5. Star-water

Arwen breathed out slowly and opened her eyes. She was sitting cross-legged on the floorboards of her flet, her head bowed over a tiny flame she held in cup of her hands. There was no other light; she had blown out her lanterns and had been sitting in the gloom now for some time, waiting and praying.

"Hold on for me, Estel," she murmured. Then she heaved a sigh, wishing Aragorn could hear her, but knowing the bitter truth. Well, she thought in minor consolation, may the Valar light your way, even if it is with the smallest of candles. She had no idea that the prayer had been far closer to the truth than she would ever know. She blew out the candle.

She wished that Ilúvatar would keep Aragorn safe and help her on her journey to him. She was not naïve and she knew her journey would not be straightforward. They would be departing very soon, once Celeborn had found her three elves who could take her over the mountains. In the meantime, though, Arwen had one last important thing to do.

Resting the candle on the floor, she next picked up a soft bundle by her side. Standing up, its body fell from her fingers, but it was hidden in the nightshade. There was a large bowl of water on the windowsill, into which starlight fell from the dark sky, between the leaves of the towering mallorn trees. It shimmered beautifully, the very light seeming to ripple the surface and reveal a silvery white glow from within the clear liquid. Arwen drew near.

She smiled and thought of what she was to do. She held the material in the shaft of light. It was a dark cloak, which was long enough to completely cover her body, right down to the floor, and it also had a hood which when worn descended over her entire face, and no one could see through…

Arwen folded the cloak and carefully brought the brimming water-bowl into the centre of the white light. She waited until the water stilled and then closed her eyes.

Her purpose was to create star-water, a secret elven enchantment. Only her kindred could make it, and no other race knew about it. She had not done magic of this kind before, but she remembered her friend and guard Kelmeleth had once mentioned to her about the power of star-water. She could not quite recollect what it could do, and only a few days before she had asked him about it again.

Kelmeleth often liked talking to Arwen and she enjoyed his company too. He was always pleased to help her in any way he could, and he always would comfort her if she was succumbing to despair. She had not revealed to many people about her choice to bind herself to Aragorn's heart, for fear that Elrond or Galadriel would find out and ensure that she would never encounter him again. But she did trust Kelmeleth, who she was close to in Lorien, and she had betrayed to him some degree of her feelings for Aragorn. He had listened to her carefully and showed understanding rather than scorn, and had never once doubted the depth of her love. While all other elves who had an inkling of her position were saddened and tried repeatedly to dissuade her to save her immortality, Kelmeleth was the only one who would stay her tears and remind her of the happy times she would one day share with Aragorn.

And Kelmeleth had taught her about star-water, inadvertently inspiring her to pursue Aragorn on this occasion. She brought back his words from her memory.

"You wish to make star-water Arwen? What for? I wonder! But no, do not fear… I will tell you…

"You need clean, clear water, in a worthy vessel. You must have full starlight shining down on it, and no other light, mind you, or this will not work. A faint pearly shimmer should be in the water, sifting itself through the liquid; but remember it is not real, in actual substance form – able to be touched. But you will see it. Do not disturb the water, or the starlight within will fade.

"And most importantly, Arwen - without this star-water would never come to be - you need the breath of an immortal to be blown onto it. Stars like crystals will appear where the warm breath settled, and from them, silver swirling mists will form. When they finally part, you will see the floating stars fall down and forever live in the water. In daylight it will shimmer, and at night you will be able to see those tiny pinpricks of pure light within.

"This star-water will do many enchantments for the elf who bears it, but it will never do the same thing twice. But if you have strong hope within you when you breathe into the basin, then maybe, just maybe it will aid you with what you desire.

"For immortal breath is of the highest value in Eä, and the light of the stars is the most beautiful that the elves this side of the Great Sea have ever seen. Thus they have bound themselves together in this magic of the most ancient days.

"Ai! I am so sorry to say my lady, that as you bind yourself more to Aragorn, and the years pass and you share the happiest love, your power in the water will fade, as you will too. I am sorry, Arwen, I really am…"

A cloud of fear settled in Arwen's mind and she hurriedly tried to push it away. She did not want to think of that time… it was, at least for now, far away. But Aragorn was not…!

She lifted her intent eyes up to the twinkling stars way above her. Their light seemed to touch the very cool air in front of her, before seeping through the water at her hands.

Well there it was, glimmering just as Kelmeleth said it should. All that was left was for her to breathe.

She gazed into the watery depths, losing trace of every thought; save one. Help me reach Aragorn, she pleaded, please, cover me with your mists, hide me from unfriendly eyes, let me fade into the night.

She took a breath of fresh air, Please, hide me in twilight, so I may love my Aragorn… please… And she breathed out.

Arwen watched, transfixed, at her warm breath shivering through the cool night air. It seemed to hover just above the surface of the water for a few seconds before dipping inwards. Ripples began to run out towards the rim of the bowl and strange clouds like the depth of nightshade fell down and glided round in circles, quickly but gracefully, concealing any movement from within. They spun faster and faster, and more waves spread out from the smooth imprint floating on the top.

Arwen leant over the water, as close as she could with out touching the water. She searched this way and that, straining to see what might be happening inside. The haze was becoming more and more confusing, constantly shifting over the small gaps to the region of clear water, flicking its colours between navy blue and pale silver, as if trying to mesmerise her. The speed was considerably more now, and the film it acted as was thicker than any sea-fog had ever been. It seemed impossible that anything would be revealed at all.

Then just as Arwen was about to draw away, the mist slowed down calmly and faded out of all existence. Then it appeared as if silver rain was sprinkling the bowl of water, and Arwen looked up curiously, to find that tiny stars were falling down like handfuls of glitter from the bright stars so far away in the sky.

She was amazed, and blinked a few times to check that it really was true. Still stunned, she slowly lifted up a cupped hand and reached into the shower. A single star fell onto her first finger and vanished. Arwen felt a soft tingling sensation and she examined her fingertip. The star had left no visible trace, but as she touched it she felt a rush soar from that finger through her veins to the rest of her body, as if she was suddenly empowered. The feeling was exhilarating.

With a smile playing on her lips Arwen now looked at the water. And as the veil of stars fell away, she felt all breath taken from inside her. For there in the bowl were the most beautiful stars she knew.

They shone very brightly – fresh from the starry heavens – and subtly lit up the whole vessel of water. Creamy streams drifted like small lanes, the stars like tiny houses – villages of light living within her own water. For sure this was elven magic. A soft wind blew through the window and made the water tremble. The silver lights flashed on and off, winking at Arwen above them.

Arwen smiled broadly now – she was so happy that she had made her star-water, yet at the same time she could barely believe it. With the adrenaline coursing through her body she picked up her cloak, pressing the velvety material between her fingers. Then she carefully lowered it onto the star-water, and let it slip beneath the surface until it sank in altogether.

The cloth wavered in the motion of the liquid and then settled at the bottom. Arwen did not know what would happen, but she guessed that she would see some sort of change in the star-water.

She rested her head in her hand, leaning on the window sill so she could stare down at the silvery water, but no matter how keenly she looked or how long she waited… nothing happened.

Arwen wondered if the star-water did indeed have any properties save exceptional beauty. She stirred and dipped her hands into the cool water; her patience had run out.

Her fingers closed around the wet cloak and she pulled it slowly out to hold it over the bowl and allow much of the water to drain off. As the drips receded, she turned it round to hold it up the right way. But to her shock she found that the material was already completely dry.

She caught her breath and ran to another window so that she could hold it without the cloak falling in the star-water. Indeed there was no trail of water left and this bewildered Arwen greatly. What sort of power was this?

Suddenly something glistened momentarily, but it caught Arwen's eyes. She peered at the deep blue cloak, trying to find what it was she had noticed. It had vanished as quickly as it had appeared, and there was no trace of it left on the patch of the cloak where she had thought she had seen it.

It was then that she noticed something in the very thread of the cloak. Instead of just being a dark navy blue colour, it seemed to be flowing with liquid, as if it was being held in a river at twilight. If she moved the material slightly, ripples seemed to run along the strands weaved together, and the tiny wave peaks were caught in some strange soft light.

And as Arwen held it in front of her, wondering whether she could still see the water inside, she realised that there were very small dots of white on the cloak, as small as the stars up in the midnight sky. They would flash and fade, and then re-shine somewhere else in another thread, altogether giving her cloak a fair and mystical appearance.

Arwen smiled and hugged the soft cloak to her chest. This was her cloak of twilight, and it was sent to her from the Valar so that she could at last follow her Aragorn in secret.