Aragorn: 8 years old

Aragorn had fallen asleep in the tree with Arwen still across from him. He was so cold and it began to snow. The snow fell through the hollow tree trunk and onto his head and rest of his small body. The moon was shining a ghastly shine upon the children in the tree.

Aragorn woke up to the sudden wetness of the snow. His teeth chattered. He tried to stop his teeth from moving, but he couldn't, he was too cold.

"Here," Arwen started taking off the flowy coat she had put on before they left her room, "Take this,"

Aragorn put up a shaky hand and shook his head,

"N- No, you k-k-keep it,"

"No, I'm fine," Arwen insisted, "Elves aren't affected by the cold. We can feel it, but nothing happens to us,"

"R- Really?"

"Yes, take it,"

Aragorn reached out and took Arwen's coat shakily. He wrapped it around himself and then tucked his face into it. His fingernails were turning purple and his hands white. He buried his hands into his pockets.

"Your face is pink and your lips purple," Arwen exclaimed, "Should we go back?"

Aragorn shook his head,

"I still hear swords clashing,"

"Your right,"

Aragorn eventually fell asleep again as he shook. Arwen wasn't sure how the cold could affect a human. She inched her way closer to his sleeping body and slowly put her arm around him.

The snow was beginning to fall harder and Arwen tried shielding it from falling on Aragorn, but it was too hard. He only kept shaking in her arms. Arwen didn't know what to do.

She eyed the bite on Aragorn's shoulder, but ended up looking away in revulsion. A couple hours past and Arwen was getting impatient. She listened for any clash of swords or screams of fear or death, but heard nothing. Her Elf ears could pick up the smallest noises far away.

"Estel," she whispered, "Estel, Estel wake up," Arwen shook his shoulder gently.

He didn't wake. She took her arm off from around him and peaked out of the hole at the bottom of the tree. There was about two inches of snow that had collected on the ground outside. She looked towards Rivendell, then back at Aragorn. She knew what she must do. She had to get her father.

"Stay here; I will be right back," Arwen whispered to Aragorn's sleeping body, "I promise,"

Arwen crawled out of the tree hole and then ran through the snow towards Rivendell. She ran on top of the snow, never failing to drop under. She ran and ran, holding onto the thought of saving Aragorn's life. She had grown very fawned of him over the past four years.

She ran across the main bridge and saw that both the guards that had been standing there earlier were now dead. She burst through Elrond's bedroom and saw him.

"Ada!" Arwen cried and ran to him.

"Arwen!" he ran to her and lifted her up and gave her a giant hug, "I was so worried!"

"Me too,"

"Where is Estel?"

"Nas Harna, follow me," (he's hurt) Arwen said as Elrond set her down to floor level, "Asca!" (hurry).

Arwen ran outside with Elrond following briskly. They ran through the woods until Arwen stopped in front of the hollow tree trunk.

"He's in there," Arwen said pointing to the hole that was almost covered with snow, "I will get him out,"

"Be careful with his head," Elrond instructed.

Arwen dug the snow away from the hole of the tree trunk and then crawled in. Sure enough, Aragorn was still sitting in the same spot as when she left. Snow was covering his hair and knees. Arwen tugged on him a little lightly, but then harder. She pushed him gently out of the tree head first.

From outside of the tree, Elrond pulled under his armpits and then up into his arms. He took his head gently after. The Elf cradled him with one arm under the bend of his knees and the other arm on his back.

Without waiting for his daughter, he started walking quickly to Rivendell. Arwen crawled out and followed behind.

"How long has he been outside?" Elrond asked.

"Since the Orcs attacked," Arwen responded, "Ada?" (Daddy?)

"What?"

"He saved me," Arwen said and tucked in closer to her father.

"I'm sure he did," Elrond said focused on now saving Aragorn.

They walked quickly through the snow and finally made it to Aragorn's room. To Elrond's surprise, Haldir was already there.

"I was looking for him," Haldir said coming over to Elrond. He started brushing the icy, cold snow off Aragorn's head.

"Arwen, please go to your room," Elrond commanded of her.

"Please ada, there are dead Orcs in there. Can't I stay with you?" (daddy).

"Very well," Elrond said with a sigh.

He lowered Aragorn into his bed and covered him with a thin sheet and then a fluffy blanket.

"Will he be alright?" Haldir asked looking at Aragorn's pink cheeks and pale skin.

"I don't know. Arwen sit here,"

Arwen sat down in a chair next to the bed. Haldir closed all the windows in the room and brought over another blanket that was on a couch across the room. He placed it under Aragorn's head and over his ears. They were bright pink.

"Wait!" Arwen exclaimed, "His ears aren't pointed?" she pulled the blanket down and looked at the oddly curved shape of Aragorn's ears. She hadn't noticed that before., "Are his ears broken?"

"Remember he is not an Elf," Elrond explained, "And please don't ever remind him of that,"

"Oh, I thought everybody had pointed ears. Orcs do,"

It got quiet in the room and all were staring at Aragorn wondering what to do.

"Haldir, could you please go have somebody heat up water and then bring it to me please?" Elrond asked.

"Yes, my Lord,"

Haldir left the room in search for hot water. Elrond noticed Arwen looking rather flustered as she looked at Aragorn.

"Arwen?" he said softly.

"I think he is special," Arwen said without looking at him.

"What makes you say that?"

"I don't know, he just is,"

"Yes, he is quite a special child, indeed," Elrond commented as he looked down to Aragorn.

"He saved me today," Arwen continued.

"You saved him too," Elrond put a hand on Arwen's shoulder.

"Yah... I guess I did," she said with a smile.