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...

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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...