[Tirned Tinnu]

Ho! I have noted the absence of any explanation in this thread! Certainly we can come up with a little information on the subject.
I do not have the dates, which some might think al-important. I trust those who do so will post them here.

As for his work with the Rohanish, it is unclear and the battles are mirkily described. He served well enough that he was learned in their language by the time he left. We know he readily and gently knew what to say to Eowyn, in TTT, and that I think, would have taken a lot of learning.
He gained a good reputation with them by the time he decided to move on.

What I DO know is that Aragorn served Denethor's father in Minas Tirith both on the battlefield and off. They were fast friends! Ecthelion often looked to him for council, and leaned upon him in dark times.
It was when Aragorn was separated from him, during a siege similar to that we can read in ROTK, that Aragorn lead a host to beat back a Host of Orcs and Evil Men at Umbar. During that time Ecthelion was also waging war far towards the mountains, trying to guard the passes that lead to the Pelenor Fields.

Alas to say, Ecthelion was wounded by a Nazgul blade, (yep, one of the other times the nazgul are mentioned as coming out to battle) and did not survive. Aragorn had (possibly) only heard of this upon his return, and when the host declared that he should step up and lead them, he declined.

One might argue that there is a wonderful dialog that was lost there, if Aragorn had returned before Ecthelion had died. Aragorn might have tried to save Ecthelion, and in his passing, Ecthelion might have asked (commanded) that Aragorn lead his people, until such a time as Denethor be trained fully to rule. But this was not so, and Denethor was old enough to take commend. Aragorn stepped down, for he was not known to be of noble blood; he could not make his claim, and might have had to defend himself against a bitter foe - which Denethor had proven himself to be. There was no love between Denethor and Throrongil (Aragorn) for Denethor saw Aragorn as a usurper, a possible block to the throne.

Aragorn left before anyone could stop him. They searched for him long, despite Denethor's orders. He fled to Loth Lorien, where he most probably needed time to heal and grieve for his friend Ecthelion. Galadriel took care of him, and so it was that he met Arwen in the forest, and they finally pledged their troth.
*sigh*
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