everyone ceased to try after the first few days. No one bothered her and there was no word that she received as to the fate of the army or her father.
May came, and with it, a visit from Eowyn.
"Aranwen, come on! You must come, even if only for a while. Today is a joyous day!" cried the happy woman from Rohan. She was dressed in fine attire and her hair was styled perfectly.
"No," refused the half-Elf, shaking her dark head. "I will not go."
Eowyn sighed, and then determined, yanked Aranwen from her bed. The two women fell onto the cold floor.
Aranwen was outraged. "How dare you!" she cried.
"You must come," insisted the shieldmaiden. "Even if I must drag you."
Aranwen sighed. She was too weak to fight anymore. Eowyn would win out in the end, despite her best efforts.
Eowyn dressed her in a velvet gown of silver and black. The gown was simple and the sleeves flowed in an Elven fashion, reminding her of her mother. Her dark hair was brushed and carefully arranged around a silver circlet. She wore no jewelry, save the Ring of Barahir upon her left thumb. It was a loose fit, yet Aranwen refused another chain. The chain that it had resided on had been a gift from her parents. She would not replace it.
"Hurry," called Eowyn, leading the way outside to the courtyard where everyone was gathered.
"What is going on?" questioned Aranwen.
"The crowning of the King of Gondor and Anor," replied Eowyn as they slipped into the crowd. On the steps of the Citadel, with his back towards them, stood a dark-haired man who was receiving the crown from Gandalf.
"I don't want to be here," cried Aranwen, trying to turn around. Whoever this stranger was would be taking her father's rightful place on the throne. She should be the one to receive the crown if it were not him. Not someone that she did not know…
"Aranwen?" called a familiar voice across the cheering crowd. "Aranwen!"
Aranwen turned back towards the voice and she stopped breathing for a moment. There, upon the white stone stairs, stood Aragorn, a winged crown nestled amid his clean hair. It was Aragorn who had been crowned King of Gondor and Anor!
"Ada!" she cried and rushed towards him, the crowd parting to allow her through.
She hugged him once she reached his side, forever grateful to the Valar for seeing him home safe.
"I would like to introduce you to my daughter, Aranwen," Aragorn announced to the crowd, who bowed in respect to their new princess.
Aranwen was shocked. She had never dwelled upon the fact that she was the princess of Gondor and that these were her people. She was still far too used to being a Ranger.
She was so shocked at Aragorn being alive that she did not hear him singing in Elvish, and the beautiful language flew past her into the nonexistent wind. Soon enough, the ceremony had ended and Aragorn had to attend to his new duties. Aranwen was once again left alone, with his promise that they would talk soon.
Somehow, she stumbled back to her room and fell asleep.
Author's Notes:
Yes, Aragorn should have gone straight to his daughter, but I'm thinking he was too busy to return to the city until his crowning. I don't know for sure, and I'm thinking that the news about her condition was kept from him. That's the way I wrote it. Enjoy! One more chapter and an epilogue to go!
This is my present to all readers--double-post day!