The Beginning

Upon first sight, their fates were sealed...

Arathorn, cheiftain of the Dúnedain, and father of Aragorn, had been married to Gilraen for only a year, when he was slain in battle by Orcs, with an arrow in his eye. Arathorn was only sixty years of age, and so died young for one of his kind.

Aragorn, Heir of Isildur, and his mother were taken to Rivendell, where they dwelled in the House of Elrond. Elrond took the place of Aragorn's father and loved him as if he were his own son. During these peaceful years, Aragorn was not called Aragorn, but Estel, meaning "Hope" in the language of the Elves, for Elrond did not want the Enemy to discover what they were seeking to find: Isildur's Heir, if one exsisted.

When Aragorn was twenty, he came back from victorious battles. That day, Elrond told Aragorn who he really was, and gave him the shards of Narsil and the ring of Barahir. Elrond kept only the Sceptre of Annúminias, which he would give to Aragorn when he had earned it.

At sunset the next day, Aragorn went walking alone in the woods. He was pleased, and sang as he walked, telling the forest of his happiness. Suddenly, he saw a fair maiden before him, but believed her to be a dream. She wore a mantle of silver and blue, and her dark hair moved in the breeze. Her brows were bound with gems like stars.

Aragorn had been singing the Lay of Lúthien, which tells the of the meeting of the elven maid, Lúthien Tinúviel, and her mortal love, Beren. And now he saw Lúthien before him! He feared that she would walk away, and he would never see her again, so he called to her, "Tinúviel, Tinúviel!" just as Beren had done long ago. The maid stopped, and turned smiling to him. "Who are you? And why do you call me by that name?" she asked. "Because I belived you to be indeed Lúthien Tinúviel," he answered, "of whom I was singing. But if you are not she, then you walk in her likeness." "So many have said." she answered gravely, "Yet her name is not mine. Though maybe my doom will be not unlike hers. But who are you?"

"Estel I was called," he said, "But I am Aragorn, Arathorn's son, Isildur's Heir, Lord of the Dúnedain." Yet as he spoke, he felt that his identity was of little worth next to this angelic madien.

But she laughed merrily and said, "Then we are akin from afar. For I am Arwen Elrond's daughter, and am named also Undómiel."

And then and ever afterwards, Aragorn son of Arathorn loved Arwen Undómiel, child of Elrond.

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The above is based on Tolkien's writing, but was written by me. All quotes were directly copied to stay true to the story.