Author's Note: Sorry about the last chapter, it really is too short and I think that when I am finished with this story I may go back and add more to it, but as of now I'm moving forward, and this chapter will be longer. (Dialogue is in part from 'The Tale of Aragorn and Arwen' in the appendices of the third book, however only a few lines are from this. It shouldn't be hard to tell the difference.) As always, keep the reviews coming and any suggestions/comments whatever can be e-mailed to me. Enjoy! :D
Disclaimer: Three words: I own nothing.
"The light of her eyes was quenched and it seemed to her people that she had become cold and grey." (III. 344)
CHAPTER FIVE
Being here, in this country where I dwelt for so many years in peace comforts me as of now; as much as it can. There lie within this soil memories, and I remember when Aragorn and I met, and I fell in love with him. We had met some years previous to that in the gardens of my father, in Rivendell. Then he was but a boy of twenty, recently told of his great heritage and I smiled to think that he worshipped me. He seemed but a young sapling and I was an ancient mallorn, thousands of years old. He spoke with my father, and it was then foreseen that this was to be my doom as it was that of Lúthien in ages past. At that moment, however, I merely laughed at his youthful love, thinking that it would dissipate with time and he would soon forget about me and find a human woman to set his sights on. How wrong was I and how careless that I could laugh away his love for me as though it was nothing.
It was underneath these trees that, when Aragorn was forty-nine years old, he rested from the trials that he had undertaken during the previous years. Galadriel had clothed him in silver and white; elven clothing so that when I laid my eyes upon him I though him to be an elf-lord rather than a man. He had picked the flower elanor for me and his arms were full of it as he walked toward me under those ancient trees. It was at this moment when I knew that the love of this man could no longer be laughed off, and neither could mine for him. The stroke had fallen and my doom was set in place. I could not turn from it.
"My Lady Arwen." Aragorn bowed and a faint blush settled over his weather beaten face. "Thy years have yet to change thee and you are as lovely as you were when first I lay my eyes upon you."
"The passing of time does little to my kind, Aragorn, lest it saddens us, for each moment passed is one closer to the time when we must forsake our beloved forests and these shores and sail west."
"The years do seem to have quelled your laughter and I think it grievous not to hear it, if I may be as bold to say so." He appeared very uncertain as to how to speak with me and took it upon myself to ease his discomfort.
"Say what it is that is on your mind, for I know that these years hath made me grave. I feel that the evil long kept silent is stirring and that the time of my people here is ending. I do not know yet if I shall be accompanying my father on this final voyage."
"You have bid me to speak and that I shall. I will say that until I saw thee I did not know beauty and since my travels I still must say that you are the fairest of all living things. I say also that I love thee, as I am certain you know, and I beg you not to laugh at me for it." With this he bowed his head and my heart filled with tenderness. Lifting his chin with my hand I said to him:
"Estel as you were called of old, I do not laugh in the face of thy love. These years have given thee wisdom and courage and depth. While once perhaps you were childlike in your emotions, you are no longer. Let us walk for a spell and not discuss the shadow which has fallen on this land. Tonight let us know happiness and comfort in each other's presence. Will you honour me with thy company?" My eyes searched his face for an answer.
"Aye, that I shall bit I feel that it is my honour to be in such company that you give me. I fear that I am not worthy of it."
"Fear not. We shall each honour the other with our friendship and let us leave it at that." Long that season did we walk amongst the trees, talking of many subjects save the one that was perhaps the most important. And I fell more deeply in love with this man of the line of kings and it is my belief that in those days he also let go the last of his early worship and began to truly love me as an equal, until at last we found ourselves standing in the heart of that forest kingdom; where I rest as of now, the hill of Cerin Amroth. It was there that our love was proclaimed in words plain for all to hear.
"These days have brought light to my heart when it was beginning to quail. Yes, dark does waken, but it will not conquer. Dark is the Shadow, and yet my heart rejoices; for you, Estel, shall be among those whose valour will destroy it."
"These days too have brought light and happiness into my shadowed mind, for in your company have I found the true meaning of love. But what you say of the Shadow, Alas! I cannot foresee it, and how it may come to pass is hidden from me. Yet with your hope I will hope. And the Shadow I utterly reject. But neither, lady, is the Twilight for me; for I am mortal, and if you will cleave to me, Evenstar, then the twilight you must also renounce."
I stood there still, as though frost had come and frozen me. What of my father and of my people? What of my beloved mother waiting across the sea to see me once more? Could I renounce my immortality, my people and my peace for this man? Long were my days amongst the Elves and would I forsake them for one man? I looked to the west, then looked to his grey eyes and I knew the answer. "I will cleave to you, Dúnadan, and turn from the Twilight. Yet there lies the land of my people and the long home of all my kin. Dearly do I love he who is my father, and I am loath to leave him, but my heart tells me that I love you, and for that love I do choose a mortal life." A single tear fell from my cheek, for though my heart rejoiced to have found love it also broke to leave my father.
"My lady, Arwen, vanimelda, I love you and I too am loath to force you to diminish your life's grace for my humble person. I do now ask of you, in all honesty, are you certain of you choice?"
"That I am, but whichever path I now choose will have a bitter end. I f I leave these shores and my love for you to be naught more than memory, I will regret that choice until the end of my days. Likewise, if I leave my father and my immortality, the end will still be bitter. I am certain, Aragorn, do not doubt that. This is my choice." The bitter end. How true that was, although at that time I did not know how bitter it would be. But with my words he took me in his arms and kissed me, and there would be no escape from the fate that I now held myself to.
When my father learned of my choice he wept, but he knew that by his sacrifice, by my sacrifice, the glory of men could be restored, and the line of Elendil given new splendor with the blood of the Eldar. He warned Aragorn, however, that to me at the end it would be hard indeed, though our joy and love would be great for a time.
It was still many years from that Midsummer's Eve on Cerin Amroth before we were wed, again on Midsummer, at Gondor with all the magnificence befitting the marriage of a King. And it was at this time when I bid my final farewell to my father, Elrond, until at last the sea separated us forever, and I was left alone with my beloved, and my doom, which I live out now. Alas that what began in such joy should end in such sorrow, for still do I wonder if my choice was the right one, and if given a chance to rejoin my people, would I? It is not until these doubts are put to rest that I will be at peace within, and as of late I do not know if they will ever be established. I have all the time to wait, however, under these trees for many years still, for my heart still weeps.
Disclaimer: Three words: I own nothing.
"The light of her eyes was quenched and it seemed to her people that she had become cold and grey." (III. 344)
CHAPTER FIVE
Being here, in this country where I dwelt for so many years in peace comforts me as of now; as much as it can. There lie within this soil memories, and I remember when Aragorn and I met, and I fell in love with him. We had met some years previous to that in the gardens of my father, in Rivendell. Then he was but a boy of twenty, recently told of his great heritage and I smiled to think that he worshipped me. He seemed but a young sapling and I was an ancient mallorn, thousands of years old. He spoke with my father, and it was then foreseen that this was to be my doom as it was that of Lúthien in ages past. At that moment, however, I merely laughed at his youthful love, thinking that it would dissipate with time and he would soon forget about me and find a human woman to set his sights on. How wrong was I and how careless that I could laugh away his love for me as though it was nothing.
It was underneath these trees that, when Aragorn was forty-nine years old, he rested from the trials that he had undertaken during the previous years. Galadriel had clothed him in silver and white; elven clothing so that when I laid my eyes upon him I though him to be an elf-lord rather than a man. He had picked the flower elanor for me and his arms were full of it as he walked toward me under those ancient trees. It was at this moment when I knew that the love of this man could no longer be laughed off, and neither could mine for him. The stroke had fallen and my doom was set in place. I could not turn from it.
"My Lady Arwen." Aragorn bowed and a faint blush settled over his weather beaten face. "Thy years have yet to change thee and you are as lovely as you were when first I lay my eyes upon you."
"The passing of time does little to my kind, Aragorn, lest it saddens us, for each moment passed is one closer to the time when we must forsake our beloved forests and these shores and sail west."
"The years do seem to have quelled your laughter and I think it grievous not to hear it, if I may be as bold to say so." He appeared very uncertain as to how to speak with me and took it upon myself to ease his discomfort.
"Say what it is that is on your mind, for I know that these years hath made me grave. I feel that the evil long kept silent is stirring and that the time of my people here is ending. I do not know yet if I shall be accompanying my father on this final voyage."
"You have bid me to speak and that I shall. I will say that until I saw thee I did not know beauty and since my travels I still must say that you are the fairest of all living things. I say also that I love thee, as I am certain you know, and I beg you not to laugh at me for it." With this he bowed his head and my heart filled with tenderness. Lifting his chin with my hand I said to him:
"Estel as you were called of old, I do not laugh in the face of thy love. These years have given thee wisdom and courage and depth. While once perhaps you were childlike in your emotions, you are no longer. Let us walk for a spell and not discuss the shadow which has fallen on this land. Tonight let us know happiness and comfort in each other's presence. Will you honour me with thy company?" My eyes searched his face for an answer.
"Aye, that I shall bit I feel that it is my honour to be in such company that you give me. I fear that I am not worthy of it."
"Fear not. We shall each honour the other with our friendship and let us leave it at that." Long that season did we walk amongst the trees, talking of many subjects save the one that was perhaps the most important. And I fell more deeply in love with this man of the line of kings and it is my belief that in those days he also let go the last of his early worship and began to truly love me as an equal, until at last we found ourselves standing in the heart of that forest kingdom; where I rest as of now, the hill of Cerin Amroth. It was there that our love was proclaimed in words plain for all to hear.
"These days have brought light to my heart when it was beginning to quail. Yes, dark does waken, but it will not conquer. Dark is the Shadow, and yet my heart rejoices; for you, Estel, shall be among those whose valour will destroy it."
"These days too have brought light and happiness into my shadowed mind, for in your company have I found the true meaning of love. But what you say of the Shadow, Alas! I cannot foresee it, and how it may come to pass is hidden from me. Yet with your hope I will hope. And the Shadow I utterly reject. But neither, lady, is the Twilight for me; for I am mortal, and if you will cleave to me, Evenstar, then the twilight you must also renounce."
I stood there still, as though frost had come and frozen me. What of my father and of my people? What of my beloved mother waiting across the sea to see me once more? Could I renounce my immortality, my people and my peace for this man? Long were my days amongst the Elves and would I forsake them for one man? I looked to the west, then looked to his grey eyes and I knew the answer. "I will cleave to you, Dúnadan, and turn from the Twilight. Yet there lies the land of my people and the long home of all my kin. Dearly do I love he who is my father, and I am loath to leave him, but my heart tells me that I love you, and for that love I do choose a mortal life." A single tear fell from my cheek, for though my heart rejoiced to have found love it also broke to leave my father.
"My lady, Arwen, vanimelda, I love you and I too am loath to force you to diminish your life's grace for my humble person. I do now ask of you, in all honesty, are you certain of you choice?"
"That I am, but whichever path I now choose will have a bitter end. I f I leave these shores and my love for you to be naught more than memory, I will regret that choice until the end of my days. Likewise, if I leave my father and my immortality, the end will still be bitter. I am certain, Aragorn, do not doubt that. This is my choice." The bitter end. How true that was, although at that time I did not know how bitter it would be. But with my words he took me in his arms and kissed me, and there would be no escape from the fate that I now held myself to.
When my father learned of my choice he wept, but he knew that by his sacrifice, by my sacrifice, the glory of men could be restored, and the line of Elendil given new splendor with the blood of the Eldar. He warned Aragorn, however, that to me at the end it would be hard indeed, though our joy and love would be great for a time.
It was still many years from that Midsummer's Eve on Cerin Amroth before we were wed, again on Midsummer, at Gondor with all the magnificence befitting the marriage of a King. And it was at this time when I bid my final farewell to my father, Elrond, until at last the sea separated us forever, and I was left alone with my beloved, and my doom, which I live out now. Alas that what began in such joy should end in such sorrow, for still do I wonder if my choice was the right one, and if given a chance to rejoin my people, would I? It is not until these doubts are put to rest that I will be at peace within, and as of late I do not know if they will ever be established. I have all the time to wait, however, under these trees for many years still, for my heart still weeps.