Restless

Chapter 11

“Day 63”


Aldamir gazed out over the City, watching the remainder of the envoy relinquish hold of their steeds to the stable boys. He had been there to greet these new people, had even met briefly with their captain, and then sent them to quarters to refresh. While Aragorn was here, he wanted to defer all decisions to the King and so had sent them away until Aragorn could be found.

The Chamberlain had been gone for a while now and Aldamir watched the road carefully, eyes darting back and forth from each possible pathway. The Chamberlain was far too anxious, where the King's safety was concerned, for his own good. Aldamir could see immediately Aragorn's annoyance with the man.

When the Chamberlain appeared in the distance, walking briskly down the cobbled walkway toward the castle, Aldamir's eyes narrowed. His appearance was less than pristine, and he seemed harried. Aldamir paused and regarded the man carefully. The Chamberlain had been sent to find the King. Why was he returning without Aragorn? And in less than clean condition as when he'd left not long before. The acting regent of Arnor turned and strode quickly off the balcony and down to intercept the Chamberlain.

"Where is Aragorn?" Aldamir's sudden appearance at the Chamberlain's side startled the man. Aldamir stared. Something was wrong. The Chamberlain was more agitated than normal.

When the Chamberlain failed to answer quickly enough, Aldamir pressed a little too harshly than he normally would have. "Where is the King? Has something happened? Did you find him?”

The Chamberlain's eyes widened at Aldamir's tone. In his agitated state, the Chamberlain forgot his station and blurted, "Yes, I found him! He wished not to be disturbed!"

Aldamir's eyes narrowed. That was very unlike Aragorn and very unlike a royal Chamberlain to be speaking to him in this way. Something must have happened and Aldamir needed to know what it was. Duty had always reined first and foremost in Aragorn’s mind and Aldamir found it very unlikely that he would simply refuse to appear when summoned. "You informed him of the envoy?"

The Chamberlain looked aghast. As if Aldamir would even dare to insinuate he had not done what he had been sent to do. "Of course I did, Sir. He refused to accompany me."

"What?" Aldamir couldn't believe what he was hearing. Something was wrong for Aragorn not to wish to great a new envoy to the rebuilt capitol. "Explain, please. You must return and fetch him. I would like him to-"

"Sir, he and the Queen are in the secluded glen." The Chamberlain snapped, gesturing with a flailing hand, down the path from which he had just come. "I interrupted them at a very inopportune moment. If you would like to face his wrath, then by all means, venture down there and see for yourself!" The Chamberlain turned on his heel and strode away, now fearful that if he turned around and looked at Aldamir, the man would order his death.

A dark eyebrow raised as Aldamir watched the Chamberlain stride quickly away. "Inopportune moment?" He chuckled to himself and glanced down the small pathway that led to the glade. "Aragorn, my friend, you may just have succeeded in tipping your irritating Chamberlain off the very precarious edge of sanity that he has been living on since you arrived." The met oet out a hearty laugh and strode toward the receiving hall. He would deal with this envoy himself. It was nothing new or unusual. Far be it for him, or anyone, to interrupt Aragorn's few short moments alone with his wife.


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Aldamir watched the envoy approach from the top of the dais. With respect to the King, he did not sit on the throne, instead stood and waited for the envoy to reach the front of the King's Hall. The herald announced their arrival, his voice echoing off the polished stone walls.

The men bowed low and Aldamir nodded in return. "Greetings. Welcome to Annuminas, Capitol of the rebuilt kingdom of Arnor. I am Aldamir, Regent given charge of this land in place of the King who rules from the White City of Gondor. What brings you here?"

"Greetings, my Lord Aldamir. We travel far from the North to trade with the City and its people. I am Pak'na, chief of my people."

"What bring you? Our gates are open to all and we welcome all trade."

Pak'na and his second, Ma'lin, glanced nervously around the large hall. Finally it was Pak'na who spoke. "I understood that your King was visiting from his White City, will we have the chance to meet him?"

Aldamir's eyes narrowed. To answer a question with a question was very against protocol. Something didn't feel right. "Yes, he has recently arrived. He is presently otherwise occupied. Should you remain in the City for long, I will arrange an audience."

"Ah, good. I wish to meet this man of the West who has conquered such evil in the Eastern lands."

Aldamir stared down at the strangers. "There are not many who I do not know who reside to our North, from where exactly do you hail?"

It was clear Aldamir's question had caught Pak'na off guard but he managed to regain his composure before answering. "My people fled from the eastern realm many years ago; far from the evil that resided there. We did not wish to be overtaken, as so many of our neighbors, by the evil Eye."

"So you ran to a place ravaged by war?" Aldamir pierced Pak'na with a stern gaze. "Arnor has long been a kingdom in ruins, it's people scattered acrose coe countryside for fear of the retribution of Angmar. We were besieged by their forces for many long
years . And those who did not join forces with the Witch-king, fought with us against him. There are very few who reside here that we do not know."

"We hid far to the North, Sire," Pak'na's hands shook and if Aldamir noticed, he gave no indication. "Only when word came that the Eye had been destroyed did we venture out of our secluded caves."

Aldamir nodded slowly and turned his attention to his second. "Please escort our guests to their chambers. I will summon them when the King has returned." He turned toward the two men who stood before him. "Please accept our hospitality. Meal will be brought to your rooms. I must ask that you do not wander the halls without an escort, however." Aldamir smiled politely. "It is a precaution taken with all new guests."

The two men barely had time to bow to Aldamir as the Captain of the Guard ushered them from the receiving hall. Another guard stepped forward at Aldamir's motion and listened carefully to his commands. "Have them watched. I get an uneasy feeling from them."


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"Love, he was just informing you of-"

"Arwen," Aragorn nodded angrily. "He has gone too far this time and I will have words with Aldamir about his remaining in Arnor's service when we return to Gondor."

"You know that would dishonor him and his house." Arwen walked slowly, hand in hand with her irritated husband.

"No, what he's done is inexcusable-" A twig snapped and in Aragorn's heated temper, he did not hear. "I want him left here. Aldamir will put him to good use."

“I think if you calm-” Arwen was interrupted when several men rushed out of the trees, startling the couple.

Arwen's yelp of surprise was smothered as a dirty hand covered her mouth and she was pulled roughly away from her husband. She watched, wide-eyed over the hand covering her mouth, as Aragorn's fist connected with one of their attackeHe fHe fell to the ground unconscious as the King whirled on another and thrust two fingers into the man's neck, dropping him to the ground instantly.

A fist connected with Aragorn's cheek, knocking him off balance as another man joined the fight. With a sharp kick to the stomach and a strong left hook, Aragorn dropped the man who had struck him. This took the other attacker out of his line of sight and it proved to be his undoing.

Several more men rushed out of the dense foliage and surrounded Aragorn, eventually forcing him to the ground in submission. Three of the attackers lay dead or unconscious as evidence of the valiant struggle Aragorn had waged.

Aragorn's arms were bound tightly behind his back and he was hauled to his feet. He was backhanded across the face several times, the last strike cutting his lip and causing a small trickle of blood to drip from its corner.

"Enough!" One of the men hissed, "We are not to damage him - too severely." The slanted eyes of the dark-skinned man narrowed as he watched his captive struggle against his bonds. His gaze shifted to the King’s wife, hair mussed from her own struggles, and his eyes sparkled with lust. He licked his lips and grinned widely making quite sure Aragorn could see his barely restrained desire for the elven queen.

"Let's get back to camp," the apparent leader ordered. "We'll be summoned shortly." As Arwen was pushed roughly passed the man, he reached out and grasped her arm. "You, my beauty, will receive treatment befitting your position."

“Do not touch her!” Aragorn hissed. He struggled against his bonds until he was struck over the head with the hilt of a curved blade. He fell to the forest floor unconscious as a dark hand cupped Arwen's cheek. The leader leaned toward the Queen, stopping when his lips were scant inches from her own. She attempted to pull away but his hand tightened on her jaw, leaving a small bruise.

"If you dare touch me, you will have all the host of Arnor to contend with," She hissed, midnight eyes glowing black with anger.

\," ," the man's eyes twinkled and he released her. "I like a fiery woman. I shall enjoy taming you." He laughed. "You shall cry out beneath me." He cast an amused look at her unconscious husband. “Perhaps I shall even make him watch me defile you.”

"You would not live through the act," Arwen spat defiantly.

"We shall see, elf wench." He wrenched her from the grasp of his man and ushered her roughly toward his hidden camp. "We shall see."