I turn my gaze back towards the balcony where I knew Father stood watching us depart...

As our eyes meet, his gaze is so solemn and I still see his grief there...

And I remember...

"Do I not still have your love?" he had asked me, breaking my heart.

"You always have my love, Ada! Always!" I replied as I buried my head into his shoulder, biting back a sob.

I cannot stand to see the pain I am causing him, and that is why I must depart Imladris...

As we cross the threshold of my childhood home, I turn again to look ahead, turning my thoughts towards my destination.

Lothlòrien...

I will flee to the shelter of the mallorn trees where I had dwelt so long after my mother's departure to the West...

I will flee to my grandmother's arms in hopes that she will support me in the decision I have made to remain behind in Middle-Earth so that I may love Aragorn...

But I cannot even be sure that Galadriel, the wisest of the wise, will not see my love for Aragorn as nothing more than folly, and I cannot be sure whether or not even she will not urge me to depart these shores with my Elven kin.

Oh, sweet Elbereth, I feel so alone in this, my choice.

Will no one I love support me now in this hour of my decision?

I breathe in the morning mists as I open my eyes, and quickly leave my bed. After finding a shawl to wrap myself in, I step outside my room to look over the beauty of Lothlòrien from the flet of my grandparents.

I have been in Lothlòrien for a little over a month now, and it is the place of shelter I had hoped it would be. But even though I am sheltered here, I am still aware that a War rages on in the outside world where all Free Peoples of Middle-Earth fight to throw off Sauron's oppression forever. My beloved is counted among them, fighting and bleeding beside them so that he may prove himself worthy in my Father's eyes as well as my own.

I want to weep at the thought that he does not understand that he has never had to prove himself to me. Father has said that no Man less than the King of Gondor shall take his daughter's hand in marriage.

It is because of this, Estel may be out there wounded and dying...

He may be dying because my Father could not even lower his standard for the Man who would marry me...

Not even for his foster son...

"Gwilwileth-nin?" a voice called to me softly, bringing me out of my thoughts.

I smile at the use of my Grandfather's endearment for me as I turned to see Celeborn walking from the direction of the rooms he shares with my grandmother. Celeborn approaches me, laying a soft kiss on my brow before he wraps me in his arms. I lay my head on his shoulder, feeling as safe and as trouble free as I once did in his arms when I was a child.

"What troubles you so, Gwilwileth-nin?" he asks softly.

"I worry for Estel," I replied, "I am afraid that he will not return from this War."

"Do not trouble yourself over something you cannot know for certain," my wise Grandfather replies.

I raise my head up to look at him. "He will not return, Grandfather. Adar has said so - he has foreseen it. Estel will not return from this War."

Celeborn locked eyes with mine; "Neither the Valar, nor Elrond can foresee where death may come to claim the son of Arathorn. Gwilwileth-nin, your father foresees many outcomes to this War and I sense that he has only told you what he believed would make you want to flee to Mithlond."

I looked at my Grandfather, anger building up in my heart. "You believe he was trying to manipulate me into leaving Estel behind forever?"

Celeborn touched my face, tears in his eyes, as he spoke softly, "No, I do not believe he was trying to manipulate you into leaving. Elrond adores you and your brothers above all else. His heart breaks at the thought of leaving you behind when he departs."

Then Grandfather did something I had rarely seen him do...

He wept...

Tears streamed down his face as he whispered brokenly, "I know his heart in this matter because my own heart breaks at the thought of departing without you."

"Oh Adar-daer-"

Celeborn hushed me by placing his fingers over my mouth, "Undómiel, I do not say this to cause you any further pain or further indecision. Yes, I feel the pain at the thought of your loss but I also feel the joy of your union with this Man, for none among our own kind could love you more than he."

I laid my head on my Grandfather's shoulder again, my tears a mixture of sorrow and joy as my mind turned towards Estel. "I shall have to depart soon, Adar-daer. Andúril must be returned into the hands of Isildur's Heir."

"Yes, it is time that the King reclaimed his sword," Celeborn agreed.

Several moments of comfortable silence passed before we finally stirred and I started back towards my rooms, with Grandfather walking slowly with me.

"Arwen," Celeborn said, halting me at the door of my room, "There is something I would tell you before you depart."

I looked into his eyes and I knew whatever he had to say was serious indeed. "What is it, Adar-daer?"

He sighed, "I have sensed for a long time that when the Ring of Power has been destroyed, your Grandmother will depart for the West shortly thereafter."

I had hoped that he would not say this as I already knew that my Father would depart as soon as he was able to break away from Rivendell. But the thought of losing Galadriel, Celeborn, Elladan, and Elrohir at one time as well was more than my heart was prepared to accept.

"Undómiel," he continued, "I will not be following her."

"What?" I asked, shocked.

Celeborn sighed. "I am not wearied of this world and so I will not depart for the West yet."

"You're staying?"

"Yes, Gwilwileth-nin, I am."

Relief entered my heart, for I would not be abandoned by all of my family and thank Elbereth, I now had support among their number as well.

"Thank you, Adar-daer, your staying will give me the strength to standby my choice."

FIN

***
TRANSLATIONS:
Gwilwileth-nin = My Butterfly

Adar-daer = Grandfather

Undómiel = Evenstar