Beta: Radbooks

A/N: There is a slight deviation from canon in this story. Rather than having Arathorn slain when he was 'riding against the orcs with the sons of Elrond', I have assumed that Aragorn and Gilraen were with him and they were heading to Imladris to live for a time. In the Silmarillion it says 'In that house [the house of Elrond] were harboured the Heirs of Isildur, in childhood and old age, because of the kinship of their blood with Elrond himself…'. The quote continues, but this made me think that Aragorn would have been taken to Imladris for his own protection at some point, so why not when he was two? The twins are still there, acting as escort, but they were not out specifically to hunt orcs. I know that is not Tolkien's version, but I need things to happen a bit differently for this story to work. Therefore, this story can be considered slightly AU.

Chapter Eight

Aragorn smiled as he saw the valley of Imladris come into view around a bend in the path. It had been a long patrol, and well over two months since they had left Imladris behind. Amazingly enough, he and the rest of the patrol had managed to avoid any more serious injuries since the night of the cave-in. There had been a few skirmishes with orcs and a run-in with bandits, but none of them had gotten more than a few scratches and scrapes. In the meantime, Aragorn, or rather, Eradan, had been given many lessons in tracking, fighting, and healing. Elladan and Elrohir had taken him under their wings and declared themselves responsible for his education while they were with him.

It was a situation that Aragorn could not find it in himself to protest. While he knew that things were changing in unpredictable ways, this gave him a great deal of time with the twins, whom he still considered his brothers, as well as the father he had never known. Even if they did not know him for himself, he could not regret the time he had with them. The twins were quickly becoming Eradan's closest friends, and Aragorn began to hope that they would one day see him as a brother. Whenever that hope made itself known, however, he forced himself to bury it, as it was Aragorn they were supposed to see as a brother, not Eradan.

On the way back to Imladris, Baran and Tarcil had returned to a nearby village where they lived with their families when not on patrol. Arathorn and Eradan would rest in Imladris for a few weeks before heading out again. It was likely that the twins would not be joining them on the next patrol, as Arathorn planned to re-assign a few of the patrols and add a few new members to his own patrol. He had told the elven brothers that much as he appreciated their help, he could not see taking them from the many responsibilities they had at home. They had not argued, indicating that they did have things they should be doing in Imladris. While Eradan knew he would miss them, he did hope they would take the time at home to come to know little Aragorn better. He still had hopes that he could set this aspect of history right.

Arathorn glanced over and saw the smile on Eradan's face. "Looking forward to exploring the libraries, are you?"

Eradan chuckled, "Yes, my lord. That, and sleeping in a soft bed again."

Arathorn chuckled as well. "I think that is something we are all looking forward to. Though the patrols are necessary, they rarely provide a comfortable place to rest at night."

A wry smile crossed Eradan's face and he nodded. "So I have noticed."

Elrohir chuckled and looked back over his shoulder from the lead position. "Humans must be very soft creatures if you are complaining about a few nights spent in the woods."

Eradan laughed easily, replying in the same teasing manner. "I don't think the Dúnedain have ever been called soft. We simply do not find comfort in sleeping in the trees as you elves seem to."

Riding behind Eradan and Arathorn, Elladan just shook his head at the conversation. He had to admit that he enjoyed seeing his brother laugh and joke so easily. It had been such a long time since either of them had felt they had reason to laugh. Eradan's arrival in their lives had been an unexpected blessing. A smile crossed his face as he listened to the continuing banter between Elrohir and Eradan. He could admit as they approached the last Homely House that he would be happy to be home for awhile. Spending some time with his father and enjoying the comforts of his home did seem a pleasant prospect.

Reining his horse in as they reached the courtyard near the stables, Elrohir turned to Eradan with a laugh. "Very well, Eradan. You are quite right. I, too, will enjoy sleeping in my own bed once again."

Eradan laughed, but did not reply, having made his point. He dismounted his horse and stretched, loosening the muscles that had stiffened slightly on the long ride. Aragorn certainly appreciated how this younger body did not ache the same way his 'real' body did after a long ride.

They led their horses to the stables and began removing the saddlebags and the saddles their horses wore, before brushing the horses down and seeing that they were fed and stabled well. They each saw to the care of their horse before taking their belongings into the house and seeking their own rooms to freshen up and rest a bit.

"We will see you at the evening meal," Elladan said as they split up in the hallway to find their own rooms. "You remember the way to the dining room?" The last was a slightly teasing question aimed at Eradan.

"Of course I do," Eradan retorted. "I did reside here for several weeks, if you will remember. My mind is not so feeble that two months in the wild would steal that knowledge."

Elladan smiled and nodded his head. "We will see you in two hours, then."

Eradan nodded and ducked into his room, closing the door for some privacy. Gazing into the mirror again, he was struck anew at the unfamiliar face staring back at him. Realizing that the person in the mirror was badly in need of a bath, he grimaced and headed for the bathing chamber. Once he had washed and was dressed in neat, clean clothes, he decided to venture out from his room and wander the paths he so dearly loved.

The halls were quiet as he left his room and made his way outside. He was almost surprised that he had not yet seen Elrond, as the elf lord usually met his sons at the entrance to see for himself that they had returned intact. But he was often busy, and it was not unheard of for him to be in meetings all day long, or busy with paperwork. Eradan was sure he would see Elrond at the meal shortly.

As he wandered along his favorite path through the gardens, he came upon a familiar figure sitting on one of the benches, gazing into the darkness and smoking contentedly on his pipe. Eradan came to a sudden halt at the sight. "Gandalf," he whispered.

The grey head turned toward him at the sound and gazed through the dim evening light. Dark eyes met his, and Eradan felt Gandalf staring at him, taking his measure. "Do I know you?" the wizard asked him mildly.

"No, you do not," Eradan answered. "You and I have never met." He felt a reluctance to step closer, and was tempted to make his apologies for disturbing the wizard and leave him to his peace.

"Then how do you know my name?" Gandalf asked in curiosity. There was something unusual about the young man standing before him. Though he did not know what that was, he did wish to find out what had sparked his curiosity.

Eradan ducked his head briefly. "I have spent many days in conversation with the twin sons of Elrond. They spoke of you often, and when I saw you, I realized that you could be none other."

Gandalf nodded, and looked closer at the figure standing in the shadows. It was certainly a plausible answer, but he felt there was more to it. There had been a sense of familiarity when his name was spoken, as if this person knew him by more than the tales of others. "Would you care to join me? It is a pleasant night, here under the moon and the stars."

Eradan shook his head and made as if to step further back into the shadows. "No, thank you. I did not wish to disturb your thoughts. I will leave you to your peace."

"And what if I do not wish to return to my solitude? Would you do an old man a favor and keep him company?" Gandalf returned smoothly, looking at the younger man hiding in the shadows.

A wry grin twisted Eradan's lips as he watched the Istar. He had seen Gandalf do this many times, pretend to be nothing more than a harmless old man to gain someone's trust. Once that person let down their guard, Gandalf soon had whatever he wanted from that person, whether it be friendship, information, or forcing them to underestimate his abilities. This ploy was one he was well familiar with, but did not know how to avoid. He could not politely excuse himself after Gandalf asked him to stay, but he was rather afraid to spend too much time in the presence of his old friend. If there was anyone who could see that there might be something different about the man they knew as Eradan, it would be Gandalf. However, as he did not see a way to leave at the moment, he nodded and slowly made his way over to sit on the bench beside Gandalf.

With a friendly smile on his face, Gandalf studied the young man as he took a seat on the bench. In the light of the moon, he could better see the man's face. Like most of the Dúnedain, he had dark hair and grey eyes, though these held a hint of another color as well, one he would need better light to fully make out. His face showed his youth quite clearly, though the rounded features of childhood were quickly being replaced by the more angled look of a grown man. There was something hiding in those eyes, however. As he looked deeper, the smile slipped from Gandalf's face without his notice. The eyes staring at him from out of this very young man's face did not seem young. A wealth of experience shone clearly out of the depths of Eradan's eyes. Gandalf did not know how no one else had seen this clear discrepancy between the young man's age and the knowledge in his eyes. A wariness crept into the eyes he watched, and Gandalf realized he had been staring intently for far too long now in his attempt to discover just who this man was. Clearing his throat, he glanced away, back up to the moon. "Have you been to Rivendell often?" he asked, to cover his intense scrutiny.

Eradan glanced away from Gandalf, knowing the wizard had seen far more than he wanted to share. "I have spent a small amount of time here," he answered, his mind furiously working to discover a way to escape this conversation. "I was a member of the patrol that escorted Lord Arathorn and his family here, and was assigned to his patrol afterwards. We remained here for a few weeks between the two patrols. My lord tells me that I will be spending much time here in the future, as he wishes to return here to visit with his family as often as he may. It is quite a beautiful place. I have never seen any other like it."

Gandalf nodded in agreement. "Yes, this place is quite unique. I have seen many places in my travels over the years, but none have quite the same feel as this place. Imladris is a place of peace, of healing and of safety to many." Glancing aside at the young man, Gandalf studied his face as he asked the next question. "And what is this place to you?"

A longing look passed briefly over his face before he turned to face the wizard. "A place of rest, of comfort after a long and difficult journey. It is a place where I may find laughter and hope, and it is a place of learning. Lord Arathorn tells me that I may use the libraries to study any topic I wish while we are here. I have much to learn, it would seem."

Wondering about the momentary look of longing, Gandalf nodded. "Yes, this place is all those things as well." A disconcerted look crossed his face as he thought of something. "I am afraid that for once, you have me at a bit of a disadvantage. You may know my name, but you have yet to tell me yours."

Surprise flashed across the young man's face. "Did I not? Forgive my ill manners, my lord. My name is Eradan, son of Elendur." He bowed his head slightly to make up for the lapse in his manners.

The strongest feeling swept through Gandalf that he was lying. Somehow, Gandalf knew that the name Eradan did not belong to the man in front of him. It was wrong, and yet, it would be easy enough to check. All he had to do was ask either of the twins or Arathorn. Why he would lie about something so simple was beyond Gandalf. And yet the feeling of duality that he had sensed from the beginning told him that maybe it was not so simple a matter as a young man lying about his name. Gandalf was quite sure now that whoever he asked, he would be told that this man's name was Eradan. What was it about him that made the wizard question everything he said? It took a moment of thought for Gandalf to decide if he wanted to allow the young man to think he believed him, or to see if he could rattle the man into admitting something was wrong.

"Is it really?" he asked quietly. "For some reason, the name Eradan does not seem to fit you."

A quiet chuckle came from the man next to him. "I am afraid you would have to discuss that with my parents, as I am not responsible for the name I was given."

Gandalf could not help but chuckle in response, not expecting that answer. He had to hand it to the young man, he was quite skilled at not allowing himself to be thrown off guard. He still felt that there was more to Eradan than met the eye, but he was beginning to like the young man. "And where might I find your parents to discuss this with them?" he asked lightly.

The man sobered quickly and looked off into the night, hesitating before answering. "You will not find them in the circles of this world, I am afraid. My mother passed on many years ago, and my father…he died in the attack on our patrol as we escorted Lord Arathorn's family here. He saved Lady Gilraen and Aragorn, but lost his own life in the process."

"I am sorry," Gandalf said softly, not having meant to bring up painful memories. "But you said you are with Arathorn's patrol now?" He looked again at the young man. Despite the knowledge and experience he saw in his eyes, the body was quite young indeed. It was rare that one so young would have been assigned to ride with the Chieftain of the Dúnedain. When the man nodded, Gandalf reasoned that Arathorn had chosen to keep Eradan near in order to watch over him.

Eradan glanced up at the positions of the stars above them. "Though I do not wish to cut our conversation short, it appears that the time of our meal approaches. As I do not wish to be late, perhaps you will excuse me so that I may return to the house?"

Looking up at the sky, Gandalf admitted that it was nearly time to eat. "I believe I will join you, or did you expect me to stay out here while you and the others ate your meal?"

A faint flush, barely seen in the moonlight, crept up the man's cheeks. "No, of course I did not expect such a thing. I merely meant that we should return to the house if we wish to eat this night."

Laughing, Gandalf stood, followed by Eradan. Gandalf clapped his hand on the man's shoulder as they began walking up the path to the house. It seemed he was able to disconcert the young man, after all.

They did not speak much as they followed the path back to the main house. As they entered the dining room, they saw that many of the other inhabitants of the house were already present, but not yet seated.

Elrond turned as they entered the room. "Ah, Eradan, Mithrandir, I see you have already met. It seems I will not need to make introductions after all." He raised his eyebrow at Mithrandir, asking how they had met.

"Yes, we have," Mithrandir answered. "It would seem we favor the same quiet areas of the gardens."

Smiling at the young man and the wizard, Elrond looked up as Arathorn and his family walked into the room. "It would seem we are all here, now." He gestured for everyone to take their seats at the table.

"Erda!" Eradan looked down at the feel of a small body impacting his legs and smiled at the child clinging to him.

"It is good to see you again, too, my friend," Eradan said as he reached down and pulled young Aragorn into his arms. The child threw his arms around Eradan's neck and started telling him all about his day. Or at least that's what Eradan thought he was saying.

Arathorn looked at the two of them and chuckled. "It would seem my son has missed you, Eradan. If you would care to sit beside him, I feel it would make him quite happy."

Chuckling as he ruffled the boy's hair, Eradan nodded to Arathorn. "I would be quite honored to do so."

At that, they moved over to the table, each finding a place to sit. Aragorn seemed happy sitting between his father and Eradan, chattering away happily to them both. Gilraen sat beside Arathorn, with Elrond at the head of the table, Gandalf to his right, and the twins sitting beside him. Glorfindel and Erestor were not able to join them this night, so it was a fairly small gathering for the meal.

Gandalf watched Eradan throughout the meal without seeming to. It struck him as odd that this young man who until a few months ago had never met an elf, seemed to feel so comfortable among this rather august company. He would laugh and tease both Elladan and Elrohir, and Gandalf was rather shocked when they would respond in kind. It had been a very long time since he had heard either of them sound so lighthearted. Glancing at Elrond, he saw the elf lord also seemed more than a little surprised, a pleased look crossing his face every time he heard one of his sons laugh. Eradan also did not seem to be intimidated by either Arathorn or Elrond, though Gandalf noticed that he occasionally shot an uneasy look his way. For some reason, Eradan was more uncomfortable around him than the others. But if Gandalf did not know that he had only recently been introduced to the elves and the realm of Imladris, he would have said that Eradan had spent his whole life around them, so comfortable did he seem here.

The meal passed in light discussion, as they easily shared stories and happy events. Elrond and Gandalf listened in delight to the lighthearted banter among the twins and Eradan with even Arathorn joining in on occasion. After the meal, Gilraen left to put Aragorn to bed, leaving the others to gather in Elrond's library in order to give their reports to Elrond and take counsel with each other as to what needed to be done next.

Since this was not a formal reporting, they each chose a seat and relaxed back with a glass of wine.

"I take it your patrol was rather uneventful?" Elrond asked, breaking into the companionable silence. He knew that if there had been anything very serious, they would have found him and reported it on their arrival. "I must say that it was rather refreshing to see all of you walk into the dining room under your own power and with presumably no injuries."

"It was not entirely uneventful," Elladan said, staring at Eradan and Arathorn. "There has simply been enough time for certain injuries to heal."

Elrond barely kept himself from sighing as he straightened up in his chair and followed Elladan's glance to the humans in the room. "What happened?" he asked. His healer's eye scanned them both, but could find no sign of injury. Now he wondered what injuries or scars were hidden by their clothing.

"Eradan showed himself a very capable member of our patrol and saved Arathorn's life once again," Elrohir said with a glance at Eradan.

Elrond's eyebrow rose toward his forehead as he looked again at Eradan. The young man's face had flushed slightly at Elrohir's words. "It was not as large a deed as that, my lord."

"I beg to differ," Arathorn said, shaking his head. "Whether or not you believe your actions to be praise-worthy, I do believe that I would not have survived without them, Eradan."

With that, Elladan, Elrohir, and Arathorn filled Elrond and Gandalf in on the cave-in and Eradan's actions. "He has the instincts of a healer," Elladan finished the tale. "Elrohir and I have begun teaching him what he will need to know to be a great healer, and he has proven himself to be an apt pupil. We have never had a need to tell him anything twice."

"Your sons have promised that I would have access to your libraries while I am here, my lord," Eradan said, trying to take the focus off of his abilities and shift them to what he still had to learn. "Is this acceptable to you?"

"Of course it is," Elrond said, studying the young man. "The beginning of wisdom is the willingness to learn. I would take great pleasure in sharing our knowledge with you."

With a short nod of his head, Eradan spoke. "Thank you, my lord." He settled back into his seat, with an inward smile, thinking that he had successfully diverted the attention of the others away from how extraordinary his actions were for such a young man. That thought lasted until he saw that Gandalf's attention was still fixed firmly upon him. The wizard's gaze was intense, seeming as if he were trying to delve into Eradan's very soul.

Eradan forced himself to meet his gaze with an impassive expression, doing all he could to suppress Aragorn and all his experiences and show only the young man that Eradan was.

Gandalf scrutinized the young man, seeing the battle being waged behind those eyes. The battle seemed to be between the two different personas he sensed in this person, and finally, the young man seemed to win out, as the elder, more experienced man was submerged, hidden behind the façade of youth. But Gandalf was now more convinced than ever that it was just that, a façade that he hid behind. What he was hiding, and why, the wizard did not know, could not even begin to guess. He would certainly be keeping a close watch on this young man, though, trying to get to the heart of whatever secrets he held.

"How was the rest of the patrol?" Elrond asked, sensing that Eradan was uncomfortable as the center of attention.

Elladan and Arathorn took turns filling Elrond in on the rest of the events of the patrol, the skirmishes with the orcs and raiders, and reporting on signs they had seen indicating more of the enemy were gathering. As the evening grew late, they spoke of many things of great import. Finally, seeing that there was little more to report, and that those who had arrived today from the patrol were growing weary, Elrond called a halt to the meeting and released them all to find their beds.

Gandalf remained behind when the others left to seek their rest. Elrond glanced over at the wizard as he remained in his chair, pouring himself another glass of wine. "Is there anything else you wish to discuss tonight, old friend?"

Swirling the wine in his glass as he thought of how to answer, Gandalf took a sip before replying. "Tell me what you know of Eradan."

Elrond's eyebrows rose in surprise. "Why do you ask about him?" His voice was mild, but the tone showed that he was quite interested in discovering the reason for Gandalf's question..

"Let us just say that he interests me. He has only ridden with Arathorn twice and each time, ended up saving his life? I would like to know more of this remarkable young man." Gandalf glanced at Elrond over the rim of his wineglass.

Elrond thought for a moment, trying to figure out what it was that Gandalf truly wanted to know about the man. As he thought, he was reminded of his first impressions of Eradan, and thought he could guess what Gandalf sensed in him "Eradan is a remarkable young man, yes. He, as some of the Dúnedain, is gifted with foresight. His gift told him that Arathorn would be in danger on their journey here, and was able to save his Chieftain's life. He has shown himself to be a loyal and resourceful Ranger, despite his young age. What else would you like to know?"

Hesitating, Gandalf tried to decide how much he should say about his suspicions. "Have you sensed anything odd about him, as if he knows more than he should at his age?"

Leaning forward, Elrond stared hard at his old friend. "I have sensed something about him, yes, but attributed it to his gift. Many are the men who have seemed wise beyond their years due to such a gift. Do you think it is something more?"

Waving a hand to divert Elrond's attention, Gandalf did his best to not raise the elf lord's suspicions further. "You are likely correct, my friend. I would like to speak with him further, however and discover what else it is that he has seen." Deciding that he needed to consider further what, if anything to do about Eradan, he changed the subject and they spoke for awhile more. Finally, deciding it was late, Gandalf excused himself and allowed Elrond to seek his own bed. Not feeling overly sleepy, Gandalf returned to the garden for some peace and solitude to think.
-----------------------------------------------------------

Eradan said goodnight to the twins and Arathorn, then retreated to his own room with a sigh of relief. Though they had traveled long that day, Eradan was not tired enough to sleep. The memory of Gandalf's intense scrutiny had him worried. His thoughts whirled furiously as he began pacing the length of the room. He had not expected to meet Gandalf here and now. Eradan worried about what Gandalf had sensed in him. The wizard could see far more than he was comfortable with, even more than Elrond had seen. Eradan did not think he was capable of suppressing Aragorn's life and experiences well enough to hide from Gandalf. If anyone were to see beyond the physical to the soul residing within, it would be the wizard. It was hard enough hiding from Elrond, but he did not think he would be able to keep his secret from Gandalf.

Needing a breath of fresh air to help clear his mind and clarify his thinking, he strode across the room and out to his balcony. Crossing to lean against the railing, Eradan took in a deep breath of the evening air and stared up at the night sky. Gazing at the stars had ever worked to ease his worries and soothe a troubled mind. Taking another breath, Eradan cleared his mind, focusing only on the stars. After several long minutes, his mind wandered back to wonder what he should do about Gandalf. He was sure that his actions had already caught Gandalf's interest, and the wizard would not rest till his curiosity was fully satisfied. Their long friendship told him that there was little chance of misleading or deceiving Gandalf.

'Then why try?' The thought was such an odd one that he stopped short, all other thoughts fleeing his mind. Where had that unusual idea come from? He certainly had no plans to reveal his secret to anyone, for fear of damaging history more than he already had. But a new thought had just come to him. Out of all the people in Arda, Gandalf might be the only one who could possibly have an idea about why he was here, who sent him, and maybe even how to get him home. At the thought of being able to return home, his breath caught and his heart nearly stopped in his chest. How he longed to see Arwen and Eldarion again, to have his brothers know him for who he really was. While he had greatly enjoyed spending time getting to know Arathorn, this was not his home. If there was even a chance that Gandalf could help him, he would have to take the risk of revealing his secret. The Istar might well be one of the very few who would believe him, as well.

Having made the decision to confide in Gandalf, Eradan felt his burden lift and his agitated spirit settle. Now he just needed to figure out the best place and time to start the discussion. This was certainly one for which he wanted no other witnesses. As he was pondering how to approach his old friend, he caught a faint hint of pipeweed on a gust of wind. A smile crossed his face. The only current residents of Imladris who would even consider using pipeweed were the Dúnedain, namely he and Arathorn, and the wizard. Gandalf must have decided to return to the gardens rather than retire to his room for the night. Deciding that there was no better time than the present to approach this topic, and fearing that he would change his mind given time to rethink the situation, he decided to seek out the wizard tonight.

As he did not wish to disturb the other residents of the house, he briefly considered leaving his room by way of the sturdy tree just beyond his balcony, sneaking out of the house as he had done when he was younger. However, while that had been a common behavior of Aragorn's, it was not something that Eradan would do, so he decided to leave the more conventional way…by the door. Being careful to make as little noise as possible, he left his room and made his way outside to the gardens and easily found his way back to the nearly hidden bench nestled into a little used crook of the path in the gardens. It was here that he had encountered Gandalf earlier in the evening, and his guess was proven correct as he spied the first wisp of smoke drifting on the night breeze.

-----------------------------

Alone in the peace of the garden, Gandalf let his mind wander, roaming where it would, and examining thoughts of Eradan as they came to him. There was something very odd about the young man, and he was determined to find out exactly what that was. How long he sat there, mulling over the mystery that surrounded Eradan, he did not know. Eventually, he sensed a presence, and realized with some surprise that the object of his speculation had once again found him.

"It's rather late for you to be out here, is it not?" Gandalf asked, no trace of his surprise in his voice. "Should you not be sleeping?"

Walking out of the shadows to come stand before him, Eradan looked down at the wizard as he sat on his bench. There was no surprise on his face that Gandalf had known he was there. "I wished to speak with you, and decided that as long as we were both awake, I may as well do it now."

"And how did you know that I was awake and would be here?" Gandalf asked, quirking an eyebrow upward.

A smile curved Eradan's lips. "I smelled the pipeweed in the air and knew it could be no elf hiding here in the garden."

Gandalf nodded and hid a small smile. "So you figured you'd find me here?"

"I did, didn't I?" There was a knowing look on the young man's face.

Gesturing to the seat beside him, Gandalf watched as the man sat down and took a deep breath. Gandalf had the sense that Eradan was trying to find the courage to say something or ask a question. Deciding to help him along, Gandalf asked the first questions. "Why did you wish to speak with me? I had the sense earlier this evening that I made you rather uncomfortable."

Eradan looked down for a moment, and when he looked back up, Gandalf saw that there was no longer a conflict behind those eyes. The knowledge and experience of a lifetime shone out of the eyes looking back at him. There was now no trace of the youth in the man. Even the way he held himself spoke of a weight of years, an ease and confidence in himself that very few twenty year old men had. "I was uncomfortable only because I knew you had seen far more than I wished to share," Eradan said, meeting and holding Gandalf's eyes confidently.

"And you have chosen to share this now?" Gandalf asked, guessing at the reason the man had sought him out and no longer seemed to be hiding from him.

"I have," Eradan answered. "I will tell you what you wish to know about me, but I will ask that you allow me to tell you all I intend to say before you ask anything. You may be tempted to discount my words, but I swear it now that all I tell you is the absolute truth."

"Why might I want to discount your words?" Gandalf asked, wondering what this man intended to tell him.

"Because if I heard the tale I am about to tell you, I might wonder about the sanity of the person speaking. However, I hope that whatever you have sensed about me will help you to see the truth of my words."

"All your words have done to this point is make me very curious about what you intend to tell me," Gandalf said wryly. "You will have to follow up that preface with something quite amazing indeed to live up to all you have said."

"I do not doubt that my tale will surprise you," Eradan said, standing up and walking a few paces away from the bench. Now that it had come to it, he was unsure how to start, and began to wonder if this was a good idea after all. Well, there was nothing to do for it now. Taking a deep breath, he turned back to face Gandalf. Locking eyes with the wizard, he began his tale. "When you mentioned that the name Eradan did not seem to fit me, you were correct. My name is not Eradan. My true name is Aragorn, son of Arathorn, heir of Isildur." Seeing Gandalf's eyes widen in sudden shock at that, Aragorn continued. "And this is not my time." Pausing to gauge Gandalf's reaction, Aragorn felt a grin try to find its way onto his face. Rarely had he seen the wizard so flummoxed.

It was near impossible for Gandalf to believe what he had just heard. Now he began to see why Eradan had said he would not be believed. Gandalf's first thought was that he was listening to the ravings of a madman. How could this man be Aragorn, when he had seen two-year-old Aragorn running around earlier. Searching the man's face, he saw the humor in those eyes at seeing his reaction. Deciding to hear more of the man's story before judging it one way or another, he nodded at Eradan. "I think you had best continue your story."

Aragorn nodded, letting the humor of the moment bleed away. "Very well." Knowing this would be a long story, he returned to sit beside Gandalf. "I know you have sensed something different about me. I have seen your curiosity and felt your stares from across the room. We have been friends for too long for me not to know when you have taken an interest in someone." At Gandalf's raised eyebrow, Aragorn nodded. "You first met a young Ranger by the name of Aragorn when he was twenty-five. Or at least, that was the first time I was old enough to remember meeting you. When I left my own time, I was a little older than one hundred years. Upon awakening here, I found myself sharing a body with a young Ranger by the name of Eradan. I have access to his memories, so I have been able to convince others that I am Eradan, but I cannot speak with him, or even truly sense him."

"How are you sharing his body?" Gandalf asked, confused by nearly everything he had heard so far.

"I know not," Aragorn said, shaking his head and looking away. His face was serious when he looked back at the Istar. "I feel I must now go back into my history to help you understand what little I know of how I arrived here. When I was two years of age, and traveling here with my parents, Arathorn was killed by an orc arrow to the eye." He nodded as recognition crossed Gandalf's face. "Upon his death, I and my mother came to live here in Imladris. I was raised as a son of Elrond, and grew up with Elladan and Elrohir as my brothers. To protect me and keep my existence from our enemies, Elrond named me Estel and kept my identity from all, even me. From the time I was two to the time I was twenty, I knew only Elrond as my father. Arathorn was only a name to me, the last Chieftain of the Dúnedain. My identity was revealed to me shortly after I turned twenty, but I still knew very little of my father."

Aragorn sighed heavily and rubbed his hands briskly over his upper arms as if chilled, then took a deep breath and continued his tale by jumping forward in time. "In my own time, I had been talking with my brothers, celebrating the birth of my first born son. In this discussion, I wished that I had been given the chance to know my own father. After falling asleep that night, I awoke to find myself here the day that Arathorn was killed in my history. Though I did not fully understand how I had gotten here, I knew I had been given the chance to save Arathorn. I knew that he would die in that battle if I did nothing, so remained close to him throughout the fight. In the end, the only way I could see to save his life was to take the arrow myself, and that is what I did. I could not stand by and let him die, not again."

Gandalf's face was grave as he stared at the man beside him. Oddly enough, he no longer thought of him as a young man. All he had heard so far would serve to explain the age and wisdom he had sensed that was so out of place in a man only twenty years of age. But did he believe anything he had heard? "If you are truly from the future, then you surely understand that changing anything now will change all that comes after this time."

Aragorn sighed and leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees and looking down at the path. "I know that all too well. I have already seen changes beyond the fact that Arathorn lives. And I do not know how those changes will affect history."

"What other changes have you seen?" Gandalf asked him, worriedly.

"I know one thing that has already changed, in the few short months I have been here. Estel does not exist, and Elrond and the twins are content to leave Aragorn's care to Gilraen and Arathorn, when he is here. It seems that Aragorn will be raised simply as another in a long line of Isildur's heirs to be fostered here. I do not know how that will change the future, but I cannot imagine having grown up without Elrond as my father and 'Dan and 'Ro as my brothers. They have been a constant and comforting presence in my life."

Thinking over his words, Gandalf was worried over what changes would occur. History was not something that should be altered, for each small change rippled outward, touching many other events, causing larger and larger changes, as a pebble dropped in a small pool sent ever-widening ripples outward. Knowing that a large piece of the story had been left out, he leaned forward as well, trying to peer into the man's eyes. "How did you get here? You have yet to speak of that."

Sighing, Aragorn sat back again. "When I fell asleep, I found myself floating in darkness, alone. A voice spoke to me out of the darkness." Aragorn proceeded to tell Gandalf all that had passed between he and the bodiless voice. "It told me that I had no choice about whether or not to come here, or about taking over Eradan's body. It gave no reasons for my journey here, and no hints as to whether I would be allowed to return to my own time. Part of my reason for telling you this is the hope that you can help me go home again." Aragorn ran a hand through his hair and sighed sadly. "I have a life in my own time that I wish to return to, a wife and child, friends and responsibilities. I do not belong here, and I wish to leave before I cause any other changes to history. It is far beyond the ability of the elves to send me back to my time, but I had hoped that perhaps it was within the abilities of the Maiar."

Starting at the word, Gandalf stared at Aragorn. Very few knew who the Istari truly were. Did Aragorn know, or was he merely guessing, hoping to strike a chord?

Aragorn tilted his head slightly. "As I said, we have been friends for a very long time, Gandalf, and I was raised here in Imladris. I have taken counsel many a time with the wise and listened to what was said, and what was left unsaid. There have been many wondrous things I have seen you do, though I cannot tell you of them now. Your identity is well known to me."

At this point, Gandalf stood abruptly and began pacing back and forth in front of the bench, thinking furiously. This conversation had drastically altered everything he thought he knew. Travel through time was not allowed, as far as he knew. How could such a thing have happened? Who could be behind it? Was this a device of the enemy, or was there another reason that Aragorn was sent to this time and place? For he now believed every word this man, Aragorn, had told him. Knowing when someone was lying was a gift of Gandalf's, being able to see into their hearts and minds, and he knew that Aragorn's story was true. However, even Aragorn did not know who had sent him here or why.

"I will need to take counsel with others about this," he mused quietly to himself. This situation was beyond his knowledge.

"No!" Aragorn nearly panicked at the thought. He knew, far too well, that Saruman could not be given this information. And Gandalf did not distrust Saruman yet, not nearly enough, anyway. When the wizard turned to face him with a quizzical expression, Aragorn took a deep breath and continued in a calmer tone. "No, please Gandalf. I have told this tale to only you, and I wish no others to know. I know you would wish to take counsel with others among the wise, but I ask you now to keep this secret to yourself. The elves do not have the power to help me, so there is no need to confer with Elrond or Galadriel. You are the only one of the Istari that I know well enough to trust, so I would wish you not to tell Radagast, Saruman, or any of the others."

Gandalf narrowed his eyes as he stared at Aragorn. "Saruman is the head of our order and is the wisest and most powerful of us. If anyone now on Arda will be able to help you, it would be he."

Aragorn swallowed and proceeded carefully, trying not to give anything away. "I still do not wish you to confer with him, or anyone else who now lives on Arda." Aragorn did not know if it were possible for Gandalf to confer with the Valar or other Maiar who had no physical form on Arda, but he phrased his request to let Gandalf know that he would not mind him informing them, if it were at all possible.

Hearing something in Aragorn's voice that convinced him to abide by his request, Gandalf nodded. "Very well." With Aragorn's knowledge of future events, Gandalf was sure he had reasons for making his request. Not wanting to push Aragorn to reveal information he was not willing to offer, he would have to listen to him, at least for now. Gandalf resumed pacing, though his thoughts were less frantic now, he was simply mulling over his options, wondering how best to proceed. Now that he had been denied the counsel of those upon Arda, Gandalf was left with few options. There would be no texts he could use to research this, as he was quite sure this was the first time in the history of Arda that one had been sent back into the past and given the chance to change the future.

Making up his mind, he turned back to Aragorn. "I need to seek answers, for I have none myself. I will abide by your request and not seek counsel with those who now live on Arda. But I do not have the answers you seek, so I must leave now and do what I may to find them. I will leave tonight and return as soon as I can. You will be here for several weeks, I believe, before your patrol moves out again?"

Aragorn nodded. "Yes, we will remain here for a time to rest. I had hoped you would have the answers I seek, but if you must leave to find them, I understand. I trust you enough to know that my secret is safe in your hands. Do you intend to speak to Elrond and make some excuse for your abrupt departure?"

"No," Gandalf said, shaking his head. "He does not expect me to account for my comings and goings to him." He stared at Aragorn for a long moment. "Though I find I cannot explain how your story could possibly be true, I do believe you. You do not have the demeanor of either a twenty-year-old man, or a madman. If you wish to keep your secret from the others, you must be careful. Elrond, especially, is quite skilled at seeing into the hearts and minds of men."

A wry smile crossed Aragorn's face. "Believe me, I am well aware of this. When I was growing up, I found it quite impossible to hide anything from Ada. It has been the most difficult hiding this from him. I hate deceiving those I love, but they would not believe this, and I do not think I could tell them any of this. They are all much more closely affected by any changes that are being made. I am doing my best to prod history into happening the way it did before, without Arathorn dying," he said firmly, seeing Gandalf open his mouth and guessing what point he was going to make. "I have encouraged the twins to spend more time in Imladris with little Aragorn, as they did after I was brought here. He will need their support through the coming years, and I would hope that they can come to see him as a brother."

Gandalf shook his head slightly. "I would not expect that they would form the same relationship with him that they formed with you. Things have changed." He paused for a moment before continuing. "Though I do see that they have taken quite nicely to Eradan. I saw them laugh and joke tonight in a way that I have not seen in far too long. You do seem to know how to reach them when no other can. Perhaps you will yet be able to convince them to do as you wish. But keep in mind that those here see you as Eradan, not as a loved brother or son. You must be careful in how you treat them."

"I have been careful to allow them to see only Eradan," Aragorn allowed. "But I find I cannot treat them as strangers. Within my guise as Eradan, I have begun to find a place in their hearts. It may not be as it was before, but I cannot distance myself from them, so please do not ask such a thing."

A sigh escaped Gandalf as he looked at the pleading look in Aragorn's eyes. "Very well, I will not ask that. It may be better for you to stay close to them anyway and help nudge history along the proper route if you find it diverging too drastically." He was unsure of what Arathorn's continued existence would do to history, but he could not see asking any man to simply allow his father to die so that history would run true. Nodding to Aragorn, Gandalf gathered up his pipe and swept away down the path to the house. He needed to retrieve a few items before leaving Imladris.

Aragorn remained on the bench, watching the wizard stride away. After a while, he stood and made his way back to the house, letting himself in and walking silently back to his room, lost in thought. It was a long time before he was able to fall asleep that night.

The next morning, Eradan overslept and missed the morning meal. When he finally made his way downstairs, he headed directly for the kitchens, hoping to convince the cook to let him take some bread and cheese to break his fast. As he passed the door to one of the libraries, Elrohir called out to him.

"Eradan! We missed you at the morning meal. Are you feeling well?" Elrohir stood from his chair and approached the young man, holding the book he had been reading.

"I am well," Eradan reassured him. "I merely overslept. I found a book in the library yesterday, and stayed up many hours into the night, reading. I did not realize how late it was when I finally stopped."

Elrohir laughed. "I know we said you could use the libraries, but Eradan, you do not need to read all the books in a single visit."

Chuckling as well, Eradan ducked his head a little sheepishly. "Very well, I will attempt to pace myself and read less at night." He made no promises not to read at night, however, only to do less of it. Gesturing toward the kitchen, he asked if Elrohir would like to accompany him in his quest to find something to eat.

Placing his book down on a table in the library, Elrohir joined him as he made his way down to the kitchens. "You were not the only one missing from the table this morning," Elrohir said as they walked.

"I was not?" Eradan asked noncommittally.

Shaking his head, Elrohir commented, "No, Mithrandir was also not present. It appears that he left sometime in the night. No one has seen him this morning."

"Is that a matter for concern?" Eradan asked, his brow furrowing in concern.

Waving his hand in the air, Elrohir replied lightly. "No. Mithrandir is well known for coming and going unexpectedly and keeping his own counsel. You will learn this as you get to know him."

"If you are sure…" Eradan let his voice trail off. At Elrohir's nod, Eradan relaxed. "Very well, then. I will trust your judgment on this matter." Once they reached the kitchen, Elrohir helped him sweet-talk the cooks out of some of the sweets they were preparing for a later meal as well as the bread and cheese that Eradan had originally thought to ask for. After eating, they went back to the library and spent much of the remainder of the day relaxing and reading.

Over the next few days, Eradan started his lessons with Elrond in healing, worked with Arathorn and the twins on the sparring and archery field, and spent a great deal of time reading. Though he did not allow it to show, Eradan was beginning to get quite anxious as he waited for Gandalf's return and the answer as to whether or not he would be able to go home.

Finally, after nearly a week, Eradan spotted Gandalf in the hallway as he was headed to the practice field. Stopping in his tracks, Eradan stared at Gandalf, hope in his eyes. The Grey Wizard shook his head to indicate that they could not speak here. "I do enjoy my evening walks in the garden, don't you, my boy?"

"Yes, I do," Eradan said, nodding. "And if you will excuse me, I do not wish to keep the sons of Elrond waiting."

Nodding in acknowledgment, Gandalf continued on his way, leaving Eradan to make his way to the training field.

That evening, after the meal, Eradan ventured out of the house and into the gardens, easily finding his way back to the hidden nook where he had previously met with the wizard. As he expected, he found Gandalf sitting quietly on the bench, smoking his pipe and gazing at the stars.

"Mithrandir," he said, taking the seat next to the Istar.

"Aragorn," the wizard said quietly.

Glancing over, Aragorn let Eradan drop by the wayside and became more fully himself. "You have been gone several days. Have you found an answer to my request?"

Inhaling on his pipe and letting the smoke drift out in a long thin stream, Gandalf was silent for several minutes. He finally spoke, his voice soft in the darkness. "I took counsel with those greater than I, and they are aware of your situation. We spoke for many hours, and the only answer I have for you is that they cannot send you home."

Aragorn, drew in a sharp breath, feeling the answer strike like a blow to his stomach. "Cannot or will not?" he asked calmly, though he felt anything but calm.

"It makes no difference, the answer is the same," Gandalf responded. "I am sorry, Aragorn. I will offer my friendship, in respect for the friendship you say we shared in your time. If I can help you in any way in this life, I will, but it is not within my power to give you what you most desire."

Aragorn closed his eyes and let his head hang down to his chest, feeling like the very breath had been stolen from his body. It was many long minutes before he could manage to speak again. "What am I to do now? Am I to live out the rest of Eradan's life and watch my life and my family from the outside? Watch young Aragorn grow up and live my life, finding the woman I love and taking her for his own? I do not think I can stand by and watch this all happen from the outside, Gandalf. I do not think I am strong enough for that."

Gandalf closed his eyes at the note of despair in the man's voice. Reaching out, he laid a hand on Aragorn's shoulder. "The only advice I have is to try to live the life you have been given, and do not dwell on what you do not have. In this life you have Arathorn, the father you never knew. You have the sons of Elrond, who are becoming great friends, if not the brothers you knew. And you have me. Though I cannot always be by your side, you can confide in me whatever you wish. You do have one friend in this world who knows you for who you really are."

Taking a deep breath, Aragorn slowly raised his head. "I do appreciate your friendship and your support, Gandalf. But there are many things that I cannot reveal to anyone, not even to you. I have already altered history with my actions, I will not risk any further changes simply because I wish to share my burden. I accept your friendship, but there are many details of my life that I will never be able to share with you." Straightening his back, he shrugged Gandalf's hand off his shoulder and stood. "If you will excuse me, I believe I need time alone. I would not be very good company this evening. You will remain for a few more days, at least?"

Nodding in understanding, Gandalf replied, "Yes, I will stay for at least a week or two. I will be here if you wish to talk again."

With a quick nod of his head, Aragorn spun on his heel and strode quickly to the solitude of his room.

Over the next few days, Eradan was much quieter than usual, not joking with the twins as he had been accustomed to doing, or showing much enthusiasm for his studies. He spent a great deal of time in the company of the wizard, and whenever anyone would ask Gandalf if he knew what was bothering Eradan, he would tell them that the young man was grieving, and to give him time. Thinking that Eradan was grieving for his father now that he did not have his recovery or a patrol to concentrate on, they let him be, to grieve in his own way.