A Clumsy Serenade

Legolas shook his head as he listened to Eldarion ramble on about the maiden he was courting. Yes, everything was about Lady Aeariel of Dol Amroth. Even the moon and the stars could not compare to his lady’s beauty. It was true; the crown Prince of the Reunited Kingdom was in love. Eldarion was in a most agreeable mood, especially since Prince Imrahil brought his granddaughter along. Arwen caught wind of Eldarion’s affections for the maiden, and it was easy enough for her to request the company of the young lady of Dol Amroth. No one would think anything of it. Eldarion seemed over the moon ever since the party from the coastal city arrived.

“Did you hear her sing tonight at the feast?” Eldarion rambled on with a wide smile upon his face. “Her voice is simply exquisite.”

Legolas laughed as he shook his head. “I’m sure she has a lovely voice, but I couldn’t quite hear her with all the praise you have endlessly poured upon her since her arrival here.”

Eldarion scowled at the Elf’s jest. He tossed a small pebble at the nearby pond. Elf and man watched as the tiny stone skipped across the surface.

“I should do something for her this night to show my affection. But I do not know what.”

Legolas smirked. “You could recite a poem for her? I have been told most maidens fancy such things.  I’m sure your Lady Aeariel is no exception.”

“That is a wonderful idea, Legolas!” Eldarion perked up again, but a frown quickly crossed his face. “But alas, I do not have much talent in writing poetry. I doubt I could come up with an impromptu poem. Even if I could, I’m sure once I saw her face; I would forget everything I wanted to say!”

“But a great deal of what you have said is poetry. You’ve compared your beloved to the stars, the moon, among many other things.” Legolas smiled. “I think you already know what to say to her.”

Eldarion stood from his seat upon the bench and began to pace. “I know what we can do!” Eldarion exclaimed once he stopped. Legolas raised a brow in question.

“What is this we business you speak of? She is your lady love, not mine.”

“Yes, but I need your help.” Eldarion gave his friend a pleading look. “Please, Legolas, you know I would do the same for you if you ever asked it of me.”

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Aeariel peered over the top of her book as she sat in bed reading well into the evening. It was a rather captivating tale. Only the sound of pebbles hitting her window managed to draw her attention away. She sighed as she placed down her book and got up from the bed. Aeariel had to laugh when she saw Eldarion standing below her small balcony.

The Prince smiled as his beloved alighted from her chambers. Her long chestnut curls flowed freely over her shoulders and back, just the way Eldarion admired them the most.

“What are you doing out there at this hour?” The maiden asked as she laughed. The moonlight revealed the amused flush that came to her cheeks. Legolas could see it from his hiding place near the bushes. It was clear to him that Eldarion was not the only one who was utterly smitten.

Eldarion looked towards Legolas before he looked back up at Aeariel. “I’ve come to speak praise to the one who has so moved me.”

Aeariel flushed an even brighter shade of pink as she leaned her arms upon the balcony. “Is that so?”

“Get down on one knee first!” Legolas hissed from the bushes. “Maidens find it more romantic.”

Eldarion turned his head towards his friend before he cleared his throat in an awkward manner. The Prince descended to one knee as he flashed Aeariel the most confident smile he could manage. He began to recite the words that Legolas fed to him from his hiding place. The Elf merely reiterated the things he had heard Eldarion say throughout the night. They didn’t need any tweaking, they were perfect the way they were.

Even though he tried to hold it back, Legolas began to laugh silently. He wasn’t laughing at Eldarion, but rather the situation. The Prince knew what he wanted to say, and he should just say it. There was a wide smile on Aeariel’s face, despite all the slip ups, and the clumsy formulation of the sentences. She was more than content to simply have Eldarion look her way, and it didn’t entirely matter that he wasn’t yet a master of poetry.  Legolas longed to come out of his hiding place and explain that to his friend, but he would not embarrass Eldarion any more than he already seemed to be.

Legolas noticed Eldarion fumbling for words. Legolas cleared his throat as he regained his composure as he fed Eldarion another line he heard the Prince say that night.

“And your hair carries the scent of summer flowers.”

The last two words were slightly obscured as the laughter threatened to resurface again. Eldarion looked towards the bushes, just as Legolas instructed him not to do. There was a confused look upon the Prince’s face.

“And your hair…It carries the scent of sulfur powder.”

Legolas cringed while Aeariel’s eyes went wide.

“What?” The maiden exclaimed. Legolas dared to look up. Oddly there was a humored look upon the lady’s face. Aeariel leaned over the balcony slightly as she scanned the gardens.

“Is there someone else out there with you?”

“No!” Eldarion exclaimed. He cleared his throat as he rose back onto his feet. “It’s just me. But I have something I wish to ask of you. Would you come down?” Eldarion noticed the stone trellis that ran up along the wall.

“No, wait!” Eldarion called out as he held up a hand. “I shall come up to you!”

Both Aeariel and Legolas watched wide eyed from their respective places as Aragorn’s son climbed the trellis. A bit of his Elvish heritage certainly came in handy for such a stunt. Eldarion smiled gallantly at his lady as he leapt down onto her balcony. At least that part went much better than the poetry. Aeariel seemed thoroughly impressed. The maiden stepped forward and rewarded Eldarion with a kiss.

“So what is it you wanted to ask me?”

Eldarion grinned as he reached into his tunic pocket to remove a trinket. He withdrew his hand as he held the Ring of Barahir. His mother knew of her son’s plans, and entrusted the ancient treasure of the household to him for this very occasion. Aeariel admired the intricate ring as Eldarion took her hand and began to speak.

“This is the Ring of Barahir. It has belonged to many of my father’s ancestors. He gave it to my mother when they plighted their troth many years ago.”

The maiden’s eyes went wide as she watched the Prince get down on one knee for the second time that night. Except this time Eldarion did not have more awkward poetry.

“I would be the happiest man in all of Arda if you would do me the honor of being my wife.”

Happy tears filled Aeariel’s eyes as Eldarion slipped the ring upon her hand. She nodded as she released a jubilant yes. Eldarion’s face lit up and he stood up to scoop his beloved into his arms. Their laughter must have stirred others from their sleep. Aeariel gasped when she heard her lady call out her name from within the room. Eldarion jumped back over the balcony to make his escape. The couple shared a brief goodnight kiss before Eldarion began to descend the trellis.

Unfortunately, Eldarion should have paid more attention to his footing than Aeariel’s face as she peered over the balcony. Eldarion was near to the ground when he made a misstep. Aeariel gasped as she watched the prince tumble into the bushes.

“Eldarion!”

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Aragorn shook his head as he examined his son’s ankle.  “Well, thankfully it’s not broken. But it’s quite the nasty sprain.”

Both Aeariel and Legolas sighed with relief. Legolas had managed to rescue Eldarion from the bushes while Aeariel ran to get the King. Aragorn wrapped Eldarion’s ankle with strong bandages.

“You’re lucky that’s all it is, especially after a fall like that.  You’ll have to stay off of it for awhile until it heals.”

“It sounds like you’ll live.” Aeariel teased. “I should go.”

Aragorn watched with a raised brow as Aeariel reached out to touch the side of Eldarion’s face. He couldn’t help but noticed the ring upon the maiden’s hand as the couple shared a parting glance. Aragorn began to understand the missing pieces of the stories. The King could not help but smile as the Elf and maiden left the room.

“I think I know why you were climbing upon the trellis, ion nín. I hope it was worth the effort.”

Eldarion held a smug grin upon his face. “She said yes, so I would say so.”

Aragorn laughed as his smile widened. “That is wonderful, ion nín!” The King shook his head as he chuckled again. “I should be thankful there were no trellises on Cerin Amroth, or I might have done the same all those years ago.”

The King stood from his seat and patted his son upon the shoulder. “Just promise me next time that you’ll use the stairs.”

When I Grow Up

Eldarion sighed heavily as he looked over his shoulder to see if Elarinya was still following him. The crown Prince was off to pay a visit to his horse within the stables. The creature had just been fitted with new shoes, and Eldarion wanted to see how the beast fared. His nine year old sister begged to come along. Aragorn overheard the girl’s pleas, and the King suggested there was no real reason why Elarinya could not tag along. Eldarion did not mind his sister’s presence too much. The only thing that bothered him was the fact Elarinya stopped often to examine things. Elarinya was a curious and inquisitive child. She often stopped to talk to people along the way, asking what they were doing. Just about everything fascinated the young princess. It was only irritating when Eldarion was trying to run a quick errand.

“Come along Elarinya.” Eldarion chided gently as he held out a hand to his sister. Maybe if they held hands, she would be more apt to walk at the Prince’s pace.

Thankfully Elarinya did not protest, and the pair reached the stables in a more timely manner. Eldarion busied himself in conversation with one of the stable hands. It wasn’t until he was ready to leave that he realized that Elarinya was no longer at his side. The Prince looked to and fro before grumbling in annoyance. After a quick search, Eldarion located Elarinya kneeling near a pile of hay. His sister cradled something small in her hands.

“You know Ada’s rule about staying with me when you come along on errands.” Eldarion reprimanded as he stepped forward so he could help Elarinya back to her feet.

“I’m sorry Eldarion.” Elarinya said sheepishly. “But I heard a funny little sound, and I just had to see what it was. Look what I found.”

Elarinya held out a tiny white kitten. Its eyes were closed and it keened in a high pitched mew. Eldarion noticed a small nail sticking out of the animal’s tiny paw. The prince frowned both for the kitten’s sake, and for the fact his sister found it in such a manner.

“He needs help, Eldarion. Can we take him to the healers so they can help him?”

Eldarion frowned as he examined the kitten’s paw. “I’m afraid the healer’s are terribly busy with human patients and wouldn’t have time for a stable yard kitten.”

“But we just can’t leave him here to suffer!” Elarinya’s chin was beginning to tremble as tears pooled in her eyes. The young Princess held the kitten very carefully as if she was afraid to cause it further injury or pain. Eldarion put an arm around his sister’s shoulders. He hated to see her cry and wasn’t keen on starting a scene where others could see it. The Prince sighed heavily as he came to a decision.

“I have things I must attend to once we get back. If I leave you with a book and some supplies, do you think you can manage to take care of the kitten on your own until I can return to help you?”

Elarinya nodded eagerly as she used her sleeve to dry her tears. “I promise I’ll do everything you ask!”

Eldarion sighed again. He knew their parents might not be too happy if they brought an animal into the house without permission. And since Eldarion was the adult, they of course would reprimand him more harshly for doing something so foolish. But maybe Aragorn would be more forgiving if Eldarion managed to teach his younger sister about healing and responsibility.

“Alright, you can take the kitten. But once he’s better we have to find him a new home.”

“I understand Eldarion. I promise I’ll keep him hidden.”

The two walked back to the King’s House as Eldarion kept an arm around Elarinya’s shoulders.

“You do realize Ada is going to kill me if he finds out about this.”

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Somehow the two managed to sneak the kitten into the house without being seen. Eldarion had set up a box in his room for the small creature to live in for the timbering. Thankfully the small nail had not done much damage, and the wound would heal. Eldarion showed his sister how to tend to the kitten’s needs. He even loaned her a small volume on healing, and showed her how to use the basic supplies to take care of their furry patient. Interestingly enough, Elarinya seemed to handle the situation much better than Eldarion anticipated. The kitten healed quickly without the servants discovering its existence. The Prince was most thankful for that.

Eldarion was seated at his father’s side during the meeting with the council one afternoon that was slowly creeping along. Meetings often dragged on and on, and it was quite the task to conceal the yawns that threatened to surface. The councilors were bent over a document. Eldarion was about to nod off when he noticed a brief flash of white scurry across the floor of the King’s study.

The Prince blinked, wondering if his eyes weren’t playing tricks on him. He was tired after all. But much to the prince’s horror, he saw a pair of pointy white ears sticking up from the space between the ornate front and back of his father’s chair. There was a small crevice between the carved crowns of the chair, creating the perfect little place for a naughty kitten to hide. Eldarion was about to grab the cat while the others weren’t looking. But before the Prince had a chance to do so, Aragorn sat back down in his seat. Eldarion frowned. Hopefully the kitten would remain hidden until after the meeting was over.

Unfortunately, not even five minutes passed before a little white paw darted out from one of the carved out places in the wooden design. Eldarion watched with horror as the paw batted at the King’s hair. He could hear the reprimands even now as the paw alternated between grabbing for hair and darting back into hiding. Eldarion looked out at the other men. Thankfully they appeared to be engrossed with a set of documents on the large desk and weren’t paying a bit of attention to the stealthy cat’s antics.

Aragorn looked up as he felt something brush against his head. A couple papers upon the desk fluttered, causing the King to look behind him at the window that stood wide open. Aragorn stood to go close it before any of the documents could be blown about. Eldarion watched as the kitten jumped from its hiding place. It ran underneath Aragorn’s desk before anyone had a chance to blink. Once more, Aragorn was seated before Eldarion could snatch up the naughty little nuisance. Alas, there was nothing left to do but leave the situation to fate, at least until the meeting ended.

Aragorn was busy discussing his opinions on one of the treaties when he felt an odd tug upon the laces of his boots. The King instinctively wriggled his foot. The action became an unconscious one through the years in the wilds when boot laces sometimes got caught in thorny branches. The tugging sensation stopped, but was soon replaced by a sharp needle like pain as something crawled its way up Aragorn’s leg. The King stood suddenly from his chair, knocking it backwards with a loud crash upon the floor. Aragorn grabbed at the thing crawling on his leg. A perplexed look came to the King’s face as his hand came in contact with something furry and soft.

Eldarion was mortified as he watched his father lift the kitten from his leg. The small creature looked up at the King with wide blue eyes and gave an indigent mew. Aragorn couldn’t help but laugh. This wasn’t the first time meetings had been interrupted, but this was the first they had ever been disturbed in this manner.

“It would seem we have an unexpected visitor.”

The prince buried his face in his hands at his father’s words. He could sense the slight hint of discomfort in Aragorn’s voice. This couldn’t be happening.

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 Indeed, Eldarion did get an earful once the councilors were dismissed for the day. The Prince knew he deserved it, especially when a meeting with the councilors was interrupted in such a manner. Thankfully Aragorn’s temper was not long lasting. Before long Arwen and Elarinya were brought into the discussion. Neither the King nor Queen seemed too terribly upset once they heard the whole story from their two children. In fact, Arwen seemed a bit amused by the entire situation. She was reminded of a stunt her brothers conspired together on once. Once the two were done explaining, Aragorn turned to Arwen to get her opinion on the situation.

“And what do you think would be the proper solution to this situation, meleth nín?”

The Queen allowed a small smile as she patted the kitten purring happily upon her lap. “I am proud to see my children care for the wellbeing of even a small creature. But your Ada and I did have a rule about bringing animals into the house. There are many who come to this place to seek the King’s guidance, and they may not be comfortable with creatures running about freely as if it were the woods. I would have been happy to assist had either of you sought me out in the matter.”

Elarinya bowed her head. She hated to be reprimanded by her parents. “I’m sorry, Ada and Naneth. I didn’t mean to disobey. I just wanted to help the kitten. Please don’t be mad at Eldarion. I was the one who begged him to let me bring him home.”

Arwen examined the kitten’s paw. “But I do have to say, both of you did a remarkable job in helping this little one to heal for suffering such an injury.”

The young Princess looked up with hopeful gray eyes. “Can we keep him? I think he really likes it here, and I promise I’ll take good care of him and not ever let him interrupt Ada’s meetings again.”

Arwen and Aragorn looked at eachother. It was true Elarinya disobeyed a rule, even though she had done it for good intentions. There would have to be a punishment of some sort, but taking the kitten away didn’t seem like the appropriate one.

“We shall think about it, sell nín. It’s true; you have taken good care of him. But your Naneth and I have rules for a reason. What if the kitten had been terribly ill? You could have gotten very ill yourself. We are not punishing you for taking care of the kitten, but for disobeying a rule.”

Elarinya nodded as she bowed her head. “I understand.”

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The days passed, and both Elarinya and Eldarion served their punishments, granted Eldarion’s punishment was living with the fact he had disappointed his father. He was soon forgiven though, and all went back to normal. Arwen and Aragorn decided to allow Elarinya to continue to care for the kitten. It was a good opportunity to teach the young Princess about responsibility. And if it was one she was eager to have, then why deny their daughter the chance to prove herself?

Aragorn was most impressed when Elarinya explained to him how she cared for the kitten’s wound. He was proud to see his young daughter grasp the basics of some healing techniques. The two of them sat side by side as Elarinya showed her father some of the things she had read about in the small volume about healing. The young princess’ first patient sat upon the King’s desk, swishing his tail back and forth as he watched with feline interest.

Aragorn was nearly bursting with pride as Elarinya shared her budding knowledge with him. Elarinya looked up from the book with a wide smile as she met her father’s eyes.

“I decided something today Ada.”

“And what would that be, sell nín?” Aragorn asked as he placed an arm around his daughter’s shoulders. The young princess seemed as if she was about to burst from the excitement of her news.

“I decided then when I grow up I want to be a healer just like you.”

Pink

Aragorn looked up from the report he was reading. It was a more leisurely morning for the King and Queen. They had just finished a nice breakfast and were now left to have some time to themselves.  But something was terribly wrong. Very, very wrong.

Aragorn flicked his gaze around the room as he tried to figure out the missing piece of the puzzle as the dread continued to grow. Arwen was deeply engrossed in her embroidery. No, that wasn’t it at all. It was so quiet. Then suddenly it dawned upon Aragorn. It was indeed quiet, too quiet. He had not heard the pitter patter of small feet for some time. That couldn’t be good at all, or so Aragorn came to quickly learn once he had a child old enough to get into things.

“Where is Miriel?” Aragorn put down the report as he enquired of his youngest daughter’s whereabouts. Arwen looked up momentarily while she continued to form the decorative stitch upon the silk canvas.

“I believe she’s with her nurse. Why do you ask, Estel?”

“Because it’s too quiet.” Aragorn commented, his hand reaching out for the handle. He opened the door to see both Miriel’s nurse and his eldest daughter, Elarinya, coming from opposite ends of the hallway.

“We can’t find Miriel anywhere!” Elarinya exclaimed as she neared her father. The King sighed and exited the room. Miriel didn’t often disappear from her nurse’s supervision, but it had happened a couple times before. The young child would be quick to offer to help out the servants, which was endearing. But the child couldn’t quite yet tell the difference between helping and getting underfoot.

The three turned the house upside down in a search for the missing Princess. Aragorn carefully tried to recall the last places Miriel had gotten off to She wasn’t in the kitchens, nor was she in the libraries. Aragorn was about to give up and go back for more reinforcements when he overheard a servant call out to another.

“I can’t find those garments anywhere. The Queen wanted them dyed for the King before she embroidered them. But now they’ve seemed to have grown legs and walked off.”

“Have you searched the dye house? Maybe someone took them there for you already.” The other servant suggested.

That sense of dread returned as Aragorn bolted for the dye house. It just had to be the last place they hadn’t searched for Miriel. As he entered, Aragorn could hear that unmistakable singing voice coming from one of the rooms. The King’s face went wide with horror once he entered the room to see Miriel bent over a tub of brilliant pink dye. The girl’s arms were colored all the way up to her shoulders, and her dress was splattered with vivid pink splotches. Aragorn was utterly speechless. The admonishment was there, but his mouth just wouldn’t form the words.

If Miriel had any suspicions that she was in trouble, she clearly paid them no mind. Instead the four year old child smiled broadly at her father while she held up the tunic she held in the dye bath.

“Look Ada, I made them pretty!”

Aragorn stood there open mouthed, with an expression of horror on his face. Miriel had successfully turned every single one of the white garments in the room a bright, attention grabbing, shade of pink. All of his new tunics, nightshirts, and undergarments were turned vivid pink.

“What……How……Why?” Aragorn managed to stammer as he tried in vain to form real sentences. The shock prevented him from speaking properly.

“They were boring white, so I made them pretty for you, Ada! See, they’re all pretty now! Pink is better than white!”

Aragorn could not have looked more shocked or afraid had he found all nine of the Nazgul within the room. No, this was a fate far worse than encountering a Ringwraith. Miriel had even managed to dye a new cloak the fierce, nearly blinding shade. That would be all he needed was to lead his men into battle while his bright pink cloak flowed in the breeze behind him. No doubt he would be far more visible to Orcs and enemies alike! Yes, that would surely raise the confidence of the people to see their King brandishing Anduril while wearing his new pink wardrobe. Nothing said “Fear the wrath of the King.” Like bright pink.

By then Arwen and Elarinya had caught up to Aragorn. Arwen gasped and clapped her hands to her mouth, while Elarinya did her best to stifle a giggle. Aragorn sighed and knelt down to Miriel’s height.

“I know you mean well, sell nín. But it was very naughty for you to have run off. We’ve spoken about this before.”

Miriel frowned once she noticed the stern look upon her father’s face. Her lower lip began to tremble. “I’m sorry Ada, I just wanted to help!”

Aragorn allowed his expression to soften slightly. “I understand, but we were very worried about you because we couldn’t find you. If you had been hurt, none of us would have been able to come help you until we found you.”

Miriel nodded slowly as she bowed her head. Aragorn dropped a kiss upon the top of his daughter’s dark hair. “I know you want to help, sell nín. And that is a good quality you should never lose. But you must promise your Naneth and I that you won’t run off anymore without telling your nurse where you are going. We are glad to let you help with things, but it is best if you ask how you can help first.”

Miriel managed a small smile before Arwen came forward to collect her. No doubt Miriel would have to serve some sort of appropriate punishment. As much as Aragorn was horrified of the pink clothing, he knew his daughter meant well. In the end, it was only clothing, and clothing could easily be replaced or dyed another color. Aragorn took one last look at the pink wares and shuddered. He would certainly have to have a talk with Miriel about what were appropriate or “pretty” colors for Ada, and which weren’t. Pink was surely not one of them!

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Arwen was laying in bed reading as she waited for her husband to come join her. Aragorn appeared weary from meetings and looking over reports. She watched while he made his way to the wardrobe and jumped back in shock. Somehow the pink clothing had found its way into the King’s wardrobe. Aragorn backed away from the offending garments as if he expected them to attack at any moment. Arwen could not help but giggle softly behind her book. Something told her both she and her Estel would remember this mishap for years to come. Hopefully Miriel had learned her lesson about “trying to make things pretty for Ada.”

Aragorn scowled before he unfolded one of the pink nightshirts from the wardrobe shelf. He would resign to his fate for tonight, but only for tonight, and the servants better not say a single word about it either, or there would be hell to pay.

“No one could ever rightfully say I do not adore my daughters now.” Aragorn muttered as he finished pulling on the nightshirt.

Arwen giggled again, bringing forth another scowl from her husband. He did look pretty miserable in his new bright pink nightshirt. No, Arwen would never forget this sight for as long as she lived!

“Don’t you dare speak of this to anyone.” Aragorn teased as he made his way for the bed. Once he was under the covers he wouldn’t have to look at the atrocious color anymore.

“I won’t breathe a word of it.” Arwen said with mirth in her gentle voice. She couldn’t take it any longer. As humorous as it looked to see her Estel wearing their daughter’s handiwork, she felt sorry for him now. Arwen got up from the bed and went to one of her drawers. A wide smile came to Aragorn’s face when he saw his wife hold up a white, untouched, nightshirt.  The King sprang up from the bed, and covered Arwen’s face with grateful kisses. The pink nightshirt was quickly discarded and tossed into a corner to hopefully be forgotten forever as the white one was donned.

“I always keep a few spares, just in case.” Arwen smirked. “One cannot be too careful with a young child afoot. I will have Miriel help me to dye the pink garments to a darker color. She seems eager to learn how to make things and assist, so it would be good for her to learn the proper way.”

Aragorn smiled. Once more, he was eternally thankful for having married such a wise and patient maiden. The couple settled in for the night. But just as Aragorn was about to drift off to sleep, Arwen leaned forward to whisper in his ear.

“Just be thankful Miriel didn’t get a hold of the new banners for the Citadel!”

Kittens Come to Dinner

Elarinya sighed as she dropped her head down onto the heavy volume she was supposed to be memorizing from. The words on the page were beginning to blur from fatigue and hunger. It had been a few hours since the midday meal and the young princess was hungry already. The sound of a tiny mew caused Elarinya to lift her head. The girl grinned when she saw the newest addition to her kitten family sitting upon the book, eyeing her curiously. She was a pretty little gray kitten with white feet and a white tipped tail. Ithildin stared at the Princess with large, inquisitive, green eyes as she mewed again. Elarinya giggled as the tiny cat batted at her light blonde hair. She couldn’t agree with Ithildin enough that she had done enough studying for the afternoon and it was time to play.

The Princess gently picked up her feline friend before sitting down upon her bed. She placed Ithildin down onto the soft covers as she reached for a hair ribbon that sat upon the coverlet. Elarinya giggled as the kitten chased the ribbon wherever it went to, even jumping up to swat it if she held it aloft. Ithildin ran everywhere, not caring if she jumped all over her young owner in the process. Elarinya was so busy giggling and being entertained by her grey kitten friend that she failed to hear the knock upon her door.  Aragorn entered his daughter’s room after hearing a great deal of laughter on the other side.

“I thought you were supposed to be studying arithmetic, sell nín. “ Aragorn spoke in a stern, but gentle tone. He could see that times tables, equations, and proportions were forgotten in favor of playing with the new kitten. Ithildin turned her head towards the King and gave him a welcoming mew.

“Oh Ada, it’s so dull! Can’t I have the rest of the afternoon to myself?” Elarinya pleaded as she looked at her father from her place upon the bed.

Aragorn moved to his daughter’s desk and began to examine the assignment she was working on. “There is no such thing as a free afternoon unless you’ve earned it.”

“But I’ll surely never use all of this when I’m a healer.” Elarinya scowled as she got up from the bed. Aragorn gave his daughter a stern look.

“You most certainly will use arithmetic every day as a healer, sell nín. And you shall have to be able to solve arithmetic problems very quickly, especially if someone’s life is in your hands.”

Elarinya sighed and took the seat next to her father as they reviewed her assignment together. Inwardly Elarinya was glad Aragorn was reviewing her mathematics assignment today rather than her usual tutors. Her father seemed more patient and had a way of explaining the problems in a manner that the young Princess understood more readily.

“I don’t think I’ll ever be a good healer if I can’t get the hang of these problems, Ada.” Elarinya said in frustration. Aragorn reached out to drape an arm across his daughter’s shoulders.  “Not even Master Elrond himself became one of the greatest healers in all of Middle earth overnight. You will be a wonderful healer, just like your grandfather. But you must be patient and take things one step at a time, my dear child.”

Elarinya managed a small smile. She looked down as Ithildin jumped onto her lap and then onto the desk. Aragorn smiled as he reached out to gently pet the kitten’s head.

“See, even Ithildin agrees with me. You’ve taken very good care of her and her older brother.”

Elarinya scooped up the kitten that promptly began to purr loud enough for both father and daughter to hear. It amazed them both how such a tiny creature could make such a loud rumble. Eventually the assignment was finished, and Elarinya could breathe a sigh of relief.

“Now you may do as you wish with the rest of the afternoon.” Aragorn murmured as he dropped a kiss on the top of Elarinya’s head. “Just remember that we have evening meal with the council members and the visiting lords from Southern Gondor. You’ll need to be in your best attire and on your very best behavior, sell nín.”

“But what about Ithildin and Lossësûl, how will they get their supper?”

Aragorn smiled in an amused manner. He should be proud that his nine year old daughter was eager to take good care of her two cats. Lossësûl came scurrying out from under the bed and rubbed against the King’s leg in greeting. The little white boy kitten Elarinya rescued was still small, but was beginning to show signs he would soon be a very handsome cat.  Sometimes Aragorn allowed Elarinya to take some scraps of food to the kittens. But tonight it probably wasn’t the best idea to allow his daughter to place leftovers in a bowl and run off with them.

“You will be able to feed them after you return from the evening meal. I doubt they will starve, and I will be sure to give a note to the chambermaid to bring them their meal.”

Elarinya frowned inwardly. It would likely be a late hour before the evening meal was over with. The important men always talked on and on, and Elarinya was meant to sit there and be a proper lady. The young Princess despised the formal dinners. She much preferred the more casual nature of super shared with her family to this. At least then she had a chance to talk, everyone did.  But nothing in the world was more boring than listening to old men talk about old men things.

On top of that, the last Aragorn left a note for the chambermaid to feed the kittens, she forgot. The kittens ended up escaping once the chambermaid opened the door to Elarinya’s room. It was hours before Aragorn and his daughter found the two kittens again in the gardens. How had Aragorn forgotten about that mess? He must be terribly busy to not remember that incident.

Elarinya stood perfectly still as her nurse tied the laces in the front of her gown. It was another stuffy frock that Elarinya didn’t particularly care for. It didn’t help either that her nurse nagged at her about being careful not to get cat hair on the velvet dress.  The nurse departed momentarily to fetch the barrette Arwen intended for Elarinya’s hair.

Ithildin mewed as she batted at Elarinya’s sleeve. The princess sighed as she patted the kitten’s head sympathetically.

“I wish I could take you with me. You would be much more entertaining than those old stuffy men.”

Ithildin mewed again and tugged at the opening of the pocket in Elarinya’s dress. The Princess smiled and scooped up the girl kitten.

“Well, I hadn’t considered that idea but maybe it will work.”

The pockets were just the right size to transport a small kitten. Elarinya smiled and places Lossësûl in the other pocket. Thankfully the pockets hung inside the dress and both kittens were well hidden.  By then the nurse returned to hastily arrange Elarinya’s hair with the barrette. Eldarion accompanied her to fetch his sister and tapped his foot impatiently as he waited. The crown prince didn’t like to be late for anything.  Fortunately both of them arrived in the nick of time for the meal to start. Elarinya was thankful the kittens were quiet during the Standing Silence, and the King’s welcome. Once the Princess was seated beside her brother she peeked into the pockets to find both kittens fast asleep.  Whatever did kittens dream about? Elarinya pondered the question while the men talked about boring things.

At last the meal itself began, much to Elarinya’s relief. The savory scents from the food upon her plate made the Princess’ stomach growl. It would seem she wasn’t the only one the smells seemed to stir hunger in. Both kittens were now wide awake and eager to sample some of the items from their young mistress’ plate. Elarinya managed to sneak small bits of food off her plate to feed to Ithildin and Lossësûl. The task made even more difficult by the fact she sat beside Eldarion. There was little the Prince’s eyes missed. Elarinya was so distracted by trying to eat and hide the fact she was feeding the kittens that she failed to notice Ithildin jumped out of the pocket and onto the floor. Her older brother was quick to follow. Elarinya kept her gaze locked forward, even though she inwardly wanted to be able to crawl under the table and scoop up both kittens. She knew there was no way she could pull off such a stunt without attracting attention.

Aragorn was listening to one of the visiting lords speak when he felt tiny kitten claws latch onto his leg. A split second later a ball of fur sat upon his lap. The King was used to the kittens jumping up into his lap by now. They had a way of escaping and coming to find Aragorn wherever he was. Ithildin was especially eager to assist with paperwork. The King silently slipped the kitten a couple small vegetables from his plate to keep it occupied.  Aragorn was not about to fuss about the kittens presence. Thankfully they were behaving themselves.

Lossësûl jumped up onto the Queen’s lap. If Arwen was surprised by the white kitten’s action, she did not show it upon her face. Although it was specified that the kittens were not to join the family for the evening meal tonight, Arwen would handle the situation later.

The conversation shifted and both kittens were quickly forgotten. It wasn’t until Aragorn heard an odd scuffling noise that he noticed Ithildin had jumped up onto the table. The conversation fell to a sharp halt as the gray and white kitten made her way to the King’s plate and promptly began to sample from it in a rather greedy manner.

Elarinya covered her face with her hands as she sunk down in her chair. She could almost hear the reprimands now. She stood hurriedly from her seat and apologized profusely before grabbing both kittens and hurrying from the room. The Princess cursed herself for being so foolish as to bring her pets along. Surely she would be in terrible trouble for acting so foolishly. Elarinya wiped her eyes with the back of her sleeve. She wondered how she would be punished. Surely she deserved something terrible. Would her parents take away the kittens? The very thought of it brought on a fresh batch of tears. A gentle knock upon the door briefly distracted Elarinya from her thoughts.  Aragorn entered the room; an unreadable expression was upon his face. The King sat down next to Elarinya upon the bed before he reached out to scratch Lossësûl’s chin.

“I’m really sorry, Ada. “ Elarinya whispered in between sniffles. Aragorn responded by wrapping his arms around his daughter and pulling her close.

“You do realize, sell nín, that Ithildin is the only one in the history of Gondor to get away with eating from the King’s plate.”

Elarinya cracked a small smile and sighed. “I know I shouldn’t have brought them with me, Ada. But I was afraid the chambermaid would forget about them again, and I felt guilty for leaving them behind. And it’s so terribly boring at the formal dinners.”

Aragorn nodded in understanding.  Both and Arwen had discussed their concern over the fact there wasn’t a single playmate for Elarinya, and no doubt it must be hard on their young daughter. “I can understand that it must be difficult for one your age to be surrounded by nothing but adults. And it is true; I would have preferred you had left the kittens in your chambers. But I am glad you can understand why it was best.”

“Are you going to take away Ithildin and Lossësûl?” Elarinya queried as she looked up at her father’s face.

“Of course not, they are both every bit a part of this family as you and I. Your choice tonight does not warrant such an action.”

“But I am going to be punished aren’t I?” Elarinya asked meekly.

“I think you already know the answer to that question, my child.”

Elarinya nodded as she bowed her head. “I wish I didn’t have to go to the formal dinners, they’re so terribly boring. Are all adults so stern and boring?”

Aragorn could not help but laugh at his daughter’s question. “I’m not sure that all adults become that way, but some certainly do take themselves a bit too seriously. They mean well though, and there are many responsibilities and concerns weighing on their mind.”

The Princess took in what Aragorn was saying, in her own way she understood.  The King was silently thankful he never had to grow up within these walls. He couldn’t imagine how difficult it could be at times. The Citadel was not exactly made for children to thrive. The prior summer, Aragorn and Arwen had taken Elarinya to Ithilien and their daughter seemed to come out of her shell in the more relaxing environment. She was so much like her father in so many ways. Aragorn also felt more than a bit stifled by these stone walls from time to time.

“I will try to arrange a holiday to Emyn Arnen. I sure lady Éowyn and Legolas would be happy to see you again. And you can see how the sapling has grown since you helped Legolas plant it last year.”

Much to Aragorn’s relief, Elarinya seemed to perk up considerably at the idea. “Can Ithildin and Lossësûl go too? I want to show them to Uncle Legolas!”

Aragorn smiled as he gently ruffled his daughter’s hair “Of course, I’m sure we will find a way to bring them along. We just have to be certain they won’t try to share the Prince of Ithilien’s supper!”

Elarinya giggled as her father leaned forward to place a kiss upon her brow.

“I must return to business, sell nín. And you should start thinking about retiring for the evening. I will return to bid you goodnight once I am done speaking with our guests.”

Aragorn was about to reach for the doorknob when Elarinya spoke up.

“Ada, do you think someday I might have a little brother or sister? I think I would like that very much.”

Aragorn looked over his shoulder and smiled. “I too would like that. We shall see what the future has in store. But until then, I’m sure Ithildin and Lossësûl will take you on many an adventure.”

Elarinya giggled. “Hopefully those adventures won’t be in the direction of your supper, Ada!”

Both father and daughter laughed as Ithildin looked up and gave an indigent mew while Lossësûl looked about as if he had no part in what took place tonight. Who knew what plans those two were already brewing? Aragorn could only imagine!

Morning Star

A nightingale could be heard singing in a nearby tree. Its melody was welcomed by Legolas’ ears while he watched the glow of twilight disappear from the sky. But the bird’s tune seemed different to the Elf’s ears. It sang of a world in the midst of change. The days of the Eldar were over, and Legolas witnessed the dawn of the Age of Men. Only a handful of his kin remained compared to what once walked in the woods of the world. Although he could hear a few voices join in harmony with the nightingale, Legolas remembered a time when he was able to hear so many more. Each voice that was now silent was another drop of unshed longing for home. But the greater question still remained. Where exactly was home now?

Legolas rarely slept. It was not often the Elves required it. But the sounds of the sea found the Elf in his dreams. Lady Galadriel had once sent him a message warning him of this. She told him the sea-longing would find him. Ever since Legolas ventured to Pelargir during the war, the sound of the gulls followed him. Their calls haunted the Elf’s dreams at times. Legolas felt the passing of many of his kin into the West, even though many Elves from his father’s realm remained in Middle Earth. They stayed for now at least. But how long would it be before the gulls beckoned to them too? How soon would it be before Legolas was all alone?

As the sky continued to darken, Legolas watched a bird swoop down from one tree to another in search of food. Some of the trees here were very young compared to those in Mirkwood. Legolas had helped to plant many of them, and cared for them as a father would do for his children. Ithilien was not the same place it was when Legolas first arrived. The Elf was proud to see the earth healing, as well as plants and trees flourish. The trees no longer sang of the dark days they saw under the Dark Lord’s oppression of this land. Instead, they sang of joy and anticipation of the days to come. Despite the satisfaction Legolas found in his work, his heart was upon the sea once again. His spirit yearned for its own renewal. Tending to the disarray of the woods and gardens of Ithilien was not an easy task by any stretch of the measure. But it was work that was well worth the time and effort in Legolas’ eyes. But there was something missing. There was still a portion of his current purpose that remained hidden from the Elf. Yet it felt so close, as if it was just out of Legolas’ reach. It whispered in the back of the Elf’s mind, barely heard just above the increasingly louder call of the gulls. Yet Legolas could not completely ignore that small voice, no matter how quiet it was. After all, many great deeds started out as only a tiny whisper.

Night came to the woods, revealing that the stars overhead were bright and innumerable. How many times in his life had Legolas tried to count them? Indeed those times were almost as great as the company overhead. Many times in recent years the Elf wondered if the same stars were seen on a far off shore.

Legolas tried to forget the gulls and the sea as he walked onwards. But a sound called out to him. It was both beautiful and gripping at the same time, and would not allow the Elf to ignore it. Legolas came to a promontory to look out towards the source of the enchanting music. His heart nearly wept when the Elf looked down to see the Anduin stretch out beyond his sight in both directions. The siren call came from only one end though. Legolas knew if he followed it eventually it would guide him to the sea. Oh the sea! How he loved and loathed both it all at the same time. He could not bear this torment much longer within his being, even though Legolas bore no injury or ill. The light of the many stars overhead twinkled in a merry dance upon the water’s surface. It was as if they too heard the sea’s bewitching tune, and could not resist the same call. Surely it was a sign that it was time to go.

But as Legolas became resigned more to the idea of leaving, the tiny whisper began to grow louder. Somehow it managed to temporarily break the spell the siren song had upon Legolas’ mind. The Elf looked up to see Minas Tirith bathed in the light of the moon. The memory of friends and family returned. How could he leave without saying goodbye to those he loved? It was not the departure Legolas envisioned. As strong as the call was a moment ago, the Elf could not simply slip away in such a manner.

Legolas began his journey. But this time he made his way for the White City. Thoughts of his brother through friendship came to Legolas’ mind. Many letters came while Aragorn was residing in Annuminas with his family. It would seem the time in the Northern Kingdom did much to refresh the King. But now Aragorn was back, with renewed purpose. But more joy was about to visit the House of Telcontar. The last letter Legolas received from his friend revealed the happy news. After many years of hoping and wishing, the King and Queen were about to be blessed with the arrival of their second child. Eldarion brought a great deal of life and bliss to the couple. But Legolas knew that Aragorn and Arwen longed in recent years to expand their family. Aragorn had even spoken to the Elf of his secret hopes for a daughter in his latest letter. Yes, a daughter would bring many new blessings to the King’s home.

No, it would not be fair to leave now in the face of such a happy event. Legolas could not bear to do such a thing to Aragorn. But he would leave soon, very soon. The Elf was thankful for the new little one. The child would help to ease the parting when it finally came.

The sun was beginning to rise in the East when Legolas finally arrived at the King’s House. He contemplated what he would say to Aragorn and Arwen throughout his journey. But the Elf still wasn’t completely sure of how he wished to begin.

"Legolas!" a familiar voice called out. Legolas turned to see Aragorn run towards him. The King was almost glowing with joy. A wide smile spread from one corner of his mouth to the other.

"I was about to send a messenger bearing the glad tidings. But instead you have come of your own accord!" Aragorn exclaimed jubilantly as he embraced his longtime friend. Legolas returned the embrace, suddenly feeling a bit of relief that he came.

"And what glad tidings do you speak of?"

The broad smile seemed to grow even larger upon Aragorn’s face, if such was even possible. "I am a father to another! Arwen has blessed me with a beautiful daughter! She joined us not even two days ago. Come, you must see her!"

Legolas had not seen Aragorn in such a state of elation in a long while. It was almost as if the King was once again a young man. The Elf followed his friend to sitting room. Arwen was seated in a comfortable chair. The Queen smiled to see her husband and Legolas enter the room. Legolas gave the Queen a polite bow before his eyes fixed upon the bundle cradled in Arwen’s arms.

"Have you come to visit our new princess?" Arwen murmured happily. She appeared calmer than her husband, but Legolas could not mistake the overflowing bliss that was also in her husband’s eyes.

The Queen pulled the embroidered edge of the blanket back from the infant’s face. Legolas’ heart swelled with joy and admiration as he looked into a pair of large bright eyes. The baby girl was as fair skinned as her mother, and her head was crowned with wispy curls the palest shade of gold. Legolas knelt in front of Arwen to gently hold one of the tiny fists the infant extended outside the blanket. In front of him was life, pure and simple. The little one was truly a gift from Elbereth herself. Legolas could see the beauty of her stars reflected in the infant’s eyes.

"I had no idea the children of the Edain could be so fair to behold!" The Elf spoke with hushed awe. The babe’s fingers were almost magical. How could a being’s fingers be so tiny, and seem so delicate, yet possess the strength to grasp Legolas’ finger firmly.

Arwen smiled warmly at Legolas’ awestruck compliment of her second child. "She is our morning star, rekindled into the form of a child, and arriving just before dawn. Although I do think her sisters in the eastern skies shall miss her while she is gone."

The Queen carefully placed her daughter in Legolas’ arms, allowing him to hold her. The Elf cradled the infant as if she were a rare and expensive gem that would easily break. It was the first time he had held a human child this young. Eldarion was nearly two months of age when the Elf first laid eyes upon him. But there was something special about holding the girl child. It was almost as if he held both the present and future all at once. Always did his kin esteem their women as holding their future, and such was the same respect Legolas held for mortal women of every age. Legolas was not a father, but a paternal instinct began to surface within him.

Suddenly the call that came up the river seemed far away as the tiny whisper became loud and clear. Legolas always loved the woods and the growing things. But now another love was kindled in his spirit. The growing things now encompassed more than just the trees and flowers. Finally Legolas understood the missing piece to his current purpose. Although he did not have children of his own, the Elf felt a sense of satisfaction and pride as he watched Eldarion grow, and now there was another to witness reaching life’s milestones. Although the days of the Eldar were over in Middle earth, the children of men still needed to know about the beauty of the woods. There were many new trees and plants that were in the early stages of their lives. There would have to be those among men who would care for the woods and gardens after Legolas and his kin departed. But they could not leave until that task was finished. One day Legolas would head the calls of the sea. But that day was not upon him, not yet.

Legolas turned to meet his friend’s eyes. Aragorn smiled warmly at the Elf, watching him with his newest addition. There was a glimmer of knowing and understanding within the King’s eyes.

"I am truly glad you have come."

"As am I. You are truly blessed my brother-friend." Legolas murmured. He turned his eyes back to the infant in his arms to see she was now blissfully sleeping. The Elf bent his head slightly to place a gentle kiss upon the soft skin of the baby girl’s brow before handing her back to her mother.

"Although this little one is most fair, like her mother, I have a feeling our Princess shall be a healer and Renewer, like her father."

Aragorn’s face filled with pride as he came to stand next to his Queen. "Indeed I would be proud to see such a thing come to pass. But we have a favor we must ask of you Legolas."

The Elf nodded, motioning for the King to continue. "Anything my friends, ask and it shall be done."

Arwen smiled warmly. "We would ask that you help to teach our children about the wonders and mystery of the woods. One day they shall be responsible for their care, and Estel and I would not see the beauty of this world fade with future generations. We could think of no greater teacher than you to pass on such wisdom and knowledge."

"It would be an honor to bear such a task, my lord and lady." Legolas bowed reverently to the King and Queen, momentarily forgetting them as friends, instead seeing them as the noble monarchs they were.

"But for now I must depart. I long to be in the woods once more. I shall sing with my kin many songs of the new blessing that has arrived in this world."

The friends made their temporary farewells. Legolas would return to his dwelling, but he knew he would also visit his family through friendship in the near future. The sun was warm upon the Elf’s face, as if to reinforce the sentiments he felt within his being. With far seeing eyes, Legolas looked out towards Ithilien. The call of the woods was strong and welcoming. The Elf was all too eager to walk among the trees in the fair country once more. Once he arrived, Legolas could hear the trees welcome him back when the wind rustled through their leafy crowns. A brightly colored bird landed in the Elf’s path, grabbing an insect from the grass before flying off. Legolas reached out a hand to lovingly stroke the bark of a nearby tree. His touch was as tender as a lover who caressed the side of his beloved’s face. The scent of new summer flowers filled the Elf’s nostrils. He breathed it, allowing it to fill his being with approval.

Everything felt new once more. Colors were once again vivid, the sounds rich with harmony, the scents were more agreeable than ever before. The woods seemed to embrace one who walked among them with admiration year after year. They were glad in welcoming one of their masters home.

Yes, this was where he belonged for now. Legolas was sure of it. It was good to be home.

The Gown

"It’s not fair, Ada!"

Aragorn sighed as he looked at Arwen, his eyes pleading for help. A red faced Miriel stood in front of him with her fists balled up in the oppositional rage that only a teenager could display. The King’s second eldest daughter was dressed in a gown that her father clearly did not approve of. It was a rather popular style that originated from Harad. Aragorn cringed when he had overheard Arwen’s ladies discussing how it would be the new trend. The fads came and went, and were either adopted into the classic fashion of Gondor, or were quickly discarded. It was gown made of lightweight silk and had a waistline that fell directly underneath the bust. It would have been a lovely style had the v shaped necklines not plunged to the high waistline. The gowns had split sleeves that left the arms exposed as well.

Miriel had turned eighteen that winter. And although the weather was certainly warm enough for such a gown, Aragorn was not comfortable with the idea of his daughter showing off quite so much skin.

"Fair or not, you will not wear that thing to court!" Aragorn held his ground as he crossed his arms in front of his chest. He had faced far worse things in the wilds of world, and he certainly wouldn’t cave to an angry, underdressed, teenager.

"But Ada, all of the most fashionable ladies will be wearing it. I had the trim and the silk imported directly from Harad! You have no idea how much time I spent on the embroidery!"

Aragorn was not about to relent. "And if all the other ladies were going to jump off a cliff, would you do the same?"

Miriel bristled as she glowered in frustration. She knew her father was right, and she had nothing to rebuttal such a question. Instead the Princess turned on her heel and stormed from the room. Aragorn cringed as the door slammed shut in Miriel’s wake. The king sighed as he shook his head. He never remembered Elarinya being this difficult when it came to clothing. But then again, Elarinya never had that great of an interest in the latest fashions. She wore whatever Arwen had the dressmakers create for her. But Miriel was far more independent when it came to clothing. It was true; Miriel had become a trend setter among the royal court in recent years.

Miriel had other interests of course. She was a talented artist, and possessed the gift of being able to craft breathtakingly beautiful things with her hands. But Miriel also had a heart for the less fortunate, and often lent a hand wherever she saw the opportunity. But the Princess was far from perfect. She had a hot temper on the rare occasions her ire was raised, and she had a true weakness for all forms of fashion and jewelry. Most of the time, Miriel was cheerful and giving, but she was not immune to the occasional spell of selfishness or superficial thinking. Thankfully Miriel’s eagerness to please often kept such uncomely traits in check.

Arwen reached out to place a hand over Aragorn’s. He looked up to see his lady give him a reassuring smile. Although a lightly humored look was in her eyes.

"I think it might be best if I handle this from this point. I may have an idea about how to solve this dilemma."

Aragorn sighed with relief and nodded. He was more than grateful for Arwen’s calm and collected demeanor. He watched as his wife disappeared to her closet. She returned with a silk gown the shade of a rich amethyst. It was a dress Aragorn had not seen Arwen wearing yet, but something told him his wife had other intentions for it. Aragorn did not question Arwen as she placed the gown over the back of a chair as she gathered jewels that would suite the richly colored garment. The items were placed in a shiny lebethron box before Arwen gathered up the gown once more.

"I shall return shortly." Arwen murmured as she flashed her husband another radiant smile. Aragorn allowed himself a sigh of relief. If anyone could sort this, it was Arwen.

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Miriel looked up as she heard a soft knock upon the door. Arwen entered carrying the gown and the wooden box. Miriel had changed out of the offending gown and into an older summer weight dress. She sat at her vanity table, staring blankly into the mirror, as if she wasn’t really looking at her reflection in the first place. Arwen recognized the look of genuine of frustration upon her daughter’s face.

"Why does he have to be so hopelessly stubborn?"

Arwen moved a chair over to the vanity table so she could look at Miriel while they talked.

"Because he loves you and wants what is best." Arwen murmured as she sat down. Miriel shook her head, her shiny dark curls bouncing against her shoulders as she did so.

"But he doesn’t even understand. I heard the style was gaining popularity among the ladies of the court, and I thought if I wore a similar gown that it might help relations with Harad. It would help to increase trade again. Both you and Ada have told me to use my influences in the court for good. I was just trying to help Ada."

Arwen could not help but smile. She had a feeling there was some deeper reason as to why Miriel was so upset about Aragorn’s disapproval of her attire choice.

"Maybe you should tell Estel that yourself. I would say you have proven yourself a clever diplomat, sell nín, if a bit of an unconventional one." Arwen reached out to take one of Miriel’s hands. "I think Estel will understand your point of view if you explain it to him just as you did now."

Miriel watched as her mother stood from the chair and went to exam the discard gown that caused so much controversy. Arwen noticed the gown’s back also dipped to the high waistline, just as the front did. She examined the split sleeves and already had an idea on how to make them a bit more modest. A panel could be added to the front and back to raise the neckline. It certainly wasn’t a hopeless garment. Arwen turned to face her daughter as she held up the dress.

"It is a lovely gown, and I have a few ideas how we could refashion it so it gains Estel’s approval. He does not seek to be unfair, sell nín. He is only looking out for your propriety and honor. Although it is a lovely gown, I’m not sure how the older ladies of the court would take it. You know how they are rather affixed in their ways. It is a fine line we walk, and we must be careful not to cross it. Your Ada has brought about many changes to better this kingdom for all. But there are those that still find change difficult and hold true to the strict traditions, especially when it comes to a young Princess’ attire."

Arwen placed the gown carefully into Miriel’s wardrobe. "Both you and Estel have sound reasons. We will work together to finish your lovely gown. But you will require something else for tonight."

Miriel’s eyes went wide as she watched her mother pick up the amethyst dress. It was a new gown the dressmakers had made for the Queen. Miriel had secretly admired it and wished for one like it. Ever since she was a small girl, Miriel often wore frocks that complimented the ones her mother wore. Unfortunately, there wasn’t enough of the glorious amethyst colored silk to make two gowns.

"It’s a rather bold shade. I think it would suit you much better, sell nín."

A wide smile spread across Miriel’s face as she clutched the treasured dress jubilantly. "Oh, you really mean it, Naneth? I truly do adore it!"

"Then it is yours." Arwen murmured with a serene smile of her own. She helped her daughter change into the brilliantly colored garment. It did indeed suit Miriel perfectly as Arwen suspected it would. Just as the Queen finished helping her daughter dress, and had fastened the necklace around Miriel neck, a knock sounded upon the door. Arwen went to open it to find a rather dejected looking Aragorn on the other side.

Miriel gave her father a timid smile as he entered the room. Aragorn smiled in approval of the gown Arwen had chosen. It was a nice balance of a youthful silhouette, but still carried nobility. Arwen watched with approval as father and daughter sat down to talk out their disagreement this time instead of shouting at one another. They listened to eachother’s side of the tale, and at last came to an understanding. Aragorn apologized for not acknowledging Miriel’s willingness to help in her own way with the trade difficulties with Harad, and for failing to admire the hard work she had put into the gown. Miriel apologized for acting so brashly. The Queen smiled and breathed a sigh of relief as Miriel and Aragorn embraced. At last the battle over the gown was over.

Arwen’s gift was indeed a hit with the ladies of the court. Many admired the amethyst dress, and Arwen couldn’t help but have a feeling that brilliant purple would be the new fashionable color. But nothing was more in style than the sight of her Estel and Miriel once again happy and in harmony.

Kings and Kitchens Don't Mix

A loud crash caused Aragorn to jump as he focused upon one of the cook’s recipe books. The King whirled around to see a shelf full of metal pots and pans scattered upon the floor. Elarinya rushed to her little sister’s side to help put away the mess. Miriel held up a wooden spoon while bouncing up and down gleefully over the incredible noise she just made. It was by far the very best, and loudest, of all the noises she made that morning. Something within his mind told Aragorn that this might not be as great of an idea as he first thought. The ringing in his ears was just a small clue. The cook would have a fit if she saw her pots and pans all over the floor.

Today was the anniversary of the glorious day Aragorn finally wed his one true love. But over the years, anniversary gifts became more difficult to come up with. Elarinya came up with the idea of making Arwen breakfast. Aragorn’s initial reaction to the idea was to cringe. Kitchens and Kings didn’t exactly mix, not especially when it came to this King. But Arwen recently chided Aragorn for spending so much time with Eldarion, and not enough with their daughters. Hopefully it would please his Queen if Aragorn made breakfast for her with his two daughters. Granted Elarinya was the only one old enough to help. At least the thirteen year old princess knew her way around the kitchen. Two year old Miriel was another story. The toddler rather enjoyed making loud bangs and crashes, rather than helping. But Aragorn did not see it fit to exclude his youngest. Arwen would not be pleased if they had. After all, Miriel seemed to have a knack for holding on to that wooden spoon. Aragorn would have to put that to use here in a bit.

The King turned back to the cook’s recipe book. Hardly any of it made a single bit of sense to him. Aragorn knew food, but he wasn’t necessarily schooled in the ways of preparing anything beyond the basics he grew accustomed to during his time as a Ranger. The King sighed as he searched for at least one of his wife’s favorites that he could attempt. Finally Aragorn located one. Elarinya gathered the ingredients her father called for. Aragorn looked at the items his daughter placed upon the counter with every bit as much curiosity as he had when he looked upon the page in the book. Unfortunately they made about as much sense as the words upon the page.

“Now what do we do?” Elarinya asked as she turned to look back at her father. Aragorn scratched his chin for a moment as he contemplated the answer.

“Maybe it is best if we take it one step at a time.”

It seemed like a good idea at first, but quickly went awry. Water was boiling over as things began to burn in pans. Both Aragorn and Elarinya scrambled to remove pots and pans from the stove while stirring other things to prevent them from burning. Meanwhile Miriel laughed hysterically at the chaos. She seemed to think it was a game and clapped her hands.

The King could not help but chuckle, despite how badly the project was going. Miriel was having the time of her life. Elarinya looked up at her father as she stirred the contents of pot. All three of them were bonding. Aragorn added some ingredients to a bowl before he picked up Miriel and stood her up on a chair next to the counter.

“Now I want to do your very best job stirring these things to help Elarinya and I.” Aragorn instructed gently as he handed Miriel a fresh wooden spoon. The toddler was all too eager to oblige.

One of the kitchen doors opened to admit Arwen entrance. A wry smile was on her face.

“No Naneth, you’ll see big surprise!” Miriel cried out as she covered her eyes. Arwen giggled softly. Her youngest child hadn’t quite figured out yet that others could still see her even though she covered her eyes. The small girl had already splattered some of the contents onto her dress.  Both Aragorn and Elarinya turned bright scarlet. They had totally lost track of the time it would seem.

“We were hoping to surprise you with breakfast, meleth nín.  Our daughters came up with the idea. But it would seem the kitchens weren’t as easy to maneuver as we thought.” Aragorn murmured sheepishly as he moved to his beloved’s side. He dropped a brief kiss upon her lips in greeting.

“Ewww! They’re kissing again!” Elarinya exclaimed, to which Miriel promptly joined in by screeching “Ewwwww!” also and covering her eyes again.

Aragorn and Arwen both could not help but laugh.

“Both of you can continue to think that about kissing for quite awhile longer, and I will be most happy indeed!” Aragorn jested.

With Arwen’s help, the meal was made, and the kitchen cleaned in no time. The four sat down to enjoy the fruits of their labor. Meanwhile, Arwen could not stop smiling. It touched her deeply to see her Estel step out of his comfort zone and work with their daughters on a project. Although the surprise didn’t quite turn out the way the King and his daughters hoped, and the meal wasn’t the best the four had ever eaten, it was a memory Arwen would always treasure.

Aragorn gave his lady a lopsided grin once their daughters had departed with their nurse. “It’s not quite what I had planned, meleth nín. But I hope it pleased you to some degree.”

Arwen stood before she wrapped her arms around her husband’s shoulders. “I could not have been more overjoyed to find the three of you conspiring together.” She leaned forward to share another kiss with her Estel.

“Just think of it, Estel. They might have you embroidering yet!”

The horrified look on Aragorn’s face was enough to send Arwen into a fit of laughter. A humored predatory look crossed the King’s face as he reached out to boldly scoop Arwen into his arms.  The Queen flushed as her beloved carried her gallantly back to their chambers. The mischievous twinkle in his eye gave more than just a small clue as to what his next anniversary gift would be!

Pursued by the Predator

This story was written in honor of Cairistiona's birthday.

The chilling sound of howling reached the Ranger’s ears. Aragorn flicked his gray eyes to his right. Yes, the sound seemed to come from north of their location. But this time it sounded closer. Aragorn shuddered to hear another high pitched keen join the first. Hopefully their number had not increased from the night before. His tunic and breeches still bore rusty looking stains from the blood of the beast’s fallen brothers.

“We should not tarry here. This area will be filled with wolves. We will be surrounded.”

Aragorn turned his head to face Halbarad. He was about to answer when another long howl came from the opposite direction.

“I think they may already have us surrounded,” Elladan called out. Aragorn could see the concern in the Peredhil’s eyes.

For days the small company of Rangers fled from the creatures. Aragorn had seen the white beasts himself. Its hairy coat gleamed in the full moon and it looked upon him with fierce dark eyes. It released a low growl of warning before lunging out Aragorn with inhuman force. Fortunately for Aragorn his blade was drawn and ready and the wolf met its fate upon the blade of a Ranger who was determined to live. It was the first of many of the wolves to threaten the small group.

“We will need to make camp for this night. We might have a chance if we have fire and torches,” Aragorn suggested grimly.

“So we are to trap ourselves then?” Halbarad seemed most displeased with the plan his friend was suggesting.

“Estel is right. “Elrohir interrupted, his gaze looked out past the trees. “We don’t know how many of them there now, especially under the cover of night. Our best chance is to fend off the pack with fire. It is too easy for them to overcome us in the dark.”

Aragorn turned his head to see Elladan already at work with his flint over a pile of kindling. Before long orange flames licked at the twigs and dried leaves. Aragorn sought out their torches among the supplies before they were quickly distributed.

“And what of Orcs, what if they accompany the wolves when it comes to our troubles this night?”

Aragorn turned his head to the side so that he faced Halbarad as he answered his friend’s question. He knew it was a fear they all shared. Orcs as well as wolves were the last thing they needed. Even though this particular mission was meant to protect the borders of The Shire from the threat of wolves, there was always the possibility of unexpected company. The world swarmed all sorts of foul manner of beast and being in these days.

“Then you had best keep your eyes keen and your sword ready, mellon nín,” Aragorn replied with a wry smile, earning him a scowl from the fellow Ranger.

Aragorn blinked. He could feel his entire body shake from severe fatigue. His sight blurred until he blinked it away. There were still some coffee grounds left over from the night before. But the idea of more of the bitter beverage made Aragorn’s stomach flip flop in an uncomfortable manner. It probably wouldn’t help at this point anyways. By now the others gathered near the campfire lighting their torches. It was clear they would not sleep again this night. Aragorn mentally counted backwards the days since he last slept. Three days was a long time to go without sleep.  At this point the shaking seemed more frequent, his sight blurred often, and the fatigue was overwhelming.

The tension was thick. It seemed to mingle among the vapors each of them breathed in the chill air.  The crackle and pops of the fire was as loud as explosives in the silence. Aragorn wasn’t surprised by the quiet presence of his comrades. What was there to talk about? It seemed just about any subject on their mind would only serve to remind them of the woes and misfortunes they faced in the past days. Would they speak of their fallen comrades? Yes, the wolves had already claimed two. But what would they say? The grief felt as near as the almost overwhelming anxiety that loomed over them all.

Another low howl echoed through the trees and Aragorn fought desperately to block the sound from his ears. It reminded him of the cries of the widows and daughters who were yet to be informed of their fallen husbands and fathers. He didn’t want to think of their pain anymore. It already felt like chains dragging behind him, weighing down his heart.

Aragorn flicked his gaze to his left as the sound of snoring reached his ears. Both Elladan and Elrohir slumped forward, fast asleep. He snorted and shook his head. It figured they would be the first to fall asleep. Aragorn would be sure to use that fact to rile them up later when things got dull.  Aragorn shifted his gaze to Halbarad. His friend held a cold expression upon his features. It was the one Halbarad commonly used when he didn’t wish to speak or be spoken to. Aragorn sighed in resignation. There was nothing left to do but keep watch.

Aragorn stared out into the woods as if he expected to see some sort of movement. Instead nothing seemed to pass by the trees. A shadow swooped down from the trees towards the camp sight. The action caused Aragorn to jump and his hand flew to the hilt of his blade.  A pair of yellow eyes stared up at the man before the creature bent to grab an insect and flew off. If only Aragorn could share the owl’s disregard for the current situation. His eyes traced the bird’s path of departure until the owl could no longer be seen.

The hours dragged on and Aragorn began to count the pops that emitted from the fire to occupy his time. His eyes would begin to drift close and Aragorn would have to forcefully remind himself to stay awake. It would do no good to be overtaken now. Aragorn snapped a twig in half before tossing it into the fire to help release the pent up emotions.

The sound of musical laughter stopped Aragorn mid motion before he snapped another twig in half. He looked up to see a flash of white pass between the trees. Aragorn blinked when it passed before his sight once more. The woods were not a place to run about at leisure these days. The white shape drew closer until Aragorn could see it was a fine gown. A woman and child ran among the trees, their laughter filled the air.  The woman’s dark hair spilled over her back, decorated with colorful flowers she had gathered from the forest. The child spun in a circle, her blonde curls bounced upon her back. The girl called out to her mother to see the flowers she found.

Aragorn gasped once the woman turned around and her identity was revealed.

“Arwen….”

The word sounded as beautiful as the sight of her face in front of him. She smiled broadly and bent to examine the flowers the girl held. With careful hands the maiden wove each blossom into the child’s blonde hair. The girl clapped her hands in glee and spun around to show off Arwen’s handiwork. Aragorn watched with melancholy as the Elf maiden and child spun and danced together, their laughter rang out clear among the trees. Surely he slept and this was a dream. But how could it be that his dreams took on a life of their own?

At last the child turned to face Aragorn. She locked her gaze upon him and Aragorn could see that she had gray eyes similar to his own. A wide grin upturned the corners of the child’s mouth. Arwen moved to stand behind the girl. Suddenly Aragorn could see the similarities between the maiden and child. Unshed tears glistened in his eyes. Arwen’s daughter was every bit as beautiful as her mother. But why was he seeing this? Was it his unspoken hopes or fears that displayed before him? Surely such a lovely child was not theirs? No, she appeared too Elvish to be Aragorn’s child. For a moment he thought he felt his heart tear into multiple pieces to even consider the idea that Arwen’s future would separate from his.

Arwen knelt and took the child’s hand before she pointed in Aragorn’s direction. The girl turned to face her mother before her eyes returned back to Aragorn.

“Ada,” the girl cried out happily as she skipped towards Aragorn. He stood without realization to embrace the girl. But just before their bodies came in contact, the girl disappeared in thin air. Aragorn looked about in confusion. He turned his eyes back to where Arwen stood and she too was gone.

Aragorn blinked and sank heavily back onto the ground. He wasn’t sure what just happened. It seemed so real; the sound of their voices, the filmy fabric of their gowns, all of it appeared as tangible as he was. He closed his eyes in an attempt to bring the memory closer. The images of Arwen and her daughter seemed to lift some of the weight of the chains around Aragorn’s heart. He remembered the song mother and daughter sang and positioned it forever into his memory. In his own imagination, Aragorn sang along with them. He swore that he could feel the girl’s hand grasping his while the three of them walked through the woods together. Even if it might never be, at least he had this moment forever etched in his thoughts. It was his and not s soul in this world, or even the threat of wolves, could take it away.

A firm shake ripped Aragorn away from the reverie. He squinted in an attempt to block out the painfully bright light.

“Come along, Estel,” Elrohir murmured before turning to put out the campfire. “We had best be on the move. There is a village nearby where we can surely find rest and lodgings.”

Aragorn grumbled before muttering a curse. The light still seemed too jarring to his senses. He tried to figure out how much time had passed. He growled softly when Elladan nudged him slightly with the side of his boot.

“Get up, Estel. The sooner you move, the faster we shall reach The Singing Lark.”

That was all the inspiration Aragorn needed to leap into action. Only arriving home was better than the Singing Lark. The humble inn was well known for having one of the best cooks this side of the Misty Mountains. Her meat pies were some of the best Aragorn ever tasted. He could eat an entire pie on his own if his stomach allowed him to do such. Yes, meat pies were incentive enough to move along.

“The pack has passed us by for now. It would appear the Valar have spared us for one more night,” Halbarad spoke grimly as he shouldered up one of the packs.

“Oh come now, Halbarad, don’t be so grim” Aragorn said with a low chuckle. “Soon we’ll have hot food and warm beds, mellon nín.”

“And you’ll have enough meat pie for all four of us, Estel.”

Aragorn glared at Elladan, causing both f the twins to laugh. At least they could joke, even if it was at Aragorn’s expense. He was too tired and hungry to care. Thankfully the village was only a half a day’s journey.  The song Arwen and her daughter shared with him still rang through Aragorn’s head. It served to lighten his steps all the way to shelter and safety.

Author’s Note: Regarding Aragorn’s sleep deprivation. It is believed through real life experiments and case studies that 4 days is the limit for most people to go without sleep. After 3 days a person will begin to experience severe fatigue, periods of “zoning out”, and even hallucinations.  It is known that sleep deprivation going on for longer than 5 days can be fatal. Sources for sleep deprivation were taken from Psychology and Lifeby Richard J. Gerrig and Philip G. Zimbardo, sixteenth edition.

Peace At Last

Aragorn walked upon the garden path, startling a squirrel that had not heard his silent steps. His reflection in a small garden pool caught his eye, and he paused to look into the clear water. His hair had turned a snowy shade of white over the years and the wrinkles around his eyes were more prominent. At last time gained ground on the old King. For over one hundred and twenty years he sat upon the throne. The days of Elessar were drawing to a close. The King had no fears that the Kingdom would be in more than capable hands under the rule of Eldarion.

Aragorn continued up the path and came to a delicate structure held up by four carved pillars. Vines bearing pink and white roses crept all around the arbors and through the latticed roof. The days were still chill, but even so, the King could see some of the buds trying to open. Tears filled Aragorn’s eyes.

His daughter loved her roses very much. It seemed fitting they kept her company now. The flowers had been Legolas’s final gift to her. Aragorn had not seen them since the day they had planted them. Coming here brought to mind too many memories and pain.

“I could not bear to come here as much as I should have, forgive me,” Aragorn thought. He didn’t dare speak a word, lest his own emotions overcome him.

Aragorn reached out his hand to trace the lettering upon the stone surface. He remembered gently guiding her childish hand to form the same letters upon a page of parchment. She had been so proud to write her name for the first time. Joy and discovery filled those times, and at the end of the day she always knew he would keep her safe. No matter what horrible creatures or circumstances her childhood imagination created, there was nothing too terrible or frightening that he couldn’t chase away. But oh how the years passed, each one more swiftly than the last.

“She would have been one hundred years of age this spring,” Aragorn thought while he looked up at the face of the statue that was meant to be carved in her likeness. But stone did not hold life the way she had. Stone flowers graced her hair, but Aragorn could clearly remember the days when they were real. Had any being ever walked this world that held as much life as she did?

The memories flashed by, one by one. Aragorn could remember the day she was born. She had been the first of his children he witnessed coming into the world. From that day forth, his entire view of the world changed. He began to see things the way she saw them. But then she was gone without warning. Over time, Aragorn came to accept that her passing was not his fault, he never ceased to miss her. Every single day it felt as if a part of him had died with her.

“So many lives were saved that day because of her. How can you grieve when she faced her death with courage?”

The thought had tugged at Aragorn’s mind for years, and now in his old age he was beginning to understand. Even while he stood there, the pieces began to fall into place. For so long, Aragorn believed he had been meant to protect her, keep her safe from the world. But in the end, she had given him something far more precious. For so many years, Aragorn had lived in a world that lay on the brink of falling into darkness. He had seen so many die before their time; so many innocent lives snuffed out in those dark days. Aragorn’s life had not been without its weight of heavy burdens. But through her, he learned to truly live and see the world through the eyes of a child. Life was so much more refreshing and pure that way. Even the colors appeared brighter. Through raising his children, Aragorn learned to appreciate the world around in him in a way he had never known before.

His vision blurred with tears of relief as the full epiphany washed over him. He leaned his head against the stone surface of her statue as the weight he carried for so many years finally lifted.

“Thank you for giving me peace, sell nín.”

A puff of breeze kissed Aragorn’s cheek, and he lifted his head. He looked up to see three birds sitting upon the open roof above him. They chirped to him in greeting before taking wing. The king watched them soar against the blue backdrop of sky until they disappeared into the western horizon, unhindered by the world beneath them. Memories of his parents came to mind as the three birds disappeared from sight.

Somehow Aragorn knew his daughter was with Arathorn and Gilraen. And just as quickly as the birds darted on the wind, he realized she was still safe, and the part of him that he thought had died when she passed had never actually died. It only dwelled in another place, and was very much alive. With that revelation, so many things became clear. Now he began to understand how the Kings of old gave up their lives willingly. Fear, at last, gave way to peace.

Aragorn turned back to face the memorial. He had come here to bid his final farewells. But instead all he could do was smile.

“It is only a temporary goodbye isn’t it? There are things I must do first. But I shall see you soon, sell nín.”