Hobbit/The Lord of the Rings Imagines

Aragorn ~ Sword 4

Aragorn returned but not alone. Four hobbits were with him, one grievously wounded and barely holding onto life, the elves instantly taking him away as the others all looked on worriedly.

Aragorn looked exhausted.

But he still smiles when he saw me approach, a worried expression on my face.

"Isola..." He pulls me into a tight hug, one I returned even as my heart thumped loudly.

"Are you alright?" I asked as he pulled away, looking him over and noting the dirt and mud and scratches.

"Just tired, nothing a good rest and bath wouldn't fix." He sighs. "It...had been no easy task getting back here."

"They were saying the nine were back out, that they were-" I gasp as his expression turns grim. "You saw them?"

"Saw them and fought them." His voice was solemn. "That was how poor Frodo got wounded. I was not quick enough."

"Aragorn you cannot blame yourself." I said, taking his hand. "These are the nazgul, they are beyond us. The fact that you survived at all-"

Aragorn smiles again and places his other hand over mine. "I am fine Isola."

I felt heat creep up my neck. "Then stop making me worry and go and get cleaned up and rest."

He chuckles and kisses my forehead. "You are too good to me."

"I mean it. Go. Go!" I practically pushed him along even as he laughed.

The following days were tense, the air filled with nerves as rumour spread of what the hobbit had been carrying.

Aragorn was heavily sought after in this, as they relied heavily on his account of what had happened, so it gave us little time to talk.

He found me working hard at the forge, mostly to distract myself from the air that seemed to suffocating Rivendell. He watched me work for a while, I was too focused to notice, his brow knotting with worry the longer I worked.

Eventually, he comes over.

"Isola, you need to take a break." He says gently as I glance up from what I was doing.

I give a small smile. "I've worked longer than this before Aragorn."

"I am aware." He said. "Lord Elrond told me you've spent much of your time here."

"It passes the time quickly." I dunked the blade I was working into the tray of water, steam pouring out.

"So do many other things." I look at him, noticing the concern in his features.

"You think I've been working too hard?" I ask, raising an eyebrow. "Aragorn, if war is indeed coming, we are going to need all the weapons we can get."

His face turns grave. "And that is what I didn't want you to worry about Isola. This does not have to be your fight."

I face him properly then, confused. "And what is that supposed to mean? Do you expect me to sit and do nothing?"

"Never." He said quickly. "I simply wish...for you to be careful, I don't want you going out there, I want you to stay here where it is safe. We both know that a meeting is coming up and we both know what is going to be decided there, and I do not want you involved in it."

I take it in slowly, trying to discern the meaning from his words, as he looked at me almost pleadingly.

"Aragorn, you know as well as I do that adventuring is not for me, the only reason I survived out there was because of you, but I am still going to do all I can here, no matter what you say."

Aragorn clasped my shoulders tightly. "Isola, I-"

"Aragorn."

We both look up, Elrond's boys watching us.

"Father wishes to see us."

Aragorn's hands slowly slipped from my shoulders, his eyes returning to mine. "We'll finish this later."

He turns and follows the brothers, leaving me confused.

He didn't have a chance to see me later as Elrond made him leave with his sons on some mission or another.

However, it seemed the perfect opportunity for him to talk to me.

I was setting up for another day in the forge, deciding that that was where my frustration was going to be going, when Elrond approached.

"Isola, I have a favour to ask." He said.

"Lord Elrond, it is not too often that I see you here." I gave a strained smile, one that e noticed.

"I understand that you are finding this hard to deal with but I must ask that you have patience." He said it kindly, but all it did was irritate me.

"Seems a lot of people are asking me for things I do not like." I said bitterly. "I would have more patience, Lord Elrond, if I was told properly what was going on, instead of just cryptic messages."

Elrond watched me, a curious tilt in his head. "He did not tell you?"

"Tell me what?" I pulled out the sword I had been working on, running my hand over the steel.

Elrond sighs. "Never mind. Look, this favour is important."

"So what is it?"

He observes me for a moment, reading my expression and the tension in my shoulders.

It was then he pulled out a broken blade. Aragorn's broken blade.

I stare at it.

"There is no other he would trust with this." Elrond says quietly. "And after seeing your work, there is no other I would trust with it."

Unease settled in my stomach. "I could not work any magic in."

He gives a nod. "I know. The others will deal with that, but for now it needs the care of a very skilled blacksmith."

I continued to stare at the blade, this was, after all, a part of Aragorn's bloodline.

"This...is a lot of..." I had no words, but Elrond seemed to understand.

"I need you to do this Isola, and he needs you to as well. There are much more powerful magics in this world than what us elves can offer, and only you can provide that."

I look at him and for a long moment, we simply stare at each other.

Slowly and hesitantly, my hands reach forward and take the blade.

"I will do what I can."

Elrond visibly relaxed. "Thank you Isola. It means a lot. More than you know."

"Don't thank me until I've fixed it." I said, looking over the pieces. "Or at least made it a workable sword again."

"We both have faith in you Isola." He says.

I turn back to make another comment, but Elrond was already walking away, leaving me frowning as I turn back to the sword.

My father had waited years to get his hands on it.

And now it was up to me.

With that knowledge in mind, I got to work.