Aragorn shifted uncomfortably under his father's piercing gaze. He couldn't help it. In fact, he couldn't think of anyone who actually possessed the ability to sit calmly when Elrond turned eyes like that on them. Except perhaps Gandalf. That wizard could endure just about anything and come out chuckling. But anyway...

"Estel?" He was jerked out of his thoughts by his father's slightly irritated, mostly concerned voice. "You asked to see me ion-nín. Why?"

Aragorn shifted again. He was not looking forward to what was coming next. But it had been a couple of weeks since he and Arwen had met, and he supposed his Elven father had the right to know that his human son had somehow fallen in love with his Elven daughter, and she with him. They both knew the consequences of Arwen's choice to stay with Aragorn. And neither regretted it. But would Elrond?

"Well, Ada..." He didn't know what to say, so he decided that the truth would do nicely enough. "Arwen and I..." He paused for a moment and sighed. "I love her." He whispered, not bringing himself to meet his father's gaze. What would he say? What would he do? "And she loves me." He finished his intended sentence and hesitantly glanced into his father's frowning face. Elrond hadn't said anything and Aragorn could only suppose that Elrond had not yet realised what that meant for his daughter. Aragorn decided to tell him.

"And-" he started, but was cut off quickly as Elrond, in one fluid movement, stood and practically screamed at Estel,
"I know what this means! It means that you, ungrateful mortal, have stolen my daughter from me, torn us apart and killed her! That is what you have done! No, don't argue with me!" He raised a hand to silence Aragorn as the human started to speak. "We both know it's true. If Arwen stays with you then she will be forced to become mortal and DIE!" And then..." his voice broke, but he spoke again through the heartbreaking sobs wracking his body. "I will never see her again! Never!" His voice dropped to a whisper, and if looks could kill, the one he gave Aragorn would have sent the young man into an early grave faster than thought. "Get. Out. NOW!" He shouted the word at Estel, who was already backing away.

"But it's her choice." Estel whispered. "I didn't ask her to-"

"You didn't have to! Don't you see, you insolent wretch? You, you... you made her love you! You forced her to! And now I will lose her and it's ALL. YOUR. FAULT!" Then Elrond broke down into tears and did not speak for a long while. When he eventually looked up, his smouldering eyes burnt through Aragorn's heart. "You are not my son. You are no longer welcome in my house, mortal. You will be treated like any other of the Dúnedain, because that is all you are to me now. And be grateful. For in my mind, you are worse even than your fellow mortals. You are..." his face twisted in anger and pain, "you are a murderer."

Murderer. The word echoed coldly in Aragorn's mind. Murderer. For a moment he was too stunned to move. And when he regained his senses, he fled the room as fast as he could. Grabbing his pack and stuffing his things into it as quickly as possible, Aragorn struggled to process how the situation had deteriorated so quickly into his exile from Rivendell. Murderer. That was why. He had effectively killed his fath- Lord Elrond's daughter. And so it was right that he should be punished, he supposed. Murderer.

Why could he still hear that voice? Why did it hurt so much to know that his one safe place was gone forever? Why had he fallen in love with Arwen? Why had he destroyed his family? It was all his fault. He had tried to live in two worlds at once. And when the two worlds divided, he had been caught on the brink. And was falling into the abyss that waited below.