The Life of a Ranger.
Chapter 17.
(I don't own the song in this chapter, it's 'Into The West' from 'The Return of the King' film and soundtrack.)
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The Royal Family of Minas Tirith were going about their daily activities with a more subdued air because all anyone could think of was the departure of Elrond, Elladan, Elrohir and Glorfindel the next morning.
Estel was sitting in his study trying to work when there was a knock on the door.
"Come in."
Elrond walked in. "I wanted to talk to you before we leave tomorrow but if you're busy it can wait till later," he said.
"No don't worry, there is nothing here that can not wait a day or two. Would you like a drink?"
"Yes please."
Estel poured two goblets of wine and followed the elf out onto the balcony. They stood together in comfortable silence for a few minutes and then Elrond spoke.
"I have never thanked you," he said softly.
"What for?"
"Before you and your mother arrived into our lives my family was falling apart. Arwen could not bear to stay in Imladris because of the memories of her mother, so she moved to Lothlorien to live with her grandparents. The few occasions she did come back were painful for us all. For Arwen all it did was force the memories she tried so hard to forget, back into the forefront of her mind and reinforce the fact that she had made the right decision going to live in Lothlorien. It was painful for the twins and I because it just reminded us of what we were missing in our lives."
Elrond paused and took a mouthful of wine before carrying on.
"The attack on Celebrian caused Elladan and Elrohir to become reckless. They would ride out for increasingly longer periods of time hunting for orcs with no thought for their own safety. All they could think of was revenge and killing as many orcs as they could. Each time they went out I worried that one or both of them would not come back again and when they did come back I could hardly recognise them as the innocent, carefree boys they had been when their mother was around, they were too filled with blood-lust."
Estel could not help the slight shudder that shook his body and Elrond nodded, understanding how he felt.
"I did all I could to help them but all I could think about was that I had failed all three of them, and Celebrian."
With a sigh Elrond turned to look out across the city. Estel wanted to say something but he was speechless. He had heard about how things had been after Celebrian had sailed West but he had never realised just how bad it had been.
Elrond began to speak again. "Over the years I often considered following Celebrian over the sea, I didn't feel like I had any reason to stay in Middle Earth."
He turned to Estel, and said with a smile, "And then you arrived. Our Estel, our hope. You gave me a reason to stay. You gave my life a purpose and you brought my family back together. I don't know if you remember but the day after you arrived you feel ill. Elladan and Elrohir fell in love with you over those few days and they realised they could not keep risking their lives they way they had been for so many years because you needed them. You made Arwen's visits more frequent and so much happier. And now you have made her indescribably happy which is all a parent can hope for with regards to their children. So thank you Estel, for everything."
Estel was so overwhelmed with the amount of love and pride evident in Elrond's voice that there was silence for a few minutes as he tried to control his emotions, then he spoke, "You give me thanks when I should be thanking you. You took my mother and I in and treated us as part of your own family. When I was sick or injured you looked after me, when other elves treated me unfairly because of my race you made me feel loved and important and when I fell in love with your only daughter you gave me her hand in marriage, even though you knew it would mean losing her forever. I do not know how I can ever thank you enough for that."
"By loving my daughter with every fibre of your being and by treating her as the Princess of both Rivendell and Lothlorien deserves to be treated, which I know you already do."
Elrond took a step towards Estel, placed a hand under his chin and gently pushed Estel's head up so they were looking at each other.
"I'm so proud of you. I'm proud of the person you have become, of all the things you have done and accomplished, of everything. I only wish I could stay and see what you will accomplish now you are King but my time on Middle-Earth is drawing to a close," Elrond said sadly, and by this time they both had tears in their eyes.
"Please don't forget me," Estel said, a lone tear coursing down his cheek.
"Oh Estel," Elrond laughed, tears spilling down his face as well. "I could never forget you. Come here," he held out his arms and Estel almost threw himself into the embrace like he did when he was little.
"There will always be a special place in my heart for you," Elrond whispered.
They lost track of how long they stood, wrapped tightly in each other's arms but eventually they pulled away from each other.
Estel took a deep breath and then said, "We are late for dinner, we should go down."
Elrond kissed Estel's forehead before nodding and following him off the balcony. Estel smiled as he felt his father's strong arm slip lovingly around his shoulders.
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That evening Elrond and Arwen sat alone in one of the Royal families private gardens.
"Are you sure you have made the right decision?" Elrond asked.
"I am sure. Ada, please do not spend the whole of this night trying to persuade me to change my mind. I would not have my last few hours with you be taken up with that, for it would be a waste. I love Aragorn and could not leave him, especially now we have Eldarion, and this one on the way," Arwen said, resting her hand on her stomach.
"I expected that answer," Elrond said, smiling softly. "But I had to check."
They spent the whole night talking about anything and everything, neither one wishing to think of Elrond's imminent departure.
As the first rays of the sun lit up the world Arwen fell silent. When she finally looked up at Elrond he sighed at the tears glittering in her eyes and pulled her into his arms.
"I cannot believe I will never see you again after today," Arwen said, sorrowfully.
Elrond took a deep breath and began to sing in the deep, soothing voice Arwen had not heard since her childhood, when it had been used to calm her down after nightmares,
"Lay downYour sweet and weary head
Night is falling
You have come to journey's end
Sleep now
Dream-of the ones who came before
They are calling
From across a distant shore
Why do you weep?
What are these tears upon your face?
Soon you will see
All of your fears will pass away…
Hope fades
Into the world of night
Through shadows falling
Out of memory and time
Don't say
We have come now to the end
White shores are calling
You and I will meet again
And you'll be here in my arms…"
Arwen turned to him when the song finished and asked, "Do you really believe that? Do you really believe that we will meet again somehow?"
"I must believe it for it is the only thought that will give me enough strength to leave you and Estel today," Elrond said softly.
After that they sat in silence and watched the sunrise and the city of Minas Tirith wake up.
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"Make sure you both come back and visit soon," Arwen said, hugging Elrohir and then Elladan.
"Of course we will," replied Elladan.
"After all someone has to tell your children all the embarrassing stories about you two," added Elrohir.
Elrohir took Eldarion and walked over to Elladan who was checking the horses one last time as Glorfindel and Elrond said their goodbyes.
There were no more words that needed to be said between Elrond and Estel so they simply threw their arms round each other and hugged. Then they turned to Arwen and Glorfindel who were laughing softly although Arwen was crying as well.
Arwen tried to smile as she turned to her father but she could not. He took her face gently in his hands, rested his forehead on hers and spoke words to her that no one else could hear. She never told anyone what it was he said to her.
After giving her one last kiss Elrond got onto his horse and he, Glorfindel, Elladan and Elrohir started to ride out of the gates of Minas Tirith with Arwen and Estel watching, holding each other and Eldarion.
Suddenly Arwen cried, "Wait, please wait," picking an envelope up of the floor and running after them. "Please could you give this to Nana," she said, handing the envelope to Elrond.
"Of course I will, nin tithen loth (my little flower)," he replied, using her childhood nickname for the last time.
Everyone had tears in their eyes as the four elves kicked their horses into a gallop and raced across the plains away from Minas Tirith. Aragorn wrapped his arms around his wife and child and they all gazed at the steadily receding forms until they were out of sight before slowly walking back through the gates and up to the citadel.
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Aragorn woke during the night and saw Arwen's still frame sitting by the window, staring at the place where her father had disappeared. He got out of bed and stood behind her, gently stroking her hair.
After a while Aragorn broke the silence, asking a question that had been on his mind for the last few days. "Do you regret deciding to stay with me?"
Arwen was silent for a moment and then she stood up and turned to face her husband. "Not for a second," she replied, leading him back to their bed.
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