Aragorn sat in the garden on the large oak bench overlooking the lake. He was watching the swans swimming round and round the island on the far side, deep in thought. In his hand he held a single sheet of paper that contained his fate. He was not exactly sure what to do about it; he knew he had to tell Arwen but he hadn't the faintest idea how. He knew how worried she would be and he didn't want to upset her. He wished it were not true, that he could be with Arwen for ever, holding on to her tightly feeling the warmth of her slim body against his own and the softness of her lips pressed to his own………
But it was not to be.
Arwen rode up the steep path to the top and then stopped to gaze around her. Everything looked so beautiful in the spring; she could see miles and miles of the coloured grains of woodland flowers and the delicate snow like blossom on the trees. She jumped down from her horse onto the soft lush grass below and with her reins in one hand she bent down and began to pick some of the wild flowers. She picked a small bunch before looking up at the sky and realising the time must be getting late and Aragorn would be wondering where she was, so she tucked the flowers underneath the saddle and got back on giving her horse a quick kick to get him going. She then spurred him again and they started to canter gracefully down the hill in the sunset.
When they reached the bottom she turned left and headed for the manor of her home. She slowed her horse to a trot and then a walk enjoying the scenery around pass by in the cool of the evening. At last she turned into the stable yard and got off leading her horse into its stall. She quickly shut the door behind her and ran inside; and then ran out again realising she had left her flowers behind. When she returned again she put them in a glass of water and set them on the high window in the hall, adjusting them until they were placed right. She looked around, where was Aragorn? She thought, she had left him reading on the chair by the bay window before she went out she hadn't expected him to move before she came back as the reason she went without him was he was very engrossed in a book which he most certainly couldn't have finished, in fact she could see it sitting on the table next to the window with a marker in it. How puzzling. She looked out the window wondering what was so important to make him move. Suddenly she saw him, sitting on the oak bench by the lake. What was he doing there? She ran out of the door and down over the grass towards him. Aragorn on hearing footsteps turned round to see who it was. Arwen put her arms around him and lightly kissed the top of his head. Aragorn then pulled her round and gave her a big hug, placing a warm kiss on her lips whilst doing so. Suddenly he stepped back and Arwen looked a bit confused. Aragorn looked up at her with sad shifty eyes and said quietly, "I think you should read this," and handed her a single sheet of paper.
As she began to read her expression changed. Two wet, salty tears fell from her eyes onto the paper. Aragorn put his arm around her gently rocking her as more tears fell down her face.