Aragorn: 8 years old

Aragorn shot bolt upright as he woke up, yet again, from a horrible nightmare.

"Ouch!" he yelped remembering about his arm that had gotten bit by the Orc.

He had had the same dream many nights out of the weeks lately and wanted the dream to go away.

Tears streamed down his face as he tried to stop thinking about the dream that had just occurred in his mind. The dream was about his parents and how they died. Aragorn was too young to remember how exactly they died, so he wasn't sure if his dream was accurate or not. Either way the nightmare was the saddest thing Aragorn had encountered in a while.

He looked to his right and saw Elrond. He was sleeping which was a new sight. Aragorn knew that it was rare for any Elf to sleep. He must have been exhausted from the Orc ambush the day before.

As he looked to Elrond, he was filled with a new fear. Elrond was sleeping with his eyes open. Aragorn's eyes went wide and he didn't know what to do. Humans sleep with their eyes closed, so he automatically thought Elves would to.

The only other time he had seen somebody with their eyes open while they slept, where dead people. He recalled back to see both his parents die in front of him. Their eyes had been open when they died. More tears sprouted from the child's already red eyes.

"Elrond!" Aragorn shouted and shook the Elf Lord, which hurt his shoulder.

Tears escaped the little boy again and he couldn't believe what was happening. He shook Elrond until he collapsed on his chest exhausted. His jolty movements and his foggy brain went blank as he lay over Elrond's body. He thought he might faint out of panic and sorrow.

The thing that made him go back to normal again was the gentle stroking of Aragorn's hair. He looked up and saw Elrond looking down to him in complete confusion and worry.

"Estel?" Elrond softly said, "What happened?" he asked quietly.

"Your eyes were open!" Aragorn proclaimed still alarmed by the situation.

Elrond cocked his head not seeing why this scared the boy,

"Yes, little one,"

"The only other time that I see people with their eyes open is when they are..." Aragorn trailed off and looked to the floor so that he wouldn't start crying again.

"When they are... what?" Elrond asked still confused.

"Like my parents," Aragorn whispered.

"Oh, Estel," Elrond was struck with realization at Aragorn's words, "Elves sleep with their eyes open. That's what you saw. There is nothing to be scared about,"

"Oh," Aragorn simply said and looked down again.

Elrond took the small child into his arms and rubbed his back while Aragorn thought about something.

"Maybe my parents were just sleeping! Maybe they weren't dead after all!"

This thought pained Elrond's heart. Aragorn was so innocent and full of hope.

"Such hope in such a small person. Only Elves sleep with their eyes open... not humans,"

Aragorn buried his head into Elrond and listened to his heart beat strong inside his chest. It felt good to hear the thumping of a heart.

"I understand... I just... hoped," Aragorn whispered.

Elrond gently rocked back and forth with Aragorn tightly secure in his arms.

"How did you find me?" Aragorn softly said.

"Arwen led me to you and I brought you back to you room," Elrond explained.

"Are the Orcs gone?"

"Yes, my child. Unfortunately, there was been lots of death,"

Aragorn closed his eyes and fell asleep again as Elrond rocked him lightly back and forth.