Disclaimer: I don't own anything of the Lord of the Rings.
Note: Thanks for the reviews. Aragorn's foster brothers Elladan and Elrohir are here.
Aragorn grinned when he heard Eldarion laughter following through his study and the little child begged for release. The boy tried unsuccessfully to wiggle out his father's arms and the hands that had descended on his sides, tickling mercilessly. He looked up sharply at a soft knock on the door and he stopped, allowing Eldarion to catch his breath.
The door opened to reveal Eowyn while she stepped into the room. Her expression was one of sadness and regret yet a hard look crossed her face when she saw Eldarion sitting on Aragorn's lap. But she did not say anything instead walking towards the empty chair and sitting down. She placed her hands in her lap before she spoke. "I wish to apologize for the harsh words I spoke yesterday. It was not my place to say those words…"
"Those words should not have even been said." Aragorn answered in a harsh tone. "Not in your place or in any other. Just because I chose to give the same raising to Eldarion as I have been given does not mean because you do not know it, it is wrong. You do not know anything about this or how hard it is to raise a child on your own."
Eowyn looked at the man she had loved first before she answered. "No perhaps I do not. But you should take a new wife, one that can help you raise Eldarion. It is not only better for him but for you as well." The next moment Aragorn rose to his feet and he nearly shouted, his normally calm voice losing all his control. "I shall not take another wife simply to please you. You and those advisors will not listen to me when I say I do not want another wife…" Aragorn hesitated while he gently put Eldarion back in his seat; he blinked slowly, trying to rid himself of the dark spots in front of his eyes.
The door opened again and Faramir allowed himself in. "I heard shouting…" He looked around the room, finding Eowyn sitting in a chair staring at Aragorn in shock. The young king was swaying on his feet and his face was pale and covered in sweat. "I think I am going to faint." The man managed before indeed, he dropped to the floor unconscious.
Faramir ran to Aragorn, slowly turning the older man before he looked back up at his wife and answered. "The Lord Elladan and Elrohir have arrived, get them now. I will see if I can get him awake." Eowyn nodded dumbfound before she scrambled from the room. "Ada okay?" Eldarion's voice was soft but there was an unmistakable quiver in it. Faramir looked up to see the young prince sitting beside his father and the man nodded. "Yes, he is just asleep little one. Do not worry; you uncles will take care of him. Get me the pillow on the chair, please Eldarion."
Eldarion did as he was asked; handing Faramir the pillow and the man placed it under the king's head before gently shaking the man, trying to wake him up. It was not long before the king gave a low moan and blurred eyes opened up, locking with Faramir's gaze. "Do not speak, Aragorn, you fainted and I send Eowyn to get your brothers." Aragorn gave a small nod but his eyes seemed to seek out his son. He relaxed slightly when the boy's hands stroked his hair.
Aragorn tried his best to listen to Faramir's talking, knowing he should try to stay awake. Then after a while more voices seemed to add into the room, one pair of hands gently settled him in a more comfortable position and he relaxed against somebody. "No, no, leave the room but leave the boy here. We will take things from here. Alright, his room is through that door then we can handle it now. No, no just go. We have got everything under control." Aragorn could not help but chuckle when he heard how Elrohir took control, much like Elrond always had. "Yes, we will let you know when he is ready to receive visitors." That was the last thing Aragorn heard before the door closed.
A hand was stroking his hair and the king opened his eyes to find himself looking at Elladan's face. The elf smiled slightly while his identical twin crouched on the other side of the man. "Well Estel, we said to take things easy, not faint in your study, brother. But come let us get you to bed where you may sleep. Do not worry, you son is right here." Together the two brothers lifted the man in a sitting position and Aragorn gasped at the wave of dizziness that came over him.
Elladan slipped behind him and gently rested Aragorn's head back against his shoulder. Elrohir turned his head so his gaze locked with his own. "Breath Estel, breath. Focus on me. Yes that is it, just focus and breath through it. It will pass." The man did as he was told, breathing in and out in time with Elrohir. Soon the dizziness passed and Elladan helped Aragorn up.
"Eldarion?" Aragorn softly called before Elrohir swept the young human in his arms, smiling at his little brother. The man nodded, allowing Elladan to support his weight. It did not take long for them to enter Aragorn's chambers. Elrohir placed Eldarion in his own bed while Elladan helped Aragorn to the bed, pushing him back to rest against the pillows. The man tried to get up but the elf pushed him back down with the words. "No, you need sleep, Estel. You cannot faint in your office and expect us to allow you to walk around. What has brought this on? Why did you overwork yourself so much? Has Atar taught you nothing?"
Worry and grief etched the elf's feature to show his true age and Aragorn felt his heart ache and he turned on his side, away from Elladan to hide his tears. He heard Elladan sign before gently turning Aragorn around to face him again. "You do not have to do this alone, Estel. Just say something and we will help. You do not have to raise Eldarion alone, allow us to help. Allow us to help you carry this burden. Atar did not raise you on his own; we all helped, allow us to help once again."
"Eldarion is not a burden and it is mine to carry alone for I am responsible for the death of his mother." Aragorn softly replied, causing Elladan to nearly shout out with rage but it was not before Elrohir had reached Aragorn and was shaking and chiding him gently. "What are you thinking, Estel? Of course you are not responsible. It is in the past and this is the present. Stop hurting yourself for something that has happened years ago and which was not even your fault. Arwen made her choice and she has paid and has been blessed for it. As you will be blessed for your choice."
He shoved Aragorn gently, causing the man to curl up into a ball. Knees drawn up to his chest and arms wrapped tightly around them, he looked like a small and lost child instead of the king and father he was. The fact that tears ran freely down his cheeks did not help, instead it raised pity in the hearts of everybody who would see him now. Fortunately only his two brothers sitting beside him saw him like this but they did not pity him. It stirred a loving in their heart which had been there from the moment their younger brother came into their lives.
Elrohir stroked his hair while Elladan crouched before Aragorn. "Come back to Rivendell with us, Estel. Come home, even if it is just for a little while. Allow your heart and mind to be at ease where happier memories lie and allow your spirit to heal, even just for a little while."
"You can bring Eldarion of course, it shall do him well. You need to rest and gather your energy. This is breaking you, Aragorn, just come home with us. Just say yes and we shall leave within the week. Give yourself rest in body and mind and allow the Eldar to heal you or make you bear your pain, at least while we still reside on these shores." Elrohir added, watching as Aragorn's eyes shifted between his twin and himself.
He nodded but did not say anything, sometimes still shaking and Elrohir placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. "It is alright to cry, Estel. You do not have to hide anything from us; we are your brothers after all." These words were enough for Aragorn to break down. He crawled closer to his brothers and while placing his head in Elladan's lap, he allowed the tears to flow freely.
"I said that it was alright to cry, Estel, not soaking my leggings." Elladan joked, still stroking his brother's hair. "You are hot, Aragorn. You seem to have a fever…" At a closer examination in which Elladan placed his hands on Aragorn's cheeks and seeing the dazed look in his eyes, it was decided Aragorn did have a fever. "Are you tired, Estel?" A nod was all he received while Aragorn tried to find a comfortable position against the elf's leg.
"Do you wish to eat something? I am sure Ro could go down and get something for all of us to eat." Elladan began before a cry erupted from the other room. Aragorn nearly shot up, only to be pressed back down by Elladan. "Eldarion is hungry." The human exclaimed. "Yes, he is hungry but Elrohir shall take care of it. Look here he is." Soon enough Aragorn felt his son crawl back into his arms.
"Do you think I spoil him?" Aragorn's voice was quite but I sounded to Elladan like the man had shouted it at him. "No, of course not. You are raising him like we raised you, are you not?" Aragorn only nodded and shifted Eldarion's weight in his arms. "Then what are you concerned about?"
"Eowyn thinks I spoil him, probably has been thinking it ever since I had him. Or perhaps ever since she has been pregnant." Aragorn's reply was soft but there was a harsh tone in it which Elladan had seldom heard. "Then perhaps she is wrong. People always criticise something as wrong what they do not know." Elrohir answered for the both of them. He carried in a tray of food, closing the door behind him with his foot with a grace which made Aragorn remember his childhood years in Rivendell.
"You do not spoil him, brother, but you have a different raising with him and treat him like one would treat an older child. But he is happy then it is all that matters." Both elves reassured him. Aragorn yawned in responds, drawing chuckles from them both before he sat up stiffly and took a piece of bread from the tray.
After a while all that they did was continue to talk while Aragorn was slowly enjoying his piece of bread. He felt content in spirit, even if his body hurt him and the very weight of Eldarion in his lap made him tired. He watches as the two elves in the room interacted with Eldarion and found himself thinking of Legolas. Not that it was any different then before or any other time his mind turned to Legolas, which was a lot, but he could see himself sitting on a beach together with Legolas, sitting behind him and watching as the sun set in the ocean, in a land he did not know.
He startled when a hand on his shoulder brought him back to Gondor and Elladan pushed him back down, smiling gently and saying. "Time to sleep, Aragorn. You need to rest." He nodded and without a second thought his eyes closed and his body relaxed, mind already gone to join Legolas in the dream world with two watchful elves to watch over him and his son.
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