Melting a Heart of Ice

It took quite a speech from Aragorn to encourage Triina to face what remained of her forces after the battle at the Black Gates. There wasn't time enough for the mountain of responsibilities that overwhelmed her, and the grief she felt from so many losses only served to weaken her resolve. There was no time for either of them to rest between the battle's victory, and their responsibilities. Triina had yet to even change from her battle-worn clothes into fresh garb.

"Breathe a deep breath of peace, Triina. Though grief grips our hearts, the war against Sauron is over. Our people are free."

"No, Aragorn," she frowned, "your people are free. The war for my kin has only just begun. Before the sun sets on your city tomorrow I will be riding home to fight for my lands."

"Know that I would ride with you if the luxury was afforded to me." he nodded sadly, but she only turned to smile to him in response.

"You'll be riding there soon enough. I would have your head if you missed my wedding."

She walked from her room to face the Til'Arin who remained in Gondor. Many had already made for their homelands led by Eevalin, and many faeries rode with them to offer any assistance they possibly could. Triina would have rode with them had Eevalin not convinced her otherwise.

"Stay, you have oaths yet to fulfill to your Fellowship. Recover your strength, and celebrate this victory. I will stand as your steward until your return."

Triina and the others had learned long ago not to argue with Eevalin and so she stayed, much to the joy and relief of her fellows.

Legolas watched her speech to her people from a balcony overlooking the courtyard where she spoke. Aragorn joined him not long after the meeting had begun with Aedán in tow.

They stood in silence, listening as she spoke with the most convincing authority of their victory and the battles they had yet to face. The confidence in her was immense to her followers, but to those who had traveled with her and seen her in times of true confidence and true fear the act was transparent. Even Aedán frowned and shook his head when her speech had ended.

"She's afraid, isn't she?" he questioned softly, looking up at Legolas and Aragorn for an answer.

"She holds the same fear I held before our battle. She fears for her people, and those she holds dear. It is a weight that comes with all crowns." Aragorn answered, and led them from their vantage point.

The night was long, and held very little rest for their company. Very little was seen of Aragorn as he carried out his duties around Gondor to prepare for a formal coronation. One he surprised Triina with by expressing his true lack of excitement for. The other members of their fellowship had been given each their own rooms, but before long all were congregated in the same room together for comfort as they waited for Gandalf's return from his search for Sam and Frodo to either bring them back, or return their bodies for a proper burial. He had left just moments after the battle ended but no signs have been seen of him since.

Sunrise however, held a very different atmosphere. Aedán was the one to rouse the sleeping fellowship just as the first birds of morning began to stir. Aragorn wasn't far behind, but was no match for the child's excitement as they went room to room in search of their friends.

"There you are! Wake up everyone! Get up!" he shouted after finally opening the right door. Gimli grunted and reached for his axe while Triina jumped from Legolas' arms to move to his side, leaving the elf to search through the window for any threat.

"What's wrong?" She demanded, looking over him for injury but only receiving laughter instead.

"Nothing's wrong! Your friends are back! They came back last night, but they're awake now! Come on, Arag-uhm, King Aragorn, says you haven't seen each other in a long time!"

"He found them, then?" Gimli demanded, turning to said king for an answer and receiving a smiling nod in response. "Alive?!" he laughed, and laughed harder when a second nod was given.

Gimli stood and cheered while Merry and Pippin joined in his celebration. Triina dropped to her knees and pulled Aedán against her before standing and spinning him around the room to join Gimli and the hobbits. For the first time since the journey began it seemed, she truly felt happiness and the weight of all that had happened seemed to leave her shoulders for that moment.

"What are we waiting for, then? Shall we go to them?" Legolas questioned but needed no answer as he followed Aragorn out of the room to reunite their fellowship.

By the time they reached the room the sun had peaked over the mountains and bathed all of Gondor in a golden glow. Gandalf had already gone in to visit Frodo, but Sam was waiting patiently to greet them outside the door.

"Hello, Miss Triina." he nodded happily as she rounded the corner, earning a yelp of excitement as ran to him. She could barely breathe Sam's name as she pulled him against her in a suffocating reunion. "Let the poor lad breathe, he didn't survive certain doom to be strangled here." Gimli ordered while jokingly pulling her away from him.

The reunion with Frodo only held more emotion. Merry and Pippin pushed their way in first, cheering in astonishment before running to Frodo's side in pure joy. Gimli followed, waving his arms and cheering to Frodo and Sam's victory. Legolas and Aragorn weren't far behind but neither had words for their emotions. Only relieved and genuine smiles as Sam and Triina made their way in as well. Frodo and Sam exchanged accomplished nods, glad to see the end of their struggle in victory. Triina leaned her weight against Legolas as he put his arms around her and touched his lips to her cheek as she watched her friends celebrate their reunion.

"We did it, Triina, we've won." Frodo spoke happily.

"We've won this war, Frodo." She sighed while making her way to his side and sitting beside him. "There were two forces against us, and against each other. The darkness over my home fought against Sauron as much as we have, and so they each kept the other at bay until we could defeat one. Unfortunately, now that we've defeated one evil the other us unchecked in its war against my people. I'll have to ride out soon to face that battle, but I'll ride with all the confidence in the world knowing that any victory is possible from what I've seen of you, Frodo."

"This time, you are the river. We'll be your clouds, Triina." he nodded and handed her a worn river stone. The same stone she gave him with those same words not long before their fellowship was separated. She laughed and hugged him with all her strength and tied the stone into the same necklace Legolas' arrowhead hung from.

"Ah! What're you doing hiding in the shadows, lad?! Bring yourself in here, you're as much a part of this fellowship as any of us! Meet our lost friends! Get acquainted, now." Gimli ordered suddenly as Aragorn guided Aedán into the room as well.

"This is Aedán. He's been with us through quite a few challenges." Triina introduced proudly. Aedán gave an awkward wave and stood closer to Legolas in a sudden spell of shyness. It was the first time he had truly shown his age in his actions, and reminded the fellowship how much of a child he still was. It was good in their eyes to see that he still held some child's innocence in him after all he had seen.

The following day was one of great celebration, and great crowds. Triina, overwhelmed by the emotion around her, tried to hide away in her room but none would leave her be. If it wasn't Til'Arin responsibilities, it was her fellows checking in on her and urging her to leave her room and be seen by the people.

In the interest of haste, Aragorn had urged her to join her formal coronation with his that day. She refused, arguing that it was his day in his city, with his people. But Eevalin and Lelir, along with Gandalf, had argued against her and sided with Aragorn. She should be crowned in the safety of Gondor and ride with all authority and title to her home to defeat the evils there. With her votes outnumbered she wore the most formal finery available to her, and bitterly walked from her quarters to Aragorn's.

"A royal sight, Triina." He nodded as she entered without the slightest attempt of knocking.

"Aren't we both?" She jested as she joined him in front of a mirror. Neither were accustomed to seeing themselves in such a state, but both saw it as fitting to the other. "I'm not sure I've seen you with your hair properly brushed."

He turned and laughed and playfully tugged at her unbraided hair. "And you have the nerve to speak about my hair? Have we ever seen yours down?"

"I wore it down in Rivendell when we first saw each other. Seems like a lifetime ago." she laughed and nervously adjusted her gown. She was never fond of gowns, but this one was the heaviest one she had worn. It was the same gown worn by her mother, grandmother, and many queens before her but had been well kept to look as if it had been sewn only that morning.

The crowd was so dense neither could see the end as they stood side by side overlooking all of Gondor. Gandalf stood behind them to officiate their coronations while Gimli stood beside him carrying the crown of Gondor, and Aedán stood at his other side holding the crown of Til'Arin.

"Now come the days of the King. May they be blessed!" Gandalf announced proudly as he crowned Aragorn. Triina smiled proudly as he remained knelt until the wizard lifted the Til'Arin crown for all to see. "And in the North, where the waters flow the most mysteriously, the reign of a new Queen begins! May they be just as blessed!"

Both Aragorn and Triina stood and turned to face the crowd as applause echoed like thunder around them. Aedán and Gimli were practically bouncing with excitement where they stood as Aragorn addressed his people.

Triina struggled to hide the tears of pride in her eyes as he spoke, and sang to his kingdom. Her speech was similar, but in place of song she cast a light rain over the people.

Together they went to greet their friends as celebration broke out around them. Aragorn and Legolas stood a moment with their hands on each other's shoulders. As Aragorn thanked his friend in Elvish she could feel all the emotion he refused to show. It only made hiding her own that much harder.

Behind Legolas were countless other elves, but what caught Triina's attention was a familiar smile peeking out from behind a banner. She nudged her friend and nodded to where Arwen and Lord Elrond were standing, and lost the battle -yet again- as a few more tears fell when Aragorn and Arwen reunited with the most passionate kiss two lovers could share. As they laughed and embraced, Triina moved to Lord Elrond.

"This day could not hold more joy, now that I see you." he nodded proudly, but was unprepared for her to pull him into a hug as well.

"If I could have asked anyone to be present this day, it would have been you. I would never have imagined standing here had I not had you in my life and now I have the chance to ask you in person, Lord Elrond, when the day comes that Legolas and I are wed, would you stand as my father for the ceremony?"

Both had tears in their eyes as he gave his answer, and this time it was he who pulled her into a tight embrace to celebrate his adopted daughter's happiness.

Finally Aragorn had her follow him to greet their four hobbit friends. Before either of them could say a word the four bowed their respect, only for Triina to step forward and straighten them. "Stop that, all of you." she sighed.

"My friends, you bow to no one." Aragorn added, and bowed before them as if they were the ones to be crowned that day. Triina knelt as all Til'Arin did before their great leaders, and to the hobbits' astonishment, all who gathered for the coronation joined to bow before them as well as the wings of countless faeries lit their surroundings in salute.
The night was spent in celebration. First the newly crowned among their people, but in the early hours of the morning Triina and Aragorn led their closest friends to another celebration where they could be free of the binds that came with their crowns.

Triina danced for everyone atop a large table with four hobbits and a dwarf. The room was lit more by the faeries than torches as music played all around. Aragorn laughed and raced Legolas to catch her when she stumbled, but it was Sam and Gimli who caught and pulled her back to the middle of the table.

"I've never seen her so free." Lord Elrond commented to Gandalf as they watched from the corner.

"It was not an easy thing for her. She fought against her heart for quite some time before Legolas stole it from her."

"Good. I feared she would win that battle."

"You should see her with the boy." Gandalf nodded as she pulled Aedán onto the table, much against his protests. He even went so far as to reach for Aragorn to help pull him free, but the King only laughed and playfully bowed away.

Triina spun Aedán around with her and set him down again to join hands with Merry. Before long the group was hand in hand, dancing in a circle and laughing all troubles away. Until a loud crash echoed through the celebration, silencing the music immediately.

Triina screamed with the others and rolled to safety with Aedán in her arms, holding him protectively as their laughter intensified and the table lay broken where their dance once took place.

Legolas helped her to her feet, and immediately checked both her and Aedán for injury.

"If they do not take him in it will be a surprise. She's mothered the boy since their first meeting, and the moment his father fell Legolas stood in his place."Gandalf explained as the party resumed.

Aragorn and Arwen danced to an elvish tune played by minstrels that traveled from Rivendell with them. Legolas pulled Triina with him to join and sang to her the entire song as they held one another. Merry and Pippin cringed in jest at the sight of the lovers but straightened themselves out when Gimli ordered their silence to avoid any embarrassment from their aqua-haired friend.

By the time everyone retired the sun was already rising, and they were left to sleep by the lullaby of morning birds and the lively city of a newly returned king.