I know that there are many stories like this out there, but this is
kind of different. I think that it is slightly AU, but I'm not completely
sure. I only own the words and the idea, everything else belongs to
Tolkien. Well, there's not much else to say, except please read and enjoy,
I hope it's good. Oh, if you're wondering Childhood and Despair are
complete, they were meant as single shots.
Estel cautiously pushed the door to his father's study open; there'd been no answer to his knocks, so he assumed that the elf lord was not present. He quickly looked around the room, relieved to find his assumption to be correct. He father had asked him to come to his study after Estel had had a chance to rest from his latest journey with his brothers. He had taken a bath and changed into fresh clothes, his others being torn from a skirmish with a no longer local band of orcs. Stepping in, he shut the door behind him. He looked in awe at his father's study; there was something majestic and surreal about it, something that always made him feel at home. He'd always been able to find comfort inside this room whether his father was there or not. He was startled out of his trance as the door opened. Turning around, he saw that it was his father.
'Well, my son, I see that you are already here. I was afraid the twins might have coaxed you into another one of their games.' Elrond spoke moving past Estel.
'No, I believe they are still busy bathing. It seems that their first bath was a might bit chilly for them.' Estel's voice was filled with mirth as he turned to face his father.
'Hm,' Elrond tried to suppress a smile as he sat down in a chair beside his desk, 'and might I assume that they were not the ones who ordered it.'
'Yes.'
For a moment there was an akward silence between the two, neither seemed to know what to say next. It was Elrond who broke the silence.
'Tell me, Estel, how was your trip?'
Estel looked at his father, cautiously answering, 'It was fine, ada. We found the rouge band of orcs just as was reported.'
'And...' Elrond prompted his son when he did not continue.
"And they are no more. Ada, why is it that you have asked me here? Surely it cannot be to find out about the trip for there are far more easier ways to find out.' Estel asked growing tired of his father's coyness. Elrond looked at his hands, trying to figure out what to say.
'Estel, you have grown much in the past couple of years. In fact you have grown into a fine young man despite your brothers' attempts to stop it.' Elrond trailed off, knowing that wasn't the right way to tell his son.
'Ada? What are you getting at?' Estel asked curiously, wondering what his father was trying to tell him.
'Estel...I...' Elrond fumbled over the right words, not wanting to mess up again, but still unsure of how to reveal such a long held secret.
'What is it?" Estel tried to pry the words out of his father's mouth detecting the seriousness and urgency in his father's voice, 'Has something gone awry?'
'No, but I must tell you something. Something of great importance, but I do not know how to tell you.'
Estel stared at his father, what could be so important? Finally he asked, 'About what?'
'Many things, but most of all, you. I know that you have long understood that I am not your true father, nor is this your true home. Have you not wondered where it was that you were born, thought?'
Estel thought, it was true that he knew that, but it had never really mattered. For all he cared this was his true home, this was were he belonged.
'So that is why you have asked my here, to tell me of my true home and father? That is why you are at a loss for words and have grown worried? Well, worry not, ada. I do not wish to know where I come from, for this is my home, this is where my heart lies and you are my father, the only father I know.'
The elf lord smiled, he appreciated Estel's words and for a brief moment he was struck with an awful thought. Why did he have to tell Estel who he was? He could just keep Estel as his son, but no, that would not be right, he must know, 'Sit down Estel.' Elrond gestured to the chair in front of him, 'I have much to tell you.' Elrond paused to compose his words as Estel sat. 'For years I have struggled with a way to tell you this, yet I have found no other way than to simply tell you that, you are Aragorn, son of Arathorn. 'Estel looked at his father in shock, trying to remember from the history lessons he'd ignored who Arathorn was. 'Arathorn, your father was a great man, but you will be greater for you are destined to reunite your kind and restore the Kingdom of Gondor.' Seeing his son's mixed look of shock and curiousity, Elrond explained further, 'When your mother brought you into this house, your father had just been killed and we feared that you would be next for as Aragorn you were and will be a hunted man. It was then we decided to conceal your true identity, no one was to know who you really were, not even you for such a burden would be too great for a child. The time at which to tell you was difficult, but I knew that you must know.'
This could not be true, Estel thought, he was just an ordinary man. He could not be the leader of his people.
'Why me?'
'It is in your blood, your distant grandfather is Isildur, you are next in line.' Estel thought.
'And what if do not want it?'
Elrond looked at his son in shock. He'd never thought of him refusing. He could not, he cannot, this is his fate.
'Estel, you do not understand, it is in your destiny.'
'But what am I to do?' Estel asked, confused by what he had just learned. He did not want this, he should have a choice, but he was not being given that opportunity.
Elrond was angry, what was he to do? How could Estel ask such a question. There were only two things Estel could do.
'You have but two paths, embrace your destiny or be exiled.'
Estel stared hard at his father as he weighed his options. He loved the family he had here and did not really want to give that up, but it was not fair that he was the one who had to unify his people and restore the Kingdom of Gondor. He did not want such a task; all his life he dreamed of venturing the world with his brothers, no he would not take on such a task, such a burden.
'I elect the path of exile.' Estel finally said. Elrond frowned, bowing his head. He did not want to do this, Estel was his son, but he did not raise him to shy away from duty, Estel was raised so that he would make a humble and noble king. Anger replacing rationale, he began to speak.
'As you wish. When the sun sets on this day you shall be banished forthwith from Imaldris, Lothlórien, and Mirkwood, you are never to set foot on elven ground again on pain of death. Nor are you to speak in either of the elven tongues. You may take your horse, weapons, and possessions, but cannot reveal how or where you got them. Furthermore you may not tell of what you have seen or heard during your stay in the realms of the elves. And lastly, you are no longer to be called Estel and Aragorn for you have forsaken both and so you shall wander the lands of this world nameless until a name is found that suits you.'
'Yes, Lord Elrond.' he spoke defiantly. Standing, he looked at the room once more remembering the good times lost and the happiness the room used to bring. He turned, wishing not to remember anymore, not to let Elrond know that he was sad. But anger quickly replaced the sadness, his anger at Elrond. As he left the room he swore to himself that he would never again look upon Elrond as a father, not as long as he lived.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
And so when the sun had nearly set, he stood beside his horse, tying the last of his possessions to his horse. He did not take much, not even the food offered for he wanted no reminder of elves. Instead he took the few man-made clothes he had, a blanket, his sword, his bow, and quiver full of arrows. The other weapons he possessed were too elvish for his liking.
Mounting his horse he saw there was no one within sight, the lords of Rivendell were angry with him as was much of the house, but he cared not. It would be a relief to finally get out from the ever watchful eyes of the elves. He hated them, their perfectness and gracefulness, they thought themselves the wisest and greatest in the land, the epitome of life. Yes he would enjoy his time from now on, now that he was free. Looking to the west, he saw the sun, it was almost set, the time had come. He whispered to his horse, urging it forward.
As the sun set on this fateful day, it cast the shadow of the nameless man one last time on the land of Imaldris.
Estel cautiously pushed the door to his father's study open; there'd been no answer to his knocks, so he assumed that the elf lord was not present. He quickly looked around the room, relieved to find his assumption to be correct. He father had asked him to come to his study after Estel had had a chance to rest from his latest journey with his brothers. He had taken a bath and changed into fresh clothes, his others being torn from a skirmish with a no longer local band of orcs. Stepping in, he shut the door behind him. He looked in awe at his father's study; there was something majestic and surreal about it, something that always made him feel at home. He'd always been able to find comfort inside this room whether his father was there or not. He was startled out of his trance as the door opened. Turning around, he saw that it was his father.
'Well, my son, I see that you are already here. I was afraid the twins might have coaxed you into another one of their games.' Elrond spoke moving past Estel.
'No, I believe they are still busy bathing. It seems that their first bath was a might bit chilly for them.' Estel's voice was filled with mirth as he turned to face his father.
'Hm,' Elrond tried to suppress a smile as he sat down in a chair beside his desk, 'and might I assume that they were not the ones who ordered it.'
'Yes.'
For a moment there was an akward silence between the two, neither seemed to know what to say next. It was Elrond who broke the silence.
'Tell me, Estel, how was your trip?'
Estel looked at his father, cautiously answering, 'It was fine, ada. We found the rouge band of orcs just as was reported.'
'And...' Elrond prompted his son when he did not continue.
"And they are no more. Ada, why is it that you have asked me here? Surely it cannot be to find out about the trip for there are far more easier ways to find out.' Estel asked growing tired of his father's coyness. Elrond looked at his hands, trying to figure out what to say.
'Estel, you have grown much in the past couple of years. In fact you have grown into a fine young man despite your brothers' attempts to stop it.' Elrond trailed off, knowing that wasn't the right way to tell his son.
'Ada? What are you getting at?' Estel asked curiously, wondering what his father was trying to tell him.
'Estel...I...' Elrond fumbled over the right words, not wanting to mess up again, but still unsure of how to reveal such a long held secret.
'What is it?" Estel tried to pry the words out of his father's mouth detecting the seriousness and urgency in his father's voice, 'Has something gone awry?'
'No, but I must tell you something. Something of great importance, but I do not know how to tell you.'
Estel stared at his father, what could be so important? Finally he asked, 'About what?'
'Many things, but most of all, you. I know that you have long understood that I am not your true father, nor is this your true home. Have you not wondered where it was that you were born, thought?'
Estel thought, it was true that he knew that, but it had never really mattered. For all he cared this was his true home, this was were he belonged.
'So that is why you have asked my here, to tell me of my true home and father? That is why you are at a loss for words and have grown worried? Well, worry not, ada. I do not wish to know where I come from, for this is my home, this is where my heart lies and you are my father, the only father I know.'
The elf lord smiled, he appreciated Estel's words and for a brief moment he was struck with an awful thought. Why did he have to tell Estel who he was? He could just keep Estel as his son, but no, that would not be right, he must know, 'Sit down Estel.' Elrond gestured to the chair in front of him, 'I have much to tell you.' Elrond paused to compose his words as Estel sat. 'For years I have struggled with a way to tell you this, yet I have found no other way than to simply tell you that, you are Aragorn, son of Arathorn. 'Estel looked at his father in shock, trying to remember from the history lessons he'd ignored who Arathorn was. 'Arathorn, your father was a great man, but you will be greater for you are destined to reunite your kind and restore the Kingdom of Gondor.' Seeing his son's mixed look of shock and curiousity, Elrond explained further, 'When your mother brought you into this house, your father had just been killed and we feared that you would be next for as Aragorn you were and will be a hunted man. It was then we decided to conceal your true identity, no one was to know who you really were, not even you for such a burden would be too great for a child. The time at which to tell you was difficult, but I knew that you must know.'
This could not be true, Estel thought, he was just an ordinary man. He could not be the leader of his people.
'Why me?'
'It is in your blood, your distant grandfather is Isildur, you are next in line.' Estel thought.
'And what if do not want it?'
Elrond looked at his son in shock. He'd never thought of him refusing. He could not, he cannot, this is his fate.
'Estel, you do not understand, it is in your destiny.'
'But what am I to do?' Estel asked, confused by what he had just learned. He did not want this, he should have a choice, but he was not being given that opportunity.
Elrond was angry, what was he to do? How could Estel ask such a question. There were only two things Estel could do.
'You have but two paths, embrace your destiny or be exiled.'
Estel stared hard at his father as he weighed his options. He loved the family he had here and did not really want to give that up, but it was not fair that he was the one who had to unify his people and restore the Kingdom of Gondor. He did not want such a task; all his life he dreamed of venturing the world with his brothers, no he would not take on such a task, such a burden.
'I elect the path of exile.' Estel finally said. Elrond frowned, bowing his head. He did not want to do this, Estel was his son, but he did not raise him to shy away from duty, Estel was raised so that he would make a humble and noble king. Anger replacing rationale, he began to speak.
'As you wish. When the sun sets on this day you shall be banished forthwith from Imaldris, Lothlórien, and Mirkwood, you are never to set foot on elven ground again on pain of death. Nor are you to speak in either of the elven tongues. You may take your horse, weapons, and possessions, but cannot reveal how or where you got them. Furthermore you may not tell of what you have seen or heard during your stay in the realms of the elves. And lastly, you are no longer to be called Estel and Aragorn for you have forsaken both and so you shall wander the lands of this world nameless until a name is found that suits you.'
'Yes, Lord Elrond.' he spoke defiantly. Standing, he looked at the room once more remembering the good times lost and the happiness the room used to bring. He turned, wishing not to remember anymore, not to let Elrond know that he was sad. But anger quickly replaced the sadness, his anger at Elrond. As he left the room he swore to himself that he would never again look upon Elrond as a father, not as long as he lived.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
And so when the sun had nearly set, he stood beside his horse, tying the last of his possessions to his horse. He did not take much, not even the food offered for he wanted no reminder of elves. Instead he took the few man-made clothes he had, a blanket, his sword, his bow, and quiver full of arrows. The other weapons he possessed were too elvish for his liking.
Mounting his horse he saw there was no one within sight, the lords of Rivendell were angry with him as was much of the house, but he cared not. It would be a relief to finally get out from the ever watchful eyes of the elves. He hated them, their perfectness and gracefulness, they thought themselves the wisest and greatest in the land, the epitome of life. Yes he would enjoy his time from now on, now that he was free. Looking to the west, he saw the sun, it was almost set, the time had come. He whispered to his horse, urging it forward.
As the sun set on this fateful day, it cast the shadow of the nameless man one last time on the land of Imaldris.