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Chapter Sixteen (Aragorn)

The leaves were turning and there was a crisp, fall breeze in the air, though I did not know that personally. I had been stuck in my study for days on end. It seemed that there was even more work to do though Minas Tirith was more or less stabilized. There were so many people who wanted to start businesses and open shops because the economy was on its way to thriving. I spent hours and hours in the throne room listening to complaints and requests that by the end of those days I could do nothing but collapse in my bed, most of the time fully clothed.

My time with Adnan dwindled during those months and I was terribly unhappy about that. He had been my excuse to refresh myself through a horseback lesson or swordplay, but with everything going on I could no longer find the time to escape the confines of my office.

Someone pushed my door open and I knew I could only expect one of two people who perpetually forgot the formality of knocking. It would either be Gimli or Adnan.

The little boy came through with his mother following behind.

"I am trying to enforce the knocking rule to little avail as you can see," Mareke said with a shake of her head. "He has a will all his own."

"If he knocked, then I would not know who to expect."

Mareke set a plate of refreshments down on my desk and I gestured for her to sit in the chair across from me.

"Because Adnan has not seen you at any meals of late, he insisted we bring you some food in case you have not been being fed at all."

"You have raised quite the considerate son." I groaned dramatically as Adnan clambered onto my lap, causing him to giggle. He rested his curly head on my chest and looked up at me.

"I have done my best," Mareke sighed, watching Adnan warily. "We will not keep you long," she promised. "But I could not keep him away from you any longer. You are all he speaks of. Well and his horse."

I laughed. "It is a refreshing break, I assure you." I reached for a piece of dried fruit they had brought me.

Adnan chattered to me about what all I had been missing in his lessons, which made me quite sad. I had not felt the sun on my skin in nearly a month.

Gimli entered a short while later, not bothering to knock either.

"Well lad, I could not find you where I normally retrieve you," he said without preamble.

"Oh Gimli," Mareke stood. "I am so sorry. I completely lost track of time."
Gimli waved away her apology. "Think nothing of it. This puts us closer to the library, does it not, Adnan?" He asked, the boy who scrambled off of my lap and toward the dwarf, nodding enthusiastically.

"The library?" I asked with a raised brow.

"We are going to examine a few maps if you must know," Gimli said defensively.

I laughed as Adnan latched onto Gimli's hand and they made their way out of my study.

"You son has turned the fiercest men I know into the softest of nurses," I told Mareke who was still standing.

She gave me a small smile. "Then you will have to work diligently to maintain these times of peace. You will have no one to take to war with you."

I laughed once more and Mareke picked up the plate I had inadvertently cleaned as she made her way toward the door.

"Oh Mareke," I called before she exited. "I nearly forgot. Beinion came to see me early today and they would like us to join them for dinner in two days time," I informed her.

"Is there an occasion I should be aware of?"

"Not that he spoke of, though he seemed oddly excited. I have never seen him excited."

"Very well," Mareke nodded. "I am looking forward to it."

I sat staring at the closed door for a moment or two after she had left. Sighing, I returned to my work.

ooooOoooo

"Where is your mother?" I asked Adnan. I had come to retrieve Mareke for our dinner with Beinion and Vanya. He was sitting at the small table in the sitting room eating his own dinner, Lady Belethiel sitting next to him. The boy sullenly pointed to the door to his mother's room.

I ruffled his curls as I walked by, sensing his displeasure.

"Adnan is not very pleased about being left behind," I said to Mareke, who was sitting in front of her vanity, Lady Ioreth standing behind her, intent on wrestling her hair into an acceptable updo.

Mareke winced as the other woman pulled her hair and stuck pins into the mass of curls.

"No he is not. He stopped speaking to me as soon as I told him that we would not be dining with him and that he would spend the evening with Lady Belethiel."

She stood when Lady Ioreth was through with her hair. She wore a dark gray dress, modestly cut. A ruby gem hung at her throat.

"Wait just a moment," Lady Ioreth said, surveying her one last time. She grabbed a pot from the vanity and stuck two fingers into it before blending a bit of rouge onto Mareke's cheeks. "There you go." She turned to look at me. "You may take the Queen, Your Majesty," she said with a low curtsy.

"Thank you, Lady Ioreth. She looks marvelous," I said. The woman smiled her approval and sent us out the door after fastening Mareke's cloak around her neck.

"Are you going to behave tonight?" Mareke asked Adnan, who was still pushing his food around on his plate, very uncharacteristically. "Adnan," she said a bit sharply.

"Do not worry, Your Majesty," Lady Belethiel said, stepping in for the boy. "We will have a fine time."

Mareke nodded and even though he protested, she pressed a kiss to Adnan's forehead. "I love you," she whispered.

"I love you too," he replied grudgingly.

With a smile, I gently placed my hand on her lower back and led her from her rooms, offering an arm when we were in the corridor.

The sun had already set. The days were getting shorter and shorter. Mareke used her free arm to pull her cloak tighter around her. Luckily, it was not a far walk to Beinion and Vanya's house, but she huddled against me even so.

"I forget that you missed winter. You arrived just as it was beginning to warm up a bit," I mused.

"Indeed. I wish I could figure out how to miss it this year," she said with a light laugh. The wind was bitter. In Minas Tirith, winter seemed to come early, which allowed spring to follow suit, however the few months of snow and biting wind were fierce.

We only had to descend one level to reach Beinion's home.

Vanya herself opened the door when I knocked.

"Come in, come in," she ushered, quickly shutting the door behind us on the chill night air. "Winter is in a hurry this year it would seem."

I could not help but smile. Vanya had taken to my wife immediately and I believe she kept Mareke in mind as she did everything, taking our cloaks herself and then returning to pull us into their huge sitting room where a fire was blazing.

"You look well," Mareke complemented Vanya, who was still fluttering about handing us both goblets of wine. Beinion joined us and she handed one to him as well, of course not partaking herself.

Mareke settled herself in one chair, I took another, and Beinion settled Vanya under his arm on the large sofa directly before the fire.

"I do not feel it most of the time," Vanya replied, though she immediately blushed and glanced in my direction.

I waved her concern away. Childbearing and the intricacies of expecting a child were not spoken of often in Minas Tirith, especially not in the presence of men. "You are performing a miracle, Vanya. I do not mind hearing of it," I said with a gentle smile.

I could feel Mareke staring at me and I briefly met her dark eyes before she looked back to Vanya.

"It should pass."

"I hope so," Vanya replied.

Her husband was not so comfortable with the subject and I could not blame him. Beinion's family was very old nobility and in many ways, though he had pushed for Mareke to be my queen, he was stuck in the past. He quickly changed the subject and the four of us chatted amicably of plans for Yule and the new year. It was not only a new year, but a new Age and my council had already been planning the event for months.

Eventually, we were summoned for dinner and were treated to quite delicious fare. Mareke had visited Vanya in her home a few times, but I had never accompanied her. She had gone to great lengths to entertain the King, though I hoped she knew it was not necessary.

After enjoying a very rich dessert tart, I noticed that Beinion and Vanya were looking at Mareke and I very anxiously.

"Is everything alright?" Mareke asked, setting her fork on the small plate.

"Of course it is," Vanya said quickly.

"Just ask them," Beinion instructed his wife.

She paused and looked at him before looking between Mareke and I, a nervous look coming over her face.

"Well I...we...we were wondering if you both," she stuttered over her question.

"You are making me nervous, Vanya," Mareke said gently, reaching across the table and placing her dark hand on the other woman's.

"We were hoping you would grant us the honor of acting as our child's godparents," Vanya said very quickly.

She had spoken so fast that it took me a moment to understand what she had said. I looked to Mareke to see if she had fared better than I had. She was beaming at me.

"Godparents," she said excitedly.

"Why were you so nervous?" I asked Vanya. "How could we say no?"

Vanya's face broke into a huge smile and Beinion put his arm around her once more, squeezing her against him.

"We are truly honored, Your Majesties," he said. Even though I had asked him not use such formal titles when we were in a private setting, he had trouble remembering my urgings.

"It is our honor," I said, but Mareke said the same thing at the exact same moment.

I met her dark eyes and she laughed, turning her attention back to the other couple, though my eyes lingered on her.

"You will forgive me my ignorance, but what does the role entail exactly?" Mareke asked.

"It is not too arduous," Beinion said with a kind smile, his light eyes excited, overjoyed that we had agreed. "There will be a small ceremony welcoming the child to the world. Only family and very close friends attend. You will just be presented as the godparents and take some responsibility for its moral guidance and upbringing."

Mareke was still beaming. "It sounds lovely."

We stayed for a while longer, but I could sense that Mareke wanted to return to Adnan.

"I am so happy you agreed," Vanya exclaimed as she ushered us back toward the door as we were leaving.

"We are overjoyed that you asked," Mareke replied. Always going against a propriety that she did not understand, she hugged Vanya to her.

I helped Mareke back into her cloak and said our final farewells of the evening before facing the cold, flanked by the guards that had spent the evening in Beinion and Vanya's serving rooms near the kitchen.

When we burst back into the palace, trying to escape the miserable wind, I looked down to see Mareke's cheeks and nose pink from the cold. "You are completely unused to this," I mused.

"Completely," she agreed. She had not stopped moving and I knew that she was hoping that she could get back to the nursery before Adnan went to bed. I followed.

Lady Ioreth took her cloak from her as she moved through her sitting room and into the nursery. I could see that it was dark, but as soon as she pushed the door open Adnan's voice greeted her, no hint of sleep there.

"Mama?"

"Did you stay awake for me?" Mareke asked, not reprimanding her son, but delighted that he had done so.

I stepped into the doorway and watched the pair in the sliver of light from the sitting room.

"I am freezing," Mareke said, taking his small hands in hers and pressing them to her cheeks.

Adnan gasped at the feeling. "Poor Mama," he said and I had to stifle my laughter.

"What did you and Lady Belethiel do tonight?" she asked, lying next to him on top of his covers. He moved his head so it was lying on her shoulder. He took her other hand and laced his fingers through hers.

I had never seen anything so natural. They were drawn to one another because it had, for the most part, been only the two of them. They had been surrounded by their family for a long time, but there was something about the bond that only the two of them shared. It was so strong that it was nearly tangible. I had noticed that they always knew where the other one was, they could sense each other's presence in a crowded room. And though Adnan was quite taken with all of the new people in his life, at the end of the day it was his mother he was drawn to, who he wanted to snuggle up against and share his last words of the day with.

"I painted a picture for your study, Strider," Adnan said, peeking above Mareke at me.

I had tried to be quiet so as not to disturb their moment, but I apparently had not been successful. Adnan began to rise to fetch it, but I quickly stopped him, remaining in the doorway.

"I was thinking that I would share breakfast with you in the morning," I said quietly. "Can I get it then?"

"Of course. And then you can take it straight there," he said logically.

"That makes quite a lot of sense."

Adnan was satisfied and laid his head back on his mother's shoulder. Mareke began to stroke his hair and though I was drawn to them, I knew I had to leave them in peace.

ooooOoooo

It was a month or so later when I was leaving my rooms early one morning. The work had continued to be relentless and I spent very few hours in my rooms resting. I was up early and to bed late nearly every day.

"Do not forget, Sire, it is the Queen's birthday," Damrod said, walking with me to my study. He often would hurry along beside me telling me of things that I should remember.

"Has anything been planned?"

"Lady Ioreth has put together a very small dinner at the Queen's request."

I nodded. I had known that Mareke would not be interested in all of the fanfare that had accompanied my birthday. I had not even wanted such a celebration, but I could not beg off such a tradition.

"Thank you, Damrod," I said entering my study and sighing when I saw that there were already a handful of councilors waiting to talk to me about whatever issue they were pushing for. Before I sat down and listened to my counselors, my eyes found the painting that Adnan had done. It depicted he and I on our respective horses with a forest in the background. Every morning when I saw it a small smile played on my lips. It helped me face whatever the day was to bring.

I spent hours that day in my study listening to what others had to say and ask for. I did not even have to time to skim through the stack of documents on my desk and felt as though I had accomplished very little. Just before I was leaving my study, a messenger came in bearing a letter.

"Your Majesty," he bowed and presented the letter, which bore the King of Harad's sun seal.

I quickly pried it open and glanced over the contents. It could not have come on a better day. Its contents would make a wonderful gift for Mareke's birthday and would compliment what I had given her well.

I changed into a more formal tunic and made my way to Mareke's chambers an hour before everyone was supposed to arrive for her dinner. Upon entering though, I found Mareke and Adnan bundled up in several blankets on the couch. She was lying down and he was lying on her chest. I heard their sniffles first before I noticed their red noses and red, watery eyes.

The mother and son from Harad had desperately missed the sunlight of their home, especially as winter came on particularly strong that year.

I walked around the sofa and crouched in front of them.

"You are not feeling well," I said, not a question, but a statement.

"We are just resting," Mareke replied, trying to sit up. Adnan grumbled and held onto her tighter.

I put a hand on her shoulder and she stopped moving.

"Your dinner will have to be cancelled," I said quietly.

I could tell that she was not exactly disappointed. I pressed the back of my hand to her forehead. "You do not have a fever, just a cold."

"What about me?" Adnan asked, taking my hand putting it on his own head. I smiled down at him and gave him the same diagnosis.

"This is not a very fun way to spend a birthday," Mareke said, though she gave a smile when Adnan propped his chin on her chest and looked at her.

Standing, I found a servant and had them send for broth and warm water with honey.

"You have probably never had a cold before, have you?" I asked, sitting at the foot of the sofa.

Mareke peered at me around Adnan. "No. I believe this is the worst I have ever felt physically in my entire life."

I had to laugh. She had had a child, but illness, due to her life in the sun, had probably been quite rare for her. "What hurts?"

"My head," she began. "My throat, my chest."

I had another servant fetch a salve from the Houses of Healing. I could tell from her talking that she was very congested and her voice was hoarse.

"The good news is that this should not last more than a week."

"A week?" She groaned.

"Less than that if you are good patients," I promised.

"Please tell us you have some magical remedy. You did once tell me you are the best healer the city has to offer."

"I unfortunately do not," I replied. "You will have to drink plenty of liquid and rest."

One of the servants I had sent on an errand came back and set a tray with the water and broth on the low table before the sofa. I immediately sent her back out to let everyone know that the Queen was unwell and not up to entertaining that night.

"Come here, Adnan," I said, pulling him off of his mother and onto my lap. It was the most subdued I had seen him since his arrival in Minas Tirith. He was wrapped in his own blanket which covered his hair like a hood and he peeked out at me.

"Can you eat a little of this broth for me?" I asked, taking one of the bowls in my hands. The boy shook his head, sniffling as he did so.

"It will make you feel better," I promised. I spooned some for him, as his hands were tucked away in the blanket.

He grudgingly opened his mouth and took what I offered him. Mareke sat up, huddled in her own blanket, and ate a bit of the broth before placing the bowl back down.

"And the water," I said, nodding toward the goblet on the tray. She did as I bid and then offered Adnan a sip from his own goblet.

When I had deemed that they had both consumed enough, Mareke slumped back against the sofa and Adnan dozed in my arms, breathing through his mouth due to his congestion.

"I will put him to bed," I said, standing.

Adnan immediately woke and reached for his mother.

"Put him in my bed," she said. He immediately relaxed. "I will not be far behind, habibi."

I did as she bid and pulled the covers back on the huge bed, tucking him in tightly so he would be warm enough. I had grabbed the jar of the salve that the other servant had brought and dipped two fingers in it. I unlaced the top of his linen tunic and smeared some on his chest and under his nose.

"It will help you breathe," I told him quietly. When I was through I put the jar on the bedside table for Mareke to use as well and pressed a kiss to Adnan's forehead. "I will check on you in the morning."

I stoked the fire in the corner of the room and then closed the bedroom door quietly behind me and went back into the sitting room. Mareke's eyes were closed.

"You do not have to stay up for me," I said, grabbing the package I had set down upon my arrival to her rooms.

"I would rather not go to bed before the sun sets on my birthday," she said, eyes still closed.

"What would you do if you were in Harad for your birthday?" I asked.

She shrugged. "Eat, drink, and dance until the sun came back up."

I smiled. "I would like to see a Haradrim celebration very much."

"Perhaps one day," she said.

"Perhaps," I agreed, setting the heavy bundle in her lap.

"What is this?" She asked, opening one eye.

"Your birthday gift, of course. Open it."

Mareke mustered what little energy she had and pulled off the plain wrapping paper. Within was a manuscript I had found in my library. It was centuries old and was the account a Gondoran diplomat had written about his months long stay in Harad.

"I had our best scribes re-writing the content," I said. "The original was in terrible condition from its sheer age. A leather worker made the cover."

She ran her dark hand over the book. There was a sun etched into the cover that almost nearly matched the tattoo on the back of her left hand.

"I thought you might find it interesting to read what someone who had actually been there thought about your home rather than listening to all of the courtesans speculating about something they have never seen."

She laughed lightly. "It will be most refreshing and intriguing, I am sure," she said as she flipped through the pages. "Quite the thoughtful gift."

"There is more," I said. "Though I just learned of it myself today."

Mareke looked at me curiously.

"I received a letter from your father and he has invited us to visit Harad, on the pretext of political negotiations of course, after Yule and the New Year celebrations."

I had thought that she might throw her arms around me at the prospect of going home so soon or even smile, but she stared at me blankly.

"We will be returning to Harad?"

"Yes, in a few months time." I studied her for a moment. Behind the red eyes there was fear. "Your father has assured me that Adnan will be perfectly safe between his protection and mine. He does not want you to feel as though you cannot return home because of what happened. He promised to assign his own men to guard us and I will bring more than enough as well. I thought that you would be happy to go home."

"I am," she said quickly, though not convincingly. "Of course I am. Thank you."

There you go. As I said, not particularly long or exciting, but necessary I think! I am very excited though as this update as led me to the plot for the next 5 or so. I just have to get it from my brain onto Fanfiction! Let me know what you thought! Let me know if you have any ideas or anything you want to see happen for our characters! I write for you all!

Happy reading,

Avonmora