Aragorn: 20 years old

About a week later, Aragorn was finally ready to make his way back to Rivendell. He had calmed down from what Elrond had told him and he was in no shape to continue randomly walking through the forest. He had dirt covering his body from the restless sleeping at night and small, open wounds from wrestling his dinner.

Aragorn was a little guilty at keeping his family wondering about him for so long. He knew everybody, especially his father and brothers must be scared to death. They might even think he was dead. As he made his way back, he stumbled upon his brothers calling out to him, once again. He stood behind a wide tree and listened.

"ESTEL! Please come out!" that was Elladan yelling on the top of his lungs.

"Please, all of Rivendell needs you, Estel! The whole kingdom has become deathly quiet," Elrohir called out.

Aragorn carefully made his way around his brothers and back to Rivendell. Keeping hidden from any of the guards, he snuck past them without being seen and went for his room. All the windows were closed so he couldn't look inside, but he just opened the door anyway. To his surprise, Arwen was sitting on his bed looking upon a photograph.

She looked up and when she saw Aragorn in the doorway, her face lit up into a million stars and she wailed,

"Estel! We were so worried,"

Aragorn closed the door and stood still as Arwen ran for him and hugged him the biggest hug ever. Aragorn didn't have the strength to pick her up and spin her around, although he would have, as it would have been the perfect moment. Instead, he wrapped his weak arms around her body and tucked his face into her sweetly smelling hair.

"I missed you," Aragorn whispered.

"I missed you too, so much," Arwen broke the hug and continued, "Where were up? Why didn't you come back?"

Aragorn saw the hurt in her blue eyes and felt a little bad, but explained,

"I needed to be alone,"

Arwen nodded and said,

"I heard father told you everything,"

To stop the tears from coming to Aragorn's eyes, he hugged Arwen again and she did so to him.

"Please, you have to go see father. He doesn't know how to function without you, Estel. He really misses you,"

"Would you mind going to get him?" Aragorn asked quietly.

"Of course! I will be right back," Arwen started for the door, but stopped and turned to Aragorn saying, "Stay here,"

Aragorn bowed his head with a contagious smile. Then Arwen was gone, running through Rivendell to get Lord Elrond.

-----

"Estel! Bless you, my child!" Elrond said as he burst through Aragorn's bedroom doors.

Arwen was surprised the doors didn't break off the hinges by the force of the push Elrond had. Elrond hugged Aragorn, who stood by his window looking out. He hugged him back happily with a smile, but still felt a strange feeling in his stomach.

"We were all so worried you weren't coming back," Elrond stammered, "I thought I scared you off, I didn't mean to. Please forgive me,"

"I just needed some time alone," Aragorn explained and pulled away from the long hug.

"Understood, I am just glad you are okay," Elrond said and stroked the side of Aragorn's face.

Aragorn's skin was mostly brown in color by all the dirt that had collected over his tear stained face over the week and his clothes didn't look like they were in the best quality either.

"You are a mess. Let's get you cleaned up," Elrond said and pulled Aragorn away from the window.

"I can do it myself, father," Aragorn insisted.

"Nonsense, I am helping you," Elrond argued, then turned to Arwen and said, "Go tell somebody to get Elladan and Elrohir. They should be in the woods,"

"Yes, ada," Arwen said and then was off.

Elrond turned back to Aragorn, with a cloth in hand.

"Do you forgive me?" he asked.

"That is what I should be asking you," Aragorn said feeling suddenly ashamed for vanishing for a week, making everybody wonder what he happened to him, "I ran away like a coward... I should not have. It was foolish of me and I am sorry,"

Elrond put the cloth under running water and then took it to Aragorn's face. He brought it from his forehead down to his chin. Aragorn put his hand up and said,

"Really, I can do it,"

"Fine," Elrond gave in and handed the wet cloth to Aragorn's filthy hands, "I forgive you. Indeed, it was wrong of me for keeping all this information from you for so long. I just... just needed to protect you,"

Aragorn smiled which triggered Elrond's frown into a smile as well.

"I love you. I would never run away and not come back. You know this,"

"Yes, I do. I don't know why I worried about you not coming back. You are too good of a Ranger,"

Then the doors burst open yet again, and Arwen was very sure the hinges would shatter, but they didn't. Elladan and Elrohir came through next with Arwen close behind.

"I can't believe you!" Elrohir exclaimed.

The twins ran for Aragorn, and he put his hands out for balance as they both pounced on him.

"We searched and searched for you! We could even feel you in the woods, but you never came out!" Elladan proclaimed as he pushed Aragorn playfully.

"I am sorry, I needed time alone," Aragorn explained again.

"When he doesn't want to be found, he is good at staying hidden," Elrond said with a laugh.

"You sure got that right," said Elladan annoyed.

Elrohir was pulling on his sleeve, and Aragorn shoved him off and walked to his bed.

"I hardly recognized you! You look terrible," Elrohir continued.

"Me too! I think he has to pay for his crimes," Elladan looked to his twin with his arms crossed.

"Agreed," Elrohir said nodding.

Elrond rolled his eyes and Arwen laughed from the doorway. The twins were at it again.

"What do you mean crimes? It's not like I..." Aragorn started, but was tackled.

Elladan and Elrohir both jumped on the human and knocked him over onto his bed. They began wrestling, pushing the blankets off the bed.

"Tickle fight!" Elrohir screeched happily.

"No!" Aragorn said as he began to laugh.

Elladan and Elrohir also began to laugh as Aragorn tried pushing them away while he laughed and kicked.

"Boys!" Elrond announced, "Calm down!"

Aragorn could barely hear his angry proclaims and Arwen's giggles from the twin's wild cries and laughs above him. They laughed and laughed, sometimes there was no sound coming out because of how much they were laughing.

Eventually, Aragorn fell off the bed from all the movement and rolled under the bed to safety.

"Hey, no fair!" Elladan screamed and jumped off the bed gracefully.

Elrond grabbed both brothers by their arms and hauled them away from the bed.

"Aw, come on, father! We were just having a bit of fun!" Elrohir laughed.

Aragorn crawled out from under the bed, with a giant smile on his face. He looked even more frazzled now than before the tackle.

"I will get you back, don't you worry!" Aragorn said walking towards the twins as Elrond pushed him back.

"We will be ready," Elladan said with a playful smile.

"You better be, because I will get you good!" Aragorn said back pointing.

Everybody laughed, but Elrond pushed the twins out of the room.

"They are insane!" Arwen said with a big smile as he handed Aragorn back the wet cloth that he was using to clean himself.

"Yes, let's leave Estel to clean up while we go get him something to eat," Elrond said.

"I want to stay with him," Arwen argued.

Before Elrond could say no, Aragorn answered with,

"I would like that very much,"

Elrond sighed,

"Fine... Estel, come get food when you are done in here,"

Aragorn nodded and Arwen was happy to stay with him.