Disclaimer: I do not own Lord of the Rings; the characters, places or ideas. I'm making no money from this. It is purely a work of fiction, and I only write this because

I enjoy writing.

Author's Note: This is short, I know. I wrote it in like 10 minutes while listening to 'Evenstar' from TT on repeat. It's just a little tribute to Elrond.

Enjoy!

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Arwen's Fate

There is power here. Power I do not understand. Power I cannot control. It used to be simple once, but those years have all but passed. Passed into the West like everything else dear to my heart. It has been long since I was faced with such indecision. With such a choice as this.

She loves him; it is impossible not to see it. And he loves her back, even more. More than I have seen a man love anything. At first I had hoped—but no, hope left me long ago. The day he slipped that ring upon his finger; the day he accepted his birthright…the day he fell in love with her.

What am I to do, my sweet wife? Why are you not here when I need you most? I have no doubt you would let her go. Let her find the happiness she so desires, even if it means your own grief. I lost one this way, long ago, and I do not wish to loose another. Either of them.

It is a curse, not a gift; I have seen that. But love is a curse even greater than death. A curse I cannot lift. It is a power I cannot command. I have as much control over my own daughter as she has over her love for him. What can I do? What must I do? Let her go? Let them both go?

I have known that he would not be mine to keep. That I could not change his fate; but hers I always had. I thought I knew…. I cannot let her go, and face the sorrow that my journey West will lead to. How can I return to you my Silver Queen, without your daughter? And our sons, ai, they have always followed their own paths, but ever have those paths been near to mine. I think not this time. They have already left…left to try their fate alongside their brother, to whatever end may come. It is not their fate to die here, not now at least.

But what of after? They were given the same choice, and I cannot know their answers either. What if they choose to remain? What then? Shall I go West without any of my children? Shall I return to you my love, with empty hands and an empty heart because I lost them? Lost them all. What will you say to that? It would not be the joyous reunion I have longed for. But I fear, if one stays, they shall all follow. And he, at least, must stay.

They are like links in a chain; all connected, and I cannot break it, not without breaking them. They must go. My Evenstar must go to whatever end awaits the Followers. I have little hope to see her again. In truth, I have little hope to see any of them again.

The passage of years lies heavy. As everything goes wrong, still there is something right. He will take the throne. I know this. I have seen this. And she will stay with him, unless I forbid her. But how can I deny her the love she bears for him? How can I take her West, to spend eternity among the trees, grieving for the one thing she was denied? Not even you, my love, would bring joy to her heart then. Not even Valinor could heal her. Not even I could. And yet, if she stays, it is I who will face an eternity of grief and parting from my only daughter. This is not a choice I can make. For either of us. She must make it, and in a way, that itself will depend on him. Depend on Fate.

When did this all go so horribly wrong?