Chapter 3

" …Father? It was horrible! I could feel him choking me, and Aragorn tried to stop him. That's where I woke up, Ata"

Lord Elrond sighed and shook his head.

" You have the gift of foresight. Tell me what you see!", Arwen begged. Elrond stood up and began pacing.

" Arwen, all I know is that part of that story would be true…I…its all depending on the fate of the ring. And now, we know where to look for it, as dreams that come to the elves often tell the truth…", here, Lord Elrond trailed off and gazed at his only daughter, " Its true, isn't it? Both of you have met"

Arwen could only nod under the watch of her father.

Bells sounded and Thayta burst into the room.

" Arwen! Este-", she saw Lord Elrond and quickly swept a curtsy to him, " Forgive me, my Lord…I didn't know you were here…". Thayta started to leave the room when Elrond stopped her.

" Thayta, please prepare Arwen. We have a most-welcomed guest who shall be attending dinner with us all. Arwen's brothers will eat with us. No one is exempt from my son's homecoming", Elrond said, leaving the room in a hurry.

" My Lady! You're soaking wet!", Thayta exclaimed.

" Its nothing', Arwen quickly put in, " What did you say when you first came in?"

Thayta hurriedly helped Arwen undress herself and sank her into a boiling hot bath.

" Just as I said, Arwen", Thayta began, scrubbing the princess, " Estel is back!"

Arwen turned towards Thayta, " Is that true? This is probably the fifth time you told me something like this in the past five years"

" Of course its true! I saw him myself!", Thayta exclaimed as she moved to wash Arwen's hair.

" That's convincing. Did you meet him?", Arwen asked.

" Yes! And he seemed like a perfect gentleman. Maybe less tender to me as he was with you. Estel asked about you, Arwen"

" What did he say?", she asked anxiously.

" He just asked where you were and how were you feeling. Nothing more", Thayta smiled at the princess's shining eyes. Arwen laughed, " All these years I waited and the time has finally come!"

" All these years?", Thayta scoffed, " Five years, Arwen. That's not much"

" I know, but it feels like I've been waiting forever! And I have…in a sense, Thayta. I've been waiting for him, ever since i understood the meaning of love".

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Aragorn stepped into the great dining hall of Rivendell. Chandeliers hung from the ceiling high above. He could see elves lighting the candles from a perch high above. It was a great honor in Rivendell to be able to light the candles of the three large chandeliers. Each chandelier represented the elven-lands. One for Mirkwood, one for Lorien, and the last for Rivendell. All around him elves rushed around to prepare for the upcoming banquet. A banquet in honor of him. Him, a man. Not an elf. Aragorn was touched greatly by Lord Elrond's actions. Of course, it would be most natural for his adopted father to prepare him a great feast. But coming back after only five years? What about the time when he left for 7 years? Why had there been only a one course meal with his adopted brothers and this time a great feast? Aragorn shrugged the thought of as he admired the decorations covering the room. The tapestries lining the walls told the history of Middle-Earth. It began with the creation of all things. Only one man and one woman first existed. And, presumably, they beget their kids who married each other, maybe slightly different, or deformed, and from there, came the line of the elves, the dwarves, men, hobbits, and the other evil creatures which no man spoke off. No one, not even till this day knew whom the creator of all things was. The elves didn't know, but they refused to pass by the matter. They called the great Creator the Valar. There was no image of Valar. He was the conscience in all living forms, the spirit- in a good way- that kept them going. Valar, said the elves, created life. The stories of the beginnings of Middle-Earth took up half the wall space of the great room. The other half spoke of the bad things that happened. Sauron, who created the one and only evil ring. The first and supposedly last battle for Middle-Earth took place. Every thread in that tapestry wrote in every detail of that battle…including Isildur's fall. There, Aragorn sank to his knees. Isildur's fall…Isildur took the ring…Isildur's heir…Aragorn, son of Arathorn…Isildur's heir…Aragorn's shoulders began to shake. And then, a delicate hand grasped his shoulder tightly.

" His fate will not be yours", a voice whispered into his ear. Such a tender voice, Aragorn thought. And yet, I recognize it. He stopped shaking and reached to cover the hand with his own.

Aragorn turned and immediately bowed his head with as much respect as he could offer.

" Lady Arwen!"

" Lord Aragorn", Arwen smiled gently as Aragorn kissed her hand tenderly.

Arwen…she shines like a star on a dark and dismal night, Aragorn thought. He gazed into Arwen's green eyes. Valar, she is beautiful.

Arwen was clothed in a deep sky blue dress. The dress seemed to fall on her just perfectly…Wait. What did she call him?

" What did you say, my lady?", Aragorn asked.

Arwen smiled, " Oh, my father, Elrond, has decided to…extend your title"

Aragorn stared at her in shock, " What?"

Just then, the bells began clanging and Aragorn realized that everyone was waiting for him, the honored son of Elrond to make his grand entrance. No one had noticed him so far…he was still holding Arwen's hand.

Arwen gestured to slip out the back door and come through the great door at the front. Aragorn silently agreed, and together, they slipped out and rushed to the entrance.

" The Princess of Lorien and Rivendell, Lady Arwen!", the announcer proclaimed just as they got to the door. Aragorn let Arwen's hand slide from his grip.

" Thank you, Arwen. For your words of comfort", Aragorn whispered.

Arwen nodded and quickly disappeared behind the open doors.

The sounds of cheering was deafening as Aragorn's name was announced. He walked in feeling embarrassed. This was not what he was used too. There was a place beside the head of the great table that was empty. Opposite that stood Arwen. Straight ahead of Aragorn was his father. Lord Elrond's smile and acknowledgment was all Aragorn could ask for at that moment. No need for all that cheering. All he needed to know was that the man who raised him up since he was of two years in age loved him. Elrond had never once told him that, never did much to tell him that he loved him as a son. But now, all those things vanished from both their minds as Aragorn came up to Lord Elrond who embraced him with tears. Aragorn gripped his father tightly.

" I love you like a son, Aragorn", Elrond murmured as softly as he could.

" And I love you, Father"

That's all for now. As usual, please review. I would cry if I don't get any…

This story is my first Lord of the Rings fanfic, so…for all you people out there who are members, remember when you published your first story and no one reviewed?

Don't prolong my suffering! 

…Aren't you just dying for the next chapter… The next chapter is my favorite