.

.

~ Farewell Tour ~

.

When spring arrived the following year she left restorations of the palace to the steward and departed, finally returning to Rivendell where she again found Gandalf, dwelling for a time with Elrond.

From there she and the wizard traveled together for a round of last visits. Over the High Pass and down the Anduin Vale they went, stopping to visit Radagast, and Lorien (where Galadriel and Celeborn gifted her a magnificent tapestry for the northern palace), and Fangorn. Then they were detoured by the watchers of East Fold to visit King Eomer.

On the way to Gondor this time along the East Road they were finally able to turn aside to visit the summit of Halifirien. The Wizard and the Princess reached the stairway late in the afternoon, clearing the way as best they could and reaching the hallowed space of the old kingdom around midnight. They rejoiced to stand there on the top of the great hill, for it did indeed feel like a faint echo of home. There they remained for many hours, as the Wise had done late into the night in Eregion not long before, and the wizard wondered that he had not stopped to visit it before. The two enchanters stayed for the sunrise before finally making their descent again and continuing on.

At last they came again to Minas Tirith, where there was a joyous reunion with King Elessar and others: Queen Arwen, and Prince Faramir and Lady Eowyn who came to visit also. There they also found their old companions Legolas and Gimli dwelling for a time, for they had brought with them many of the kin to help with restoring the city and its gardens.

Gandalf gave the input of his long experience to the king's many questions needing counsel, and Elraen reported all that she had been up to, requesting monies of the treasury with which to supply the dwarves and the Dunadain of the North.

At this the King was pleased, seeing that she was doing well in the North Kingdom, and straight away dispatched a detail bearing a store of treasure by ship. But he was concerned and confused also, for with the cryptic words typically used by Gandalf she hinted that she may not see the end of labors in the north but would say no more. The king wondered at this, but the queen said naught, and he assumed she simply desired to continue traveling the wild lands east of the mountains.

As a parting gift she gave to him the ancient dagger gifted by the dwarves of the Blue Mountains. "May this dagger be a gift to your heir, and be paired with Anduril, together the bane of any enemies who have the ill fortune to face it in battle!"

To Faramir she gave the medallion of Dol Amroth.

"Nay, I cannot accept this, good Princess," he protested. "It was my brother's gift to you."

Elraen smiled. "And now it is my gift to you. I really do not feel right keeping it," she explained. "It is an heirloom, and should remain with your family."

The prince and steward of the south bowed to receive it, and he wondered. For on some level he perceived at least that she knew she was saying goodbye for the last time, but he said no more.

Elraen had indeed longed to venture toward the eastern wilds and persuaded Gandalf to return with her to Rivendell by the long road out of the way. Their former companions Legolas and Gimli decided to join them, to visit with their kin in the north. Heading over through Osgiliath they continued onward up through Ithilien and then old Rhovanion, which was now watched and guarded by a far reaching stretch of the King's men, followed by the Elves of Lothlorien who now held dominion over the southern end of the Great Wood, then the Beornings and Wood Men, the Wood Elves, and lastly the much grown kingdom of Dale. By the safeguards of these realms the route from Gondor to the Lonely Mountain was now far less uncertain, and had also much increased in trade traffic.

Whilst on that road Elraen herself at last had a strange and curious dream. She stood on a fair glittering beach at sunset gazing at grand ships in a harbor, with a beautiful white archway beyond the bay. She turned and walked up a road as the sky dimmed, and came to a wood at the center of the island where she found a gathering of people. It was midsummer, and the stars were out now that evening had come, and the warm air was sweet with the scent of salt and pine and ash trees. Silver lamps hung from the tree boughs, and in their light she came across familiar faces that she had not seen in many years. Suddenly the dawn broke, and she awoke. Elraen lay a long while, gazing at the stars fading against the brightening sky over the broad rolling plains, and wondered.

At last the travelers came to the Long Lake, where they reached Lake Town by the network of boardwalk paths that had been constructed over the marshlands. By the time they reached Dale a crowd of Men and Elves and Dwarves had emerged to greet them.

Oddly enough Elraen couldn't help feel that this area of Middle-earth might actually be her personal favorite - where the inhabitants of Dale were a people in between: not quite as rustic and insular as the Bree-landers, neither yet fiercely war-faring as the Rohirrim nor lofty as the children of the Numenoreans; and the Elves were also closest to their roots here - so mirthful and merry and at peace in the forest among the trees as Ulmo always thought they should remain. As well of course the Kingdom of the Lonely Mountain; here were three peoples, as distinct from each other as wood from glass, with long histories of clashes and wars and distrust among their races, living and working together as friends and neighbors.

"Yes, all it needs now is a settlement of hobbits!" said the Gimli.

The Princess laughed. "Indeed! Perhaps I shall posit the idea to Masters Meriadoc and Peregrin. By your description, Gandalf, their relations seem the most likely to go through the trouble of paying a visit at least."

While they stayed in Dale a short while, they paid a visit to the Dwarves and their kingdom in the Lonely Mountain, where she presented to Gimli and his kin the King Under the Mountain a gift.

"To the kingdom of the kin and people of Gimli the dwarf, I offer you this," she said with a bow, holding out the wand with both hands, "on behalf of King Elessar, in token of a future of peace and friendship."

The Dwarves looked upon it in wonder, mesmerized by its mysterious and breathtaking shine. "It looks like a very valuable and beautiful thing," said the king. 'What is it?"

"It is a piece of Valinor," she replied. "Wrought by Lord Aule himself, or so I've been told," she added, glancing sidelong at Gandalf.

They were touched deeply to be offered such a precious and sacred thing of raw beauty, and all bowed many times in acceptance. Gimli was quite taken aback by the gift, and wondered greatly at her giving it away.

"Alas, my friend, I no longer need it," she told him when he asked about it later. "For much of its power shall go with me. But, may it bless this kingdom and its friends with protection, prosperity, and friendship until the end of days!"

The wand was set carefully in a display box of clear crystal, which was intricately cut so that it cast its shine with a wondrously dazzling sparkle in nearly any level of light near to the shine of the Arkenstone.

And indeed the mountain kingdom and the fields of the Men of Dale and Lake Town enjoyed peace and fair weather and fruitful harvests for many generations afterwards, and the Dwarves who lived there were in an unusually merry and generous mood for many years. But the wand while it kept its shine slowly lost its power, as it was gradually withdrawn to the Undying Realm.

Shortly afterward, the Princess and the Wizard then continued to visit the realm of Thranduil with his son the prince, for the boardwalk paths now continued into the forest, and the dwarves had built good bridges over the rivers and streams. To the king and his people she also gave a gift. Above the halls of the Elvenking Elraen climbed the hill under which his small palace was dug. In the company of her hosts and companions she drew upon the heart of the Earth, and declared the hill hallowed by the gods, with the king's home beneath it. This right away caused a noticeable shift in the air for a good way off, like a gentle wave of goodwill that flowed across the lands, felt even by the River Elves off the edges of the Forest, and the canopy over the hill and the river and the new elf road seemed to open a bit to let through more air and light and allow the king's people to better see the stars at night.

The prince looked at her in wonder and awe and confusion, but could find no words to ask any questions or make any remark. Nor indeed could any of his people, who stood feeling much the same, some of whom had wandered Middle-earth since the days of the Awakening. The Elven king for his part was also quite moved and gave a deep bow. But suddenly in his heart the prince understood at least this much: she would be departing for the West with the wizard and the rest of the Wise. Then the dwarf perceived all this also, and solemnly he asked, "Will we ever see you again?"

Turning to them, she smiled and took a deep breath. Placing a hand on each of two friends' shoulders she replied, "Do not grieve! I think you may indeed."

The two travelers took up the Elves' offer to escort them down the restored road, which they had been quite busy at improving and policing with the help of the wood men and the dwarves. For this Legolas and Gimli also accompanied them as far as the western edge of the forest.

"Farewell for now, dear friends!" she said to them. "It may be a long time yet, but in my heart I believe we will see each other again one day."

The two friends wondered at her words, but with hope and cheer high in their hearts they said no more, and returned to their lives and families across the forest.