A/N: J. R. R. Tolkien owns Lord of the Rings, not me. I just own my OC Airy.
Bold Italics are Elvish language, if I have actual elvish from the movies then the translations will appear (like this). Italics are thoughts.
Yes I have started another fanfiction if you read any of my other works. I apologize for not updating them very well. Between a new job where I work overnight –which was my main writing times mostly, health issues for myself as well as helping family out as they had health issues as well, as well as just needing a break from writing in general as I was getting major writers block was needed.
Chapter Three: I Choose A Mortal Life
"Don't leave me, Arlwn." I thought I heard Aragorn whisper to me. "Please wake up." Aragorn sounded desperate as I struggled to surface from the water that seemed to hold me in the unconscious state I was in. I felt a pressure to my lips and knew for sure that Aragorn was kissing me. I struggled even more to wake up then so that I could tell him that I was okay and that he wouldn't lose me. By the time my eyes opened up it was night time. I turned my head to the side and saw Aragorn was sitting next to me, my hand in his as he let his head rest on the bed.
"Aragorn…" I whispered as I lifted my hand to run my fingers through his hair. I smiled at him as he suddenly sat up, his eyes wide as he looked at me.
"Airy…" Aragorn trailed off as he smiled as he calmed down once he saw that I was awake for real. "I was so worried you would leave me." He said as he reached and brushed some of my dark red hair out of my face.
"I won't leave you. Not like that." I said to him while leaning into his touch. Aragorn nodded his head before leaning forward and kissing me on the forehead.
"Good. I can't lose you Airy. I just can't." Aragorn whispered as he sat back so that I could see his face. "I thought I was going to lose you when you wouldn't wake up. You took longer to wake up this time."
"I'm awake now. That's what matters." I told him before I moved so he could lie down next to me. "Lay down next to me. Get some sleep." I watched his face as he debated on if he should just do what I told him or do what is proper. "Aragorn, we sleep next to each other in the wild all the time. So just lie down and get some sleep."
"Airy…" He trailed off before he got up and lies down next to me. I smile before curling up on my side so that I could rest my head on his chest. "This was what you wanted all along…" Aragorn teased lightly as I nodded my head.
"I sleep better when we can be like this… I don't know why." I said to him as I wrapped an arm around his waist. "Sides, I prefer it when we can sleep like this." Aragorn chuckled at that and pressed a kiss to my hair. I soon fell back asleep as I listened to Aragorn's heart beat and his breathing. The next morning I woke up to Aragorn trying to slip out of bed, trying not to wake me up. I sat up while yawning, catching Aragorn's attention.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to wake you." Aragorn said to me as I moved so I was sitting on the edge of the bed. I told him that it was okay and that I needed to get up as well. "Lord Elrond called a council when it comes to the ring."
"You and I both know that it needs to be destroyed." I said to him as I stood up and walked to him, Aragorn watching me the whole time. "Whatever happens, I'm with you." I told him as I wrapped my arms around his waist and hugged him, letting my head rest on his chest. I felt Aragorn wrap his arms around me and press a kiss in my hair before he released me.
"Thank you Airy. You have been by my side for many years and have guided me. I don't know what I would do if you wouldn't do so now." Aragorn said kissing me quickly before he said that he had to go and talk with Lord Elrond. I smiled and watched him go before dressing in a soft forest green dress that was left out for me. Once I was dressed I walked around Rivendell seeing Frodo as I walked around.
"Greetings, Frodo Baggins of the Shire." I said to him as I approached him. I saw his eyes widen as he realized that I was the ranger Shadow that traveled with him from Bree.
"Shadow!" Frodo greeted me as I sat down next to him and looked out over the garden.
"This is one of my favorite spots in Rivendell." I told him as I glanced at him from the corner of my eye. "My actual name is Arlwn, but like everyone else you can call me Airy."
"I see now why you kept yourself hidden." Frodo said as he looked over the gardens watching some elves as they played in the garden. I chuckled as Frodo said that and placed a hand on his shoulder.
"It is just one reason of many. Though it is the main reason. Not many would take a ranger serious if they knew they were female." I said before I stood up and gave Frodo a smile. "I shall see you around Frodo." I told him before walking inside to spend time with Arwen. Over the next couple of days I watched as a company of dwarves came to Rivendell, as well as my older brother Legolas and some elves from Mirkwood.
"Airy, how are you doing?" Legolas asked me as he engulfed me in a hug. I happily hugged him back since I hardly see my older brother anymore. "I saw Aragorn when we rode in. He told me that you had been injured by a morgul blade again."
"I was. I had to protect four hobbits that were stupid at the watchtower of Amon Sûl." I told Legolas as I pulled away so that I could give him a smile. "How are you Legolas? Our father?"
"I'm well. Worried about you like usual, but I know you can care for yourself." Legolas said as he motioned for me to walk with him so that the two of us can catch up. "Ada is the same as he always is. He doesn't like the idea that his daughter is a ranger." (Father/Dad)
"Ada never really liked me in general Legolas. Admit it, he's hated me for as long as I have been alive." I said to Legolas as Aragorn approached us while we walked.
"I see that you found her." Aragorn said to Legolas with a smile as he placed a hand on my shoulder and squeezed it gently. "Don't let your father and the words you two say about him bother you. It will do you no good." Aragorn told me before he told Legolas that Elrond wanted to speak to him once we were done catching up.
"I can catch up with Airy later. I should see Lord Elrond now." Legolas said as he gave me a hug once more before placing his hand on Aragorn's shoulder before leaving us.
"You did that on purpose to get me to yourself." I teased Aragorn as he and I walked towards where the sword that was broken rested.
"Not at all, but it does work out in my favor." Aragorn said as he picked the book that was on thecouch that was there. I noticed that my book that I had been reading on our travels in the wild was there as well and picked it up.
"You tease me about this book and yet bring it here for me, knowing that I would sit here and read it." I said to him as I sat down on the couch and opened my book to read. I felt Aragorn sit down next to me after he got done chuckling at the words I had said to him. I leaned against him like I have done many times before, reading my book as I felt Aragorn's hand run up and down my back as we read our separate books. Aragorn and I both looked up sometime later to see a man walking in to the room.
"You are no elf." The man said to Aragorn as I stiffened at the sight of him. I couldn't help but stiffen due to my past and quickly looked back down at my book, not wanting to draw his attention. "Though your companion is." I closed my book and stood up, telling Aragorn I would be back softly before I walked away from both men, feeling the eyes of the man who just arrived on me the whole time.
"Men of the South are welcome here." I heard Aragorn say from where I hid myself in the shadows, close enough that I can help Aragorn if he needed it.
"Who are you?" the man asked Aragorn as he nodded at him.
"I am a friend of Gandalf the Grey." Aragorn responded as he kept his gaze on the man from the south, I took in his appearance and noticed that he was from Gondor.
"Then we are here on a common purpose…friend." The Gondorian stated with a nod of his head before his eyes scanned the room, more than likely looking for me. "And the harlot that was in here with you earlier… perhaps I shall search for her…" With that said the man then took in the shards of Narsil. "The shards of Narsil. The blade that cut the Ring from Sauron's hand."
This man is power hungry… I thought to myself as I watched him run his finger over the broken hilt of the sword that he had picked up.
"Ah. It's still sharp…" The man mused in wonder before he looked over at Aragorn. "But no more than a broken heirloom." The man placed the hilt back on the podium that holds the shards before walking away, pausing when the hilt dropped to the floor before continuing on. I stepped out of the shadows as I watched Aragorn pick up the hilt and place it back onto the podium.
"I know that look on your face." I said to Aragorn as I came out of my hiding spot. "You are the heir of Isildur, not Isildur himself. Why fear the past?" I asked him as I approached Aragorn. "You do not share the same fate as him."
"The same blood flows in my veins, Airy." Aragorn said as he turned to face me, anger in his eyes at the words from the Gondorian that was just here. "The same weakness. And those words that man said…." He trailed off as he sighed, running a hand down his face in frustration.
"You and I know that his words are not true. I do not let them hold sway over me. Nor should you." I said to him as I approached him and gave him a smile. "You may have the same blood in your veins as Isildur, but not the same fate. Your time will come, facing the same evil as he did and you will defeat it." I reached up and cupped his cheek gently. "The Shadow does not hold sway over you yet Aragorn. Not over you and not over me."
"I do not think anything can hold sway over you Airy." Aragorn said as he took my hand and lead me outside. We walked until we were on the small bridge that held many memories for me. The bridge where Aragorn first kissed me, where he told me about his true heritage, where I told my past in more depth, where I told him he held my heart.
"Renech i lu i erui govannen?" I asked him with a small smile as Aragorn turned to face me. (Do you remember when we first met?)
"Nauthannem i ned ol reniannen." Aragorn said as he brushed some of my hair out of my face. "You feared me so greatly back then. But you still attempted to be kind." (I thought I had strayed into a dream.)
"Gwenwin in enninath...U-arnech in naeth i si celich." I said to him as I reached up and ran my fingers through his hair before cupping his cheek. (Long years have passed… You did not have the cares you carry now.)
"Why do you bring this up?" Aragorn asked me as he tilted his head into my hand. "It's been many years since we first met and you started to stay by my side."
"Renech i beth i pennen?" I asked him as I watched Aragorn's eyes widen slightly at what I said. (Do you remember what I told you?)
"You said that you would bind yourself to me, forsake the immortality of your people." Aragorn said as he let his hand run over my necklace, the pendent looked exactly like Arwen's Evenstar only mine had a deep blue gem that matched my eyes instead of the clear gem that Arwen's had.
"And I still hold to those words." I said as I reached up and undid my necklace before placing it in his hand, curling his fingers over the pendent. "I would rather share one lifetime with you, than a thousand life times or face the ages without you."
"Airy…" He trailed off as he looked at me. "You can't give this to me…"
"It's mine to give to who I want. Just like my heart. They both belong to you." I told him softly as I stared into his eyes. "I choose a mortal life." I saw the hesitation in his eyes and sighed. "The necklace is just that, a necklace. It's a reminder for you of me if we are ever separated."
"I will never let you leave my sight." Aragorn said before he pulled me closer to him and lowered his head towards mine. I stood on my toes slightly and met him half way as he kissed me. "I would rather spend the rest of my life with you by my side than not have you with me at all."