"You look like him.........." (Y/n) said, as she made her way out into the open area that was lit by the slowly lowering sun; Aragorn not far behind her. A smile coming to her lips, as she turned and saw the brows of the Ranger furrow, slightly.

"Isildur. I can see him in you. I knew all of them, Isildur, Anárion and their father Elendil, spent years fighting by their side, and came to know all of them well; though it is definitely Isildur you resemble the most. As soon as I lay eyes on you at the council, I knew that you looked familiar. But that is what you fear, isn't it, son of Arathorn? That not only do you look like your ancestor, but that you also have the same flaws, the same frailties, the same weakness for power that he had. That is why you have roamed for so long as a Ranger, denying what and who you are. Refusing your blood and what is rightfully yours............."

"How.......how do you know..........?" Aragorn interrupted, as he took a step closer. The sight of the Black Witch set against the great fall, making her look more perfect; more ethereal than either the elleth that he saw as his beloved sister, or the Lady of Light, herself.

"Elrond has told me many things. He and I have been close since he was a child. As were Elros and I before his death. I took the role of their mother until Maglor, came to care for the two of them. And given that, Elrond has a habit of confiding in me; it seems that even an elf as old as he is, occasionally needs a mother figure..........." (Y/n) explained, as she looked at the last in the line of kings. It not mattering that he had tried to hide his identity, since her much loved Elrond had told him who he really was; for there was an air about him. It the way that he held himself, the regal bearing was unmistakable. And even if the son of the Mirkwood king had not revealed his true name and lineage, there was no mistaking that the blood of kings flowed through his veins.

"You should not fear so much, Aragorn. Despite what you may think, Isildur was a good man, a strong and brave man, and I was as proud to stand by his side as I was his father's, as I was Gil-galad's; and his fall at the last moment........there is only one that can take the blame for that.........and that is me." (Y/n) explained, her gaze lowering from him before she turned to look at the sparkling water that seemed to fall from the sky itself.

"It is I that should have been stronger, that day; not Isildur. It is I, and I alone that should have taken the Ring into Mount Doom. But I was a coward........." The witch lamented, as she recalled the events of that fateful day, three thousand years before. How she had still been able to hear Sauron's voice in her head, when the son of Elendil had held the Ring. How she feared that even though Sauron in his physical form was no more, if she were to set foot inside the volcano the pull of the Maiar that she had once loved would overwhelm her. That after twelve long years of fighting the Dark Lord and his creatures, the elves and men would be faced with a new threat........her. The Black Witch, becoming the Dark Lady. A shudder racing down her spine, as she contemplated what that might have meant for Middle-Earth.

"When I was a child............." The witch turning to look at the heir to the throne of Gondor as he began to speak.

"Lord Elrond would tell me all about you. He would tell me of the fiercest, the strongest and bravest female that he had ever see on a battlefield. How you would take command of men and elf alike, charging into the fray at their head, as the Dark Lord sent all manner of vile creatures to destroy the free peoples of Middle-Earth. He would tell me of the beautiful female Maiar that had done all she could to save as many lives as possible; that would mourn the deaths of all those that would perish, as if they were her own kin. How she fought her own war against Sauron, who wished to make her his bride so that he could turn the world into nothing but a wasteland. How she fought, and won, trusting man and elf to finally bring an end to the darkness." Aragorn told her. The Black Witch having to confess that she was shocked that Elrond would have told the Dúnedain about her.

"I would dream about you............imagine your face. Imagine that I had been stood by your side as you fought. That I had been with you at the head of the forces. I can remember how I was angry at the knowledge that it was the weakness of men that had stopped the Ring from being destroyed. Even angrier when I found out I was Isildur's heir, for I had sworn that if it had been me that you had entrusted, I would not have failed you..........."

"Nor will you, Aragorn." (Y/n) interrupted, as she gently placed her hand on his shoulder.

"You are not Isildur. I can feel your heart; that you really will protect the little one with your life. But if we are to face what is to come, it does not just fall to Frodo to find his strength and bravery; but to you accepting who you are. A new age is coming, Aragorn; the age of men, and men will need a king to look to, to rally behind. And the only one that can truly command; can bring them all together, is you. This........this is a chance for both of us to make up for the mistakes of the past; and I will do everything I can to make sure that this time, the darkness will end." The witch continued, before she leaned in and placed a soft kiss to his cheek.

"I believe in you, Aragorn, son of Arathorn. You will not fail.........." She whispered. Her hand, little by little, falling from his shoulder, before she turned and left. The Ranger slowly bringing his hand up to his cheek and placed it over the skin that her warm lips had just touched.