Title: "Unexpected”
Author: Meoinya
Synopsis: A State visit to Annuminas renews carefully suppressed longing and the King and Queen leave the rebuilt kingdom with more than they came.
Spoilers: Takes place after Return of the King.
Pairing: Aragorn / Arwen.
Disclaimer: I'm not Tolkien. I don't own these characters. (darn!) I make no money. Done for fun.
Additional Info: Movie-verse.
Set 16 years after the War of the Ring.
I've used the character 'Aldamir', the current Regent of Arnor, from another series of stories I've written. This story does not fall into that series.
There was nothing written, that I've found, that gives name to anyone Aragorn may have set up to govern Arnor during his rule - thus Aldamir is my own creation. Please do not use him without permission.
The rest of my stories can be found here: http://webspace.webring.com/people/kl/leiasky/lotrfanfic.html
Archive: If you like, just tell me where.
“Another State visit?” Aldamir chided his cousin as they sat down to take their evening meal. “Why, we should be so honored. The King of the Reunited Kingdom visiting twice since the War.”
Arwen smiled and took a bite of her meal, waiting for her husband's quick retort. She nodded politely to the servant who poured the wine and waited, bright eyes watching her husband for his reaction.
“Life is not so free and easygoing in Gondor as it is here,” Aragorn began, sipping slowly of the recently delivered wine. “Would that we could live here half of the year and spend the other half in Gondor.”
Arwen smiled at the two men, exchanging a quick knowing glance with Aldamir’s lady. She knew her husband loved it in Annuminas, Arnor, the landing place of his forefathers, and would move the capitol of the Reunited lands here in an instant if he thought it possible.
“I do not envy you, your position, Aragorn.” Aldamir shook his head with a sigh. “I don’t think I could leave this place to live in a more civilized City.”
Aragorn chuckled and shot Arwen a loving smile before responding. “You’ve civilized and populated Annuminas well since the war. Why, riding through the gates, had it not been for the stonework, I’d never have been able to tell the difference.”
Aldamir scoffed and the women stifled amused giggles by taking bites of their food.
“Oh yes,” Aragorn raised his hand, “That’s right. No Council or Court demanding my time. There’s the big difference.”
Aldamir’s eyes brightened and he chuckled. “Ah, wait until tomorrow, Sire,” The acting Regent stressed the word in jest, knowing that his next words would bring a frown to his cousin’s lips. “The whole region has been alerted to your visit. Before long, we will have everyone from the lowliest farmer to the highest ranking noble vying for your attention.”
Aragorn frowned on schedule and sighed. “What, did you climb to the top of Hills of Evendim and call it out to the surrounding lands?”
Aldamir snickered. “Something like that.” He mumbled around a mouthful of food.
Aragorn scowled and Arwen reached out to settle a slim hand atop her husband’s. “Have you anything to discuss that will be of interest to women?"
The men chuckled and Aragorn leaned over and pressed his lips to Arwen's cheek. Aldamir smiled at his wife and then at the royal couple sitting across the table.
Just then, a toddler rushed into the room, mere steps ahead of the servant who attended the child.
"Nooooo!" The little girl wailed and squirmed out of the young attendant's grip. Her eyes brightened when they fell upon her father, and she rushed toward him, arms outstretched.
Arwen smiled as the child launched herself into Aldamir's arms, burrowing deep as if to hide from the attendant at her heels.
"I'm sorry, My Lord." The young girl apologized. "I thought she was asleep. We don't mean to disturb."
Aldamir raised his hand. "Not to worry."
Arwen watched the little dark-haired child bounce on her father's lap and squeezed her husband's hand so very lightly that he barely felt the change in pressure.
Aldamir smiled at his daughter and re-introduced her to the family she'd met a few hours before when the royal couple had arrived.
"I'm royal too then, right!" The little one asked, eyes big and round. " 'Cause Aragorn and Arwen are my cousins?"
Arwen smiled happily and Arlain began to correct the child, in hopes their majesties did not think the child insulting.
Before Arwen could respond, Aragorn had leaned forward and brushed the little girls nose with his finger, "That's right, cousin."
The little girl giggled and crawled out of her father's lap and into Aragorn's, much to the surprise of her parents.
"She's always been shy," Arlain smiled as the little girl planted her small feet on Aragorn's thighs and stood, tugging at his hair to stay upright.
Arwen leaned over just as the little girl got a good look at the elven queen. She gasped, eyes wide as saucers and pointed at the elf.
"Your - Your ears!" The child cried and Arwen chuckled. "You're not like me, or cousin Aragorn, or naneth or ada!"
"Nae, child. I am an elf." Arwen answered slowly, turning kind eyes on the little girl clutching Aragorn's neck as if he were a lifeline.
"The elves are all gone," The little girl said sadly. "Ada says they all sailed away."
"Not all of them," Arwen leaned forward to rest her hand on Aragorn's shoulder, her fingers a hairsbreadth away from the little girls. "I am here, as are my brothers, and a whole city of elves near Gondor - our home." She indicated herself and her husband with a nod of her head.
"I wanta see more elves!" She began to bounce on Aragorn's lap and he winced as she stepped a bit too close to his private area for his continued comfort. “Can I see more elves Ada?!”
Arwen caught his quickly masked wince, stifled a laugh and held out her arms to the child.
The child turned curious eyes on the Queen and slowly wobbled off Aragorn’s lap and into the elf’s open arms. Aragorn smiled slowly as he watched his wife play with the little girl. She chuckled and laughed at the stupid things the child did, at her playfulness and boundless energy.
Arlain stepped behind her husband and rested a hand on his shoulder as they, too, watched the Queen become enraptured by their daughter.
Arwen pulled her hair behind one ear and presented it to the child, who giggled madly and cautiously reached out to touch the pointed tip.
“So pretty. I wish I had elf ears too!” The child’s bright, dark eyes entranced the Queen.
“You have beautiful ears, little one,” Arwen ran her fingertips over the child’s round ear with a slow reverence that bespoke the longing for a child of her own that ran so deep within her heart.
When Aragorn rested a hand on Arwen’s leg, the Queen turned questioning eyes on her husband. “I think we’ve found a way to keep Arwen occupied while we discuss boring matters of State.” The King smiled at his wife before nodding to Aldamir.
“Aye, I do believe so.” Aldamir nodded in return and smiled. At least his wife would have something to discuss with the elven queen, even if the discussion of children was painfully one-sided.