Part 1

Arwen's point of view.

Now that he is gone I find myself utterly alone in the kingdom I now find pressurised in. I feel there is nothing left here for me. My children have grown up to be as strong and as beautiful as I imaged. They are independent and now longer need the hand of their mother to comfort them. I feel just like another shadow that flutters past my face as I walk through the city where the people turn their heads sumpathicly to me or turn away believing I have out lived my welcome. Maybe they are right, maybe I have out lived it and it is time for me to leave, and leave behind the life I once lived.

 As I sit here alone in the garden where I and Aragorn spent much time enjoying and relaxing in I can now truly understand the words of my father after I had told him of my choice. "Even if Aragorn is made King and all that you wish for comes true, you will still feel the bitter taste of mortally. May it either be by the sword or by the bitterness of mortality Aragorn will die. But you, my daughter will live on, shrouded in grief and pain until the dying of the earth you will remain alone until the long years of your life are utterly spent."

 But father I have made my choice and I was glad I made such away. If I had chosen to sail away like you tried to make me I would not be here, a mother to three beautiful children, and the wife to a man I love dearly even in death I still love him.

I made my choice, father, but now…now I am alone.

 No one could possibly understand me, no one has taken the path I have chosen for someone they love and have explained why they felt so compassioned to remain behind to watch those around you die.

 A young child's laugher rang shrilly through the air and broke my depressing thoughts and I watched them chase each other around the gardens, two small boys filled with so much laughter and joy, innocence and beauty. A smile touches my lips as they leap on each other and wrestle upon the ground still laughing merrily. The time when my children were that young seemed like only yesterday to me, they have grown up quickly to be the adults they are now, strong, brave and understanding. They would make good rulers in the future. My oldest has the biggest challenge of all of carrying on where Aragorn left off, leading in his wake to be as strong and as fair as his father.

 I have no doubt that they would have difficulties following his legacy, but somewhere inside of me I can fell a change as I stare around the gardens I once loved.

 I feel nothing now, only grief and pain. Nothing seems to capture the light that I once saw anymore. Even the two boys playing close by seemed to have stopped laughing.

 I can see myself seating here, right on this very bench in the future, where the city has fallen into disrepair and the streets are empty. I can see myself gently touching with caring and gently hands the grave of my husband when the world is about to break, my fathers words mocking me.

Shaking the image from my head I stand and sigh.

The time has come. I can no longer stay here, I must leave for grief eats me and I will never be able to recover from it for whenever I would look at my children I would see him, smiling from beneath their eyes and skin. I will never be able to let him go if I stay here.

 I will never regret my decision to stay behind as I have live a long and full life with the man I loved dearly, but it has left me empty inside, the pain from his loss will never leave me.

 I must leave and move my pain and grief away from this city where still much happy life lives here, the longer I stay the dampened that happy and life filled atmosphere would die.

 I will take with me no supplies or luggage as I do not plan to return from my journey. But before I leave there is just one more, painful thing to do – say goodbye to my children.