Chapter 17.
Slowly Arwen opened her eyes, the light clouding her vision for scant moments. People were talking in the room, somewhere beside her head.
"She may never wake up. From what Galadriel has told Arwen may never return to us, and for that I find you responsible."
"Perhaps if you had not sheltered her from all of Middle Earth this would not have happened either. Do not look to blame me for your shortcomings, Master." Aragorn hissed, clearly angered.
Wishing to put a stop to the argument, Arwen sat up, the feather light Elven blankets falling away from her body. "I will not let you fight over me." She said quietly, frightening both men. "I have made my choice, and now all will have to live with it. Stop arguing or leave my side forever."
"Arwen!" Elrond stared at her as if he was seeing a ghost.
"Do not trifle with me Ada. I will not bear witness to your arguments, I am wrought with enough pain and suffering which this world has given unto me. Do not seek to add to those burdens." She told him, her voice clear and firm, but still gentle and soothing.
"You have made your choice little Evenstar." Galadriel's voice was soft, reassuring as she entered the room.
"I have." Arwen rose from the bed. "For a time I have returned to Middle Earth. Exactly how long I remain here, I cannot say, so do not ask it of me."
"Arwen, you must rest, you have been ill." Aragorn told her, watching the Elven maiden walk slowly about the room.
"Where is Luthien?" She asked, ignoring him.
"In the courtyard." Galadriel told her, "She is playing with several of my hand maidens."
"She is well then?"
"For several days now." The Elven Queen told her.
"Please, excuse me." Arwen told everyone, leaving the room, walking slowly down the stairs and into the courtyard.
*********
"Amme!" The little girl cried, seeing her mother.
"Hush now little one." Arwen told the child. "I am here now."
"Yes, you are little Evenstar." Elrond began. "Tell us, what was your choice?"
"I will remain in Middle Earth, for a time, until I desire the salvation of the Valar, or until the end of my life." She answered, holding Luthien in her arms.
"You wish to die?" Aragorn asked. "Have I hurt you so much that you now prefer death to life?"
"No, King Elessar. I now prefer peace to conflict, and I have seen much conflict. I do not wish to see or partake in any more." Arwen told him. "Everything that has a beginning, has an end. Such is life."
"And at the end of your life, you will die." Elrond said, his voice almost cracking.
"Do not grieve for me, for I have chosen my fate." Arwen said simply, "This is what I chose, and no more. I will remain in Lorien. My home of Rivendell troubles my heart, and I do not wish to travel further than this. From now until forever I will make the Gardens of Lothlorien my home."
"You will not come to the White City?" Aragorn asked her.
"I do not wish to, I never wished to. You may come and see Luthien, King Elessar. But I will not bind her to grief, she shall never set foot in the White City of Gondor."
Slowly Arwen opened her eyes, the light clouding her vision for scant moments. People were talking in the room, somewhere beside her head.
"She may never wake up. From what Galadriel has told Arwen may never return to us, and for that I find you responsible."
"Perhaps if you had not sheltered her from all of Middle Earth this would not have happened either. Do not look to blame me for your shortcomings, Master." Aragorn hissed, clearly angered.
Wishing to put a stop to the argument, Arwen sat up, the feather light Elven blankets falling away from her body. "I will not let you fight over me." She said quietly, frightening both men. "I have made my choice, and now all will have to live with it. Stop arguing or leave my side forever."
"Arwen!" Elrond stared at her as if he was seeing a ghost.
"Do not trifle with me Ada. I will not bear witness to your arguments, I am wrought with enough pain and suffering which this world has given unto me. Do not seek to add to those burdens." She told him, her voice clear and firm, but still gentle and soothing.
"You have made your choice little Evenstar." Galadriel's voice was soft, reassuring as she entered the room.
"I have." Arwen rose from the bed. "For a time I have returned to Middle Earth. Exactly how long I remain here, I cannot say, so do not ask it of me."
"Arwen, you must rest, you have been ill." Aragorn told her, watching the Elven maiden walk slowly about the room.
"Where is Luthien?" She asked, ignoring him.
"In the courtyard." Galadriel told her, "She is playing with several of my hand maidens."
"She is well then?"
"For several days now." The Elven Queen told her.
"Please, excuse me." Arwen told everyone, leaving the room, walking slowly down the stairs and into the courtyard.
*********
"Amme!" The little girl cried, seeing her mother.
"Hush now little one." Arwen told the child. "I am here now."
"Yes, you are little Evenstar." Elrond began. "Tell us, what was your choice?"
"I will remain in Middle Earth, for a time, until I desire the salvation of the Valar, or until the end of my life." She answered, holding Luthien in her arms.
"You wish to die?" Aragorn asked. "Have I hurt you so much that you now prefer death to life?"
"No, King Elessar. I now prefer peace to conflict, and I have seen much conflict. I do not wish to see or partake in any more." Arwen told him. "Everything that has a beginning, has an end. Such is life."
"And at the end of your life, you will die." Elrond said, his voice almost cracking.
"Do not grieve for me, for I have chosen my fate." Arwen said simply, "This is what I chose, and no more. I will remain in Lorien. My home of Rivendell troubles my heart, and I do not wish to travel further than this. From now until forever I will make the Gardens of Lothlorien my home."
"You will not come to the White City?" Aragorn asked her.
"I do not wish to, I never wished to. You may come and see Luthien, King Elessar. But I will not bind her to grief, she shall never set foot in the White City of Gondor."