*Aragorn: 4 years old 

The same night that Arathorn left, Gilraen was waiting for him to return on the front porch of their home. Aragorn was sitting on the floor peacefully looking at the pictures in a book. He was waiting for his father to get back, so that he could read the book to him again.

Gilraen looked as if she might faint at any moment, she looked so nervous. She looked past the fence that bordered the Dunedain village and into the dense trees beyond. After waiting for about an hour more, Aragorn looked up to his mother and said,

"Where is papa?"

Gilraen looked down to her son as her eyes started to tear up from all the emotion that had happened so far that day. Gilraen smiled and crouched down next to Aragorn trying to be positive for her little one. She said,

"He will be coming soon,"

It was late into the night, probably past eleven. Aragorn set his book on the bench behind him and reached up his hands and wiggled his fingers, which meant he wanted to be held. Gilraen lifted him and held the small child in her arms protectively. Aragorn leaned his head into his mother's shoulder and Gilraen stroked his hair.

Then from out of the woods came people. Gilraen's eyes strained to see who it was. She first saw Elladan and Elrohir and then members of the Dunedain. She headed down the wooden steps and ran towards the people. As she got closer, she came to a stop looking most concerned.

Elladan and Elrohir were holding a stretcher behind them and on the stretcher lay, Arathorn. She gasped and ran to his side as Elladan and Elrohir set him to the ground.

"What happened? Has he spoken?" Gilraen said in a rush.

"Only your name, my lady," Elladan whispered sadly as he crouched down next to Gilraen.

Aragorn raised his head and looked down to his almost dead father.

"Mama, what happened?" he asked, his voice sounding small.

Elrohir took Aragorn from Gilraen seeing that she needed help with her confused son.

"Gilraen," Arathorn whispered to his wife as he lay there.

His left eye was completely bandaged with what use to be white bandage. The whole left side of his face was covered in soaked blood. To Gilraen, it looked as if somebody had carved out her husband's left eye. His chest was also bleeding and she saw a hole through were his heart was supposed to be. There were two arrow heads stuck in his chest.

Arathorn moved his left hand closer to Aragorn. Aragorn reached out and seeing what his father wanted him to do, grabbed the ring that was on his finger. It was the ring of Barahir. It had been passed down for many generations and know it had come to Aragorn. He twisted it around in his fingers as he looked between his father and the ring.

The ring had two serpents intertwined with eyes made of green jewels. This was the symbol of the House of Finarfin. The serpents met beneath a crown of golden flowers that one upheld and one devoured. The jewels at least were crafted in Valinor and sometimes seemed to burn with green fire.

Gilraen sobbed into Arathorn as his eyes glazed over and his face went expressionless. Aragorn looked down to his father not understanding what had happened or what was to happen.

"Oh no, mommy sad," he whispered and pointed to Elladan and then to Gilraen.

That night, the whole Dunedain village was unusually silent. All its people were mourning over Arathorn's death. Gilraen had asked if Elladan and Elrohir could watch over Aragorn until the morning. They said that it was fine and they left Gilraen to be with her husband. She cried all night and everything around her eventually turned into a blur as she fell asleep over his body.

Aragorn was asleep on Elrohir in his home. The brother Elves were discussing their next move.

"Tomorrow morning, we shall bring Gilraen and Aragorn to the safety of Rivendell," Elladan said quietly not to wake the sleeping Aragorn.

"Yes, after they have an appropriate funeral," Elrohir whispered over Aragorn's head.

Aragorn's small body was snuggled up in Elrohir's arms.

"Of course," his brother agreed.

-----

The next morning, Arathorn was properly buried in Gilraen's garden. Gilraen planted his favorite flowers over his body and kissed a pedal of the flowers. Everyone in the village was surrounding the area and saying a silent prayer for their lost Lord.

Elladan and Elrohir were with Aragorn watching from behind everyone. Aragorn was clueless by the situation and was clinging happily to one of the Elf brother's legs. After about an hour, the towns people all gave Gilraen a hug and dispersed through the village. Gilraen came to Aragorn and gave him a kiss on his forehead.

"It's time to go my lady," Elladan explained gently.

"I understand," Gilraen said.

She bent down to Aragorn's level and said,

"Mommy and you are going to leave here and go someplace else,"

Her eyes were red and water marks smudged her cheeks. Aragorn turned his head to the left and asked,

"Why, mommy? We leave here?"

"Yes, my child. We are going to go somewhere safe," Gilraen whispered.

"Is here safe too?" Aragorn asked.

Gilraen didn't answer and looked to the Elves.

"We are going to take you someplace safer than here," Elladan said and put a hand out to help Gilraen to her feet.

Gilraen picked up Aragorn and the Elf twins led them to their horses. Many of the village people gave Aragorn a kiss and bid him a lovely life that he held ahead of him. Every time somebody waved, Aragorn giggled and buried his face into his mother's neck as he waved shyly back to them.

Gilraen got her horse, Tarish, and with the help of Elrohir could get on him. Aragorn was handed up to her afterwards since Gilraen refused not to ride without him. The twins got onto their horses and the four riders rode off into the morning light leaving behind the only town that Aragorn and Gilraen had ever known and loved. Soon they would both reach their new home, an Elf kingdom, Rivendell.

A/N: I hope you are enjoying the story so far! Please feel free to ask any questions!