A vow was broken on the day Arwen Undómiel, Evenstar of her people, bided her father and brothers farewell for the last time...

During her journey from Rivendell to Gondor, Arwen had vowed to herself that she would not weep when the time came to say goodbye to them. As the daughter of a King and soon to be the wife of one, she knew she would be able to keep such a vow to herself. She wanted her father and brethren to always remember her smile as they parted forever.

Then they finally arrived in Gondor, Arwen's heart swelled with joy at the site of Aragorn, her love, and for a time her sadness was forgotten. On Midsummer's Day they were wed and the entire City of the Great King rejoiced and those of the Fair Folk who were among them celebrated as well. The celebration would lasts for days, and for a time they all forgot the sadness that the parting would bring.

And then the time came for many partings as those of the Fellowship who were not of Gondor wished to depart the City of the King for their own countries. So when the time came to depart the City to journey to the Rohan to honor the fallen King Théoden one last time, they all rode forth from the City, the company including Elrond of Rivendell with his sons, as well as Lord Celeborn and Lady Galadriel of Lothlòrien.

Now the awful moment of final farewells came, and Arwen was able to say goodbye to both her brothers, and even Galadriel her grandmother without the shedding of any tears. But when the time came to say farewell to her father, Arwen felt tears sting her eyes. She was surprised when she looked into the face of Elrond, and saw tears his eyes as well. However when Elrond spoke, his voice was strong and clear.

'Come, let us walk one last time together, Undómiel,' said Elrond.

Hand in hand, father and daughter walked away from the others and up the hills until they were completely alone. The moon shone her light brightly down upon them, and for a moment neither spoke. Arwen turned her gaze to the moon, unable to look at Elrond's face lest her vow not to weep be broken.

'Since you first beheld Estel, I knew that this day would come. I have dreaded it as much as I have rejoiced in it,' said Elrond, ending the silence. 'For though I love Estel as my own, I have also despised him because one day I knew he would be the one to win your heart for eternity.'

Before they had been born, Elrond knew that all his children would be faced with the decision that he and his own brother had faced. They had to choose between remaining with the Elven kind, receiving the gift of immortality, or they could choose to live among the sons of Men, becoming mortal, destined to never see the undying lands.

Elrond opened his arms to her. 'Come to me, my daughter.'

Arwen's heart broke as she heard the grief in her father's voice. She flew into his arms, and Elrond held her as at last her resolved vanished, her tears fiercely flowing down her face. Elrond wanted to speak but couldn't as tears of his own flooded from his eyes. Quietly they stood, clinging to one another, Elrond kissing the top of Arwen's hair just as he used to do when she was a child.

When Elrond finally found his voice again, it was gentle and soft and so full of love...

'Arwen, my daughter,' he began, 'Forever in my heart will you remain. Ne'er far from my thoughts will you be, and I will love you for eternity as my only begotten daughter.'

'Ne'er will I forget you, Father, or my Mother Celebrain, or my brothers Elladen and Elrohir. I will keep you all close in my heart, and I will see you in my dreams at night when I sleep. I will tell your names to the children that shall be born to my love and myself,' Arwen looked into his eyes. 'I love you, Father. Even though I have made this choice, I will always love you.'

'And bitter was their parting that should endure beyond the ends of the world...'

Fin