Part 2

My soft shoes make no noise as I enter the throne room where my husband and I once sat, but now where my son and eldest daughter now sits. They polite nod their heads to me as I near. Feeling some what pressurised and ashamed I kneel before them and can hear they disapproval.

"Mother," my son whispers, "you do not have kneel" he hisses, but I take no notice.

"It does not matter now" I reply, "I must speak with you all".

Out from the shadows slips my youngest and she kneels beside me, watching me keenly, her hand in mine. The room falls silent, even the bustle of the streets below are muffled, everyone seems to holding their breath waiting for all hell to break loose. Or perhaps they already know what I am about to say? Either way I must say it, they should hear it from my mouth not another.

I take a deep breath and I begin, "You know of the choice I made to be here." I start with some difficultly, "You know why I made my choice"

They nod.

"Now that I have given up all that I have known for him, there is nothing left here for me to embrace." I look from their sad faces to another. "When I look at you I can see the love we shared in your eyes and I cannot face another day of my life without him. I love you all drearily but –"

"We understand, mother" my son gently whispered placing a comforting hand upon my cheek and rubbed away my tears. "We understand and somehow knew this would happen. You choice to stay to be with him, and now that he is gone you cannot let go of the love you two shared." he said. "We will not stop you if you decide to leave."

I looked up to their faces in disbelief as I believed they would beg and pled with me to stay, but instead they returned faces of soft understanding and comfort.

"We only want what is best for you, and if leaving Minas Tirith is better for you then go" my eldest daughter said. "You have seen how well you and father have bought us up, we can mange on our own. We have many good reliable friends that would only be willing to help us if we run into difficulties."

I nod my tearful head, my children indeed have many good connections with some of my husbands friends such as the few remaining Elves of Mirkwood and the Dwarves of the north plus their own friends they have made through the life time.

Suddenly I feel safe knowing that my children once young and helpless are mature and sensible, wise and strong as a family even without me I am touched to hear they would do anything to make me happy and where prepared to live the rest of their life time alone without me.

One by one I kiss them goodbye and give each of them a message of good luck and of fortune.

To my youngest I kiss her upon the forehead, still holding her hand and I say to her: "Hold onto the stars my little one, and cling onto your dreams. Work hard and always be polite and one day you will reach them. Be strong for me" A tear slipped down her check and I wipe it away kissing her again and letting her hand slip from my grip. As I move away I can feel her straighten herself and immediately take on what I have said.

I move to my eldest daughter and kiss her upon her checks and I say: "Look after your brother and sister; control that flare and you will go far. Always look about you and you will find what you are looking for" I watch masking a slight smile as her brow winkles into a frown.

And finally to my only son and kiss him gently and say: "Let your heart and mind rule you not your sense of power, be reasonable and fair to all, and always remember what you father has taught you". With his eyes watering he leant forward and returned my kiss muttering: "Namaarie, atara(1)"

Slowly we part and again I turn to all three of my children for the last time, and with a wave of my hand I turn to leave and set forth from the Kingdom that I once lived with the love of my live on my journey that I will not return from.

(1)Farwell, mother