Hope of the Dúnedain, by Starlight (Arathorn/Gilraen)

[starli-ght.livejournal.com]

B2MeM Challenge: i22: Economy: Climatic Change; o68: Rangers of the North: Fell Winter
Format: Drabble
Genre:
Rating: General
Warnings: None
Characters: Arathorn, Gilraen
Pairings:Arathorn/Gilraen
Summary: There are duties, and duties.


Gilraen had known the request-- the order-- would come, for all she knew it pained him to give it, so she had been preparing her argument against it since before she felt the babe move in her womb.

"I have duties too," she countered to his refusal. "Your grandmother, and mother, fed those suffering through Eriador but few years ago, when winter's arm stretched long. Who will be there, should you send me away?"

Arathorn's smile was bitter as he kissed her temple. "Stewards I can appoint, but I have only one wife..."

In the end, Gilraen won, but briefly.


"... Aragorn was only two years old when Arathorn went out riding against the Orcs with the sons of Elrond, and he was slain by an Orc-arrow that pierced his eye...
"Then Aragorn, being now the Heir of Isildur, was taken with his mother to dwell in the house of Elrond..." (Appendix A: The Annals of the Kings and Rulers, The Lord of the Rings, Tolkien)

~the end

Comments

[dwimordene-2011.livejournal.com]

I always appreciate seeing Gilraen acting stewardly, as a power in her own right on behalf of her people. Nice, bittersweet and foreboding last line. Thank you, Starlight!

[starli-ght.livejournal.com]

Thank you, Dwim! I think I owe much of my view of Gilraen to your own portrayal. I learned a lot while researching the dates for this Drabble. It was late at night (or early morning, rather?) a couple of nights ago, but I believe Arathorn might have known his grandfather. It certainly puts a different spin on the meaning of "being fostered in Rivendell." what did it entail, exactly? I suppose Aragorn's case was unusual since his father died so young.

Thanks for reading!

[lindahoyland.livejournal.com]

I enjoyed this glimpse of Aragorn's parents.

[starli-ght.livejournal.com]

Thank you! It must have been so hard for Gilraen... My heart breaks at the thought of her alone...

[blslarner.livejournal.com]

A good response, although you accidentally referred to Arathorn by his son's name. I like this very much!

[starli-ght.livejournal.com]

I sure did, thank you for catching that!