Stories of Arda - Lord of the Rings Fan-Fiction Archive


	About Us News Resources Login Become a member Help Search

At Hope's Edge by Cairistiona	15 Review(s)
Lexilooper	Reviewed Chapter: 8 on 12/17/2025
Freezing... For what felt like unmeasured ages, Aragorn drifted helplessly on a current that pulled him inexorably away from life. Pain, fear, hopelessness... death awaiting. It was all he knew and all he had ever known and all that would ever be. There was no air... no light... no sound... only emptiness and a savage cold that cut through to his very marrow. He sank into achingly frigid black waters. oooooh yesss my poor boy And Arwen... I have failed her... ASKDJUFH :( Something like a sob wrenched itself from his throat. <:((( "Aragorn! Can you hear me?" The plaintive cry broke through the oppressive silence, but it came from so very far away. Too far away to help him. He curled into himself. Despair consumed him; he had no strength left to fight it and he was alone, so alone... HE HEARD THE SOB? AKSDHFD SO ALONE ARAGORN KING CURLING INTO HIMSELF IN DESOLATE DESPAIR AND ALONENESS (loneliness seems a little different from being absolutely Alone, so. Aloneness it is.) But then someone touched his hand. He flinched. In such an evil place, how could it possibly be a friend? SKASJDHSKGJ HOW COULD IT POSSIBLY BE A FRIEND <:( FLINCHING AT TOUCH MY BELOVED But the touch turned into a hand that gently took his and gripped it tight and then a voice called his name, a voice tangled with worry and tears and despair and Aragorn sobbed again as he felt warmth. He had so little strength left but whatever remnants of life force he still possessed he poured into grasping the hand that held his and he clung to it more tightly than he had ever held onto anything. He would not let it fade away and leave him to die alone in this icy Valar-forsaken sea. For die he surely would... but not alone. Not alone. SKASJDSKHFKDJSHSDJKSDJHFJD oh my gosh the pure angst here the SOB when he feels WARMTH that he thought he would never could never again feel die he surely would... but not alone. Not alone. AKSJSHFSJKH MY HEART SOBBETH the "but not alone" repeated just GETS me he will die but he will spend ALL his barely existent strength to cling to this person who will be with him Again the voice came, closer this time, tinged with hope. "He’s alive! Aragorn? Aragorn!" AKSJHSKJG THE PAIN OF HIS OWN HEARD IN THOSE WORDS THAT SHOWED HE DEEPLY FEARED THE WORST AND THAT FEAR IS BREAKING WITH HOPE He opened his eyes. What a struggle, but they were open. Shadowy mist still blurred his sight, but through it he saw a familiar face lean down. "Aragorn, can you hear me?" aksdshkg "what a struggle, but they were open" also earlier or perhaps last chapter you said something about a "groan from the depths of his soul" and that was so very good "Hal... Halbarad." Broken glass words scraping across his throat. Deep coughs suddenly tore through him. DEEP COUGHS TORE THROUGH HIM my favorite :) The hand he was gripping tightened, hurting him, but it was a good pain. It was a pain that told him he was alive. But then he started to shake, his body racked with shudders he could not seem to stop. He moaned and shut his eyes. Darkness reached for him once more... AKSHDFSGKJH SHAKING RACKED WITH SHUDDERS and this feels like. A violent shaking. Not a mere unnoticeable shiver. moaned and shut his eyes yesss hurting him <:( BUT IT WAS A GOOD PAIN <:( <3333 because he is alive "Aragorn, open your eyes!" "So... c-cold." He felt hands pulling at him, probing him. Stop... hurts... askhsjhsdjgsgjdsj screaming for joy at the...pain? Am I a psychopath? I surely hope not. But the whump is so good :). Halbarad’s voice was tight with fear. "Aragorn, did his blade find you? Where are you hurt?" "N-no. He d-did n-not..." askjdhfsf him speaking <3 stuttering reply Another anxious voice spoke. Denlad. "Halbarad, we must leave this place, and quickly. You managed to chase it off, but Eledh fears they are about to circle back around. He’s found our horses. Can you carry him?" yesss Aragorn felt arms sliding beneath his body, and he was lifted upward. Pain drove consciousness from him, and his spirit screamed within him as he fell back into the icy void. HALBARAD CARRY ASJDKSFHSDJ pain driving consciousness from him is like. A BRUTALLY sharp spike. Literally pushing his mind into darkness. AND HIS SPIRIT SCREAMED WITHIN HIM ASKDHFSGJK the pain touches his very spirit Voices and words and sounds tumbled through his mind. Something jarred his shivering, aching body, over and over. "Stop," he cried, but no one heard him. He lifted his head and something tightened around him. He reached up and felt a strong arm across his chest. askdsjkshgsjkdghsdk did no one hear? Was the voice in his head or did he cry out loud? (i want it to be out loud :)) "Easy, Aragorn," a voice said in his ear, gentle, soothing. "I have you. You will not fall." askshfsjfhgsjgh the strong arm around his chest in response to him lifting his head. Strong Halbarad lifting him and then holding him securely in place is just so. Warm and secure. <3 Coherent thought dribbled slowly together. I am on a horse. Riding. Halbarad behind me, holding me... why is he holding me? Am I wounded? Nothing made sense, so he quit trying to figure things out, instead letting the pain and cold wash him into a semi-conscious stupor. If it had not been for the pain, he would have felt like he was floating somewhere outside himself. But the pain was too fierce and the shudders too constant to imagine that he was anywhere but on stone cold Arda. yessssss Halbarad holding him on horse <3 and Aragorn's like what in the why THE PAIN how great it is STILL SHUDDERING Eventually the jolting rhythm slowed and he felt the arm across him loosen. He gasped as he started to fall, but many arms reached out and caught him before he could crash to the ground. He struggled to move his legs but they felt like dead things. askdjfsgh them all catching himmmm they are his support <333 it feels so safe trust fall at its finest also his little whumpy gasp when he starts blindly falling helplessly <3 "No, Aragorn, do not try to walk. We have you. Do not struggle." yessss <33 we have you combined with "do not struggle". Like. "Please don't fight us. You're hurt and we need to help you. Let us help." Is honestly one of my favorite whumpy things. Fighting not to fight friends. Who are also asking them not to fight, or apologizing for having to force things upon them if they do struggle. Hands gripped him; arms circled his waist and he did not fall, but it hurt. Oh Valar, how it hurt to move. ASJDDKJGH but it hurt. "Oh Valar, how it hurt to move." is SO STRAIGHTFORWARDLY ANGUISHED. Like. Candid "this is agony beyond description". And while barely even conscious he's still aware of that. Thank you for continuing the pain :). They passed through a doorway, and light stabbed his eyes. He shut them, but not before glimpsing a candle on a table and a fire laid on a hearth. Sounds assaulted his ears... men’s commanding voices, and a woman’s startled cry. The hands... my men?... laid him gently on a cot and a blanket dropped across his body. He could barely feel its warmth, so chilled was he. Another hand smoothed his hair back from his forehead. He opened his eyes, squinting, and Halbarad’s face swam into view. aksjsfhsdjdfhg forehead brushing hair back <333 the lights and sounds being assaulting "Aragorn, you must tell me... where are you injured?" Aragorn’s tongue felt thick. He could only frown at Halbarad as he mumbled, "Cold... " "Are you injured?" Halbarad repeated. "You must tell me! What did this evil thing do to you?" askdfhsgj they don't know what is wrong with him. They don't know that he carries no real physical wound. Like Sam "what is wrong with my master?" Memories roared back and Aragorn’s heart raced. The room faded and he was back there, facing the terror. His breathing quickened. He fumbled for a sword that no longer hung at his side. "Cannot... cannot let him get to the men... to you..." SKADSFHJGH rushing back to the trauma, immediately quickening his heart and reaching for his sword and repeating his motivation out louddd "Aragorn, it did not harm us. Whatever it was, it is gone and cannot hurt any of us." He took Aragorn’s face in both hands. "Aragorn, look at me. Look at me! It is gone." <333 TAKING HIS FACE IN BOTH HANDS I need someone to do this to my Aragorn okay he just did this is canon now He searched Halbarad’s eyes, for assurance. For an anchor. The evil vision faded, replaced by the reality of a quiet room full of worried men. "Gone...?" <:((( SEARCHING HIS EYES DESPERATELY FOR AN ANCHOR <33 the evil vision fadedddd "Yes, Aragorn. It’s gone. You are safe now." One rough hand stroked Aragorn’s hair back, over and over as one might try to soothe a frightened child. "You are safe." ASKDHFJ please keep stroking his hair back like a frightened child it comforts me as well thank you for the "over and over" Aragorn let his eyes close. He could not stop shaking. "I-I tried not to..." He coughed, then kept coughing as though his very lungs would tear themselves to pieces. "... tried not to..." AKSJUHK tear themselves to pieces violent coughing is such great whump it also threatens suffocation so like. Then there's gasping in between. "Shhh. Save your strength." "... not t-to... listen... to h-his voice... b-but... " <3 he continues of course Halbarad’s hand gripped his. "Never mind the voice. It is gone and he is gone. You are safe, Aragorn." yes. you did well. GRIPPING HIS HAND. YOU ARE SAFE <333 Aragorn took a shuddering breath and swallowed. "He w-was... terrible." ASDKDHSG THEY ARE TERRIBLE a traumatic memory is born <3 "I know, my friend. I know." <3333 <:( Aragorn felt himself start to drift, but Halbarad’s sharp cry called him back. He blinked, but his eyelids felt burdened with lead weights. "I-I’m s-sorry... so tired. So c-cold." YESSS sharp cry calling him back this fight over his consciousness "Stay with me, Aragorn. You must tell me where you’re injured." asking again Aragorn shook his head weakly. His entire body seemed awash with pain. "I-I don’t know. H-hurts to breathe." The blanket lifted, and then cloth ripped. Cool air brushed his skin and he cried out as Halbarad touched his chest. I DON'T KNOW <3 YESS literally ripping his shirt open AND CRYING OUT WHEN HALBARAD SO MUCH AS TOUCHES IT this is very good <3 He heard Halbarad’s sharp intake of breath. "He hit you with the flat of his blade. It did not break the skin but the outline is plain as words on a page. Aragorn, what did this to you? What was that thing we fought?" skadsshfkg yessss thatttt he would be strong enough to leave a stark bruise outline Aragorn shut his eyes tightly, as if that would do anything to dispel the horrific images that still burned in his mind. He clenched his jaw to keep his teeth from chattering and ground out, "It was a Nazgûl." skahjhfksf the horrific images that still burned in his minddd TEETH STILL CHATTERING STILL TRYING TO FIGHT IT "One of Sauron’s wraiths!" "They b-breathe out... p-poison. Surrounds them. L-lord Elrond called it... the B-black Breath." Lord Elrond <3 I wish he were here but you know. Without him will be slower healing for le whump so it's okay. "And that is what is wrong with you? This... this is the Black Breath?" Aragorn tried to answer, but the shaking was getting worse, pulling the cold into a tight knot in the center of his being. Thought drifted, shattered... SKAJDHG THE SHAKING again kind of my favorite thing same vibes as uncontrollable cough "Aragorn!" "I-I can’t..." skadhdsfkgj these responses Halbarad tries to use sharpness and more and more Aragorn's response is a stuttering "I can't" <3333 "Aragorn, you must tell me! Did Lord Elrond tell you of a cure?" Aragorn frowned, trying to pull his rapidly scattering thoughts together. He felt his hold on consciousness slipping away. The room swirled and a vision flickered... a strident cry from an Elven Lord’s lips... athelas! But before he could voice the word, the light faded and he passed into the darkness of nightmares. hahahaHA they can't get it yet the whump endures When next he swam back to consciousness, the cold and the pain were worse. IT'S WORSE IT'S WORSE HOW IS IT WORSE (by all means I do not mind) I do not ask why, for I know He was dimly aware that someone was beside him, holding something to his lips. He couldn’t stop himself from groaning. SAKDJGH YES all the "can't stop self" "uncontrollable" things are the best, cause EVERYONE gets to see despite their best efforts. The groan. :) Immediately a voice called out. Aragorn thought it was Denlad. "He’s waking!" Then the cup pressed more urgently against his mouth. "Aragorn, please. Try to drink." yesss waiting for him to wake He parted his lips and a foul-tasting liquid sloshed into his mouth and down his throat before he could swallow. He choked and the pain that knifed through him felt like a shaft of fire. SKASJD the force-drinking again out of care but Aragorn's body is fighting nonetheless, and unprepared, and he chokes, and PAIN :)))) I love so much it's SO GOOD also are they at...oh what is it called. The place they were trying to get to before the orcs did. Somewhere in the pain came another voice, urgent and worried. "Aragorn?" HALBARAD <3 Halbarad. It was Halbarad. Halbarad, what is happening? Why am I trapped in this cold black sea? Why does it hurt so fiercely? If only he could open his eyes, maybe it would all prove to be some dreadful nightmare, but try as he might, his eyes would not open. He was sinking again into those deadly waters, and their hold was too strong. The world of Arda, where comfort and help waited, felt far away and impossible to reach. He heard another groan and was ashamed to realize it came from his own throat. SKADHGKJ don't be ashamed AKSDHF HIS QUESTIONS TO HALBARAD PLEADING AGAIN CHILD NEEDING SOOTHING VIBES <333 only he can't voice them ooh yes picturing now his eyes closeddd or maybe even if he could open he still wouldn't be able to see for the Darkness. Maybe they are fluttering. I do not know. also this feeling of the drowning in frigid Valar-forsaken waters. The continued water metaphor. I love. The voice came louder, a note of desperation stretching it higher than Halbarad’s usual deep rumble. "Aragorn, can you hear me?" Skasjhjhsjsdghjds higher than normal He managed to nod. A hand... Halbarad’s... once again grasped his and he clung to it and somehow fought his way back to the surface. CLUNG TO IT <3333 again this clinging to the not-aloneness the surface of the black water <3 "Aragorn, you must stay with me. You must listen to me! All the medicines and herbs I know to try are not helping. Do you know anything that will?" aksjdshkg (but have you tried the horse balm /joking) I love Halbarad this time desperate with ARAGORN YOU ARE THE HEALER AND YOU KNOW MORE THAN ME AND MY KNOWLEDGE THIS TIME IS NOT HELPING. PLEASE. TELL ME WHAT I CAN DO. (also...did he try putting the horse salve on the bruise on his chest. Did unconscious Aragorn writhe and hiss. Did he.) Again, the sudden vision of his father, holding out a bundle of green leaves. But Aragorn was so weary, so tired. Forming words was too much... saksddsh "Aragorn!" I love people who love him saying his name <3 It was Halbarad’s voice, so broken, so choked with worry, that finally gave Aragorn strength. He could not bear hearing his friend in such sorrow. But it is so hard... so hard. Valar, help me... OH THIS BOY how I love him. Hearing his FRIEND'S sorrow (ironically for him) is the only thing that can give him the strength to speak His lips moved but he didn’t have breath to say the words. asjkhjhjsg no breath Halbarad leaned closer, so close his hair touched Aragorn’s lips as he turned his ear toward Aragorn’s face. <333 "Athelas," Aragorn finally whispered. Darkness clawed at him, but he was able to say it one more time. "Athelas...." <33333333 SKAHF <3 okay so it better not be too quick a recovery :) Long had he drifted on this barren sea, a sea forsaken even by Ulmo, but now his body washed up on a desolate rocky shore. He looked for help and saw his men coming but even as he cried out, his joy turned to horror as they chained his hands and feet and dragged him over the rocks and through a black gate. sksadhjhsjghsj forsaken even by Ulmo HIS FRIENDS chaining his hands and feetttt bringing him to Sauron's feet as the wraith envisioned looking for help and the relief immediately turning to horror ahhhhh also. The relief of leaving the barren sea CRUSHED by an equally desolate shore and then being betrayed by his closest friends...augh so good They dropped him at the base of a tall, black tower. He tried to cry out, but his voice was trapped deep within his fear. He stared upward, pleading with his eyes, but Halbarad... no, not Halbarad... my friend...my kinsman...no... simply stared back at him, then jerked Narsil’s hilt from his belt and tossed it contemptuously to the ground. AKSDHFSG Aragorn PLEADING WITH HIS EYES those IRRESISTABLE EYES BEING MET WITH COLDNESS <:( BY HALBARADDDD <:((((( HIS KINSMAN if I could caps bigger I would NOT NARSIL :( CONTEMPTUOUSLY THAT BLADE THAT MEANS SO MUCH TO HIM wow I can only imagine how that would tear him apart. He doesn't even have the mind to distinguish dream from reality right now. No! He wanted to scream his anguish but no sound came from his mouth. His men stepped back and they were no longer men but orcs and he turned his head toward the Tower and he saw a great eye, ringed in flames and unblinking... unblinking as it tried to pierce through to his innermost thoughts.... Sauron! TO SCREAM HIS ANGUISH "No," he whispered and tried to close his eyes against it but still he saw it and it consumed him and the world was filled with the Eye and the Eye saw... saw who he was and all was lost... Sweet Eru, all is lost and I have failed.... whispering askjghsjg "No," he groaned. "No..." askjdhsjgsdhjsdgjhgj the "no..." repeatedddd is this out loud do the others hear And then the eye inexplicably shattered. SKADJH YES <3333 Aragorn gasped and jerked his head to the side as fire and smoke rushed toward him but he felt only the softest breeze touch his cheek, a soothing zephyr that carried with it warmth and light and all the goodness of Arda on the first day of life. As the chains fell from his limbs, strength returned and he spun around to fully meet the wind, taking a deep breath, then another, and another, as fast as he could draw it into his lungs. skadjfhsgjsh waking with a gasp SAKDHG THE BREATH OF THE ATHELAS GASPING AS HE HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO BREATH FOR SO LONG all the goodness of Arda on the first day of life <3 As the burning smoke of Mordor receded into nothing more than flickering firelight against his closed eyelids, he realized that he was waking up. For the first time since his fight with the Nazgûl, his eyes opened easily. He lay for a long moment without moving, simply measuring his breaths as he stared at a rough plastered ceiling overhead. It took many more minutes of watching that ceiling, of listening to his own breathing and the crackle of the fire and the small noise of the wind outside before he accepted that this was reality. That this room, this cot, this air he breathed was true and real and that the rest had been nightmare... hideous, terrifying, but of no more substance than smoke from a fire. He reached up and put a hand over his eyes as unbidden tears of relief flooded them. His bones still felt as though the snows of the North had settled into his very marrow, but the horrible shudders were gone, and the nightmare was gone, and he was alive. He was alive. SAKDHFSJHJGHSDFJGH hand over his eyes and tearsssss <3333 TEARS OF RELIEF FROM THE MISERY AND UTTER ALONENESS AND DESOLATION bones still aching <3 He took a deep breath. Again the sweet fragrance of athelas caressed him and it seemed as though the breezes of all the summers of his youth filled his aching lungs. aching lungs <333 the summers of his youth <:((((( The sad lost joy thereeeee "By the Valar, this little weed does work," Halbarad said, his voice full of wonder. HALBARAD <333 voice full of wonder <3 Aragorn lowered his hand and turned his head, wincing a little as the room briefly whirled around him. His voice was but a breath. "You found... athelas." but a breath <3 whirling room yay lol Halbarad nodded. He held up a small steaming bowl and waved a hand over it so the fragrance drifted across Aragorn’s face. Then, like a river released from a dam, Halbarad’s words tumbled out, one coming on the heels of another. "I wasn’t sure what to do... all you were able to say was athelas and we had Morgoth’s own time finding any... your pack had gotten trampled and destroyed in the fight, and Denlad had no athelas in his, nor did any of us. But Eledh found some, still untouched by frost, in a thicket not far from here. But none of us knew what to do, whether to crush the leaves and feed them to you or make a poultice and then Denlad thought maybe to make a tea... he had seen you do that... and somehow spoon it into you but I was afraid you would choke. But you were sinking, fading so fast, crying out...." He stopped and swallowed. "I knew we had no more time. So we made the tea and thank the Valar, as the fragrance came up, you took one whiff and color came back to your face and then another and you were blinking and waking up. ‘Tis a good thing, for I think we were that close to losing you." He suddenly stopped again and shut his eyes for a moment. He shook his head hard and looked away. "Too close," he said hoarsely. skajddfhs yes I was wondering what they would do with it. Tea was a good choice. <33 Too close <:((((( HALBARAD I love him <3 Aragorn saw in the shadows below Halbarad’s eyes and the careworn lines of fatigue along his mouth just what price Halbarad had paid in worry over him. He felt too weak to speak, so he simply held his hand out. Halbarad took it and Aragorn gave his hand a feeble squeeze, hoping it was enough to convey his thanks. A look passed between them that held all their long years of hard times and good, of friendship and soldiering and trust. Halbarad said nothing, but Aragorn saw in Halbarad’s dark eyes all he needed. He understands. I long to say more, but for now, it is enough. ASJKDDGH held his hand out a feeble squeeze and as weak as it is, this time being able to offer his hand to Halbarad first in gratitude for the lifesaving hands Halbarad has been holding out to him <3 Aragorn let his tired gaze travel around the dim room. There was not much to see: a small table, three chairs, a fireplace. A gray-striped cat drowsing on the stone hearth. As far as he could tell, he lay on a simple cot, a brown homespun wool blanket covering him. Beside the door, a small diamond-paned window let in weak sunlight, but it made poor inroads against the gloom. He watched dust motes swirl lazily and realized he had no idea if it was morning, noon or evening, nor how many days had passed while he languished in the nether world of nightmares. "How long?" His voice was more a croak, like a rusted hinge long unused. "the nether world of nightmares" askdjfsgh "Two days, nearly." Halbarad set the steaming bowl aside and grabbed up a cup and poured water into it. He moved to sit beside Aragorn on the edge of the cot and, tucking a hand under Aragorn’s head, lifted it enough to let him drink. Fine wine had never tasted so good. yesssss sweet sweet water lifting his head to help him drink my favoriteee recalling half-conscious Aragorn choking on the gross medicine poured down his throat :) "Thank you," he whispered. <:(( I have been lost to the world for two entire days. Not as long as the lifetime it had felt, but to have lost that much time was still disturbing, especially when the bulk of those hours had been filled with nightmares such as he had never– No. saksdjf He stopped his thoughts from turning down those troubling paths. There was no profit to be gained in remembering what were merely conjured-up imaginings, however real they felt. Instead, he continued looking at the room. A doorway led to another room where he saw the end of a bed. Across the room where he lay, a ladder disappeared up into a hole in the ceiling, presumably to an attic room of some sort. Aside from Halbarad, the house seemed empty. He wondered what place this was that his men... good job Aragorn. Again showing impressive strength of mind. His men! Alarm flooded him and he struggled to sit up. Might as well have tried to leap from Mount Gundabad to Gondor; he barely managed to lift his head, and even that small movement left him gasping. But he had to know. "The men... Halbarad, the men... what of our men?" ASKHGSDJF yessssss gasping at tryna lift his head (this is also why he knows Eowyn needs ten days of bed :)) THE MEN <33333 the pure alarm Halbard slid a hand behind Aragorn’s head and reached again for a cup of water. "Calm down. We are all fine. All but you." <33333 yess lift his head again "I... " His voice rasped and he coughed and the room dimmed and swirled in a sickening kaleidoscope of lightheadedness. hahahaaaa "Drink." Halbarad lifted his head and held a cup to his lips. "You need water." it has indeed been two days <3 He drank a few sips of water. The dark spots that bloomed before his eyes faded. "I thought I could fight it, but... I placed you all... in greater danger than I should have." He stopped to catch his breath. Valar, but when did mere speech become such a test of endurance? "I failed. I am sorry... " sakshdjsg such a test of endurance perhaps since you fought a Nazgul face to face (okay. when he fought the Nazgul with the hobbits. Was he terrified that he wouldn't be able to fight them off again? That he would again succumb? For without him they all surely would have been destroyed.) Also why Aragorn suspected the piece of sword remaining in Frodo's shoulder, because Athelas should have had a more permanent cure Halbarad shook his head vigorously as he lowered Aragorn’s head back onto the pillow. "No," he said. "Do not be sorry. You did not fail, my friend." <3333 vigorously hehe Halbarad is in control of Aragorn's raising and lowering of head for the time being this makes me happy lol also seeing Aragorn try to sit up fail at even raising his head himself and we go. Big difference whoa. And thank you Halbarad for helping him to drink. He needs his head even supported we see now. "We... I... should have ordered the men... you... to run." hmm OKAY THIS FROM ARAGORN you can see the mark of terror it has left "Shh, quiet yourself. None of us knew what we were about to face–what you were about to face. And we all knew the time for running was long past, or nothing would be left of our people along the Hoarwell." quiet yourself <3333333 "But he ... it... the wraith is still out there. I was not strong enough..." Another long pause while he tried to catch his breath. "I had not the strength to defeat him." "Aragorn, you are wrong." His voice thickened with emotion. "You... you only... among us are strong enough to have fought the Black Breath for so long without falling. The Nazgûl may yet roam, but your actions have given us time. He is in disarray, his orcs vanquished. And had you not kept his attention from us, the Black Breath would have been the death of every last one of us. Feel no shame, for truly, you saved us all." THICKENED WITH EMOTION FEEL NO SHAME, FOR TRULY, YOU SAVED US ALL skasdjuhfj <333333 <:(((( <3 oh how I love them the like. Honor of this statement. The sincere gratitude. No scolding the reckless foolishness. Only gratitude for he sees they none of them would have stood a chance. They all would have fallen, would not have been able to save Aragorn then either. In his love and courage and sacrifice he saved them all. <3 Aragorn looked away. Halbarad had it wrong. He had failed them. So many of the decisions he had made in the last weeks had been wrong. Too often he depended on a strength that he did not possess, on intelligence that was wanting. If he had but given the matter the least thought, he would have known that the evil presence they had felt could only have come from a Nazgûl, and he would have sent for help from Imladris, from all of Eriador, from every corner of Middle Earth. But instead, he foolishly believed it was an evil he could handle by himself with a mere four Rangers. It had cost Mallor his life, and that the rest of the men had so far survived he could only ascribe to the grace of Valar. But he was too tired to argue all that to Halbarad, so he turned his face toward the wall and shut his eyes, hoping that Halbarad would drop the matter and think he had fallen asleep. askjdhkfjdh Aragorn you were bidden to feel no shame But Halbarad would not leave him alone. "Aragorn, look at me." YESS <3 "look at me" is my favorite I need to get this point across and I need you to look me in the eyes while I do. For a moment, Aragorn refused, but then he supposed that was childish. He turned his head and reluctantly looked at his friend, and was a little taken aback to see the frown darkening Halbarad’s brow. hehe when something is childish and he's like. Darn. Can't do that. :) "Don’t wallow." HA <3 Aragorn blinked. "I am not–" mmhmm "Yes, you are. Aragorn, you are by far the worst liar on Arda and I can see self-pity writ large across your face." <333 how I love Halbarad "It is not self pity," Aragorn growled. He started coughing again but he struggled on. "But realization... that... I am not fit–" mmm <33 hehe stopped by his coughing despite his desperate attempts to ignore it THE COUGH WINS :) He couldn’t finish his thought for coughing, so Halbarad waited for the spell to pass and in the silence while Aragorn struggled to catch his breath, finished it for him. "–to be chieftain, to marry Arwen, to fulfill your destiny and rule Gondor and Arnor and save Middle-earth from all evil, bad weather, bad manners, and spoiled vegetables," Halbarad said, ticking them off on his fingers and ignoring what Aragorn hoped was a withering glare. SAKDJSHG thank you for making me cackle lol you hope it's a withering glare, in your state. also, "to marry Arwen" <333 thank you for adding that one. He is worthy of her. "Have I missed anything? No, I could not possibly have, because I have heard you recite the litany of all you are not worthy of a hundred times and a hundred times I have beaten the self pity out of you with my words, tempting though it is at times to use my fists instead." He leaned closer, the bantering light in his eyes giving way to pleading. He grasped Aragorn’s hand again and squeezed as though he could drive the words into Aragorn with the intensity of his grip. "Aragorn, heed my words. You are the bravest man I know. Braver than any in Eriador, braver than any in all of Arda, and Elven-wise beyond any man alive. You are brave enough, wise enough... more than enough... to meet your destiny. Have faith in yourself. Have faith in the strength Ilúvatar gave you; yea in the strength of your line, for there remains much strength still in the blood of Isildur. In your blood, for the purity of Elros’ line has not diminished, either in Isildur or in you. It remains pure, unfaded and undimmed." <:((( <3333 he is so wonderful. And so right. He is really good at affirmative...pep talks? That sounds too...light, but Aragorn knew how he should answer, that he should nod and smile and thank Halbarad but he felt too... fragile. As fragile as a glass sword and equally useless. Halbarad’s eyes filled with a despair that Aragorn knew was a mere reflection of what was in his own eyes. "I am sorry," he whispered. askdhsfjhgjkgsjhg THANK YOU for letting him feel fragile. Too fragile to respond "right", or convincingly. But instead he apologizes. And Halbarad knows. He knows truly what Aragorn is feeling, and I love that. Aragorn needs people to see his fragile moments sometimes. And I feel that feeling. That is such an accurate response to not being quite ready to fully believe such kind words <3. Halbarad smiled sadly. "And as usual, I am pushing too hard, too soon. But I will not give up on you, nor will I allow you to give up on yourself. Not as long as I have breath." <3333 he understands pushing too hard too soon maybe but even if he backs off he will never, NEVER give up. <33 also. um. So sad that when Halbarad died...it was okay in this regard because Aragorn had found his faith in himself. Like. I'm incredibly grateful. But. He said it with such a forbidding look that Aragorn could not help but think of similar stern gazes Lord Elrond had laid on him as a child. He suddenly laughed and shook his head, immediately regretting it as the room spun. He groaned, bracing his hand against his forehead as he shut his eyes and rode out the wild disorientation. "The Valar only know why I put up with you," he finally muttered. <333 Lord Elrond giving him the same stern gazes of "you're really cool you better know I will not let you give up on yourself" <333 THE LAUGH <3 and the wild disorientation :))) "Because you know you need setting straight now and then, and I am the only Ranger feebleminded enough not to be intimidated by you and all those fancy names you haul around. Now come, breathe," Halbarad said. He moved the steaming bowl closer. feebleminded is. One way of putting it??? I don't think ANYONE else would call it that though XDDD Aragorn sighed and breathed in the fresh aroma of athelas as it sweetened the air. He shut his eyes, letting the fragrance ease the tightness in his chest and the turmoil in his heart. Perhaps Halbarad was right... but that was something only time would reveal. But for now, sleep beckoned, and he heeded its quiet call. <3333 bringing the athelas to him again. "Breathe". FINALLY A PEACEFUL SLEEP <3

MikoNoNyte	Reviewed Chapter: 8 on 1/16/2013
This was a tough read, and probably just as difficult to write. Battle scenes (melee) drive me wonkers. I've written many and you always need to know where your fighters are and what they are doing. You did that very well; enough so that following Aragorn's fear and emotional response - and his reasons for doing what he did for gosh sakes! - were easily read and understood. Bravo! You went into some really heart heavy descriptions of what Aragorn was going thru with the Black Breath. I've read several versions of what fan writers have to say about it, some better than others, and certainly Tolkien was no help, but yours I must say bit like a cobra. I could readily follow the deterioration and utter helplessness that Aragorn was going through; the battle of his own insecurities which were an incredible weapon against him! as well as the terror that made him weak. And then following with Halbarad's remark of "terror looking through your eyes" really brings home Aragorn's humanity and his vulnerability which we, as readers or writers, often forget. Tolkien painted his hero as Heroic in the mythological sort, like Beowulf or Herakles. Here we see he is anything but! Favorite line so far, another one with humour: "to be chieftain, to marry Arwen, to fulfill your destiny and rule Gondor and Arnor and save Middle-earth from all evil, bad weather, bad manners, and spoiled vegetables." Halbarad for the win! And I laughed myself silly. Thank you! Author Reply: Thank you, Miko! That was a really hard section of the story to get through, to keep Aragorn's heroic status intact but still show that he's human and subject to fear, as his reaction in the Prancing Pony showed (yes, that may have been a perhaps unintended leftover from when Aragorn was still a hobbit named Trotter who'd been tortured by Sauron... but it made it into the book as part of Aragorn's story, so it demands explanation!). And Halbarad, bless him, just can't handle any tough situation without tossing in some humor. g Hope the rest of the story keeps holding up for you!

LisaG	Reviewed Chapter: 8 on 2/4/2010
I was so glad that Aragorn's friend from the inn survived, but still, what a horrible loss! The fight with the Nazgul and then to fend off the Black Breath was chilling. I felt as exhausted as Aragorn must have just reading it as he did in the fight itself. Oh and I adore your Halbarad! Loved his rant telling Aragorn that he is indeed good enough! I only wish Aragorn would embrace his words of encouragement and wisdom, but I fear he's too beaten down physically, psychologically and spiritually to absorb the message and truly heal. :( Author Reply: Thanks, Lisa... I often find myself wondering about all the chieftains through the years that had to deal with similar tragedy. Such a hard road they all had to walk, and I hope that each one had a Halbarad by his side to encourage and prop up. Halbarad has his hands full this time, for Aragorn's definitely in a state, and now he has the Black Breath working on him as well. Rest up, because the story doesn't get much easier for quite some time! Thanks for the review!

Dreamdeer	Reviewed Chapter: 8 on 8/4/2009
I remember the impact of reading this the first time. The author had so firmly established Aragorn's strength and courage, that to see him utterly helpless like this physically frightened me. I could simultaneously experience his illness and Halbarad's fear. Cairistiona uses well Poul Anderson's rule to include at least three senses in every scene. No matter what happens in the story, the reader experiences it vividly. Author Reply: Thank you, Dreamdeer! I have to confess to not knowing that was actually a rule ascribed to someone, to use at least three senses in every scene. I do try to engage all the senses as much as I can in my stories, because that's what brings a fictional world to life. And to think I actually induced physical fear in you is a bit mind-blowing, to be honest. I'm so glad you felt the scene's full impact. Thank you for letting me know that. :)

Larner	Reviewed Chapter: 8 on 2/6/2009
He definitely needs the reassurance, and am glad Halbarad is willing to give him what he needs. Author Reply: Oh goodness, somehow I missed this review you left! My apologies! I'm glad you liked the chapter... yes, Halbarad is there to do what he can, although he's no doubt feeling absolutely helpless in the face of this. Thanks for the review, and again, my apologies for overlooking this!

Linda Hoyland	Reviewed Chapter: 8 on 2/2/2009
A wonderful chapter.I loved the way you showed the dreadful Black Breath.I'm another who thought of Faramir.I always thought only the King or Elrond's family could use athelas,but I guess Halbarad would have enough of Luthien's lineage for him to use it too. I just love Halbarad here and his care and obvious love for his kinsman and how well he has him summed up.A great line about how he blames himself even for bad vegetables!I just love this story. Author Reply: Thank you, Linda! I'm glad you liked this chapter and Halbarad's care of Aragorn. I don't really think it was Halbarad using the athelas that did the trick--it was that he was simply doing the administering of it and Aragorn's own lineage that makes it work for him (Aragorn). I'm going on the theory think there could be a sort of latent ability in Aragorn himself that makes the athelas somewhat effective, even if he's not at his full capacity as a healer. And I can't say more or I'll spoil upcoming chapters. grin But yes, interesting point in perhaps being a cousin, Halbarad might also be able to use it in the way Aragorn does--which makes for interesting possibilities for future stories... hmmm.... Thank you for the thoughtful review. :)

MP brennan	Reviewed Chapter: 8 on 2/1/2009
Great chapter! Poor Aragorn . . . want to hug him and cuddle him and make it all better and if you think I sound like a hopeless fangirl, you're not the only one;-) Excellent depiction of the Black Breath. This story certainly goes a long way towards explaining the passage you quoted in the prologue. Halbarad was spot on, as usual. "Save Middle-earth from all evil, bad weather, bad manners, and spoiled vegetables." LOL! He really is a perfect counterpoint to Aragorn. Looking forward to more! -Brennan Author Reply: Thank you, Brennan! I'm really glad you liked the humor in Halbarad's line. I think Aragorn does sometimes suffer from an overly developed sense of responsibility to make EVERYTHING right in Middle-earth and Halbarad sees it as his role to bring Aragorn's thinking into a more realistic balance. And I'm glad you liked my take on the Black Breath. Creepy stuff, the BB. And hey, no shame in being a fangirl! I definitely had a lot of those moments writing this. I definitely wanted to hug this poor guy. Several times. grin Thanks again!

inzilbeth	Reviewed Chapter: 8 on 1/31/2009
This chapter is just brilliant. I really don't know what else to say. I just love everything about it! Hopeless review as always, I know LOL! Author Reply: Ah, but you help immensely as my beta reader, so no matter about the reviews! I just appreciate you leaving one, and I'm so glad you liked this chapter... and helped me with the last minute "reconstruction" of it! :)

Raksha The Demon	Reviewed Chapter: 8 on 1/31/2009
Yikes; poor Aragorn. It's so hard for him to understand that he can't do everything he has set his heart on doing, at least not without casualties along the way. It's not a failure; it's just that he's up against overwhelming odds even for Isildur's Elf-raised Heir; and sometimes there will be failures between victories. I see that Halbarad scored points in the Whack-A-Wraith game; he made the critter leave its quarry. Aragorn's ghastly experience with the Black Breath makes me have even more respect for Faramir, who also lingered for two days or more in the grip of that poison - I suspect that Aragorn's experience here will help him when he has to heal others, including Faramir, who are caught in the Black Breath; Aragorn's been through it and lived, and will have a special knowledge of what he's up against as healer and King. I loved Halbarad's telling off Aragorn about Aragorn's occasional rants that he can't save the world from Sauron and bad vegetables. I imagine that Halbarad helps keep Aragorn sane as well as alive. It is the ultimate tragedy that Halbarad didn't live to see Sauron's Fall and the resulting peace as well as Aragorn's kingship and marriage. Author Reply: Thank you so much, Raksha! (We've got to figure out a way to build a Wrack-a-Wraith game!) I'm so glad you mentioned Faramir, because that was in my mind as I wrote this, that this is a "toss him in the deep end" bit of a learning experience for Aragorn that will help him when the time comes to deal with Faramir. It's one thing to have had book-learning under Elrond, or even a bit of a glancing blow if that happened while he was on his errantries; quite another to face the wraith directly in battle and then experience the effects. Looking at Aragorn's reaction in FOTR at the Pony to the wraiths and his power while healing Faramir, I figured there had to be a very personal encounter with a wraith somewhere in his past. And yes, poor Halbarad (I'm glad you loved his rants)! I just hate that one of these days I'll have to write a story revolving around his death, but I know I will... the idea is in my head to do it and I'll have to follow that muse. If there were any AU tale I'd love to write, it would be of Halbarad surviving to harass Aragorn up until the very moment Aragorn gives his life back and then they leave the circles of Arda together. Ah well. Thanks, as always, for your thoughtful review!

george	Reviewed Chapter: 8 on 1/30/2009
Just wanted to pop in and let you know how much I am enjoying your writing! Especially this aspect: I've read a lot of stories (correction: read the first few chapters of a lot of stories) where I just want to smack the author because the dangerous situations Aragorn gets into make him seem like a suicidal idiot, and his self-doubt makes him seem like a whiny crybaby with low self-esteem. You, on the other hand, do an excellent job of leading the reader through all of Aragorn's worries and fears and responsibilities, so that we can see why he feels they are justified, even if we might not always agree with them (and maybe sympathize with Halbarad's wistful thinking on pity removal techniques). I especially loved both your description of his feelings about standing between his men and danger, and his outburst to Halbarad about his destiny way back in "Unexpected." For someone like Aragorn who cares so much about his people and has been raised as a guardian of so much, the idea of 'sparing' himself for some distant future must be a horrible conflict. Anyway, you've done a great job of characterization for all involved, great job of heaping on the hardships that set the tone for this story, and communicated quite a lot without breaking the flow of your story. Sorry if I'm babbling, but I figured I'd cram reviews for the last bunch of chapters all into this one. >.> Can't wait to read what happens next! Author Reply: Wow. blinking in happy astonishment Thank you, george! You have my permission to cram as many chapters into a single review as you like! I too sometimes am very dismayed when I read fics that pile on the hurt or angst without regard to Aragorn's character or how such hurt/torture/whatever will affect the future canon lays out for him. I very much want to avoid doing that with this tale, but still wanted to explore his strength, his inner conflicts or demons, if you will, although I don't really see Aragorn as riddled with inner fears, and his inner hope. All good leaders who care about their people surely must question their motives, their decisions, and all that, and Tolkien showed us Aragorn does that quite a bit. So this is definitely a tale about how far can I push (and pummel) and still have him be the same Strider we first meet at the Prancing Pony. It's a fine line between turning him into a navel-gazing wimp and drawing him as a compassionate man examining himself ruthlessly to make sure he doesn't do anything to make his people's situation worse. I think I begged my beta's most to make sure they caught me out if I overstepped that line. Thank you so much for such a thoughtful review; I hope the rest of the story continues to unfold in a satisfactory way for you!

First Page | Previous Page | Next Page | Last Page

Return to Chapter List