Some of you expressed an interest in seeing my take on “the talk” between Elrond and Aragorn. Here we get a bit of a peek into Elrond’s thoughts on the matter. The sections of text taken directly from the conversation between Elrond and Aragorn in Appendix A: Here Follows a Part of the Tale of Aragorn and Arwen are in italics.

Comments and critiques are welcome and very much appreciated. I would love to hear what you think!

I am weary. What is the hour? Darkness descends now, but it was morning still when first I called Estel into my chamber and confronted him, my foster son, about his feelings for my daughter. Have I truly dwelt here lost in my thoughts for all the day?

Estel, you foolish boy! Your own eyes have betrayed you.... How could you not know that I would read you as easily as words upon an open page? But...she is of a lineage greater than yours, and she has lived in the world already so long that to her you are but as a yearling shoot beside a young birch of many summers.... How do you dare, Isildur’s last heir, descendant of an all but fallen mortal line, deem yourself worthy even to dream of her favour? She is too far above you.

And so, I think, it may well seem to her.... Surely, I have spoken true! For Arwen Undómiel, the Evenstar, and the fairest of our people still to walk upon these lands, to turn her eye to a mere mortal youth, no matter whom he may claim as his forefathers: even to consider it is madness! And yet, Estel, what fear is it that made my words to you so harsh today? You do not know yet what you desire of me....

But there will be no choice before Arwen, my beloved, unless you, Aragorn, Arathorn’s son, come between us and bring one of us, you or me, to a bitter parting beyond the end of the world.... And what a grievous parting would it be! If it came to that, my only daughter, would you turn from the land of your people, from eternal bliss in the Blessed Realm? Would you abandon me, and your mother, for a mere few years of fleeting happiness in the world of men? Oh, Celebrían, how I long for your wisdom and your counsel in this matter!

The clouds are growing thick now, and the air is heavy with the promise of rain. It rained on that night too, my beloved wife, the night you were brought home to me a mere shadow of what you were. Tormented without mercy at the hands of those foul beasts, those servants of evil, you suffered such unspeakable acts of base depravity I cannot even now bring myself to think upon it. But still, I remember how you writhed on the bed and pulled away from my softest touch, shivering in terror as I fought to heal you. How you begged for death to set you free! I remember in the darkness of each long night that followed how you awoke screaming in terror, still locked in a horrible nightmare from which you could find no escape. I could bring you no comfort, I could not reach you. You were lost to me.

I no longer recognized you, my love. They had consumed you and left behind naught but a battered and broken shell, thin and hollow. You seldom spoke, but when you did, your voice was flat, devoid of all emotion, and though you could not bear to look at me for more than the briefest of moments, those fleeting glances were enough to reveal that the light no longer shone behind your eyes; all that remained was a cold and dark void, an emptiness which frightened me above all else. You were fading, and I knew you had to leave us to save your very life. Much to my shame, I had failed you. Never again will your melodic laughter fill the rooms of this house, nor your smile brighten these now dreary halls.

But why do I dwell on that this evening? Surely, Celebrían, you are now healed and whole, and waiting, safe and content, in Aman, until the day we all are reunited, far from this darkness and despair. Far from this evil.

The years will bring what they will. We will speak no more of this until many have passed.... Estel, my son, I grew to love you as my own, and always you were such a good boy: strong and brave, courteous, honourable, and humble. Born a leader. And though you knew it not, in you I saw again the promise of a line of Kings unbroken, of a grand and noble race undiminished. Not for many generations have any mortal descendants of Elros so reminded me of him, my own brother. Aragorn, Arathorn’s son, Lord of the Dúnedain, listen to me! A great doom awaits you, either to rise above the height of all your fathers since the days of Elendil, or to fall into darkness with all that is left of your kin... We all have placed much hope in you, Estel, and you will carry a great burden.

Many years of trial lie before you...this much I know, and it fills me with sorrow. Again and again you shall be put to the test, and your trials, I fear, will be most harsh. But you must rise above it all, my son, or you will fall. And all of Middle Earth could fall as well with you.

The days darken, and much evil is to come...

And with that, A Yearling Shoot really does come to an end. I regret that I will be unable to post the next story in the series, Into the Wild, at this site. It is a very dark piece—too dark, I understand, for many. I feel very strongly, however, that it is an important piece for me to write. There will be absolutely nothing graphic depicted and the story’s rating will not rise above an ‘R’. And I also want to stress, that as dark as it may get, I do see it ultimately as an uplifting story of strength and courage, and of the triumph of the human spirit over extreme adversity.

The first chapter of Into the Wild has been posted elsewhere. I would have put the links in my profile page, but I have absolutely no idea how to do that (does anyone know how I add information to my profile page?), so I’ll have to put them here: http://www.fanfiction.net/s/5090940/1/Into_the_Wild or at my LJ: http://peredhellover.livejournal.com/

Please, heed the warnings.

If you don’t want to read the next story in the arc, I completely understand. Once Into the Wild is complete, I will resume posting the next story in the series, In Dark Places, here at SoA. So, I’ll see you back here then! :-)