DISCLAIMER: Nope, don't own anything! All credit for the character's/places etc. goes to the brilliant JRR Tolkien.
AUTHORS NOTE: Though I am including some of the 'final words' which [in my mind] passed between Arwen and Elrond, I thought it only right to have much of it remain unsaid. Theirs was a very private farewell...and I tried to retain some of that privacy...I didn't say everything I wanted too.
Once again, thank you ALL for reviewing and reading. I hope you like it, and if you don't..feel free to tell me that!^_^
Chapter Eight- Bitter Goodbye's
At last the days of celebration drew to a close, and a great company set out north, bearing the wain of Theoden. It was a long journey, but they made their way slowly through Rohan until they came at last to Edoras and the king was laid to rest in the green Barrowfields.
That night was a great feast, but the mood was solemn in memory of the beloved king, and little more than a glance passed between the two elves; Arwen and Legolas.
The last weeks had worn sorely on the new queen, and Legolas often saw the sheen of tears in her eyes. Aragorn did not understand. Legolas did. It was impossible for a mortal man, great and wise though he might be, to comprehend the sadness of a parting such as the one approaching. For Arwen sensed that these were her last days among her people, and she was quiet with her distress and bitterness. Every night she stood alone - as the riding company set up camp - among the trees, and gazed at the stars for long hours before silently coming to her husband and curling tight against him, as if grasping at the threads of life itself.
These things Legolas saw, his keen elvish eyes following the Evenstar and sharing in her pain, for he, too, felt the agony of losing his father and best friends. Sometimes he would move softly through the woods himself, instinctively knowing where she stood, and he would come and lean on a tree not far from her, and she would be comforted. No words were passed then, for no words were needed. And when she finally said good-bye to her twin brothers, who she had always been close too, he was there to share the burden. Legolas' stony defences were stronger than ever; how he longed to leave with Elrohir and Elladan, to journey the wood lands and plains one last time, to imprint the sound of their laughter in his mind forever. But they were gone, and so he comforted Arwen and hid his own pain.
Finally, when the long days of summer had passed, and the first chill of fall was in the air, the night came when the rest of the elves would pass from Middle-Earth. Legolas caught the subtle glance that passed between the two elves; father and daughter. Like wisps of cloud they moved away from the crowd, unseen, and together they walked far into the hills yonder, until even the eyes of Legolas could not find them.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
For the longest time they were silent, and they merely stood and stared at one another, the moonlight striking the two dark heads eerily.
Never had Arwen seen Elrond as stricken as he was then, not even when his wife had sailed to the west. His eyes glittered fiercely, and when he spoke at last, is normally steady voice was choked with emotion.
'So this is it, then?' The words were so simply put, so deeply sorrowful, that Arwen turned away to let her tears fall. How they burned. She tried to shut out the injured voice of her father, but his words cut her deeply, and as much as she tried not to hear them, they pulled at her heart in their sincerity and hurt.
'At last the Twilight dims and the star flickers and goes out,' he mused, almost to himself. 'Would you wish to fade among mortals? None of them will be there to help you bear the burden. Death was once called the gift of Men, but for you it shall always be a curse. For the star does not die quickly. It's fate is to linger in the growing darkness, long after it grows weary and its light is gone. So shall it be with you, daughter. Alas! That I should see this day.'
Arwen could stifle her sobs no longer; her knees weakened and buckled and she collapsed, feeling the warmth of her fathers hands before she hit the ground.
'Do you care nothing for your people?' Arwen struggled to respond, but before she could her father spoke again; he had abandoned pleading the elven peoples case. Now he begged for himself. 'Please don't leave me, Arwen,' he whispered bleakly in the night, and the natural sounds around them quieted to listen to this last exchange.
'It is already done,' Arwen said softly, at last turning to gaze into her fathers silvery eyes. 'I chose a mortal life, bitter though it may be. I have lived long, father, nearly 3000 years, and I feel my burden heavily. Don't make this harder than it already is. It is over.'
Elrond's own cheeks glistened with tears now, and he stroked his only daughters cheek and thought he would never be whole again. 'Surely not...you are the Evenstar. Surely they would still accept you, should you come. Please Arwen.' Arwen's head was bowed and she stared at the cold ground and hated it, wondered how something could be so cruel.
'Don't.' She said nothing more, but he knew she was truly lost to them. He had known so many years ago, as much as he had denied it, when Arwen had first laid eyes on the Ranger Aragorn. He had known. Abandoning the fight, he wrapped his strong arms around her and sucked in her scent that one last time, and they stood like that for long hours, and wept, and spoke soft words of endless love, and the stars cried out their silent song of agony to the heavens to see such a parting.
When at last the first fingers of day stretched in the east, the two of them spoke their final words, and went their separate ways, and each took a little of each other, for they shared the unbreakable bond of blood. Arwen could hear her fathers voice, as she walked blindly through her tears, rise in a heartbreaking lament that tore at her very soul. Years and years later the aching melody would linger in her mind.
Even the mortals could feel the pain that suffocated the air that night; even they sensed something was amiss. But only Arwen and Legolas felt the true blow of the elvish leave. Only they, and the earth itself, which shuddered and wept along with everything else in its bitter ageless way, knowing that the ancients were leaving.
Arwen did not go to her husband that early morning, to find comfort in his warm embrace. Instead she waited on the edge of the wood where they were camped, and sure enough, the lithe figure with his shining hair and pale face found her. As ever, no words were shared, but they went to one another and embraced in the shadow of the trees. The clung together like a life line as they felt their people depart. They clung together until the sun rose high and the much-reduced camp waited for the queen to return from wherever she had gone. They clung together, and the earth and sky fell silent.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
AUTHORS NOTES: This chapter I've been wanting to write for AGES. I always thought the last moments between Elrond and Arwen would be utterly heartbreaking, and that the very earth itself would cry when the elves, fairest of all beings, left their shores. Thus, I wrote this. But the bitterness is only beginning! *cackles evilly*
Please review! Good, bad and ugly review welcome.
AUTHORS NOTE: Though I am including some of the 'final words' which [in my mind] passed between Arwen and Elrond, I thought it only right to have much of it remain unsaid. Theirs was a very private farewell...and I tried to retain some of that privacy...I didn't say everything I wanted too.
Once again, thank you ALL for reviewing and reading. I hope you like it, and if you don't..feel free to tell me that!^_^
Chapter Eight- Bitter Goodbye's
At last the days of celebration drew to a close, and a great company set out north, bearing the wain of Theoden. It was a long journey, but they made their way slowly through Rohan until they came at last to Edoras and the king was laid to rest in the green Barrowfields.
That night was a great feast, but the mood was solemn in memory of the beloved king, and little more than a glance passed between the two elves; Arwen and Legolas.
The last weeks had worn sorely on the new queen, and Legolas often saw the sheen of tears in her eyes. Aragorn did not understand. Legolas did. It was impossible for a mortal man, great and wise though he might be, to comprehend the sadness of a parting such as the one approaching. For Arwen sensed that these were her last days among her people, and she was quiet with her distress and bitterness. Every night she stood alone - as the riding company set up camp - among the trees, and gazed at the stars for long hours before silently coming to her husband and curling tight against him, as if grasping at the threads of life itself.
These things Legolas saw, his keen elvish eyes following the Evenstar and sharing in her pain, for he, too, felt the agony of losing his father and best friends. Sometimes he would move softly through the woods himself, instinctively knowing where she stood, and he would come and lean on a tree not far from her, and she would be comforted. No words were passed then, for no words were needed. And when she finally said good-bye to her twin brothers, who she had always been close too, he was there to share the burden. Legolas' stony defences were stronger than ever; how he longed to leave with Elrohir and Elladan, to journey the wood lands and plains one last time, to imprint the sound of their laughter in his mind forever. But they were gone, and so he comforted Arwen and hid his own pain.
Finally, when the long days of summer had passed, and the first chill of fall was in the air, the night came when the rest of the elves would pass from Middle-Earth. Legolas caught the subtle glance that passed between the two elves; father and daughter. Like wisps of cloud they moved away from the crowd, unseen, and together they walked far into the hills yonder, until even the eyes of Legolas could not find them.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
For the longest time they were silent, and they merely stood and stared at one another, the moonlight striking the two dark heads eerily.
Never had Arwen seen Elrond as stricken as he was then, not even when his wife had sailed to the west. His eyes glittered fiercely, and when he spoke at last, is normally steady voice was choked with emotion.
'So this is it, then?' The words were so simply put, so deeply sorrowful, that Arwen turned away to let her tears fall. How they burned. She tried to shut out the injured voice of her father, but his words cut her deeply, and as much as she tried not to hear them, they pulled at her heart in their sincerity and hurt.
'At last the Twilight dims and the star flickers and goes out,' he mused, almost to himself. 'Would you wish to fade among mortals? None of them will be there to help you bear the burden. Death was once called the gift of Men, but for you it shall always be a curse. For the star does not die quickly. It's fate is to linger in the growing darkness, long after it grows weary and its light is gone. So shall it be with you, daughter. Alas! That I should see this day.'
Arwen could stifle her sobs no longer; her knees weakened and buckled and she collapsed, feeling the warmth of her fathers hands before she hit the ground.
'Do you care nothing for your people?' Arwen struggled to respond, but before she could her father spoke again; he had abandoned pleading the elven peoples case. Now he begged for himself. 'Please don't leave me, Arwen,' he whispered bleakly in the night, and the natural sounds around them quieted to listen to this last exchange.
'It is already done,' Arwen said softly, at last turning to gaze into her fathers silvery eyes. 'I chose a mortal life, bitter though it may be. I have lived long, father, nearly 3000 years, and I feel my burden heavily. Don't make this harder than it already is. It is over.'
Elrond's own cheeks glistened with tears now, and he stroked his only daughters cheek and thought he would never be whole again. 'Surely not...you are the Evenstar. Surely they would still accept you, should you come. Please Arwen.' Arwen's head was bowed and she stared at the cold ground and hated it, wondered how something could be so cruel.
'Don't.' She said nothing more, but he knew she was truly lost to them. He had known so many years ago, as much as he had denied it, when Arwen had first laid eyes on the Ranger Aragorn. He had known. Abandoning the fight, he wrapped his strong arms around her and sucked in her scent that one last time, and they stood like that for long hours, and wept, and spoke soft words of endless love, and the stars cried out their silent song of agony to the heavens to see such a parting.
When at last the first fingers of day stretched in the east, the two of them spoke their final words, and went their separate ways, and each took a little of each other, for they shared the unbreakable bond of blood. Arwen could hear her fathers voice, as she walked blindly through her tears, rise in a heartbreaking lament that tore at her very soul. Years and years later the aching melody would linger in her mind.
Even the mortals could feel the pain that suffocated the air that night; even they sensed something was amiss. But only Arwen and Legolas felt the true blow of the elvish leave. Only they, and the earth itself, which shuddered and wept along with everything else in its bitter ageless way, knowing that the ancients were leaving.
Arwen did not go to her husband that early morning, to find comfort in his warm embrace. Instead she waited on the edge of the wood where they were camped, and sure enough, the lithe figure with his shining hair and pale face found her. As ever, no words were shared, but they went to one another and embraced in the shadow of the trees. The clung together like a life line as they felt their people depart. They clung together until the sun rose high and the much-reduced camp waited for the queen to return from wherever she had gone. They clung together, and the earth and sky fell silent.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
AUTHORS NOTES: This chapter I've been wanting to write for AGES. I always thought the last moments between Elrond and Arwen would be utterly heartbreaking, and that the very earth itself would cry when the elves, fairest of all beings, left their shores. Thus, I wrote this. But the bitterness is only beginning! *cackles evilly*
Please review! Good, bad and ugly review welcome.