Elrond and Arwen watched the four hobbits as they wandered around the city of Minas Tirith. Sam held his master’s maimed hand in his hand and both Elves saw how tenderly he did so and how firm Frodo’s return clasp was. Pippin held his cousin’s other hand and Merry looked anxiously for his own turn. The Elf lord was well pleased that his doubts had not been founded when he had been against the younger two accompanying the Ring‑bearer. Indeed, they had shown growth beyond what the Elf would have guessed possible, watching one dressed in the livery of the Tower and the other as a Rider of the Mark. Their brave deeds were already well known to all, but it was on Frodo that Elrond focused his inner gaze, seeing deep into that troubled fëa.

“I see the same thing you do, Adar,” Arwen murmured sadly. “Light as bright as any of the Firstborn, but fractured like a cracked mirror. Like Nana was before she left.”

Elrond nodded. “But I think he will fight for his fëa and healing, much as she did.”

“And perhaps lose the battle here, much as she did.” Arwen turned her gaze away and faced her father. “I want to give him my place on the ship, Adar. I know it is not mine to give, but I would plead for him, for none would deserve it more, though it would be a grief to him to have to leave all he has fought so hard to save and those he so loves. But perhaps the grief would be worse to stay. My gem may be able to give him solace as he decides what is best. I remembered how it helped Nana while she lingered here.”

Elrond turned to look at his daughter and his eyes were bright with grief and love. “I agree that it would be better that your place on the ship be not empty. I will still wish it were filled with you, but if he were there instead, it would be an honor and gift indeed to travel with him.”

“I have made my choice, Adar. If another could benefit from it, then it would ease my own heart, for now I will not see you or Nana again and that is a grief to me as well. But I will take the bitter with the sweet, especially if another could gain from it.”

“Then pray for it, iell nin.”

“Will you not pray with me?”

Elrond was silent for a long while and Arwen was patient. His gaze turned back to the city and he looked out from the heights for a long time. The hobbits were now too small and far away to be seen by any other eyes but Elven. “No, I do not think I will. I prayed so long and hard for Iorhael and there has been no granting of my wish for him.”

“He is alive. Has this not been your wish, our wish, all along?”

“He is hurt, iell nin, and that is something I wish need not be. I wish Isildur hadn’t been taken by the same. I wish your nana hadn’t been either. I wish I hadn’t been so weak that I could not heal either of them, that I could not stop what the Enemy did to them both, that I could not even will myself to stop Isildur from leaving with the Ring and so doom another to carry it and another and another.”

“But now all has come to pass as Ilúvatar willed it. The Ring is gone and the Cormacolindor have returned alive from the Fire. Haven’t all your prayers been answered? Why do you doubt now?”

“I had hoped this time it would be different. My faith has been tested again and found wanting. It faltered after Isildur’s failure and my own at the Sammath Naur. And it was nearly destroyed after the many hours I spent in the iaun and everywhere else, begging that your naneth be released from her agony and she was not. She had to leave and I could do nothing to stop the bleeding of her fëa. Now I must watch another suffer as well from similar wounds that are even deeper.”

“But, Adar, each time, your prayers were answered. Isildur’s failure has been redressed. I thought you had come to understand that the failure was not yours, that no will or strength was strong enough to endure that evil place, but that of the One Himself. And you know well that nana has healed. It was beyond your strength, beyond anyone’s, but the One Who gave that healing. You know how long I too prayed and Elladan and Elrohir and Nana herself and our whole household. And our prayers were answered. Continue to pray for the one who needs it now the most, besides yourself.”

“I do not need prayers, iell nin.”

Arwen smiled. “I will pray for you nonetheless.”

The Queen left her father upon the battlements of the great fortress and sought a greater one, where the Men of old had once prayed and would do so again. It did not have the walls that Minas Tirith had, but it was filled with a still greater strength. Arwen raised her eyes to the sky. Evening was upon the land. The shadows were lengthening, but it was a glad thing to see now for it meant the sun still shone. The cloudless sky also meant that the stars would be bright. She turned her gaze to where the brightest would be, that had been all but obscured during the last days of the War.

“My Adar, my Lord Manwë, My Lady Elbereth, My Lady Esté, My Lady Nienna,” the Queen began softly, kneeling on the ground and looking into the darkening sky. “I beg that my seat on the ship going home be given to one of mortal‑kind who is truly worthy of it and I fear will sorely need it by the end. I beg that it may be his choice to take it or not, but that the choice be put before him with your blessing. Such a gift I would not plead for, if not for the need of it for one so small and so great. Adar, he has made such sacrifices and done such good for You. Heed my prayer, I beg You. My Lord Manwë, breathe your blessing upon my prayer said upon the wind and speed it along. My Lady Elbereth, light Iorhael’s way so he always has a path to follow through the darkness. My Lady Esté and Nienna, hold him close to you, so he knows solace and relief and healing from his ills. Please, please, help him, just as you helped Nana, when she was torn. And please, Adar, I beg, help my Adar, strengthen him and let him know his prayers and faith have not been in vain. And, Nana, please help Iorhael when he comes.”

Over and over Arwen quietly plead her case as the stars began to come out. When the brightest shone upon her, she felt in her heart her grandmother’s prayers as well.

It was not many days after that Mithrandir came to her. The wizard came and placed a gentle hand on her shoulder and smiled. “Your prayers have been heard, and it is the will of the One and the Valar that the boon you pled for be answered.”

Arwen deeply bowed in grateful acknowledgment. She sought out the hallowed ground once more and made her prayers of thanksgiving.

“Le hannon,” the Queen whispered and prayed still more. It was long after dark that she rose from her knees. But when she did, she saw her father there.

“I have prayed for him and for you, Adar. And I have received my answer.”