Let's go for some downs,
All translations are from Sindarin.
Gif from Google
Enjoy and comment
I'm re-reading the last letter Aragorn wrote to me almost 3 weeks ago.
Hey Narw,
So, Nas' married. Nat's pregnant. I'm doing well. (Your Mother says I am not taking good care of myself and you should come back to keep me in check. I highly disagree.) Patrols are very quiet, the most exciting there was, was a wolf pack passing the other side of the river.
We all miss you terribly and hope you are doing well.
Now, I didn't understand what you meant when you said we are courting in Rivendell. Do you wish to court me in Rivendell? Or did Elrond understand that we are courting?
See you soon, and very soon, I need my second in command.
I smile but frown. His letters don't take this long usually. I stand up and head to the library.
--
It has been a month and I am sick of waiting so I am all packed up and heading to the stables.
"Are you sure you can't stay a little longer?"
"No, Elrohir. I cannot stay any longer." I respond for the fifth time.
"Your worried about that Chief of yours, aren't you?" Elladan grins.
"Him, Nas, Nat and all the other Rangers." I smile softly at the thought of my other family.
"Travel safely."
"I will, Arwen."
"Be careful."
"Yes, Lindir, I will be."
"You are welcome here."
"Thank you, my Lord Elrond."
"Don't forget to breathe when you flip you opponent over."
"I won't, Elladan."
"And keep that head of yours away from the others weapon."
"I have experience, Elrohir, I know where my head belongs." I answer all of them.
"And your heart." Arwen smiles.
"I still have to tell him that everyone in Rivemdell believes us to be courting." I chuckle as I stroke Lathron. I swing myself up the saddle.
"Garo lend vaer." (Have a good journey.) Elrond wishes me. I wink at all of them then turn around.
"Go!" And so I leave Rivendell behind me.
--
I pull Lathron's reins. I can smell smoke and ashes. I can see black smoke in the distance. I hop off my horse.
"Dar hì." (Stay here.) I grab my sword and my new short swords that I was bestowed with in Rivendell and walk away towards the smoke.
I thank Mahal for my enhanced sight because I wouldn't have been able to see much other wise. The thicker the smoke becomes, the worse my fear gets. I abruptly halt when I spot a body on the ground. I make my way towards it and turn him around.
"Nahstor?" I whisper. Tears stream down my face. His face is pale as snow covered in black ashes and dried blood as well as black blood. His face shows no sign of pain only... determination.
"No. Please no, Mahal, Valar, please! PLEASE NO!" I start screaming my lungs out at another brother's death. I jump up and run towards the camp, or where it used to be. Dead Rangers and children are laying everywhere, all cabins burned to the ground. I feel my knees buckle and hit the ground. I hear someone scream, a broken, painfully raw, and furious sound. It takes a while until I recognise my own voice filling the silence.
--
I drag the last body on the pier I made. I do not know how long I have been here since the dark is hiding the status of the sun. I don't care. I cover the child with it's cloak and put it in it's mother's arms. I grab the torches i lighted up.
"Losto vae." (Sleep well.) I muster before I throw the torches on the Dead. The fire catches and spreads. I sink to my knees and cry until I have no tears left. I remember things they have told me.
"We love you, Narw. You are one of ours. You are part of the Dunedain, you are my daughter and my son's and daughter's sister. You are one of us, understood?" (Mother.)
"You should pick a husband here. No where else will you find a heart more loyal than here." (Fellow Ranger.)
"Get used to company." (Aragorn.)
"Eat the food and keep your compliments, Narwyn. I am the cook of the Dunedain, there is no need to thank me for my work." (Neighboor.)
"Do you think he likes me? He looks so good and he's so kind and he's...everything. I'm just...me." (Nhatver)
"You are a thief. Stole my sword, my cape, my knife, my boot, my brush and my horse. You'd think that would be enough. No, you had to steal a piece of my heart and had the audacity to replace yourself with it. " (Nashtor.)
"Each flower has a specific meaning. This is a Lily, it symbolises purity. My favourite one is the tulip. They mean royalty, but there is one with purple shade that also means perfection. That is my favourite of all." (Neighboor's child.)
I get up long after the fire died down. I track down Lathron. He is eating peacefully. I somehow manage to get on him without falling, still thinking of all the faces I just saw. Until it hits me. There is 1 face I didn't see. There is one handsome face I didn't see when I checked for any survivors.
"Aragorn." I follow a trail of footprints. Five Ranger footprints. Aragorn is the one at the front, always is. I follow the footprints until they keep getting messier. I jeep following until it looks the trail stops by a river. A river heading South. Judging by the fire, this has happened no longer than 3 days ago. Aragorn doesn't leave his people behind. He would fight until he drops. So he must be around.
"Or he somehow escaped unwillingly." I finally get to the river part and get off Lathron. By the look on those Orcs faces and wounds, Aragorn was here and fought them. I crouch down. Black blood of Orcs and... red blood of Aragorn. Except Aragorn isn't here.
"Where did you go, you idiot?" I mumble and call my stead.
"Let's find that Chief of ours." I whisper and follow the current of the river.
--
I enter the tavern silently. I eye the entire tavern quickly.
"One room, please." I pay the barman and he hands me a key. It's been months since I have been tracking Aragorn. I pass 3 men who seem very drunk.
"Oy! I bet you that I could take down your Strider fellow, of yours!" I stop. Did I finally catch up with him?
"He's one of' em Northern fellas. Notin' to take pride off. Heard they a' dead!" Many cheer. I clench my fists and silently climb the stairs. I walk until I hear a sound. A silent, heartbreaking sound.
"It's my fault." I freeze at that voice. Could it be? I almost run to that door and grab the handle. Locked.
"Wrong room."
"I disagree." I hear shuffling. Then the door swings open and I enter and lock the door. Then my back collides with the wall. I look in my Chief's eyes and almost whimper at the pain in there.
"You know, don't you?" He smells of ale and weed.
"Yes." He lets go of me and falls to his knees.
"I failed."
"You didn't. You survived."
"You say that as if you knew what I'm going through." He looks up at me. I kneel before him and grab his face.
"When was the last time you were sober?"
"I AM sober!" He yells. I grab his face and kiss his forehead.
"Let's go to bed." I stand up and grab his shoulders. He slowly stands up and puts his hand on my waist.
"I missed you." He whispers.
"I missed you too." I mumble and lay him down. I take off his cape, then his shirt until he has a bare chest. I grab his dagger and put it under his pillow.
"You look pretty. Beautiful. Enchanting." I chuckle at him. He is so cute when he is drunk, well, hammered.
"You're not too bad yourself, Strider."
"Aragorn. I prefer it when you say my name. It sounds prettier." He lays down again and gets under the covers. He pulls me down as well and wraps his entire body around me.
"How does my King sound?" I smile amused.
"As if you put a spell on me." I shake my head and pull the covers on the both of us. The darkness and quiet are the only thing present beside our breathing.
"You'll be here when I wake up, right?" He mutters against my skin.
"Mhmm."
"You will be alive."
"And stealing something, as always."
"Promise me."
"I promise to be here, alive, when you wake up, Aragorn. Any other requests my King?"
"Don't leave again, my Queen." I stay silent for a while. I have never heard him say THAT before.
"I won't. Now sleep." I close my eyes and I can feel him smile.
--
I blink. A few times. Where am I? I try to turn around but strong, tense arm hold me in place.
"Aragorn?" I whisper, trying to wake him up. He mumbles something. I grab his face. Why is he so sticky? Oh Valar, he's crying!
"Aragorn, wake up. It's a nightmare." He tightens his grip on me. I pull my arms up and roll him over on his back. I put my mouth near his ear.
"Wake up, Aragorn. Open your eyes. Please, wake up." He mumbles louder and starts shaking. I grab his sword and make some noise with it and he jolts awake.
"NO!" I put my hand on his mouth to muffle his scream.
"Hush now. No need to wake up the entire castle." I scold him like I used to scold my brothers.
"Narw? You? You're back?" He keeps crying.
"I am." I smile at him, tears streaming down my face. His hands grab my face and pull me closer to him to make sure that I am here and not his hallucination. His thumbs wipe my tears away.
"Don't cry, please. That will make me cry." He smiles.
"Happy tears. I found you." He chuckles and pulls me closer.
"You have." He holds me for a while. He then seems to realise in what kind of position we are in. Him shirtless and me on him.
"I am sorry for whatever I may have told you, thalielen." (My hero.) I roll my eyes.
"It's alright. I like that version of you. More...complementing." I grin. He tenses up.
"What did I say?"
"Um...oh yes. You called me pretty, even went as far to tell me I am enchanting. Which, since you know Arwen, is mighty. Then we have you complementing your real name when it comes from me. And... ohhh. Of course." I smirk and try to get up. He traps me, although feeling embarrassed if the rosy cheeks are anything to go by to.
"What. did. I. do?"
"Tell me of what happened and I will." I level his tone of dominance. He growls in frustration.
"Orcs. They attacked at night while we were scouting. Tossed me in a river."
"Show me." He looks at me questioning.
"You were bleeding when they threw you. Show. Me." He curses then slowly lifts me off his chest. I sit beside him and he lifts his leg and shows me a nasty scar. I trace my fingers over it.
"This is how you knew I didn't die, isn't it. Because I was the only one with such an injury." He asks disappointed in himself.
"I knew you were alive when I didn't see your face among them." I keep my focus on his leg.
"You saw them?!"
"I was coming back. I saw everything burned down. I took them all and put them on the biggest pier ever seen." I look at him. He pulls me back against him.
We stay like this for a while, enjoying the heat. I glance at the window. The moon is still up. A few hours before dawn.
"Anywhere you would like to visit?" He mumbles against my hair.
"I 've met Men, Elves, Wizards and Dunedains. I'd like to meet Dwarrows and Hobbits." I put my arms around him and lay back down.
"I heard of Erebor being a nice place to visit. You will enjoy it."
"Will you?" I ask tired.
" 'Course." I bring my hand up to his hair and play with it.
"At some point we will have to travel to Gondor. I'll show you beautiful places. Most of them are unheard of except for a few Lords and Ladies."
"We will have time for that once we have travelled everywhere else."
"We will travel to Gondor, whether you like it or not. We are in Bree. To go all the way to Erebor from here would mean to go through Gondor. Besides, I want to visit Winterfell again."
"Well, maybe we can go to Winterfell." I hum in content.
"What did I call you?" I stay silent until he starts poking my sides. He will keep me from sleep until I relent.
"My Queen."
"WHAT?!"
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