Summary: Arwen reflects on her feelings for Aragorn the evening before his departure from Imladris. This takes place the same evening that Elrond told Aragorn he would wed nor pledge troth to any woman until the time had come and he was found worthy of it. But what was Arwen thinking during all this? This was written for the 500 word challenge, theme #8: Hidden. (Though the added last paragraph puts the count closer to 700 words. Just consider this the Extended Edition of the story.)

A/N: According to Tolkien, 'Then Aragorn took leave lovingly of Elrond; and the next day he said farewell to his mother, and to the house of Elrond, and to Arwen, and he went out into the wild.' In my understanding of this, even though Elrond's words to Aragorn seemed less than loving, and they both knew that one day one of them would lose Arwen to the other, their parting was not an acrimonious one. I believe they agreed to set the subject aside and move on, so that when Aragorn left, he did not do so in anger or with hard feelings between him and Elrond.

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Arwen sat on her balcony, watching Aragorn with the twins in the courtyard below. The three brothers sat upon the benches discussing many things. They seemed to be avoiding the topic of Aragorn's imminent departure, reminiscing instead about their travels and adventures. Arwen's lips curved upward into a smile as whatever had been said caused all three of them to burst out into sudden laughter. She loved watching the three of them like this. She loved them all, the brothers she had known her whole life, and the young man she had only recently met.

As the thought flittered through her mind, she focused her attention inward, no longer seeing the scene before her eyes. She loved Aragorn. Many times over the months they had known each other, she had seen the love Aragorn felt for her shining in his eyes. He would not speak the words aloud, for fear of seeming too young, too forward or too brash, but she knew the feelings were there. She, in turn, had hidden her feelings for him. If she allowed herself to speak the words aloud, to even acknowledge her feelings to anyone, she would be opening a door she could never close again. The love they felt for each other was not the simple matter that it was for most people, assuming love was ever a simple matter. No, there were many other things to be considered. If she truly wished to be with him, she would have to give up the immortal life of the elves and live out the remainder of a mortal life before succumbing to the death that all mortals must one day face. She was not sure if she was brave enough or strong enough to make that choice. Was her love for him strong enough to face that test? She did not yet have the answers to those questions.

But beyond that, she had other things to think about as well. If she chose Aragorn, she would be giving up her family as well. She would never be able to sail, to join her family in Valinor. The thought that she would rejoin her mother in Valinor had sustained her through those horrendous nights after Celebrían had sailed. Not ever seeing her mother again…the very thought sent a knife of pain stabbing through her heart. And her father, oh she could not stand the thought of causing him pain. She knew very well that her father would be hurt beyond measure if she left him to join her life with Aragorn's. Though her father loved Aragorn as a son, he knew that he would one day lose the man to a mortal death. He had never thought to lose his daughter the same way.

For all those reasons, and for many more, she would keep her feelings locked away in her heart, hidden from all. Only in the privacy of her rooms, alone with her thoughts, could she acknowledge how much she loved Aragorn.

Another bout of laughter from below her balcony caught her attention, and she lifted her eyes from her lap, where she had been staring at her hands, clenched so tightly that her knuckles were white. Aragorn had looked up at the same moment and caught her gaze with his. For a brief moment, their eyes locked and spoke the words they could not yet say to each other. A soft smile touched Aragorn's lips and Arwen felt an answering smile cross her own face. Elladan said something then and Aragorn turned his attention back to his brothers, but Arwen felt the ache in her heart ease slightly. She had a feeling that though their time was not yet come, this choice still lay before her, and one day it would not be such a difficult one to make. With that thought, she stood up and left the room to go join the three brothers in the courtyard. She would not squander this last evening with Aragorn. Tomorrow, they would say their farewells, but for tonight, she would enjoy spending time with him and the twins, hearing more tales of their adventures