Eternally Bond

The Palantir

21. The Palantír

Aragorn stood from the ground and looked around him at the sleeping forms in the room. The celebrations had ended a few hours earlier and all soldiers who had remained now shared the bedrooms of Meduseld in a peaceful rest. Aragorn had been unable to sleep and decided to get some fresh night air. With watchful steps he stepped out of the room, careful not to wake anyone.

Once outside the crowded room, he closed the door gently and looked around at the emptied main hall. The warming fire had long since diminished and all that remained now was a soft glow as the chillness of night slowly crept over him.

Aragorn glanced behind him and his mind wandered to the two maidens in their room down another corridor. In truth, he hadn't expected things to run as smoothly as they had between the two women. He'd expected Éowyn's jealousy to take more hostile forms, but was glad to see she had quite easily fallen into friendship with the elf maiden. Arwen seemed still to remain unaware of the fair woman's emotions, but even if she had been aware Aragorn doubted she would have felt anything akin to jealousy.

His thoughts reached out to the elf maiden as he remembered how the evening had progressed after she and Gandalf had returned after their talk. Arwen had gently refused to answer anything about what the wizard had told her, but it was plain to Aragorn that she was distraught by whatever it was. He knew her well enough to see the plain storm in her silvery eyes that wreaked havoc inside.

He was also aware, however, that she had been more than patient in the past whenever he had withdrawn into his own mind as the topic of his ancestry had come up. The least he could offer her in return was the same patience. When she was ready, he knew she would come to him with her worries, whatever they were.

Aragorn pulled himself from his pondering and walked over to the gates of the hall and opened them with a powerful nudge.

The cold night hit him hard as he closed the gates behind him. He took another step forward and turned to the east. He was taken by surprise when he saw the other figure also awake at this late hour. Cautiously, he walked over the person who stood leaned against one of the pillars and looked east in silence.

"Could you not sleep either?" Aragorn asked in a soft voice.

Arwen jumped at his voice for she had not heard his approach. She turned to watch him and a somber look flashed through her eyes.

"Is something the matter?" the ranger pushed on when Arwen remained silent.

"It is just…" Arwen began, but seemed unable to find the right words. With a deep sigh she turned away from him and watched the night sky again. Aragorn followed her gaze and far away on the horizon saw the dark shadows and bright fires of Mordor. Wherever the shadows touched the heavens above they seemed like poison, for a thick, dark cloud hovered above so that neither sun nor moon could peek through.

As he glanced back down at the pensive Arwen, Aragorn realized his assessment that he would be patient might have been the wrong course of action. Instead, he leaned against the pillar behind the maiden, put an arm around her waist and gently tugged her closer towards him. Her back came to rest against his chest and her long hair flowed between them, preventing their clothes from meeting in the middle. Gently, Aragorn stroked some of her hair away from her face and leaned his cheek against hers. She sighed in contentment and Aragorn felt her body relax against his.

"Arwen, I know something is troubling you," he whispered. "You know I will always be here for you."

"It is nothing, love," Arwen assured but Aragorn could feel her tense against him once more. "There are simply too many thoughts running through my mind."