AUTHOR'S NOTE I play with the timeline in this chapter a little bit. In Revenge of the Sith, Obi-Wan returns with Yoda and watches the hologram of Anakin slaughtering everyone in the Jedi temple, then goes to see Padmé and stows away on her ship when she goes to find Anakin on Mustafar. In this version, around the time he sees the holo, he also senses Aragorn's anguish across the galaxy and goes to see him first. Then he returns to Coruscant a few days later to confront Padmé and it continues from there.
DISCLAIMER Don't own anyone except Alar.
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Obi-Wan pushed his fighter desperately to go faster through hyperspace. He was sick with despair over the holo he had seen of Anakin cutting down the younglings, but he had felt Aragorn's cry of grief across the entire galaxy. He had promised Master Yoda that he would return as soon as possible and then took off for Arda.
Something had happened. Something was wrong. It had not quite been a year since Anakin and Bail had brought him back to Coruscant. He had been keeping his senses attuned to Aragorn's emotions and, although there was sadness when he had left, it was nothing like this. Right now, Aragorn was utterly destroyed.
Obi-Wan had to restrain himself from nervously biting his nails as he watched his progress on the navicomputer. Finally he fell into a troubled sleep.
Artoo's trilling woke him the next day. Obi-Wan shook the sleep off and checked the chronometer. He was shocked. He had cut nearly an entire day off of his journey. The noise of the ship's engines changed as the vehicle dropped back into real space above Arda.
His landing was considerably better than the first time, but he barely noticed. As soon as it was safe, Obi-Wan popped open the hatch and leapt to the ground. He ran all the way to Rivendell.
Elladan and Elrohir met him at the archway that led into the front courtyard of Elrond's house. Their beautiful faces bore identical expressions of sorrow. "Hyarion," Elladan said.
"We saw the lightning storm," Elrohir added.
"We hoped that you had come back," Elladan finished.
Obi-Wan looked at them and cold dread gnawed at his stomach. "What has happened?" he asked.
The twins glanced at each other sadly. "You must come with us," said Elrohir.
"We will take you to see Aragorn."
Obi-Wan shivered as they led him through the halls of the house. Where he remembered there being laughter instead was crying. Where had once been joy was now worry and fear. Whatever had happened, it had shaken the Elves of Imladris to the core.
Elladan and Elrohir led Obi-Wan to the room he recognized as Mara and Alar's nursery. Elladan gestured through the door. "Aragorn is inside."
Hesitantly, Obi-Wan walked inside. Tears sprung to his eyes when he saw Aragorn sitting on the window seat holding a doll that had belonged to their daughter. "Aragorn?" he said softly.
Aragorn looked up, his eyes red and haggard. "Hyarion," he whispered. "I knew you'd come back."
Obi-Wan crossed the room and sat beside him. "I'm so sorry, Aragorn. I'm sorry for how I left but it had to be that way. If I came back to say goodbye, I never would have been able to leave." He looked around the cold room and the truth hit him like a blaster bolt. "I could feel your pain all the way on Coruscant. Aragorn, what has happened to our children?"
Waves of guilt ricocheted through the room. Aragorn clutched the doll and stared out the window. "Several days ago, we had a visitor."
"A visitor?" Obi-Wan repeated.
Aragorn nodded. "There was a lightning storm, then a man showed up at our borders claiming to have news of you."
Obi-Wan frowned, confused. Who would bring news of him to Arda? Only a handful of people even knew that he had been there.
"Elladan, Elrohir, and Legolas brought him in and called me to see him," Aragorn continued. "Since the news was of you, I brought Mara and Alar as well."
Reality was dawning on Obi-Wan and he shook his head. "Don't," he said. "Don't go on."
But Aragorn, with tears in his eyes, went on anyway. "I met with him, then felt something force itself into my head. When I woke up, they were gone." His voice broke. "He took them."
Obi-Wan could not stop the tears that suddenly overwhelmed him. "No," he said. Aragorn took him in his arms and the two wept for their stolen childen.
After a moment, Obi-Wan put his hands on Aragorn's head and gently probed his mind. He found the wound from the attack – a violent push from the Force designed to damage the consciousness. He felt cold. "The man who came," he said. "Did he give you a name?"
Aragorn nodded. "He said that his name was Anakin Skywalker."
Rage boiled in Obi-Wan's heart, the Dark Side suddenly looking seductively inviting. "Anakin," he hissed.
"You told me of him once," Aragorn said. "That he was your apprentice."
Rage drained away and left intolerable sorrow. "He has turned to the Dark Side," Obi-Wan admitted. "He is out of my control."
"Then Mara and Alar are lost," Aragorn said, heartbroken.
His lack of hope gave Obi-Wan resolve. "They aren't lost," he said and leapt to his feet. "Aragorn, on my love for you, I swear that I will find our children and bring them back home." Determination shone in his eyes. "Or die trying."
Aragorn stood up and took his hands. "I have faith in you, my love."
"Tell me one thing," Obi-Wan said softly.
Aragorn nodded. "Anything."
"Those two phrases you taught me when we were journeying from Rivendell to Lórien – when you just starting to teach me Elvish – what did they mean?"
Although his heart was breaking, Aragorn smiled as he remembered that day. "The Sindarin one meant, 'You are blessed to be here.'"
"And the Quenya?"
"The sun shines in your heart."
Obi-Wan grabbed Aragorn and kissed him hard, passionately – a goodbye kiss of grim promise. Then he turned and went back for his ship. There was one person in the universe who would know where Anakin was headed and Obi-Wan would make her tell him.
Aragorn watched Obi-Wan run for the forest through the nursery window. He was alone again. A low rumbling echoed down off of the Misty Mountains and Aragorn caught sight of what looked like a shooting star. "May the grace of the Valar help you, my love," he said.
The afternoon lengthened into evening and the first stars appeared overhead. Aragorn looked up at them and thought of his beloved children lost in the endless sky.
He thought of Mara, whose temper was as fiery as her red hair. She looked so much like Obi-Wan. Now they were both gone, possibly forever.
And Alar, their silent little boy, had looked so much like himself. Obi-Wan had said Alar couldn't feel the Force. Why had Skywalker taken him too?
Suddenly he sensed Arwen behind him, but did not turn around. She gave him a moment before saying gently, "Greenleaf is very upset, Estel."
"Legolas should know that this is not his fault," Aragorn replied.
He felt Arwen's calming touch on his shoulder. "Nevertheless," she said. "He wishes that he could have done something."
Duty borne out of a lifelong friendship forced Aragorn to get up from the window and follow Arwen out of the nursery. She led him to the open courtyard where Legolas was staring silently at the dark trees. "Mellon nîn," he said after Arwen left them.
Legolas turned to face him. "How can you ever forgive me?" he asked. "I should never have left the room. I could have fought him."
Aragorn shook his head. "You would never have stood a chance against his power. Ú-moe edaved."
Shaking his golden head, Legolas said, "I am still sorry. Is there anything that I can do?"
Aragorn looked up at the dark window of Mara and Alar's bedroom. The thought of having to walk by the empty room every day tore at his heart. He knew that he could no longer stay in Rivendell. "Explain to Lord Elrond why I have to leave," he said.
Legolas followed his line of sight to the window and nodded. "I will." He grasped Aragorn by the shoulder. "May the Valar protect you."
Aragorn grasped the Elf's shoulder in return and nodded. Less than an hour later, the son of Arathorn left the borders of Rivendell and headed alone out into the Wild.
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Elvish (Sindarin) translations
Mellon nîn
My friend
Ú-moe edaved
There is nothing to forgive