Chapter Two - Rivendell
It had been at least 5 hours since Arwen and Frodo had reached her beautiful home. She still never tired of the sight of it no matter how many days or in the case of some, lifetimes, that she spent here. Walking over the bridges, sitting beneath the trees, loosing herself in the rocky trails along the mountainsides, Rivendell would always be a welcome sight at the end of a long journey.
Arwen and the Elves that had found her whilst out scouting the borders had brought Frodo straight to her father, Lord Elrond. He would know how to heal the treacherous wounds that the wraiths had caused to the Hobbit. He was also very interested to learn of the new threat that lay in the wilderness. It was a long time since she had heard of these Black Riders, let alone that they were so close to the Elven realm.
After leaving the Halfling in his capable hands she had retired to her bed chamber, exhausted and in need of a bath to wash the grime of travel from her skin.
It would be another few hours yet, until Aragorn and the other 2 Hobbits would reach the borders of Rivendell. Once she was washed and changed she would make her way to greet them at the gates. It had been many days since she had last spoken with her beloved Aragorn. It seemed as though the many duties of the world were trying to keep them apart. But he would be here soon, she only hoped that he had not encountered any other enemies whilst making his way to her.
After a short soak in her marble tub she changed into one of her formal gowns, a light gauzy frock that gave her an ethereal quality. Looking in the mirror she tied the straying pieces of hair away from her face, examining the red cut on her cheek that looked slightly angry. She would need to remember to ask her father for a poultice to help its healing. He had offered when she first came to him with Frodo but she wanted him to focus his attention to the Halfling and not be concerned with her small ailment.
Although the circumstance of their meeting was not a joyous one, she could not hide the fact that she was happy and excited that Aragorn was once again coming to Rivendell. When he was here she felt like all was well. No need to worry where he was, if he was well, whether he was injured, whether he had met someone else in his travels. She knew that it was silly to think of such things, Aragorn had made it quite clear of his intentions but their relationship still had its trials. What if he found a maiden somewhere that could give him everything that she could not. A simple existance in the wilds, living off the land away from the pressures of one station.
But she would not dwell on it. Today he was coming home and she would let those doubts drift out of her mind. She left her chamber and headed down the walkway towards the entrance .She must have let her excitement get in the way, for instead of her usual regal walk past the members of the council, it was more of a brisk frantic pace.
She was not disappointed once she had arrived, she was greeted with the once familiar sight of the rugged ranger walking the steep slopes that led to the elven kingdom. Never before had he been accompanied by his Halfling companions though.
"Aragorn," she cried in delight, turning her brisk walk into a slight jog.
As he glanced up from the ground that he strode upon, it was not hard to see within his face that he too was filled with an overwhelming joy. Not only had he been reunited with her, but that Frodo and the Ring of Power had made it to a safe refuge.
They soon were standing face to face, neither one breaking the silence around them. They did not have to speak to sense how the other one was feeling.
The Hobbits on the other hand were keen to input their thoughts on their new surroundings.
"So this is Rivendell?" asked an inquisitive hobbit in front of the other two.
"Yes, young master it is," Arwen replied changing her focus away from Aragorn and giving the Hobbit a bright smile. She was unsure of their names, she had not had time in the forest to ask and Frodo had been too far gone to inform her about the rest of his travelling companions.
"Where's Frodo?" came another voice and question from the back of the group. Arwen recognised the sandy haired hobbit as the one who had protested when she had volunteered to take Frodo back in the forest, she guessed that they held a close bond.
"He is safe,so you need not fear my friend," Arwen tried to reassure him. "My father knows how to handle his wounds he has a lifetime of experience in treating such maladies. Come you must be weary from your travels" she told them, motioning with one hand to the path behind her. With that she turned and proceeded towards her home, the four travellers following behind.
She could feel Aragorns' eyes piercing into her back, but she did not turn. Right now the task was to bring them all home, to make sure that they were fed and had any injuries cleaned.
She had shown each of the three hobbit's to their rooms. They would stay in these accommodations for the duration of their time at Rivendell. When they had walked through the threshold of each they had all gasped and marvelled at the sight. Clearly not accustomed to the grandeur of the rooms or the decadent furnishings.
Aragorn on the other hand already had his own room within Rivendell so there was no need to make space for him. She told him that she would meet him later that evening once most had retired to bed. For now she would go see her old friend Legolas who she had been told had arrived in the afternoon.
There was to be a council meeting the following day, some of the council members from each race would come together to decide the fate of The Ring Of Power within MiddleEarth. She was to attend the meeting, as she usually did. But this would be no meeting like she had witnessed before. Her stomach felt agitated, like butterflies flitting and floating around within. After tomorrow everything would change, the world would have it's fate decided through a few dozen members of a council. Races such as elves, dwarves and men would come together in a stand to do what was right.
When she found Legolas he was sitting on an ornate stone bench underneath a willow tree, the breeze ruffling his sleek blonde hair. His green tunic without creases.
"Hello Legolas," she greeted him with a foolish grin.
He stood up immediately like being woken instantly from a dream. Clearly she had caught him off his guard. But then again that was the beauty of Rivendell, inside it's borders one did not have to be on their guard. That was the duty of others, here was a place of relaxation and peace.
"Arwen," he smiled, looking her up and down. "You have not changed at all since I last saw you."
She raised her eyebrows in a joking manner, "I will have you know Greenleaf, that I have changed my attire many times since we last met," she giggled, giving him a playful shove.
He sat back down to his previous place on the bench behind him, "You know what I meant," he said rolling his blue eyes.
Perching down beside him she chuckled lightly, "So how are you?" She asked him, sorting her skirt so that it fell properly on her lap.
"I am fine," he replied. "I was travelling in the wilds when I heard of this meeting in Rivendell," he explained, looking at her more closely as he asked. "Is it true, is the ring here?"
"It is true," Arwen admitted, not needing to hide such things from one of her oldest friends . "But Legolas try not to trouble yourself with such things now. There will be a time for that tomorrow, believe me this council meeting will take no short time," Arwen warned. "Let us instead reminisce about old times, I have missed tales of your exploits so."
They sat for a further two hours laughing over memories of their youth, of Legolas' adventures in the wilds. She was not sure where the time had flown to but soon it was time for the Elf Prince of the woodland realm to retire to his chamber and prepare for the feast that evening. It was then Arwen made her way to Aragorn.
She could see Aragorn sitting on his favourite bench near the statue that held the shards of Narsil. She would often find him here, daydreaming, reading, pondering lifes mysteries but this evening there was another figure as well.
Instead of interrupting the two she instead went in for a closer look, keeping out of the light and hiding in the shadows to keep from view. She was surprised to see that the second figure was Boromir, one of the men of Gondor who had come to Rivendell for the meeting. In his hands he held Narsil, or the hilt of it anyway. Narsil had sat for many years in Rivendell revered by many as it was the sword that had cut the ring from Saurons hand nearly two thousand years ago.
The strange thing was that it did not seem that Boromir had noticed Aragorns presence yet, as he continued to talk to himself, turning the hilt over in his grasp. Aragorn however watched the man intently, like a hawk stalking its prey.
Perhaps it was this intense gaze that brought Boromir to finally noticed Aragorn but when he did he acted in the most peculiar way. He hurriedly tried to put the broken sword back on the pedestal that he had found it on and headed to leave. The sword however had other ideas, it clattered to the ground as it slipped from it's place, making Boromir hesitate for a moment but soon carried on his way.
As she entered the small chamber Aragorn walked swiftly to the fallen sword picking it gently up in both his hands, after all it was his families broken heir loom. As she stood behind him half in shadow, she could tell that he had noticed her. Yet he did not face her way.
"Why do you fear the past?" She asked him.
Still he did not turn, his eyes would not meet with hers as though he was afraid of what they may see, or what she may see within him.
So she carried on not waiting for his response. "You are Isildur's heir, not Isildur himself, you are not bound to his fate."
With this she moved closer to him laying her hand on his arm, making sure that he knew she was not going to leave him alone in his dark thoughts. He turned swiftly around his bright blue eyes locking with hers.
"The same blood flows through my veins, the same weakness," he finally replied, admitting his fears aloud.
Arwen could hardly believe what she was hearing. Aragorn, the man who she had believed to be nearly unafraid of anything, was frightened of the path that his future would lay upon. Taking a step closer to him once more she reassured him. "Your time will come, you will face the same evil and you will defeat it."
She moved her hand till it held the side of his bristled cheek and studied his face. A face that had seem so much, even though he himself had not seen so many years.
This time she spoke in her elven tongue "The shadow does not hold sway yet, not over you, not over me."
"How can you be sure?" He asked her, returning the gesture and laying his weathered hand upon the side of her porcelain like face.
"I am an Elf, it is our business to know," she replied, giving him a sweet smile, that once again filled his heart with hope.
"Shall we take a walk?" He asked her, taking her hand in his.
As they made their way through one of the many gardens of Rivendell, their conversation turned to Frodo and what he would have to do at the council tomorrow.
"Will you be attending?" Aragorn enquired, as they passed a rippling pool that caught the reflection of the moonlight from above.
"I shall," Arwen replied. "I too would like to know how this problem within our world, will be sorted."
He stopped as they reached a small bridge that stood over a flowing waterfall, leaning against the railing as he peered into the churning waters.
"What is it?" She asked him, It was not like him to continue keeping secrets from her.
"It would seem like this world, is preparing for it's end," he told her, looking now up at the stars that were twinkling in the sky.
"Do not say such a thing" Arwen protested. "Not even the wisest man or Elf could take a chance on saying what the fate of the world is."
"I apologise," he stated "I suppose that my faith is on it's final bearing."
"Then have faith in us," she told him reaching once more for his hand.
He looked down upon her face and smiled, "If I have faith in anything in this world, then it is in us."
"I want you to do something for me," Arwen instructed him.
"Anything. You know I would do anything for you," he replied, the moonlight shining on his sleek hair.
"Take this," She requested, opening her palm that until now had been clenched tight . She could see from his face that he was astonished to see the Evenstar that was usually draped around her neck within.
He looked back into her eyes in amazement. "You cannot give me this," he told her, realising at once what she intended.
"It is mine to give to whom I will, like my heart," she answered, prepared to face any objections that he might have.
His eyes seemed to bore into hers for the longest time and then he moved forward sweeping her lips into his and placing his strong arms around her delicate frame.
For a moment it would seemed as though the world stopped still, there was only them. But like all things it would not last forever.