Disclaimer: Look at the last chapter

A/N: As promised, this chapter is up soon. I hope for another post on Wednesday or Thursday. After that I will try to get it up on a regular basis, but there is no telling with school. It depends how busy I get. Hope you continuing to enjoy. Reviews keep me encouraged to write and help me stay motivated to update quickly. ;-)

Chapter 5

Secrets

"No, no! The archway is going to be to the left more and the flowers have to be spaced closer together on the sides." Linriel told the elven maids that were helping her decorate the banquet hall. She had been pointing out directions and decorating all morning. Everything had to be perfect for her wedding. Time was running short. The real flowers wouldn't actually be displayed until the morning of the wedding, but she had to make sure everything was planned out exactly how she had dreamed that it would be. She had been waiting for this wedding for years. It was going to be perfect. The maidens, however, were not making it easy on her. They had no sense of beauty or style, at least not in the way she wanted it.

"Valar! Where is Arwen when I need her?" Linriel called out.

"She won't be arriving until tomorrow, my lady." One of the maidens spoke up what Linriel all ready knew.

Linriel sighed.

"We can make do without her." Idril said as she came into the room. "Everything is coming together fine. Do not worry."

"Did you finish the bride's maid dresses?"

Idril nodded with a smile. "They look absolutely beautiful."

Linriel smiled. "Good." She looked out into the window. Her eyes were bright and her face shown with excitement.

Idril chuckled, knowing the look Linriel had in her eyes. "I can't believe you're getting married." She squealed.

Linriel turned back to her. "Neither can I. It's too wonderful to even comprehend."

"Sorry to intrude on your 'girl conversation', but may I intrude for a moment." Elrohir said suddenly, a grin beaming on his face.

Idril giggled. "Of course. Excuse me."

Linriel smiled at him. "And what is so important that you have to ruin our little girl time?"

Elrohir smiled and approached her. He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her close to him. "Maybe this." He pulled her into a soft, but intimate kiss.

Linriel cried with delight. When he pulled away, she looked at him smiling. "I would say that was worth it."

"Good." Then he frowned slightly. "Unfortunately that isn't the only reason I am here. I needed to ask you about the wedding rehearsal tomorrow."

"What about it?"

Elrohir blushed slightly. "What…um… what are we suppose to wear for the rehearsal?"

Linriel giggled. "Just wear some nice clothes. It's just a rehearsal. You will were your actual wedding attire on the day of the wedding."

"That's what I thought, but I wasn't sure." Elrohir said with a shy smile. "So how is everything coming together?"

"Well. Very well actually."

"I'm glad to hear it. Are you surviving okay without my sister here?"

"As best as I can. It would be nice if she were here though. I love your grandmother, but sometimes it seems like she leaves things for the last minute. Arwen will scarcely be here on time for the wedding rehearsal tomorrow night."

"She has a habit of that sometimes, but I do not think it is entirely her fault this time." Elrohir replied.

Linriel gave him an exquisite look. "What do you mean?"

Elrohir shrugged as if it was nothing. "Never mind. It's nothing."

"No, tell you what you mean." Linriel persisted.

Elrohir bit at his lip. "It's just something I suspect. I think Ada may have requested that Grandmother Galadriel show up just in time with Arwen."

"Why would he do that?"

"I'm sure he had a reason. Besides it might not even be true." Elrohir said quickly. "Well I better let you get back to the decorating. I should make sure Elladan hasn't lost your ring. I swear he's trying to lose it."

Linriel smiled slightly, but eyed him, wishing he would tell her what he meant by his comment that he obviously didn't wish to reveal.

"Don't work too hard." Elrohir said.

"I'll try not to." She said though her mind was distracted.

Elrohir nodded and kissed her cheek before walking back towards the open doors. Linriel stared after him for some time, until one of the maids questioned her. She turned to her. "Yes, um, just keep working on it like I said. I will be right back. " Without even waiting for a reply, she walked out the door. She headed for Elrond's room, desperate to solve the mystery of what Elrohir had implied. Curiosity sometimes got the best of her. She knocked lightly on Elrond's door and opened it as he replied.

"Linriel, what I can do you for you?"

"I was wondering when Arwen will be arriving. Have you heard anything new?" Linriel asked.

Elrond shook his head, but smiled slightly. "They are on their way. I estimate tomorrow evening she should arrive."

Linriel nodded at the facts she all ready knew. "I've been wondering, is there any reason why Arwen did not come with me or why Lady Galadriel didn't leave right away?"

Elrond shrugged. "You know how Galadriel can be. She is always quite busy and I'm sure she had a few things to finish before leaving."

Linriel nodded, but curiosity was still getting the best of her. Before she even knew what she was saying, she blurted out. "Did you request her to stay longer for some reason?"

Elrond stared at her, shocked for a moment. "Where did you hear that?" He asked finally.

"Something I thought I overheard." She said, though not admitting it was Elrohir who told her.

Elrond sighed and stood. He walked to the window and stared out for a minute. "I'm sorry, Linriel. I hope it does not inconvenience you." He spoke, but did not turn.

"I'll manage without her help, but my question is as to why. Are you not excited to see your daughter?" Linriel asked confused.

"Of course I am excited. But, there are other factors that must be considered." Elrond said. He placed one hand on his head as if a great burden weighed on him.

Linriel placed a hand on his shoulder and with eyes filled with concern, she asked what was bothering him. Elrond shook his head, but remained silent. Then he turned and smiled at her.

"It is nothing, my dear. Forgive me for spoiling your plans. Perhaps they will make good time and arrive here early for you." Elrond said.

Linriel nodded. "Perhaps. But whatever reason you wished them to be later, than I hope it doesn't inconvenience you." Linriel replied sweetly.

Elrond smiled at her gentleness. "My son is one lucky elf to be marrying you." He kissed her gently on the cheek. "I'm so excited for you both. This wedding will be splendid."

Linriel smiled. "Thank you, Lord Elrond. I suppose I should get back to my ladies to continue setting everything up."

Elrond nodded. "Don't work too hard."

Linriel rolled her eyes. "Like father, like son." She muttered before walking out the door.

---

Later that day Elrond sat on a comfortable chair in his quarters. He was reading a book and relaxing for the night. It was not often that he had some free time, so he was enjoying it. Suddenly a knock sounded at his door.

"Come in?" He called, but did not look up from his book.

The door opened. "Ada, do you have a minute to talk."

Elrond looked up to see Elrohir standing in the room. Assuming that his question would have something to do with marriage, or nerve, or becoming a husband Elrond nodded his head. He placed his book down and asked Elrohir to sit down. "Of course, ion nin. What is on your mind?"

Elrohir sighed. "Did you ask Grandma Galadriel and Arwen to arrive just in time for the wedding, but no sooner?"

Elrond looked, not having expected that question. It seemed everyone happened to know his "secret" about delaying Arwen. "I had my reasons, Elrohir. Linriel all ready asked me about that and I apologized to her."

Elrohir looked at him for a moment, wondering what exactly he had told Linriel. He had hoped that she had not said anything, but he should have known better. Her curiosity and strong willed spirit made her want to know everything that bewildered her.

"It's Estel, isn't it?" He finally asked.

Elrond bit his lip, but did not answer. He stood and walked to the window. He stayed silent for sometime. He should have known his son would figure it out. He had just hoped that he could have kept this a secret. If Estel figured it out, he knew it would not turn out well. The human would not understand. Aragorn would assume it had something to be with his humanness and perhaps it did. Elrond shook his head. He didn't want to think about this right now. This is what had caused an argument between them before. He didn't wish for it to do so again. Somewhere deep in his mind, however, he felt that the fight would arrive again. It was inevitable.

"Yes, it is." He finally replied to his son's question. "I don't want him spending time with Arwen. I won't have a human liking my only daughter, my evenstar."

Elrohir sighed and walked towards the window to stand beside his father. "I don't agree with it either, Ada, but perhaps you are jumping ahead a little too much. Boys go through phases. He thought she was pretty one time and he got a crush, but they don't last forever. Arwen didn't even like him. Estel is still young. He has a lot of growing up to do."

Elrond sighed, but nodded. "Perhaps you are right, but I don't want to take the chance. I love Estel, but I would never allow him to like my daughter. If something ever happened between them, the results would be disastrous."

"Like I said Ada, I think you are jumping ahead way too far."

Elrond smiled, though it didn't fully reach his heart. Perhaps it was fatherly intuition, but his heart told him that Aragorn did not simply have a childhood crush on his daughter. There was something more. He shrugged it off, however, trying to push it to the end of his mind. "You are probably right, ion nin. Living with you and Elladan for so long has taught be to assume the worst in everything and only hope for the best."

Elrohir smiled at his father's jest. "And usually it ends up being far from the worst. And even in the direst of circumstance, everything usually turns out okay."

Elrond nodded. "Let us hope this is one of those times."

---

A figure stood quietly outside the door to Elrond's room. He had heard the whole conversation. He bit his lip and quickly walked away before anyone knew he was there. The conversation between Elrond and Elrohir rang in his mind. It would change everything.