This is the second chapter, in a short story. It'll only be about one or two more chapters, I'm sorry to say. I may do a prequel though…not sure if I'll have the time.
This entire book is, as said, best listened to the music that sprung the idea, Evenstar, on the two towers soundtrack is best.
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Again she stood same place, and what seemed like the same time. The only thing that reminded her that it was not was that Elessar was now cast in stone, no longer white, with a red coat and a shining silver sword, but gray, all of him. It was so much like him, and yet, so far away. He did not have the half smile on his lips that he had had when he died.
"Arwen…my love."
Arwen whipped around, but it was nothing, the voices on the winds, calling to her. The voice called, stronger, harder. It sounded like…
"Estel…" she whispered.
The voices did not answer.
Again despair took her, fresh as it had been the day he had died. He was still there, sword crossing his chest, but he was not white, his coat was not red, Anduril was the only thing that was the same. It was still dead, grey, like the rest of the stone that made his statue. She could not bring herself to touch the statue, it was too painful. There he lay, tribute to the greatest of the kings of Gondor. She cared not for his title. It was nothing. All that mattered was his love, his love, which was now gone.
The wind whipped her veil around. It was now grey, since the passing of the King had been ten years already.
Already? Every minute since he had gone, she was there, every moment, counting the seconds idly away. She would still be wearing black, but her daughters had told her to switch, so that her people would not be worried. Humans did not weep so long for their dead, a year, two; five, sometimes more, but not much, and they were healed, and could lead life in a normal manner. But for elves, who never die unless killed, death is entirely different. It is endless, like their lives, and they weep nearly as long. She now knew this, this feeling. Many had died during her reign as queen of Gondor, never in war, but in age, or of sickness. Still, she had never known it to be so unforgiving, so relentless, like her heart was being stepped upon by a booted shoe.
Clouds gathered in the distance, dusk was falling. Again the wind whipped, tugging relentlessly on her dove veil. Her circlet kept it firmly on though; no one had truly seen her face since the day he had gone. No one would see it until she followed him. She looked to the dusk, tears flowing again. The first star was showing its self, just above the bell tower. It was steady and bright, shining in the dusk.
The Evenstar, first star of night, last of the morning. Same throughout the night. Still, when the day came, it would fade, and disappear. But was this not like night? This emptiness, this void? It was not morning for her, morning had already passed, and was only a bitter memory, fading every day, fading into dusk.
A step behind her, she turned, thinking it her mind and the wind again. Her daughter, Celedae*, rest a hand on her shoulder.
"Mother, you should not be out here."
Arwen sighed.
"Celedae. I can no longer remain here."
Her daughter paused. She was one quarter elven, and could tell that her mother had not meant that she would go inside.
"But mother, where will you go?"
Arwen looked again at the first star, now joined by others.
"The memories are too great. I feel them weighing on me like iron." She paused, decision made. "I will go to Lothlorien, and dwell with my elders."
Celedae sighed.
"Mother, I would have you stay here, but I know that you will go as you please."
Arwen nodded.
"Thank you dinanna*. I will leave in a week." She turned to regard her youngest daughter, tears still falling freely. "I will dwell with Galadriel of the Gladhrim. Do not fear, they will keep me well."
Celedae nodded silently, fighting tears. She was the youngest of five, her brother was king of Gondor now, and all of her sisters had gone to other lands. She was the only one left for her mother, and knew that she had to let Arwen go, lest she fade faster. Her father had taught her of elves, of her family, but she had never seen them. Perhaps she would visit Lothlorien once, to see her great grandmother before she crossed to the undying lands. She was not sure though.
"Mother, will you go alone?"
Arwen nodded, still lost in thought, staring at the first night star.
"I will go and dwell with my people. You must remain here. Eldarion has no child as of yet. Until his wife bears one, you are the heir, should he pass away."
"Mother. They have not been married a year!"
Arwen turned.
"I know Celedae, but here you must remain until they have a child. It will not be long, I believe."
As she set out to her rooms, Celedae called out one more time to her.
"Mother! Will you return?"
Arwen smiled sadly, knowing the answer too well.
"No my child. The dawn comes. The Evenstar has begun to fade, and soon will no longer be seen."
She then walked amidst the dry leaves, proudly, but slowly.
Celedae watched her mother walk away, wiping a tear away.
"Namarie, Undomiel."
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*-Celedae: Silver shadow. Silver is really Celeb, but to make the name flow, I took out the b. There was an awful lot of that, so I figured it wasn't to terrible a thing to do
*-Dinanna- Silent gift. The youngest of large families are sometimes the ones to talk the latest, Celedae was the youngest, so I stuck it in there.
I had to make up Arwen's daughter, because there isn't much info on Their family, except for their son, thankyou to the nice reviewer who sent me his name!
Do review, please?