Chapter Six

Dress

Three weeks had gone by before Aranel had finally been able to start walking around without having to hobble.

During those three weeks, Aranel had slept most of the time. Hoping that because she was an elf (for elves heal faster than humans) and because she was safe in Minas Tirith; that she might be able to rest and not have to worry about anything or anyone. Faramir was on her mind most of the time, thinking about him and wondering if he might be worried about her as he always was.

But today was a very special day; today the master healer had said that her leg was now strong enough that she could start to walk on it. Helping her to her feet, Aranel thanked him and took a step, gently placing the foot of her recovering leg onto the floor. After a moment of adjusting, she figured out how gently she needed to walk and started to walk across the room.

Observing her as she walked, the master healer decided with satisfaction that it was alright for her to go to the seventh level and introduce herself to the Steward. When Aranel asked why she should introduce herself to Denethor right away, the healer simply replied, "He has been most interested in you speedy recovery the moment you arrived. And he has ordered me to submit daily reports to him about your condition." The healer chuckled. "It's as if the king himself were under my care!"

"I don't know why he's been so interested in your case, but if you ask me," the healer now spoke in a quiet voice, looking around him to see if anyone might be listening. "I think that someone or something made him afraid that if he didn't make sure you healed as fast as possible, he and this kingdom would be in great danger." The healer gave a grave nod as Aranel's eyes widened in surprise. "Who would be coming here to check up on me?" Aranel thought to herself. "My mission is a secret that only my Lord and Lady know."

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Later that afternoon, after walking about the sixth level, the Master Healer, Jarith, had helped Aranel up to the seventh level. Once atop the citadel, Jarith had escorted her towards the throne room. Passing the white tree, Aranel stopped and looked at it, saying a short prayer in memory of the kings of old. As they approached the huge doors that lead to the throne room, the citadel guards opened the huge doors; mentally ushering them in.

Once inside they began the long walk down the extravagant hall. At the end of the hall on a much smaller throne at the bottom of the stairs to the throne of the king sat Denethor. Stroking his brow while reading a letter he had in his hands, he mumbled something incoherent to himself. Looking up to the sound of the giant doors being closed, the look on Denethor's face turned from solemn to a façade of relief at the sight of Aranel.

When Jarith and Aranel were only a few feet away from the Steward's throne, Denethor pleasantly greeted them. "Hello Jarith." Turning to Aranel he smiled and greeted her with all the formalities. "Greetings Lady Aranel, it is a pleasure to see you walking about again." Bowing at the mention, Aranel smiled. "Thank you Lord Denethor, you and your healers are most kind."

Bowing his head in acknowledgement, Denethor sat back down on his throne and looked at the letter in his hands once more. "I am afraid that I cannot give you a proper welcome, Lady Aranel. Things have come to my attention that are not as pleasant as celebrating your quick recovery." "It is quite alright Lord Denethor, although quick recoveries are always something to celebrate. I believe that my broken leg is not as important as matters of the kingdom."

Nodding in understanding, Denethor turned back to his letter with a grave stare. "It comes to my understanding, Lady Aranel, that you have been sent here as an ambassador from Lothlorien. And on your way to the citadel you encountered my son, Faramir. Is this true?"

"It is my lord. We did encounter each other in Ithilien not yet a day past four weeks ago."

"Four weeks ago!" Denethor exclaimed, "He should have escorted you to the citadel right away. I will have to speak with him about this. Ambassador's are not to be kept waiting, especially when they are of urgent business." Denethor waved to two servants standing next to the door that lead to the rest of the king's house. "Most of the day has left us already, the servants have prepared a room for your ladyship and you have been invited to dinner this evening with the rest of the lords of the house. We shall discuss matters of the kingdom tomorrow, I hope you have a wonderful evening Lady Aranel."

And with that, the servants escorted Aranel out of the throne room and down the many halls to her room. After asking if she needed anything, they bowed and left, closing the door behind them.

Sitting on her bed, Aranel put her face in her hands and sighed. "What have I gotten into?" She said to herself. "Why did Denethor call me an ambassador? And how does he know that I am even here?" Pacing around the room, Aranel decided that worrying about things was only going to make them worse. So while looking around the room, she noticed in the mirror that her ranger garb had been mangled and torn from the fight with the boar; and that it hadn't been replaced.

As curiosity, and the need for fresh clothes took over, Aranel walked over to the closet; and pulling open the door, noticed that there in the middle of the closet, was a dress. The surrounding clothes had been pulled away so that the dress had stood out from the others. Though the way this dress was, the clothes never needed to be pulled away from it for it to be noticed.

As Aranel took the dress out of the closet and held it up she could see that it was indeed the most beautiful dress she had ever seen. Never had she seen the likes of it since she left Lothlorien. In fact, she distinctly remembered this dress from years ago; the dress was a deep green, with silver embroidered leaves on the sleeves and either side of the bodice. The dress was tightened by cords running down the back, and upon the waist was a silver sash to accent the dress.

Quickly putting it on, Aranel found that it was a perfect fit, and while looking at herself in the mirror she found that something was missing. Her hair was tangled and needed to be fixed. So using all the skill she had, she brushed, pulled back, and braided her hair in traditional elven fashion. Pulling two main locks back she braided them herringbone style like Haldir always did.

Seeing that she needed a headpiece, Aranel started rooting through the dresser. And when she opened the top drawer she found the most simple but elegant headpiece. It was silver and was crafted so that the silver looked like fragile lace. The front of the head piece came together in a single, but strong, strand which held a crystal pendant above her forehead. Looking in the mirror once more, she smiled, and with a satisfying nod decided that this was the perfect attire for dinner with the Steward and his court.

† † †

As the hour passed, Aranel found herself sitting on her bed once more, staring out at the sky through the window. Feeling extremely bored, since dinner was at least another half hour away, she decided to explore the hall near her room. Quietly slipping out her door and down the hall she soon came across one of the two servants that had escorted her to her room that afternoon.

"Good evening my lady!" The servant woman exclaimed. "Good evening," Aranel replied with a smile. The woman smiled back and blushed as Aranel caught her staring at her dress. "I be beggin your pardon ma'm. I can't help but stare at such a beautiful dress, and I can't help but wonder why you're out here in the hall when it's dinner in less than half an hour." Aranel let out a small laugh and gave an understanding nod.

"It's alright I understand, I couldn't help but stare at myself in the mirror when I first put it on. As for why I'm here…well I was a bit distracted and wanted to find out what else was down this hall." When the servant woman heard this she smiled a big smile and took a step closer to Aranel. "Well," she said. "If you'd be wantin to find something interestin down near this hall here, the best thing on this level of the house is the garden." The servant woman gave a small wink when she said this and started to walk down the hall, motioning for Aranel to follow.

Leading her to a small balcony with stairs leading down, the servant woman nodded in satisfaction and said that she would be going about her business and left. Aranel walked over to the railing of the balcony after the servant woman had gone, and closing her eyes, she listened to the sounds of the garden.

Little did she realize that she was not alone. After a moment of silence and hearing the birds sing, she suddenly heard a soft, beautiful voice singing in Elvish.

"A Bereth thar Ennui Aeair!
Calad ammen i reniar
Mi 'aladhremmin ennorath.
A Elbereth Gilthoniel
i chin a thul lin miriel..."

At the sound of the voice, Aranel's eyes snapped open and she immediately scoured the garden to see if she could see who was singing such a beautiful and gracious song to Elbereth. Finally finding a glint of something in the corner of the garden, she raced down the steps off the balcony and down to the garden level. Seeing the singing figure move towards the fountain in the middle of the garden, she gasped at what she saw when he stopped right in front of the fountain, eyes transfixed on her.

For there before her was none other than her one true love, the elf she had desired since the day he left for Helm's Deep. The one person that she had mourned for when it was said that he was dead. There, standing not ten feet in front of her was Haldir, Marchwarden of Lothlorien, and the love of her life.

"Haldir," she breathed.

"Mae govannen, Meleth nîn." He said.

AN: sorry for the long wait for an update, things have been nuts at my house and I've been busy with school hopefully I'll write the seventh chapter soon!!!