Part 84.
The years passed even more swiftly, with the birth of four more princesses of Gondor.
Varda, the Starmaiden, was named Lady of Rivendell, for she was born in the likeness of her mother the Queen Evenstar, with the same light and ethereal beauty.
Vanya the fair, was born in the likeness of Arwen's mother Celebrian, and of her grandmother, Galadriel, the Lady of Light, and was called Lady of Mirkwood, with the leave of King Thranduil.
The youngest princesses, twins, both bearing the likeness of Aragorn's mother Gilraen, and Arwen herself were named Yavanna, who was also called Lover of Gardens by the people of Gondor, and Silmarie, the Starlight were both made Ladies of Ithilien, where Legolas dwelled, as Elven King, with the leave of King Elessar.
Many years hence, with youngest princesses being almost two years old Arwen woke in the night, as she had not done for many a long year, and reached over to wake her husband.
"Aragorn, it is time. We must leave Gondor and ride for the Grey Havens, the ships will leave soon."
Aragorn nodded, knowing how important it was to his wife to be on the docks when her father, and all that remained of her kin, save Legolas sailed for Valinor. "We will leave the White City in the morning Arwen. Do not fear, Lord Elrond shall not leave without saying his good-byes."
The next morning, all of the royal children were woken early by their tutors, governesses or nurses and made to dress in traveling clothes.
With great speed they left the White City, journeying North West, in a direct route to their destination. Accompanied by the Royal Guard, which was derived of Rangers of the North Aragorn had selected, Arwen's own personal guard, and the children, Aragorn insisted that they ride swiftly.
Eldarion and Vana, oldest of the royal children were twelve years old, riding their own ponies, while watching over Varda, who was nine, also riding her pony. Arwen kept a strict eye on each of the children, especially the younger twins Yavanna and Silmarie.
Occasionally she would rest her hand on the pregnant swell of her belly.
This child was her last, the last that she or Aragorn would have. In her heart she had already named the un-born babe Eledhwen, the Elven Light, which soon was leaving the shores of Middle Earth.
Aragorn placed his arm around her middle as he drew up alongside Arwen and Nallahir on Brego, the two faithful horses still ready to carry their Master and Mistress wherever in Middle Earth they desired to go.
After days of riding they reached the borders of the Shire, skirting along them until they reached the Grey Havens. Arwen dismounted hurriedly, and darted out onto the docks.
"Ada!" She called, her voice raised above the volume she normally used. "Ada!"
Elrond, who stood on the dock with the other members of the Fellowship and Celeborn and Galadriel turned and saw her.
Unhindered by the stares of others Arwen threw herself into her father's waiting arms. He embraced her tightly and stroked her hair, which flowed down her back, free from any restraint.
"I was afraid you'd leave and I wouldn't get to say goodbye." She told him, her voice muffled against his chest.
"Never Undomiel. I would never leave without saying good bye to you." He told her.
"Where is Aragorn?" Legolas asked, looking around for his friend.
"He is coming. He will be bringing our children in a moment. We have six now, Ada. Eldarion and five little princesses." Arwen told them.
"And another yet to come?" Celeborn said to her.
Arwen nodded. "This one is our last. She is to be called Eledhwen, the Elven Light. In memory of all those who are fair, and have left this land for another place. The light of the Elves shall ever shine in her, as it does in Vana, Varda, Vanya, Yavanna and Silmarie."
Aragorn walked out onto the dock, holding tightly to the hands of the youngest princesses. Upon seeing Arwen they fought his grip until he let them run to her, and wraps their small arms around their mother's legs.
"Amme, you aren't supposed to go without telling people where you are going." Silmarie chided her mother.
"Your father knew where I was going little one." Arwen told her small daughter.
"Does that mean we can leave Corbe if we think she knows where we are going?" Yavanna asked her mother.
"No," Arwen told her patiently. "You must always tell Corbe where you are going."
Vana reached down to pick Yavanna up, hushing the little girl.
Elrond looked over at Eldarion and Vana. "They are so big now, so grown up."
"Time does that to children." Galadriel reminded him.
"You know Eldarion and Vana. This is Varda, and Vanya." Aragorn paused to pick Vanya up, then waited for Arwen to continue.
"Vanya is the image of her grandmother at the same age." Galadriel smiled upon the fair-haired princess who looked so much like her own daughter, Celebrian.
"And these are our younger twins Yavanna and Silmarie." Arwen finished for her husband, taking Silmarie up into her arms, cradling her over her pregnant stomach.
"Hini, sina Ada-nin." Arwen said to them. *Children, this is my father.*
"Mae govannan, Naneth Ada." Eldarion spoke to his grandfather. *Well met, Mother's Father.*
"And well met to you as well, Prince of Gondor." Elrond told the boy, who was rapidly becoming a young man, in the image of his father, and paternal grandfather.
Elrond turned back to Arwen. "Well met for the last time, Arwen Undomiel. The time of the Elves has ended. Cormamin niuve tenna' ta elea lle au'." He bowed his head to his daughter, and then embraced her once more before boarding the ship, as the others before him had done. *My heart shall weep until it sees thee again.*
"Aa' i'sul nora lanne'lle, Ada, astald Mellonea." Arwen called out, before she began to sob.* May the wind fill your sails, Father, brave friends.*
Aragorn gestured for the children's minders to collect them, while he consoled his wife, who had dissolved in tears, and together they watched until the ships could be seen on the horizon no longer.
Exactly two months after the King and Queen returned to Gondor, and Minas Tirith their seventh and last child was born, and named as Arwen had said Eledhwen, the Elven Light.
With the passing of her people their was a change in Arwen, though not all noticed it, only those who were close to her were able to see the change. She remained in her gardens more, entertaining fewer and fewer people, until only close friends were invited to join her. She took to riding more in the woods surrounding the White City, and teaching her children things that more often than not they would have learned from other teachers. Eldarion and Vana she took to visit the Treegarth of Isenguard regularly, as well as taking them into the wild for days at a time, teaching them of healing, survival in the wild, edible and medicinal plants, archery and Elvish folklore and the stars. Vana she even taught to read the waters, cautious until the young girl was in her mid-teens.
The younger children she taught to help cultivate her garden, all the while taking part in the appropriate court functions and counseling her husband on important decisions to be made.
As the years rolled by Arwen was surprised at how quickly her children grew and matured, especially Vana whom she was already training for her role as Queen of the Eldar, upon her own death.
The years passed even more swiftly, with the birth of four more princesses of Gondor.
Varda, the Starmaiden, was named Lady of Rivendell, for she was born in the likeness of her mother the Queen Evenstar, with the same light and ethereal beauty.
Vanya the fair, was born in the likeness of Arwen's mother Celebrian, and of her grandmother, Galadriel, the Lady of Light, and was called Lady of Mirkwood, with the leave of King Thranduil.
The youngest princesses, twins, both bearing the likeness of Aragorn's mother Gilraen, and Arwen herself were named Yavanna, who was also called Lover of Gardens by the people of Gondor, and Silmarie, the Starlight were both made Ladies of Ithilien, where Legolas dwelled, as Elven King, with the leave of King Elessar.
Many years hence, with youngest princesses being almost two years old Arwen woke in the night, as she had not done for many a long year, and reached over to wake her husband.
"Aragorn, it is time. We must leave Gondor and ride for the Grey Havens, the ships will leave soon."
Aragorn nodded, knowing how important it was to his wife to be on the docks when her father, and all that remained of her kin, save Legolas sailed for Valinor. "We will leave the White City in the morning Arwen. Do not fear, Lord Elrond shall not leave without saying his good-byes."
The next morning, all of the royal children were woken early by their tutors, governesses or nurses and made to dress in traveling clothes.
With great speed they left the White City, journeying North West, in a direct route to their destination. Accompanied by the Royal Guard, which was derived of Rangers of the North Aragorn had selected, Arwen's own personal guard, and the children, Aragorn insisted that they ride swiftly.
Eldarion and Vana, oldest of the royal children were twelve years old, riding their own ponies, while watching over Varda, who was nine, also riding her pony. Arwen kept a strict eye on each of the children, especially the younger twins Yavanna and Silmarie.
Occasionally she would rest her hand on the pregnant swell of her belly.
This child was her last, the last that she or Aragorn would have. In her heart she had already named the un-born babe Eledhwen, the Elven Light, which soon was leaving the shores of Middle Earth.
Aragorn placed his arm around her middle as he drew up alongside Arwen and Nallahir on Brego, the two faithful horses still ready to carry their Master and Mistress wherever in Middle Earth they desired to go.
After days of riding they reached the borders of the Shire, skirting along them until they reached the Grey Havens. Arwen dismounted hurriedly, and darted out onto the docks.
"Ada!" She called, her voice raised above the volume she normally used. "Ada!"
Elrond, who stood on the dock with the other members of the Fellowship and Celeborn and Galadriel turned and saw her.
Unhindered by the stares of others Arwen threw herself into her father's waiting arms. He embraced her tightly and stroked her hair, which flowed down her back, free from any restraint.
"I was afraid you'd leave and I wouldn't get to say goodbye." She told him, her voice muffled against his chest.
"Never Undomiel. I would never leave without saying good bye to you." He told her.
"Where is Aragorn?" Legolas asked, looking around for his friend.
"He is coming. He will be bringing our children in a moment. We have six now, Ada. Eldarion and five little princesses." Arwen told them.
"And another yet to come?" Celeborn said to her.
Arwen nodded. "This one is our last. She is to be called Eledhwen, the Elven Light. In memory of all those who are fair, and have left this land for another place. The light of the Elves shall ever shine in her, as it does in Vana, Varda, Vanya, Yavanna and Silmarie."
Aragorn walked out onto the dock, holding tightly to the hands of the youngest princesses. Upon seeing Arwen they fought his grip until he let them run to her, and wraps their small arms around their mother's legs.
"Amme, you aren't supposed to go without telling people where you are going." Silmarie chided her mother.
"Your father knew where I was going little one." Arwen told her small daughter.
"Does that mean we can leave Corbe if we think she knows where we are going?" Yavanna asked her mother.
"No," Arwen told her patiently. "You must always tell Corbe where you are going."
Vana reached down to pick Yavanna up, hushing the little girl.
Elrond looked over at Eldarion and Vana. "They are so big now, so grown up."
"Time does that to children." Galadriel reminded him.
"You know Eldarion and Vana. This is Varda, and Vanya." Aragorn paused to pick Vanya up, then waited for Arwen to continue.
"Vanya is the image of her grandmother at the same age." Galadriel smiled upon the fair-haired princess who looked so much like her own daughter, Celebrian.
"And these are our younger twins Yavanna and Silmarie." Arwen finished for her husband, taking Silmarie up into her arms, cradling her over her pregnant stomach.
"Hini, sina Ada-nin." Arwen said to them. *Children, this is my father.*
"Mae govannan, Naneth Ada." Eldarion spoke to his grandfather. *Well met, Mother's Father.*
"And well met to you as well, Prince of Gondor." Elrond told the boy, who was rapidly becoming a young man, in the image of his father, and paternal grandfather.
Elrond turned back to Arwen. "Well met for the last time, Arwen Undomiel. The time of the Elves has ended. Cormamin niuve tenna' ta elea lle au'." He bowed his head to his daughter, and then embraced her once more before boarding the ship, as the others before him had done. *My heart shall weep until it sees thee again.*
"Aa' i'sul nora lanne'lle, Ada, astald Mellonea." Arwen called out, before she began to sob.* May the wind fill your sails, Father, brave friends.*
Aragorn gestured for the children's minders to collect them, while he consoled his wife, who had dissolved in tears, and together they watched until the ships could be seen on the horizon no longer.
Exactly two months after the King and Queen returned to Gondor, and Minas Tirith their seventh and last child was born, and named as Arwen had said Eledhwen, the Elven Light.
With the passing of her people their was a change in Arwen, though not all noticed it, only those who were close to her were able to see the change. She remained in her gardens more, entertaining fewer and fewer people, until only close friends were invited to join her. She took to riding more in the woods surrounding the White City, and teaching her children things that more often than not they would have learned from other teachers. Eldarion and Vana she took to visit the Treegarth of Isenguard regularly, as well as taking them into the wild for days at a time, teaching them of healing, survival in the wild, edible and medicinal plants, archery and Elvish folklore and the stars. Vana she even taught to read the waters, cautious until the young girl was in her mid-teens.
The younger children she taught to help cultivate her garden, all the while taking part in the appropriate court functions and counseling her husband on important decisions to be made.
As the years rolled by Arwen was surprised at how quickly her children grew and matured, especially Vana whom she was already training for her role as Queen of the Eldar, upon her own death.