The Hidden Enemy

Arrival

Aragorn watched Eldarion practice his archery in amusement.
Eldarion just couldn't seem to get the hang of shooting a bow.
Faramir was trying to teach him the right way to do it but he was having no luck.

Eldarion finally managed to fit the arrow into the bowstring, but when he fired it he overshot and the arrow hit a stone wall.
Eldarion sighed in frustration.
"Admit it. I'm terrible."
"You just need practice."
Faramir assured him.
"I've been practicing and I still haven't gotten right."
"Even the greatest archers had problems when they first began."
The look on Eldarion's face clearly showed that he didn't believe him.

It had been almost three months since Gandalf and Frodo left.
Eldarion missed the hobbit terribly. They had become close friends during the short time that they knew each other.
But he was recovering.
Faramir spent a lot of time with him, teaching him how use a sword properly, and without much luck, a bow.

Aragorn watched his son, there was so much of his mother in him...
His mind wandered to the past, back to Arwen, his first love.
Guilt swept over him as he remembered their last meeting together, before ha had set out on that ill fated quest that had cost Arwen her life.

He had grieved for months. The regret, shame, and grief had consumed him.
Aragorn had felt as if he would never love again.
But then Eowyn had come.
She had comforted him as well as the others who had lost loved ones.
She had remained strong and steadfast in the hope that Sauron would fall.

Aragorn didn't know for certain when or how he had fallen in love with her, but it had  happened.
After Eldarion was born he had thought that everything would be alright, that they would live through the darkness together.

But Eowyn had been captured, and killed in Mordor.
Aragorn had almost been crushed, he had lost the two people he had loved more than his own life.
What would Arwen think?
He had asked himself the question a hundred times.
Would she have been angry that I married Eowyn? That I loved her and still do even after her death?
Aragorn had loved Arwen too, he still wondered what would have happened if the ring hadn't been take by Boromir.
She would have lived, we would have married, and I would have never felt anything for Eowyn.
We would have probably never met.
Aragorn had asked Gandalf what he thought.
The wizard had told him,
Arwen loved  you Aragorn. She would not have wanted you to spend the rest of your life without love in it.

Aragorn had found some comfort in his words.
He sighed, sometimes he wished Gandalf was still there.
There were still many questions he needed to have answered, but there was no one to answer them.
"My lord!"
Aragorn snapped out of his thoughts as a messenger ran up to him.
"What is it?"
"Two elves have arrived from the Woodland Realm. They have requested an audience with you at once."
Faramir and Eldarion looked over to see what was going on.
"Who are they?"
Aragorn asked.
"Prince Legolas and Haldir. They say their news is urgent."
Legolas! What was he doing here?
It had only been three months since their last meeting.
Legolas wouldn't be here unless he had a reason.

"I will see them."
Aragorn followed the messenger, Faramir and Eldarion followed close behind.
The White City had suffered the most damage from Sauron's reign. It was still nowhere near to its former glory, but it was good enough for the people to call home.
But much more work still needs to be done.
They found Legolas and Haldir waiting near the front gate, which wasn't as strong as it used to be but kept the city protected.

"Legolas, what brings you to Minas Tirith mellon nin?"
The two friends embraced.
Aragorn studied Legolas' face.
He's worried about something.
"May I speak with you alone?"
He asked.
"Of course."
Aragorn greeted Haldir and had Faramir show him to a place where he could rest.
Aragorn led Legolas to the throne room, which was going through minor repairs at the moment.