“I will look after him and protect him, wherever he goes, whatever danger or enemy he faces. I will never leave him alone and always will I be at his side even if only with my thought, I will bring him comfort and strength throughout his journey.”
This promise she had made within herself, Arwen Undómiel, the last time she had seen Aragorn take leave from Imladris to go facing his Fate.
For she felt in her heart that at the end he would succeed, she could not foresee it for sure but she knew he would, she hoped he would, for she loved Aragorn whose Elven name Estel meant Hope.
And to that promise she had been holding to for she was there with him while he was facing the snow on Caradhras and the dark in Moria. And she gave him strength to go on in his quest without Gandalf, wise leader and dear friend to all the companions of the Fellowship of the Ring.
Now Arwen knew that her Estel had reached Lothlórien for Galadriel had told her and they thought he would have finally been at peace for some time, at least as long as he was staying under the trees of Lórien that grant peace to everyone who is allowed to enter the Hidden Realm.
But though he loved that place he could find no peace there, not now, not alone; for it was on the Cerin Amroth on the grass of Caras Galadhon that Aragorn and Arwen had bounded their lives and fates together, and if he could not be there with her, then he could find no rest there.
And Arwen felt that too for a shadow ran through her mind and when it faded, she saw him: lying under a tree he was, looking Westward to the Twilight as they had done years before when they both rejected the Shadow and the Twilight and Arwen had forsaken the immortality of her kind to share a mortal life with him.
She had immediately realised the bitter and sweet taste of her choice but only now did she see how difficult that was for Aragorn to accept; for she saw what he was thinking of in that moment, she saw what was troubling him so much.
That night she understood that her choice did grieve Aragorn for he did not want her to forsake her immortality. He felt guilty but she knew he did not have to for she did love him dearly and she was ready to face whatever fate men had to face after life, no matter how much this might have scared her in the future. For, what could have been more scary than to face all the ages of the world alone, without her loved Estel?
She knew now that this thought troubled Estel more than the thought of any danger he might have faced in his journey; for he was a brave man, the bravest of all Men, for not only was he one of the Dύnedain, but he was also one of the children of Luthien, just like her, and she knew that courage never failed them; but he was such a gracious soul that the thought of causing pain to someone he loved could torment him more than the fear of death itself. And Arwen understood that it was in such moments that she had to hold to her promise even more and to be as close to him as she could.
And understanding this, Arwen began singing and her words were sweet and her voice soft and as she began to sing, Aragorn, lying under a tree on the Cerin Amroth felt a great relief and the weariness in his heart fading and he heard a melody in the air and a voice singing, and he knew that voice, he had missed that voice so much of late and now he was hearing it once again and yet he knew it could not be real… He knew that Arwen was in Imladris with her father and yet he could hear her sing in his head and lulled by her words he gently fell into a restful sleep for her voice was soothing and her words full of love and hope.
And from that night on, whenever she felt that Estel was letting sorrow and despair take over him, Arwen would ease his mind with her healing words:

Grieve not my love
For my choice
Is made,
The gulls I bade
Not call me
Again.

‘Tis one life with
You I am longing
For,
And not to stand
On green shores
Alone.

I pray thee not
Shed tears for
Me,
For thou art
Better than
Eternity.

Then go to sleep,
Estel my
Love,
Now that thou
Art my only
Hope.

And when in the darkness
Thou will miss me,
Dear,
Then fear do not,
For to thee I will be
Near.

And in a whisper
I will sing thee my
Love,
“Estelio Veleth,
Estel, do
Hope.”

©Valentina Scionti 2004