Arwen Undómiel stood at one of the many walls of Minas Tirith, staring out at the Anduin that ran down to the sea. Clear eyes that spoke of age and a wisdom even beyond her nearly three thousand years followed the path of the river, knowing that at some point it reached the sea — the sea that her people had crossed, taking the grey ships to the Undying Lands. The path that she, the Evenstar of her people, would never take.
Sometimes, even she wondered if it had been the right choice to make. Her father, Galadriel, everyone had tried to make her see that she was wrong to linger in Middle-earth, that she should sail to Valinor with her people, not stay clinging to a shred of hope that even then was fading. However something, something that could not be explained to them, had kept her here, kept her true to the one she loved.
She heard footsteps behind her, and at once knew that it was he. The man she had stayed behind for, given up the immortal life of her people for. Even before she turned and saw those bright eyes, saw the love for them in their depths, she answered her own question. Closing her eyes for one brief moment, Arwen turned to face her love, forcing herself not to cringe at the question in his eyes.
"Do you regret your decision, Arwen?" he asked softly, in Elvish. Even as he spoke, she saw the worry in his eyes, heard the thread of pain in his voice that he fought to conceal. She remembered when she'd come to Minas Tirith, and the kiss he'd given her. Doubtless her father had given him the news that she was fading when he delivered Andúril to the man who would be King. It was no surprise then, that he had welcomed her as he had.
Meeting his gaze with her own wizened eyes, she reached out to touch the star-like gem he wore at his throat, the one she had given to him before the Fellowship had left Rivendell, all those months ago. He opened his mouth to speak, and she placed her fingertips on it, silencing him. "Estelio ammen," she said softly, smiling when he did. She'd spoken those words once before, as he marched to Helm's Deep with the people of Rohan. She'd known then that he needed to be reassured. He sought that reassurance now.
"You've been quiet these last few days. I only want what makes you happy," he replied, moving closer to her, locking eyes with his Elf-maiden once more. "With you as my Queen, I truly have everything I ever wanted, but was afraid to have."
"There is no reason to be afraid of what you want, Aragorn," she said in a whisper, reaching up to touch the side of his face. "I told you once that your time would come, and now it has. Sauron has been defeated, the One Ring destroyed, and everything I ever hoped for has come true. Though it saddened my father to see me stay here, in the end, he understood."
"Lord Elrond only wanted what is best for you — and for a time he did not believe that was for you to stay with me. I understand his wish for you to leave, but it was only because he feared for the future of Middle-earth." Aragorn looked past her, eyes skimming over the Pelennor Fields to the city of Osgiliath, even then beginning to be rebuilt. "The time of the Elves was ending."
"And now it has passed, and the dominion of Men has begun," Arwen said softly, turning his face to hers once more. "I am glad that I stayed. If I had left, I would never have been content. Regret would have riddled me, until I was but a shadow of what I once was. I could never have left you behind."
Aragorn said nothing, instead lowering his face to hers and kissing her — a kiss that was not as desperate as when she'd come to Minas Tirith, but a kiss that was just as full of love as that had been. When they parted, both turned to watch the sun set, twilight painting the lands in shades of blue and violet.
The reign of Elfstone and Evenstar was begun.