This is my first attempt at a seriously serious piece of fan fiction. So please be nice! Eowyn's characterization will be more appropriate next chapter!

Disclaimer: I love everything about Lord of the Rings, but sadly, I don't own it. Perhaps equally as regretfully I would like to point out that I'm not making any money writing this.

The Grace of the Valar

Arwen stood on the balcony, looking over the White City – her home - on her wedding night. The night air was cool, and her breath crystallized in the air. "Oh, Valar," she thought, "I hardly believe that even with your wishes things could have turned out so beautifully."

She felt her husband approaching; her elven senses had not deserted her. Yet she shivered as Aragorn put his arms around her waist and buried his face in her neck, breathing in her scent. "Mela nin," he whispered softly.

"Estel," she breathed. He was hers, truly her Estel. Aragorn might belong to Middle Earth and King Elessar to the people of Gondor, but Estel was hers. He placed gentle kisses along the line of her neck and shoulder, and again she shivered. "Yes," she though, "he is mine." Twisting in his arms, she embraced him and claimed his mouth as her own in sweet surrender.

Four Months Later

Arwen, Elven Queen of Gondor, was decidedly amused. She sat beside her husband at the Head Table in the Banquet Hall. Tonight, they had called together a feast to announce to the public the hope for the spring that they both had shared for the past month. It seemed hardly fair to Arwen that she should surrender her beautiful little secret to the world so soon, but the advisors had assured her that it was proper to do so at this time. At times, the customs of Men where still strange to Arwen, who was used to the gentle, natural way that the Elves treated everything.  True, often had men, mostly Rangers and the wounded, come to stay in Rivendell and Lothlorien. But it was different from living among them.

Aragorn looked over at his wife, and caught his breath at how beautiful she was. After all these years, he found it hard to believe that she was truly his. He grinned at Arwen, his eyes expressing all the joy that his smile felt short of showing.

Arwen smiled back at him. It was not difficult to stay behind, separated from her Kin, when she had men such as this one.  Her father and grandmother had yet to set sail for the West, but she knew that the day would soon come. And when it came, Arwen knew that she would stand strong, because she had such strength standing behind her that would hold her up should she fail.

"And I have this new hope," Arwen though, glancing at her slightly swelled belly, "It will be some months before this child comes into the world, but what joys shall there be when he comes…" In all the long years of her life, she had never dreamed that she would be a mother. It had seemed so far from her grasp so often… she glanced up, distracted by the laughter of Eowyn, who was sitting beside her, and her betrothed, the Lord Faramir, Steward of Gondor. The two where so happy in one another's company that Arwen felt truly glad for them. Faramir could easily melt the ice in the gray eyes of the White Lady of Rohan, and the Shieldmaiden could cause deep, joyful laughter to spring forth from the contemplative Captain and Steward. Eowyn was the closest confidant and friend that Arwen had found in the White City so far, and she would sorely miss her company when she wed the Steward in three moons time and went with him to Ithilien in a fortnight's time. Although, thought Arwen, seeing as that Eowyn will be more than slightly vexed that I have kept this secret from her for so long, it mightn't be so bad at all. She smiled as Eowyn whispered something into Faramir's ear, causing him to snort with laughter. Aragon, who had been involved in a discussion with Legolas Greenleaf, Gandalf the White – who had chosen remain in the White City rather than return to Lothlorien with Elrond until the time of their departure from these shores – and some members of the King's Council, looked over at them and grinned at Arwen. He was as glad as she was that these two friends of these where so happy with each other. Gandalf leaned over to say something to the King, and Elessar nodded and, in standing up, gently commanded the attention of everyone in the Hall. Legolas, who had been known to her for well over a thousand and a half years now, glanced over at Arwen with a knowing sort of laughter in his eyes. Arwen had never truly befriended the Mirkwood elf, as she had spent many of her years in the company of the Lady of the Wood, but she felt a glad sort of a connection with one of the few of her Kin that where left on these shores now. She knew that he would celebrate this knowledge of the coming babe with the happy reverence with which the Eldar treated such things, and the knowledge gladdened her heart.

"People of Gondor, friends, " he said in the low, even voice ringing with and undertone of deep joy that caused a shiver to run down Arwen's spine, "The Queen and I wish to announce to you that in five moons, we will welcome a babe and an Heir to the Throne of Gondor into the world." He would have continued but for the loud cheer that erupted from the people in the Hall.

Arwen, who was more than slightly surprised by the reaction and whose ears where ringing from the deafening noise around her, hardly had time to brace herself before she was indignantly chided by the Lady Eowyn. "Milady Arwen, I can hardly believe that you kept this to yourself! How long have you known?" but there was a happy smile on her face and in her eyes.

"Only a month," she replied amusedly, "So there is hardly any reason to chide me for it.

"It would explain your absent mindedness of late," Eowyn said, with a dangerous grin on her face, "As Faramir and I where discussing moving the wedding date forwards to tomorrow, traveling South and selling oliphants for living."

"What?" Arwen spurted in a most un-elf-like way, and chocked laughingly. "You really shouldn't!"

"Milady," Eowyn said in a seemingly shocked voice, "I'm not sure pregnancy is at all suiting you."

Arwen was about to respond, and then suddenly, she heard a voice in her head.

Hee, hee, hee… hearing voices… well, let me know if you want more! Reviews are appreciated.  Sorry for not getting the mark over Eowyn's name, I'm trying to figure it out. Forgive me!