Aleana and Aragorn

Chapter 46

***Aragorn POV***

After supper I had walked away back to our tent, still lost in my own thoughts. The tent was divided in two with a partition, allowing for two different rooms. In each there was one cot, big enough to fit two people and I take the right side room, laying down and trying to relax. A few moments later, the flap to the entrance rustles and I hear footsteps, but I do not open my eyes.

"Aragorn," Aleana's voice is soft, asking quietly in case I was asleep. I do not answer, pretending to be just that though I'm quite sure she knows. But nonetheless, she merely comes and lays down beside me. I open my eyes a crack a few minutes later and see she is facing away from me and I can't help but smile at how beautiful and peaceful she looked as she lay there with her eyes closed and her breathing evened. She had immediately fallen asleep.

I move to my side, facing her, and throw an arm around her waist, bringing her to my chest and she sighs contently. Allowing the worries of my mind to rest, I close my eyes and fall asleep with Aleana in my arms and soon enter the dreamworld.

We stood in front of Mordor, fighting the thousands of orcs. Suddenly the ground shakes and I look up to see Aleana standing at the base of the tower of Barad-dur, her eyes fixated on me. The tower trembles before crumbling and falling to the ground. I motion for Aleana to run to me, but she just stands. I can barely make the sad smile on her face as she is so far away. Her lips move, but I do not know what she says. And then she turns and runs towards Mount Doom as everything falls to pieces and the vision fades into the Valinor pendant falling onto the ground and shattering.

I wake suddenly, unconsciously drawing my sword. A soldiers stands in the doorway of my tent, looking at me in surprise and slight fear.

"Sir? King Theoden awaits you my lord," the soldier leaves and I look over to see Aleana no longer laying beside me. Fear settles in me at not having her beside me, especially after my dream. I quickly get up and follow the solider into Theoden's tent and sigh in relief when I see Aleana standing there beside him.

Theoden looks at a hooded figure seated on the side then at me before excusing himself and leaving. The figure stands, turns and removes the hood and I am surprised to see it is Lord Elrond.

"My lord Elrond," I bow in respect.

"I come on behalf of one whom I love," he walks up to Aleana, placing a hand on her cheek as tears fall from her eyes. He then draws her near, embracing her in a fatherly hug, her head resting on his chest as silent tears flowed down her cheeks. She refused to meet my eyes, instead closing her own as Elrond continued.

"Aleana is dying. She will not long survive the evil that now spreads from Mordor. The light of the Valinor is failing. As Sauron's power grows her strength wanes. She refuses to show it or to tell you and the others. The Shadow is upon us Aragorn. The end has come."

"It will not be our end, but his," I say confidently.

"You ride to war but not to victory. Sauron's armies ride on Minas Tirith, this you know. But in secret he sends another force, which will attack, from the river. A fleet of Corsair ships sails from the South. They will be in the city in two days. You're outnumbered Aragorn. You need more men."

"There are none," I answer bitterly.

"There are those that dwell in the mountain."

Once again a vision of the green figure in the cleft floats through my mind, the King of the Dead.

"Murderers, traitors. You would call upon them to fight? They believe in nothing. They answer to no one," I say angrily. At my tone, Aleana pulls away from Elrond, wiping her tears and coming to stand by me. She takes my hand in her's as she looks to Elrond when he continues.

"They will answer to the King of Gondor," he pulls out a sword from inside the cloak and holds it out to me, "Anduril, the Flame of the West, forged from the shards of Narsil."

"You've reforged it," Aleana whispers in awe as I take the blade from Elrond.

"Sauron will not have forgotten the sword of Elendil," I say while drawing the blade from its scabbard, "the blade that was broken shall return to Minas Tirith."

"The man who can wield the power of this sword can summon to him an army more deadly than any that walks this earth. Put aside the Ranger. Become who you were born to be nen i-Estel Edain. [I gave hope to the Dunedain]," Elrond says.

"I-chebin Estel anim. [I have kept no hope for myself.]," I respond, sheathing the sword.

"All that is gold does not glitter,
Not all those who wander are lost;
The old that is strong does not wither,
Deep roots are not reached by the frost.

From the ashes a fire shall be woken,
A light from the shadows shall spring;
Renewed shall be blade that was broken,
The crownless again shall be king."

Both Elrond and I turn at Aleana's voice, surprised at the verses she just spoke. We look to her confused while she looks at us with surprise and a small smile.

"Many years ago I heard a voice in my head, fleeting, but it spoke these words. I did not know what to think of it then, but now I see it spoke of this," she turns to me, taking my hands in her's, "this is the path you must take, the path of your forefathers. You were meant to be king, Aragorn, to lead and to right the wrongs of the past."

"And I have no say in the path I choose?"

"Of course you do, but it does no good to hide from your purpose."

...

Elrond had left and Aleana was nowhere to be seen. I am preparing my horse to leave into the cleft when Eowyn approaches me.

"Why are you doing this," she is upset, "the war lies to the East. You cannot leave on the eve of battle. You cannot abandon the men."

"Eowyn..."

"We need you here."

"Why have you come?"

"Do you not know?"

"It is but a shadow and a thought that you love. I cannot give you what you seek. There is already another in my heart and I cannot leave her," Eowyn backs off upset at my words, "I have wished you joy since first I saw you."

I touch her face and a tear springs into her eye. Not wanting to see her cry, I grab the reins of my horse and walk away through the camp towards the cleft. I am sopped by a voice.

"Just where do you think you're off to," I stop and see Gimli sitting beside a tent, looking at me curiously.

"Not this time. This time you must stay Gimli," I tell him seriously, and he just hums in response. Legolas walks up on my other side, leading his own horse.

"Have you learnt nothing of the stubbornness of dwarves," Legolas asks with a smile.

"You might as well accept it," Gimli gets up and mounts the horse with Legolas, "we're going with you laddie."

I smile, mounting my own horse. We are about to move forward when our path is blocked by Aleana. She stands with her arms crossed and her eyes narrowed, looking to me.

"Aleana-"

"I suggest you not argue," she cuts me off and I remember Elrond's words. She was dying and she knew that. Her strength was faltering and I knew that having her beside me would keep me less worried, for I would be able to protect her. I smile at her and hold out my hand.

She looks at it in surprise before a smile finds a way on her lips as well and she takes it as I pull her up to have her sit before me. And the four of us ride from camp along the Dimholt road, into the mountain cleft that everyone feared, in hope of finding the King of the Dead and his army.

A/n: Alrighty! Here's another chapter woohoo! Hope you like it!

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