Hunter of the Rings

Chapter 35

"Please, your majesty, do hold still" an impatient seamstress requested for what sounded like the tenth time, moving the man's arm back to where she needed it before resuming taking his measurements with a frustrated huff. The man simply nodded, mumbling out an apology before asking for how much longer he would have to stand there like a statue "couldn't this have waited?" he wondered. Maddie, silent as a mouse, watched on from the entrance; she took in the man's figure, pleased to see no wounds or signs that he was in any pain. She let out a deep sigh of relief before zoning in on the man's face; it was washed with impatience and worry, visibly fidgeting with eager for the fitting to be over and done with. "Soon, your majesty, soon" another assured, her tone holding no sympathy as she reminded him that his coronation was quickly approaching, yet he had nothing appropriate to wear for such an occasion. "That is where we come in, but we need measurements!" she declared. Letting out a tired sigh of surrender, Aragorn chose to remain silent, knowing he was never going to win this argument; the last of the seamstresses, one much kinder than the others, noticed and paused in her work, looking up to him with a gentle smile. "We'll be done soon, your majesty, then you can return to the girl's side" she promised. Everyone knew all too well where their King truly wished to be; it was where he had spent the last three months, other than when he was forced and dragged away for royal business and meetings. Aragorn thanked the kind woman's word with a simple nodded of his head, sighing once again as his gaze turned over to the window. His mind cast back to the sleeping teenager, hoping she was warm, but not too hot. Cool, but not too cold. Comfortable, but not so that she wished to remain asleep. "I just...I can't think about a coronation...or anything for that matter...not until Maddie awake and well" he admitted, his voice stained with pain and hope. Maddie, tears threatening to fall, felt her chest grow warm and bloom upon hearing the man's words; he was worried sick, yet never gave up on her. Maybe, perhaps, it was finally time to pull him out of his misery and put his mind to rest. 

"Well, now there's no excuses" Maddie, after taking a deep and calming yet shaky breath, spoke; her voice was weak and small, almost as if it had been shushed, but she spoke and was heard. Any possible movement the man was making froze, his eyes wide as he remained still; the seamstresses would have been overjoyed, if it weren't for the kinder one of the three moving back and pulling her colleagues along. Aragorn was almost afraid to turn, but is thumping heart forced him to; he glanced over in the direction that the all too familiar voice he had missed so terribly had come from. Only able to move a step, the man used it to return his feet to the floor from the platform, facing her head on with a gaze of disbelief, a hint of hesitant happiness lingering from afar. "...Maddie" Aragorn whispered, his eyes, glazed and afraid, never leaving the young girl's face; he had only felt so terribly scared a handful of times and most related to the person before him. When she had ran away and continued onto Mordor alone was one. He wondered if he might be dreaming, or even experiencing some sort of hallucination! It wouldn't have been the first. All he was waiting for was to suddenly awake with a jolt, calling out Maddie's name with desperation, having seen her only a few short steps away seconds prior. But then all he would do was simply glance to his side and find the same once alive and smiling girl still fast asleep in her death like state, lay in bed with her blanket tucked in and unmoved. For weeks, he had pleaded and prayed to the Gods to return his girl to him, but they had failed to hear him. Had that really finally chanced? Or was this yet another cruel trick that would leave him a tearful mess?

Slowly nodded her head, it were as if the girl had looked into his mind and read his doubtful thoughts "I am here, Aragorn" she promised, carefully stepping closer to the man before being forced to stop from a growing pain that shot through her foot and up into her right side. Swallowing down any sign of her discomfort, Maddie blinked through the glossiness that had developed in her eyes and breathed "I am right here" she repeated, her lips beginning to tremble as the tears finally spilled "I missed you" her voice broke, falling silent as she began to cry like a child. The sight alone was enough to break the man from his shock induced trance! Lunging forward with a speed that rivalled that a released arrow, Aragorn wasted no time as he closed the gap between them, wrapping his arms around the teenager's slender and almost brittle body as he pulled her close. Maddie's own arms were around his middle in seconds, clutching onto the back of Aragorn's shirt as she buried her tear stained face into his chest, muffling her voice as her cries quickly changed to sobs. Such sounds were heart wrenching destroyed any and all who were near. Her friends whom had followed her through the palace in an attempt to return her to her bed had stood by the door in silence, watching the silence with both anticipation and excitement to see the man's reaction. But now? Their own tears threatened to spill, even so much so that Arwen was forced to cover her mouth to prevent her own sounds of sadness to escape. Gimli simply took her hand, a surprisingly gentle gesture that gave much comfort as the two shared a simple smile. "Oh, Maddie" Aragorn held the girl close, cradling her as if she might disappear any possible second; he uttered words that she could not understand, for they were they were the elegant Elvish language. Pulling away ever so slightly, the King cupped Maddie's face in his calloused and comforting hands, planting his lips to her forehead over and over before once again cradling her close. Aragorn did not want to let the child go, fearful he might wake up any moment with agony and disappointment to find her sleeping in her bed.