By the bier she stood, Arwen the fair. Diamond tears stained her glowing cheeks and flowed into her hair; she heeded them not. looking down at the stiff figure on the granit bier, she knelt over him and kissed his still lips; the last kiss he would ever recieve from her and the most passionate. The tears that flowed from her eyes, wetted his and he cried too.

Oh Aragorn! If you could only know my pain! My king, return unto the living and my arms! Return me the kisses that I bestow your cold lips! How I long for your embrace, the smile that you bought me with, the kindness that you took me with, the grace with which you kissed me!

She brushed a damp lock of grey hair from his face. Reaching to her neck she unclasped the Evenstar, which he had returned to her on their wedding day, and rapped it around his fingers and the sword hilt that was eternaly locked there. Her fingers swept over it a moment and a single tear fell upon the jewel; it glowed with celestial light at the meating of tear upon gem.

This is yours, my king. My gift to you was never taken back; whether in your hands or in your heart, it was always in your possesion. Please, take this, the sign that held you when we were parted. My love for you shall never fade nor whither, nor shall it be slain with long years past; it stays eternally in bloom, but a blossom never in its full beauty until we meet again.

A gentle hand was placed upon her shoulder; the touch was so like her beloved that tears sprang renewed to her eyes.

"Mother, are you alright?"

The voice... it, too, held the ring of the departed king.

Arwen doubled over as if a wave of pain racked her body. Grasping the hand, she brought it to her lips and kissed it. "Oh Eldarion! How like thy father thou art! Thy hands, thy voice they bring the old king back to life in memory."

Eldarion knelt and lifted his mother's eyes. "Father was old; his life had ended. I, too, grieve his loss, but life will end sometime. I am not of the fair folk, and you gave up that right." She looked away, but he brought her eyes back to his. "You need never forget father; remember him, sing for him... but please, for my sake, grieve him no more except in your heart. Your pain is tearing me to shreds!"

Arwen wiped her eyes. Looking once more to the bier, she stood and looked up at her son. He stood like his father had, tall and straight with dark brown hair. The sword Anduril hung at his side from its leather scabbard. Smiling slightly, she reached over and kissed his cheek, lingering next to his ear to whisper, "Truly thou art the son of Aragorn the Great! While I never shall end my grieving for your father until we are reunited, still my pain shall be eased with your life. Live on, my son; live and be great as thy father was!"

Eldarion returned the kiss and walked away. But Arwen stayed a while longer at the bier, singing in her voice like ringing silver:

Find me someday, my love

I await for thee by the white shore

Where the gulls fill the evening with song

And the stars cast their light evermore;

Where the willow trees sway in the wind

And the grey ships all sail from their moor;

Where the waves lap the rocks with white foam,

I await thy return, evermore!