*So first off I would like to say hello!(: second thing I want to say is I know it's short and I'm sorry! I just wanted to get a new chapter in for you guys! I think I might try to post a new chapter every week between Thursday and Saturday though I can't make any promises with school! D: Anyways I would like to thank Shadowsammy, Lady Minuialwen, LoliMochi, ccgnme, Aeglos3, and SidhlairielElvenPrincess for reviewing! You all get extra cookies for kindness :3 You all know the usual: this is an Aragorn/OC story, disclaimer is in the first chapter, all elvish is in italics unless noted otherwise, and please review! Thank you for reading!(:*
Shadowsammy: Thank you for reviewing so much!(:
Lady Minuialwen: I know I think it's awesome too :3
LoliMochi: Yes I try to take good advice that is given and thank you(: and I hoped it was a good twist(:
Ccgnme: Thank you and yes good guess dear(:
I gasped slightly as I suddenly awoke, not remembering any of the dreams I had in my sleep. I laid there for a moment, staring at the ceiling, wondering slightly if I was back in Mirkwood again. I studied the ceiling closer and noticed that these were not the ceilings of Mirkwood. It was then I tried to clear my head and remember where I was. I heard a slight noise to my right and I moved my head in the direction. There sat my brother and I smiled at him as he studied me, he was quiet for a few moments.
"Are you well sister?" Was the first he asked and I rolled my eyes as I slowly began to sit up, of course not without the help of Legolas.
"Yes, of course I am fine brother! It was only exhaustion that had plagued me. I had been riding for many days with no rest in order to get Frodo here on time, Arwen and I almost did not." I said and he nodded once. I smiled widely and reached over before hugging my brother tightly. "Oh how I've missed you brother! There's not a day that goes by that I do not think of you."
"And I you Aria," he returns with a wide grin on his face before it grew serious. "The rest of your company arrived early this morning. It pleasured Aragorn to know you are alive and well. I have come for the secret council meeting that is supposed to happen here, you are expecting to come as well; though I wish you do not."
"Of course I am going Legolas, don't be so silly!" I said waving my hand towards his direction as I got onto my feet. I smiled happily when I did not need my brothers help and began to walk towards the door; but not before I stopped and turned, quickly walking over to my brother to hug him tightly. "I am fine now and I will be fine Legolas, do not worry over me any longer, I'm not a little girl anymore. I'm going to find Aragorn."
"Good, it will please him to see you are well for himself. He thinks very fondly of you sister." He said with a knowing smile and I rolled my eyes, huffing.
"By Valar! You and Arwen will be the death of me! Stop saying that, Aragorn does not think of me fondly in any way, shape, or form!" I said before stomping out the room, ignoring Legolas' laughter on the way out.
I found Aragorn in one of the many gardens of Rivendell. The gardens was one of my favorite things about here, they were so beautiful. I could always hide here, hide from my troubles that would plague my mind. Instead I would fill my mind of the beauty of this place and always hoped the gardens of Rivendell would never die.
"You know, spots like these have always been my favorites when I would visit Rivendell." I said, walking in slowly. I began to pretend to exam a particularly beautiful looking flower while trying to hide the grin on my face.
"I know it, I used to fine you all the time in this garden in particular." I blushed lightly, surprised that he would remember such a thing. I think turned to ask him why he would remember something like that but I was bombarded by something hugging me, I realized then that it was Aragorn who was hugging me.
"Forgive me Aria, I was just so worried." Aragorn said and I smiled giving him one more hug.
"There's nothing to forgive Aragorn, you were rightfully worried. I would have been worried if it had been you taking Frodo here and I staying behind." I said with a small smile. "What has come of Frodo?" I asked nervously and Aragorn sighed.
"Luckily Elrond was able to cure him in time and he's in the house of healing resting, did you not see him?" It was then that I realized that I was in the house of healing when I had awoken.
"No, I was too busy greeting my brother I did not realize where I was." I admitted sheepishly with a slight blush.
"I've heard you are suppose to come to the secret council, is it true?" Aragorn asked and I sighed but nodded.
"Yes it is, of course my brother does not want me to go but he is silly." I said and began to busy myself by looking at all the flowers.
"And why does he worry?" Aragorn asked and I shrugged slightly.
"Because it is a council Lord Elrond, we both know that Elrond does not call councils like these unless there is a journey of some short. My brother knows whatever journey it may be, I will volunteer to go." I said and Aragorn sighed. I turned to him with a curious face.
"Then I do not believe Legolas is being silly then. He only cares for the safety of his little sister." Aragorn said and huffed, frustrated.
"He cares for me as if I'm still little! Which I am not! I am a woman, older than most mortal women! I'm eighty two years old!" I bit out, my eyes glaring towards him.
"That may be Aria but no matter how old you get you will still be his little sister in his eyes. He will always want to keep you from harm, you are his kin." He said and my eyes narrowed even more as he said this.
"And what would you know of this matter! You have no siblings'!" I almost yelled and then my eyes widened slightly as I realized what I said. "Forgive me Aragorn, Legolas frustrates me sometimes, I did not mean what I said." I said quietly and Aragorn hugged once more.
"There's nothing to forgive Aria, there almost never is." He says with a slight smile and I chuckle a little.
"'Tis true, come, I believe it will be dinner soon." I said, wrapping my arm around the crook of his elbow and leading him out the gardens.
It was later that night, after supper, that I restless and decided to take stroll around Rivendell. I was walking Elrond's chamber, in the gallery area, when I noticed someone standing in front of the blade, Narsil. I was curious as to what he was doing there and I began to walk up to him as he studied the blade.
"Good evening," I greeted, warning the man of my presence and the man turned around quickly. It was then I understood his curiosity, he was a man of Gondor.
"Good evening my lady, may I inquire your name?" The man asked, I could tell he was trying to put on his most charming smile and I smiled politely back.
"'Tis Aria Einar and yours my lord?" I asked and he gently grabbed my hand, brushing his lips across the knuckles.
"What a beautiful name you have Lady Aria, I am Boromir of Gondor." He said in returned and I bowed my head.
"I see, you are the steward's son, well it is a pleasure to meet you Lord Boromir." He nodded in agreement and looked to Narsil again.
"The shards of Narsil, the blade that cut the Ring from Sauron's hand." Boromir said quietly and picked up the hilt with a shard still attached to it. He studies it slightly and slowly brings up his finger to the edge. He hisses slightly when he touches the edge and receives a small cut from it. "Still sharp." He comments shortly and I nod.
"I would imagine so," I said, not sure what else to say.
"But no more than a broken heirloom." He mumbles before clumsily places the hilt back where it was. The hilt fell to the floor and Boromir only walked away as if he did not care, I gasped slightly.
"Excuse me my lord." I said, trying not to let the anger I felt swirl into my words. Boromir apparently did not hear my anger as he turned around with a smile on his face. "I'm sorry Lord Boromir, but I will not accept the way you just treated this sword. A close friend of mine has a very close connection to this sword and you just dishonored the whole line this sword belonged to!" I continued to seethe as Boromir stood there stunned.
"Aria, it is okay, calm down." I heard Aragorn say as he came out from the shadows, he nodded to Boromir who only nodded back and walked away. I stood there quietly and did not answer Aragorn. I did not understand how he could let Boromir treat Narsil that way and not feel angry. Aragorn quietly walked over to me and picked up the hilt gently before carefully placing it where I should be. "Thank you Aria." He whispered and I nodded as I turned towards him.
"Someone must care for this sword if not you Aragorn. Why do you fear the past? You are Isildur's heir, not Isildur himself. You are not bound to his fate." I murmured as he continued to study the shards of the sword, not daring to look at me.
"The same blood flows through my veins, the same weakness…" He trails of weakly and I place my hand over his resting next to the hilt still. He still did not look at me and I gently grabbed his face with both hands and made him look at me. I could not help but think how beautiful his eyes were and how could stare at them all day for how much emotion they held, they never looked the same.
"Your time will come Aragorn. You will face the same evil and you will defeat it." I spoke in a quiet but strong voice, my hands still on his face. Aragorn brought one of his hands up and placed it over mine. "The shadow does not hold sway yet, not over you and not over me. I will not allow it." I whispered as he closed his eyes and nodded slowly.
"Thank you Aria, you give me such strength in times of self doubt." Aragorn finally whispered and I smiled lightly.
"As do you my friend," I said softly and Aragorn opened his eyes, staring at me for a moment.
"I wish I was not your friend," He spoke louder this time and I stood their stun for a moment, he did not want to be friends with me any longer. I slowly took my hands off of his face and took a step back, his eyes looked over my face nervously.
"You don't want to be my friend?" I asked weakly, not sure how I should react to his news. He quickly took a step closer and this time put his hands on my face.
"No, you do not understand Aria." Aragorn began and I narrowed my eyes.
"What is there that is not to understand? You said plain as day, you no longer what to be my friend!" I almost yelled out, now feeling the deep pain in my head. I truly liked this man and he did not even want to be my friend?
"No, no Aria, please listen to me!" Aragorn tried again and I stilled myself, deciding to give him a chance. "I do not want to be your friend because I want more than that. I have known you for almost my entire life and I cannot think of another woman I would want to love more than I love you. I want to be there for you, I want you to love me as more than a friend Aria." He said quietly and now nervously. I stood there stunned once more, I defiantly did not know how to react to this news. I never imagined he would want anything like that of me. I studied his face and then I looked to his eyes and saw a new form of emotion in eyes, one I did not notice before. He then started to lean in and my eyes slowly shut as I felt his lips touch mine. I felt almost like a buzz starting at my lips and then moving through my whole body. I quickly pulled away and gasped, taking a step back. I placed my fingers on my lips, shocked by the feeling I had gotten. I had looked up at Aragorn and did not know what to say. It was all too much to process, I quickly turned around and fled the room, not knowing what else to do.