Chapter Eleven: A Great Honour

The never ending bickering of his councillors wore roughly against his last nerve until the temper that had made him legendary in his fathers house erupted with quiet potency as he suddenly stood from his chair and strode briskly towards the door. The voices ceased.

"Are you well, your majesty," asked one councillor on behalf of all.

He turned to them and spoke with a controlled yet somehow menacing tone, knowing his anger was plainly etched on his face.

"I am quite well, but I tire of these pointless meetings where nothing is accomplished aside from a great deal of arguing. I could make much better and more pleasant use of my time and I intend to do so."

With that spoken he turned quickly and left, but not before hearing it whispered quietly that nothing of this sort had ever been done by any of the great kings, and he slammed the door so that it resounded through the stone halls like the roar of a mighty beast. His anger, he knew, was seen by the guards that lined the hallway and he noticed they stood straighter as he stalked past them in the direction of his living quarters. The doors, when he reached them, were opened for him and he was astonished and almost distressed when he found them empty. He rushed back to the outer doors, calling to one of the guards as he went; the guard turned to him immediately.

"Where is the queen," he asked and knew that his voice betrayed his anxiousness for the older guard smiled and spoke as if to sooth a fearful child.

"She has gone into the city with Lady Maeve, your majesty."


Saeorii was still unsure of how it was she had allowed Maeve to convince her to come here. It was not that it was an unpleasant place, for she loved the sound of the people of Gondor. She held tightly to Maeve's arm and kept her eyes to the ground as if focusing on the simple task of placing one foot in front of the other would help her to ignore the loud voices of the men around her and diminish their overpowering presence. She wondered if it was the people of whom Elessar spoke so passionately about that had drawn her here in spite of her fears, for they spoke little now of his dreary council's and more of the kingdom that he had come to love.

She pictured for a moment his face, haggard and slightly intimidating unless he should chance to smile, and then…. She remembered with fondness the deep richness of his voice as he had read to her for a second time the night before. She did not understand how it was that she was beginning to trust him so completely when so little time had passed. His striking silver eyes, his dark unruly hair and his strong featured face appeared unbidden before her eyes. She even imagined that she could hear his footsteps among those that hurried along the way, but she had not imagined it and paused for a moment hoping his footsteps would lead him to her. He would make her feel safe and protected and chase away the spectres of her former masters that seemed to leap at her from amid the crowd if she happened to look up.

"King Elessar, I am surprised to see you. What keeps you from your council this day?"

"A beautiful elven lady held my thoughts captive so that I was of no use to my kingdom unless I should go to her."

Saeorii felt her cheeks burning and chanced to look up just in time to see him smile, before returning her gaze to the well laid flagstones at her feet.

"Then I shall leave you to her most wonderful company, your majesty and wish you both a pleasant afternoon," stated Maeve as she curtsied and then began to weave her way through the bustling crowd, up towards the palace.

"My lady," he spoke, easily switching tongues, as he offered her his arm. They had not walked for long though before he broke the comfortable silence between them, "I hope that you do not mind my company. I suppose that I did not truly ask," he admitted as he led her skilfully down a flight of stairs through the jostling bodies of the busy citizens and travellers who seemed intent on reaching some point with great haste.

"Nay," she spoke to him easily, taking some solace in the fact that none could understand them, "I do not mind."


Her simple words made his heart soar for he knew that perhaps even a week ago she would not have felt to utter them. He loved to walk these streets among his people and did so often in the early mornings when the gates were just opening and life in these streets was beginning. Today however it was not those around him that he noticed but the timid elleth who held his arm. He lead her gently through the winding streets, feeling her tension ease more as the minutes flew quickly by and noticed that she had begun to take in the sights of those around them for Gondor was truly unlike any other city of men or of elves.

"Make way!"

The cry of warning came none too soon and Aragorn quickly pulled Saeorii and he into a small alcove made for such purposes. His well trained ears did not miss the sound of her startled cry despite the loud clatter of the horses as they galloped past, nor did he miss the sudden stiffening of her slender body as he held her protectively against him. The riders passed however, the dust cleared and people ventured once more to the middle of the streets. He loosened his arms and with one finger under her chin led her eyes to meet his own.

"Are you alright?" he asked quietly and she nodded slowly although he could feel her trembling against him.

He loosened his arms even more but found she was not altogether ready to leave his embrace as her knees seemed to give way beneath her and he caught her, holding her steady with one arm. She leaned her full weight, little as it was, against him and had he not been so concerned for her he would have perhaps been slightly aroused by her closeness but his concern for her was stronger at this moment than any other feeling. He simply held her until her trembling ceased and she pulled away from him slightly. He released her but she did not move completely away and raised her deep eyes slowly, to meet his own.

"I am fine, thank you," she spoke softly in answer to his silent question as she laced her arm through his own, and let him lead her once more into the maze of ever moving bodies.

They now had reached the lowest level of the city and perhaps as well the busiest and he watched her closely, enraptured by the emotions that seemed to flit quickly across her face. He was startled from his thoughts however by a rather small body slamming into his right side. He felt Saeorii tense at the suddenness of the small boy's appearance but relax slightly as he squeezed her hand gently before kneeling to speak to the child who had now sat quietly sniffling on the ground beside him.

"Are you alright?"


Airon heard a man's deep voice and looked up, hoping that the man would not be angry and yell at him for he had not meant to run into him and his knee was hurting him so that he could not help but cry just a little. The man was a stranger and looked like some of the unsavoury characters who often sought refuge in the city from their wanderings in the wild, but there was something different about this man. His voice was gentle as he repeated the question again.

"Are you alright?"

"Aye, my lord, thank you, but I did not mean to run into you, honest! I was just playing with my brother and I did not see you and I'm ever so sorry, but please don't yell at me," he babbled as he began to cry even harder and was very glad that at this moment his older brother Balon was not here to see him behave like such a baby, but the man only chuckled quietly.

"It is alright, young one and I have no intention of yelling at you. I know that you did not mean it. That's a rather nasty scrape you have there," commented the stranger and Airon smiled even wider.

"I had once a lot worse once," he said proudly, "I fell off my pony and cut my leg almost off!"

He wondered why the man was laughing so hard, but decided that it was alright just the same.

"Would you like me to fix it for you?"

"Are you a healer?" he asked, looking more closely at the man as he took a flask of water from his side and poured it over his burning knee. It felt good. "You look like one of the strange men they called Rangers that rode in with the king after the battle. They weren't really Rangers though. I know 'cause my dad is one of the Ranger's and he's off with Captain Faramir right now, fighting those nasty orc's! Have you ever fought an orc?"


Aragorn laughed at the child's rather incessant curiosity, reminded very much of Pippin as he did so.

"No, I am not really a healer, although I know much about healing," Aragorn answered patiently as he tore a strip of cloth from his well worn jerkin and began to wrapping it gently around the child's knee. "And I am one of the strange men called Rangers. We really are Rangers though," he corrected gently, "we are just of a different kind, an older kind. We are called the Dunedain, and come from the line of kings." He watched the boy's eyes widen with surprise. "And yes," he continued gravely, "I have fought many orc's, too many orc's."

The boy looked at him, a mixture of awe and confusion written in his expression, at his grave words for Aragorn was sure that even though the orc's had attacked the city that this child had very little, if any idea of what foul creatures they were.

"Airon! Airon, where are you?"

Aragorn watched as the boy turned towards the voice and saw an older boy, similar in his fair hair and dark eyes to the boy, who sat before him, squeeze through the crowd.

"Airon, I've been looking everywhere for you! I thought that I was going to have to go home and explain to mother that I'd lost you again," said the boy quite angrily as he shifted the basket of food he was carrying, which had quite likely been what they were sent out for in the first place.

"So this is a frequent practice of yours is it, my young friend," asked Aragorn teasingly and the older boy who seemed to suddenly take notice of him, looked at him suspiciously.

"Who are you?" he questioned challengingly, moving closer to, Aragorn assumed, his younger brother.

Aragorn stood up and the boy took a step back, now very aware of the height, broad shoulders and strong arms of the Ranger of the north.

"You may call me, Strider," he spoke sternly, "and what of you?"

"This is my brother Balon," answered the younger of the two, "and I am Airon."

"Well met," he answered formerly and offered Balon his hand in greeting which the boy took, somewhat warily, still obviously unsure of what to make of the strange man.

"Who is she," asked Balon, gesturing towards Saeorii, who until this moment had gone unnoticed by the pair, standing silently at his side.

He smiled warmly and drew her slightly more forward and was pleased to note that she seemed unafraid of the two children.

"This is Lady Saeorii," he answered more warmly, and she inclined her head slightly in greeting, as the two boys both looked at her in wonder.

Any further questions however were delayed as a monstrous clap of thunder shook the air and bright lightning streaked the dark sky. Aragorn was surprised when Saeorii moved closer to him, and in response he pulled her tenderly to him, one arm resting reassuringly about her thin shoulders. The streets seemed suddenly to clear of all life, leaving very few others than the four of them outside. The two boys seemed to arguing about something although he took little notice as he pulled Saeorii's cloak tighter about her shoulders and looked for an inn where they might sit out the storm for it was a long walk to the palace. His efforts were deemed unnecessary though when he felt a tug at his cloak and turned to see Airon looking up at him through the pelting rain.

"Balon says that you and the lady may come home with us and wait for it to stop raining if you like. It's just over there," the boy explained as he hollered to be heard above the rain on the stone streets, and pointed to one of the smaller streets to his left.


"I will not have all my children lost out in the rain," Keril sternly told her eldest son, Trien, who was so intent on being strong in his father's absence that he sometimes forgot his fourteen years. "They will be here any moment," she said with more confidence than she felt and she knew that Trien saw her doubt when he rested his young hand on her weary shoulder as he spoke to her softly.

"I know mother, I am sorry."

She shook her head and kissed him gently. She had not realized though how true her statement was and jumped slightly when the door was hurriedly opened and shut and she turned quickly towards it. She stopped however at the sight of the rather surly looking man who carried Airon and wondered at the small lady who held the edge of her cloak over Balon's head to keep he and all that he carried out of the rain. She saw Trien reach for the dagger on the mantle from the corner of her eye but he did it so discreetly that she was surprised when the stranger spoke to him.

"That would not be wise young one," the stranger spoke, his voice different and less rough than she had expected from his appearance, "we mean you nor any in your house any harm," he continued slowly as he set Airon down in front of him. The child immediately ran to her, his face lit like the sun that was currently hid beneath the stormy clouds.

She knelt to meet him, expecting for him to be somehow the worse for this man's company but finding that he was not she began to listen to what he was saying so excitedly.

"And his name is Strider and he is one of the Dunadain and he says that they aren't scoundrels at all but come from the line of kings. Oh, and mother, he's fought orc's just like father!"

With this statement she ceased to listen and looked once more to the stranger who pulled back his hood to reveal strong dark features, but it was his eyes that caused her tension to ease. They were wise and kind and like his rough face told that he had seen much of the world. They showed sympathy and sadness for her and she knew that he had seen those he had known and loved killed by the monsters that she feared now would be her husband's death.

"Trien, leave it," she instructed quietly, for her son's hand, despite the stranger's warning had not left the hilt of the dagger.

"I told them that they might stay here until the rain passed, mother. They helped Airon and I did not see any harm in it," explained Balon, who unlike young Airon had seen a little of his mother's apprehension.

She smiled at him and patted Airon's head as she stood once more.

"It was well of you to do so, my sweet," she returned her gaze to the stranger called Strider and smiled, "You are welcome to stay until the rain ends, and I invite you to eat with us, meagre though the meal may be."

Strider smiled and his face softened and she somehow knew that he did not often smile and felt her heart warmed by it as she stepped forward to take their cloaks and hang them before the fire to dry. It was now for the first time that she saw well the ranger's companion and she felt a strange sensation at the sight of the timid creature that was most obviously not of the realm of men.

"Please, my lord, come in and warm yourselves by the fire," she urged as she led the way towards it, knowing now that these two were even stranger than she had first thought, but welcoming them all the same.


"Is that your father's?" asked the man softly as Trien watched his two year old sister who had sat playing at his feet, move clumsily towards the pair.

Trien merely nodded silently, still unwilling that he should appear the least bit friendly.

"May I see it?" he looked closely at the stranger, as if expecting some mockery or hate to be written on his face, but he could not find it. He saw only kindness as he slowly handed the dagger to Strider.

"It was given to my grandfather by a man named Thorongil, his name was,"

"Sirrius."

Trien was silenced as he watched Strider unsheathe the dagger and examine the blade carefully. He watched as his sister reached her small hands up to the beautiful creature beside the Ranger who complied with her simple request and lifted her up from the pelt on the floor.

"How did you know?" he asked his suspicions of the man returning.

"I know because I am he and I gave it to your grandfather when I parted, for he fought at my side in the last battle I fought as a soldier of Gondor and he saved my life," he answered with words that Trien found unfathomable for Thorongil had been a great friend to the late steward, Ecthelion and was legend among the rangers of the city.

He looked at the man with different eyes as his sister playfully reached to touch the man's rough beard from her newfound place in the lady's arms. All were startled however at the loud pounding on the door and Trien stiffened when he heard what was spoken and knew it was the king's guards who stood outside their door.

"Open in the name of the king!"

Trien saw his family's apprehension and made to step forward but stopped, unsure as the Ranger strode quickly towards the door. He opened it, obviously unafraid of what waited on the other side. The face of the guard looked startled and Trien noticed that he stood straighter at the sight of this man who had fought at his grandfather's side, but nothing could have prepared him for what was spoken next.

"King Elessar!" the guard exclaimed, bowing slightly before standing to attention. Trien heard his mother gasp and drop her ladle into the cauldron of stew.

"Yes, captain. What is it?"

"The council wished to know if they are to wait for you to begin the evening meal."

The man that Trien now knew to be the king of his city turned and spoke words in a soft and elegant language to the lady who was with him and she answered him in kind before he turned once more to speak to the guard.

"Tell the council that we have had a better offer for this evening's meal," the guard nodded stiffly.

"That is all, Captain. You are dismissed"

With that the king shut the door and Trien stood bewildered with the rest of his family as he realized just who these two were that stood once more, side by side, in front of his family's small hearth. He was speechless as he watched the king and queen of the entire realm of men elicit unrestrained laughter from his youngest sister and listen patiently to the tiresome and often overlapping tales of his two younger brothers. He wondered as he felt the draft from one of the cracks in the wall beside him at these two who had given up their bountiful table and great warm fireplaces for the meagre supper and company of his family. He smiled at the pair who now sat on the floor before the hearth: the great king and queen of Gondor. Truly they had been given a great honour this night. A great honour indeed.


I am so sorry that this took so long, especially since it's just a fluff chapter but I promise that the next couple will be more dramatic. Just thought that you might be getting a little tired of all the depressing stuff and sadness, but I promise the next chapter will be better because Saeorii's going to come face to face with her past. Wonder how Aragorn will deal with it and if he'll be able to help Saeorii through it. Stay Tuned!

Cobra Rigoletti: Thanks so much for the compliment and I'm glad to hear that I am able to make it so that you can picture yourself there. That's really what I'm going for and I'm glad to see that it's working, even if only for you! Thanks so much!

Tadriendra of Mirkwood: Glad that you like it and I'm sorry that you had to wait so long! Thanks!

aragorn lover:I have pity and here it is although I'm sorry that it took me so long. Hope that you will not give up on me!

Tracey137: Wow. Thanks. Your review kinda left me speechless but I guess I'll just say thanks for the compliment, it really means a lot. You totally made my day and Legolas and Gimli will enter the story although it will be a few chapters. Thank you so much for your review and I hope to hear from you again.

Diadora: Thank you so much, I take your tears as a compliment and you might want to buy some tissues because after this fluff chapter the next couple are kind of sad. Thank you!

Allison Mervis: Short and sweet and yet it still means so much to hear from you. Thank you so much and I hope that I hear from you again!

Estel-Ara: I'm glad to see that you are still reading and still enjoying my story cuase you've been with me since I first posted it and I always love hearing from you. Hint for next chapter: Saeorii will either have to open up to Aragorn when her past returns or fade from middle earth despite her promise to Cirdan.

Karone Evertree: Glad to hear that you like it and Aragorn and Leglas will see each other soon. Sorry though, it might be longer than you'd like. Thnx!

Dazzler420: Like your vocab. Very thesaurus and thanks so much, glad that you like it.

alibi girl: lol. glad to know I'm appreciated and I'm sorry that it took me so long. Hope that it was worth it!

amelia: Wow, thanks so much and I most definately am going to finsih my stories although at my current rate it may take years. Oh well, I'll keep going and try and update as soon as possible. Thanks so much, hope to hear from you again!