Part I: The Elfstone Sleeps

For what seemed an eternity, Arwen Undomíel stared at the face of her husband, unmoving and unbelieving that he was truly gone from her. Even in the deep sleep of death, her beloved's face was beautiful and Arwen found herself unable to stop caressing it until long after his flesh had turned cold.

After one final kiss against his lips, Arwen finally raise herself from the hard ground of the tomb where she had knelt beside Estel to keep vigil during the final moments of his life.

'Nîn hûn galo helch. In cen Anor al si, in aphad ned gurth,' Arwen breathed before she turned to leave the crypt.

As she neared the door, Arwen's yet keen Elven eyes saw the form of her son standing there, leaning against the frame as though he needed its support. As she neared him and he emerged from the shadow, Arwen saw unshed tears in his eyes as he reached out for her hand.

There was no warmth, nor any life in the eyes of the Evenstar. There was only unsurpassed grief there when she took the hand of her son and spoke, 'Adar aran fern.'

Eldarion nodded, fighting his tears as he pulled his mother into his arms. Goodbye, Father. he thought sadly as he held his mother.

In the arms of her son, Arwen's entire body shook as she tried to keep the sobs of her pain from escaping her lips. Eldarion felt her hot tears soak his shoulder and he made no effort to stop his own as they wept together.

Finally, when Arwen pulled out of his arms she was in control of her tears again. Looking into his pale eyes, she spoke, 'Come, my son, I must perform my last duty as the Queen of Gondor and tell the people that King Elessar Telcontar sleeps with his fathers.'

***
Nîn hûn galo helch. In cen Anor al si, in aphad ned gurth = My heart grows cold. I see the Sun not now. I will follow in death. = [Your] Father [the] King [is] dead.

Adar aran fern

Part II: The Steward of Gondor

Hushed reverence ruled the crowds who had gathered outside the gates of the Silent Street awaiting news of Elessar Telcontar from inside the House of the Kings.

The crowd had began to gather only an hour earlier when several people had watched as the King turned down the street where Gondor's most honored departed were laid to rest.
Several of his people called out to Aragorn, son of Arathorn, during his final walk in life but he did not answer them. It was only after the King had disappeared into the House that the crowd realized that following him had been the Queen and Crown Prince of Gondor.

It was only after an eternity of silence did the Queen reappear, pain reigning in her eyes as she came to face the crowd.

'Good people of Gondor,' she began in a clear voice, 'Elessar Telcontar, King of Reunited Kingdom, has found his rest. He now sleeps eternally with his fathers.'

As their Queen's words sank in, many of the people began to weep and some openly wailed for the lost King as Elessar Telcontar had been much loved by the people of Gondor.

'Make way for Princess Isilmè, the Steward of Gondor!' a voice cried, and the crowd parted.

When Eldarion realized what his father's intentions were, the Prince had immediately sent for the Steward of the Realm. The current Steward of Gondor was the eldest daughter of the Prince and Lady of Ithilien. Isilmè had been named Faramir's heir upon his death as her mother had never born a son to inherit the title.

Over the years of her service to the King since her father's death, Isilmè had proven that she was both capable and loyal to the royal family. It was now her who stepped forward to the front of the crowd, stopping beside the Queen, bowing to her before she turned to face the people.

Dressed in a tunic, leggings, and cloak that were the blue-greyish colors of the emblems of the princedom of Ithilien, Isilmè appeared to be more of a lord than a lady as she began her proclamations.

'Let the bells of the city proclaim this news throughout the city, that King Elessar now sleeps with his fathers,' Isilmè paused as another sob was heard, 'But also let it be known that Gondor is not without a King.'

At this Eldarion made his appearance, carrying in his arms the winged crown of Gondor and the scepter of Arnor. The crown had yet to be placed upon his head and would not be until after the three days of mourning had passed for the late King. Only on the morning of the 4th day would the Steward of the Realm, before the people of Gondor, crown Eldarion the new King of the Reunited Kingdom.

'I present to you Eldarion, son of Elessar the Elfstone, Crown Prince of Gondor, your King.,' Isilmè paused, 'For three days shall the Realm mourn for the great King Elessar, who now sleeps with the Kings of the Past and when the final night of mourning has passed, the Realm shall gather together again to witness the coronation and to rejoice for the reign of our new King.'

***
Author's Note: The character of Isilmè belongs to me and I ask that she not be used in any other story without my prior knowledge or permission.

Part III: Release My Spirit

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Author's Note: This chapter skips ahead to one year after Aragorn's death...

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March 1 IV 121

Arwen reigned Bainrîs to a halt just outside the silent woods of Lothlòrien; her feet making no sound against the forest floor as she dismounted the mare. For the past 18 years, Bainrîs had served as the Queen's own mount whenever she rode beside her husband in state throughout the White City. Arwen spent a few moments speaking quietly to the horse, saying her good-byes softly in Sindarin before she allowed Bainrîs to walk away.

'Namarie, mellon-nin, namarie,' she whispered as the horse disappeared into the mists of the Golden Woods.

After Bainrîs's departure, Arwen turned and began to walk deeper into the woods, weaving in and out of the mallorn trees. She continued to the heart of the Golden Woods, searching for the area where she had first beheld Estel for the second time.

That night, he had been dressed an Elven prince (no doubt it was Galadriel's doing) and he had matured considerably from the boy who had declared his love for her when he was bearly into his manhood. It was that night when she saw him again that her fate was sealed for she loved him from that moment on.

For a time they wondered in the beauty of Lothlòrien, keeping one another's company as they explored realm of her grandparents until finally one night they came to stand on the hill of Cerin Amroth. Now alone, Arwen came to that very same hill where she removed her boots to walk unshod up its incline just as she had done with Estel all those years ago.

Her mind drifted easily back to that night when they had stood together, their hands clasped tightly together as they gazed at the stars with the moon shining her pale light down upon them. They had stood there until it was nearly dawn, after the passage of the night in mostly comfortable silence. And then at dawn, Estel had finally drawn out of his pocket the Ring of Barahir, an heirloom of his line and with it he had asked her to marry him.

Laying down on Cerin Amroth, Arwen remembered she did not hesitate in saying yes to his marriage proposal, knowing full well that she would have said yes to him their first night together in Lothlòrien had he asked her.

The years that followed that night on Cerin Amroth had be long and hard on both of them as they awaited the moment Lord Elrond would bless his daughter's union with his former foster son. It had taken many years of sweat, blood, and tears but finally Estel had come into his inheritance as the King of Gondor and Elrond had laid his daughter's hand into that of Aragorn, son of Arathorn.

Once they were married every precious moment that came after that seemed so fleeting and went by so fast. Yes, Arwen had cherished everyone moment she had had with Estel but she had never understood the mortals' concept of time until she had lived it as one of them.

Now as she laid on Cerin Amroth in the midst of the silent woods of Lothlòrien awaiting the Gift of Ilúvatar to the Secondborn, she saw the faces of all that she had loved in life flash before here...

Celebrían...

Her mother...

She would never look on the face of the woman who gave her life again as she had departed for the Blessed Realm during the early years of the Third Age...

Elrond...

'Ada...' she sobbed as she remembered their goodbye...

She could still see that last sorrowful expression his face held as he turned to walk away from her forever.

'A, Ada, im meleth,' she breathed.

His face was quickly followed by the goodbye she had shared with her brothers Elladan and Elrohir. They too had cried at their parting with her but even as they were sad they were happy for her because she had found a love that would last throughout eternity.

The faces that followed them made her smile as she saw the faces of her children as they were after they had first entered the world.

Eldarion...Gwilwileth...Faelglir...and Tinurîn...

Each child she and Estel were blessed with brought them both joys uncounted and she thanked Eru for His gifts to them...

Lastly the moment she had dreaded reliving again came to him mind...

Estel's last moments and words played themselves in her mind causing tears to flood down her face as she waited. She also relieved the memories of the days that followed his death, watching both herself and her children grieve the loss of the one they called husband and father.

Unable to bear this no longer, Arwen breathed a prayer to Mandos, asking for him to receive her soul quickly so that she might begin her journey...

'Leithian nin faer hir Mandos...'

At her prayer Arwen closed her eyes, and breathed in deeply, releasing it slowly as she heard Estel's words in her mind...

'...In sorrow we must go, but not in despair. Behold! we are not bound for ever to the circles of the world, and beyond them is more than memory..."

In the moment that last deep breathe left her body, Arwen was free of the confines of this world...

***
Bainrîs = Queen's Beauty
Namarie, mellon-nin, namarie = Farewell, my friend, farewell...
A, Ada, im meleth = Oh, Daddy, I love [you]...
Leithian nin faer hir Mandos = Release my spirit [quickly] Lord Mandos...

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'...He left the hill of Cerin Amroth and came there never again as living man...'

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"...In sorrow we must go, but not in despair. Behold! we are not bound for ever to the circles of the world, and beyond them is more than memory..."In the moment that last deep breathe left her body, Arwen was free of the confines of this world...

'Please, Eru, let this be so..."

In the moment Arwen closed her eyes forever to the world, he was there...

Aragorn, son of Arathorn, her Estel was standing there watching her and he waited for the moment to speak to her when she'd be able to hear his voice again. As her last breathe was released loudly against the stillness of Lothlòrien, he waited only for a second before he spoke.

'Arwen, meleth-nin,' he said waiting for her to open her eyes again...

~~*~~
There was no fear in her heart as she released that last breathe, there was only peace and joy as she knew she would soon be reunited with her beloved husband. As her spirit released itself from her body, she felt the urge to open her eyes again. And then she heard his beloved voice speak her name. 'Arwen, meleth-nin...'

Arwen opened her eyes and gazed up into the youthful, smiling face of her husband. Atagorn had moved to kneel beside her he waited for her to open her eyes and he had taken her hand.

He was dressed similar in the manner he had been that night in Lothlòrien. Dressed in a raiment of white and silver that shimmered with a light more glories than the stars of Arda. On his brow within a golden circlet was set a jewel that glowed more brightly then any of the Silmarils of old.

He was the most beautiful sight she had ever seen in all of the Ages she had lived...

'Come home with me, meleth-nin,' Estel spoke, helping her to stand.

As she came to her feet, Arwen clung to him, startled to the feel warmth of his flesh, as she knew that they were both now nothing but spirits.

Estel sensed her thoughts and so he spoke with a smile, 'Did I not say that what laid beyond the circles of the world was more than memory, meleth-nin? We have a new life to live now, a life that shall never end. It shall be a life with Eru, whose presence will be with us forever even as we are with one another for all eternity.'

'I love you," Arwen whispered. 'I am no longer afraid to see what awaits me beyond the world.'

Smiling, Estel took her hand and said, 'Come, meleth-nin, we are going home.'

With that, Aragorn and Arwen Undomíel began their flight into eternity, full of love, joy, and everlasting peace...

And Eru smiled upon His children...

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'...There at last when the mallorn-leaves were falling, but spring has not yet come, she laid herself to rest upon Cerin Amroth; and there is her green grave, until the world is changed, and all the days of her life are utterly forgotten by men that come after, and elanor and nephredil bloom no more east of the Sea...'

THE END

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meleth-nin = my love