This story is going somewhere…just takes a while to find time to type it up. I don't own anything and I will try not to drag this out for ages! It was just a little idea I came up with while waiting for Asha Dreamweaver to finish her brilliant First Knight…but thanks for the reviews. Don't worry, plenty of Buffy/Aragorn interaction soon, but first have to get Arwen out of the way….

Chapter Six

Midsummer

After Buffy left the feast, she began to grow unusually anxious. Tara was going to kill her if she ever found out about that little slip up she just made!

She was off duty now, but incredibly restless. She knew there was no way that she could sleep that night but she didn't know what to do with herself. She wandered the castle aimlessly before she found herself in the library. Wonderful, she thought with a slight smile, but then it made her think of Giles and how things used to be. Him surrounded by musty old books in the school library and her and the gang on research duty.

She looked around her wistfully, before choosing a book at random and then sitting down at a nearby table. She didn't look at the cover, but began to flip the pages. Something about Sauron and some gold ring and huge battles. Then she sensed someone was watching her.

"For someone who used to be a ranger, you're not doing well are you? I mean with the whole stealth thing," she said out loud still flipping through the book. "You almost went a whole five minutes without me knowing you were there!"

She looked up at him a teasing look in her eyes to let him know she was joking.

"What gave me away?" he asked, amused.

"You've forgotten to breathe quietly in the few weeks of being king. And since your clothes and shoes are all really squeaky clean now…you're shoes actually do squeak."

"I'll have to remember that for next time then!" he laughed. "Can I join you?"

She gestured to the empty seat next to her. "You planning on stalking me often then? You do know it's illegal don't you?"

He looked downcast and she almost felt guilty. Almost. "I'm sorry for following you," he said softly. "But I felt I needed to talk to you. Now is the only time I had a chance…."

After a moment of letting him panic, she began to laugh. "You're forgiven," she told him, unable to stay even a little bit mad at him. "And you can call me Buffy. It's only fair, since I know most things about you."

Something flickered in his eyes then. "It seems most people do these days."

"Well that's what happens when you become famous or royalty or whatever."

Aragorn was amazed at how at ease he felt with this girl. It seemed that he had known her just as long as Legolas or the twin sons of Elrond, rather then the last five minutes. He also wondered if this was a good or bad sign. He had mostly trusted his instincts when it came to meeting strangers, but he had made mistakes before. She could very well be just an incredibly good actress.

He took a seat opposite her. Buffy found herself weakening as she looked up at him. "So….what did you want to talk about?" she asked him.

He hesitated, wondering how best to handle this. "As king I have responsibilities…" he began and could immediately see he was off to a bad start.

She rolled her eyes at him before snapping, "Arwen has already asked me a ton of questions!"

Aragorn studied her as she studied him, trying to pierce the veil of mystery that seemed to cover her. "This is what people expect of me," he unusually let his frustration show. He was silently pleading with her, begging her to give him no cause to doubt her.

"They think I'm a traitor?" she guessed lightly, but he could sense she was hurt by this suggestion. "They think that I work for some left over minions of Sauron, or for people who are not happy with you as king and preferred Denethor as their leader? Not that he could lead all that well from what I've heard." She sighed then. "If they doubt me so much….and I know this will sound pretty forward of me, but if they doubt me then let me spend time with them. The fellowship will soon see that I mean no harm."

"It's not forward at all," he said, thinking over the idea. "I'm sure that Arwen could spare you for a couple of days later on."

"And the main thing is, do you trust me?" she went on relentlessly. "You and Arwen?"

"Valor knows why," he laughed. "But I don't see that you could do me much harm…or that you would want to."

"Then let your friends and…Thranduil, was it? Let them give me a chance before throwing me in the dungeons. And your word should calm their fears anyway….they shouldn't be questioning you," she added, taking him by surprise.

"I'm sure this can be arranged for you," he said, visibly shaken by her high opinions of him. "But now I think it's time to bid you goodnight Buffy," and he began to stand up.

Buffy nodded. Then, just as he reached the door - "Besides Lord Elessar. You have more important things to worry about don't you? Like a certain wedding you guys have planned in the next couple of days. Have you told anyone about what's going on?"

"Not officially," he said, his voice darkening.

"Then you're cutting it a bit close aren't you?" she asked surprised. His silence told her everything she needed to know. She realised she had crossed a line, and where she should feel relieved at having eased his suspicions for now, for some reason she only felt more anxious about what the following days would bring her way.

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King Elessar's wedding day midsummer, dawned with the promise of warm weather, great excitement and joy. However, the only thing Buffy could be certain of was the warm weather. Of course the whole thing had been kept in secret even from some of the fellowship. But there had been plenty of rumours and gossip about the supposed date around the city because everyone had known it was coming eventually. Buffy only knew it was the exact date because of arguments she had overheard.

She hurried to get dressed and eat her breakfast and was just about to head out the door after realising she had overslept, when she was interrupted by a very familiar and welcome voice. "Tara," she said happily. "Where have you been? It feels like I haven't seen you in ages! I know it's only been a couple of days, but...i've really missed you. You're the only person i can talk to about anything. Do...do you know how everyone is back home?"

"The powers do have other jobs for me you know," she told the eager slayer. " And everyone's ...as fine as you'd expect. They miss you. But none of that matters now. How are things in middle earth?"

Buffy groaned. "Why bother when you probably know all the answers already! It's supposed to be the wedding of the year and…."

Tara smiled. "I don't think you have to worry about all that. You will find out when you get to the citadel."

Buffy started to tell her news as fast as she could. "And so I found a way to meet everyone…" she finished.

Tara smiled encouragingly. "It's good how you handled that Buffy. And you weren't wrong about some of the things you said. There are people who aren't happy with him as a ruler of Gondor, even within the city itself. Can you meet me later on tonight? Things aren't running as smoothly as the king wants. "

Buffy nodded. Hopefully, she could squash whatever or whoever had a grudge against Aragorn before he ever found out. After all he had been through; he deserved the peace he craved.

She hurried into the main halls of the castle and could instantly tell something was wrong. The fellowship stood in groups, as if waiting for something to happen. They all seemed so wrapped up in their thoughts that at first none of them noticed she was there.

"Did you have any idea this was the way things would turn out?" Gimli was talking to Legolas, and she tried to look inconspicuous so she could overhear them.

The elf looked more then confused, he looked like he would go into shock any minute. "None Gimli," he said quietly. "I've known them both it seems my whole life… although I know Aragorn's life is like a drop in the ocean….it still seems like he has always been there. He would have told me if they were having troubles…he would have told me…" the elf fell silent again feeling almost at a loss that his friend hadn't confided in him.

"There must be something we can do though!" Sam put in, overhearing them.

"I'm afraid there is nothing anyone can do now. Arwen has made her choice." Buffy could see Gandalf and Elrond approaching them from one of the side doors and it was Elrond who spoke.

"Where are they both now?" questioned Frodo quietly. He felt Aragorn's pain just like the rest of the fellowship who had grown into fast friends throughout the war of the ring. But he also felt for Arwen to, he had come to like and respect her in the short time of knowing her. He could only imagine how hard it must have been to tell the truth of how she felt.

"Arwen is with Eowyn and Lothiriel. I'm afraid I don't know where Aragorn…" Elrond stopped then as he noticed the slayer. She lowered her eyes and left the room. So Aragorn had told them…now she had to find him before he did something stupid.

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The king of Gondor wasn't actually as far away from them as Elrond feared. He stood by the white tree sapling in the courtyard that he had planted by the fountain with Gandalf. It had leaves that were dark on top and silver underneath and a few white flowers. He gazed sadly at its brilliance and grace. It was truly a work of art, beyond what any mortal could accomplish and with a great history. And he didn't feel he deserved it to be his symbol. What was he worth really? If Arwen could choose to leave him like this he must not be worth much. Certainly not everything he had been given or gifted with. All the faith he had in himself seemed to be vanishing.

He didn't notice the slayer standing behind him. After searching endlessly in the castle, she had finally given up and wandered outside. But now she was here, she couldn't seem to find the words she needed. She felt another presence then and looked to see Gandalf walking swiftly past. He paused in stride to glance kindly at her but shook his head when she opened her mouth to speak. She didn't know if she should be offended or not, but watched the white wizard join his friend.

"I cannot stay here Gandalf," she heard the king say softly. "The walls suffocate me even now and everywhere reminds me of her."

"You'll find that wherever you go Aragorn," said Gandalf. "Now is the time you need your strength most, you can not weaken. Remember a few days past? I took you out of the city and showed you your kingdom? You must stand up and show your people you can lead them despite any obstacles in your way, otherwise it will go ill for you. Arwen's choice is a great hurt to you I know, but it will get better."

Aragorn shook his head almost helplessly. "It doesn't sadden me just to loose her. She hasn't severed ties between us but between my family. How can I look at Elrond now? The man I have looked to as father undoubtedly knew about this. And Galadriel as well…and now we must part can I even call them family?

The wizard shook his head wearily. "When she met you, what she felt was truth. I am certain of that. We may never know what caused her change of heart…but they are still your family. Your history with them goes beyond your relationship as you well know! They always will be part of you. And one day you will look back and cherish her memory."

Aragorn laughed bitterly. "But she will fade into the west, lost from me and Elrond's wishes have come true at last. I always listen to your council, Mithrandir, but today I can't see the wisdom in your words. All I will think of about Arwen is the day she decided our love wasn't strong enough to last."

He turned to storm back into the castle, his eyes meeting Buffy's. He should have felt surprise at her being there but instead he didn't feel anything. It was actually lucky for Buffy that the high elves in the castle were so distracted by Arwen's choice, that only Galadriel had had any foresight about her background. And even then the elven queen didn't know much, if anything but confusion.

Buffy knew enough about break-ups that Aragorn would loose all sense of reason. Everything would seem larger then life and the pain would seem to stretch on forever. And since he had had the whole forbidden love of all time drama, it would seem so much worse. It reminded her so much of her and Angel, but with out the madness mayhem and the odd killing spree here and there. She had seen he was a good man and a good king. She just hoped he could pull himself together like Gandalf had suggested and put his feelings aside. He would have to if he wanted to survive.

And if he can't, she thought decisively, I'll just have to help him. It was what she was here for wasn't it? She didn't know how yet. She was a servant girl and he was king of a whole realm. And she had a feeling that after everything that had happened, their little previous arrangement would be forgotten. But eventually, she would find a way.