For Eternity

Author's Note: Lord Elrond portrayed here is a mix between the movies and the books, and so is not very canon.

Disclaimer: I own nothing whatsoever.

For Eternity

You come back, anger and hope curiously mingled in your eyes. You accuse me of not telling you everything; specifically, your son.

You are right in accusing me.

But I was only trying to protect you... To not let you face the bitterness of defeat should he fail, and of mortality should he succeed.

Is it wrong for a father to want to protect his daughter, even though he knows he might already be too late?

"That future is almost gone."

"But it is not lost."

No, my daughter, it already is. Either way, I know that I am doomed to lose you forever. I can see it in your eyes - -the only person I am deceiving is myself. I am doomed to lose you.

"Nothing is certain."

A weak excuse, I know. But it is the only hope I can hold on to, that you would not leave. That you would not one day die alone, weary of this place. That we would not one day be separated to the end of days.

"Some things are certain."

"Reforge the sword, Ada."

If the sword is reforged, he will be one more step to victory, and I will be one more step to losing you. No one wants Sauron to be victorious, but if it has to be at the expense that I lose you, my daughter...

You do not know my dilemma...

I have only been selfish this once, my daughter; but I could not lose you, my evening star. Yet, deep down, I know that whether or not I decide to reforge the sword, whether or not the battle ends in victory, you will be with him, and you would be lost.

And I know how it is like to be parted from one's loved one.

The book drops. I know you think I have denied you - - but when have I ever been able to bring myself to deny you of what you want?

"Your hands are cold. The life of the Eldar is leaving you." Just as I expected, just what I had not wanted.

"This was my choice."

My heart tugs at these words. I struggled to hold back my tears. Arwen my daughter...

"Ada, whether by your will or not, there is no ship now that can bear me hence."

I have known this to be the truth, but to hear it from you, my daughter - -you do not know how much your words cut my heart. You who have captured my heart since the day you were born, you, whom I have nurtured for thousands of years and seen you develop into the elleth you are today, you, the other light of my life, are leaving, and there is nothing I can do to prevent you from meeting your doom and tasting the bitterness of mortality without me by your side, comforting you. I have tasted the dregs of mortality, and I would never want you to have that experience, my child.

But you have made your choice, and I know that you will only be whole and happy with him, though that time may be short. Your mother would have wanted you to be happy, as do I. If I am doomed to lose you, I will want you to leave a blissful life whilst I am gone, before you die.

You will always be my daughter, wherever you may be, whatever choices you may make; and for that, I wish you all the best in the days to come.

Remember, my daughter, that even at the worst of times, I will always be watching over you in Valinor, just as your grandfather will be watching over you from the skies. May that give you strength to tide past the hard days before your end is nigh, before I once more feel the emptiness in my heart that I have felt since so many years ago...

-The End-

Please review! Thank you!