Chapter X
Whilst Eruanna and her people had been victorious in many battles, the Fellowship had also been victorious in defeating Sauron. With the Dark Lord dead and Aragorn crowned King of both Gondor and Arnor, the world had righted itself. On Midsummer's Day, Eruanna Úlumiel and her family were going to attend the wedding of Aragorn and Arwen. Arwen had given up her immortal life and had chosen the Doom of Men for her love.
After the couple were crowned, celebrations broke out in Gondor as people flocked to congratulate the new King and Queen. Eruanna felt her father tug her along. "Eruanna, come. I wish to introduce you to the rest of the Fellowship. You didn't get the chance to properly meet them whilst you were in Lothlórien."
The father-daughter duo came towards the Fellowship who were talking to Arwen and Aragorn. Eruanna saw the four hobbits - Frodo, Sam, Merry and Pippin. She also saw the dwarf, Gimli, whose father, Gloin, had been one of the dwarves with her on the Quest for Erebor. As expected, Boromir was not there. Gandalf had gone off to entertain other guests.
Frodo was the first to notice the Dragoness. He inclined his head to her and the other hobbits did the same after noticing her.
"There is no need for that", she said, smoothly. The hobbits looked up at her. She looked powerful as ever, especially with her five dragons flying around the city.
Eruanna looked at Frodo and saw a shadow of grief that haunted his eyes. Her heart briefly wept for all the trauma he'd been through thanks to the Ring. "Every one of you acquitted yourselves with honor. Middle-Earth owes you a debt of thanks."
"Thank you!", Pippin chirped. "Though I think a dragon would've helped us."
"Maybe", Eruanna responded. "But we had to stay back and defend our people. For us, that is the greatest honor."
"My father seldom spoke of you", Gimli suddenly piped up. "But he always admired your dedication to your people." The dwarf's eyes suddenly swarmed with emotion and Eruanna smiled gently.
"So you are the one who admired my great-grandmother", she said with a smile. "Galadriel is your great-grandmother!?!", cried the astounded dwarf, eliciting laughter.
"Galadriel is my grandmother", Arwen clarified. "And Eruanna is my niece. Legolas married my older sister, Hiriel."
"And you're Elrond's son-in-law", Gimli shook his head at Legolas. "You're full of surprises, my laddie."
"Are you both... friends?", Eruanna questioned. A friendship between an elf and a dwarf was unheard of with the long blood feud between the races.
"I suppose so", muttered the dwarf, yet he was smiling beneath his beard.
Eruanna smirked and leaned in to whisper to her father. "Don't fret. I won't tell him that you called him a goblin mutant when speaking to his father sixty years ago."
Legolas kept a nervous smile on his face.
Éowyn watched the tall elf maiden. The feast celebrating Aragorn and Arwen's wedding had gone off without a hitch but there was one person Éowyn had yet to meet. The Shieldmaiden and Princess of Rohan had heard few tales of the Dragoness but seeing the famed elven Princess in person was a different feeling, one she couldn't quite place.
Eruanna Úlumiel was tall, slender and graceful. Her hair fell down her back like rivers of black ink. The Dragon Princess had woven her hair with flowers and pearls. Her skin was pale and shined like the moonlight. Her eyes were as blue as the sea, and though she was young, her eyes were far older than they should have been.
This was the elf maiden who slew the last dragon of Morgoth. This was the one who fought in the Battle of the Five Armies and helped the dwarves of Erebor win back the Mountain despite the bloody history between their races. This was the woman who defended her people for decades from Sauron's darkness. This was the heiress to three elven realms who brought back elemental dragons from the brink of extinction.
Her five elemental dragons soared over the city, the sight taking the breath of many people who looked upon them. The many guests began filling the palace. Éowyn took the time to approach the Dragoness, who happened to be the niece of Queen Arwen.
"Princess", she curtsied politely. Eruanna gave her a smile in return. "Éowyn, Princess of Rohan, of the House of Eorl. Your father, Legolas, has told me much about you."
The elf Princess curtsied back. "Éowyn of Rohan. Both my father and Aragorn have sung your praises. I do admire a warrior Princess. It's nice to see I'm not the only one." A hint of playfulness and carefree danced in her blue eyes. Éowyn chuckled. Eruanna observed the Princess, a great beauty with long light golden hair and grey eyes. The Shieldmaiden of Rohan who slew the Witch-King, one of Sauron's greatest servants.
"I heard that you slew the Witch-King. It is an admirable deed. What a blow it must have been to his ego", Eruanna stated, earning the chuckle from Éowyn. "You slew Smaug", the shieldmaiden pointed out. Eruanna furrowed her brows. "Which is harder to kill: the head of the Ringwraiths or a dragon?"
Both ladies laughed. They looked so happy and carefree, no one could look at them and believe that they'd seen battles and slain deadly creatures.
"How are you liking the festivities?", Éowyn asked.
"I am enjoying them. How could I not? My aunt has waited years for this day", Eruanna smiled. "Tell me, Éowyn, are you thinking of wedding Faramir, Prince of Ithilien?"
Éowyn blushed. "Is it that obvious?"
Eruanna chuckled. "I'm afraid it is. You both look beautiful together. That is a wedding I would like to see."
"What about you, Princess? Do you have anyone you wish to marry?", Éowyn asked.
Eruanna smiled and thought for a moment, yet elected to not tell Éowyn about the mystery elf who graced her dreams and visions for years. "No. I don't have anyone yet. But my people are sailing. Mayhaps in the blessed lands of Valinor I'll find someone to bind myself to. I've never been interested in marriage or children."
"I thought the same once, yet here I am", Éowyn put in. The Dragoness laughed. "True. I really should abide by the saying 'never say never'."
Éowyn nodded, understanding. The world would be less fair without the elves and few would choose to stay in Middle-Earth when a blessed land lay for them across the sea. A pity men would never get to see Valinor.
"Will you be coming around here often now that your aunt is Queen?", Éowyn asked.
"No, I will not. I will stay with my paternal family now. I wish for some normalcy. Sauron has wreaked enough havoc on my home and my mind", Eruanna sighed. She never told many about how Sauron had tried to take control of her and probably never would. Éowyn nodded, understanding.
"Regardless, I will be visiting my aunt so we may yet meet again", Eruanna smiled. Éowyn too smiled, eased by her answer.
"Maybe I'll see you around on dragonback", Éowyn responded.
"They do like pretty ladies", Eruanna chuckled.
They spoke at length for a while more before bidding each other farewell for both of them had others waiting to speak to her. Eruanna, especially, was a novelty and a powerful ally along with being exceedingly beautiful and she attracted the attention of many young suitors.
Just then, Aragorn came onto the scene. "My King", the Dragoness bowed her head, grinning. Aragorn laughed and lightly smacked her shoulder, playfully. "Stop it", he responded.
"I cannot imagine the little boy who came to Rivendell all those years ago is now technically my uncle. You were only around ten years old when Erebor was reclaimed", the Dragon Princess smiled gently.
Aragorn let out a chuckle. "You can just call me Aragorn, you know."
"As if I had any plans on calling you Uncle Aragorn when I'm, in fact, older than you."
"I did have a question for you, though", Aragorn said and Eruanna looked at him. The clouds gathering in his eyes let her know that this was something deep. Something he'd been conflicted about. He led her away from the dancing guests and into a room more private.
"Becoming King is... overwhelming... to say the least", Aragorn said.
Eruanna raised an amused eyebrow. "I think my grandsire, Thranduil, to be specific, would be better with a conversation like the one I anticipate you want to have with me. After all, he is the last Elvenking on Arda. I really don't think you need to worry. You are well suited to the task of being King and my aunt Arwen will prove to be a wise Queen and valuable advisor."
Aragorn chuckled and took a good look at the Dragoness. Now that Sauron was defeated and the war was over, she looked much more carefree, almost like she had been when she was a child, as Glorfindel had told him. She had already passed her majority when Aragorn had been brought by his mother, Gilraen, to be fostered in Rivendell and she was living with Thranduil at the time.
"Your words are comforting. But still it is hard to grasp the amount of power I have now. Ruling over two Kingdoms is different from ruling over Dunedain rangers", Aragorn said. He wasn't ruling over a small plot of land, but over Gondor and Arnor.
Eruanna knew of his past and whom he descended from - Isildur, the man responsible for the One Ring enduring. However, she trusted Aragorn and knew he was an honorable man. "It frightens you because it is not something you wanted or anticipated. For most of your life, you just saw yourself as Estel, a man raised by elves."
"Yes... it is like leaving a part of myself behind", Aragorn fumbled with his words, which he rarely did. "You raised your dragons, but did you ever stop and think about the power that gave you or what would happen should that power consume you? Even with so much power, you maintain your grace and compassion."
"Those are high words of praise", Eruanna smiled softly. "I didn't really think of it until after the Battle of the Five Armies. It was when I had truly seen my dragons as more than just the siblings I never had. I saw them as weapons of war and I hated viewing them like that."
The Dragoness sighed before continuing. "I always knew I was different. But it wasn't until I began commanding my dragons during a full blown battle that I realized the true weight of the power at my fingertips. I lost sleep over worrying about the immense power I held and how it could one day consume me. How one day I might wake up to find that I am surrounded by ashes and I have blood on my hands. All because of my own desires. Those dragons of mine are loyal to no end. Even a disastrous one."
With great power comes great responsiblity. Never had a line been more true.
"But I knew my power had benefitted those around me. I used it to protect my people and as a Princess, that was my duty. It was my motivator for literally anything I put my mind to. Do you want to know why I went on the Quest for Erebor? A dwarf kingdom?"
"It did seem out of character", Aragorn noted.
"I went because I wanted to defeat Smaug, Morgoth's last dragon. He had control of the skies. My dragons didn't. I feared he would one day wish to go beyond the mountain and conquer Rivendell, Lothlórien. I wanted to control the skies so that my people would be better protected. And I wanted a taste of adventure. Rivendell is amazing and all, but being shut up there was doing something to me."
Homesickness had never been so bitter than it had been back then.
"That's how I dealt with it. That's how you can deal with it. Instead of being burdened by the responsibilities that come with power, harness the power. Embrace it. Use it to help your people and your family. Yes, you cannot let it consume you, we don't need another Dark Lord", both of them chuckled. "But accept it. It is a part of you. And if you can't accept your power, you can't accept yourself."
Relief flooded Aragorn's features and he nodded. "Thank you, Eruanna. You don't know how much you helped."
Eruanna smiled softly. "Anything to ease burdens. Now, I believe your wife, my aunt, will be wanting another dance with you", with that, she took his hand and led him to where Arwen was waiting for him.
When Arwen finished dancing with her husband, she went to approach her niece. "You look beautiful, aunt", Eruanna smiled, interlocking her soft hands with Arwen's. Arwen was wearing light green and wore an intricate silver circlet. Her raven hair was loose and she shined with the radiance of happiness.
Eruanna wore a striking silver dress which exposed her delicate shoulders and a silver circlet similar to Arwen's. Thranduil had the circlet made for her majority day. The circlet had a gem in the center of it, shaped like a dragon's head. The head itself had mini sapphires for eyes. Diamonds hung from the circlet in semi-circles and the hanging jewels drew more attention to her pointed ears. Her hair was woven with white flowers. On her neck sparkled the white necklace of her late paternal grandmother, Queen Itarille.
"You look wonderful as well", Arwen grinned gently. "To think I would get married years later when my niece is already grown up. I remember your mother's wedding day in Eryn Lasgalen, as I hear it is called now, many years ago. I was so envious of her that day", both ladies chuckled. "I saw Aragorn left with you for a moment."
"Afraid I'll steal your husband?", Eruanna asked her, mirith in her eyes.
"You wouldn't dare", Arwen said, pressing her hand towards her chest in mock offense. The ladies giggled,
"He was worried about being King and the power that would come with it", Eruanna shrugged. "I gave him advice I learned. And wished I had known sooner."
"What advice?", Arwen was curious.
"If you can't accept your power, then you can't accept yourself", Eruanna responded.
"Where did you learn that from? Galadriel?", Arwen asked. Eruanna nodded with a small smile.
Arwen smiled and nodded. "I hope you'll come to visit. Adar just told me he'll be sailing soon and..."
Eruanna nodded, this time more somber. Her grandfather Elrond and great-grandmother, Galadriel, both announced that they would be departing Middle-Earth for Valinor. Eruanna had been heartbroken by the news. Arwen saw the somber in her eyes and took pity on her. "Have you made your choice yet?", she asked.
"I chose the life of the elves. There will be nothing left for me here and I refuse to let anyone in my family - especially my grandfathers - suffer solely due to my absence."
Arwen fought hard not to flinch and Eruanna immediately felt guilty. She knew that her aunt's choice to live and die a mortal would affect the entire family. Thus, she rested a hand on Arwen's shoulder. "Goheno nin. I didn't mean it like that. You made your choice, and though we are grieved, we are still happy for you."
"Hannon le", Arwen breathed. "I too, am grieved. To not be able to see my family until the end of the world is... daunting", she looked at Eruanna. "I actually have something to show you."
The two ladies excused themselves and left the celebration briefly. Night was descending upon Gondor and the many began to retire to their homes, now in a world of bliss. Arwen took her niece to her chambers and took a small box in her hands. "I don't think I will have the honor of witnessing you fall in love and marry someday", Arwen said. "So I wanted to make something for you so you'll at least have something to remember me by.
Arwen opened the box and Eruanna's eyes widened in wonder upon seeing the beautiful dragon broach inside. There was a sapphire gem set inside with silver wings rimmed with gold sprouting from it. The neck of a dragon was on the bottom of the gem, curled up so that the head could rest against the gem.
"It's beautiful", Eruanna murmured. Arwen smiled.
"It is my wish that you wear this on your wedding day, or any day when you miss your aunt", Arwen said, placing the box in her niece's hands and kissing her forehead. "You'll be the most beautiful bride ever, I'm sure. But if you're never a bride, you'll definitely be the most beautiful Princess."
"Thank you", Eruanna said with a smile.
The Evenstar and the Everstar embraced each other and Eruanna closed the box, keeping the broach safe inside. "Be the light our people need", Arwen whispered. "As you always have been."
"I never planned on stopping."
