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At Hope's Edge by Cairistiona	360 Review(s)
Lexilooper	Reviewed Chapter: 6 on 12/13/2025
Including me. To think of Bilfen, whose greatest joy was to give comfort to strangers What a beautiful life purpose <:( <3 He shifted, struggling to find a way to hold his left arm without waking the dragon that had been chewing on it. Halbarad had dug out all the splinters, and wrapped it well, but some had been large and deep and Aragorn wondered if a bit of fever was settling in. He felt shivery, but he wasn’t sure if that was from the wound or simply from the overwhelming toll the day had taken on him. He shut his eyes to try to snatch sleep, but jerked them open when a vision of collapsing walls and crushing timbers and a child’s broken body assaulted his mind. Aksdfshgsdh hurt again and now with nightmare visions <3 He sighed without meaning to, and Denlad glanced his way, then to his surprise, quietly came to sit down beside him. Denlad had not spoken to him since the disastrous rescue attempt. Aragorn was not sure the man would ever willingly speak to him again. "I apologize," Denlad said without preamble. "Denlad, you do not need–" "No, Aragorn, I do. My sorrow filled me with fury, and I made you the target when I should have saved my wrath for the foul wretches responsible. It was unforgivable and I apologize." sakdhfsj how I love them <3 "Apology accepted, then. But I never held blame against you, Denlad. Grief makes a man do things his heart would never let him do otherwise." Denlad picked up a rock chip and tossed it toward the fire. "You would think I would learn to control myself better." "If you figure out how, pray share the secret with me. I have plenty of my own moments when anger gets the better of me." <333 what a good response to "I should be better". "I you figure it out, please tell me" "If you have, I’ve not seen them." aww <3 "And now I fear you lie to your Chieftain," Aragorn said drily. "I have never felt your wrath." <33 "That’s because you have never given me cause for such anger." "Now who is telling falsehoods? Either that or that wound has obviously made you delirious." Aragorn’s smile was fleeting. "Perhaps." lolll <3 Halbarad came over and handed Aragorn a cup. "Hot tea. You look like you need something stronger but it’s all we have." aww thanks they can all see "This will do, thank you," Aragorn said, taking a cautious sip. LOL he's like will it burn my insides this time "And that goes for you as well, Aragorn," Halbarad said. "You look fairly well used up." "I am simply tired, and if you will both leave me in peace, I will drink this and lay me down like a good little chieftain and sleep. I promise." <333 yay Denlad chuckled and left to dig a blanket from his own pack, but Halbarad scooted around to Aragorn’s left side. "Let me see that arm before you bed down." "It has not changed since you looked at it an hour ago," Aragorn grumbled, but he gentled his arm from his coat for Halbarad’s inspection. "gentled his arm from his coat" okay what a wonderful way to say that. Love. he certainly would do it very gingerly After some poking and prodding that more than sufficiently awakened the sleeping dragon and brought forth several involuntary grunts and hisses of pain, Halbarad pronounced his satisfaction that thus far there was no sign of infection. "It looks good." THE DRAGON THAT HAD BEEN CHEWING ON IT "It feels terrible." yess being honest "And it will no doubt feel worse tomorrow." Aragorn pulled a face. "Ever do you speak words of overwhelming comfort." lolll so much better than "it barely hurts" claims Halbarad gave him a crooked smile and then retired to the other side of the fire, where he spread his blankets between the men and the cave opening, and lay down with a soft groaning sigh. Aragorn sipped his tea, then set it aside and stretched out on his back. It was a long time before he finally found sleep. awwwww he's doing it againn Impatience with his apparently endless proclivity for making wrong choices oh how this again fits with his feelings in the books As the figure slowly approached the outer reaches of the glow cast by their fire, arms held high, Aragorn could scarce believe his eyes. "Bilfen?" he cried incredulously. Another, taller figure followed him. "Kenevir!" "Bless me if it isn’t that rascal of a Ranger, Strider!" Bilfen Broadbow cried, lowering his hands to clap them together with delight. SKADJSGHKDJH I I SOBBED BILFEN????? ASKDHFJDSGHJHJKS THE JOY UNEXPECTED INDEED His round face wreathed itself in smiles and, completely missing the dumbfounded expressions on all the men, he launched into a rambling greeting. "Halbarad, Denlad... and you two young men whom I have yet to meet... what a wonderful surprise! You know, it was pure chance that I saw your fire. I had to stop to pick a stone from my horse’s hoof and while I was bent low, I saw the faintest gleam through the bottom of the bushes. You’ve a good hiding spot here. I doubt even orcs know of it." He glanced back at Kenevir, who nodded his confirmation. The man’s glittering black eyes silently took in the walls, the horses in the rear, the narrow passage that led to the opening. He nodded again, with approval. Aww the approval of that dour man <3 Bilfen went on, "And I hope you didn’t ride through Bracken’s Ferry expecting a meal at my inn–it’s been closed these last three weeks while we’ve been visiting my cousin in Bree. oh NO I'm so glad but...he doesn't yet know Bilfen tapped his arm. "Strider?" Somehow when Bilfen called him that name, it never felt like an insult, and never before had he been happier to have anyone call him that than at this moment. <33333 oh my heart "I say, young man, are you ill?" young man <3 also is he a certain age here? Perhaps I have already asked Aragorn shook his head, a smile trembling on his lips. "No," he choked, finally finding his voice. "No, Bilfen Broadbow, I feel better at this moment than I have felt in many a long day." Unable to hold himself back, he pulled the astounded innkeeper into a rough embrace, knowing the man would feel the tremor of emotion shaking him and not caring. He reached past Bilfen with one arm and Kenevir clasped his hand, a bemused expression on his face. sakdjdkshgjgshjshjsghsdjhs HUGS HE FEELS JOY "What is this, Strider?" Bilfen said, pulling back to peer into Aragorn’s face. He touched the tears tracking down Aragorn’s cheeks. "Such lines of care and sorrow..." He carefully looked at the rest of the men, at their sooty faces, their muddy clothes and the weariness in their eyes that Aragorn knew was mirrored in his own. "Oh dear. You look... all of you look... oh my. What has happened to put such grief in your hearts?" askdkhdsjsdg he's crying finally <333 The men silently looked to Aragorn to tell the tale. Aragorn walked back to his bedroll and dropped onto it, feeling like his legs would no longer hold him. He swiped an impatient hand across his cheeks and nose and took a deep breath that shook more than he wanted. "Bilfen, Kenevir, sit down, please." aww the impatient wiping away tears that he will not stop now <3 Alarm rose in Bilfen’s normally merry blue eyes. He and Kenevir exchanged glances before slowly lowering themselves to the stone floor beside Aragorn, Kenevir taking a spot just behind Bilfen. They looked at him with expectation and dread. <:(( Kenevir, his tongue long ago cut out by orcs, could only growl his rage and sorrow, but Bilfen was more vocal. "Burned... oh dear," he said faintly. "Oh dear. What of the people? Telvor, the other families? Were they spared?" <:(( oh he must have so many memories of orcs "Annelia. That would have been Annelia. She turned two this summer. Oh dear." So it was indeed a girl. Aragorn glanced at Denlad, but Denlad was staring with empty eyes into the fire. <:((( asdhskdsg and SO YOUNG. And she survived so long. Halbarad cleared his throat. "We did all we could to save her, but the building collapsed. It nearly took Strider, here, with it." thank you for giving him this credit he deserves <3 Bilfen was silent for a long moment, then shook himself. "It is well to mourn the dead, but care for the living cannot be neglected. You men look half starved. I may no longer have an inn, but I do have supplies on my pack horse, which is still outside. I have vegetables, and Kenevir took down a stag just this afternoon. It’s late, I know, but if you will allow, I’ll bring my animal in and fix all of you some food. I always say that food can provide comfort when nothing else can." He laughed softly and patted his ample belly. "I obviously have had much need of comfort in my life." Halbarad managed a chuckle and Aragorn even managed a smile. "You do well to remind us that there is still joy in this dark world." <3333 oh how I adore him and live to be that kind of person. His entire town destroyed and he says "you look half-starved. let me make you a warm meal" <333 and these terrible cooks need it :) Teach Aragorn some cooking, Bilfen Aragorn nodded, but there was not much to say. They had all had moments where the emotional toll was too heavy and they had broken down in tears or in anger, Aragorn included. Denlad would overcome this, as they all would, given time. <3 they have been through much together Aragorn tossed the pebble aside and again leaned his head back against the cave wall, watching as Bilfen busied himself with making a stew. He did not think he wanted any food, not now nor at any time in the immediate future, and the way his stomach turned over as the smell of Bilfen’s soup rose to fill the cave only confirmed his suspicions. He knew he should try to choke something down, that he needed food to keep up his stamina, but he could not face even a spoonful. He stood. "I’m going outside to ensure that less friendly eyes have not spied our cave." oooh "too sick at heart to choke down food even though starving" is great angst Halbarad was watching him with that piercing look that Aragorn knew portended questions about his well-being, questions for which he had little desire to provide answers, even if he had answers he was willing to give. "Before you ask, I will tell you that there is nothing wrong with me." "Hmm." bless you, Halbarad, for your non-committal grunts <3 Halbarad laughed. "Ah, Aragorn, your sword has less bite than your wit when anger has hold of you. But to answer your question... I still have a tongue in my head and, believe it or not, sometimes I actually know how to hold it." XD <33 oh how I love him true words indeed Aragorn snorted. "Your hand is on your sword already. One ill-timed word from me and I fear you will slice my head from my shoulders. So I am sticking with ‘hmm’. It’s safer." XD Aragorn deliberately folded his arms. "Now my hand is nowhere near my sword. Speak your mind." XDDD I love them both "Very well. I think that sending Bilfen and Kenevir to Rivendell is a good idea." "And for that you think I would lop off your head?" hmm "I also think," he continued, "that you should go with them." SKAHDFG I agree I like this opinion But there goes his head :) His patience gone, Aragorn shoved Halbarad back, pinning him against the rough stone. "My life, and my destiny, are my own, to command or forfeit as I see fit," he hissed. "And you forget your place!" oh dear Halbarad gazed at him with infuriating calm, not trying to free himself. "I have not forgotten my place. Lord Elrond conferred on me the task of keeping you safe, and ever has it been that my house has defended its Chieftain. Even if that means risking harm at your own hand, I will do my duty." <333 thank you Halbarad Aragorn’s anger dissolved into shame. He shut his eyes, dropping his head and then his hands and took a step back, appalled at his loss of control. askdhsfdgjsdhjdsk the shame what a good man he knows Halbarad is indeed in his place <3 While he groped for the words to apologize, Halbarad stepped close and grasped Aragorn’s good arm. "If I could, I would take your burden and carry it for you, for surely it is crushing you." aksdhfjshjsg <:( thank you, my brother "It is mine alone to bear," Aragorn whispered. <:(((( THE WHISPER And I can only pray that I find the strength to go on bearing it. Then he worked up a crooked smile. "And I am not crushed. A bit wilted, perhaps, but not crushed." Halbarad did not look convinced and Aragorn’s smile faltered. oh my heart the falter "Truly, Halbarad. I am frustrated, yes, and full of sorrow, but not crushed." He paused as he looked out into the dark night. He spoke almost as if to himself. "I spoke too harshly just now. My life is not solely my own, I know. And long have I accepted that, and gladly do I bear the burden of my destiny. But these days it seems my future lies in shadow, and more than ever I feel that evil will overtake this world before I figure out how to take the first steps toward defeating it." But then he glanced back at Halbarad and cut his musing short. He had no right to add to his friend’s worries by speaking aloud of his dwindling hope, especially after his harshness a mere moment ago. Halbarad was too loyal to deserve the ill treatment he had just meted out. "Your devotion deserves more respect than I just gave you. I am sorry," he said softly, then walked back to the fire. oh oh all true things said and I love your words. But I think Halbarad would be gladder for you also to voice your dwindling hope. He sees it. He has guessed it. You know this. And he just expressed his desire to take your burden. I think he would be grateful for an opportunity to share it. <3

Lexilooper	Reviewed Chapter: 5 on 12/13/2025
"Her," Denlad interjected softly. Eledh cast a quizzical glance at Denlad, but continued, "Her... something to drink." <33 THIS CHAPTER TITLE OH "And no doubt frightened out of her wits," Denlad said. <33 CAN YOU IMAGINE FOUR DAYS Aragorn studied the tangled pile, finding little to like about the situation. Then he sat back on his heels and regarded Denlad. "Why do you think it is a girl?" There was a pause and then, softly, with a note of embarrassment, "I always wanted a little girl." "Do not feel embarrassed, Denlad. It is in the heart of all men to have a wife, a family." He could not stop the wistful tone creeping into his voice. "Your own hope will be fulfilled, Aragorn. Of that I am certain," Denlad said quietly. awwww THIS <:(((( these two dear, dear men He recalled his own childhood, when nightmares woke him crying in the dark and his father would steal into his room and sing him to sleep with quiet lullabies. SKASKDSF PICTURING ELROND DOING THIS <:((((( a father singing to a child is like. The most sweetest thing. And when it's kind Elrond...<3 A longing crossed Denlad’s face, there and gone so quickly that had Aragorn not been watching him, he would not have seen it. "I never learned much Quenya," Denlad admitted. "I barely feel I know Sindarin." Oh how I wish to know all languages. And here, where Sindarin is so beautiful and Quenya is almost like...the heavenly language. How the yearning would be strong. Maybe I should start learning. Or maybe I should try to keep learning something more useful XD "You speak it as well as any Dúnadan," Aragorn assured him quietly. He knew very well the hardships Denlad faced as a child. Far from the gentle life Aragorn had known in Rivendell, Denlad had spent his childhood years on a remote farm, with only his mother for company, and she a woman of questionable virtue and stern demeanor and little in the way of love for her fellow man. Aragorn remembered her reaction when once he tried to speak to her in Sindarin. She had all but hissed at him that he speak to her in the Common Tongue. One of the first things Denlad had done after he joined Aragorn’s patrol was lose himself in learning Sindarin, and he had done well for himself. Learning the difficult language had seemed, to Aragorn’s thinking, like walking through a door that led from darkness into light, and he had felt immense pride in seeing Denlad’s progress. He still held Denlad in high regard, actually. But he did not have the words to say such things without embarrassing the man. Still, Denlad gazed long at Aragorn, seeming to measure Aragorn’s words, looking for their deeper meaning and holding them against his own doubts, and finally, as if accepting their truth, his troubled gaze cleared and he nodded. "Thank you." <:(((( SKASHFJDSSFH I love them thank you for again giving the background <3 "I somehow doubt at this point in time he would be willing to do that again," Aragorn smiled. It was incongruous and probably a little ridiculous, but it felt good to talk of light matters in the midst of such horrors. "Besides, I was a relative. As the Rohirrim would put it, a brother-son, a nephew, although many generations removed." Denlad’s voice held a hint of laughter. "And I am certain that bit about ‘Sixteenth Chieftain of the Dúnedain, Isildur’s heir didn’t cross his mind at all when he decided to take you in." "It may have, I suppose." XD <3 "I wasn’t raised as an Elf. Just raised with Elves. My mother and Lord Elrond both saw to it that I had a thorough understanding of my own people and their culture. Still... there were some surprises." "Such as?" "The food, for one. Or maybe I should say the lack thereof." "Lost some weight, did you?" "A little, yes," Aragorn admitted. "It took some getting used to, living in the wild, missing meals more often than not." that is such a good point. I always have a hard time reckoning those two sides of his life. They would not have tried to make him "soft" or sheltered, but were also certainly not going to treat him with neglect in a place of plenty. That likely would have done more harm than good. They fell silent again, then Aragorn ventured his own question. "And what of you, Denlad? What was hardest for you to get used to when you joined the Grey Company?" Denlad took a long time to answer, and when he did, his quiet reply cut straight to Aragorn’s heart. "Friendship." <:(( OH the shoulder squeeze <3 I love how Aragorn and them all have started saying her as well <3 Again, Denlad always wanting specifically a daughter squeezes my heart "hope lending them strength" <333 "Get back!" Aragorn cried, grabbing Halbarad around the waist and whirling him around to shove him toward Galadh. Galadh steadied Halbarad and they both ran toward the kitchen. Eledh scrambled after them but Denlad remained behind, on his belly, again reaching into the small opening with one arm. "Denlad, get out!" "I think I can reach her!" "No! It’s too dangerous!" Aragorn reached down and hauled Denlad to his feet. Denlad turned on him, fury flashing in his eyes, but Aragorn didn’t give him time to argue before shoving him hard toward the doorway where Eledh still waited. "Get him out of here! All of you, out!" AKSJDSFH Aragorn bodily yanking his men out <3 FURY FLASHING <:( of course It seemed to be holding. His gaze strayed back toward the tangled pile of timbers. I have to try. YESSSSS i would expect nothing less word I learned today: temerity. Thank you. It is a nice one. Skakjdfhs likening the building to a dying man Aragorn pushed himself hard against the opening, trying to gain another few inches... just a few... and his fingers closed on soft cloth and he felt movement under his hand and hope surged wild and soaring within him. He grasped the cloth as tightly as he could and pulled. Again the building groaned and he pulled and the child moved toward him and for an instant hope turned to joy. She’s going to make it... THE WILD HOPE And then the building shook once more and kept shaking and the timbers suddenly collapsed around his arm. He was trapped. He bit back a scream of frustration as pain bit deep into his upper arm and his hand reflexively opened and the cloth fell away. A board clattered to the floor inches from his foot and another scraped across his shoulders and all around him the cacophony of the building's death throes deafened him. He had to free himself, had to forget about the dying child... oh Valar, how can I save myself and not her... but he had to. She was gone. It was over. He choked on a sob and gritted his teeth and pulled his arm. The sleeve of his coat tore and jagged splinters plunged like needles into his flesh but then he was free and scrambling to his feet and running, the child left behind. SAKSDFHSKJHSKFHSJKFS THAT WAS DEVASTATING He staggered out of the building, where he fell to his knees in the mud and buried his face in his hands. He had come so close. So close. UTTERLY DEVASTATING Anger warred with sorrow in the tall Ranger’s blue eyes and Aragorn was certain a large part of the anger was deservedly aimed at him. He dropped his head and grasped his aching arm. oh there are no words "Let me see," Halbarad said, gently pulling Aragorn’s hand back. He peeled back the torn leather. "Now there's a bit of a mess for you. You’ve amassed a fine collection of splinters. It will hurt, but I’ll have to dig them out." "Just get on with it." thank you <3 Aragorn shrugged. If tearing it off at the shoulder would save the child, he would prefer living life as a cripple over enduring the pain he felt in his heart right now. He dropped his chin to his chest and shut his eyes. "Have the men gather the bodies of the townspeople for burial," he said dully. "Since we cannot save any of them, we will at least keep the vultures from further desecrating their remains." oh this is pain <:((((( wails

Lexilooper	Reviewed Chapter: 4 on 12/13/2025
Aragorn had rejected Halbarad’s offer of another application of his beloved horse balm, going as far as drawing his sword in firm, incontrovertible proof that his shoulders were fine. And even with Aragorn’s sword at his neck, Halbarad had the nerve to look smug at the effectiveness of the balm. LOLLL okay that smug look would tempt me as well Bilfen Broadbow was its keeper, a round, cheerful little man who wore a perpetual smile and always greeted Aragorn with an “Oh ho! Lock up your daughters, all you fathers! That handsome rascal Strider's a'prowlin' these parts!” Then he would throw back his head and roar with laughter, and Aragorn could never help but join in, even after the fifth, tenth and thirtieth time the joke was repeated. Many a cold night Aragorn had spent with his feet warming on Bilfen’s hearth as he ate some of the best roast mutton to be found west of Rivendell. AWWWWWWWWW okay are you about to break my heart again You're really good at bringing me to love characters deeply with a sentence or two And I suppose that is because we have Aragorn's perspective, who is overflowing with love for these good people. Which again, is kudos to your writing of his perspective <3 Aragorn pulled up, his men stopping with him. As he tried to see past the thick fog, the hollow ache in his gut told him that there would be no more happy evenings at The Hunter’s Horn. <:(( The town was ruined. Smoke rolled from the ashes of the buildings, and as they rode in, what looked like misshapen piles of rags revealed themselves to be bodies. Aragorn’s stomach reeled as his eyes unwillingly took in the carnage. Men, women . . . Dear Valar, they did not spare even the children. <:(( "That will do, Halbarad!” Aragorn hissed. He was having a hard enough time keeping his bile down without hearing a discourse on the effect of heat on decomposing bodies. He swallowed hard, then continued walking. <:(( There were no signs of life, save for a flock of vultures that flew briefly upwards from a dark bundle on the ground as the men approached, returning almost immediately to their unholy feasting once the men passed. Galadh’s horse shied at the sudden burst of flapping wings, but he brought him under control with a quiet word. Again I love seeing the deeply trusting relationships with their horses, hinted at in The Paths of the Dead <3 They had to go through these sorts of things before they could get there. Also, this is so sad. FIFTY. FAMILIES. Aragorn turned and looked up at his Rangers. “We will check every building, in case there might be someone still alive.” He received quiet nods in answer, and he wondered if his own eyes looked as haunted as his men’s. <:( Unshed tears burned the back of his throat. “Farewell, Bilfen Broadbow,” he whispered. Then he abruptly turned away from the listing building and headed across the street. Mud pulled at his boots. <:((( BILFEN the mud the mud This from a man utterly besotted with his wife. Aragorn stared at Halbarad from a moment, then shook his head. He would never really understand the way Halbarad’s mind worked. skajddhg I love him so much How you manage to write his character so beautifully when we have about two lines of him in the book I do not know Halbarad squatted, his knees popping, and steadied himself with a hand on Aragorn’s shoulder as he bent low to look. “Huh,” he grunted. “I’m not sure. It could be a boot track that the rain partially washed away.” I love the details like his knees popping they make it so real “It seems big for a boot track.” OOH OH I KNOW “Telvor was a huge man. Could be his.” “But look here, that looks like the heel. See the nail marks? I don’t remember seeing a heel of any kind on Telvor’s boots, nor any nails.” oh dear oh dear I know To be fair I also had a hint with the prologue quote Halbarad raised an eyebrow. “You remember the kind of boots a backwater blacksmith wears? I barely remember the color of the man’s hair.” “His hair was black, and the only reason I know Telvor’s boots is from one day seeing him kick a vagrant out of his shop when he was fixing a broken harness link for me. His boots had smooth leather soles, completely flat. They were Elven make–my brothers wear similar boots, and it stuck in my mind. And look at this.” He pointed to a series of swirling arabesques in the dust up against the wall. he remembers go much things <33 “A long cloak dragging the ground?” “Could be. Which seems odd. I’ve never seen an orc wear a cloak.” yesss yes yes Halbarad straightened, nearly knocking Aragorn over as he used him for leverage. LOL “I don’t know, Aragorn. All it really says is that a tall man with a cloak stepped here. That does not explain who, why, or where he is going next or if it even matters a gnat’s eyelash to us. A GNAT'S EYELASH I'm using that oooh the cold echo and finding enough tortured remains of townspeople to fill their heads with nightmares for the rest of their days. <:(( they have far too many of those memories At first, Aragorn searched the faces, trying to find people he recognized, but finally his shredded heart could take no more HIS SHREDDED HEART SKASDKSHK :((( Aragorn broke into a run, hanging onto the hilt of his sword to keep it from banging awkwardly against his leg. oh that's so real And I think they totally do that in the movies? Aragorn bent low and after nearly a minute’s silence, he heard it: a soft whimper. Someone was still alive. OH OH I'm so glad they searched

Lexilooper	Reviewed Chapter: 3 on 12/13/2025
Oh just kidding it's Galadh. That makes more sense. :)

Lexilooper	Reviewed Chapter: 3 on 12/13/2025
Finishing the sausage, Aragorn tossed away the stick and stood up to ready himself for the first watch, assuming that his glare had been sufficient to stop even an oliphaunt in its tracks, let alone any protests from a small patrol of Rangers. lol, like I said. He knows his own power. But even as he started to walk away, Halbarad stood. “Aragorn, wait.” I should have known better. LOL I love him “Feeble old man is just what you look like, Aragorn,” he whispered low enough that only Aragorn could hear him. “Do not think I have not seen you wince every time you lift an arm.” akdsjfhskg this makes me so happy whump is so much better when it is obvious to others. "feeble old man is just what you look like" asjdfsgh Also Halbarad obviously loves him enough that he is ONLY trying to care for him. He's speaking sharply to get through to him, but quietly so no one else hears the words Aragorn glanced back toward the men, but they were studiously keeping their eyes turned away. Too studiously. This ambush of Halbarad’s looked to have been organized by council. “How long have you and the men had this little uprising planned?” LOL he's like mutiny Aragorn this is quite the opposite “Since I saw that you were barely able to lift your pack from your horse.” yesss I'm glad he saw that <3 Again, if I take off my backpack and my shoulders are sore, there's like a bit of silent hiss and I'm like owwww internally Aragorn would be like Nothing He would be like nothing If he actually STRUGGLES TO GET THE PACK OFF HIS HORSE A SMALL GASP EVEN he's hurt and no wonder. His body is still in recovery. “My back is merely sore from where the orc slammed me against the tree. I am quite well, I assure you.” Halbarad subtly but firmly steered Aragorn a step further away from the men. “Then show me you can raise your sword.” oop Aragorn’s chin lifted. “There is nothing so wrong with me that I cannot fight.” AHA EVASION “Aragorn, I do not do this to undermine you.” aksjdhfskjghs <:( <33 YES the gentle and yet unarguable words. He loves him. He is not trying to make Aragorn seem weak, or anything else. He is not trying to undermine his power. They locked gazes for a long moment, until finally Aragorn had to look away. Skajdhdfs looks like I don't want an eye-war with Halbarad either. Impressive. He tried one last tack. “I am the healer, not you. I can be trusted to know the status of my own injuries.” mmhmm “As you wish, then. But pray tell me, so I can learn from such a great healer, how you somehow contrived to stretch your neck around to see your own back.” HA Aragorn struggled to unclench his jaw. Halbarad was only doing what a friend would do, he supposed, much as it galled him to admit. “You are not going to give up, are you?” askdfjghk how irked Aragorn is getting by this is kinda funny to me Halbarad’s grin flashed white in the gathering twilight. “You should know me better than that.” <33 “What I know is that your mother should rue the day you were ever born,” Aragorn muttered, but he returned to his place by the fire and sat on the ground, Halbarad kneeling behind him. YESS sit by fire to be tended to <3 To his disgust, the rest of the men immediately came over and formed a ring in front of him. He scowled upward as three pairs of eyes looked down with varying degrees of worry, and in the case of Denlad’s, not a little amusement. Halbarad’s influence is greater than I thought; he’s turned an entire scouting patrol of Rangers into a flock of hand-wringing maidens. He glared at Denlad. Laughing, hand-wringing maidens. SKADHSF I AM SO CACKLING OVER HERE how I adore them oh Denlad and his mirth <3 The men reluctantly moved back a pace, and then another as they gave way under Aragorn’s murderous glare. But they still hovered close enough to further irritate Aragorn’s already frayed temper. But since drawing his sword and slaying them all was not really a viable option, tempting though it was, he gave up trying to get them to ignore what he knew would shape up to be lively fireside entertainment. For them. As for himself... he would rather face a fire-drake in its den. oh I am so irrationally excited I love this type of thing your murderous glares are powerful but I fear you're overusing them a bit right now. Or the situation is such to grant a degree of immunity to your men. They know what you're tryna do. :) “Your coat, Aragorn,” Halbarad said. yess I love every step of this?? So much?? Aragorn sighed, but he pulled off his leather coat, then his jerkin, and finally untucked his shirt. He grunted as he struggled to pull it over his head. His shoulders really did hurt, there was no denying it, and a small part of him feared that perhaps Halbarad’s worries were justified after all. But even so, he cringed at the idea of the men knowing such. He pulled his arms back down and pulled the tunic back over his head. “It is too cold to take off my shirt,” he said. yesss forced to undress layer by layer in front of everyone with injury so they can check the injury :) “For Valar’s sake,” Halbarad muttered. “At least pull your arms out of the sleeves.” “You do not need to look at my arms. Simply lift the back.” He heard Halbarad’s swift intake of breath and knew Halbarad had nearly lost his patience with him, and the result might be the loss of a perfectly good tunic. LOLL <3 He glanced over his shoulder and confirmed that a thundercloud had indeed formed across Halbarad’s brow. Without another word, he quietly slipped his arms out of the sleeves, but left the shirt hanging around his neck, draped across his chest in a meager attempt to ward off the cold. His skin immediately shriveled into legions of goose bumps. “There. Look quickly before I freeze in this wind, and see that there is nothing wrong with me other than a bruise or two.” Halbarad surveyed Aragorn’s shoulders. “Your back is starting to look as black as Sauron’s heart.” He pressed a thumb against Aragorn’s right shoulder blade. yesss good. It is extreme obvious bruising. and to be fair. He was slammed with teeth-rattling force, so Aragorn hissed and flinched. “Stop! A great healer you are, trying to break what is not broken!” Your reaction says much about your pain, my friend “Never claimed to be a healer.” Keeping his iron grip on Aragorn’s left shoulder, Halbarad used his right hand to rub the balm across Aragorn’s shoulders. It felt like he was grinding rocks into his back. “And the horses do not mind it cold. Besides, it will warm up soon enough.” lol Halbarad my friend. Gently. Although while I would love it, perhaps Aragorn deep down appreciates some rougher treatment right now. Proves they don't really see him as frail and sickly. Plus, hurts more, so I'm not complaining. “They may not mind it cold, but I am not a... wait... horses? You mean this stinking ointment from Mordor is horse balm?” SKADHSFS "a... wait... horses?" “Nothing but.” Aragorn tried to glare over his shoulder, but the fumes were starting to make his eyes water. The men took another step back. Denlad pinched his nose shut and retreated upwind to the far side of the fire, and Aragorn could hardly blame him. He thought he knew nearly every remedy there was, but this ... this utterly defied any description of a decent medicament. Dreadful did not begin to describe the smell. “You may call it horse balm, but I cannot imagine a horse standing still when approached by such a...a... stench.” He coughed and tried waving his hand in front of his face to clear the air, to no avail. Now his nose was running. He blinked and tried not to sniff. SKADHSJF this is glorious lol he can't even sniff cause it'll smell worse “It does smell a little strong, I admit. We usually have to tie the horse’s head to a post so he does not run off,” Halbarad said. “It’s my father’s own recipe, you know. Handed down from his father and his father before him. Family secret.” “Then why did you not keep the secret to yourself?” Aragorn muttered. He pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed wearily. LOL how I love them I am defeated. I am completely and shamefully defeated, and at the hands of my own men; at the hands of my own kinsman, no less! poor guy <3 He suddenly gasped. His skin . . . he was sure it was aflame! “You... ahhh... I will wring your.... ” His threat died to an inarticulate growl through clenched teeth. If he lived through this, he would tear Halbarad limb from limb. “Did I not say it would warm up?” He resisted the urge to leap for Halbarad’s throat. He was sure this... this sludge... was not meant for use on men. “When I have died from the burns you’ve inflicted,” he ground out, “will you at least send my bones to Minas Tirith? Or what’s left of them after this foul paste has eaten through to my very heart!” skakshjsgh his dramatic angry growling is making me happy. And again says something about how much it does hurt, for it he could bear it he probably would. Instead it burns and so he's tryna distract Halbarad with threats on his life and despairing of his own life. “Now, now, it’s not that bad,” Halbarad grinned as he wiped his hands on his own pants. “The burning only lasts a minute or two, and trust me, afterwards, you will feel reborn. It works better than any herb in your pack, I’ll wager. Now, on with that shirt before you catch your death.” lollll yes the rough and backwoods painful cures that do, however, work like magic Aragorn slapped away several pairs of hands that reached down to help. He tugged his shirt back on, then grabbed his jerkin and coat. “I go to take watch,” he grumbled. “Eledh, you best do likewise.” lol <3 He gave Halbarad one last glare before he turned his back ... his burning, aching back... on him and started to climb. He could not believe he let Halbarad smear that... that ... He could not find a word vile enough to describe it. XD <33 He trudged on, occasionally stopping to mop his sleeve against his still-streaming eyes, until he finally reached a suitable lookout spot and sat down to put his clothes back on. Eledh passed him and gave him a sympathetic look but wisely said nothing as he assumed his own position on the outcrop. Aragorn sighed. At least the burning sensation would help him stay awake. Fatigue sat on his shoulders like a oxen’s yoke. <:( exhaustedddd He glanced down at the camp. The men were settling down in their bedrolls, Halbarad spreading his out beside the empty one that was Aragorn’s, making sure to put his own to the outside edge of the camp so as to be between Aragorn and whatever evil that might strike from the darkness. Seeing the evidence of Halbarad’s protectiveness in even that small thing, Aragorn’s anger cooled. awwwwwwww Halbarad had truly meant no harm, and it was not his fault that he was a bit on the ham-handed side when it came to the healing arts. Halbarad was a warrior, not a healer, as he had said. It was not as though Halbarad had deliberately set out to char the flesh off his Chieftain’s back. Aragorn laughed quietly. What an end that would be: the sixteenth Chieftain of the Dúnedain, fallen not to trolls or orc arrow but to a misguided attempt to ease a set of sore muscles. They would sing of it in songs, but not the kind written to extol the virtues of Arnor’s heroes. No, he would have become a character to amuse small children and drunken tavern-dwellers. <33 I love that he doesn't have too much pride to laugh about this Tom Bombadil <3 A poor end to a noble people <:( that's so sadddd “No,” he whispered. The wind carried his word away, lost to the night, but he spoke it anyway. “Our people will not come to an end. We will not fall. We cannot.” awww <3333 But how to keep it happening. The faces of those who fell during the summer paraded before his mind’s eye, one by tragic one. Who would rise to replace the men’s strong arms and valiant hearts? Who would step forward to be mothers to the orphaned children? And what of the children gone? How could the potential of their lost lives ever be replaced? askfshghdjgkj the grief that goes deeper than just the lives lost, but that losing those lives also is hastening the decline of the entire people. There is no one to fill their roles. Aragorn restlessly climbed to his feet to pace the length of the cliff. And what of Bracken’s Ferry? What would they find there? More lives lost? A hollow ache had settled in his gut as soon as he had heard the reports of the attacks, and now that they were only a day’s ride from the village, his growing anxiety made the ache feel more like someone had tied his innards into a hard knot. In his pacing, he crossed Eledh’s post. He stopped briefly and squatted on his heels beside the archer. “Do you see anything?” “Nothing. The area is clear, except for a nighthawk and about three half-frozen crickets.” He grimaced and then slapped his leg. “And mosquitoes big enough to drill through clothing.” “I had not noticed any mosquitoes.” Eledh leaned toward him and sniffed, then coughed. “No, I don’t think they will come near you.” SAJF there you go “An alternative use for the horse balm, eh? Although I would not recommend it. I think I would rather be eaten alive by bugs than endure again the stinging heat of that stuff.” XDD fair “Did it help your shoulders?” He flexed them. “Surprisingly, yes. They do feel better.” <3 “And will you tell him?” Aragorn gave him a sidelong look. “No, I suppose you won’t.” AKSHF XD he knows them well Also He's TALKING He's the one who doesn't talk right? <333 Aragorn smiled faintly, and they sat watching the night, silent but in accord. It was moments like this, Aragorn realized, that acted as a balm to his aching soul just as Halbarad’s ointment had helped his aching shoulders, and far less painfully at that. He eased to his feet and nodded to Eledh, then walked back to his original post. He stood looking into the shadows, and watched as one by one the stars came out. Tomorrow may bring sorrows unimaginable, but tonight, as Eärendil sailed toward the western horizon, all was still under his bright beacon. asjdghsjhsj awwwwww A MOMENT OF HOPE TO CLING ON TO

Lexilooper	Reviewed Chapter: 2 on 12/13/2025
He was frightened by the way his heart ached. Sorrow was an emotion he could ill afford to entertain, for he feared that when he finally gave in to its pull, it would drown him like waves in the sea. ooooh thissss frightened by it <:( Later. I will grieve later. I cannot give into this, not yet. good, Aragorn. You will grieve. This is sad but I think shows his emotional intelligence, he's not trying to freeze the grief forever, just to get to a safe place before really feeling it He felt his horse, Bronadui, falter, ever so briefly, but it was enough to wrench his attention to the needs of the horses. Even one named Enduring could not run at such speed forever. He reined in. “Easy,” he murmured. “You shall rest soon.” aww what a perfect name <3 and very Aragorn to think of the horses as well, as he should Then he turned to Halbarad. “Out with it,” he snapped. Halbarad blinked, his face a mask of innocence. “Out with what?” LOL <3 “You have been watching me ere we were a furlong away from Mallor’s–” His throat maddeningly seized up, and he struggled to hide the catch from Halbarad. “Since we left,” he finished, the lame response further adding to his ire. awww oh gosh he hates to show weakness I think he needs to work on that "his utter nonchalance at being so accused" XD “Even your horse does not believe you.” SKAHF XD Halbarad shifted uneasily. “Very well. Turn those steely gray eyes away from me and I will keep my own off you, if you insist on being so testy about it.” lollll no one wants the glare of Aragorn's steely gray eyes (<3), and no surprise. They make even the Mouth of Sauron quail. Aragorn pointedly brought his steely gray eyes, if that was what Halbarad cared to call them, back to Halbarad’s. LOL <3 “No, it was an order!” Aragorn snapped, then lowered his voice as Galadh glanced their way. “You try my patience, which is already worn perilously thin.” Aww <3 Halbarad knows him well enough to know why, because Aragorn is not naturally an impatient person. And Aragorn feels safe enough with him also to be a little open. <3 “Let me say my piece, Strider,” Halbarad interrupted, ignoring Aragorn as he pulled a face at Halbarad’s use of the less-than-flattering appellation put on him by Breelanders. Halbarad used it as an affectionate insult, but also whenever he thought Aragorn was getting too stubborn, as he obviously did now. Aragorn resigned himself to a lecture as Halbarad went on. aww I kind of love that. Aragorn knows exactly what it means when Halbarad uses it, but he still uses it affectionately. Also, Halbarad taught him. Aragorn may be chieftain and future king, but Halbarad reserves the right to lecture him still when he sees the need :) “You know of what I speak. Your destiny, indeed your very character, makes you take on burdens no single man can carry, no matter how great his strength. I see it weighing you down, as day by day goes by and the shadow grows unchecked. And you need rest, and you are not allowing yourself any. You have not fully recovered the strength you lost to fever.” He stopped, frustration creasing his brow. “If one of us falls, Denlad, myself, Eledh, and yes, even Mallor... it is of no great note save to a few grieving friends and our families. But you are more than just a Ranger, and if you were to fall, either to a blade or to illness or even to the failing of your own hope–” Aragorn winced. He knows. Halbarad had, blast his infuriating perceptiveness, seen through the facade behind which Aragorn thought he was well hidden, and the thought frightened him. ooh YES Halbarad, at least, knows of Aragorn's failing hope Also THANK YOU for refuting Aragorn's belief that kings must hold burdens alone. The burdens are far too much for a single man, even Aragorn son of Arathorn, to carry. But of late Aragorn found it harder and harder to see how hope could prevail, and today especially he felt he would draw his sword against any who spoke of his duty or his destiny. Sauron’s shadow grew in the east, and it was reaching even the uttermost parts of Middle-earth, and how could one man, no matter how strong his heart’s desire, vanquish such evil? Especially one as beset by despair as I have been of late? oooh depressionnnnn But he could speak his doubts to no man, least of all his faithful captain. So he shook his head slightly, pleading without saying a word. Not now, Halbarad. Not now. My heart is too sore. ARAGORN PLEADING FOR MERCY ON HIS TENDER HEART <:( He dismounted, hoping that no one noticed his wince as pain shot across his shoulder blades. The bruises from the battle were stiffening up. yess :) Aragorn squeezed Eledh’s arm, then looked at the rest of the men. “Halbarad, you and Galadh take the second. I’ll take the third with Denlad. Take what sustenance and rest you can, and keep your weapons to hand.” just like Aragorn to take two watches. His duty as leader, maybe, but he also needs the rest :(. Galadh nodded. Aragorn felt a faint stirring of wry humor as he watched Galadh dismount. A nod from that man amounted to a lengthy speech. aww Galadh and his mithril words <3 also thank you for subtly reminding us who's who so I don't have to keep referring back to the prologue :) Aragorn felt a smile tug one corner of his mouth for the first time that day. Only Halbarad would have the temerity to mock his chieftain to his face. And the heart big enough to worry over me like a mother hen. Feeling grateful for such a stalwart friend, even if such faithfulness came with aggravating stubbornness and the occasional round of disrespect, Aragorn walked his own horse to the spring. awwwwww <333 and Aragorn being grateful for even his mother henning hehehe mocking "ah so eloquent but still I do not like the words" and managing to making Aragorn just a lil happier As Bronadui drank, Aragorn pulled his pack off, gasping a bit as again his shoulders protested. ooh that is no average soreness. Making Aragorn gasp = not feel good awww Aragorn's relationships with his horses are my favorite "my swift friend" <333 AWW Mallor's horse took it upon himself to follow Aragorn <33 AKSDHDFSGH thank you, THANK YOU for giving us the meaning of those words. AND THEN THE HISTORY. Augh, beautiful. My heart. Is torn. MAGLOR SPEAKING THEM TO ELROND. ELROND TO SWEET YOUNG ESTEL. AND NOW ARAGORN DESIRING TO TAKE THE SORROWS OF EVEN MALLOR'S HORSE UPON HIS OWN HEART <:(((( TEARS And like. I always wondered about the growing up of Elrond and Elros. Earendil and Elwing were wonderful, and what they did was important, but. Elrond and Elros would certainly have grieved long. Also what is the meaning of Mallor?? It's extremely similar to Mallorn, I like, FINALLY noticed. Thinking of those ancient days always brought a great lump to Aragorn’s throat. oh, mood <:(. It'd be so much worse reading Silmarillion knowing it all really happened. Swallowing hard, Aragorn stroked the horse’s head lightly. “Halbarad says I carry the sorrows for too many,” he murmured, “but I suppose I have strength to carry yours as well.” Suddenly feeling weary beyond all reckoning, he hobbled both horses, and then gingerly hoisted his pack and headed to the camp. <:(((( oh I love him "swallowing hard" Denlad had a small fire going. In a patrol of six men who were all terrible at cooking, Denlad was the best, and the big, fair-haired Ranger usually took it upon himself to take care of what meals they were able to scrape together. aww thanks Denlad After Aragorn dropped his pack and settled down beside it, Denlad handed him a stick with a half-burnt sausage impaled upon it. he's like okay I'm just going to make a habit of dropping my pack. Try and minimize shoulder movement. “That is the last of the fresh meat that doesn’t have a foul smell. Or at least not much of a foul smell. We took a vote and decided to give it to you.” Aragorn was relieved to see a bit of sparkle return to Denlad’s blue eyes, but he worried a bit about the cause. Denlad was known for his pranks and Aragorn would not put it past the man to have spiked the sausage with some wild weed that would set his mouth afire. But Denlad’s gaze seemed guileless enough, so Aragorn took it, nodding to the men around the fire. “Thank you.” He sniffed the meat and added, “I think.” He took a tentative bite and tried not to curl his lip at the meat’s ripeness. He had eaten worse, with no ill effect, but it never made for a pleasant meal. The men laughed, but the mirth soon faded. LOL I love them so much <33 Aragorn nodded again, inwardly relaxing. Orcs and blackness and evil are easy subjects compared with Halbarad’s confounded worries about me. LOL wow he REALLY does not like to talk about his negative feelings Although I have never put much stock in ghost stories, there are plenty of evil things in Arda that have no name but might stir themselves without warning to plague Man and Elf alike. yeah...that's the thing. I'm sure there's plenty of ghost stories but. There's also real magic and sorcery in their world, and so there are also many legends of truth and many beings not really living who serve the dark lord. So. "with a muted cacophony of swords sliding from their sheaths" you are soooo good at descriptionsss Halbarad squatted beside Aragorn as the men settled themselves again. “I’ll trust your imagination over hard facts any day.” <333 I love how quickly they all follow suit to his reaction And how quickly he reacts to the feeling And how much they trust him And how much they continue to trust him when there's nothing VISIBLY wrong, they still know his instincts are not to be trifled with, The Witch-Kinggggg Halbarad cleared this throat. “That reminds me. I think it might be best if I take the first watch with Eledh, then stay through the second watch with Galadh. That will let you have more rest.” <33 THANKS Aragorn narrowed his eyes as his earlier irritation at Halbarad’s overprotectiveness flared back to life. “First all of you vote to give me the best meat, a questionable boon though it was. Now Halbarad is talking of taking my watches so I can rest. Have I suddenly grown so feeble that you feel the need to coddle me like an old man?” He made sure every one of them felt his glare. “The watches stay as they’re set.” OH BOY I FEEL THAT GLARE he knows the power of it and he sure uses it when he wants to. Aragorn. Friend. They are not trying to coddle you. They are only caring for you as you do for them. Will you not let them?

Lexilooper	Reviewed Chapter: 1 on 12/12/2025
His racing heart slowed and battle fever diminished and finally he was left with nothing more than the usual shakiness in his limbs and the sick clenching in his gut that were always his lot after a battle. oh my boy <:( <3 I love this For a moment, Aragorn was sure he would fall into the black chasm that suddenly seemed to yawn before him. He thrust an arm out and steadied himself against the tree trunk. oh his grief is so visceral <3 <:( NO NO NO NOT MALLOR I AM DEVASTATED though not so much as he. Oh, he was only a child. And he was going to be such a great man, and raise a family of his own, and...no. And the SILENCE that keeps him from at least singing or crying his grief, oh it burns. And automatically reading the signs of the last battle And his father also died in service to Aragorn <:( how that must hurt SKADJSFH THE SCREAMS OF RAGE, thank you, thank you <3 like losing Merry and Pippin And the "this is a good sword" equivalent memory <3 AWWWWWW AND ARAGORN BECAME A SURROGATE FATHER TO HIM AND WE WILL WEEP for some reason the herb lore part is especially sweet because that means he cared not just to protect but also to learn healing and all other things Aragorn had to teach him <3 again I need Aragorn to send Elrond a truthful letter just for Elrond to weep with him, honestly. I need him to know he's not alone. "holding himself tightly" oh my boy "of blessing, of farewell, OF FUTILITY" oh it hurts he saved his life <3 just as you taught him <:(( a father indeed Halbarad feels the fell air too <3 felt ancient <:(( "where he so bravely fell", oh that sweet boy I only knew for a few sentences <:(

Lexilooper	Reviewed Chapter: Prologue on 12/12/2025
THIS YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THIS MEMORY THE ONE THAT LEFT ARAGORN WITH HIS FACE DRAWN AS IF IN PAIN Oh beautiful day, I am excited indeed, though I may take some time to finish. Perhaps more reading will be done over Christmas break. Or perhaps I will finish in two days, it remains to be seen. Is the quote about hope's edge from the story or something else? Aragorn writing to Elrond is precious to me <3 I do not think the man is ever bothered by injury or illness or doubt. oh I think he is, but he would be glad you do not see it Awwwww Mallorrrrr he sounds precious <3 and that they all wish for sons like him Thanking the Valar by day for sending these chosen men <333 there is just...such combined weariness and sorrow and courage seeping from this people and this letter Oh my gosh I love each of these men. What a talent you have that you managed to weave such words that they feel like they come for Aragorn himself, radiating his love and regard for them <33333 YES THE TENT <3 signed Estel <33 nooo leaveitleaveitleaveit I want Elrond to see this beautiful letter <:( SKADFSHD the thought of seeing his people die out is heartwrenching besides Halbarad gotta go you can't write a new letter Nooooo kings are indeed meant to have supporters to help them bear the burden He's so lonely :(((( Aragorn paused, then squeezed his eyes shut. "I am sorry, Ada, but I dare not tell you the truth." SKADHSGKJ NO these are the most painful words I desperately want him to rewrite and send that first beautiful letter :(

PSW	Reviewed Chapter: 24 on 3/22/2018
Hee! Even after multiple reads, this story about little Estel is still my favorite I’ve ever read. It makes me smile every time ... Author Reply: That makes me so happy to hear, thank you! I had a lot of fun imagining and writing that little memory. :)

PSW	Reviewed Chapter: 999999 on 8/20/2016
Yep....it was good this time through, too. :-) Thanks again for writing, hope all is well with you! Author Reply: Ah, thank you! I'm glad it's holding up over the years (and to multiple readings!) All's well here... busy with real life and family and a daughter in her last year of high school. Who was 8 when I published this. Yikes, does the time fly.

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