Post by Admin on Jan 2, 2021 17:24:44 GMT
Author: Telcontar
Summary: Eldarion wishes there were more children he could play with, preferably some who don't see him as the king's son. His father's habit of leaving the citadel incognito seems to be the solution. So Eldarion sneaks out. He meets two siblings, who could become the new friends he is looking for.
There were 7 walls in Minas Tirith, if one counted the outest one around the whole city. One wall around every level. Eldarion disliked all of them and nearly hated the wall around the seventh level. It separated him, his family, and those who were in the citadel from the rest of the city. He didn’t want to be separated. Especially since there was hardly ever anybody in the citadel, that he could play with. Besides him and his sisters, who were too little to be any fun, there were very few children living in the citadel. All of them were either too young to play or so old that they treated Eldarion like their parents would his father. He always felt uncomfortable if they did that. Eldarion just wanted some playmates, not servants. The only one he could really have fun with was Elboron, who sometimes came with his father, Prince Faramir. But the Steward wasn’t here as often as Eldarion wished and his son even less so.
Eldarion’s tutor had explained that the walls were for defence, so that no danger could reach the citadel, even if it had reached Minas Tirith. There was some logic to that, but Eldarion still disliked the walls. He knew his Ada did so as well. Of course, a king could pass the walls whenever he wished and didn’t need passwords like the others. But Eldarion's Ada always made it clear that he wanted contact with people of all levels and also with those outside the city, and that he wished for as little boundaries as possible. Sometimes Eldarion saw his Ada sneaking out in ragged clothes, whispering something to the guards so that they let him pass without bowing.
Eldarion too wanted to go out without anyone noticing who he was. That way he could find children who would play with him because they wanted to, not because their parents told them to or because they wanted to know how life as the son of the king was like. (It was boring, but Eldarion was sure that nobody ever wanted hear that answer and it would probably be rude to give it.) But Eldarion wasn’t allowed to leave the citadel on his own. He wasn’t allowed to go anywhere alone. That was not fair. His Ada constantly ignored protocol. (Eldarion had heard several nobles complain about that, when they didn’t realise he listened.) His Ada even ordered his guards to stay back while he went somewhere alone - quite regularly. Still, he told Eldarion’s guards to always stay with him and did not allow him to leave the citadel without an escort. It was truly unfair.
***
“I am sorry, Sirs, I have not seen the young lord.”, the kitchen-maid told Forgol and Indol. Forgol sighed. He and his comrade have only looked away from Eldarion for one short moment. How could he have slipped away? More importantly, where could he have gone?
Forgol had no patience for hide and seek games like those. That was exactly why he volunteered to guard the king’s son instead of the king himself. Both was a great honour and Forgol loved the king with all his heart. Forgol had followed him from the North and had been thrilled when he had been appointed to be in the king’s personal guard. But he soon found out that guarding the King could sometimes feel like watching a naughty child, when his former chieftain had the sudden urge to explore something on his own. Forgol was ready to fight for the King and his family. He would never complain about injuries, he could get and wouldn't even hesitate to risk his life. However, guarding someone who hated to be guarded was a taxing profession and Forgol felt that he grew too old for that. So being in the service of the Eldarion instead of his father had been a blessing. As long as the boy had been young enough. However, the young heir seemed more and more similar to the king with every year.
“Do you have any idea, where he could be?”, Forgol asked Indol.
The other man was born and raised in Minas Tirith and knew the place far better than Forgol. It was Indol who suggested the kitchens. Though Forgol would have gone there first as well. Everybody in the citadel knew of Eldarion’s tendency to try and charm the kitchen maids to give him sweet treats, when actually his mother had forbidden him to eat any before the meal. Trying to sneak in the kitchen for sweets was another thing Eldarion apparently took from his father. Surprisingly, despite the authority that the king had over the kitchen staff, Forgol was relatively sure that his son usually got more sweets handed. It was hard to say no to the young lord.
“I don’t know. It has to be some place where he isn’t supposed to be. Why else would he run away from us? Oh, I just hope nothing has happened to him. Why would he go?”, Indol was clearly nervous.
Forgol was a little more calm. He was so used to be alone in the wilderness, that he could understand the need of the King and his son to sometimes be away from any escorts. (It annoyed him and he cursed it, but he understood it.) Forgol didn’t think anything else had happened, he couldn’t imagine anything to happen within the citadel.
The queen saw it the same way. Forgol and Indol had already done the unpleasant task of telling her that they have failed in their task to guard her son and “lost” him. They would have reported to his father, but the king seemed to be missing as well. Forgol had expected to face the queen’s wrath, but surprisingly she comforted him and Indol. She said that she felt Eldarion was safe and that she did not blame them.
Forgol and Indol still blamed themselves and immediately after their report hurried off to find the boy.
***
Eldarion felt guilty for letting his guard back like that, but also very smart and skilled for managing to do so. He had sneaked away from his guard, originally just to go to the kitchen. But then he had seen his Ada exiting and he spontaneously followed him in a safe distance. Just to the wall of the citadel. That way he could tell the guards that he needed to run after his Ada. He said his Ada was off to secretly buy a present for his Nana (luckily enough, they seemed to not have been told anything contradictory) and that Eldarion wanted to catch him and find a present as well. He felt even more guilty for lying than for running away, but the guards believed him and let him pass. Now he was in the sixth level and nobody would find him there until he wanted to go back.
Eldarion was even more happy, when he found two children there in the street. A girl, who seemed to be in his age or a little younger, and a boy, who looked older, but still close enough in age to play with him.
“Hello!”, he greeted them and then was unsure how to proceed. He had never had to introduce himself to others. Everybody always knew who he was. How did one introduce himself properly? And how could he do so without them noticing that he was the king’s son?
“Hello! Are you new here? I haven’t seen you before. I’m Sidhwen. That’s Calion. We are brothers. I mean he is my brother. I am his sister. We are siblings. Who are you?”, the girl -Sidhwen- said in one breath. It was not the form of greeting he was used to.
“Uhm, yes, I am not often here. I’m...Darion. Nice to meet you”, he introduced himself - more or less.
“Nice to meet you too”, Calion said. He seemed to be more quiet than his sister, who hardly let him finished his polite greeting before she asked:
“Do you want to play with us? It’s always more fun with with more people. But Barwen doesn’t want to play with us. Well, with me really. He says he doesn’t play with girls. He is stupid. But you look nice. And your clothes look nice. Why are you wearing your special clothes? Will you even be able to play with us or will your parents get really angry if you get them dirty?”
Eldarion had no chance to answer any question before the next sentence followed. He also didn’t know what to say to most of them. He didn’t wore “special” clothes at all. Those were the cloths for every day. Eldarion wasn’t sure if he could say that or if it would give him away. He also didn’t know how to react to that statement about Barwen. He knew nobody with that name.
“I would love to play with you”, Eldarion said, deciding to answer only that question. It was the most important one to him. “What are you playing?”
Not surprisingly it was Sidhwen who answered and suggested several games they could play. They ended up playing many of them.
***
“Have you seen lord Eldarion?”, Indol asked what felt like the 100th person on the day.
Originally he and Forgol had planned to not tell too many about the missing boy. However, they decided it was better to speak with those they could trust, if it meant they could find him sooner. The kitchen-maid had been a trusted servant of the royal family for years and their best hint. Indol doubted to get any useful information from the soldiers, who guarded the wall, but it was still worth a try. Besides, they were amongst the men he trusted most. Indol had known them for years.
“Yes, he has passed here. He followed his lord father on a secret mission to buy a gift for the Queen. Do not tell the Lady about it.”, the soldier told him and Forgol with a wink.
Indol was relatively sure that there was no secret mission. At least not one that the King planned to do with his son. Otherwise they would have been told. But the answer was very helpful nevertheless. They now knew for sure that the boy had left them willingly and was not captured or harmed. Well, not when he had passed here. Indol could only pray that nothing had happened to their royal charge afterwards. They needed to find him soon.
“Thank you”, Indol said to the soldier of the wall before turning to his companion: “So another level to search through?”
Forgol nodded with a sigh.
***
“Thank you, mistress”, Darion said when Sidhwen’s Mom gave him something more to drink.
Her Mom smiled at him, clearly pleased that the new friend of Sidhwen and Calion was well mannered.
Sidhwen really liked Darion and was very happy when he had agreed to eat with them. He had seemed hesitant at first, but she could convince him. That way they could spend a little more time together and Darion could finish the story he had begun to tell before her mother had called. At first they had only played, but then she got out of breath and Calion had suggested to tell each other stories. Darion had started a story about the fellowship. Not a completely new one to Sidhwen, but he seemed to know more details - or he just made them up - and had a great story-telling-voice. Unfortunately, food was finished before Darion could end his story.
“May we go out and play some more with Darion until Dad comes home?”, Calion asked after they had eaten. Usually their father came home from his work at the house of healing when it started to get dark and that was also when Sidhwen and her brother had to get inside the house.
“You may go out, but I don’t know if Darion is allowed to stay with you so long. You will have to ask your parents. I don’t want them to get worried”, Sidhwen’s Mom told Darion.
***
Eldarion felt even more guilty then. He had the best day in a long time, but he knew he needed to go home. Everybody was probably already worried about him. He should not have run away. He should have eaten with his own Nana instead of the mother of his new friends. But he just had so much fun and didn’t know when he would manage to sneak out and meet his friends again. He really didn’t want to leave them. Eldarion would at least tell them the end of the tale that he had begun. He owed that to both.
When they left the house to talk outside some more (because it was lovely weather and because the house of the small family was not very big) Eldarion saw his guards Forgol and Indol. Clearly they were looking for him.
“Let’s get here”, Eldarion ushered his new friends behind a corner so that the guards wouldn’t see him immediately. He didn't plan to hide from them any longer, they didn’t deserve that. But Eldarion still wanted to have a undisturbed moment to say good bye to the siblings.
“What is it?”, Calion asked, confused about their hiding.
“I have to go home now. I am sorry, I can’t finish the tale”, he told them.
“Why not? I thought, you said your parents would be fine, if you came later.”, Sidhwen asked.
Before Eldarion could answer, his guards found him.
“There you are, young lord. Do you know how long we have searched for you?”, Forgil asked.
Eldarion had a pretty good idea, but only said: “I’m sorry. I’m coming.”
“When will you be back? Will you visit us again tomorrow?”, Sidhwen started a new line of questioning.
“I am not sure. I really have to go now. Good bye”, Eldarion said.
It was a hasty goodbye and not the one his new friends deserved. He should have taken more time to say goodbye, but he was afraid that if he lingered, one of his guards would give his identity away. Maybe it was wrong to hide his identity, but Eldarion had already started to do so and the siblings might feel betrayed if they now found out who he was. In addition to a possible revelation, Eldarion also noticed that Forgil looked very impatient and a little annoyed and that Ingol seemed stressed. He should not let those two, who have probably searched for him the whole day, wait any longer.
“Goodbye”, Sidhwen said and waved when Eldarion turned away from them.
Calion didn’t react. Was he mad at him for going away like that? Had he figured out who Eldarion was? Eldarion couldn’t guess what Calion thought and why he didn’t say anything. Sidhwen seemed to speak as much as she thought, but her brother was more quiet and Eldarion could not guess his thoughts. He just hoped that Calion wasn't too mad at him now. Eldarion really liked the boy and would hate to loose him as a friend on the very same day they became friends, even though Eldarion wasn't sure if he was ever able to see the siblings again.
***
“That was odd”, Sidhwen said, when Darion and the strange men walked away.
“Very odd”, Calion agreed, unsure what to do.
There were several things about Darion that were unusual, but him hastingly following to armed men looked suspicious. When they had invited Darion to eat with them, he had said he should go back, but then claimed that his parents didn’t expect him back that early. That was the only thing that he had said about his parents or his home. Darion had not answered any of Sidhwen’s question about whether he had moved here and where he lived. Sidhwen hadn’t minded. She always spoke so much at once that few answered to all her statements and questions. But Calion noticed that Darion reacted to most she said and only left out particular things like his home. Calion had not thought too much about hat, but grew worried when he noticed how nervous Darion seemed when these men came. He would have been nervous as well if men with weapons came for him. They were dressed like guards, though, and that was the only thing that prevented Calion from immediately concluding that the men were a danger for Darion. Guards of Minas Tirith did not hold young boys capture. They were honorable man. Or so Calion had always thought. But what then, was it he had just witnessed?
“Do you think they stole him from his parents?”, he asked his sister.
***
“Do you know how worried we were? How worried your lady mother was?”, Forgol asked scoldingly.
Eldarion usually liked the man. Well, other than the fact that he was watching him too closely, but that was his profession. He did not treat Eldarion with reverence. With respect, yes, but not too much of it. When talking to Forgol, Eldarion still felt like a child and not like a lord. Usually he liked that. Right now he didn’t.
“Ada has been away as well. Has he even come back yet? Nobody worries about him”, Eldarion complained, not caring that he sounded childish.
Forgol chuckled. It was an unusual chuckle, nothing like the one that Eldarion sometimes heard from maids. He couldn’t tell if it was merely a amused sound or if there were something else behind it.
“Oh, they do worry. Believe me. A lot of people worry a lot about your father”, Forgol said.
Eldarion wasn’t sure if he meant now or back when his Ada had been a ranger. But he was slightly satisfied that people were unhappy about his Ada as well, not only about him.
***
“Please, you have to let us through.”, Sidhwen begged.
Calion doubted it would do them any good. His plan had been to ask their Mom for advice or their Dad, but after he had told Sidhwen about his suspicion, she somehow managed to convince him that following the men and Darion was the only logical solution. Only this way they could find Darion and save him. However, how could they save him, if they weren’t allowed to pass this wall?
Only then Calion noticed that Darion and the men who took him had been let through immediately. Were those men of such high standing that the guards didn’t mind? Were the guards accomplices in the capture of Darion? Somehow none of that made sense. Maybe Calion had misjudged the situation.
“There is a boy in danger. You have to do something! They captured a boy!”, Sidhwen continued unaware of Calion's musings.
“A captured boy?”, someone said behind them.
Calion turned around startled. He had not noticed the man who now approached them. He didn’t recognize him either. Apparently the guards did. One bowed and the others seemed to start doing so as well, but a sign of the man made them stop. It also halted them from saying anything and Calion had a feeling that they wanted to say something. Who was this man?
“Yes, there were two men that have captured a boy. Darion. And they went through here. Can you help us, Sir? Please, we need to save him!”, Sidhwen said. “Your are not one of them, are you?”, she added on an afterthought.
Apparently the odd appearance of the man (ragged cloths and yet so clearly respected) made her doubt him. Calion thought doubting may be smart, but doing so loudly was definitely not. Even if that man were “one of them”, he would hardly say that to Sidhwen.
Before Calion could say anything to make his sister’s words seem less insulting, one of the guards snapped at her: “How dare you, girl? You are speaking to the King!”
Calion immediately bowed when he realized who the man was. But before he bowed, he still noticed the unpleased look that the king gave the guard who had spoken. Calion didn’t know whether that was because the guard had snapped at Sidhwen or because he had revealed the king’s identity.
“Your Highness...we are sorry...My sister didn't mean anything with it.”, he said and was relieved when he saw his sister curtsey and stay quiet for once.
“There is no reason to be sorry. You are obviously worried. Tell me about that boy. Darion, was it?”, the King asked.
Calion wasn’t sure where to start. He still wasn’t sure how to interpret his observations and suddenly being in the presence of his king - KING - didn’t help.
“Yes, Darion. He is tall with dark hair and eyes like yours. He played with us, but then the men came and took him. Calion thinks there was something wrong with him.”, Sidhwen answered while Calion still thought about what to say. “Tell him, Calion. He is the King. He can help us. Mom and Dad always say that he is a good King and that good lords help, so he will help us.”, Sidhwen ordered her brother.
Calion would have liked to disappear right then. He knew his sister talked a lot and didn’t always heed their parents lessons about the proper way to say things. He usually didn’t mind, because his sister always meant well, even if her words sometimes sounded impolite. But couldn’t she at least stay short form talking about the king in his presence? Thank Eru their parents have always only spoken well of the king. Sidhwen would probably also have also passed along any criticism without thinking about it and Calion didn’t want to imagine how the king would have reacted to that. To her positive words the king only smiled, apparently not minding what their parents would surely call impertinence. The king even looked a little pleased and even more amused.
“Will you tell me?”, the king asked Calion.
The smile was gone then and his tone was serious. But Calion could swear he could still see amusement in the king’s eyes. Calion assumed it was because he didn’t believe in a captured boy within the citadel. It did sound unbelievable. But whether he believed Calion and Sidhwen or not, the king had asked and so Calion answered.
He told the king everything about what he had observed and why it had made him suspicious. One of the guards wanted to cut in, another started to laugh, but both went quiet when the King cast them a look that was far less benign than the way he looked at the siblings.
“Maybe it was more my imagination, your Highness. But...Well, we are worried. Darion is nice; we want him to be well”, Calion ended feeling insecure.
“That Darion has found some loyal friends in you two.”, the king commented before offering: “I think we can find him together. Will you join me, if I send someone with word to your parents?”
Sidhwen immediately reacted: “You will help us, lord King? Yes, of course we will join you!”
So one of the guards was tasked to tell their parents where they were, while Calion and his sister went on a rescue mission with their King.
***
“Oh son, where have you been?”, Eldarion’s Nana asked while hugging him. “Do you know how worried we were?”
“I am sorry, Nana. I was with friends.”, Eldarion answered. He did not say that on the way here his guards had already asked him about how worried he thought people were.
Eldarion was sure he would get a stern scolding and possible some punishment later. Form his Nana or his Ada once he came home. But for now his Nana seemed only relieved that Eldarion was back and wished to hear what had happened. Eldarion was eager to tell her about his new friends. He just talked about what they ate, when someone knocked on his door.
“Is there a Darion in here?”, the voice of his Ada came from outside. How had he found out about that name? Eldarion had never used it before today.
When his Nana told his Ada to come in, Eldarion was surprised to see that he had not come alone. Through the door came Calion and Sidhwen. How did they get there? Why were they with his Ada?
Sidhwen smiled broadly. “You found him, lord King! How did you know he was here?”
Found him? Eldarion grew even more confused.
“I think I will let ‘Darion’ explain that.”, Eldarion's Ada said with a smile and then looked at Eldarion. “Don’t take too long. These two need to go back to their parents, so that they don’t worry like your Nana surely did. And we need to have a word with you as well. But I think for now you should speak alone.”
Eldarion nodded a little dumbfounded.
“This is a nice room. Obviously not a prison. And the king knew of you. He wouldn’t imprison you. Are you some sort of royal?”, Sidhwen asked once Eldarion’s parents had left the room.
“Thank you, it is my...”, Eldarion started, but forgot what he wanted to say, when he realised what Sidhwen had said. “Why would I be in prison?”, he asked, now completely lost.
“Calion said you might have been captured”, Sidhwen answered as if that explained everything. “But you weren’t, were you? You live here.”
Eldarion looked at Calion, still perplexed. He had thought him captured?
“I thought you were leaving us against your will and assumed that maybe the two men you went with were forcing you to. It seems ridiculous now. But we wanted to save you... So here we are.”, Calion explained.
It made more sense than Sidhwen’s answer, but was still as baffling to Eldarion. They wanted to save him? It did not seem ridiculous at all to Eldarion. He merely found it hard to understand, because he was never in any danger. But thinking on how hastily he had left the siblings, he could see why Calion would get suspicious. Whether he understood it or not, Eldarion would never call their intend to save him ridiculous. He was truly touched by it. Eldarion could only hope that he would not lose their friendship once they found out he had lied about his name.
Eldarion would have liked to know more about the story of their rescue mission, but Calion was clearly not in the mood to say more.
“I think it is now your turn to explain.”, he demanded as if he sensed that Eldarion wanted to ask more.
So Eldarion did explain. Who he really was and why he had sneaked out and had not wanted them to know his name, even less is title. “I’m sorry”, he said. He owed many apologies today.
“You could have said something. I really made a fool out of myself in front of those guards at the wall and even worse in front of the king. Sidhwen asked him for help. I told him all my stupid suspicions. But he must have known all the time that it was you and that we were seeing ghosts. Oh, they must all think me a fool. I am a fool ”, Calion said.
He sounded unhappy, moaning really, but not truly mad at Eldarion. Eldarion apologized once more and added: “I am sure that Ada will think nothing bad of you. He cannot be unhappy that you wanted to save me. He will like that.”
Eldarion knew that everybody in Minas Tirith wished for his Ada to have a good opinion of them. Calion was obviously no exception, even though the siblings had not started bowing or anything similar yet and Calion talked in the same tone to him like before. (Well, not the completely same tone, he sounded far more unhappy now, but it was still the tone one used for another boy, not one reserved for a king’s son.) Eldarion didn’t want people to use him in order to get his Ada’s attention, but he knew that that was not what Calion had tried to do. He had just tried to help Eldarion and now thought he had displeased his Ada. Eldarion was sure he had done quite the opposite and hoped that Calion would believe him.
There was a pause in which neither of the children spoke. Calion was surely thinking about what to do, but Eldarion had no idea why Sidhwen suddenly was so silent. Before now she had always immediately told all her thoughts. For the first time today Eldarion had no idea what was in her mind.
“I hope so. I still wish things would have played out less embarrassing for me, but I can’t change that now. And I am not mad at you, if you are afraid of that. I think I understand. Why you did not tell us immediately, I mean”, Calion finally said. “So how we are to call you then? Darion? Highness?”
Eldarion smiled broadly.
“Eldarion or Darion is both fine. Never Highness. Please”, he answered.
Sidhwen then started speaking as if she had only waited for Calion to make up his mind first.
“So that is settled, Darion. I wouldn’t be happy without other children to play with either. I’m glad Calion plays with me. And I have always wanted to see the citadel from the inside. I had a great time rescuing you”, she said with a shrug. “You can come and visit more often if you want. But you have to bring toys. Are all those toys over there yours? I have never seen so many. Oh, and you have to bring your sisters too, once they are older. Then I won't be the only girl. Or we can visit you, if your father tells those mean men at the wall to let us pass.”
Eldarion was immensely grateful for her answer. Not only did she just pretended he had never done anything wrong, she also kept treating him like she did before. Though, Eldarion had the suspicion that that was how she treated everybody. He wished he had witnessed her first meeting with his Ada.
***
“Your son gets more and more like you everyday”, Arwen said when she and Aragorn went to bed.
“He does.”, he agreed. “I should have scolded him more, but that would have been very hypocrite.” How could he have blamed his son for doing what he did so often? How could he punish him, when he understood so well why his son had acted as he did?
“I fear, I am not a good model in some areas.”, Aragorn continued.
“But the greatest in others.”, Arwen answered gently. “And I believe today was good for Eldarion. His eyes shone brightly when he spoke about his day and he was so happy, when we allowed him to invite his new friends here. They were happy as well. How fast children make friends.”
“And good ones as well. They must truly be fond of Eldarion if in order to save him, they are ready to follow grown, armed men, who they think might be enemies.", Aragorn mused. Of course, the children were never in any danger, but they did not know that. It might have been the rash action of young ones who didn't think everything through, but it was still a brave deed.
“Another trait that our son seems to share with you: He inspires devotion in those he meets.”, Arwen concluded. “What is it the Gondorians say? Like father like son”
Summary: Eldarion wishes there were more children he could play with, preferably some who don't see him as the king's son. His father's habit of leaving the citadel incognito seems to be the solution. So Eldarion sneaks out. He meets two siblings, who could become the new friends he is looking for.
There were 7 walls in Minas Tirith, if one counted the outest one around the whole city. One wall around every level. Eldarion disliked all of them and nearly hated the wall around the seventh level. It separated him, his family, and those who were in the citadel from the rest of the city. He didn’t want to be separated. Especially since there was hardly ever anybody in the citadel, that he could play with. Besides him and his sisters, who were too little to be any fun, there were very few children living in the citadel. All of them were either too young to play or so old that they treated Eldarion like their parents would his father. He always felt uncomfortable if they did that. Eldarion just wanted some playmates, not servants. The only one he could really have fun with was Elboron, who sometimes came with his father, Prince Faramir. But the Steward wasn’t here as often as Eldarion wished and his son even less so.
Eldarion’s tutor had explained that the walls were for defence, so that no danger could reach the citadel, even if it had reached Minas Tirith. There was some logic to that, but Eldarion still disliked the walls. He knew his Ada did so as well. Of course, a king could pass the walls whenever he wished and didn’t need passwords like the others. But Eldarion's Ada always made it clear that he wanted contact with people of all levels and also with those outside the city, and that he wished for as little boundaries as possible. Sometimes Eldarion saw his Ada sneaking out in ragged clothes, whispering something to the guards so that they let him pass without bowing.
Eldarion too wanted to go out without anyone noticing who he was. That way he could find children who would play with him because they wanted to, not because their parents told them to or because they wanted to know how life as the son of the king was like. (It was boring, but Eldarion was sure that nobody ever wanted hear that answer and it would probably be rude to give it.) But Eldarion wasn’t allowed to leave the citadel on his own. He wasn’t allowed to go anywhere alone. That was not fair. His Ada constantly ignored protocol. (Eldarion had heard several nobles complain about that, when they didn’t realise he listened.) His Ada even ordered his guards to stay back while he went somewhere alone - quite regularly. Still, he told Eldarion’s guards to always stay with him and did not allow him to leave the citadel without an escort. It was truly unfair.
***
“I am sorry, Sirs, I have not seen the young lord.”, the kitchen-maid told Forgol and Indol. Forgol sighed. He and his comrade have only looked away from Eldarion for one short moment. How could he have slipped away? More importantly, where could he have gone?
Forgol had no patience for hide and seek games like those. That was exactly why he volunteered to guard the king’s son instead of the king himself. Both was a great honour and Forgol loved the king with all his heart. Forgol had followed him from the North and had been thrilled when he had been appointed to be in the king’s personal guard. But he soon found out that guarding the King could sometimes feel like watching a naughty child, when his former chieftain had the sudden urge to explore something on his own. Forgol was ready to fight for the King and his family. He would never complain about injuries, he could get and wouldn't even hesitate to risk his life. However, guarding someone who hated to be guarded was a taxing profession and Forgol felt that he grew too old for that. So being in the service of the Eldarion instead of his father had been a blessing. As long as the boy had been young enough. However, the young heir seemed more and more similar to the king with every year.
“Do you have any idea, where he could be?”, Forgol asked Indol.
The other man was born and raised in Minas Tirith and knew the place far better than Forgol. It was Indol who suggested the kitchens. Though Forgol would have gone there first as well. Everybody in the citadel knew of Eldarion’s tendency to try and charm the kitchen maids to give him sweet treats, when actually his mother had forbidden him to eat any before the meal. Trying to sneak in the kitchen for sweets was another thing Eldarion apparently took from his father. Surprisingly, despite the authority that the king had over the kitchen staff, Forgol was relatively sure that his son usually got more sweets handed. It was hard to say no to the young lord.
“I don’t know. It has to be some place where he isn’t supposed to be. Why else would he run away from us? Oh, I just hope nothing has happened to him. Why would he go?”, Indol was clearly nervous.
Forgol was a little more calm. He was so used to be alone in the wilderness, that he could understand the need of the King and his son to sometimes be away from any escorts. (It annoyed him and he cursed it, but he understood it.) Forgol didn’t think anything else had happened, he couldn’t imagine anything to happen within the citadel.
The queen saw it the same way. Forgol and Indol had already done the unpleasant task of telling her that they have failed in their task to guard her son and “lost” him. They would have reported to his father, but the king seemed to be missing as well. Forgol had expected to face the queen’s wrath, but surprisingly she comforted him and Indol. She said that she felt Eldarion was safe and that she did not blame them.
Forgol and Indol still blamed themselves and immediately after their report hurried off to find the boy.
***
Eldarion felt guilty for letting his guard back like that, but also very smart and skilled for managing to do so. He had sneaked away from his guard, originally just to go to the kitchen. But then he had seen his Ada exiting and he spontaneously followed him in a safe distance. Just to the wall of the citadel. That way he could tell the guards that he needed to run after his Ada. He said his Ada was off to secretly buy a present for his Nana (luckily enough, they seemed to not have been told anything contradictory) and that Eldarion wanted to catch him and find a present as well. He felt even more guilty for lying than for running away, but the guards believed him and let him pass. Now he was in the sixth level and nobody would find him there until he wanted to go back.
Eldarion was even more happy, when he found two children there in the street. A girl, who seemed to be in his age or a little younger, and a boy, who looked older, but still close enough in age to play with him.
“Hello!”, he greeted them and then was unsure how to proceed. He had never had to introduce himself to others. Everybody always knew who he was. How did one introduce himself properly? And how could he do so without them noticing that he was the king’s son?
“Hello! Are you new here? I haven’t seen you before. I’m Sidhwen. That’s Calion. We are brothers. I mean he is my brother. I am his sister. We are siblings. Who are you?”, the girl -Sidhwen- said in one breath. It was not the form of greeting he was used to.
“Uhm, yes, I am not often here. I’m...Darion. Nice to meet you”, he introduced himself - more or less.
“Nice to meet you too”, Calion said. He seemed to be more quiet than his sister, who hardly let him finished his polite greeting before she asked:
“Do you want to play with us? It’s always more fun with with more people. But Barwen doesn’t want to play with us. Well, with me really. He says he doesn’t play with girls. He is stupid. But you look nice. And your clothes look nice. Why are you wearing your special clothes? Will you even be able to play with us or will your parents get really angry if you get them dirty?”
Eldarion had no chance to answer any question before the next sentence followed. He also didn’t know what to say to most of them. He didn’t wore “special” clothes at all. Those were the cloths for every day. Eldarion wasn’t sure if he could say that or if it would give him away. He also didn’t know how to react to that statement about Barwen. He knew nobody with that name.
“I would love to play with you”, Eldarion said, deciding to answer only that question. It was the most important one to him. “What are you playing?”
Not surprisingly it was Sidhwen who answered and suggested several games they could play. They ended up playing many of them.
***
“Have you seen lord Eldarion?”, Indol asked what felt like the 100th person on the day.
Originally he and Forgol had planned to not tell too many about the missing boy. However, they decided it was better to speak with those they could trust, if it meant they could find him sooner. The kitchen-maid had been a trusted servant of the royal family for years and their best hint. Indol doubted to get any useful information from the soldiers, who guarded the wall, but it was still worth a try. Besides, they were amongst the men he trusted most. Indol had known them for years.
“Yes, he has passed here. He followed his lord father on a secret mission to buy a gift for the Queen. Do not tell the Lady about it.”, the soldier told him and Forgol with a wink.
Indol was relatively sure that there was no secret mission. At least not one that the King planned to do with his son. Otherwise they would have been told. But the answer was very helpful nevertheless. They now knew for sure that the boy had left them willingly and was not captured or harmed. Well, not when he had passed here. Indol could only pray that nothing had happened to their royal charge afterwards. They needed to find him soon.
“Thank you”, Indol said to the soldier of the wall before turning to his companion: “So another level to search through?”
Forgol nodded with a sigh.
***
“Thank you, mistress”, Darion said when Sidhwen’s Mom gave him something more to drink.
Her Mom smiled at him, clearly pleased that the new friend of Sidhwen and Calion was well mannered.
Sidhwen really liked Darion and was very happy when he had agreed to eat with them. He had seemed hesitant at first, but she could convince him. That way they could spend a little more time together and Darion could finish the story he had begun to tell before her mother had called. At first they had only played, but then she got out of breath and Calion had suggested to tell each other stories. Darion had started a story about the fellowship. Not a completely new one to Sidhwen, but he seemed to know more details - or he just made them up - and had a great story-telling-voice. Unfortunately, food was finished before Darion could end his story.
“May we go out and play some more with Darion until Dad comes home?”, Calion asked after they had eaten. Usually their father came home from his work at the house of healing when it started to get dark and that was also when Sidhwen and her brother had to get inside the house.
“You may go out, but I don’t know if Darion is allowed to stay with you so long. You will have to ask your parents. I don’t want them to get worried”, Sidhwen’s Mom told Darion.
***
Eldarion felt even more guilty then. He had the best day in a long time, but he knew he needed to go home. Everybody was probably already worried about him. He should not have run away. He should have eaten with his own Nana instead of the mother of his new friends. But he just had so much fun and didn’t know when he would manage to sneak out and meet his friends again. He really didn’t want to leave them. Eldarion would at least tell them the end of the tale that he had begun. He owed that to both.
When they left the house to talk outside some more (because it was lovely weather and because the house of the small family was not very big) Eldarion saw his guards Forgol and Indol. Clearly they were looking for him.
“Let’s get here”, Eldarion ushered his new friends behind a corner so that the guards wouldn’t see him immediately. He didn't plan to hide from them any longer, they didn’t deserve that. But Eldarion still wanted to have a undisturbed moment to say good bye to the siblings.
“What is it?”, Calion asked, confused about their hiding.
“I have to go home now. I am sorry, I can’t finish the tale”, he told them.
“Why not? I thought, you said your parents would be fine, if you came later.”, Sidhwen asked.
Before Eldarion could answer, his guards found him.
“There you are, young lord. Do you know how long we have searched for you?”, Forgil asked.
Eldarion had a pretty good idea, but only said: “I’m sorry. I’m coming.”
“When will you be back? Will you visit us again tomorrow?”, Sidhwen started a new line of questioning.
“I am not sure. I really have to go now. Good bye”, Eldarion said.
It was a hasty goodbye and not the one his new friends deserved. He should have taken more time to say goodbye, but he was afraid that if he lingered, one of his guards would give his identity away. Maybe it was wrong to hide his identity, but Eldarion had already started to do so and the siblings might feel betrayed if they now found out who he was. In addition to a possible revelation, Eldarion also noticed that Forgil looked very impatient and a little annoyed and that Ingol seemed stressed. He should not let those two, who have probably searched for him the whole day, wait any longer.
“Goodbye”, Sidhwen said and waved when Eldarion turned away from them.
Calion didn’t react. Was he mad at him for going away like that? Had he figured out who Eldarion was? Eldarion couldn’t guess what Calion thought and why he didn’t say anything. Sidhwen seemed to speak as much as she thought, but her brother was more quiet and Eldarion could not guess his thoughts. He just hoped that Calion wasn't too mad at him now. Eldarion really liked the boy and would hate to loose him as a friend on the very same day they became friends, even though Eldarion wasn't sure if he was ever able to see the siblings again.
***
“That was odd”, Sidhwen said, when Darion and the strange men walked away.
“Very odd”, Calion agreed, unsure what to do.
There were several things about Darion that were unusual, but him hastingly following to armed men looked suspicious. When they had invited Darion to eat with them, he had said he should go back, but then claimed that his parents didn’t expect him back that early. That was the only thing that he had said about his parents or his home. Darion had not answered any of Sidhwen’s question about whether he had moved here and where he lived. Sidhwen hadn’t minded. She always spoke so much at once that few answered to all her statements and questions. But Calion noticed that Darion reacted to most she said and only left out particular things like his home. Calion had not thought too much about hat, but grew worried when he noticed how nervous Darion seemed when these men came. He would have been nervous as well if men with weapons came for him. They were dressed like guards, though, and that was the only thing that prevented Calion from immediately concluding that the men were a danger for Darion. Guards of Minas Tirith did not hold young boys capture. They were honorable man. Or so Calion had always thought. But what then, was it he had just witnessed?
“Do you think they stole him from his parents?”, he asked his sister.
***
“Do you know how worried we were? How worried your lady mother was?”, Forgol asked scoldingly.
Eldarion usually liked the man. Well, other than the fact that he was watching him too closely, but that was his profession. He did not treat Eldarion with reverence. With respect, yes, but not too much of it. When talking to Forgol, Eldarion still felt like a child and not like a lord. Usually he liked that. Right now he didn’t.
“Ada has been away as well. Has he even come back yet? Nobody worries about him”, Eldarion complained, not caring that he sounded childish.
Forgol chuckled. It was an unusual chuckle, nothing like the one that Eldarion sometimes heard from maids. He couldn’t tell if it was merely a amused sound or if there were something else behind it.
“Oh, they do worry. Believe me. A lot of people worry a lot about your father”, Forgol said.
Eldarion wasn’t sure if he meant now or back when his Ada had been a ranger. But he was slightly satisfied that people were unhappy about his Ada as well, not only about him.
***
“Please, you have to let us through.”, Sidhwen begged.
Calion doubted it would do them any good. His plan had been to ask their Mom for advice or their Dad, but after he had told Sidhwen about his suspicion, she somehow managed to convince him that following the men and Darion was the only logical solution. Only this way they could find Darion and save him. However, how could they save him, if they weren’t allowed to pass this wall?
Only then Calion noticed that Darion and the men who took him had been let through immediately. Were those men of such high standing that the guards didn’t mind? Were the guards accomplices in the capture of Darion? Somehow none of that made sense. Maybe Calion had misjudged the situation.
“There is a boy in danger. You have to do something! They captured a boy!”, Sidhwen continued unaware of Calion's musings.
“A captured boy?”, someone said behind them.
Calion turned around startled. He had not noticed the man who now approached them. He didn’t recognize him either. Apparently the guards did. One bowed and the others seemed to start doing so as well, but a sign of the man made them stop. It also halted them from saying anything and Calion had a feeling that they wanted to say something. Who was this man?
“Yes, there were two men that have captured a boy. Darion. And they went through here. Can you help us, Sir? Please, we need to save him!”, Sidhwen said. “Your are not one of them, are you?”, she added on an afterthought.
Apparently the odd appearance of the man (ragged cloths and yet so clearly respected) made her doubt him. Calion thought doubting may be smart, but doing so loudly was definitely not. Even if that man were “one of them”, he would hardly say that to Sidhwen.
Before Calion could say anything to make his sister’s words seem less insulting, one of the guards snapped at her: “How dare you, girl? You are speaking to the King!”
Calion immediately bowed when he realized who the man was. But before he bowed, he still noticed the unpleased look that the king gave the guard who had spoken. Calion didn’t know whether that was because the guard had snapped at Sidhwen or because he had revealed the king’s identity.
“Your Highness...we are sorry...My sister didn't mean anything with it.”, he said and was relieved when he saw his sister curtsey and stay quiet for once.
“There is no reason to be sorry. You are obviously worried. Tell me about that boy. Darion, was it?”, the King asked.
Calion wasn’t sure where to start. He still wasn’t sure how to interpret his observations and suddenly being in the presence of his king - KING - didn’t help.
“Yes, Darion. He is tall with dark hair and eyes like yours. He played with us, but then the men came and took him. Calion thinks there was something wrong with him.”, Sidhwen answered while Calion still thought about what to say. “Tell him, Calion. He is the King. He can help us. Mom and Dad always say that he is a good King and that good lords help, so he will help us.”, Sidhwen ordered her brother.
Calion would have liked to disappear right then. He knew his sister talked a lot and didn’t always heed their parents lessons about the proper way to say things. He usually didn’t mind, because his sister always meant well, even if her words sometimes sounded impolite. But couldn’t she at least stay short form talking about the king in his presence? Thank Eru their parents have always only spoken well of the king. Sidhwen would probably also have also passed along any criticism without thinking about it and Calion didn’t want to imagine how the king would have reacted to that. To her positive words the king only smiled, apparently not minding what their parents would surely call impertinence. The king even looked a little pleased and even more amused.
“Will you tell me?”, the king asked Calion.
The smile was gone then and his tone was serious. But Calion could swear he could still see amusement in the king’s eyes. Calion assumed it was because he didn’t believe in a captured boy within the citadel. It did sound unbelievable. But whether he believed Calion and Sidhwen or not, the king had asked and so Calion answered.
He told the king everything about what he had observed and why it had made him suspicious. One of the guards wanted to cut in, another started to laugh, but both went quiet when the King cast them a look that was far less benign than the way he looked at the siblings.
“Maybe it was more my imagination, your Highness. But...Well, we are worried. Darion is nice; we want him to be well”, Calion ended feeling insecure.
“That Darion has found some loyal friends in you two.”, the king commented before offering: “I think we can find him together. Will you join me, if I send someone with word to your parents?”
Sidhwen immediately reacted: “You will help us, lord King? Yes, of course we will join you!”
So one of the guards was tasked to tell their parents where they were, while Calion and his sister went on a rescue mission with their King.
***
“Oh son, where have you been?”, Eldarion’s Nana asked while hugging him. “Do you know how worried we were?”
“I am sorry, Nana. I was with friends.”, Eldarion answered. He did not say that on the way here his guards had already asked him about how worried he thought people were.
Eldarion was sure he would get a stern scolding and possible some punishment later. Form his Nana or his Ada once he came home. But for now his Nana seemed only relieved that Eldarion was back and wished to hear what had happened. Eldarion was eager to tell her about his new friends. He just talked about what they ate, when someone knocked on his door.
“Is there a Darion in here?”, the voice of his Ada came from outside. How had he found out about that name? Eldarion had never used it before today.
When his Nana told his Ada to come in, Eldarion was surprised to see that he had not come alone. Through the door came Calion and Sidhwen. How did they get there? Why were they with his Ada?
Sidhwen smiled broadly. “You found him, lord King! How did you know he was here?”
Found him? Eldarion grew even more confused.
“I think I will let ‘Darion’ explain that.”, Eldarion's Ada said with a smile and then looked at Eldarion. “Don’t take too long. These two need to go back to their parents, so that they don’t worry like your Nana surely did. And we need to have a word with you as well. But I think for now you should speak alone.”
Eldarion nodded a little dumbfounded.
“This is a nice room. Obviously not a prison. And the king knew of you. He wouldn’t imprison you. Are you some sort of royal?”, Sidhwen asked once Eldarion’s parents had left the room.
“Thank you, it is my...”, Eldarion started, but forgot what he wanted to say, when he realised what Sidhwen had said. “Why would I be in prison?”, he asked, now completely lost.
“Calion said you might have been captured”, Sidhwen answered as if that explained everything. “But you weren’t, were you? You live here.”
Eldarion looked at Calion, still perplexed. He had thought him captured?
“I thought you were leaving us against your will and assumed that maybe the two men you went with were forcing you to. It seems ridiculous now. But we wanted to save you... So here we are.”, Calion explained.
It made more sense than Sidhwen’s answer, but was still as baffling to Eldarion. They wanted to save him? It did not seem ridiculous at all to Eldarion. He merely found it hard to understand, because he was never in any danger. But thinking on how hastily he had left the siblings, he could see why Calion would get suspicious. Whether he understood it or not, Eldarion would never call their intend to save him ridiculous. He was truly touched by it. Eldarion could only hope that he would not lose their friendship once they found out he had lied about his name.
Eldarion would have liked to know more about the story of their rescue mission, but Calion was clearly not in the mood to say more.
“I think it is now your turn to explain.”, he demanded as if he sensed that Eldarion wanted to ask more.
So Eldarion did explain. Who he really was and why he had sneaked out and had not wanted them to know his name, even less is title. “I’m sorry”, he said. He owed many apologies today.
“You could have said something. I really made a fool out of myself in front of those guards at the wall and even worse in front of the king. Sidhwen asked him for help. I told him all my stupid suspicions. But he must have known all the time that it was you and that we were seeing ghosts. Oh, they must all think me a fool. I am a fool ”, Calion said.
He sounded unhappy, moaning really, but not truly mad at Eldarion. Eldarion apologized once more and added: “I am sure that Ada will think nothing bad of you. He cannot be unhappy that you wanted to save me. He will like that.”
Eldarion knew that everybody in Minas Tirith wished for his Ada to have a good opinion of them. Calion was obviously no exception, even though the siblings had not started bowing or anything similar yet and Calion talked in the same tone to him like before. (Well, not the completely same tone, he sounded far more unhappy now, but it was still the tone one used for another boy, not one reserved for a king’s son.) Eldarion didn’t want people to use him in order to get his Ada’s attention, but he knew that that was not what Calion had tried to do. He had just tried to help Eldarion and now thought he had displeased his Ada. Eldarion was sure he had done quite the opposite and hoped that Calion would believe him.
There was a pause in which neither of the children spoke. Calion was surely thinking about what to do, but Eldarion had no idea why Sidhwen suddenly was so silent. Before now she had always immediately told all her thoughts. For the first time today Eldarion had no idea what was in her mind.
“I hope so. I still wish things would have played out less embarrassing for me, but I can’t change that now. And I am not mad at you, if you are afraid of that. I think I understand. Why you did not tell us immediately, I mean”, Calion finally said. “So how we are to call you then? Darion? Highness?”
Eldarion smiled broadly.
“Eldarion or Darion is both fine. Never Highness. Please”, he answered.
Sidhwen then started speaking as if she had only waited for Calion to make up his mind first.
“So that is settled, Darion. I wouldn’t be happy without other children to play with either. I’m glad Calion plays with me. And I have always wanted to see the citadel from the inside. I had a great time rescuing you”, she said with a shrug. “You can come and visit more often if you want. But you have to bring toys. Are all those toys over there yours? I have never seen so many. Oh, and you have to bring your sisters too, once they are older. Then I won't be the only girl. Or we can visit you, if your father tells those mean men at the wall to let us pass.”
Eldarion was immensely grateful for her answer. Not only did she just pretended he had never done anything wrong, she also kept treating him like she did before. Though, Eldarion had the suspicion that that was how she treated everybody. He wished he had witnessed her first meeting with his Ada.
***
“Your son gets more and more like you everyday”, Arwen said when she and Aragorn went to bed.
“He does.”, he agreed. “I should have scolded him more, but that would have been very hypocrite.” How could he have blamed his son for doing what he did so often? How could he punish him, when he understood so well why his son had acted as he did?
“I fear, I am not a good model in some areas.”, Aragorn continued.
“But the greatest in others.”, Arwen answered gently. “And I believe today was good for Eldarion. His eyes shone brightly when he spoke about his day and he was so happy, when we allowed him to invite his new friends here. They were happy as well. How fast children make friends.”
“And good ones as well. They must truly be fond of Eldarion if in order to save him, they are ready to follow grown, armed men, who they think might be enemies.", Aragorn mused. Of course, the children were never in any danger, but they did not know that. It might have been the rash action of young ones who didn't think everything through, but it was still a brave deed.
“Another trait that our son seems to share with you: He inspires devotion in those he meets.”, Arwen concluded. “What is it the Gondorians say? Like father like son”