![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
inzilbethElladan squeezed his shoulder and the look on his face confirmed his understanding. Stepping back to the fire, he said: “Yes, there was one other matter of some urgency that we thought you would wish to hear about at once.” He paused to accept a goblet of wine from Elrohir who then offered one to their foster brother also.
“As we returned home tonight, we met a couple of our scouts just beyond our border. They had a strange tale to tell for they had with them a man from Gondor. He had travelled from that land seeking Imladris, but he had no knowledge of where it lay. The scouts came across him wandering aimlessly and offered to accompany him the rest of the way here. It was fortunate for him perhaps that the guard on the valley is so intense at the moment or he might have searched in vain for days before being found. They were making camp on the far side of the Bruinen when we left them. They will not come here now until first light in the morning.”
“Who is this man? Did you ask his name?” asked Aragorn. There were so many strangers here, he was not unduly surprised that one should come from Gondor, but he was curious as to who it might be.
“The man is called Boromir. He is the son of the Steward of Gondor.”
“Boromir?” exclaimed Aragorn in wonder. “Denethor’s son has come here in person! Did he speak of his reasons for doing so?”
“Yes, he did,” said Elladan, “though he was reluctant at first and we had to press him. It would seem he is seeking the answer to a riddle that once came to him in a dream. Correct me if I am wrong, Elrohir, but as I recall it went something like this:
“Seek for the sword that was broken:
In Imladris it dwells;
There shall be counsels taken
Stronger than Morgul spells.
There shall be shown a token
That doom is near at hand,
For Isildur’s bane shall waken,
And the Halfling forth shall stand.” [1]
“Well remembered,” said Elrohir with a smile as he acknowledged his brother’s word perfect recital. Then speaking to Aragorn, he said: “Apparently there were no masters of lore in Minas Tirith who could interpret the meaning of the rhyme. He has had a long and hard journey looking for Imladris and he knows nothing of a broken sword or of Isildur’s bane. The name Halfling he recognises only as a term from legend.”
Aragorn was shaken by this news. The rhyme was uncannily accurate. What ancient power had caused Denethor’s son to dream so vividly of this? It was the first line of the riddle, though, that stayed in his head and intrigued him the most.
“Seek for the sword that was broken,” he repeated to himself. “Why is that do you think? It is almost as if it is a summons.”
“That is what we thought also,” said Elladan. “But whatever its meaning, we thought you would wish to hear of this as soon as possible.”
“Yes indeed,” said Aragorn absently, as his mind raced over the implications of this unexpected development. The Steward’s elder son was only a baby when he last saw him, some forty years ago. But if Boromir was coming here tomorrow, and to Elrond’s meeting, then he must be prepared and decide this very night what to say to him. The man may be looking for a broken sword, but Aragorn very much doubted that he knew the sword came with an owner. The line of Isildur was believed in Minas Tirith to have died out long ago and little was now remembered among the men of Gondor of their Northern kin. Now might be the time to shatter that belief. But he would need to build his case carefully. If the son was anything like his father, he would be both shrewd and proud. Aragorn doubted he would react with joy to the revelation that his position as the heir to the ruler of Gondor might be challenged. Although he always suspected Denethor had guessed who Thorongil really was, he doubted he would have revealed that information to anyone, not even his heir.
Tomorrow it might perhaps be prudent to carry the Shards of Narsil with him. The sword, after all, had been placed in his hands by Elrond himself; there could be no denying its lineage. Soon the time would come when it would be reforged; was it then his fate to go with this man to the aid of Minas Tirith?
“Estel?” asked Elrohir.
Aragorn came out of his musings and found his brothers looking at him curiously. A trace of embarrassment appeared on his face at having been so wrapped up in his own concerns.
“Forgive me, my mind was elsewhere, but I thank you for telling me all this,” he said. “I assume you did not provide the man with any answers?”
“Of course not,” said Elladan, “but if he attends tomorrow’s meeting he shall no doubt hear some. How much do you propose to tell him?”
“That I may need more time to consider,” replied Aragorn. Somehow he had a feeling he might be awake well into the night considering that very question.
At that moment there was a knock at the door and a servant entered.
“Forgive the intrusion, my lords,” he said with a dip of his head, “but I am seeking the Dúnadan.”
As his eyes alighted upon Aragorn, he said: “And I see I have found him, at last. Your presence, lord, is requested in the Hall of Fire by Master Elrond. I believe Bilbo Baggins has need of your skills in completing his poem.”
Aragorn smiled as he thought of Bilbo and his passion for poetry. “Please assure Master Elrond that I will attend to Mister Baggins shortly.”
As the servant left, Elladan said: “Go Estel, we have detained you too long already; I’m sure our sister will be wondering what has become of you.”
“Arwen will be most distressed at my missing the feast. However I shall not hesitate to inform her that the blame is entirely yours.”
Elrohir laughed. “Very well, blame us if you must. After all, we have far more practice at placating Arwen than you.” Then, as if noticing for the first time how Aragorn was dressed, he added: “I must say, Estel, you look very regal tonight. I guess this is Arwen’s doing.”
“Indeed it is,” replied Aragorn, drawing back his cloak to better reveal the mail beneath. “Arwen was most insistent that I dress appropriately. It would appear that my usual attire is far too rustic for such a grand occasion.”
“Quite so,” said Elladan, “but that probably means we are unacceptably dressed also. The feast will most likely be over by now, so perhaps Elrohir and I will wander over to the kitchens instead to see if we can salvage anything from tonight’s celebrations.”
“Well if you do, remember me,” said Aragorn. “I would have enjoyed a five course dinner tonight if it were not for your untimely intervention.”
“Very well, little brother, we will not forget you,” said Elladan. “Come and join us later and we will see you don’t go hungry.
Smiling his gratitude, Aragorn left them to join the gathering in the Hall of Fire. His mind was still reeling from all he had heard that evening. As he made his way down the long corridors, he knew he should be concentrating on the matters likely to be discussed at the meeting tomorrow, but all he could thing of were his slain friends and how terrible their last few moments must have been. Finally, unable to string together a single coherent idea, and not wishing to be weighed with grief, he turned his thoughts to Frodo. The feast had been in his honour after all and he hoped, more than anything, that he had enjoyed himself tonight. He would do his best not to sully his evening with a dour face.
And hopefully there would still be time before the sun rose too high in the sky tomorrow for him to consider his words for Elrond’s Council.
“Where have you been, my friend? Why weren’t you at the feast? The Lady Arwen was there.”
Strider looked down at Bilbo gravely. “I know,” he said. “But often I must put mirth aside. Elladan and Elrohir have returned out of the Wild un-looked for, and they had tidings that I wished to hear at once.”
Many Meetings The Fellowship of the Ring
[1] The Council of Elrond The Fellowship of the Ring
.
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
(no subject)
Date: 2009-01-10 07:01 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2009-01-10 08:14 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2009-01-11 08:25 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2009-01-11 10:23 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2009-01-12 12:54 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2009-01-12 01:05 pm (UTC)I'm so glad you enjoyed this. At SOA it will go as one post.
(no subject)
Date: 2009-01-13 05:10 am (UTC)Aragorn had indeed to be strong and know the time when he was allowed to morn, and the time when he was not. That was a very good point to bring out because it highlights really well the strenght of his will and the hardness of his life.
(no subject)
Date: 2009-01-13 06:58 am (UTC)