I Have no Regrets... Merely wishes

By Nelarun

Thank you so much to my beta lindahoyland

Aragorn saw Faramir playing with his children in the gardens below. He and
his family were on a visit to Ithilien. Aragorn felt an ache well up
in him. He watched as his three children raced out to play with Faramir and
their two friends.

He gave a small smile as Eldarion and Elboron started
arguing about trivial matters. He turned to go back to the house and smiled at
Arwen as she joined him on the balcony. His beloved took his hand and started
massaging it. "What troubles you so?" she asked softly.

Aragorn let out a sigh as Arwen started on his neck and shoulders. With
every knot that vanished under her skilled hands, Aragorn felt as though
another fear was being released.
"Not so much a trouble, more a regret," Aragorn replied, finally relaxing
under Arwen's skilful hands.

"What regret?" Arwen breathed into his ear as she continued to ease him.

Aragorn sighed and turned to look at Arwen, cutting off her attempt to relax
him. "If we had been allowed to wed when we first went to your father, we
would have a child as old as Faramir by now. I see my own Rangers younger than I,
with grand children the age of our own. And I..." Aragorn couldn't continue
as he felt a lump enter his throat.

Arwen gently placed her hands on her husbands shoulders and spun him around.
"They are our children," she told him forcefully. "They are our legacy. And
I have no regrets, merely wishes."

Aragorn watched as the five children and Faramir played tag; heard their
laughter and when he turned to Arwen, a smile graced his face. "I knew I
married you for more than your beauty," he told her.

Arwen laughed. "Obviously I just married you for your title." she told him, then turned and
walked back inside, laughter floating behind her. Aragorn smiled and
followed her.

Faramir looked up when Aragorn, Arwen and Éowyn walked out. The three
suddenly started laughing; for there lay Faramir in the grass with all five
children trying to wrestle him at once. He grinned at the picture he knew he
must have presented, then laughed at the stunned looks on the children's
faces as they were caught by their mothers and King. Instantly, they all
tried to stand up and look respectable, not that it worked. Aragorn and Arwen
walked over and picked up their youngest two while Eldarion walked beside
them. Faramir had picked up his daughter while Elboron chatted animatedly to
Eldarion.

Éowyn smiled as her daughter told the assembled group a story – one the two
boys hurriedly denied, and shared a look with Arwen. They both shared the
same understanding. Both had husbands who had struggled with who they were –
at least who they should have been. And both had wonderful and beautiful
children. Now they both shared the same family – if not by ties of blood, then by bonds of
spirit