CH XII. The end of Eden
The day had now come and all the Elves marched toward the sea. There, they would leave Middle-Earth, never to return. In Gondir, Undowen sat with her father as all the preparations for the voyage where completed. 'This be my last journey, my dear,' Narond told his daughter. Aregnor framed in the doorway, his eyes switching between father and daughter, unsure of the welcome of his interruption. 'Forgive me lord Narond' He bowed slightly. Narond returned the bow with a slight inclination of his head. Aregnor continued 'Undowen. My people wish to gaze upon the fair beauty of their Queen. If this is not the time, I shall wait.' -'I need not ask you to take care of my daughter?' Narond looked at Aregnor. -'No, sir. I will gratify her every need.' -'Then, you shall go, Undowen, his queen and my star,' Narond told her with a grim look on his face. 'I will miss you much.' -'You will always have a place in my heart, father.' She embraced him and left the room ushered by her husband. All the people of Gondir whistled and acclaimed her as Narond left for the shore with the Elves to walk Middle- Earth's ground one last time.
Her eyes stayed on the proud king's face. Her king. She thought about the time when she first laid eyes on him under the gorgeous silver birch. Aregnor murmured weakly 'Time draws near, my Queen,' closing his eyes again. Undowen rested her head on his chest, the casual spot on his body that she had grown to love. -'Are you in pain?' she asked worried. Aregnor shook his head. -'Only in my heart,' he said trembling. 'My time has now come to allow my son to take my place.' The hoary man continued as he fondled the nape of her neck with his open palm 'Eldarim will thrive and you can sail west, where our love will remain forever green but a memory.' -'No my lord, I have chosen long ago to live the bitterness of mortality. There are no more ships.' The old age left him frail but he continued speaking in an unsteady voice -'You haven't changed a day as I diminish to my death' Heavy with sorrow, she replied -'I will die of loneliness and grief but still to this day as I reflect, 'tis better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all.' Tears welled in her eyes and she held them back as she told her husband 'My father once told me that old love will not be forgotten and to that I hold, endless days may past, I will not forget.' -'Nor will I, Undowen.' 'Nor will I,' he repeated. Aregnor kissed her eyelid brushing his hand down her face. His breathing became more and more shallow at every draw. -'I love you' she told him as she caressed his hair and kissed him. When she parted her lips from his, he succumbed to his sleep. 'No, Aregnor, no!' she shrieked clinging to the lifeless body. Then, gently demurred his leaving, outlining the pendant she had given to him as a reminder of her undying love. She left Gondir to walk under Galadria's aging trees where she faded away alone but in comfort as she reached her king once again in the passing to a next life. He clasped her hand and said 'I hath forgotten to say I love you'. They walked into the light towards a new beginning, nor pain, nor sorrow could separate them.
THE END
AUTHOR'S NOTES: Well, I can only thank you for having taken the time to read.
The day had now come and all the Elves marched toward the sea. There, they would leave Middle-Earth, never to return. In Gondir, Undowen sat with her father as all the preparations for the voyage where completed. 'This be my last journey, my dear,' Narond told his daughter. Aregnor framed in the doorway, his eyes switching between father and daughter, unsure of the welcome of his interruption. 'Forgive me lord Narond' He bowed slightly. Narond returned the bow with a slight inclination of his head. Aregnor continued 'Undowen. My people wish to gaze upon the fair beauty of their Queen. If this is not the time, I shall wait.' -'I need not ask you to take care of my daughter?' Narond looked at Aregnor. -'No, sir. I will gratify her every need.' -'Then, you shall go, Undowen, his queen and my star,' Narond told her with a grim look on his face. 'I will miss you much.' -'You will always have a place in my heart, father.' She embraced him and left the room ushered by her husband. All the people of Gondir whistled and acclaimed her as Narond left for the shore with the Elves to walk Middle- Earth's ground one last time.
Her eyes stayed on the proud king's face. Her king. She thought about the time when she first laid eyes on him under the gorgeous silver birch. Aregnor murmured weakly 'Time draws near, my Queen,' closing his eyes again. Undowen rested her head on his chest, the casual spot on his body that she had grown to love. -'Are you in pain?' she asked worried. Aregnor shook his head. -'Only in my heart,' he said trembling. 'My time has now come to allow my son to take my place.' The hoary man continued as he fondled the nape of her neck with his open palm 'Eldarim will thrive and you can sail west, where our love will remain forever green but a memory.' -'No my lord, I have chosen long ago to live the bitterness of mortality. There are no more ships.' The old age left him frail but he continued speaking in an unsteady voice -'You haven't changed a day as I diminish to my death' Heavy with sorrow, she replied -'I will die of loneliness and grief but still to this day as I reflect, 'tis better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all.' Tears welled in her eyes and she held them back as she told her husband 'My father once told me that old love will not be forgotten and to that I hold, endless days may past, I will not forget.' -'Nor will I, Undowen.' 'Nor will I,' he repeated. Aregnor kissed her eyelid brushing his hand down her face. His breathing became more and more shallow at every draw. -'I love you' she told him as she caressed his hair and kissed him. When she parted her lips from his, he succumbed to his sleep. 'No, Aregnor, no!' she shrieked clinging to the lifeless body. Then, gently demurred his leaving, outlining the pendant she had given to him as a reminder of her undying love. She left Gondir to walk under Galadria's aging trees where she faded away alone but in comfort as she reached her king once again in the passing to a next life. He clasped her hand and said 'I hath forgotten to say I love you'. They walked into the light towards a new beginning, nor pain, nor sorrow could separate them.
THE END
AUTHOR'S NOTES: Well, I can only thank you for having taken the time to read.