Part 70.
Then on their last day in Rivendell, she bade Aragorn find Sam and send him to her in the gardens.
She passed her time while she waited for him by tending once more to the garden that had belonged to her since childhood.
When Sam appeared Arwen smiled. "Come and sit Sam. I have a gift for you."
Silently the young hobbit sat on the stone bench she had gestured to and waited for her to continue.
"I asked my husband to send you here so that I could give you this." Arwen handed him a small pouch of hand-embroidered linen.
Curiosity peaked Sam opened the pouch to reveal a golden mallorn seed, with other different kind of seeds included in the pouch as well.
"The large seed is a mallorn, one of the great golden trees of Lothlorien. Like this one that we sit under now. The other seeds will become the beautiful Elven flowers that I know you love so much. Take them with my blessing and do what you will with them. As Galadriel told you, there is nowhere in Middle Earth that shall grow like your garden, save perhaps my own.
Come to Gondor to stay with us one day and we will once more exchange gardening knowledge. Until we meet again live under my grace as Frodo does, for your fate was bound to his, and in my eyes you are a worthy hobbit. You will go far, Master Samwise." Arwen laid her hand upon his shoulder, before they rose and walked to meet the others who waited to journey further West, to the Shire.
*************
Calmed once more, with Aragorn satisfied that Nallahir wasn't ill Arwen mounted, while Aragorn held his reins to steady the big gray horse.
"Are you ready, Arwen?" He asked, looking up at her. "If you wish it you can still stay in Rivendell. I will collect you before I head South to Gondor." Aragorn looked with concern upon her rapidly swelling belly.
"I am fine. I promise you, Aragorn. I am well." She smiled down at him, and then looked to her father. "All will be well."
"I trust you Arwen." Elrond told her. "Take Nalsar, the falcon of Rivendell, and send word to us here once you are safely returned to Gondor. Nai tirunvantel ar varyuvantel i Valar tielyanna nu vilya, nin iell." He reached up to take her hand. *May the Valar protect you on your path under the sky, my daughter.*
"Do not fear for me Ada. Soon you will come to Gondor, and stay with us once more in the White City. Soon my child will be born, for us all to love and cherish." Arwen told him, her eyes growing sad.
From the head of the column one of the Rangers called to Aragorn. "My Lord, we should be off, if we want to reach the Ford by nightfall."
Arwen reached down to hug her father one last time, tears glittering in her blue eyes. "Aa' menealle nauva calen ar' malta, Ada." *May your ways be green and golden, father.*
"Im mil le, goll, bain sell nin." He answered, watching as she sat up straight in the saddle. *I love you, my wise, beautiful daughter.*
Aragorn turned Brego so that the bay horse stood beside Nallahir. "Namarie Ada. We will meet again soon. Do not be a stranger to Gondor." *Farewell father.*
Once Aragorn had spoken Arwen pressed her heels into Nallahir's sides and turned him after the others. Aragorn stayed several minutes longer, speaking with her father.
Once he was finished speaking Aragorn caught up to the rest of the group. At once he noticed the tears trickling down her cheeks, while Legolas spoke quietly to her in Elvish. Brushing her dark hair over her shoulders, he watched as she turned Nallahir towards the side of the path, and the edge of the company.
Instead of riding straight to Arwen, Aragorn rode up alongside Legolas. "Is she all right?"
"She won't talk to us." Legolas answered. "She said she wants to be left alone."
"Thank you." Aragorn said to him, before turning Brego to the side of the path, riding alongside Arwen. In the background the hobbits were singing what they called 'The Drinking Song'.
In the bright morning sun Aragorn took in her sad features and the tears running down her cheeks. "Nallach an i laer?" He asked. *Do you cry for the song?*
A small smile broke through and she looked over at him. "No, Aragorn. I don't cry for the song, though it is certainly different to what I am used to hearing."
"Are you well?" He asked, concerned.
"I will be." Arwen twisted Nenya, her wedding band on her finger. "When do you think we will reach the Shire?"
"Perhaps a week, maybe a little more. Is there something on your mind?"
"I do not think the Shire will be same place it was when the hobbits left. Much has changed in the world, my heart tells me that the changes must have carried at least as far West as the Shire, for I know that there are changes already seen in the Grey Havens. I fear for what we may find." She answered, in her usual roundabout way, not wanting to tell him more than he should know.
"Then we had best be on our guard. Do not fear Arwen. All will be well." Aragorn reached out to take her hand, squeezing it gently in his own.
Part 71.
The company rode for hours upon hours, until they passed the fords, and reached a place they would camp for the night.
Surrounded by music and singing Arwen and Aragorn took their leave after a time, laying a rug on the grass away from the trees, so that they had a clear view of the stars.
"When the time comes, and our child is born, what will we name our baby?" Arwen asked, looking up to find Earendil and Carandil.
"What ever is in your heart Arwen." He answered.
"You must have thought about it, even a little." She said to him.
"A little." Aragorn agreed. "I like Eldarion, for a boy. For a girl I do not know." He answered.
"Then we must think heavily upon that." Arwen told him, leaning back against his legs to stare up into the sky.
"Does that mean that we are having a girl child?" Aragorn asked.
In the darkness, with shadows flickering across her features Arwen smiled. "It means that we will have a boy and a girl. Our son, is already named. Our daughter, also needs a name though."
Aragorn's eyes lit up. "You mean that we are having two babies?"
"Yes, my love it does. What shall we call our little princess?"
"Eldarion is an Elvish name, it means 'son of the Eldar'." Aragorn mused. "Should our daughter also have an Elvish name? Is there anything you like?" He asked.
"Several." Arwen answered him. "So that our daughter cannot forget her Elvish heritage, even when all Elves, including myself have passed on from Middle Earth, I would give her, like Eldarion, and Elvish name."
"What are some that you like?"
"The names of my ancestors, great Queens of the past, the Eldar Elves, like myself and Galadriel. I would have Vana, Nessa, Este, Yavanna, or Varda." Arwen told him.
"I do not know much about your ancestors on your mother's side." Aragorn said to Arwen. "Tell me about them."
"Vana is the Ever Young, all flowers were said to have sprung from her coming. Nessa is the fleet footed, a great lover of deer. Este, the gentle, was the Healer of all Pain. Her rainment was grey and her gift was rest. Yavanna was the Giver of Fruits, lover of all things that grow in Middle Earth. Varda, was the Lady of the Stars, Elbereth she was also called. She was like me, a star of her people." Arwen spoke warmly of each, like they were old friends and she was reminiscing about them.
"Are they all of the Queens of the Eldar?" Aragorn asked.
Arwen shook her head, "There are several more, like Galadriel, and Nienne. But I prefer the other names."
"I like Varda, and Vana. But perhaps I like Vana more." Aragorn told her.
"Then you have chosen well my love, our oldest daughter will be the Ever Young."
"Perhaps our next will be Varda, if she is born in the likeness of her beautiful mother." Aragorn told her, smiling into the darkness as he brushed Arwen's hair back from her face, then rested his hand on her belly to feel the actions of the tiny lives within.
Then on their last day in Rivendell, she bade Aragorn find Sam and send him to her in the gardens.
She passed her time while she waited for him by tending once more to the garden that had belonged to her since childhood.
When Sam appeared Arwen smiled. "Come and sit Sam. I have a gift for you."
Silently the young hobbit sat on the stone bench she had gestured to and waited for her to continue.
"I asked my husband to send you here so that I could give you this." Arwen handed him a small pouch of hand-embroidered linen.
Curiosity peaked Sam opened the pouch to reveal a golden mallorn seed, with other different kind of seeds included in the pouch as well.
"The large seed is a mallorn, one of the great golden trees of Lothlorien. Like this one that we sit under now. The other seeds will become the beautiful Elven flowers that I know you love so much. Take them with my blessing and do what you will with them. As Galadriel told you, there is nowhere in Middle Earth that shall grow like your garden, save perhaps my own.
Come to Gondor to stay with us one day and we will once more exchange gardening knowledge. Until we meet again live under my grace as Frodo does, for your fate was bound to his, and in my eyes you are a worthy hobbit. You will go far, Master Samwise." Arwen laid her hand upon his shoulder, before they rose and walked to meet the others who waited to journey further West, to the Shire.
*************
Calmed once more, with Aragorn satisfied that Nallahir wasn't ill Arwen mounted, while Aragorn held his reins to steady the big gray horse.
"Are you ready, Arwen?" He asked, looking up at her. "If you wish it you can still stay in Rivendell. I will collect you before I head South to Gondor." Aragorn looked with concern upon her rapidly swelling belly.
"I am fine. I promise you, Aragorn. I am well." She smiled down at him, and then looked to her father. "All will be well."
"I trust you Arwen." Elrond told her. "Take Nalsar, the falcon of Rivendell, and send word to us here once you are safely returned to Gondor. Nai tirunvantel ar varyuvantel i Valar tielyanna nu vilya, nin iell." He reached up to take her hand. *May the Valar protect you on your path under the sky, my daughter.*
"Do not fear for me Ada. Soon you will come to Gondor, and stay with us once more in the White City. Soon my child will be born, for us all to love and cherish." Arwen told him, her eyes growing sad.
From the head of the column one of the Rangers called to Aragorn. "My Lord, we should be off, if we want to reach the Ford by nightfall."
Arwen reached down to hug her father one last time, tears glittering in her blue eyes. "Aa' menealle nauva calen ar' malta, Ada." *May your ways be green and golden, father.*
"Im mil le, goll, bain sell nin." He answered, watching as she sat up straight in the saddle. *I love you, my wise, beautiful daughter.*
Aragorn turned Brego so that the bay horse stood beside Nallahir. "Namarie Ada. We will meet again soon. Do not be a stranger to Gondor." *Farewell father.*
Once Aragorn had spoken Arwen pressed her heels into Nallahir's sides and turned him after the others. Aragorn stayed several minutes longer, speaking with her father.
Once he was finished speaking Aragorn caught up to the rest of the group. At once he noticed the tears trickling down her cheeks, while Legolas spoke quietly to her in Elvish. Brushing her dark hair over her shoulders, he watched as she turned Nallahir towards the side of the path, and the edge of the company.
Instead of riding straight to Arwen, Aragorn rode up alongside Legolas. "Is she all right?"
"She won't talk to us." Legolas answered. "She said she wants to be left alone."
"Thank you." Aragorn said to him, before turning Brego to the side of the path, riding alongside Arwen. In the background the hobbits were singing what they called 'The Drinking Song'.
In the bright morning sun Aragorn took in her sad features and the tears running down her cheeks. "Nallach an i laer?" He asked. *Do you cry for the song?*
A small smile broke through and she looked over at him. "No, Aragorn. I don't cry for the song, though it is certainly different to what I am used to hearing."
"Are you well?" He asked, concerned.
"I will be." Arwen twisted Nenya, her wedding band on her finger. "When do you think we will reach the Shire?"
"Perhaps a week, maybe a little more. Is there something on your mind?"
"I do not think the Shire will be same place it was when the hobbits left. Much has changed in the world, my heart tells me that the changes must have carried at least as far West as the Shire, for I know that there are changes already seen in the Grey Havens. I fear for what we may find." She answered, in her usual roundabout way, not wanting to tell him more than he should know.
"Then we had best be on our guard. Do not fear Arwen. All will be well." Aragorn reached out to take her hand, squeezing it gently in his own.
Part 71.
The company rode for hours upon hours, until they passed the fords, and reached a place they would camp for the night.
Surrounded by music and singing Arwen and Aragorn took their leave after a time, laying a rug on the grass away from the trees, so that they had a clear view of the stars.
"When the time comes, and our child is born, what will we name our baby?" Arwen asked, looking up to find Earendil and Carandil.
"What ever is in your heart Arwen." He answered.
"You must have thought about it, even a little." She said to him.
"A little." Aragorn agreed. "I like Eldarion, for a boy. For a girl I do not know." He answered.
"Then we must think heavily upon that." Arwen told him, leaning back against his legs to stare up into the sky.
"Does that mean that we are having a girl child?" Aragorn asked.
In the darkness, with shadows flickering across her features Arwen smiled. "It means that we will have a boy and a girl. Our son, is already named. Our daughter, also needs a name though."
Aragorn's eyes lit up. "You mean that we are having two babies?"
"Yes, my love it does. What shall we call our little princess?"
"Eldarion is an Elvish name, it means 'son of the Eldar'." Aragorn mused. "Should our daughter also have an Elvish name? Is there anything you like?" He asked.
"Several." Arwen answered him. "So that our daughter cannot forget her Elvish heritage, even when all Elves, including myself have passed on from Middle Earth, I would give her, like Eldarion, and Elvish name."
"What are some that you like?"
"The names of my ancestors, great Queens of the past, the Eldar Elves, like myself and Galadriel. I would have Vana, Nessa, Este, Yavanna, or Varda." Arwen told him.
"I do not know much about your ancestors on your mother's side." Aragorn said to Arwen. "Tell me about them."
"Vana is the Ever Young, all flowers were said to have sprung from her coming. Nessa is the fleet footed, a great lover of deer. Este, the gentle, was the Healer of all Pain. Her rainment was grey and her gift was rest. Yavanna was the Giver of Fruits, lover of all things that grow in Middle Earth. Varda, was the Lady of the Stars, Elbereth she was also called. She was like me, a star of her people." Arwen spoke warmly of each, like they were old friends and she was reminiscing about them.
"Are they all of the Queens of the Eldar?" Aragorn asked.
Arwen shook her head, "There are several more, like Galadriel, and Nienne. But I prefer the other names."
"I like Varda, and Vana. But perhaps I like Vana more." Aragorn told her.
"Then you have chosen well my love, our oldest daughter will be the Ever Young."
"Perhaps our next will be Varda, if she is born in the likeness of her beautiful mother." Aragorn told her, smiling into the darkness as he brushed Arwen's hair back from her face, then rested his hand on her belly to feel the actions of the tiny lives within.