There Is No Time For Fear (Aragorn x oc)

sixteen

Aragorn POV

"Tonight we remember those who gave their blood to defend this country." Theoden yells to the men gathered in the Golden Hall of Edoras. He holds up a goblet, as if offering it to them. "Hail the victorious dead"

"Hail!"The cheer comes up around me and the men raise their glasses. I look into my goblet, staring into the liquid. I take a sip and put it back down.

The celebration begins and the hall fills with the sounds of laughing and singing. Eowyn approaches me with a goblet of wine. She still looks at me as if she were in love with me and I realize she doesn't know. She wasn't by the gates when Iston returned.

"Why do you not join the celebration?" She asks.

"I would rather watch." I look out and see Gimli down a tankard of mead in one go. Legolas stands across from him, eyes wide. Eoywn laughs softly next to me.

"You care about them so deeply." She says, looking up at me. I know what she wants me to say. She wants me to care for her deeply as well.

"Eowyn... I cannot offer you what you seek." I say quietly but clearly. "I cannot give you the love you seek. And it is not as if you truly know me. It is but a shadow and a thought that you love."

Her face falls and she watches me.

"Your heart belongs to another?" She says and I wonder how she knows.

"Yes." I answer.

"Is she pretty? Does she make you happy?"

"Happier than I have been in this lifetime, although the time we live in is so dark." I say.

The hall doors open and we both look up. Elvion walks through the door with his brothers beside him. He's dressed as an elf of Rivendell, with a high collared coat of navy blue. The white cloak of Lorien sits on his shoulders, the circlet on his brow, and his staff in his hand. He has come so far from the darkly dressed quiet elf I met back in the forest traveling to Rivendell.

"Late as always." Thedoen says to him, grinning widely. "But better late than never." He shakes all three brother's hands and gestures for them to join the party. Iston's eyes catch mine and he smiles, looking down. I must be staring. It's hard not to when everything about him catches my attention.

"I see." Eowyn says suddenly. I almost forgot she was beside me. She still looks sad but a smile is also on her face. "I should have seen it before. You are so close." She places a hand on my shoulder. "You deserve each other."

She walks away. I'm not sure why people keep saying that. I don't know what exactly it means but they say it as if it is final. Which I guess it is.

"Ennas na- baw baur na stare. (There is no need to stare)." Iston says, appearing next to me.

"Ennas na- baw reason ú- na (There is no reason not to)." I say. He leans against the table next to me.

"You look like a Lord." I say placing my hand over his where it rests on the table. "Like Lord Elvion Celevonor, son of Elrond of Rivendell, Lightbringer of Imladris Karningul and Lorien."

"You can just call me Iston. That is who I am to you." He says,

"To me, you will always be whoever you are." I respond.

"Hi na- whui im aeg an cin. (This is why I fell for you)." He smiles out of the corner of his eyes.

"So I'll call you whatever I like." I tease him.

"I wouldn't dream of stopping you." He jokes back. "However I could really use a drink."

I can't help but burst out laughing. He looks at me, his entire face smiling, and starts to laugh also. "I wasn't particularly joking. It's been a long day."