Disclaimer: I don't own anything of the Lord of the Rings.
Note: Thanks for the review. I really hope that more and more people will warm up to this story or will be kind enough to leave a review. Aragorn has already met Arwen. Anyway let's begin.
The next step: leaving home
"Are you fully prepared for everything?" Aragorn managed to hide his smile quite well as the normally calm and composed elven lord bustled about him, rechecking his bag and his supplies, both healing and eating.
"I should think so, Adar. I have taken everything that Glorfindel has advised me to take. He will be travelling with me as will Elladan and Elrohir. I think that we will manage." Aragorn's hands were itching to take his bag out of Elrond's hands.
He did not like the fact that his father was going through all his stuff. He had carefully packed away everything that Glorfindel had advised him to pack. Their plans had been laid with many nights spent in the library discussing said plans. Such careful planning would be needed, as they were to travel to one of the larger Dunedain encampments up north.
Aragorn was nervous to meet his people but he was glad to be able to go away. He needed time to think. About what had been revealed to him. About his heritage. And not in the least bit about what had happened a few days ago. He had stumbled across Elrond's daughter, Arwen Undomiel.
Disbelieving, thinking that he had strayed into a dream, he saw the beautiful elleth that had walked towards him. He had addressed her with the name Luthien. She had responded that her doom might be the same.
Since that fateful day she had not been far from his mind. He had not seen her, and despite his desire, nor did he seek her. He had been busy with preparing for his departure, the task taking up much of his time. He had not mentioned anything to Elrond for truly he would not know how the elven lord would respond, if he were to learn of the fact that his mortal son had fallen in love with his immortal daughter.
His brothers had noticed of course, through Aragorn insistently refused to tell them who he had fallen in love with. Elrohir and Elladan were very protective of their family and Aragorn was doubtful that they would not protect their sister from their brother. He hoped that he would never have to choose between his family and Arwen or to force Arwen to make that choice for him.
He sighed. This was not the best time to think about these things as Elrond drew his hands out of Aragorn's packs. "It seems, ion nin, that you are packed. When will you be leaving?"
"Glorfindel said that we will leave at first light tomorrow," Aragorn answered immediately as he saw his father's grey eyes sharpen.
"Then we will dine only with the family tonight. I shall inform the kitchen that we have chosen to dine in my study. I do not wish for the whole of Imladris to know who you are and that you are leaving. Many dark footsteps shall soon follow your own and I do not wish them to know of your true identity just yet. You need time to get adjusted to your new role."
Elrond straightened and then took a small package out of the pockets of his robes as he answered after extending the package to Aragorn.
"This will benefit you greatly on your journey. It is healing supplies. I know that you have your own stock of herbs but these are from my stock and they will be better for emergencies. You will travel light for you will not be able to make it to the Dunedain camp with horses, not with the road that Glorfindel wishes to travel. There will be a time when you will know the lands of the wild better then anybody else, ion nin, but until such a time exists, you are better suited with a guide who knows these lands."
"Glorfindel will do his best to protect me, Adar, but I do not know when I shall ever set my eyes upon this...my house, again." Aragorn accepted the package from Elrond and resisted the urge to unwrap it.
He knew that his father spoke truth when he told him that he might need those herbs. He did not doubt that he could find some herbs in the wild and that between him and his brothers, they would have a fair supply of medical supplies but it was always dangerous to travel the wild, even in secrecy as they did.
A knock on the door sounded out, and both father and son turned to face the newcomer. Startling blue eyes met their own in return as they sparkled in amusement. The pale, slender hand quickly pushed the long golden hair behind a pointy ear as the tall elf straightened and then casually leaned against the doorframe with an ease Aragorn could never begin to achieve.
The man turned fully to face his travel companion who seemed to belong more to the outdoors then inside. The elf was dressed in a pale green tunic, a darker shade of leggings and his long legs were hidden in knee high boots of a dark supple leather.
Strong fingers tapped at a narrow hip where a customary sword normally rested before the elf crossed his arms over his broad chest and said with a light musical voice which was normally filled with laughter, "You are packed then?"
"Yes, I am all packed, Glorfindel." Aragorn answered as Glorfindel, seneschal and general of Imladris, turned to his lord who finally consented with a long suffered and practised sigh.
Elrond answered, "Yes, he is packed."
Glorfindel's ever youthful and fair face relaxed into a smile as the warrior answered, "I am glad then. Elrohir and Elladan might be late for dinner since their room is a mess and I have ordered them to finish packing before nightfall, if we are to leave at first light tomorrow."
"How will we be leaving, Glorfindel?" Aragorn asked curiously and Glorfindel stepped into the room, closing the door with a soft click behind him.
"We leave at first light as I have said. We will leave in silence; nobody must know that we have departed. We will lead the horses from the courtyard and only ride when we have crossed the river. While travelling through the wild, we must be careful to not taking the roads that will lead to the encampment and our discovery."
Glorfindel looked at Elrond and the elven lord continued. "You will meet many friends but also many foes who will hide themselves as friends. They will try to harm you and even possibly kill you if you are not careful. You have trained and you are ready to take on this heavy role. The Dunedain are awaiting your return, Aragorn."
"As we travel I will tell you more of their customs and who their leader is. You might have to prove yourself first because in their eyes you are just a child. You will continue to train and hone your skills with your own people. You are ready, Aragorn."
Such praise did not come often from Glorfindel for the elf had seen many, and trained many young elves and men. This one was like a child to him. He had helped raise Aragorn and had helped the man prepare himself for his destiny.
Aragorn had taken his true name and the time for his linage to be hidden passed quickly, much too quickly in Glorfindel's opinion. He merely sighed and then smiled again at the young adolescent standing in front of him.
Days ago Elrond had deemed his child ready to face whatever the world threw at him. Glorfindel knew that with the right training, Aragorn could face even the mightiest of foes. The young man before him would face many hardships, much more then even Elrond could possibly foresee. His lord had predicted that Aragorn would toil long and hard before the Fates would allow him to find rest.
He caught Elrond's eye and nodded, silently asking his lord to leave his child alone now. Aragorn needed time to think and to say goodbye to the personal things he would leave behind. It was not sure when Aragorn would be able to return or even when the man wanted to.
Glorfindel suspected that Elrond was not fully aware of the fact that Aragorn was not so keen to stay or return to the place he had known as home for so many years. It had been a heavy blow to the young man's heart to know that everything he held dear was not his own.
The child they had raised here had long ago come into terms with the fact that he had been adopted and he always been interested in whom his parents were. The moment Aragorn found out, however, it seemed that Aragorn needed to see his people with his own eyes.
Elrond made a move to touch Aragorn but the man had turned away to face the window and silently the two elves departed, closing the door behind them.
The moment the door closed Aragorn took a deep breath and glanced around the room. It was nearly stripped bare. He had taken all of his possessions down and those few things that were still in his room had been stored into an empty drawer so that he would not have to look upon them.
He was glad that he had made his choice. A weight had been lifted off his chest but now he felt nervous about meeting the people he was supposed to lead. He knew nothing about them. He knew their history but not who they were or what their customs were.
He sighed and sat down upon the bed. Fidgeted with the sleeves of his tunic, Aragorn realized that he was glad to leave, finding that he wanted to explore new lands and to learn many new things. He sighed again. His room looked bare but it was a relief to be finally able to leave.
He needed time to think, to sort out his thoughts and he could not do it in the close proximity of Elrond. His father was kind and usually understanding but Aragorn doubted that Elrond would ever truly understand what Aragorn was facing. He knew that the elven lord would never understand his love for Arwen and he was not sure he understood it himself.
It was probably in his best interest and hers if he left now. He had nothing to offer her and perhaps when he returned in a few years he would be wiser and might see how foolish his affections towards her were.
He finally rose, knowing that soon he would have to make an appearance at dinner. He gazed out of his window a last time, one last time to see the tree sway gently in the evening breeze. He took a deep breath, knowing that this would be the last time that he would see his bedroom in daylight.
Strangely enough he felt no regret, only the now acknowledged nervousness and excitement. It was time for him to start on this new path and the next step was to leave home. He would perhaps do so with a heavy heart but he knew that he was doing the right thing.
Ever, since he had been a small child he had wanted to see what was beyond the valley and now he would finally see it, through it might not be how he had anticipated it then. He would miss his family but it was time to take matters into his own hands.
Elrond had guided him long enough and it was time that he made his own decisions, both the good and the bad ones. He slowly took a step towards the door, taking another deep breath before he smiled. Regardless of everything that was going to be on his path, he would always have a home in Imlandris.
And while he may leave that home for now, there would be one day that he would return and perhaps one day he would find his own home with a wife and children. That thought filled him with peace, allaying the fears and the fact that he had no idea how many times in the years that were ahead of him he would think of that and long for it.
This was the end of Estel. This was the beginning of Aragorn.
I hope you liked it. The next chapter will be the meeting with Gandalf. Post ideas and review of course.