III - Following Old Trails
King Elessar's funeral had been a solemn but quiet occasion. Queen Arwen had led the procession to Rath Dínen, the Silent Street, where the old king was laid to rest among the dead kings and Stewards of Gondor. Eldarion and his two sisters had followed, and Legolas with his brother Fingalas, and a few of the old king's closest counsellors. All of Minas Tirith was in deep mourning. Even the children - of which there were many in that fair city - who were usually running happily and noisily in the streets seemed to feel the grief, and their games were hushed and subdued. The crowning of Prince Eldarion as the new king of Gondor had taken place the next day. He had been well schooled by King Elessar in all matters of state, and he had inherited from his father a modesty which was founded in the knowledge that human strength of body and spirit was vulnerable. Although the people of Gondor genuinely mourned their old king, they looked with hope to a continuation of the quiet and peaceful reign which they had enjoyed for so long now.
Ten days after the crowning, Legolas and Arwen set out from Minas Tirith. Arwen rode a beautiful black horse by the name of Ithildin. Legolas' horse, Híthlain, was of a light grey colour. They travelled alone, for the Queen had taken leave of her children at the gates of the White City. This parting had been very sorrowful, but Arwen had not allowed any attempts to persuade her to stay. She knew that her doom must be fulfilled now, that she now had to bear the consequences of a choice she had made more than a human age ago. They rode in silence, exchanging very few words, and although they mostly travelled in daylight, people hardly seemed to notice them. If they passed farmers in the fields, the workers would straighten up and look around, feeling they had heard a whisper go by. But hardly anyone saw the two riders, one robed in black with a veil hiding her face, the other clad in shimmering greens, both seemingly insubstantial. They travelled unhurriedly but swiftly, and after six days came to the south-eastern border of Fangorn where they halted for the night. After he had taken the saddle off Ithildin - his own horse needed neither saddle nor reins - and seen to it that Arwen rested comfortably, Legolas went to stand at the edges of the forest. He peered into the darkness, lost in deep thought. It seemed to him he could see eyes watching him from among the trees. But he did not feel the urge to follow them, as he had when hunting the orcs that had taken two hobbits captive, a long time ago. He had seen the tree-herds, those foresters of an ancient past, and he had visited Fangorn with his friend Gimli. Despite his love for the forest and all things living therein, the yearning in his heart was of a different kind now. He turned and looked over to where Arwen sat. She had drawn up her knees and embraced them, resting her chin on them, staring into the small fire that was crackling away. Legolas quietly went over and sat down next to her, sharing her silence for a while. "Is there no way I can offer comfort, my lady?" he finally asked. Arwen sat motionless and didn't respond for a long time. Then she stirred and looked up at Legolas. Her eyes shimmered brightly. "I made a choice long ago, and I knew that there would be no comfort for me when the time came. Yet now I feel weak, and I long for my people." Legolas lowered his gaze and hesitated before replying. "I do not know the designs of the Valar, and I respect your choice. But must your fate be the same as that of Lúthien? Is there no way you can come across the Sea with me to be reunited with your father?" Arwen smiled, but there was profound sadness in her eyes. "Yes," she replied. "Yes, I could repent and go to the West. But there my love for Elessar would ever only be a memory, and all that we shared in our long years together would not have been real. It would be a betrayal of our love." She straightened her shoulders. "No. I have made my choice, and I will carry it through." Legolas didn't reply. He thought of all the perils he had mastered together with Aragorn, the Ranger from the North, and of the small, furry- footed hobbits, and of his friend Gimli, the dwarf. He remembered his inner turmoil when the Balrog had taken Gandalf the Wizard with him into the abyss of Khazad-dûm, and he remembered his sadness when they had found Boromir slain by the uruk-hai. Although he was of immortal kind and did not fully comprehend pain and death, his journeys and dealings with other races had taught him many things about their feelings and motivations. As Legolas watched Arwen stretch out on her blanket and go to sleep, he accepted that she had indeed become a mortal woman. All he could do was to watch over her and escort her safely to her last destination.
It took them another four days to travel around the eastern edge of Fangorn and then on towards Lórien. On the morning of the first day of November, they saw the Golden Woods shimmering in the distance, and in the early evening they reached its borders. As they looked upon the tall, silver mallorn trees which even in their half-nakedness radiated an unearthly beauty, Legolas heard Arwen mutter softly, "Na veduí!" (3) They dismounted and walked to the very edge of the woods. Then Arwen stopped and took off a long, fine chain which she had been wearing around her neck. "Take this to my father," she said as she placed the beautiful silver pendant into Legolas' hand. "My lord returned it to me when we parted. This way, the Evenstar will forever remain in the Undying Lands." Legolas closed his hand around the jewel. "I will take this to the lord Elrond, and a memory of this moment," he answered. They looked at each other for a long moment, and the world around them seemed to be hushed. No bird sang his evening song, no animal scurried past on its way to night rest, and the only sound was the rustle of the few remaining leaves on the mallorn trees. Then, without another word, Arwen cast down her eyes and turned away. Legolas' heart reached out to her with compassion, yet he knew he could not help her or make her burden lighter. Aching, he watched as she slowly, noiselessly disappeared among the gently whispering trees that seemed to welcome and enfold her as she became a shadow among shadows from the past.
Legolas stood motionless for a long time, saying a silent prayer. Suddenly he felt a soft nudge at his shoulder. He turned to the grey horse which had come up behind him and was nuzzling his arm. The elf gently rubbed the animal's soft nose. "Tolo, Híthlain," (4) he said. "There is one more journey to make."
(3) Na veduí = At last! (4) Tolo = Come
King Elessar's funeral had been a solemn but quiet occasion. Queen Arwen had led the procession to Rath Dínen, the Silent Street, where the old king was laid to rest among the dead kings and Stewards of Gondor. Eldarion and his two sisters had followed, and Legolas with his brother Fingalas, and a few of the old king's closest counsellors. All of Minas Tirith was in deep mourning. Even the children - of which there were many in that fair city - who were usually running happily and noisily in the streets seemed to feel the grief, and their games were hushed and subdued. The crowning of Prince Eldarion as the new king of Gondor had taken place the next day. He had been well schooled by King Elessar in all matters of state, and he had inherited from his father a modesty which was founded in the knowledge that human strength of body and spirit was vulnerable. Although the people of Gondor genuinely mourned their old king, they looked with hope to a continuation of the quiet and peaceful reign which they had enjoyed for so long now.
Ten days after the crowning, Legolas and Arwen set out from Minas Tirith. Arwen rode a beautiful black horse by the name of Ithildin. Legolas' horse, Híthlain, was of a light grey colour. They travelled alone, for the Queen had taken leave of her children at the gates of the White City. This parting had been very sorrowful, but Arwen had not allowed any attempts to persuade her to stay. She knew that her doom must be fulfilled now, that she now had to bear the consequences of a choice she had made more than a human age ago. They rode in silence, exchanging very few words, and although they mostly travelled in daylight, people hardly seemed to notice them. If they passed farmers in the fields, the workers would straighten up and look around, feeling they had heard a whisper go by. But hardly anyone saw the two riders, one robed in black with a veil hiding her face, the other clad in shimmering greens, both seemingly insubstantial. They travelled unhurriedly but swiftly, and after six days came to the south-eastern border of Fangorn where they halted for the night. After he had taken the saddle off Ithildin - his own horse needed neither saddle nor reins - and seen to it that Arwen rested comfortably, Legolas went to stand at the edges of the forest. He peered into the darkness, lost in deep thought. It seemed to him he could see eyes watching him from among the trees. But he did not feel the urge to follow them, as he had when hunting the orcs that had taken two hobbits captive, a long time ago. He had seen the tree-herds, those foresters of an ancient past, and he had visited Fangorn with his friend Gimli. Despite his love for the forest and all things living therein, the yearning in his heart was of a different kind now. He turned and looked over to where Arwen sat. She had drawn up her knees and embraced them, resting her chin on them, staring into the small fire that was crackling away. Legolas quietly went over and sat down next to her, sharing her silence for a while. "Is there no way I can offer comfort, my lady?" he finally asked. Arwen sat motionless and didn't respond for a long time. Then she stirred and looked up at Legolas. Her eyes shimmered brightly. "I made a choice long ago, and I knew that there would be no comfort for me when the time came. Yet now I feel weak, and I long for my people." Legolas lowered his gaze and hesitated before replying. "I do not know the designs of the Valar, and I respect your choice. But must your fate be the same as that of Lúthien? Is there no way you can come across the Sea with me to be reunited with your father?" Arwen smiled, but there was profound sadness in her eyes. "Yes," she replied. "Yes, I could repent and go to the West. But there my love for Elessar would ever only be a memory, and all that we shared in our long years together would not have been real. It would be a betrayal of our love." She straightened her shoulders. "No. I have made my choice, and I will carry it through." Legolas didn't reply. He thought of all the perils he had mastered together with Aragorn, the Ranger from the North, and of the small, furry- footed hobbits, and of his friend Gimli, the dwarf. He remembered his inner turmoil when the Balrog had taken Gandalf the Wizard with him into the abyss of Khazad-dûm, and he remembered his sadness when they had found Boromir slain by the uruk-hai. Although he was of immortal kind and did not fully comprehend pain and death, his journeys and dealings with other races had taught him many things about their feelings and motivations. As Legolas watched Arwen stretch out on her blanket and go to sleep, he accepted that she had indeed become a mortal woman. All he could do was to watch over her and escort her safely to her last destination.
It took them another four days to travel around the eastern edge of Fangorn and then on towards Lórien. On the morning of the first day of November, they saw the Golden Woods shimmering in the distance, and in the early evening they reached its borders. As they looked upon the tall, silver mallorn trees which even in their half-nakedness radiated an unearthly beauty, Legolas heard Arwen mutter softly, "Na veduí!" (3) They dismounted and walked to the very edge of the woods. Then Arwen stopped and took off a long, fine chain which she had been wearing around her neck. "Take this to my father," she said as she placed the beautiful silver pendant into Legolas' hand. "My lord returned it to me when we parted. This way, the Evenstar will forever remain in the Undying Lands." Legolas closed his hand around the jewel. "I will take this to the lord Elrond, and a memory of this moment," he answered. They looked at each other for a long moment, and the world around them seemed to be hushed. No bird sang his evening song, no animal scurried past on its way to night rest, and the only sound was the rustle of the few remaining leaves on the mallorn trees. Then, without another word, Arwen cast down her eyes and turned away. Legolas' heart reached out to her with compassion, yet he knew he could not help her or make her burden lighter. Aching, he watched as she slowly, noiselessly disappeared among the gently whispering trees that seemed to welcome and enfold her as she became a shadow among shadows from the past.
Legolas stood motionless for a long time, saying a silent prayer. Suddenly he felt a soft nudge at his shoulder. He turned to the grey horse which had come up behind him and was nuzzling his arm. The elf gently rubbed the animal's soft nose. "Tolo, Híthlain," (4) he said. "There is one more journey to make."
(3) Na veduí = At last! (4) Tolo = Come