Part 64.
Once the days of rejoicing were over Arwen could see that the remaining members of the Fellowship's deep desires to return to their homes had come to a head.
In early morning as Arwen and Aragorn sat beside the fountain, in the now- blooming garden in the Citadel, barely a stone's throw from the sapling of the White Tree of Nimroth, Frodo came to them and bowed his head.
Both Arwen and Aragorn rose to greet him. "I would say speak friend, but I think I know what it is you have come to say, Frodo." Aragorn told him. "You wish to return to your home, and that is well, but for you there will always be a great welcome for you and your kin in the land of Gondor."
"Sit now with us Frodo, and tell us all that is on your mind." Arwen smiled at him. Complying with her Frodo sat in front of them and looked at the grass for a moment. "It is true I wish to return to the Shire, but I also wish to travel to Rivendell as well and see Bilbo. I was... disappointed to see that he did not ride out with you from Rivendell."
"Bilbo is old now Frodo, ancient for his kind, though the One Ring sustained his life beyond what it should have been. He was unable to ride out with us, though he wished too." Arwen explained to him. "He waits for you in Rivendell, for he will never again make any long journey, save one."
"Then please, your Highnesses, let me go to him." Frodo said to them.
"We will go with you, Frodo." Aragorn told him. "Seven days from now, because in three days we must make a journey to Rohan to accompany King Eomer as he takes the body of his Uncle Theoden to the burial grounds of his forefathers."
Aragorn sat silent for a moment, looking deep into the waters of the fountain. "I would give you a gift Frodo Baggins, to remember us and Gondor by, but I can think of none. Whatever you would take from this land is yours with my blessings. You shall ride in honor, arrayed as one of the Princes of this land."
"A gift I have for you Frodo." Arwen said quietly, "Made by the Elves long ago, before Men walked these lands. I hope you choose to remember us with it." She showed Frodo a chain, on which was strung a peach colored jewel. "My people called it Carandil. It was wrought in my childhood home of far off Rivendell, for Carandil is the star that shines above it. May it bring you peace when your mind is troubled.
I am the daughter of Elrond but mine is the choice of Luthien, and I shall not sail to the Undying Lands with him. Instead you may go in my place, if your hurt grieves you still and the memory of your burden is heavy. You may pass into the West until all of your wounds and weariness are healed. Wear this now in memory of Elfstone and Evenstar, with whom your life has been woven." Then she laid the chain around his neck. "When the memory of the fear and the darkness troubles you, this will bring you aid."
Frodo bowed his head to look down at the jewel. "I thank you for this gift, and sorrow that I have nothing to give to you."
"Your journey, which very nearly claimed your life was enough of a gift from you Frodo Baggins." Aragorn told him.
But that is not the only thing on your mind." Arwen said quietly.
"In my mind I wonder why you make the journey to Rivendell." Frodo said to them, "But perhaps it is not my business."
"Aragorn and I will journey North with you because I much desire to look upon Rivendell again, before the birth of my child. Many weeks have passed while the people of Gondor celebrated our wedding, and now Aragorn and I await the birth of our first child, Frodo. You are the first we have told." Arwen said to him, smiling gently.
"Many congratulations to you on this impending arrival." Frodo told them. "When will you tell everyone?"
"Soon." Aragorn promised. "At dinner tonight maybe, for everyone will attend. We will announce our trip then too."
Part 65.
At dinner that night, after all had eaten Aragorn stood and motioned for the chamberlain to gain the attention of all of the guests.
As the room quietened he laid both hands on the table, then stood upright. "Friends new and old, I have taken this opportunity to tell all that once we return from Edoras, and the burial of King Theoden, Queen Arwen and I will ride North."
"Why?" asked Faramir, the newly crowned Prince of Ithilien.
"The hobbits already wish to return to their home. Frodo spoke with Arwen and I about his return this morning." Aragorn explained to him.
Arwen smiled. "That is only one reason though. I wish to look upon my home once more..."
"Are you saying that after this trip you will never return to Rivendell?" Elrond asked his daughter, a little confused. Elrond knew that Rivendell was one of Arwen's favourite places in all of Middle Earth.
"I will return to Rivendell in the future Father. But this will be the last time before the birth of my child." Arwen explained to him.
"The birth of your child?" Eomer asked.
"And so the line of the line of Telcontar and Undomiel begins." Galadriel smiled knowingly upon her granddaughter, but Arwen was looking at her father. "Ada?"
Elrond rose from his seat and moved to embrace his daughter. "I am proud of you, tithen min. May the Grace of the Valar shine upon you, and the child within." *Little one*.
"Amin mela lle, Ada." She said, a single tear sliding down her cheek.* I love you, Father.*
When Arwen drew away from him she shook her head slightly and sat back down, noticing the stares of the others upon her.
"When will the child be born?" Imrahil asked, having eyed Arwen's slim waist.
"Not for many months, Imrahil. Time enough for us to ride to Rivendell and return with plenty of time." Arwen answered him.
The group talked long into the night, until Arwen felt that she could barely keep her eyes open. She leaned over to kiss Aragorn, whispering to him, "Quel Undome, nin melath. Im esta." *Good night, my love. I must sleep.*
"Quel Undome, nin Lirimaer. Quel Kaima." He answered her, kissing her back. *Good night, my Lovely One. Sleep well*. "I will come up soon." He promised. Then she turned and slipped out of the room.
________________________
"Where is Arwen gone?" Elladan asked sometime later, having finally missed her presence.
"Up to bed." Aragorn told him, "She has had a busy day, and did not want to offend any, nor break up our conversations."
"That is Arwen." Legolas agreed, "Never wanting to upset any other."
"Save the Mouth of Sauron." Eomer said to him. "I have never seen the Queen act like that, nor speak that way to any living creature since."
"She left him practically trembling in his armor." Imrahil smiled. "You wouldn't think it of her now."
"What did she say?" Elrond asked, a little suprised by the reaction of these Men to the way Arwen had handled the Mouth.
"She told him off. Really told him off." Aragorn said. "I think Arwen surprised us all that day."
"Arwen has given us all many surprises since day she rode from Rivendell with the Fellowship." Galadriel told them. "She fought in all of the ways she could to retain this Middle Earth. It is her home beyond anyplace else."
Absently Aragorn twisted his wedding band, the ring Narya on his finger. "My life begun the day I met her, and she has never stopped surprising me. She is an amazing woman."
"That she is, my son." Elrond told him. "That she is."
Once the days of rejoicing were over Arwen could see that the remaining members of the Fellowship's deep desires to return to their homes had come to a head.
In early morning as Arwen and Aragorn sat beside the fountain, in the now- blooming garden in the Citadel, barely a stone's throw from the sapling of the White Tree of Nimroth, Frodo came to them and bowed his head.
Both Arwen and Aragorn rose to greet him. "I would say speak friend, but I think I know what it is you have come to say, Frodo." Aragorn told him. "You wish to return to your home, and that is well, but for you there will always be a great welcome for you and your kin in the land of Gondor."
"Sit now with us Frodo, and tell us all that is on your mind." Arwen smiled at him. Complying with her Frodo sat in front of them and looked at the grass for a moment. "It is true I wish to return to the Shire, but I also wish to travel to Rivendell as well and see Bilbo. I was... disappointed to see that he did not ride out with you from Rivendell."
"Bilbo is old now Frodo, ancient for his kind, though the One Ring sustained his life beyond what it should have been. He was unable to ride out with us, though he wished too." Arwen explained to him. "He waits for you in Rivendell, for he will never again make any long journey, save one."
"Then please, your Highnesses, let me go to him." Frodo said to them.
"We will go with you, Frodo." Aragorn told him. "Seven days from now, because in three days we must make a journey to Rohan to accompany King Eomer as he takes the body of his Uncle Theoden to the burial grounds of his forefathers."
Aragorn sat silent for a moment, looking deep into the waters of the fountain. "I would give you a gift Frodo Baggins, to remember us and Gondor by, but I can think of none. Whatever you would take from this land is yours with my blessings. You shall ride in honor, arrayed as one of the Princes of this land."
"A gift I have for you Frodo." Arwen said quietly, "Made by the Elves long ago, before Men walked these lands. I hope you choose to remember us with it." She showed Frodo a chain, on which was strung a peach colored jewel. "My people called it Carandil. It was wrought in my childhood home of far off Rivendell, for Carandil is the star that shines above it. May it bring you peace when your mind is troubled.
I am the daughter of Elrond but mine is the choice of Luthien, and I shall not sail to the Undying Lands with him. Instead you may go in my place, if your hurt grieves you still and the memory of your burden is heavy. You may pass into the West until all of your wounds and weariness are healed. Wear this now in memory of Elfstone and Evenstar, with whom your life has been woven." Then she laid the chain around his neck. "When the memory of the fear and the darkness troubles you, this will bring you aid."
Frodo bowed his head to look down at the jewel. "I thank you for this gift, and sorrow that I have nothing to give to you."
"Your journey, which very nearly claimed your life was enough of a gift from you Frodo Baggins." Aragorn told him.
But that is not the only thing on your mind." Arwen said quietly.
"In my mind I wonder why you make the journey to Rivendell." Frodo said to them, "But perhaps it is not my business."
"Aragorn and I will journey North with you because I much desire to look upon Rivendell again, before the birth of my child. Many weeks have passed while the people of Gondor celebrated our wedding, and now Aragorn and I await the birth of our first child, Frodo. You are the first we have told." Arwen said to him, smiling gently.
"Many congratulations to you on this impending arrival." Frodo told them. "When will you tell everyone?"
"Soon." Aragorn promised. "At dinner tonight maybe, for everyone will attend. We will announce our trip then too."
Part 65.
At dinner that night, after all had eaten Aragorn stood and motioned for the chamberlain to gain the attention of all of the guests.
As the room quietened he laid both hands on the table, then stood upright. "Friends new and old, I have taken this opportunity to tell all that once we return from Edoras, and the burial of King Theoden, Queen Arwen and I will ride North."
"Why?" asked Faramir, the newly crowned Prince of Ithilien.
"The hobbits already wish to return to their home. Frodo spoke with Arwen and I about his return this morning." Aragorn explained to him.
Arwen smiled. "That is only one reason though. I wish to look upon my home once more..."
"Are you saying that after this trip you will never return to Rivendell?" Elrond asked his daughter, a little confused. Elrond knew that Rivendell was one of Arwen's favourite places in all of Middle Earth.
"I will return to Rivendell in the future Father. But this will be the last time before the birth of my child." Arwen explained to him.
"The birth of your child?" Eomer asked.
"And so the line of the line of Telcontar and Undomiel begins." Galadriel smiled knowingly upon her granddaughter, but Arwen was looking at her father. "Ada?"
Elrond rose from his seat and moved to embrace his daughter. "I am proud of you, tithen min. May the Grace of the Valar shine upon you, and the child within." *Little one*.
"Amin mela lle, Ada." She said, a single tear sliding down her cheek.* I love you, Father.*
When Arwen drew away from him she shook her head slightly and sat back down, noticing the stares of the others upon her.
"When will the child be born?" Imrahil asked, having eyed Arwen's slim waist.
"Not for many months, Imrahil. Time enough for us to ride to Rivendell and return with plenty of time." Arwen answered him.
The group talked long into the night, until Arwen felt that she could barely keep her eyes open. She leaned over to kiss Aragorn, whispering to him, "Quel Undome, nin melath. Im esta." *Good night, my love. I must sleep.*
"Quel Undome, nin Lirimaer. Quel Kaima." He answered her, kissing her back. *Good night, my Lovely One. Sleep well*. "I will come up soon." He promised. Then she turned and slipped out of the room.
________________________
"Where is Arwen gone?" Elladan asked sometime later, having finally missed her presence.
"Up to bed." Aragorn told him, "She has had a busy day, and did not want to offend any, nor break up our conversations."
"That is Arwen." Legolas agreed, "Never wanting to upset any other."
"Save the Mouth of Sauron." Eomer said to him. "I have never seen the Queen act like that, nor speak that way to any living creature since."
"She left him practically trembling in his armor." Imrahil smiled. "You wouldn't think it of her now."
"What did she say?" Elrond asked, a little suprised by the reaction of these Men to the way Arwen had handled the Mouth.
"She told him off. Really told him off." Aragorn said. "I think Arwen surprised us all that day."
"Arwen has given us all many surprises since day she rode from Rivendell with the Fellowship." Galadriel told them. "She fought in all of the ways she could to retain this Middle Earth. It is her home beyond anyplace else."
Absently Aragorn twisted his wedding band, the ring Narya on his finger. "My life begun the day I met her, and she has never stopped surprising me. She is an amazing woman."
"That she is, my son." Elrond told him. "That she is."