Chapter 2: Family history
"There is a story in Aragorn's family that said three of noble birth, two boys cousins to him and one a sister to him were sent for protection against the evil Lord Sauron. They would return many years later after they had reached and past their coming of age, they would be nearly forgotten except to a few. When they arrived back to their true home and place they would be welcomed to all. They were taken into a family that cares and would be treated as one of their own; their return would be a time of celebration."
Aragorn looked deeply interested wanting to know who the ones are and wanting to see his sister again. Even though he hardly knew his sister back then he misses her deeply. He is desperate to see his sister again since she has gone for so long and now knowing that she has returned. "Now they have finally returned to us."
He pointed to Nathan and Chris. "These are your cousins that were sent away. Nathan and Chris." Aragorn smiled widely at them and embraced them for a moment. He then pointed to me. "Your sister Natalie." His smiled widened even more; he embraced me and spun me around eventually setting me down on my feet. I was a bit dizzy after that tilt-a-whirl.
"My sister has finally returned to me. I hope she is to never leave again." He looks at me and kisses me on my forehead. "What exactly is going on are you all insane. There is no such thing as this; it's impossible you cannot simply turn up in a different world and then turn up back into the one in which you were supposed to be in." Sally said looking very frustrated.
I looked over at her and sighed, she was really stubborn at times if you ask me. "Sally, I was put onto earth for my own protection. So that no one would try and kill me because of my blood or at least that was the gist of what the super uber people said to me." Now Aragorn and Gandalf were looking at me; wanting an explanation.
"They called themselves the Valar; saying that what I though was supposed to happen wasn't and that our destinies will guide us to our right path." I said and looked all around only Paige and Cody were confused other than Sally, Kaely and Scarlet of course.
I was getting sick of being cooped in here, I am not fond of anything that has to do with hospital's I was in them too many times when I was younger and because of my parents who were in it a lot because of being sick. I did need to know where my cousins are going and where Oliviya and Isabella are as well.
"Not that I'm happy with this place but can we leave, I don't like being cooped up here. Also do you know where we are going to stay at all? And where did the twin's go; they did come with right. Dark skin, five years old, slate color eyes and black hair." I looked at Aragorn, him noticing my worried voice and smiled because I asked like a million questions at once.
I'm the only person Isabella or Oliviya goes to other than her mother and father, who unfortunately had died, they do go to Chris as often as me though. The twins don't like other people that much. "You all can leave now, you all can follow me, Natalie, you Chris and Nathan are going to stay in the family wing and the others are in the guest wing except for the twin's they can stay with you or some other member of the family." Aragorn explained. I looked at Chris and he shook his head, he isn't about to get up at three in the morning to sooth a crying five year old from a nightmare.
"They can be in my room." Cori had left Chris and I the custody of the twin's, she didn't exactly like how her parents were trying to raise her kids. Paige went to her grandparents; my uncle and aunt. We saw a servant of some sort walking and Aragorn called to her. "Conradine." she came over.
"Yes Lord Aragorn, what can I do for you?" she asked politely. She had reddish brown hair and quite short, she was probably no older then sixteen or seventeen. "I would like you to take these nine to the guest wing while I take Natalie, Chris and Nathan to the family wing to sort out their rooms." She bowed and said. "Yes Lord Aragorn." she then directed her attention to the others. "If you would please follow me." and they left us.
Aragorn smiled at me and motioned for us to follow him. He showed Chris and Nathan to two rooms, they were alike but different as well. After their rooms we walked about twenty more feet and we were at my room, right across from his and Arwen's. "Well go in, see how you like it."
I did just that, I pushed at the door and was in shock what was in there. A four poster bed that had deep blue colored blanket, sheets and all. The walls were obviously made of stone since they were living in a castle or practically a castle. That is seven levels high. There was a chair near a window and a balcony as well that had a table and a set of chairs out there over looking the city. There also was fire place for during winter when it gets cold.
There was also a desk in there with books on it just waiting to be read, I have a obese ion with reading. I was in awe of the room; it was big enough to fit small beds for Oliviya and Isabella in it too. I turned to my brother and jumped at him hugging him.
"It's wonderful, I love it. I have never had a room like this before or live somewhere like this before either, this place is fantastic and also like a fairy tale of sorts to tell the truth." I said as he set me down. He smiled in thanks and led me out of the room to somewhere unknown to me seeing as he wont tell me. We stopped at the boy's rooms.
"We are heading to find Arwen my wife you are welcome to accompany us." Nate and Chris looked at each other and shrugged they followed us out. We arrived outside in one of the many gardens I'm guessing and saw a woman with long black hair with three little children; two of which I recognized as Oliviya and Isabella, though they were sleeping on the ground. Arwen I'm guessing the woman is turned and smiled at us.
I then looked at Aragorn and realized we do look a lot a like, though my hair is slightly lighter than his, and he has dark blue eyes other than that we look a lot alike. Aragorn looked at her and smiled, she had a loving paternal look to her, just with that look you could tell she cares for everyone she believes that deserves her trust and love. "A'maelamin, this is my sister Natalie, she has finally come back to us." he said to her. Arwen laughed a happy laugh that he has finally gotten me back and smiled at us all. "And these are my cousin's Nathan and Chris." she smiled and stood up.
"Hello, it is a pleasure to meet you all, and to see you again Natalie. I am Arwen, Estel's wife." she said and embraced me and nodded to Chris and Nathan. I'm not quite use to the close and open way of the elves hug her back. She stepped back and looked at her son.
"This is our son Eldarion, your nephew Natalie." Arwen handed him to me and I smiled at him. I lightly blew in his face and he laughed. "Hi, I'm your Aunt Natalie." I handed him back to his mother and smiled. "He's gorgeous, looks a lot like you and Aragorn." she blushed at the comment.
"Hannon le Natalie." I smiled. "Mae govannen." She looked surprised that I knew a bit of elvish. "Lle quena I'lambe tel' Eldalie?" She asked me. I smiled and shrugged. "I know a bit, but it is hard when you have no one to teach you." she smiled and motioned for me to sit down with her on the bench.
"Well we will have to remedy that won't we." she said, my eyes must have widened in astonishment because she tried to hide a laugh, by the way that didn't work that much. "Yes, I will teach you our tongue, but to warn you it won't be an easy task." I nodded and hugged her.
"Thank you thank you, Arwen. Anyone else I know would have said no." Arwen smiled and then looked remorseful. "Why would they say no to teach you, I see nothing wrong with learning something new." I looked away. "I kept on correcting them. They didn't know how to say the language they were trying to teach me right and I sort of corrected them only a bit. But that was only if I thought they said it wrong though."
She laughed and nodded. "Well it is good that I know how to speak my own tongue then isn't it." she looked over the garden. "Yes it is." We smiled. I saw that Isabella and Oliviya had woken up and were looking at me. "NAT!" was the yell from Isabella as Oliviya yelled. "CHRIS" Oliviya went to her uncle and Isabella came to me and put her arms up, wanting to be picked up. I set her on my lap and played with her hair.
Aragorn looked at his wife then to me and smiled in an 'I should have known.' way. "I'm going to introduce Chris and Nathan to Faramir we will be back later to see if you two are done jabbering or to come find you." Chris left Oliviya with me, she began to cry the second she no longer could see him. I put Isabella down and picked her up and walked around the garden speaking to her to calm her down a bit.
"It's okay Liv, you'll be fine." I said trying to get her to calm down. "Natalie How old are you, I seem to not be able to remember precisely." Arwen said to me, I smiled at her and sat back down rocking Liv to calm down. "I'm twenty-four." Arwen laughed at something Bella did. "Nine years younger than Aragorn then." She said and we began to walk around the gardens. She then looked at me and scrunched up her nose. "Come let's go find you some suitable clothes you are about the same size as me." we grabbed the kids and head to her room.
When we arrive at her room she immediately goes to her closet looking for one that would look nice on me as I put the children on the bed to play for a while. She takes out a light blue dress that has bell arms, a scoop neck and leaves designed along the neckline and the hem of the dress. "Go on, put it on."
I change into it and look in the mirror that was in the room and smile at myself. I look like an entirely different person, regal and like a princess; well I am one anyways, but that's beside the point. "See, I was correct you fit perfectly into my dresses. And you look every inch a princess as you should." She smiled and then she went to my hair and sat me in front of the mirror.
"Let your hair down, I bet it looks more like Estel's then as well." I did and she laughed, knowing that she was right. She made three braids on both sides of my head and pulled them back and tied it so it would stay and keep the rest of my hair out of my face. She also braided thin light blue ribbons into the braids.
She looked at her finished piece of art and smiled, it seems she enjoys doing this sort of thing. She grabbed my hand and helped me stand up. "Come on let's find the men and show them the sister of the king and Princess of Gondor who has finally returned to us." she smiled and Arwen and I and the children of course left to go find the guys and to show me off to them.
We found them walking the halls with Faramir. When the spotted us they stopped well my cousin's did. They never seeing me in a dress before, or looking so elegant before. "My sweet dear sister you look every inch a princess as you should." I smiled at what Aragorn said and looked at Faramir curiously.
"This is Faramir Prince of Ithilien and my Steward." Faramir took my hand and kissed it. "My Lady, 'tis an honor to meet you." I smiled and bowed my head to him. "As it is to meet you, My Lord." I said, he smiled and dismissed himself saying he has some paper work to do and other sorts that had to do with the city of Minas Tirith.
Aragorn looked me over and smiled. "You look beautiful dear sister, like a new moon rising. Unfortunately though I cannot stay. I am going to write to Ada to tell him of your arrival and request his presence as well as Elladan and Elrohir's. And I have to send invitations to Eomer, Eowyn, the hobbits, Legolas, Gimli and of course I have already invited Faramir."
I was confused, invite them to what exactly. "Aragorn," he wasn't listening. "Aragorn invite them to what exactly?" I questioned not knowing if I really wanted to know what he was talking about. He smiled at me and tapped me on the nose.
"The party for you, Chris and Nathan coming to us of course after being gone for so long. And so that everyone knows who you are and not to hurt or touch you in anyway." He and the two boys go off to his study to write the letters.
I sighed this was going to be interesting, I did not do well in big crowds and I am not very talkative either. What has my brother gotten me into? "I'm just going to die; I am not great or even good in large humongous crowds." I looked at her hoping she would help me get out of this; she just shook her head
"PLEASE! Arwen, please oh please will you help me get my dearest brother to not do this to me, I am not good at these things." she smiled at my overdramatic plead.
"I can't help you there, but I can help you find two people who will get your brother back for you. Once they get here of course." she smiled, and linked her arm with mine, I was looking at her curiously wanting to know who these people were.
"My twin brother's Elladan and Elrohir prank our father and his chief advisors all of the time, and you would think they were younger but they are my older brothers." I smiled now liking that I will get to have her twin brother's prank our dear King of Gondor.
Two of my friends; old friends who I haven't seen for some years used to be like that but they didn't keep it up past a few times a month. The way she said it though mad e me think they do it a few times everyday.
Arwen took me, Isabella and Oliviya to the seamstress to make us some clothes of our own to wear; a few everyday and a few not. Though, Arwen said that if I didn't have something that I wanted I could borrow it from her if I needed it. I had five dresses made and Bella and Liv had six each made.
You know how five year olds seem to get dirty quite easily, so I would probably have to change them at least two times a day because they had gotten dirty.
Later that night we met up again with Aragorn who had finally gotten my cousin's into breeches, tunics and what not. We then went to find my other relatives and saw that they too had went through the same transformation as us.
It was time for everyone to go to bed, Aragorn had set up two small beds in my room so that the girls could sleep there and not have to have me hurt them because I had rolled over on the bed. I changed them into their night clothes that we had from our time and put them to bed.
Aragorn found our bags as well and gave them to us, which I was thankful for, my swords were in there as well as my writing. I put on some red velvet pajama pants and a spaghetti shirt and slid into my bed and pulled the covers over me and went to sleep. As long as someone doesn't wake me up early I will be happy; which mean's someone will probably wake me up early other than the twins of course.
As I thought I was woken up by someone, and it was way too early to actually be conscious. I opened my eyes and saw the girl Conradine, I must have had an annoyed look on my face.
"Lord Aragorn said it is time for all of you to get up, so up, up, up. Any way's your cousin's Isabella and Oliviya are dressed and with Aragorn at the moment." I sat up and wrapped the covers around me so I could stay warm for as long as possible; which turned out to be short lived. She pulled the covers from me and pushed me into a standing position. She smiled at my reluctance, and pushed me into my washroom where there was a tub full of water ready for me.
I got in and washed and all that fun stuff after I was done I wrapped the towel around me and went back into my room. Conradine was sitting in one of my chairs; she immediately stood up when she saw me. "Here the seamstress brought these when you were bathing." She showed me the five dresses that the seamstress had made for me.
I picked a light green one with, as always the bell arms. I put it on and had her help me tie it up the back, just like Arwen had for me yesterday.
I went to the guest wing and met up with Scarlet. "Scarlet would you like to come with to breakfast with me, your mom and sister are welcome to join as well." Scarlet went to her sister's room and brought her out. After that she went to her mother's room with Sally in tow.
"I still can't believe that you are a princess; you just don't act like one in the least." I sighed and tried to ignore her. I linked my arm with Scarlet's and begin to head to the great hall for our meal. I look at Scarlet and see that she is wearing a brown dress; that looks really good with her dark blond that has a red tint to it.
Kaely has a tan dress on that goes well with her dark hair color. Sally is wearing a blue color dress. I inform the rest of my family about breakfast and when we arrive there I saw amazingly that Nate and Chris are there already and awake. I looked at them and laughed, I tried I really I did.
I didn't mean to laugh but it just sort of came out unexpectedly. They look tired and dead on their feet. Arwen and Aragorn were playing with the twins, when I entered Bella went to me and sat on my lap; Chris sat next to me on my left, Scarlet on my right.
After everyone was seated we began to eat, Sally was telling me how to raise Isabella again. "Nat you should teach her to not play in her food, it's not right." I shook my head. Aragorn was looking on in amusement and Arwen looked like she wanted to throw Sally out of Minas Tirith; I'd let her but Aragorn already said no when I asked him earlier.
Sally made to grab for Bella around Scarlet, "Here let me…" I glared and shook my head. "No, I know how to care for a child and I would never let you raise any child if I could help it, and it's actually amazing that your girls turned out so well. Especially since you demanded no failure, they probably only turned out so well because of grandma and my sister and I." she looked shocked but returned to her meal and thankfully stayed quiet.
I cut up Bella's food and gave her a utensil for her to use as I ate my food. "How did you sleep my friends." they all said something along the lines of fine. "How well did you three sleep, sister dear, dear cousins?" Aragorn asked. "We slept fine; as long as I have a blanket I will be able to sleep anywhere." Nathan said and still looked tired. Chris nodded in agreement. "Oh, I slept wonderfully; best I have been able to sleep since I was eighteen." I smiled at Eldarion and he made a face at Bella and she made one back. Arwen and I looked at each other and smirked.
Aragorn stood up and addressed everyone at the table, wonder why. "My Lord and Lady's I leave you, you are welcome to wonder around but please try not to get lost." He then spoke to Arwen in elvish; I didn't know enough to comprehend all that was said. Arwen stood up and picked Eldarion up. "Nat, I go with. Pwease." Liv was asking the same thing to Chris.
He nodded and she ran over to Arwen grabbing the material of her dress, I nodded to Bella and she grabbed Arwen's free hand and they walked away, probably to some garden.
"Sister dear, I wish to talk to you. Join me for a walk." I nodded and stood up, saying to the other's I would talk to them later since I've been ignoring them. We walked to the court yard which is on the highest level of Minas Tirith and it looks over the city, the beautiful white city.
People not knowing where I came from or who I truly am. We're quite far up, seven levels, definitely wouldn't want to fall from there. I looked at Aragorn curiously, wondering why he has brought me up here to talk.
"You are a beauty, my sweet sister I have missed you so much. I remembered you everyday since you had left and you return to me and at last you have returned to me after twenty-four years." he looked at me lovingly. "All of Gondor is going to be at the celebration, my Ada; Lord Elrond. His twin son's Elladan and Elrohir. Legolas is going to be there as well as Gimli, Eomer King of Rohan and his sister Eowyn. Merry, Pippin, Frodo and Sam. Elves of Lothlorien; Celeborn, Galadriel, Haldir, Rumil and Orophin. And some other elves from Rivendell, Elrond's chief advisors; Glorfindel and Erestor and of course Gandalf will come. He left early this morning to see the hobbits and to give them their invitations."
I am going to be so shy that I will hardly talk; that is what always happens to me, I hate being in the public eye view always have. "Aragorn, I am in every way not good in crowds, I become shy and hardly talk. I won't be the person to talk to." he looked at me defiantly, now I know that we are more alike than in looks. He led me to a bench and sat down next to me.
"I am by any means not stopping this celebration; it is scheduled for a month from now. And everyone deserves to know that you have finally returned to us." I sighed and muttered. "And so they know to stay away." He chuckled.
"Aye so they know to leave my baby sister alone." I rolled my eyes and leaned against him. "Hort zu du doof mann." He looked at me questioningly. "German. It's a language of a European country." he nodded then suddenly I was wondering something else. "Am I going to have to dance, like to music and what not? Because if I do I only know how to square dance." He laughed at me and kissed my forehead.
He pulled me up as he stood, "We will have to remedy that then won't we." He smirked at me; having an idea in his head I will either hate or love. "Besides Me, Faramir and Legolas who I asked to come within a week will help teach you how to dance." He is going to try to teach me the impossible. Oh god this is going to be a long, long month. "You can not teach me how to properly dance, especially if it is complex and confusing and has many twist and turns in it." I said to him and he just laughed.
"If you are anything like me, which you seem to be, you will catch on quick." I left him there and went to find Arwen and/or my cousin's. I went into the Library silently and saw something quite odd, my cousin's Chris and Kaely were kissing, and I quickly made an exit and laughed once I was far enough away.