The Road Less Traveled

By The Last Evenstar

Disclaimer: Oh, come on. Do I LOOK like I own Lord of the Rings? I don't think so!

A/N: After a while of just letting my ideas ferment, and coming out with a new story in the process, I decided to go back to what I had wanted originally. A sequel to Disasters In Waiting. Don't worry if you haven't read it, you probably don't need to. And a big thank-you to b-witched83uk for reminding me of this story and sending me that handy-dandy Elvish dictionary!

Chapter One: So Far From Home

Aragorn plodded along despondently, his horse acting as weary as he felt. It had been two weeks since he was sent away from Rivendell. He winced, thinking of the day when Elrond had accidentally discovered the truth about him and Arwen. In a rage, he had told Aragorn to leave Rivendell and never return. All the pleading on his daughter's behalf couldn't change his mind.

Aragorn groaned. He tried not to think about Arwen; tried not to think about the tears running down her beautiful face as she told him not to go. He tried not to think about the way she had kissed him when they parted. He tried not to think about her last words to him.

"When you and Ada come to your senses, Estel," she had said, her chin trembling, "I'll be waiting right here. Just like I promised you." With that, she had turned and fled, leaving him alone in the stables with his heartbreak.

Having nowhere to go, he took the road to Lothlórien. The mountain pass was hard to travel at this time of year, but if anyone could help him resolve his woes, it was the Lady of the Wood. The Lady who had made it possible for him and Arwen to be together.

He hoped she had one more trick up her flowing white sleeve.

~~~~~~~

Arwen glared at her brother as he came into her room and took a seat. "Go away, Elrohir. Can't you see that my heart is broken?"

He sighed. "Don't worry, Undómiel. Ada will soon realize that he is wrong."

She snorted. "Elrond Peredhil? Admit he was wrong? That would throw the whole world off its axis."

The older elf laughed. "You almost reached him the day he sent Estel away. Just keep trying – he'll realize it's impossible to stop destiny in its tracks."

She stared at him. "Elrohir, why do you believe in us? Why are you so sure it will work out?"

He smiled affectionately at her. "Don't forget that we have a touch of foresight. Arwen, when I see you, I can see Luthien. When I see him, I can see Beren. You're treading right in their footprints, ai seler' [little sister]. Can't you tell?"

She had to smile at his words. "Why can't Ada see it, then?"

Her brother shrugged. "His love for you blocks his sight of the truth. He'll come around, Arwen. You just have to wait."

She groaned. "I don't want to wait! I want to be with him NOW!"

He frowned at her outburst. "I'm sorry, Undómiel. But there's no other choice."

As he left the room, Arwen contemplated his words. No other choice? she thought, a smile beginning to form at the edges of her lips. For the first time in two weeks she felt happy. There is another choice. She bit her lip. Would she dare?

For three thousand years I've done everything my father commanded, she realized. And it's gotten me nowhere.

It's time to take matters into my own hands.

~~~~~~~

Aragorn stopped by a stream to let his horse drink. Kneeling by the water's edge, he splashed its refreshing coolness onto his face.

He glanced over at his horse, who was lapping up the fresh water eagerly. "What am I to do, Elenaran?" he moaned. "What do you think Elrond meant, exactly, by 'return on pain of death'?" He waited. Nothing. "You know what they say, ask your horse a question . . ." He sighed. ". . . you're going insane."

Elenaran whinnied. Aragorn smiled wanly at him and took a piece of lembas out of the saddlebag. As he was doing so, a scrap of parchment caught his eye.

Frowning, he extracted it. Why . . . ?

He gasped. I know that writing! The meal fell to the ground, forgotten. He unfurled the parchment hastily and began to read, his heart beating wildly in his chest.

Estel meltha, mela en coiamin,

I suppose if you're reading this, you've been gone a while, because I put it at the very bottom of your food supply.

Rest assured that by now I am missing you terribly. I don't know what to say, nor what the purpose of this note is, save to remind you of the promises we made. "Amin faina uial, [I renounce the Twilight]," I said, "ten' amin mela lle [because I love you]." To this day I hold true to my promise and hope you do to yours.

I am begging you to come home. Hopefully by now you will have been alone long enough to realize that you must. I know in my heart that as each day passes without you, something in my spirit grows dimmer. Return to me, Estel. Do not heed the words of my father.

Amin mela lle ten'oio ar' tar [I love you forever and beyond],

Arwen

Aragorn was startled to see a tear fall down and stain the worn parchment. He looked accusingly at Elenaran, but the horse shrugged, as if to say, "It's your tear, not mine, because you, not me, are yearning for a far-away love."

He glared at the horse. "You're becoming too wise for your own good." Great, he thought. Talking to my horse. First sign I've been in the wild too long.

He held the parchment in trembling hands. Breathing in its almost-gone scent, he could almost feel Arwen beside him. The paper smelled of niphredil and sunshine, a smell that had been missing from his heart for too long already.

"Pack up, Elenaran," he said finally. "We're going to Rivendell."

If Elenaran had not been a horse, Aragorn was sure he would have been saying, "Took you long enough."

~~~~~~~

Arwen crept silently out of the stables in the black of night. Just a bit further, she thought, and you're home free.

Elentari, her horse, seemed to understand the gravity of the situation and tread as softly as she could. Horse and maiden made their way slowly to the edge of the wood, where Arwen swung silently atop the mare.

"Where do you think you're going?"

Arwen gasped. Turning, she saw Glorfindel, standing at the edge of the wood with a satisfied smirk. "Ou – out."

He snorted. "Your atar isn't stupid, Arwen. Erestor and I have been keeping watch for two weeks now, just to make sure you don't run off."

She felt hot tears burn at the back of her eyes. "Don't try and stop me, Glorfindel. I'm leaving, and that's that!"

His face softened. "Arwen, don't be rash. We all know your father will come around in a few years or so."

"I'm not going to wait that long!" She was pleading by now. "Please, Glorfindel. Let me go to him. I won't live my life in Atar's shadow anymore."

He seemed to contemplate. At last, he spoke. "I am forbidding you to bring that horse forward, Arwen," he said, winking, "but, I shall step aside in case you wish to disobey."

She grinned. "Hannon lle, quel Aredhel." And with that, she turned her horse and galloped off.

A/N: Well? If I get reviews, (hint, hint), the next chapter will have FLUFF!