A/N: This is the final part of 'Lord of the Rings, Revised.' I'd love to
hear anyone's opinion of it, so review away.
Also, look out for my new LotR story that I should start posting this week or late next week. It's called 'Little Evenstar,' and it's a completely original idea, something that I haven't seen done before.
Now to the final part of the story.
Part 87.
They sailed for day upon days, the gentle rocking of the boat reassuring to her troubled and grief scarred mind and heart. The waves shone sea-green in the sunlight, but seemed to hold no color at night, although Vana and Eledhwen told her that the seas was the same color as her hair in the night.
Above them the stars shone brightly showing Arwen the ship's progress as it sailed from Middle Earth. *The stars are always there. Even when you cannot see them, They never go out.* Celebrian, Arwen's mother, had said those words to her before she had left Middle Earth to sailed for the Undying Lands, six hundred and thirty years ago.
Sighing heavily Arwen leaned against the rail, reflecting on all of the memories she had made with Aragorn.
Closing her eyes she saw his face when she told his she was pregnant with Eldarion and Vana. Saw his face on their wedding day, and on their journey through the Paths of the Dead. Aragorn with Brego or teaching the children to ride. Singing silly songs and lullabies to their children while they were young, as she watched from the doorway, unable to tear herself away. Saw the looks of pride he had given each of their princesses at their Coming of Age ceremonies, and the smiled on his face as he had given Vanya away at her wedding to Eoden, the son of King Eomer of Rohan. But mostly Arwen saw the soft, loving looks he had given her, heard his gentle words and soft teasing, and the pride in his voice whenever he introduced his Queen and their children to visiting dignitaries.
Vana stood on the desk beside her mother, seeing the slow trickle of tears down her cheeks. "Naneth? Did you love Ada very much?"
Arwen turned to embrace her daughter. "Yes, my darling. I loved your father very much, for him I walked through death and flame and war for him. If he had asked me, I would have gone to the other side with him." Arwen told her.
"Do you think I will ever find someone to love, as much as you loved Ada?" Vana asked her mother. "I hope you do, my beautiful darling. Set your sights on an Elven man, lest you go through the same suffering I do now."
"What if I fall in love with someone else? What if he is not an Elf?" The princess asked again. "Then my darling I give to you the same advice my Ada gave me, *'What does you heart tell you?'* Your heart will choose what is right for you, Vana. Trust it, and then follow it. Despair shall not be yours, ever."
"Is it worth losing my heart to someone?"
"You see the grief your father's passing has laid on me, Vana. But given the same choices over again, I would make the same ones. I loved your father as I loved no one else. I would give my immortality for another few minutes him, even for just one moment with him, I loved him so."
On the horizon land appeared. Arwen stood on the deck watching it until the ship sailed into the harbor and Vana and Silmarie helped her onto the dock.
There everyone she knew and loved waited for her, her Mother and Father, Galadriel and Celeborn, even an Elf woman whom she had never seen or met, but she knew was her grandmother Elwing.
Unable to say any thing, too lost in her grief Arwen rushed forward into the safe harbor of her parents arms.
"Ilya eithel, Undomiel. Le eska sii'." Celebrian told her daughter, holding her tightly.*All is well, Undomiel. You are home now.*
"Uma Naneth. Im eska sii'. "Arwen choked out between sobs. *Yes mother. I am home now.*
"Be easy now my little one. Your mind and heart are troubled. Come and find peace." Celebrian soothed, relishing the feeling of holding her daughter in her arms once more.
"He is gone, Ada. Aragorn is gone. He has faded from this world." Arwen sobbed, turning to embrace her father.
"I know Arwen. Do not grieve for him too heavily. He is with Arathorn and Gilraen, and all of his other descendants, perhaps even Beren and Luthien themselves." Elrond soothed.
Arwen pulled away from him to look out over to the Sea, to where Carandil still shone over Rivendell, and Earendil shone brightly. Eldarion and her three other daughters lay over that Sea, never to be crossed by her again.
Vana, Silmarie and Eledhwen stood by their mother, laying their arms around her, bringing Arwen comfort she had never expected to feel again.
After a long time Arwen turned to face the Elves again, along with the other friends who had gathered to meet the last ship to make the voyage to Valinor.
"Naneth, these are three of my daughters. Vana, Silmarie and Eledhwen." Arwen said to her mother, finally regaining some composure.
"Each of you is lovely, my granddaughters. The Grace of the Valar has been with you." Celebrian smiled at the three young women.
"The Grace of the Valar has also been with you, grandmother." Vana said to her, still concerned about her mother.
"Come Arwen." Frodo said to her, reaching out to take her by the hand. "I have found peace here, and relief from the burden I once carried. You will find peace here too, in time."
"Perhaps," Arwen told him, taking his hand, and falling in to step with beside him. "I do not expect anything of the Valar anymore. They have already given me more that what I deserve."
"If you could have anyone thing from the Valar, what would you have Evenstar?" Galadriel asked.
"To live the rest of the years of my life out in peace, and then to die." She answered honestly.
"If that is all you ask of the Valar, Queen of the Eldar, then I am sure it will be granted to you." Celeborn told her. "Do not despair little Evenstar."
"I am long past despair. But I have not bound myself to grief. I will not let it take me from my children before my time is gone. I would not have brought my daughters if that was not my choice." Arwen said softly.
"Did he pass peacefully?" Elrond asked, unwilling to reopen her wounds, but finding himself in a position where he needed to know.
"He chose his time. I was with him in the end. He felt no pain, just the heavy weight of the years." Arwen said to him.
"Then find peace here as he has already found his, my little one." Elrond put his arm around her.
"I hope to Ada. I hope to." Arwen said to him.
*********
Many years hence, after the three princesses were married, and had borne children of their own, making Arwen a grandmother herself, she felt the heavy press of time, and knew that over the long years of her life, ever since Aragorn had passed, her grace diminished, though her light never dimmed.
Late in the afternoon, under the warmth of the sun Arwen found and embrace all that she loved, kissing the little ones, before turning and walking away from all of them.
Then she walked up onto the high cliffs, overlooking the Sea, in the direction of her home in Middle Earth and under the branches of a golden mallorn tree, which Galadriel herself had planted Arwen laid herself down.
As the stars rose over Middle Earth, Arwen looked over the Sea once more, and breathed her last, knowing no more.
Also, look out for my new LotR story that I should start posting this week or late next week. It's called 'Little Evenstar,' and it's a completely original idea, something that I haven't seen done before.
Now to the final part of the story.
Part 87.
They sailed for day upon days, the gentle rocking of the boat reassuring to her troubled and grief scarred mind and heart. The waves shone sea-green in the sunlight, but seemed to hold no color at night, although Vana and Eledhwen told her that the seas was the same color as her hair in the night.
Above them the stars shone brightly showing Arwen the ship's progress as it sailed from Middle Earth. *The stars are always there. Even when you cannot see them, They never go out.* Celebrian, Arwen's mother, had said those words to her before she had left Middle Earth to sailed for the Undying Lands, six hundred and thirty years ago.
Sighing heavily Arwen leaned against the rail, reflecting on all of the memories she had made with Aragorn.
Closing her eyes she saw his face when she told his she was pregnant with Eldarion and Vana. Saw his face on their wedding day, and on their journey through the Paths of the Dead. Aragorn with Brego or teaching the children to ride. Singing silly songs and lullabies to their children while they were young, as she watched from the doorway, unable to tear herself away. Saw the looks of pride he had given each of their princesses at their Coming of Age ceremonies, and the smiled on his face as he had given Vanya away at her wedding to Eoden, the son of King Eomer of Rohan. But mostly Arwen saw the soft, loving looks he had given her, heard his gentle words and soft teasing, and the pride in his voice whenever he introduced his Queen and their children to visiting dignitaries.
Vana stood on the desk beside her mother, seeing the slow trickle of tears down her cheeks. "Naneth? Did you love Ada very much?"
Arwen turned to embrace her daughter. "Yes, my darling. I loved your father very much, for him I walked through death and flame and war for him. If he had asked me, I would have gone to the other side with him." Arwen told her.
"Do you think I will ever find someone to love, as much as you loved Ada?" Vana asked her mother. "I hope you do, my beautiful darling. Set your sights on an Elven man, lest you go through the same suffering I do now."
"What if I fall in love with someone else? What if he is not an Elf?" The princess asked again. "Then my darling I give to you the same advice my Ada gave me, *'What does you heart tell you?'* Your heart will choose what is right for you, Vana. Trust it, and then follow it. Despair shall not be yours, ever."
"Is it worth losing my heart to someone?"
"You see the grief your father's passing has laid on me, Vana. But given the same choices over again, I would make the same ones. I loved your father as I loved no one else. I would give my immortality for another few minutes him, even for just one moment with him, I loved him so."
On the horizon land appeared. Arwen stood on the deck watching it until the ship sailed into the harbor and Vana and Silmarie helped her onto the dock.
There everyone she knew and loved waited for her, her Mother and Father, Galadriel and Celeborn, even an Elf woman whom she had never seen or met, but she knew was her grandmother Elwing.
Unable to say any thing, too lost in her grief Arwen rushed forward into the safe harbor of her parents arms.
"Ilya eithel, Undomiel. Le eska sii'." Celebrian told her daughter, holding her tightly.*All is well, Undomiel. You are home now.*
"Uma Naneth. Im eska sii'. "Arwen choked out between sobs. *Yes mother. I am home now.*
"Be easy now my little one. Your mind and heart are troubled. Come and find peace." Celebrian soothed, relishing the feeling of holding her daughter in her arms once more.
"He is gone, Ada. Aragorn is gone. He has faded from this world." Arwen sobbed, turning to embrace her father.
"I know Arwen. Do not grieve for him too heavily. He is with Arathorn and Gilraen, and all of his other descendants, perhaps even Beren and Luthien themselves." Elrond soothed.
Arwen pulled away from him to look out over to the Sea, to where Carandil still shone over Rivendell, and Earendil shone brightly. Eldarion and her three other daughters lay over that Sea, never to be crossed by her again.
Vana, Silmarie and Eledhwen stood by their mother, laying their arms around her, bringing Arwen comfort she had never expected to feel again.
After a long time Arwen turned to face the Elves again, along with the other friends who had gathered to meet the last ship to make the voyage to Valinor.
"Naneth, these are three of my daughters. Vana, Silmarie and Eledhwen." Arwen said to her mother, finally regaining some composure.
"Each of you is lovely, my granddaughters. The Grace of the Valar has been with you." Celebrian smiled at the three young women.
"The Grace of the Valar has also been with you, grandmother." Vana said to her, still concerned about her mother.
"Come Arwen." Frodo said to her, reaching out to take her by the hand. "I have found peace here, and relief from the burden I once carried. You will find peace here too, in time."
"Perhaps," Arwen told him, taking his hand, and falling in to step with beside him. "I do not expect anything of the Valar anymore. They have already given me more that what I deserve."
"If you could have anyone thing from the Valar, what would you have Evenstar?" Galadriel asked.
"To live the rest of the years of my life out in peace, and then to die." She answered honestly.
"If that is all you ask of the Valar, Queen of the Eldar, then I am sure it will be granted to you." Celeborn told her. "Do not despair little Evenstar."
"I am long past despair. But I have not bound myself to grief. I will not let it take me from my children before my time is gone. I would not have brought my daughters if that was not my choice." Arwen said softly.
"Did he pass peacefully?" Elrond asked, unwilling to reopen her wounds, but finding himself in a position where he needed to know.
"He chose his time. I was with him in the end. He felt no pain, just the heavy weight of the years." Arwen said to him.
"Then find peace here as he has already found his, my little one." Elrond put his arm around her.
"I hope to Ada. I hope to." Arwen said to him.
*********
Many years hence, after the three princesses were married, and had borne children of their own, making Arwen a grandmother herself, she felt the heavy press of time, and knew that over the long years of her life, ever since Aragorn had passed, her grace diminished, though her light never dimmed.
Late in the afternoon, under the warmth of the sun Arwen found and embrace all that she loved, kissing the little ones, before turning and walking away from all of them.
Then she walked up onto the high cliffs, overlooking the Sea, in the direction of her home in Middle Earth and under the branches of a golden mallorn tree, which Galadriel herself had planted Arwen laid herself down.
As the stars rose over Middle Earth, Arwen looked over the Sea once more, and breathed her last, knowing no more.