29 September III 3021 - 1421 SR: Frodo and Bilbo depart over Sea with the Three Keepers. The end of the Third Age. LOTR: ROTK Appendix B

~~*~~

She walked along the unfamiliar surroundings, looking, listening for signs of things she recognized. But when Arwen saw nothing familiar about the terrain she soon walked into the midst of a heavy fog, hearing the alien sound the tide crashing against the shore.

Quickening her pace she heard the melodic sound of Eleven voices calling to one another. Bursting through the fog, Arwen beheld the hull of a grey ship. Its snow-white sails had been furled and the morning sunlight glimmered off the mithril-laiden image of Elbereth that had been fastened onto the bow of the vessel.

Taking her eyes off of the ship, she saw that a large party of Elves waited nearby to board the ship. As she walked closer, many of the Elves began to board the ship leaving a small party on the shore and that is when she saw them...

Bilbo...

Frodo and Samwise...

Mithrandir...

Galadriel...

And her father...

Arwen froze at the sight of Lord Elrond who stood dressed magnificently in a mantle of grey, a star shined upon his forehead, and upon his finger Vilya shimmered a bright blue. He spoke words she could not hear against the crash of the waves to Samwise. He turned to board the ship, and for a moment he paused to gaze in her direction.

Arwen raised her hand, whispering, "Ada."

But Elrond did not hear her, as his gaze turned beyond her, finally falling again on the ship that would carry him away from Middle-earth...

And her...

Her father did not look back again as he boarded the grey ship...

~~*~~

In the hours just before dawn, Aragorn reached out in his sleep for Arwen, only to discover she was no longer at his side in their bed. Immediately he sat up, looking around the dark room trying to locate his wife, and he saw her standing at the window against the waning moonlight.

Why was she awake?

Slipping out of bed, he crossed the distance between them, laying a hand on her shoulder, "Meleth-nîn?" Arwen turned to him, the moonlight revealed tear trails on his cheeks. Aragorn quickly pulled her into his arms, not understanding what had upset her so. "What is wrong, meleth-nîn? Why do you weep?"

Arwen’s voice was soft as she answered him; "The Ringbearers have departed into the West."

Aragorn’s heart grieved at hearing this as he had hoped Frodo would be able to find healing in this world. But the Ringbearer’s wounds had proven to great for the greatest of Middle-earth’s healers to heal fully, and so Aragorn now prayed the Blessed Realm of the Valar could at last grant the healing Frodo’s soul needed so much.

May Frodo find rest and peace there from all of his wounds,Aragorn thought. 

Aragorn held Arwen as she wept her remaining tears, praying that she would find some comfort in the life she had chosen that she would not grieve the absent presence of the loving father that Elrond had been.

"Do you regret your choice now, meleth-nîn?" Aragorn asked as her tears subsided.

If she had said yes right at that moment, Aragorn knew he would not have hesistated to make preparations for her to depart with the next grey Elven ship that left departed Mithlond.

But she did not...

"No, meleth-nîn, I do not and will never regret my choice," Arwen murmured, "Feanîn aurel... I could not live without thee for I love thee above the Gift of the Eldar."

***

Elvish Translation(s):

Meleth-nîn = my love

Mithlond = The Grey Havens

Feanîn aurel = [You] are my soul's morning star