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


	About Us News Resources Login Become a member Help Search

The Ranger and the Eagles by Cairistiona	15 Review(s)
Lexilooper	Reviewed Chapter: 7 on 1/16/2026
Unfortunately, none of it had been a bad dream, though his fevered night had been filled with any number of other nightmares, all of which were completely unrelated to flying clutched in an Eagle’s talons like an unfortunate coney. He had dreamt of orcs stabbing him, of Wraiths surrounding him, of Morgul blades cutting him and dragons roasting him and at some point he had wakened everyone, including himself, with a blood-curdling scream. Skjsahdjsdhgjkhgdsjf yesssss a blood-curdling scream well he certainly doesn't scream enough at any other time, when he is in enough pain to set just about anyone else screaming those are EXTREMELY nightmarish nightmares (stabbed by morgul blades??) and he knows what one wraith near him is like...now many...but also fair considering what misery his body is in But as wretched as they were, they had, as nightmares should, crumbled into fragments nearly impossible to remember once he awakened. The details of waking reality, however, remained dismally clear cut: The storm had ceased, and he would have to fly. ohhhhh dear thank you for the other things crumbling as nightmares should <3 The very words felt wrong to him. Birds fly. Occasionally wizards, dwarves and hobbits flew. Bright Eärendil flew, and still did, every night across the sky in Vingilot. He recalled a bit of long forgotten lore, some wild tale about Númenóreans trying to build a ship to fly to Valinor. If that rumor were true, was it any wonder that isle sank, he thought sourly, though of course he knew the real reason behind the isle’s fate. ayyyy like the tower of Babel?? He wondered briefly if such insanity was brought on by their unfaithfulness, or if it had been some sort of offshoot of whatever it was that drove so many of them to sail the seas in the first place. Which came first, the sailing or the unfaithfulness, or was it all inseparably bound together? It would make for some fine fireside discussion with Elrond, he supposed. yesssss that would be a good discussion. I feel like anything with Elrond would be a good discussion. I wanna hear his wisdom and lore, although I know he has far too much to teach anyone in many lifetimes Whatever the faulty reasoning of those long-dead Númenóreans, he knew that this Númenórean certainly had not inherited any yen to fly, whether it be to Beorn’s Hall or to the forbidden realm of Valinor. lolllll this Numenorean had certainly not inherited any yen to fly XD lolll not me looking up the origin of the word yen... No, his Dúnedain blood called him not to the skies but firmly to the ground. And safely solid ground that didn’t abruptly gallop out from beneath one’s feet in avalanches, at that. LOL FAIR The clang of a dropped cook pot brought him out of his reverie with a skull-pounding jerk. He grabbed his head and glared at Gandalf, who was puttering around the cave, stowing spare clothing and gathering up oddments and kicking out the fire. He had bullied Aragorn into letting him help him dress, even though he felt more than capable of doing it himself. HA YEAH RIGHT But Gandalf had insisted and so Aragorn had endured his shoving his limbs into every last stitch of clothing he owned, including all three pairs of hose, and now he lay aching and exhausted, wondering how in the world he would be able to hold on while flying astride an eagle when merely getting dressed left him weak as water and dizzy to the point where his hold on his temper was tenuous at best. mmmm yes weak as water Aragorn getting short-tempered...hehe His scowl deepened. He simply must be allowed atop Durvain, because otherwise it meant dangling beneath the Eagle’s belly, fathoms above the earth where the least little bobble could cause Durvain to drop him. He had seen eagles lose their prey in just such a manner, often enough. He shivered. Such a thing simply could not be borne. Far better to risk tumbling off Durvain’s back due to his own failing than to trust to talons... mmm yeahhhh honey I think his strength is MUCH more trustworthy than yours at the moment. I know trusting to his would be much more mentally agonizing, but... .... grab him and eat him.... He growled under his breath. Would those infernal words never stop sliding through his mind! His current reluctance to fly had nothing whatsoever to do with silly childish fears and everything to do with the fact that those talons could too easily crush him or let him slip free. uh yeah sure At least that’s what he told himself. yup He flexed his hands, testing their strength. He simply must find the wherewithal to hold on, that was all there was to it. uhhh sureee if it exists Gandalf hurried over, holding a blanket. "All right, Strider," he said. While Aragorn was grateful that Gandalf had been careful not to reveal his true name to Durvain, he was not sure it made up for his failure to arrange travel that did not include hurtling through the air with reckless abandon. "Let us wrap you up good and snug." lollllllll thanks Gandalf <3 I appreciate you Aragorn tried to sit up but, frustratingly, he only managed to gain propping himself upon an elbow, and then even that failed him. As he fell back, trying to hide the fact that he was fairly riddled through with pain, his goal of riding atop inched that much more beyond reach. Still, nothing was ever gained without trying, so he put on a brave face and hoped his eyes weren’t actually twirling in their sockets the way they felt. "Wrap me up? I can barely move as it is, you’ve got me in so many layers of clothes." yessssss not nearly reaching his goal and then even what he gains falls from him, and he falls :))) Aragorn putting on a brave face <:( skdaj oh dear he is extremely dizzy, eyes feeling like they're twirling in their sockets "Your attempt to fool me is both pitiful to behold and entirely unsuccessful. I can plainly see that your inability to move is in no way related to how many layers you’re wearing." LOLLL <3 thanks Gandalf straightforward Aragorn pulled a face but said nothing. loll poor guy he just looks so grumpy and hurting and cute <3 "And even if it were so, you would wear them regardless. We cannot risk your catching a chill." yess Aragorn’s temper got the better of him. He was on the cusp of dying from a thousand-fathom fall, yet Gandalf was worried about his catching a sniffle! He pushed away Gandalf’s blanket-filled hands and said in a hissing whisper, "Then pray do not make me go flying through the air dangling like bait from that eagle’s hooks!" skajdfaskjsd his hissing whisper, in his desperation and dread losing his temper "If I may be so bold, they’re talons. Not hooks," Durvain interjected mildly from where he sat in the cave entrance, watching the skies as he patiently endured Gandalf’s piling goods upon his back as if he were no more than a pack pony. skajhkjghdsjgh <333 HOW I LOVE HIM interjected mildly "if I may be so bold" HE'S SO POLITE HE'S A GIANT EAGLE Aragorn blushed. "My apologies," he called, then glared at Gandalf and whispered almost silently, "Surely there is some other way!" saksdfjsk blushing that he was overheard and probably sounds insulting "I assure you, you will be quite safe." <33 indeed even if it does not feel so "Then pray let us tarry one more day. I am sure I will be stronger–" hmm "No, Aragorn. Waiting in this cave will only weaken you further. You need the warmth, good food and care of Beorn’s Hall. It will be difficult, and no doubt painful, flying in the state you’re in, but the sooner we get you there, the better off you will be." mmmmm yessss will only weaken him further skajsd be the eagle down soft as it may "Then... if it must be today, let me ride atop him." "Aragorn, that is not sensible. You cannot possibly be strong enough to hold on." yes THANK YOU "I think I can. At least let me try. I-I simply do not want him carrying me in his claws." ummmmm I mean perhaps you could try for as long as it takes you to get atop him and then pass out from the pain before you've achieved even that? Durvain looked over, his expression still mild. "My good friend, they’re not claws, nor hooks. Talons." SKJAHGSKJHHS HOW I LOVE HIM "my good friend" expression still mild he sounds rather fondly amused mixed with "let me correct your miswording, as your words rather make it sound more dangerous and wild" "Talons, yes, I’m sorry, forgive me," he said, cringing inwardly at his impatience, but keeping his eyes on Gandalf. "Please." In desperation, he actually dared to offer a piteous look. It had worked when he was seven... skajdfhskgjhhg Aragorn desperate enough to intentionally look piteous???? dang But Gandalf was unmoved; indeed, he favored Aragorn’s ploy with the withering stare it no doubt deserved. LOLLLL <33 "Of course you will let Durvain carry you in his talons. It’s quite the only way. You’re far too weak to ride atop his back; you’d fall off before he left the ground. I could tie you there, but there’s really no room for a rider, not with all your things packed there. Besides, you’re far larger and heavier than your pack and mine put together, and to ride him, you would have to be able to shift your weight with his and actually help him along now and then. You could not simply sit like a lumpy sack of potatoes and expect him to fly straight." of course you will hehe withering stare with the command. And very straightforward words. And honestly tying him their would also be a lot more painful than being carried in his talons "A lumpy sack–" Aragorn spluttered, but Gandalf went on without the least acknowledgment of Aragorn’s outrage. LOLL he knows how to hold his own against Aragorn, particularly a deathly injured Aragorn "And it goes without saying that he cannot be made to carry both of us on his back, which is what he would have to do if you were atop him, for I would have to hold you in place. He is small, as Eagles go. Strong nonetheless, but nothing as strong as all that." mmmm yes Aragorn scowled, but then he stared at Gandalf, beset with growing alarm as the question he had not asked yesterday again loomed large. "Wait... you said there is no room on his back. So you won’t be atop him, and I’ll be in his talons...." He paused and swallowed before carefully going on, "So that of course means that he will hold both of us in his talons?" "Both of us? Why ever would he need to?" skajdhkjsghsdjghdk he's like,,,, um,,,,,,, "But... if you’re not carried by his other foot, and not on his back... does that mean you aren’t coming with me?" Even as he said it, he cringed inwardly. By the Valar, Aragorn, he chided himself, from whence comes this craven terror? Are you not Chieftain? The future King of Gondor who has already fought in Rohan and led soldiers of Gondor into battle? Must you still need your hand held to cross a lane? Yet he could not deny that the thought of going alone to Beorn’s... and flying there, at that...filled him with, if not panic, then a pronounced dismay not easily subdued. He tried to sound reasonable. "Gandalf, I do not know Beorn, nor is he acquainted with me, and it is well known that he holds little love for Eagles. I really do think it would go far easier if you would accompany..." askjdsghsdjds he's so so worried <:(((( it is a little funny from an outside perspective that after all the battles he's fought and armies he's led and lone journeys he's taken THIS is what fills him with terror, but also, it kind of makes perfect sense, plus he is sick and injured and miserable, his desperate pleading to Gandalf not to leave him is so sad "Good heavens, will you stop all this whinging and complaining; it’s beneath you," Gandalf snapped, his patience gone. "Of course I am coming with you. I will be riding Menelris, who should be along any time, now that the storm is well past." oh yes I forgot about her <3 lol Gandalf is like well my patience is wearing thin as well, let's make it a party (although I wonder if he actually knew how Aragorn was feeling or his memories and remembered Aragorn never complains without an insurmountable reason if he would find some of his patience returned) Aragorn felt like a man who, having been thrown by his horse, could only watch helplessly as it thundered off into the distance, beyond any hope of recovery or mastery. Or, he thought wryly, like a man who kicks up an avalanche and can only ride it helplessly to the bottom. loll too well he knows that feeling However one cared to look at it, he had lost control both of the conversation and the situation. Still, he had to try to regain the upper hand, despite wishing he could simply roll over and go back to sleep and reawaken only when his head ceased pounding, Gollum was found, Sauron defeated and the world set to rights at last. He rubbed his face tiredly, trying to remember who Menelris was and utterly failing. "Who is Menelris?" skasjddshgkj and utterly failing "tiredly" "My mate," Durvain chirped happily. awww he's like MY FAVORITE TOPIC Gandalf frowned. "Do you not remember her, or my telling you of her?" ooh "I..." Aragorn started, then stopped. He chewed his lip, thinking. "Did she touch me, with her beak? I thought that was Durvain." mm yes <3 "That was Menelris. And after she left, I told you about her." Aragorn said faintly, "I have no memory of that." sakksjdjfgks "faintly", love he sounds so disheartened and like, weak I suppose? can't think of the right word but the way you have him saying this conveys the vibe perfectly. Sort of a deep tiredness and "I sort of give up fighting my brain here" Compassion lightened the frown on Gandalf’s face. "I suppose something of an apology is in order," he admitted. "You seemed aware enough at the time but I suppose the blow to your head has affected your thinking. Menelris is, as Durvain said, his mate, and she it was who first found us. She had seen you fall, actually, and she was quite concerned when she did not locate you once the snows had settled. She was very pleased to find out that you’d made it to my cave." aww thank you Gandalf <3 he's like sorry I don't really know what you remember and forgot to think about that or explain "I wish I could remember." <:( Gandalf knelt down beside him and lightly brushed back Aragorn's hair from his forehead. "Fret not. As a healer, you know how blows to the head play with one’s memories and cloud one’s thoughts. Getting upset only makes it worse." Gandalf then shook out the blanket and draped it across Aragorn. "We’ll tuck that more firmly around you before Durvain lifts you." He gave Aragorn’s shoulder another of his reassuring pats, then returned to his packing. <33 thank youuuuu brushing his hair back Gandalf was right, of course. Trying to remember details of the last two days was like trying to get a glimpse of the moon on a cloudy, windy night. ooh good analogy Memories emerged clearly one moment, only to vanish behind scudding shadows the next. Twice this very morning, in fact, he had found himself unable to recall Gandalf’s name; it simply would not come to his tongue. Such unpredictable fits of memory loss were disconcerting, to say the very least, but Gandalf was also correct in warning him that getting upset would only waste strength best marshalled for healing. ooh whoa forgetting Gandalf's name not entirely surprising but still significant okay if my research is correct Aragorn has a grade 2 perhaps at least initially grade 3 or bordering on grade 3 concussion?? cause like some of the symptoms aren't so severe (he hasn't vomited) but he had repeated fairly prolonged loss of consciousness, vision impairment I think, etc. No seizures though. But some speech difficulty. Of course this is all exacerbated by falling down a mountain and an infectious puncture wound And for flying. Flying.... Aragorn’s mouth felt suddenly clogged with sand. He coughed. "Gandalf, have you already packed the water?" oh dear remembered the flying "No, here it is." He plucked up the water skin and handed it to him. He drank thirstily, then replaced the bung, pounding it in with his fist. He tucked it by his side, suddenly reluctant to return it, for he knew that it would be at that moment that he would have to submit to... flying. He cleared his throat again. "I will just keep it here, until you’re ready to pack it." ohhhh boy wow he sounds like a young child with severe anxiety dreading school and trying to delay or play sick. Only he really is very sick and is trying to play well. "Very well. I should be done in a few moments, and then Durvain will be ready to lift you up and off we’ll go, away from this wretched cave at last." somehow I don't think Aragorn thinks it's so wretched Aragorn remained silent. He watched Gandalf come and go, stowing things on Durvain’s back. Soon there would be no room for Aragorn even if he could manage to hang on. He quietly handed Gandalf the waterskin when he came for it, and then made his decision. He waited until Gandalf’s back was turned, then he pushed himself to a seated position. His head immediately started throbbing, and his back... He grimly shut his mind to the unpleasantries commencing there. BUDDY WITH ALL FONDNESS YOU ARE BEING AN IDIOT of course it's entirely understandable. But you have a great stubbornness. However the terror must be great indeed to manage to force you past the pain stubbornness alone could not handle. I'm honestly impressed he managed it when, when there was less urgency, he couldn't really manage to hold even an elbow Gandalf might think him quietly acquiescing, but he was going to ride atop, and there would be no gainsaying him. He had been injured worse and nonetheless ridden miles on horses; this would be no different. He took a deep breath and in one movement gathered his legs beneath him and lunged to his feet before the pain could stop him. lol uhhhhhhhh sure I want to know what worse injuries those were besides the Black Breath but at least that was only the beginning of the fever, you weren't fainting every 20 seconds, and you had the concern for Halbarad to keep you upright "Strider!" Gandalf immediately cried, turning just in time to see Aragorn sway dizzily as he flailed blindly for the cave wall, which suddenly seemed impossibly far away.... "What do you think you’re... oh, by Manwë’s own Eagles, why must you be so stubborn!" LOLLLLLL YESSSS THE CORRECT RESPONSE flailed blindly for the cave wall I love Gandalf's words. Why must you be so stubborn, indeed This last Aragorn barely heard. Though his legs had seemed willing, his knees were not. They buckled and he crumpled back to the ground. He hovered shakily on hands and knees as the world spun and danced around, and then he lost a very brief battle with his stomach. He narrowly missed Gandalf’s boots with the water he had only just drunk and with what little else he had eaten in the last day. yessss oh there it is. I'm becoming convinced this is grade 3. And some of the symptoms haven't been as severe as they could be because he's been mostly lying still. I can't really imagine it being much worse than this without like, going into a coma or something. skasdjfhgjgsh crumpling to the ground my favorite, shaking on hands and knees also my favoriteeeee luckily he won't have anything to throw up while in midair, I was rather worried about that "Oh dear!" Durvain cried. "What is wrong with him?" <333 "Nothing," he mumbled. He blinked rapidly, trying to clear the spots dancing before his eyes. SURE yeah there's vision impairment yessss can't really see is great Then he heard Gandalf’s irritated reply. "Yes, of course nothing’s wrong! It is tradition, after all, for Men to stand up only to immediately collapse and then vomit onto their companion’s shoes." LOLLLL yeah he sounds irritated no way is he letting Aragorn try to ride <3 "What a strange custom," Durvain said, then added in all seriousness, "You missed his shoes, Master Strider. Perhaps you should try again." OH MY GOSH I AM CACKLING SO HARD I had to clap a hand over my mouth for a solid 30 seconds I can't even tell if Durvain's genuinely serious or really good at pretending I love his encouragement to Master Strider XDDD Aragorn laughed weakly, then groaned as he sagged to the floor. The spots before his eyes coalesced into bigger and bigger shadows. Consciousness dribbled away... yesss laugh <3 sag to the floor ... and when it returned he felt something soft brushing his cheek. He opened an eye and saw it was Durvain, brushing him with the tip of his wing, over and over. aww <333 "He’s back!" Durvain cried. "How are you, Master Strider? Better now?" I love how excited he is <3 Only if better meant a roiling stomach, buzzing ears, and a mouth that tasted like something had crawled in it and died, he thought. His back was afire and his head... someone apparently had given it to Celebrimbor to use as an anvil. He garbled some noises that were meant to be reassuring words, and Durvain clucked and continued to brush his cheek. Aragorn had never felt anything more soothing. He quit trying to regain his wits and drifted, half aware. ooooooh dear Celebrimbor's anvil indeed, I can't imagine really AWWWW HE HAD NEVER FELT ANYTHING MORE SOOTHING <3 I love how, as terrified as he is, eagle feathers at least are very comforting to him Voices floated somewhere above him, in snatches.... mmmm yes floaty consciousness "...not bleeding, but he’s too weak... really must get him ... Beorn’s.... cannot delay." oooooh "... leave with him now? ....what of you? .... Menelris is coming but what if..." "...can come back to check on me...." oh dear oh dear it's happening probably a good thing he attempted that stand. Now maybe he'll be too out of it to be so terrified on at least the beginning of the flight (also I want him to cry can you make him cry) Then gentle hands were on him, turning him over and wrapping him snugly in a blanket. There were murmuring encouragements and more soft touches of feathers, then warm but rough bands circled his body. <333 Durvain’s talons, he realized... and then he was lifted and pressed against soft warmth and there was motion, like a boat bobbing on gentle seas, and a sudden cold breeze against his face but he was warm and floating... floating... floating away and for a moment he thought he had lost his hold on consciousness again yes yes think that that's definitely it but then another thought wormed in and his eyes flew open and he saw... Clouds. And below them... below them?... far, far below them, the ground. He was flying. And he was terrified. He couldn’t think, couldn’t move, couldn’t cry out. He could only watch as the ground moved slowly away from him, dropping, dropping, dropping... skajsdhsjgsjgdsjgdjgdfgsjgh oh dearrrrrrr imagine how horrible that would be to be COMPLETELY out of control, wrapped tightly and body not cooperating anyways, can't call for help, can't even think to reason past the terror, trapped in his personal living nightmare also is he on his stomach? side again? back, and like twisting around to see the ground? side seems best but perhaps a little hard to carry and properly support his head is the blanket tucked around his ears as well? Cause cold also DURVAIN PULLING HIM SECURELY AGAINST HIS WARM SOFT BODY <333 He finally found his voice and though he meant it to be a shouted order for Durvain to put him down, immediately! it came out a strangled squeak of unintelligible panic. And that filled him with disgust; he had heard braver cries from baby rabbits. SKADHSJGHS my poor guy he would be absolutely humiliated for anyone to hear him squeak in panic <:( "Oh, good, you’re waking up!" Durvain cried happily. Aragorn seemed to feel Durvain’s voice vibrating through the feathered body pressing against him as much as he actually heard it. If he hadn’t been so distracted by utter terror he might have found the phenomenon extraordinary. "I would hate for you to have missed this view. Isn’t it splendid?" skasdjhsgk he's so cute <3 I love how happy he is Aragorn is like you have no idea No, it wasn’t splendid. It wasn’t splendid at all. It was nauseating, and terrifying, and unnatural. He shut his eyes and opened them again and ordered, with every shred of stern authority he could muster, that the wild beating of his heart and the frantic bellows of his lungs calm themselves. You are the Chieftain! Son of chieftains and kings, destined to be a king yourself! For shame! Whither then has all your bravery gone? Left on the ground far below, a snivelling voice in his head replied. skasdhfskfghsdjghdsfgjk trying desperately to sternly scold his irrational self but it's not workinggggg the terror is too ingrained for mere will to chase it away Very well, let my heart hammer and my bowels shrivel, he thought. It would not change the situation one bit and he would simply have to accept that he was... Elbereth help him... flying, and there was nothing he could do about it. He shut his mind to the ground falling away underneath him and craned his neck around to look instead at Durvain. It seemed Durvain was holding him face down, with his back securely against the warmth of the bird's belly. Apparently, as before, Durvain needed only his left foot to hold him, talons wrapped snugly round him while the other hung relaxed and empty. Aragorn struggled to move his arms, but they were trapped inside the blanket. He continued to struggle and finally pulled them free and flung both around the massive talon across his chest. okay yeah face down makes sense, particularly if he throws up again that'll be useful buddy keep your arms inside we're trying not to let you catch a chill for goodness sake "Easy there. Don’t wiggle so!" Durvain cried, and Aragorn froze. But he kept his grip on the talon. "You don’t need to squeeze so tightly. I won’t drop you." <33 thanks Durvain poor Aragorn like AM I GONNA MAKE HIM DROP ME Aragorn eased his grip a fraction and tried to ignore the queer sensations in his belly and the odd pressure on his ears that muffled his hearing. He opened his mouth wide and swallowed and with a crackling, popping noise, the pressure eased. But his stomach still felt uneasy. loll yes altitude change Durvain chuckled. "If it makes you feel more secure, of course you may hold on, but don’t dig in with your fingernails like that; it tickles. And fear not, I have yet to ever drop anyone." loll aww his chuckle. Interesting he can feel his talons (no idea actually if mosst bird can, I suppose perhaps their toes generally extend farther into the talons than I'm picturing with the eagles) but certainly useful for not dropping anything Aragorn finally found his voice, though it was pitched higher than he would have liked. "Have you..." He cleared his throat and continued in something better approaching his normal deep pitch. "Have you carried a lot of people?" lollll ,3 "No. Once I carried a dwarf, but that was many years ago. I didn’t drop him, although he wiggled and squirmed like a fish. You’re doing much better, or at least you are now that you’ve stopped all that wriggling around." hehehe yessss HE WAS PART OF THAT GROUP <3 That was something, he supposed. He wondered briefly which dwarf it had been, then he was distracted by a shadow on the ground far below them. Glad to have something to focus on besides the increasingly alarming sensations in his stomach, he asked, "Is that our shadow?" yesss good job you're doing better than he did. I wonder too. Ooh shadow Durvain looked down. "No, that is Menelris; she is some ways ahead of us, but the morning sun casts her shadow quite far behind her." "I thought we left before her." ooooh Menelris and good question is she returning for Gandalf? "We did. She arrived just as we were leaving, in fact, but she’s since caught us and passed us; she can fly faster than I, because Gandalf is atop her and not below. Mind you, I mean nothing by that, because of course you could not possibly have ridden atop, but it does slow me down considerably to have you in my talon. Throws my balance off a bit, you see." mmm makes sense "I’m sorry." HONEY HE SAID HE MENAS NOTHING BY IT "No, no. Don’t apologize. I do this all the time, with prey. lol uh And once with that dwarf, although I admit I’ve never had to cart along anyone’s belongings on my back like this. It makes for some interesting challenges. Nothing I can’t handle, mind you, but it has taken me a bit to find the air, if take my meaning. I’m fine now, though, fear not. Everything going smoothly. <3 good thing you didn't mention the trouble to Aragorn while it was happening, as safe as he would have still been Hey, I’ve a capital idea! Let me show you our shadow... you might find it amusing to see your own shadow flying across the ground so fast!" Before Aragorn could protest that he had no need to see such a sight, Durvain dipped a wing and Aragorn could only frantically tighten his grip as they turned and swooped in a quick circle. His stomach no longer felt queer; it was clawing its way into his throat. umm yeah that's not queer at all "See? There we are!" Durvain cried. He waggled his wings so that they... and their shadow... rocked back and forth. lollll uhhh that is very cool indeed and fun <3 and I think I would enjoy it because well it's a lot more natural to me but something tells me Aragorn does not appreciate this I wonder how fast they can fly/are flying Aragorn dared not try to answer, for fear of his stomach unloading what little was left in it. oh dear <3 "And look, there you are!" Durvain moved his talon and pulled Aragorn away from his body. Aragorn let out a very embarrassing scream. "NO!" oh dear poor guy "Oh, very sorry!" Durvain said and tucked Aragorn quickly back up underneath him. "The dwarf didn’t like it when I did that, either, now that I think on it." LOL his excitement is still very sweet Aragorn spared a sympathetic thought toward the dwarf, but the rest of his concentration was taken up with regaining what little dignity he had left. "That is... quite all right," he croaked. "It was fascinating." He winced at the outright lie, but it pleased Durvain, aww <3 Aragorn's very sweet cute that he's still tryna be polite in midair feeling like he's gonna die who gave a mighty flap of his wings that sent them soaring ever higher, and again, Aragorn had to swallow and work his jaw against the cotton-wool feeling in his ears. Then they seemed to drop suddenly, a quick downward jerk and then just as quick back up again. Aragorn couldn’t hold back a squawk of alarm as he tightened his grip. <3 fair eep well it did help him find a bit of his strength, anyways "Oooh, it’s a bit rough today," Durvain said, unconcerned. His wings moved slightly and once again they were sailing smoothly through the air. "Did you know that there are bumps in the air just as there are ruts in your roads?" hmm that's a fun comparison "No, I can’t say that I ever really thought about it." <3 I love how unbalanced the casualness of this conversation is, from totally natural on Durvain's side to completely forced on Aragorn's, but it's very cute <3 "It’s true. The sun heats up the air in some places and not in others and when I fly from a cool spot to a warm spot, the air can swirl in funny ways. And of course, there’s the winds coming off the mountains meeting the winds that blow along the river. Makes for all sorts of swirls and eddies. That’s what you just felt. Oh, there we go again!" oh dear how dizzy is he now. Honestly how does he still have any vision left with this swirling Aragorn clenched his teeth. The bumps, as Durvain called them, were doing terrible things to his stomach. Then his eye caught something, and he again momentarily forgot the state of his innards. "Whose shadow is that?" He risked releasing his grip to point, then realized it was a useless gesture as Durvain couldn’t see him, hidden under his belly as Aragorn was. "See that shadow? Coming from the south? Did Menelris turn around?" uhhhhh "No, I don’t think she – oh for the love of Manwë!" Durvain muttered as he immediately pulled Aragorn tighter to him and dove toward the ground. "Hang on!" oh dear oh dear yay Durvain's reaction is very controlled and yet alarming good thing for Aragorn's sharp eyes watching <33 Aragorn was so frightened he didn’t have the breath to answer, but he certainly needed no admonishment to hang on. He shut his eyes tightly against the sight of land rushing headlong to slam into them, but that made his stomach feel horrid, so he had to open them, just in time to see the ground race toward him and then flash by at a speed that had his head spinning. skasdhfs not even allowed the relief of closing his eyes Then the ground swooped away and the horizon danced and spun crazily and for a moment dark spots broke out in Aragorn’s vision, but they cleared away as Durvain levelled out. But then something hit Durvain with a great banging thud. Durvain grunted and floundered a bit in the air, and Aragorn feared he would forget he was holding him and down he would drop, but Durvain’s grip tightened and he pressed Aragorn even closer to his body. So close, in fact, that he had a spot of trouble breathing. ah there are the dark spot "Durvain," he gasped, "Too tight!" ah yes just a spot <3 Durvain said nothing but his grip eased a bit and Aragorn could breath again. Durvain’s great wings beat at the air – Aragorn could feel Durvain’s stomach muscles flexing and moving as his wings strained – and he gained more altitude. <33 thanks Durvain for multitasking If Aragorn doesn't trust him to be able to hold on now I don't know what would make him Aragorn craned his neck, trying to see what was attacking them, but the bulk of Durvain’s body and wings blocked his view of all but what was directly beneath him. eeee that's honestly so much scarier There was another spinning, looping dive and again Aragorn’s vision tunnelled and darkened but he coughed and ground his teeth and somehow through sheer will kept his wits. But there came another great thud, and Durvain let out a loud screeching cry that nearly shattered Aragorn’s eardrums. They again started to lose height, and Durvain’s steady wingbeats grew erratic, and Aragorn saw with alarm a great slash cut into his left wing. Several feathers were missing, and a line of bright red blood started to well out of a cut that was nearly as long as Aragorn was tall. oooooh no dang the eagles are so huge Durvain was hurt, but he was still flying. yayyyyyy <333 Menelris will coo over her mate much Aragorn looked at the blood and felt the battle fury rise within him. He longed for his sword, for a bow... but both were far beyond reach, atop Durvain. Where I should be, where I could help, where I could fight... skajgshgk even now he feels the battle song (but let's be honest, could he fight? I doubt it) But such thoughts were useless. Aragorn could only hang on, impotent and no doubt a hindrance, and Durvain’s next words keenly drove that bitter fact home. aww <:( "Strider, I must put you down. Brace yourself!" he cried and sped toward the ground at such high speed that Aragorn was sure they would both be killed, smashed against the unforgiving earth and shattered to pieces, but at the last possible moment, Durvain flared his wings and stopped just short of landing. The talons released Aragorn and he fell the final few feet. It hurt, and the hard ground pushed all the air from his lungs, but he was alive, if a bit stunned. Durvain is skilled <3 but OUCH for Aragorn to fall even a few feet "Crawl beneath the bushes!" Durvain cried, and then he was flying upward again, the injured wing apparently no hindrance. yayyyyy Aragorn then saw their adversary. It was another eagle, larger than Durvain and darker, nearly black with no golden aura about him like the Northern Eagles. For a moment, Aragorn watched, transfixed, as Durvain flew up to meet the bigger bird. Durvain twisted his body in mid-air to slash at the black eagle with his talons. The other bird screeched with pain. Durvain had struck a good blow. skjads GO DURVAIN, there are dark eagles?? Then the black eagle wheeled and his cold eye fixed on Aragorn, and Aragorn realized that he had been the cause for the attack. The black eagle saw him as Durvain’s prey, and wanted to take him for himself and indeed was now diving straight for him. ahhhh I see Fear clawing at his throat, Aragorn scrambled toward the bushes, his wounded back and aching head forgotten in his panic. He felt thorns catch on his clothes and skin, and the blanket ripped utterly away. There was a buffeting push of air and a great shadow covered him, but then it passed and a frustrated cry hammered the air. The eagle could not reach him, tucked safely away as he was within the prickly embrace of an obliging thornbush. saskdshgjsghsjkfg oh dear "an obliging thornbush" thank you loll oh dear this was just what he needed. More scratches on his skin, blanket gone, crawling around on the rough ground, if this doesn't make him catch a chill I don't think anything (except perhaps a dunk in a cold lake) will He wiggled until he found a clearer view of the sky. Durvain went streaking after the black eagle, who had lost interest now that the prize was out of reach. But Durvain apparently wanted to be sure, for he chased him and harassed him until both had disappeared from sight. AWWW HE'S DEDICATED AND SO STRONG AND FIERCELY PROTECTIVE <3 chasing off an eagle larger than he and then following it for Aragorn's sake Quiet reigned then, not unlike the hush that falls after the last cry of battle fades into the distance. Aragorn wondered where Menelris and Gandalf were. He cautiously eased out from under the bush, wincing as he lost more bits of skin. ouch <3 He froze as a shadow approached, then relaxed. It was Menelris, with Gandalf riding atop her. She landed with barely a thump, and Gandalf immediately slid down and ran over. "Aragorn! Are you all right?" awww yayyyyy "I think so," he said, rather weakly. He had, to his dismay, started to shake uncontrollably. skaksddsfh I appreciate, for his dignity, that he still has a somewhat steady voice to sound a little in control even as his body betrays him yessss shaking uncontrollably "I must find Durvain," Menelris said, and was in the air speeding south even as the words came from her beak. <333 as she should Gandalf fell to his knees beside Aragorn and immediately embraced him. "There now, old friend. It’s over, and we’ve all survived. We would have come to your aid sooner but we had no idea until we heard Durvain’s cry that anything was amiss. But it appears you’ve survived and likely so has Durvain. So there you go... breathe deeply and calm yourself. There, there." askd awww immediately embracing him <333333 although I'm not sure Aragorn can simply calm himself but Aragorn could not speak. He simply clutched Gandalf’s robe and held tightly to it until the spasms passed. Then he slumped, exhausted, in Gandalf’s arms, and in silence they watched the southern sky. SKADHFGJG okay was that a seizure or simply adrenaline or post-trauma overwhelm or something? Because shaking is perfectly valid but not being able to speak and calling it spasms is suspicious also I love him clutching Gandalf's robes for security as he rides it through <33 skasdhjkgsh in his arms <333 After many tense minutes, two small dark specks appeared. They grew larger with each passing moment and finally Menelris and Durvain circled overhead and then came to soft landings beside them. awww YAY "Are you all right, Durvain?" Aragorn called. "A little bit tattered as to the feathers on my left wing, but nothing serious, despite the blood. I can still fly. But what of you? I did not drop you too hard, did I?" awwwww their making sure each other are okay <3333 I think Aragorn will be able to be friends with him now "No, I’m perfectly well." Gandalf let out a derisive huffing noise, but Aragorn ignored him. "Who was that eagle?" lolllll the derisiveness is right Menelris let out her own derisive snort. "He was from the south. They sometimes venture this way, when food becomes scarce. They are cowards, cruel and lazy besides, preferring to steal our prey instead of hunting their own. This is not the first time one has thought, mistakenly, that Durvain would be easy pickings. My mate is small, but he is the most nimble of all the Eagles in the air. None surpass him for diving and spinning. And he is great of heart – he would have died before letting that Eagle snatch you from him." She again nudged him, this time with the top of her head against his good wing. He responded with a low whistle. awwwwww and she loves him for it <333 not angry that he would have sacrificed his life, she loves his greatness of heart yesssss none surpass him for diving and spinning HECK YEAH "Great indeed," Aragorn said as fervently as he had ever spoken any words in his life. "You saved my life nearly at the cost of your own, and I thank you, Durvain. If there’s ever a way I can repay you by some service or reward, rest assured, I will." AWWWWWWW <333 yeah they're friends as fervently as he had ever spoken any words in his life skasjdfhg Durvain ducked his head and plucked at some loose feathers on his chest, pleased but obviously embarrassed. Menelris rubbed his head affectionately with her beak, then looked at Aragorn. "Are you ready to continue on?" <3333 Aragorn glanced at Gandalf, then nodded. picturing Aragorn still just laying in Gandalf's arms <33 probably half-curled from the crawling Gandalf checked his bandages. "You’re bleeding a bit, but we’re so close to Beorn’s, I think it best to wait until we arrive there to do anything about it. It is not very much blood, after all. And you realize, I hope," he added in a whisper, "that had Durvain not been carrying you in his talons, that black eagle would have plucked you easily from his back and that would have been the end of you. That is why Menelris could not come to your aid; she could not swoop and dive with me on her back." mmmmmm yes very good point Aragorn nodded, speechless before Gandalf’s gentle rebuke. ooooh "There now, don’t take it so to heart. I myself prefer being atop, after all," he said with a wink. He then wrapped the blanket around him again, leaving his arms free this time. Then Durvain in turn wrapped his talons carefully around Aragorn just as before and spread his wings, and this time Aragorn kept his eyes wide open, and watched the ground fall away and then looked toward the sun and the clouds and saw the horizon’s great curve and the mountains looking like nothing more than a rumpled pile of kicked-up carpet. And even though his stomach shivered and his back burned and his head throbbed, his heart soared, for he was alive, and he was flying. He wrapped his arms around Durvain’s talon and let out a great whoop of sheer joy. AWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW ASKDSFHSDJGHSDFGJKSDSGHSDJSDHSDJSDGH instead of vowing never to fly again for that experience he greatly appreciates a safe flight and trusts Durvain <3333 and Gandalf knowing to leave his arms free this time and he was FLYING << the differenceeeee here from the first time he said it awwww I wonder when the pain will come crashing back ooooh a cool rumor

layne	Reviewed Chapter: 7 on 2/11/2011
Gandalf helping Aragorn with his hoses ( all three pairs! ) - now that's a picture I would very much like to see! And Aragorn trying to wiggle out of being carried by the eagle's hooks, no, claws, no, talons ( grins ) is way, way too adorable it just melts my heart. The attack by the black eagle was unexpected. I initially thought it was the Fell Beast itself but thank goodness it wasn't! And yay for Aragorn coming to terms with flying! Author Reply:* Thank you, layne! So glad you're enjoying all the different scenes in this story. And no, no Fell Beasts--they don't show up until the Ring War, as far as I know. But cowardly eagles, yes. Tolkien mentions them in "The Hobbit", not really specifically but by saying that unlike other eagles who are cowardly and basically useless, the Northern eagles are brave, noble, all those good things. :) I just figured since so many things to the south were nasty, an eagle from that area wouldn't be too nice, either, even if he's not an official Fell Beast. Hope you enjoy the rest of the tale!

LisaG	Reviewed Chapter: 7 on 1/25/2011
Oh dear! What a scary and perilous flight! I don't doubt this experience will NOT enamour Aragorn to future air borne activities. ;) The poor man was also much too hard on himself for his fear of flying...it's one thing to do it in a plane...I've even been on a hot air balloon, but I can't imagine the paralyzing fright of doing it in the grips of a bird's foot, hitting turbulence, an attacking eagle and of all things, in a FACE DOWN position! :o Author Reply: Thanks, LisaG! I think you're right in that Aragorn was a little too hard on himself, all things considered! He did better than most men would have managed, I think! But you know Aragorn, he tends to be his own worst critic. g Glad you enjoyed the chapter!

Estelcontar	Reviewed Chapter: 7 on 1/22/2011
Another great title for a most exciting chapter. I enjoyed the first part with Aragorn still trying to come to terms with his irrational fear of eagles, and his determination to ride atop of Durvain. The dialogue between him and Galdaf is very lively and delicious. The lumpy sack of potatoes is priceless. The second part when you have him and Durvain flying together is even better. I felt as if I were Aragorn flying over Middle-earth. Having Durvain tell Aragorn that he had carried a dwarf once and that the dwarf hadn't appreciated his flying antics either was a stroke of genius. The battle between the two eagles is just breathtaking, and Aragorn's great whoop of sheer joy is the perfect ending for this most exhilarating chapter. Your Durvain has got such a great personality it's going to be hard saying goodbye to him when the story is over. Author Reply: Thank you, Estelcontar! So glad you enjoyed both halves of this chapter, and I'm glad especially you liked the reference to the dwarf... there's not a lot of fic out there that ties LOTR to The Hobbit and I wanted to make sure I did that in as many details as I could with this story. I like drawing connecting lines throughout all of Tolkien's works where I can, and I think to properly understand Aragorn's character, you have to see it in all contexts from The Silm to The Hobbit and then LOTR. Who knows, Durvain might fly again through another tale... I have a feeling I'll hate saying goodbye to him, too!

Linda Hoyland	Reviewed Chapter: 7 on 1/22/2011
Ah,poor Aragorn, I would have been scared stiff too even if it all went smoothly!Durvain reminds me a little of Temeraire,with his adorable personality. A most enjoyable chapter. Author Reply: Thanks, Linda... I do wonder how much having read and enjoyed the Temeraire novels played into my creation of these two Eagles. I'd say they were definitely an influence, along with the true story of Freedom the Eagle. It's interesting all the influences that go into writing a character, isn't it. I'm so glad you're enjoying the tale. :)

Elentarri	Reviewed Chapter: 7 on 1/21/2011
Oh Thank you! for posting another Aragorn story. This is brilliant. I love your characterisation of Gandalf and Aragorn. Please post more soon. The eagles are great too. :D Author Reply: Thank you, Elentarri, and you're welcome. :) I'm glad you're enjoying the story--chapters get posted on Mondays and Thursdays, in general (and if I can't post on either of those two days, I try to post the evening before). Hope you enjoy the rest of the tale!

Larner	Reviewed Chapter: 7 on 1/20/2011
No, the Dwarves didn't particularly like it, either! And I'm so glad that in the end Aragorn actually found himself enjoying it! Delightful! As for the southern eagle--he has a lot to learn, doesn't he? Thinking he can take on one of the Great Eagles, no matter how small! Author Reply: Thank you, Larner! Yes, that southern eagle learned his lesson, I think. I'm not sure what went on once Durvain chased him beyond sight and after Menelris joined her mate, but I have a feeling it was painful! Glad you enjoyed the chapter!

Mirach	Reviewed Chapter: 7 on 1/20/2011
Wonderful chapter! Aragorn can be very stubborn if he wants to, but he stood no chance against a wizard here. And personally, I love flying, although I had the chance to fly with a parachute only once. So I can totally understand the last paragraph, but I can easily understand the rest, too. The thought of flying had to be much more unusual to the people of Middle-earth then to us, and it was almost funny when Durvain enthusiastically showed his shadow to Aragorn - it's quite understandable the dwarf didn't like it either! Durvain is really an amazing eagle, and I love to see that Aragorn can finally trust him after the fight. It was a few times that I tried to read this chapter today but had no more time then a few minutes, but when I finally had the time to read it to the end, I loved every bit of it. Author Reply: Thank you, Mirach! I'm probably more like you than not when it comes to flying (although not sure I could do the parachuting thing), so it was a bit of a stretch for me to write Aragorn's troubles. Far easier, like you, for me to relate to that last paragraph! But in thinking about the residents of Middle-earth and flying, it's pretty easy to see where it would probably be more common than not for someone to look on that experience with a lot of trepidation. Add in Aragorn's unfortunate childhood incident and it's little wonder he was squeaking with fright. :) I'm glad you had a chance finally to read the entire thing to the end... it was a bit longer than most chapters but I didn't want to split it into two. There's enough cliffhanger chapters as it is in this story! Thanks for the review!

Silivren Tinu	Reviewed Chapter: 7 on 1/20/2011
I knew you wouldn't make things easy for your favourite ranger, but I have to admit I never thought he'd be attacked while flying through the air! Given the circumstances, Aragorn handled his first flight far better than I could have done - I probably would have died from fright. g Durvain really is "great of heart" - I bet that rogue eagle was quite surprised when he turned on him! I'm just glad both Aragorn and Durvain survived mostly unscathed. Since Aragorn seems to be able to enjoy flying now, I guess the attack was good for something. ;-) I'm really not surprised that Durvain's erstwhile dwarven passenger wasn't really keen on admiring his shadow, too. I pity that poor dwarf, lol! Author Reply: Thanks, Almut! I'm glad I stirred up some pity for that unnamed dwarf--it was nice of Tolkien to have left some of those details out in "The Hobbit" so I could play a bit. g Durvain really is a scrapper, I think. He's small, but he really can't be pushed around, which is a good thing for Aragorn! I think by this point of the story, Durvain has taken on Aragorn as a surrogate son, for all that he was talking earlier about this experience being good for Menelris. I think it's actually given Durvain the healing he needed as well. Fingers crossed the rest of the flight goes more smoothly. g

Ainu Laire	Reviewed Chapter: 7 on 1/19/2011
Aragorn has no fears... except this! I like how you paint him human in these last two chapters, showing that even men like Aragorn have very human, somewhat irrational fears. Fearing the large eagles even though logic completely dictates against it, for instance... that's fantastic. And I do not blame him for fearing to fly. Perhaps when he was a young man, he would be more bold, but an older, wiser Aragorn... it makes sense. I love his bonding with Durvain. I smiled at the name; I named my character's horse in LOTR Online the same thing, and it is likely a name I'll use in a fanfic sometime or another. Glad to see you noted the mutation too! Anyways, the eagle... he cracked me up quite a bit in this chapter. I love how he is a bit oblivious to Aragorn's paralyzing fear. Like, he knows he doesn't like it, but doesn't quite seem to realize that he is absolutely stricken with terror. I laughed when he showed him his shadow and then stuck him out! Oh, what a fantastic character... I don't see him appearing again in any story, which is a pity, for I've really grown to like him. Menelris is likeable, too, but he is just fantastic. The battle with the other eagle and Aragorn's shout of joy at the end was just perfect, too. I love how Aragorn evolved from fearing him to really respecting and trusting him. Perhaps he could help see to his wing or something. I also noted how Gandalf used Aragorn's real name at the end, there. I wonder if the Eagles will also notice and comment about it. One question about Beorn... is this the same Beorn as in the Hobbit? I guess you viewed Beorn as rather young in the Hobbit? Because with 60 years passing, he must be outright ancient. I imagine that Grimbeorn will be around, or at least mentioned... and maybe a wife for him, too? Unless Beornings procreate by budding... :D Looking forward to more. Author Reply: Thanks, Laire! Glad you enjoyed this wild flight of a chapter. :) I too like the idea (obviously) of Aragorn being beset by a few of those things that are common to man, like childhood phobias. He might handle them a bit better (or not!) than most, but I still think he might struggle with them. My take on Beorn and his age... after researching everything I could find on him, and not finding an age anywhere, nor even a time of death (other than he had the span of a "normal" man), I knew I had a clean slate. So, after discussion with my trusty betas, I decided that in "The Hobbit", it wouldn't be out of line to assume, for my "universe", that Beorn was around 30... I figured it wasn't a stretch to have him fairly young and vigorous when he went to war at the Battle of Five Armies. So that puts him near 90 at the time of my tale--and some 90 year-olds are very strong and active still. And since Beorn is a man, by Tolkien's own definition, he would have had a wife to have produced Grimbeorn. So no budding or cloning involved. g How cool you also have a character named Durvain! As for my Durvain not ever showing up in other tales... one never knows. g He really is a fun character--I wanted him to be far less aloof and serious than Menelris, but still with a sort of innocent dignity about him. And of course, that caring nature that one wouldn't expect in an Eagle. He's been great fun to write, and I confess to being surprised a bit at the chemistry that sprang up between him and Aragorn. Funny how your own characters (and borrowed characters) will surprise you like that. Thanks for the thoughtful review!

First Page | Previous Page | Next Page | Last Page

Return to Chapter List