III.  High Hearts and Folly (Arwen)

Tinúviel! Tinúviel!
He called her by her elvish name;
 And there she halted listening.
One moment stood she, and a spell
 His voice laid on her: Beren came,
And doom fell on Tinúviel
 That in his arms lay glistening.

Her father’s latest fosterling possessed some skill with the violin, Arwen observed; but his voice faltered when he glanced at her.  The lad often slowed the song to smile at her, his grey eyes bright with longing.  She had but lately returned from Lórien, when she had encountered the young Dúnadan.  Since that day, the boy had declared undying love for Arwen, brought her grubby handfuls of niphredil and elanor, and dedicated a sparring bout to her. 

Arathorn’s son was tall for his meagre twenty years, strong in mind and body, promising to be a worthy Chieftain of his people.  Arwen smiled back kindly, as befitted a kinswoman who was also the Lady of Rivendell.  One day, this boy would find a fair mortal maid who would give him what Arwen could not.

And long ago they passed away
 In the forest singing sorrowless.

At last he finished.  Elrond and his household cheered for the young singer.

“That was well done indeed, Argonui;” Arwen told the Chieftain’s heir.  Argonui blushed to the roots of his black hair and grinned rather foolishly.  Arwen noticed that her father was looking at her closely and with some concern.

Does he fear that I shall give my heart to a mortal, like my foremother?  Argonui was a noble-hearted boy.  He was not the first Heir of Isildur to declare his love for her, and Arwen doubted that he would be the last.  Such “love” was merely a youthful folly of Men.  When her father took ship, Arwen would go into the West and remain Undómiel.

Author’s Note:  Argonui, son of Arathorn I, was the great-grandfather of Aragorn Elessar.