To The End Of Her Days - A Fanfiction Sequel to The Lord of the Rings

Chapter 24 - At Long Last

"Arwen? Is it really you?"

"Ada! Nae naa lle!"

She ran down the hill as fast as she could. At long last, she jumped into her Ada's loving embrace. Her whole life, she imagined how happy she would be at this moment, but she never thought she would ever be this overwhelmed in happiness. She was overjoyed to see with her own eyes he was no longer suffering from the scars of his journey. He was now whole and complete, and so was she, and that was what made their sacrifices worth-while. At that moment, she knew this was what she was striving to redeem: the peace and hope found in this wholeness. She knew all she had sacrificed had been worth it, both to know this wholeness for herself and to someday give it to everyone else. Not even the joy of being a wife and a mother could compare to this peace and joy.

Arwen, with tears in her eyes, said, "Oh Ada, I can't believe it's you!"

Frodo smiled brightly at her, tears in his own eyes. "My dear Arwen! I can't believe you're finally here! Your whole life I have waited for the day when I would get to see you grown up with my own eyes. You are even more beautiful than I imagined! I am so proud of everything you sacrificed to bring peace to Middle-earth. I know that there were moments of doubt about my love for you, but I hope you will be able to forget such doubts. I love you, my child, more than anything else in this world. I hope you never forget that."

Arwen burst into tears as she heard the words she had longed to hear her whole life. She affirmed, "I love you too, Ada."

They continued to cry tears of joy as they embraced long and hard. Tears were also in Gandalf's eyes as he watched the joyful reunion unfold.

~

The day finally came when all who dwelled in the Land of the Valor came to witness Arwen Belthil be honored as the Heru en e Korma in the great city of Valimar. Arwen wore the same dress in which she wed, but she also wore a robe of royal blue over it and the silver circlet she was given by the King Elessar. When she put the Ring, she contemplated the moments when something so small was the cause of so much fear and doubt, but now it was the cause of much celebration and resolution.

She looked in the mirror once more, overwhelmed with joy by what she saw. She was no longer the hated halfling that thought she was ugly, but she was now a confident woman, the wife of the future king of Gondor, the mother to three beautiful children, and now the ruler of all Middle-earth. With her heart full of joy, gratitude, and humility, she went to the courtyard where the ceremony was to take place.

When she arrived, Arwen was in awe of the sight of everyone adoring her grace and beauty in a way no one had since the day she wed. She felt unworthy of this adoration, but it was by this humility she proved herself worthy of it. She slowly walked up the aisle to the center of the crowd. She came to an arch adorned with the flowers of the valley.

Gandalf, who stood beneath the arch, began, "Today, we gather to witness the fulfillment of the great prophecy of old. The one who was prophesied to come for many an age now stands before you. She has passed through fire, water, and death to stand before you today, and she has completed the necessary tasks to bring Middle-earth to peace. Arwen, please kneel."

She knelt slowly as she noticed someone holding her new circlet, which was similar to the one she was wearing, except it had a big blue gem much like the Ring. Gandalf removed the silver circlet from her head and placed the new circlet in its place, then he quoted the most famous line of the prophecy.

A Female Halfling will rule them all,
The child of the one who makes the Dark Lord fall.
Young and beautiful, but wise and just she shall be,
She shall bring the Age of Peace
when she reigns from over Sea.
And this Maiden Fair shall reign as we sing,
That she will forever be the Lord of the Ring.