Arwen waited next to her father's study. She was in a
wonderful mood since breakfast had been splendid. She had enjoyed a
conversation with Aragorn; even if she almost died of fright. She hadn't
been able to eat much because she feared that her fluttering stomach would
not hold. "You should not be nervous," She mentally scolded herself; "He is
your brother." But deep down, she wondered if he could ever be just her
brother.
The door suddenly opened, and Elrond stood before his daughter. His face smiled, but concern was etched across his eyes. He had witnessed Aragorn and Arwen dancing, and their chatting at breakfast. He wondered himself, what their relationship may turn out to be. "Arwen, there is something I must tell you." He led his daughter into the room, and bid her to sit down. "I noticed that you have met Aragorn." "Of course, he is my foster brother." Her voice showed that she felt hurt and angry about not knowing this man. Elrond nodded "I am sorry that I could not tell you before, but it had to remain a secret." "What is so important that you could not tell your only daughter?"
Elrond sighed and looked towards the window; a gesture that Arwen knew meant that this was hard for him. "Eighteen years ago, a young woman came to Rivendell with a small child. Her name was Gilrean, and the boy was Aragorn. They stayed here in my house, three years later Gilrean died, leaving Aragorn with no surviving relatives." "Aragorn is an orphan," Arwen said sadly. Again, Elrond nodded, "Most everyone believes that I pity the boy and that is why I have raised him, but there is more to it than that. Gilrean was the wife of Arathorn." Arwen's eyes grew wide when she heard this. "Yes," Elrond continued, "Aragorn is Isildur's heir." "Why would you keep this from me?" Arwen demanded. "I wanted to tell you, but if I sent a letter telling of him, certain information might leak out. Aragorn is the last of the line of Numenor, as few people as possible must know of his existence." "Does he know?" Arwen asked. "No, he has yet to learn of his ancestors." "Ada, you must tell him." "When the time comes, he will know."
"Thank you for telling me this." She said calmly, moving towards the door. "I told you, so you can decide how you truly feel for him." Arwen turned back towards her father. "What do you mean?" "Your feelings for him are strong." "Of course, he is my brother." "That is not what I mean." Arwen stared at her father. "I do not understand," she said hesitantly and then left the room.
Arwen wandered to the stables. She had lied to her father about not understanding, because she was still trying to figure out what her feelings were. She went to one of the stalls and whistled to a beautiful white horse. "Is he yours?" Some one asked behind her. She turned and saw Aragorn by the stall of a chestnut brown horse. She smiled at him, "Yes, his name is Asfaloth." "That is a good name for a horse." "Asfaloth is one of the most cunning animals I have ever seen. He is also swift; he has saved my life many times. Last year, in Lothlorien, we out ran a dozen Orcs." "Can you fight?" Aragorn asked. "Yes, I have been trained in swordplay, but I fear that I have forgotten much from lack of use." "I could help you. I am a good swords man; I have even beaten your brothers." The second he said that he wished he had kept his mouth shut. He wasn't sure if he could walk around her, much less fight with her. "You bested Elladen." Arwen said smiling. "Yes," "Well if you bested my brothers, I think you can train me."
The door suddenly opened, and Elrond stood before his daughter. His face smiled, but concern was etched across his eyes. He had witnessed Aragorn and Arwen dancing, and their chatting at breakfast. He wondered himself, what their relationship may turn out to be. "Arwen, there is something I must tell you." He led his daughter into the room, and bid her to sit down. "I noticed that you have met Aragorn." "Of course, he is my foster brother." Her voice showed that she felt hurt and angry about not knowing this man. Elrond nodded "I am sorry that I could not tell you before, but it had to remain a secret." "What is so important that you could not tell your only daughter?"
Elrond sighed and looked towards the window; a gesture that Arwen knew meant that this was hard for him. "Eighteen years ago, a young woman came to Rivendell with a small child. Her name was Gilrean, and the boy was Aragorn. They stayed here in my house, three years later Gilrean died, leaving Aragorn with no surviving relatives." "Aragorn is an orphan," Arwen said sadly. Again, Elrond nodded, "Most everyone believes that I pity the boy and that is why I have raised him, but there is more to it than that. Gilrean was the wife of Arathorn." Arwen's eyes grew wide when she heard this. "Yes," Elrond continued, "Aragorn is Isildur's heir." "Why would you keep this from me?" Arwen demanded. "I wanted to tell you, but if I sent a letter telling of him, certain information might leak out. Aragorn is the last of the line of Numenor, as few people as possible must know of his existence." "Does he know?" Arwen asked. "No, he has yet to learn of his ancestors." "Ada, you must tell him." "When the time comes, he will know."
"Thank you for telling me this." She said calmly, moving towards the door. "I told you, so you can decide how you truly feel for him." Arwen turned back towards her father. "What do you mean?" "Your feelings for him are strong." "Of course, he is my brother." "That is not what I mean." Arwen stared at her father. "I do not understand," she said hesitantly and then left the room.
Arwen wandered to the stables. She had lied to her father about not understanding, because she was still trying to figure out what her feelings were. She went to one of the stalls and whistled to a beautiful white horse. "Is he yours?" Some one asked behind her. She turned and saw Aragorn by the stall of a chestnut brown horse. She smiled at him, "Yes, his name is Asfaloth." "That is a good name for a horse." "Asfaloth is one of the most cunning animals I have ever seen. He is also swift; he has saved my life many times. Last year, in Lothlorien, we out ran a dozen Orcs." "Can you fight?" Aragorn asked. "Yes, I have been trained in swordplay, but I fear that I have forgotten much from lack of use." "I could help you. I am a good swords man; I have even beaten your brothers." The second he said that he wished he had kept his mouth shut. He wasn't sure if he could walk around her, much less fight with her. "You bested Elladen." Arwen said smiling. "Yes," "Well if you bested my brothers, I think you can train me."