Aspects of Aragorn: Chapter 1 part 2 "Hope"

[inzilbeth]

Disclaimer: No profit will be made from these stories. All quotes from the works of J.R.R.Tolkien are reproduced here without the permission of The Tolkien Estate or New Line Cinema. No copyright infringement is intended.

 

To Cairstiona and Estelcontar I offer my most grateful thanks for their ongoing encouragement and support.

 

Chapter One: Hope part 2

 

   Early the next morning Gilraen took Aragorn to the field to see the horses. She could not bring herself to tell him he would most likely never see them again. She did not think she would be able to hold her own emotions together if she had to deal with his distress as well. Although Aragorn did not know it, his father had intended to give him the foal when he was older. As it was Gilraen struggled to keep her tears in check as her son lovingly caressed the horses and kissed them farewell.

 

   Ivorwen had taken it upon herself to sort and pack the few belongings Gilraen could take with her. She would want for nothing at Rivendell but there were personal items, such as gifts from Arathorn, she knew her daughter would not be parted from.

 

   Soon all was ready; the sons of Elrond waited in the courtyard, together with four Rangers assigned the task of protecting their new chieftain on the long journey to Rivendell. Gilraen made her farewells brief, steeling herself at every turn not to change her mind. Once outside she quickly mounted Arathorn’s tall horse while Elladan lifted an excited Aragorn up into her arms and pulled a blanket snugly around him. Although it was spring, the wind was bitter out on the bleak uplands.

 

   As they set off, Gilraen did not look back but as they reached the end of the lane and the wilds of Eriador began to unfold before them, the tears that she had so far been unable to shed suddenly came forth as a torrent of despair. She had lived all her life in the village, all her memories of Arathorn were there and now she did not know if she would ever return. Aragorn looked up at his mother with concern and fear at her sudden distress. Gilraen once more steeled herself to contain her grief and did her best to reassure her son, brushing away her tears as she did so.

 

   The journey was slow and tedious, the nights bitterly cold but the days bright and sunny. They met no one, much to their relief. They had all realised that exposing the child to the dangers of the wild was the weak point in their plan. Five days after they left the village they finally crossed the Bruinen. Aragorn’s initial excitement over his adventure had long since dissipated and he was now irritable from lack of sleep and confinement. Gilraen’s arms ached from holding him but she would not allow anyone else, not even the sons of Elrond, to hold her precious burden. She told herself that the warriors needed both hands free to properly defend him.

 

   Dusk was falling when Gilraen became aware that they were on a descending path. She could see little as they were surrounded by pine trees which made the night close in more rapidly. The path was a twisting one and as they descended further the pine trees were replaced by the stark forms of beech and oak not yet in leaf. Then Gilraen could see they were in a valley though it was grey and formless in the late evening light. They were nearing the bottom of a gorge and ahead was a large house with lights twinkling in the windows and she could hear singing though where it was coming from she could not tell. Aragorn had fallen asleep but now he poked his head out from the blanket and looked around in surprise at the changed landscape all about him.

 

   The horses walked in single file over the narrow bridge that led to the house and then they were there, halting in a large courtyard before the imposing home of Master Elrond. Several Elves came to take the horses and then the main door to the house opened and out stepped a tall dark haired Elf who so resembled Elladan and Elrohir that it was obvious to Gilraen that this was Lord Elrond. Elrohir came to her side to take Aragorn and help her dismount while, she noticed, Elladan went to talk to his father. Once on the ground, Gilraen lent on the horse for a moment while the feeling returned to her legs. She was unused to such long hours in the saddle and the journey had taken its toll, but she stood up straight when she saw Elrond approaching her.

 

   Very tall and regal he seemed to her. She felt suddenly shy and a little nervous. He may be Halfelven but to Gilraen at that moment he looked to be entirely of the Eldar. There seemed to be an unearthly quality to him that she found both intriguing and intimidating. But as he came towards her he held out his hands and took hers. Gilraen could see the sorrow in his eyes as he spoke.

 

   “Lady Gilraen, I am shocked beyond words by the tidings my son has brought this day. Arathorn was a good friend to all at Imladris and everyone here shall grieve at this news. Be assured it will not be the Dunedain alone who mourn your husband. But your own loss is the deepest felt of all and for that I can only extend my hand in friendship and offer you what ever is within by power to give that might bring you comfort and succour.”

 

   He was very sincere and kind and Gilraen felt more at ease as she thanked him. Then Elrond turned his attention to the bundle in her arms and the face peeping out from the blanket that seemed to behold him in wonder. Elrond reached out a hand to stroke the mass of unruly dark hair.

 

   “And this little fellow must be Aragorn,” he said, smiling at the child. Aragorn however was too overwhelmed to reply and frowned in confusion at the familiar and yet unfamiliar face.

 

   “This is Elladan and Elrohir’s father,” said Gilraen, remembering too late that she was trying to avoid that word. But Aragorn was too amazed by this revelation to be reminded of his own father who in truth he had seen little of in the last few months.

 

   “Come, you must be tired from your journey and in need of refreshment,” said Elrond. “Rooms are being made ready for you as we speak. Erestor will see that your belongings are brought to them.”

 

   Then he ushered them up the steps and inside the Last Homely House. The size and sumptuousness of the dwelling far exceeded anything in Gilraen’s experience among the Dunedain. The carving on the furniture and walls, and the needlework of the tapestries and hangings displayed skill of craftsmanship vastly superior to any found among her own people. Gilraen looked about her in awe, quite forgetting her earlier awkwardness.

 

   After walking down several corridors and ascending two flights of stairs, Elrond brought his guests to a beautiful sitting room. It was light and airy with exquisite furnishings. There was a spacious bedchamber in the room beyond. Arathorn had often told Gilraen of his years living at Rivendell but the vision she had seen in her mind did not begin to compare with the reality. With a stab she suddenly remembered why she was there and realised guiltily that for a few minutes she had not been thinking about her husband at all.

 

   Elrond left them alone for a while and arranged to have food sent up as he guessed a formal meal would be something of an ordeal right now for Gilraen. She thanked him profusely, aware that she and her son were now entirely dependent upon his goodwill. Once the Elf lord had gone, Gilraen put Aragorn down and allowed him to explore though she was not at all sure she would ever feel confident letting him loose amongst all this finery.

 

~oo0oo~

 

   Later that evening, after they had eaten and begun to settle in, they received a visit from one of the twins. Gilraen was glad of a familiar face although the Elves who had attended upon her were very kind. Aragorn raced across the room when the Elf entered.

 

   “El’dan!” he cried as Elladan swept him up into an embrace. Aragorn had always enjoyed the twin’s visits and it continually amazed Gilraen that he never had any difficulty telling them apart. She on the other hand had not been at all sure of the identity of their visitor until Aragorn spoke his name.

 

   Elladan had come to check on their well being before turning in for the night himself. Watching Aragorn contentedly cuddling up to Elladan, Gilraen had to admit that for her son at least she may well have made the right choice. He already had two friends here and no doubt in time she would too but at the moment this new world was too strange and too different for her to feel anything other than a complete outsider.

 

   However she assured Elladan that she had all she needed for now and arranged to meet both the twins and Master Elrond in the morning after breakfast. Alone again, tiredness overcame them both though, only Aragorn slept soundly. Gilraen woke often and lay in the vast bed between crisp sheets, listening to the unfamiliar sounds of Rivendell and all the while willing herself not to be homesick.

 

~oo0oo~

 

   Gilraen awoke to find the sun streaming in through the windows. Clambering out of bed she opened the doors onto the balcony and stepped out into blazing sunshine. The bedroom faced east and although it was still very early, the sun was already peeping over the Misty Mountains, bathing the whole valley in the soft golden glow of morning. Gilraen gasped in amazement at the sight before her. If she had thought the house sumptuous it was now revealed as only a pale echo of the splendour of the valley itself. She drank in the warm air, much warmer than it had been at home, and stood there soaking-up the wonders of Rivendell. Gilraen in all her twenty-six years living in the same village in the bleak lands between the North Downs and the Weather Hills had never ventured very far. She had on occasion, ridden into the hills but she had never seen land carved and chiselled as deeply as this. The rock faces towered above the house and way, way below amid the pattern of green fields and woods there flowed the river, tumbling over a succession of waterfalls, the sound of it lifting into the air, joyously.

 

   She had never seen such a sight and immediately, for the briefest moment, thought she must  tell Arathorn about it, only to remember cruelly that this was something they would never now share together.

 

   The sounds of a stirring toddler brought her mind back to her responsibilities. She returned to the room, closing the balcony doors, and saw to the washing and dressing of Aragorn. The serving maid soon brought their breakfast and Gilraen and her son tucked in with relish. The food was as wonderful as their new surroundings and there was plenty of it.

 

   They had just finished and Gilraen was wondering whether to venture from the room when there was a knock at the door.

 

   It was Elrond.

 

   “Good morning Gilraen,” he said. “I trust you are refreshed from your journey and have breakfasted to your satisfaction.”

 

   “Yes indeed, my lord,” said Gilraen, feeling a little overwhelmed again by the Elf-lord’s presence. But she continued politely. “Everything has been perfect and I thank you again for your hospitality.

 

   Elrond just smiled at her a little sadly and led her through the house out into the gardens. Here they met Elladan and Elrohir who were sitting by the river, deep in conversation but they ceased talking at once when they saw Gilraen and her son approaching. Getting to their feet, they greeted them both warmly. Aragorn immediately started pestering his mother to be allowed to go to the twins.

 

   “It would be as well to let him, Gilraen,” said Elrond, “for we have much to talk about. If you will permit it, perhaps my sons could take Aragorn to the stables to meet the horses.”

 

   Gilraen nodded though in truth she did not want to let Aragorn out of her sight.

 

   Elrond then knelt down to be at eye level with the little boy: “Would you like to go with Elladan and Elrohir to see our horses, Aragorn? There is a new foal only a couple of weeks old who I am sure would be most pleased to meet you.”

 

   Aragorn looked at the Elf-lord with eyes filled with wonder. He nodded shyly but grinned at Elrohir as he came to take his hand.

 

   “Come along then little rider,” Elrohir said to him. “Let’s go and say hello to Tathren and her baby.” Elladan took his other hand and clasped safely between his two new big brothers, Aragorn toddled off to the stables.

 

   Gilraen watched him go, cheerfully telling the twins all about Brethil and her foal.

   “Gilraen?” said Elrond, gaining her attention, “let us sit here by the river and talk for a while.” Gilraen was shown to an ornate white seat where she perched uncomfortably on the edge.

 

   At first Elrond chatted to her of her home, asking her about the little everyday things that he hoped would put her at her ease. Then he talked of Arathorn and of the years he had spent living at Rivendell. Gilraen was surprised at how well he knew her husband. She had never really considered this to be a bond they shared. It pleased her enormously and she found herself warming to the Elf-lord. But then he turned the conversation to Aragorn and the future.

 

   “I want you both to think of this as your home now,” he said. Then adding with a kindly smile: “Please do not feel that you must thank me for my hospitality. It is freely and gladly given to both you and your son.”

 

   Gilraen returned his smile. “Thank you, I shall try to remember that.”

 

   “Good. Do not forget Gilraen, Aragorn is my kin. Through many lives of Men he is directly descended from my brother. And are you not yourself a descendent of Aranarth’s? That makes you both part of my family. As you know, I have fostered all the Chieftains of the Dunedain here, starting with Arahael, Aranarth’s son, although I confess they were all older than Aragorn when they arrived here. Having a child so young living in Imladris will be a pleasure, I am sure.”

 

   Gilraen could not help feeling both amused and apprehensive at that statement.

 

      “There is one last thing that I wish to discuss with you, Gilraen.” Elrond paused and took a deep breathe before continuing. “As you know only too well, Aragorn has been brought here for his own safety, to keep him hidden from the eyes of the Enemy. I greatly fear though that the Enemy has many spies and many ways to find what he wishes to learn. Although you may be assured that none here would ever betray him and we will do all in our power to protect him, this house nonetheless does not have a closed door. It was built as a refuge and a refuge it remains for all who come asking for succour and aid. It is mainly for this reason that I believe Aragorn’s true identity should be completely hidden from all, even himself.”

 

   “Whatever do you mean?” asked Gilraen in surprise.

 

   “These are dark times Gilraen. The Shadow in the East deepens and the hand of Sauron reaches further than at any other time in this Age of the World. The name of Aragorn may have little meaning to most but to those with long memories it is known to be a name from the line of chieftains and the name itself is one denoting royal status.”

 

   “You wish to change his name?” Gilraen’s voice betrayed her disbelief.

 

   “Forgive me, but I can not stress the danger enough. I do think he should be known by another name until he is old enough to be told of his heritage and the burden that fate has placed upon him. Until that time I believe he should not be told who he really is, nor should he know whose son.” Elrond raised his hand to silence Gilraen’s protests until he had finished.

 

   “I foresee that this child’s life shall be hard and long. Let him have these few years of his childhood in ignorance of that burden which he will have to take upon himself all too soon. I know how hard this must seem to you, especially now when you have just lost Arathorn, but trust me Gilraen, Aragorn’s life could depend upon this. Is it not a small price to pay so that he may live?”

 

   Gilraen got to her feet and walked unseeing towards the river. She could not believe this was being asked of her. She would not be able to talk to Aragorn of his father. There were so many things she would be unable to share with him. She wondered how much more she would be expected to give of herself. It was as if her old life was vanishing before her very eyes, being rubbed out by some unseen hand. She tried hard to conjure up an image of Arathorn in her mind so that she might hold on to something from the past. But right then even he eluded her. She felt she could weep such was her despair.

 

   Then above the sound of the water rushing passed her feet, she heard laughter ringing clearly in the crisp spring air. Penetrating her despondency, was the happy, carefree laughter of a small child. Somewhere beyond the trees, Aragorn was enjoying himself enormously. The sound touched her heart and in that moment her mind cleared and she put her fears behind her.

 

   Elrond was right; all that mattered now was that Aragorn lived to grow into the man he was destined to be. The years of his childhood would be so short; there could be no harm in allowing him to enjoy them without cares. He would learn of Arathorn and of his doom soon enough. And as to his name, it really made no difference what others called him. He could have a dozen different names but he would still be Aragorn; he would still be her little boy.

 

   Bracing herself, she turned to Elrond.

 

   “Did you have any particular name in mind?” she asked.

 

   Elrond smiled at her, seeing her acceptance. “I thought perhaps we could call him Estel.”

 

   At the puzzled look on Gilraen’s face, he added.

   “It means Hope.”

 

 

~oo0oo~

 

 

    But Aragorn was only two years old when Arathorn went riding against the Orcs with the sons of Elrond, and he was slain by an orc arrow that pierced his eye……...

    Then Aragorn, being now the Heir of Isildur was taken with his mother to dwell in the house of Elrond; and Elrond took the place of his father and came to love him as a son of his own. But he was called Estel, that is “Hope”, and his true name and lineage were kept secret at the bidding of Elrond; for the Wise then knew that the Enemy was seeking to discover the Heir of Isildur, if any remained upon earth.

 

The Tale of Aragorn and Arwen                                                The Return of the King

  

 

Comments

[lindahoyland.livejournal.com]

I love your Gilraen. I believe she must have been a brave an exceptional woman to have such a son.This was a most enjoyable chapter which felt very real.

[inzilbeth-liz.livejournal.com]

Thank you Linda, I'm so pleased you enjoyed this chapter. I feel Gilraen is often overlooked rather, but her influence must have been as important in Aragorn's upbringing as Elrond's. A brave and exceptional woman indeed.

[lindahoyland.livejournal.com]

I admit I have rather a "thing" about stories that kill off or overlook Gilraen,which has me deciding to read something else! Aragorn was an exceptionally confident and well balanced man and I'm certain he would have needed his mother's human influence to be what he became,Elves alone could not have achieved it .

[inzilbeth-liz.livejournal.com]

Oh Linda I so agree with you on this. His mother alone out of a house full of elves had to be the one person to balance their overwhelming influence. Aragorn was a man and needed to live his life among men and be accepted as one of them. Gilraen's role in this was crucial I'm sure.

[estelcontar1.livejournal.com]

A most exceptional and courageous woman, indeed. And you've shown that very sensitively.

[inzilbeth-liz.livejournal.com]

Thank you, I'm glad her feelings came through.

[meckinock.livejournal.com]

My heart broke for Gilraen standing there watching Aragorn with the horses. You've captured the moment that a lost future wisps away out of our grasp, and nothing we can do can hold onto it. And I loved the way she just got up onto Arathorn's "tall horse." Go girl.

Elrond's quiet and tender welcome undid me. That was lovely. Gilraen's struggle to accustom herself to Rivendell, and to come to terms with what's happened and how her life has changed seemed very realistic. The deep emotions are still buried, what's on the surface is somewhat fragmented and confused.

She had never seen such a sight and immediately, for the briefest moment, thought she must tell Arathorn about it

Another perfectly captured moment of realism.

I was interested to see how you dealt with The Conversation between Elrond and Gilraen because hiding Aragorn's identity even from himself is a decision whose necessity I've always struggled with. Always kind of struck me as overkill, but Elrond's explanation comes closer than anything to justifying it

“I foresee that this child’s life shall be hard and long. Let him have these few years of his childhood in ignorance of that burden which he will have to take upon himself all too soon.

How poignant and how true. And what a mercy, when you look at it that way. Lovely, and I can't wait to read more.

[inzilbeth-liz.livejournal.com]

Oh meckinock, I can't tell you how pleased I am that all this worked. I am not a writer and these Aragorn stories are my first attempt at doing anything like this so I'm really glad these emotional scenes worked. It was trying to get inside the heads of these characters to better understand their choices that made writing this whole series such fun. I'm glad the sadness showed in those small moments. Anyone who has ever suffered a bereavement knows only too well those split second lapses when you forget and then feel guilty about it. And it was fun to try and look at Rivendell through Gilraen's eyes. Who wouldn't be awed by such a place?

Elrond is a far more elusive character to understand. I am trying to write his story at the moment but its hard going for that very reason. Yes, I agree, I did have to work on coming up with a plausible explanation for Elrond's decision to hide Aragorn's identity even from himself. It must have felt like the final straw to Gilraen.

Thank you so much for your encouragement.

[lissas-elves.livejournal.com]

Your Gilraen is a wonderful woman - so strong, and determined to protect her son no matter the costs for herself.

I also love your vivid descriptions of the valley. Beautiful!

[inzilbeth-liz.livejournal.com]

Oh wouldn't we all love a trip to Rivendell? What a place it must have been. Thank you so much for reading, and I'm glad you enjoyed it.

[cairistiona7.livejournal.com]

Ahh, this is such a poignant tale you've written, and one of the best portrayals of Gilraen I've read. You've made her a real figure--not a perfect woman but not one too weak or flawed, either. It's heartrending to think of the sacrifices she had to make. As a wife and mother, I can't imagine not being able to tell my child all about her father should the unthinkable happen. Elrond really did ask a lot of her--and she had the strength of character to accede to his wishes. No easy task, that, and not something done without much sorrow.

I like your take on little Aragorn ... he's a bit erudite for a two-year-old, but then again, my kid started talking in full sentences at about that age, so it's not outside the realm of possibility, and Aragorn is a pretty exceptional character in all ways, so why not have him be a little precocious when it comes to speech? The picture of the twins walking on either side of him while he's chattering away is priceless. I would agree he probably wrapped them around his little fingers right from the first. :)

[inzilbeth-liz.livejournal.com]

I'm sure not being able to talk about Arathorn must have been one of the worst parts of Gilraen's exile. And it wasn't just in the short term either but for eighteen years and with a bright lad around who must have asked many questions. I tend to agree with you, Aragorn is too precocious here but I'm afraid I couldn't be doing with all that baby talk LOL!

I wanted the story with the horses to more or less act as a bookend to show that, at least from Aragorn's POV , nothing much had changed. He swapped a home with his mother and a mare and foal for another, also with a mare and foal. The symmetry between the names was deliberate. And in both places, his real father was absent. I don't know if that worked, but I'm glad you liked the image of him chatting away to the twins!

I'm so pleased you liked this.

[cairistiona7.livejournal.com]

I did catch that similarity between what Aragorn left behind and what he gained, yes, and had the thought that to him, that must have provided quite a bit of security. It was a nice touch in the story.