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The world as they knew it was coming to a close. The
genteel sound of elvish music from down in Rivendell,
the soft breezes of the Shire.... They would leave all
of this, and go off to march in ranks at war, a war
that would leave many broken, and many more dead....
A war that would tear their world apart... A world that
would shortly be...Gone With the Fire.
Arwen O'Hara flounced out of the door, skirts bustling,
and came out to the porch to sit with the Tarleton twins,
Merry and Pippin.
"Hello, boys," she said with a soft honeyed drawl and
a practiced smile. "I do declare, it's fine weather
for a barbecue."
Merry smiled broadly at her. "It sure is, Miss Arwen.
You are going to eat barbecue with us tomorrow at Twelve
Oaks, aren't you?"
Arwen smiled sweetly. "Well, boys, I'd like to..."
Pippen piped up, "Yes, Miss Arwen, please, say you will!
We'll tell you a secret!"
Arwen gazed coyly at Pippen. "A secret? About who?"
"About the doings over at Twelve Oaks. We hear that
Mr. Aragorn Wilkes is planning to marry his cousin,
and they're going to announce the engagement at the
barbecue! You will eat with us now, Miss Arwen, honey,
won't you?"
Arwen looked dazed as she absently replied, "Yes...yes,
of course I will." The twins jumped up and began to
shout hurrahs, oblivous to her lack of attention. She
whispered to herself, "But it can't be! Aragorn loves
me!"
____
Elrond O'Hara looked down at his eldest daughter with
fondness and pride. "Ah, Katie Arwen, 'twill be a grand
occasion tomorrow at Twelve Oaks, the Wilkes' are after
throwing a grand party for Mr. Wilkes' eleventy-first
birthday."
"Oh, Pa?" Arwen asked. "Was anyone else there?"
Elrond looked at Arwen shrewdly. "Aye, Miss Melanie
Hamilton from Atlanta was there. Aragorn Wilkes is to
marry her, I have it from Mr. Bilbo Wilkes* himself
this morning. They'll be announcing the engagement at
the ball tomorrow night."
Arwen gasped. "But Aragorn can't marry Melanie!"
Elrond gazed sharply at his daughter. "Have you been
carrying on with Aragorn Wilkes, when you could have
any of the young bucks in the Shire, or in all of Middle
Earth, for that matter? Has he made promises to you?
Has he asked you to marry him?"
"No Pa," Arwen whispered, abashed.
"No, nor will he. Face facts, daughter, you're an elf,
he's a mortal. You need someone who thinks like you.
I want you to be happy, and it's not happy with Aragorn
you'd be, I'm thinking."
----
*Yes, I KNOW Bilbo is NOT Aragorn's father. Deal.