(A/N: 70 reviews! *ahhhh* thanks to Lilena for being the 70th reviewer- wow the next chapter is going to be the last one *ah tear* sorry it took me so long to get this up! If anyone is reading this at all- REVIEW!!!)

When I finally got out of bed, it was late morning. I changed into something suitable for wearing and climbed down the ladder. I walked around Lórien for a while and saw a tree bearing sweet fruit- for it was the 6th day of Coirë. I picked a piece and ate it, letting the cold juice travel down my throat. I walked down toward the river where I saw the Lord and Lady getting out of their swan boat.

"What brings you here?" the Lord asked. His voice was calm, almost like a bell.

"I was on a walk," I replied. The Lady smiled.

"We have just seen the Fellowship off," Lord Celeborn said. Lady Galadriel looked at me, 'Something troubles you, young one.' I tried to ignore it, and bid them good day before I walked on again.

It was all anyone could talk about- the quest of the ring. By now, everyone knew of it. Nine days after the Fellowship left Lórien, further south than Fangorn Forest, was a battle at the Fords of Isen. It took a few days until we had learned that the King of Rohan's heir had been slain at that time, for normally we do not intervene with matters of Men.

I shall not forget when Lady Galadriel spoke to me of the Fellowship breaking after the death of one of the Men in the Fellowship- she said it was the son of a Steward of Gondor- another matter of Men. So it was not Estel.

After that, almost every Elf-maiden left to sail, save the Lady, the closest of her maidens, and me. None of the Elves left though, for they were all preparing for the war that surely was to come.

And it did come.

The Lady, her maidens, and I were sitting in the circle in the center of Caras Galadhon. We could hear the Elves battling the orcs- they were chanting their evil tongue. No one spoke but not for lack of things to say- but for fear. There were weapons in the center- weapons that should the Elves fail, the Elven-maidens would have to defend our home the best that we could. I wanted to go and fight, but the Lady told me not to, and therefore I did not. We were preparing for the failure of us, yet it did not come.

It was quiet until we heard the chanting of Elves. We had become victorious.

I sighed to myself. It was the year III 3020- the first day of Laer. Along with me were Lord Elrond, Elrohir, Elladan, Lady Galadriel, Lord Celeborn, Glorfindel, and Saelbeth. We had a long journey ahead of us.

I looked behind me, to see the fading woods of Lórien, far in the distance, and then ahead only to see the river, continuing on and on. I was sitting on a small boat with Elrohir and Elladan. We were making our way toward the City of Kings, where my closest friend, Lady Arwen Undómiel and the King of the West were to be wed.

I looked over and saw the Lord and Lady of the Wood, sitting peacefully with one another. Further down were Lord Elrond, Glorfindel, and Saelbeth.

Finally, even I could not see the beautiful golden woods of Lórien, but I did not wish to. We were the last Elves to be there, for they were sailing west.

The time of the Elves was over.

And I was finally beginning to feel it.

We sailed days and spoke in quiet voices, until at last on the 31st day of Laer we reached the city. The sun was making her way across the horizon and it was getting dark. We waited in silence for the last wedding.

At last, it was their time to be wed. Arwen was the most beautiful Elf that I had ever seen and she seemed to me as if she could be Lúthien herself- for she not only shared her lineage but her fate.

It was a beautiful wedding- Arwen in her stunning silk dress with lace and beautiful coronet- woven silver with teardrops of multicolored gems. Next to her, Estel, whom I did not always get along with, but I felt that if Arwen was to marry a Man, then he should be it- wearing beautiful and intricate garments of finery that even I could not explain. Atop his head was a crown- the crown of Gondor- and in his hand stood a grand scepter- the Scepter of Annúminas.

And so it was- the King and Queen of the Reunited Kingdom- the King and Queen of the West.

No longer Estel- no longer the one who used to play with sticks for swords- now Aragorn Elessar- King Elessar. Even Mithrandir said so himself- he was the greatest traveler and huntsman in this age of the world. He had succeeded in reuniting the Kingdoms of the Dúnedain- he had played his role in helping destroy the ring, yet not in vain. He was no longer the little boy whom I had helped raise- now he was the King of the West.

Even when Elves fade into myth, he will still be remembered- he seemed almost god-like to me, and I should be ashamed to be inferior to a Man, but he was. When the Elves are gone, he will still be. And after the Dwarves, Hobbits, Ents, Dragons, and Orcs cease to exist, Men will still be and therefore so shall he.

And no longer Arwen- the one who would hide with me from Elrohir and Elladan, no longer the one who played pranks on Haldir and Glorfindel, never again to be the one to watch me swordfight with Elrohir- with mirth in her eyes. She now had a duty to fulfill- she was the Queen of the West. Now, she was of Men, who would endure even past the times of all others. And it was then that I felt even lesser.

I had to remind myself that it was a happy day- a day for celebration- not for thinking about the future.

We stayed for a day or so, but it was our time to leave for the sea.

"Ú-'eveditham, Arwen."

"Yes," she replied, looking up at me with a deep grief in her grey eyes.

"Goodbye," I said, "Namárie, Queen Arwen of the West. May your reign be long and peaceful, nai tiruvantel ar varyuvantel i Valar tielyanna nu vilya." She reached out for my cheek with a long, slender hand and wiped a tear from my face.

"I know you think that it is unwise-" I opened my mouth to protest but she silenced me with a poignant look from her grey eyes, "yet I would rather live one lifetime with him than the time of the world alone." I nodded slowly.

The prospect of dying for love seemed both romantic and terrifying- but I was not of Half-Elves and I would not be able to make that choice.

"I wish I could stay with you," I whispered softly.

"As do I, alas, you must now leave with your people, for it is my fate."

"I can not leave you here alone."

"You must," she said quietly, "I am scared." I looked into her silver eyes, glistening for the first time with fear.

"Do not be, Arwen Undómiel, Evenstar of our people. Namárie, nai hirich hîdh ned lîn guil a 'wanath."

"Namárie, Canyaiel," she said, placing her arms around my neck. I was at a loss of emotions but I embraced her back. I had never seen her like that before and I had never been embraced either.

It was far more painful to see Arwen say goodbye to Lord Elrond. I tried to look away and I tried not to listen, yet the words haunted my ears and tears stung my eyes.

The Lord of the Wood left for Lórien, but the others and I rode to Imladris and I knew that I would never see it again. Elrohir and Elladan stayed in Imladris- and that was the hardest goodbye I had come across hitherto, save Arwen- yet it was less for I knew that I would see them again.

Lord Elrond, Saelbeth, Glorfindel, Lady Galadriel, and I rode to a town- Hobbiton. We gathered a small company- Mithrandir, Master Frodo, Master Samwise, Master Meriadoc, and Master Peregrin. Together, we rode toward Mithlond and reached there on the 49th night of Iavas.

We stayed there that night- my last night in Middle Earth. The morning light shone through the arched window of the bedroom of Mithlond- and then I knew. I hastily rose and walked to the balcony, my feet making no noise as they plodded across the golden, copper-colored marble flecked with speckles of white and green. Her rays stung my eyes as I looked down at the green gardens dotted with varying colors of pink and red.

"Miss," a soft voice came from the opposite direction. I turned around and nodded. I looked out over the balcony one last time and remembered all the times I had been on the balconies in Imladris and for a fleeting moment, I wanted to go back there. I walked out side to be greeted by her rays once more.

There we stood before a large ship- the White Ship.

The time to leave was inevitable, and I could feel the longing for the sea stirring in my heart, something that even I did not expect. I walked onto the boat, leading my horse along with me.

If it's what he wants

And it's what she wants

Then why's there so much pain?

"Are you feeling well?" I looked over, it was Master Frodo.

"Yes," I lied.

"You haven't said anything at all."

"I do not have such a way with words," I responded. My answer seemed good enough for him, so I simply turned away to look out at the blue sea. The waves were softly splashing up against the white wood of the boat. Everyone seemed saddened and quiet, and it was then that I noticed that everyone had left someone behind- however what for?

Don't know what you really got

It's hard to stay and not pretend

You can't make sense in what you thought

It seems I can't comprehend

"Doesn't the sea look lovely?" Glorfindel said. I looked over and nodded. I rotated the smooth oar with the waves, letting the sea mist blow into my face.

"Something bothers you." I disregarded his words and let myself drown in my misery.

What was our love? It was nothing. It was a fading memory of youth. It was the epitome of my immaturity and wishful thinking. I continued paddling.

A/N: the first song is 'Stay Together for the Kids' by Blink 182- it's supposed to be about divorce, but I thought it fit so nicely so I placed it here and the second song is 'Crazy Amanda Bunkface' by Sum 41 which is supposed to be about breaking up with someone because they see way too far into the future but, again, I thought it fit nicely.

A/N again: Ú-'eveditham, Arwen: We shall not meet again, Arwen [lit: Not we-will-meet, Arwen]

Nai tiruvantel ar varyuvantel i Valar tielyanna nu vilya: May the Valar protect you on your path under the sky [lit: Be-it-that they-will-guard-you and they-will-protect-you the Valar upon-your-path under sky]

Namárie, nai hirich hîdh ned lîn guil a 'wanath: Goodbye, may you find peace in your life and death [lit: Farewell, be-it-that you-find peace in your life and death]