A Timeless Love

By the Lorien River, Arwen and Boromir walked both thinking deeply. Arwen felt shameful for not telling him the true feelings she held inside, and every step the burden seemed to drag her down.

“Arwen, is something wrong? I have perceived since our greeting that there lies a weight upon your heart. True, our kiss was less than remarkable. It seemed as though you’re feeling rested elsewhere,” Boromir spoke, breaking the silence. Arwen breathed deep and stopped her walking.

“There is something I need to speak to you about, it is very important,” she answered in a whisper.

“Before you start, I also need to release my words. Please sit,” he said, pointing to a white marble bench before the river.

They were seated, quite a long distance apart, until Boromir noticed and slid closer to her. He turned to face the princess; his dark blue eyes shining darkly as he drew a deep breath. “Arwen...”

Arwen studied him carefully, her ivory skin tinged with pink in the cold wind, and her crystal eyes bright. “Yes Boromir?”

He knelt down before her on one knee, clasping her small hands in his own. Arwen felt a rush of nerves rise in her heart and a sudden sense of foreboding

“I have known how I felt about you, Arwen, since we met that day years past. You stood upon your balcony as the winter rain beat down upon my riders and smiled at us as we entered Rivendell. It was then that I knew I loved you...”

Arwen trembled slightly as Boromir continued, “Dark times are coming and I fear that I may soon have to go away to fight, however, that prospect would seem much more comforting if I knew you would be here, as my lady for all eternity through life, and death...”

“Boromir...”

The Captain rose and drew Arwen to him. He brushed her cheek with his hand gently and whispered, “I love you, Arwen Evenstar, and ask now for your heart and hand.”

Arwen felt as though the world had begun to spin. Millions of thoughts flew through her mind as Boromir stared at her expectantly. What should she do? Say yes and live a life in a pretend world of love? Or no and break the heart of a noble sir who dote upon her so loyally. Be true to her feelings or deny them?

One thought stood out clearly in Arwen, princess of the Elves’ mind, and it surprised her, but in a wonderful way, bringing calmness and peace to her heart. She saw a new face, one she had only recently laid eyes upon, but yet took her breath away. The picture of Aragorn ed, ed, his smile beaming at her, his green eyes filled with light. She could feel the soft touch of his lips on her skin.

“Arwen?” Boromir asked, interrupting her thoughts. She closed her eyes briefly then opened them slowly.

“I cannot give you the answer you wish, Boromir, for I have not been honest with you, and doubt lies heavy upon me. While you were away in battle, the love that once flourished for you in my heart faded to a mere feeling of care, and there it has remained. I hoped once you returned and my eyes looked into yours the love would rekindle. In sorrow, I admit to it not doing so. Truly, you still dwell in my heart, and will always, but I am not in love with you, Boromir, therefore I cannot live out a false lie and give up my immortality to be your betrothed.. To my heart I must be true...” she murmured, feeling the weight of her words and the way they hit the man sitting before her.

For a minute neither spoke. Arwen held her breath, waiting for his reaction. Boromir’s eyes searched the land as though searching for some sign that what she had said was not true. After finding none, he swallowed hard and turned away.

“Boromir!” Arwen called, causing him to spin and look at her, his eyes glazed with tears.

“It is all right Lady Arwen Evenstar, daughter of Elrond. I knew what your answer would be from the second the words escaped my lips. There is more for you than there is for me, Boromir, a simple man of Gondor, not even of noble descent, just a Captain of some misplace army. You are a princess, the Evenstar of your people, filled with the light of the Elves, and the immortality I could never possess. I suppose I always knew you were too high a prize for my reach, and yet still I loved, though I should have realized you deserve more than I could ever give you,” he croaked, his heart burning.

Arwen hurried to him, and held his shoulders, while he hung weakly. “Speak no more of this, Boromir! Your love is all that I could have ever asked for, or even wanted for that matter. Your destiny is different from mine, and believe my words, Malhena, you are more than what you think. The bond between us as lovers simply was not meant to be.” (Good friend)

Boromir opened his eyes and looked up from the ground, gazing at Arwen. He nodded solemnly. “My silly fantasy, to capture the heart of such a fair lady, just a worthless dream. How could I ever expect you would give up your immortal like for someone like me? Your words are honest, I shall depart from Rivendell and return to my place, in Gondor.”

Before she could speak, he pulled from her grasp and ran off into the woodlands. Arwen collapsed, her breath coming in searing gasps as she tried to erase the deep guilt piercing her heart.

“My lady?” came a deep voice from behind her. Arwen turned and saw Aragorn staring at her worriedly, his eyes filled with concern.

“I wish not for you to see me in such a terrible state, I am afraid that I am rather a disaster at the moment,” she mumbled, her long black hair coming free from its braid and falling about her face as she looked down. Aragorn hurried to her side, kneeling onto the grass.

“I see no disaster, only beauty. I do feel a pain though, only it is not for the eye to look upon, it is in your heart,” he murmured sadly, brushing back her hair carefully. Arwen turned towards him.

“Not my heart, lord, but in the man that loves me, for I have broken his,” she explained weakly.

“I am sure Boromir will heal, he is a strong man,” Aragorn told her soothingly. Arwen’s eyebrows raised.

“How did you know...?”

Aragorn shrugged “A mere guess. It seemed from the way you greeted him something was wrong, and I am correct, yes?”

Arwen nodded. “Quite. Its amazing, I have dwelled in this land for over a thousand years yet still I do not know every secret it holds, nor the path I should take. I am completely lost....”

Aragorn sat thinking for a moment before he began to sing:

“All that is gold does not glitter.
Not all those who wander are lost:
The old that is strong does not wither,
Deep roots are not reached by frost.
From the ashes a fire shall be woken,
A light from the shadows shall spring,
An ageless face of beauty unbroken,
The portrait of an ancient king,
Paths on left and roads on right,
A long journey through the skies,
Strong hearts prevail through the night,
Erasing all tears that have been cried.”

Arwen’s heart skipped as she listened to Aragorn’s gentle singing, his voice like water bubbling from a brook. For some off reason his words seemed very familiar, like a song she used to know long, long ago.

“That was beautiful,” she murmured.

Aragorn smiled and nodded. “I learned it a long time ago while I was venturing through Lothlorien Forest. There was woman there, beautiful with long midnight hair and flowers laced through it, sitting high in a mallorn tree. I did not want to disturb her, so I merely laid among the leaves, hiding myself from her view and listening to her sing.”

Suddenly Arwen realized why the song seemed so familiar. She had been the one singing it! Her grandmother, Galadriel had taught it to her in the early days of the Third Age, but that was past and she had since forgotten it.

“You heard me,” she told him quietly.

“What do you mean?” Aragorn inquired, awestruck.

“The woman you saw and heard singing was me. My grandmother, Galadriel taught that song to me when I was young, and lived among the mallorns of Lorien. I had forgotten it til now, and truly, I cannot believe you have remembered it. That must have been many years ago for you,” Arwen commented, her lips curving into a grin at the amazed ranger.

Staring up into the willow tree branches dipped into the water, Arwen began to sing:

“The leaves were long, the grass was green,
The hemlock-umbels tall and fair,
And in the glade a light was seen
Of stars in shadow shimmering.
Tinuviel was dancing there
To music of a pipe unseen,
And the light of stars was in her hair,
And in her raiment glimmering.

There Beren came from mountains cold,
And lost he wandered under leaves,
And where the Elven-river rolled,
He walked alone and sorrowing.

He peered between the hemlock-leaves
And saw in wonder flowers of gold
Upon her mantle and her sleeves,
And her hair like shadow following.

Enchantment healed his weary feet
That over hills were doomed to roam:

And forth he hastened, strong and fleet,
And grasped at moonbeams glistening.
Through woven woods in Elvenhome
She lightly fled on dancing feet,
And left him lonely still to roam
In the silent forest listening.

He heard there oft the flying sound
Of feet as light as linden-leaves,
Or music welling underground,
In hidden hollows quavering.
Now withered lay the hemlock-sheaves,
And one by one with sighing sound
Whispering fell the beechen leaves
In the wintry woodland wavering.

He sought her ever, wandering far
Where leaves of years were thickly strewn,
By light of moon and ray of star
In frosty havens shivering.
Her mantle glinted in the moon,
As on a hill-top high and far
She danced, and at her feet was strewn
A mist of silver quivering.

When winter passed, she came again,
And her song released the sudden spring,
Like rising lark, and falling rain,
And melting water bubbling.
He saw the elven-flowers spring
About her feet, and healed again
He longed by her to dance and sing
Upon the grass untroubling.

Again she fled, but swift he came.
Tinuviel! Tinuviel!
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 Tinuviel
That in his arms lay glistening.

As Beren looked into her eyes
Within shadshadows of her hair,

The trembling starlight of the skies
He saw there mirrored shimmering.
Tinuviel the elven-fair,
Immortal maiden elven-wise,
About him cast her shadowy hair
And arms like silver glimmering.

Long was the way that fate them bore,
Over stony mountains cold and grey,
Through halls of iron and darkling door,
And woods of nightshade morrowless.
The Sundering Seas between them lay:
And yet at last they met once more,
And long ago they passed away
In the forest singing sorrowless.”

Arwen stopped singing, and in her eyes glistened fresh tears. Aragorn leaned closed and held her tiny hands in his own.

“I know now why I have not forgotten the song you sang long ago, one cannot help but remember such a beautiful voice,” he murmured.

“That is my song, Lord Aragorn. Long ago Tinuviel lived with Beren and died with him. I, Arwen Evenstar, are of her kin,” she replied warily.

“I have seen portraits of the Lady Luthien Tinuviel, you are almost identical to her,” Aragorn noticed, studying the elf wondrously. Arwen nodded.

“Yes, I am exactly like her, my great-grandmother of old. She left her people for her love, and it has been foreseen that I shall follow her path...” Arwen spoke, her voice shaking. “When I loved Boromir I believed the foretelling true and grew some what used to the idea of leaving my people for him, for he is a mortal man. But now that we are apart, I am unsure of where my destiny lies, and afraid to leave my people....”

“My lady, merely because you appear like Luthien does not mean your fate lies with hers. You may yet fall in love with one of your kind and dwell forever with your people,” Aragorn told her. Arwen looked out over the water, a single tear lingering on her long lashes.

“Tell me, Aragorn. You are the heir of Isildur, who took the ring from Sauron but who would not destroy it. He tried to use the rinr hir his own power, and it lead to his death. Are you not afraid that you should follow his footsteps now that the ring has been found?” Arwen asked worriedly, staring back at him. Aragorn closed his eyes briefly before sighing.

“I am terrified of that possibly, which is why I have avoided the throne for so many years, adapting the life of a Ranger. I do not want to be conquered by a ring or corrupted by power,” he said defiantly. Arwen rubbed his hand comfortingly.

“We are both consumed by our ancestors fates, and our own paths. It is a horrible thing,” she said wearily. Aragorn looked deep into her eyes, an invisible line of understanding passing through him to her.

“Hast halem wilre, losta deni ki cersta qiline lewsot montol,” he whispered. (Do not fret, you and I will find our way)

Arwen’s mouth opened slightly as her eyes widened. “You know the language of my people?”

Aragorn nodded. “When I lived here as a child, your father taught me the Elven language and all the tales of ancient lore.”

Suddenly footsteps sounded behind them and a tall, handsome elf with long golden hair smiled at them in turn, bowing to Arwen.

“Arwen, lostada meoco mornie norm losta jau hastenil jau hearth, norm alexiane ricto bre plotanis undiel nermo, ” he spoke, holding his hand out to here. (Arwen, your father asks for you to hurry to bed, for tomorrow is a very special day)

“Alah losta, Legolas,” she replied, rising up. (Thank you, Legolas)

Aragorn also stood. “Halah Legolas, it is good to see you again. I hope that you do remember me?”

Legolas nodded with a smirk. “Of course, Elessar! Welcome back to Rivendell!” The man and elf embraced one another as brothers while Arwen watched happpily.

“Shall we all walk together, or do you have other plans?” she asked slyly. Legolas smirked mischievously.

“Possibly,” he joked. “No, no, I will escort you, Undomiel,” he answered, taking her hand in his. Aragorn felt a slight
pang within his chest at the sight. He started to sit down on the bench to think, however he felt Arwen’s free hand lace his.

“Come now, Lord Aragorn, you do not believe we would simply abandon you? Up you get, I do not entirely trust my safety in this rascally elf’s hands, therefore I will need your company,” she laughed. Legolas mocked hurt.

“Beretha Arwen, ki cersta mewdu ton!,” he joked, pulling at a stray piece of her long raven hair. (Fine Arwen, I will leave now)

Arwen leaned close to the elf and placed a gentle kiss upon his lips. Again, Aragorn felt a twinge inside his heart.

“Sumtha Legolas,” she whispered softly. Legolas grinned broadly and nodded. (Hush Legolas)

The three began to walk, discussing the gardens and the council to be held the following morning. When they reached
the Great Hall, Elrond stood waiting for them.

“Nuhera vuroos!” he laughed. They all mimicked shame as Elrond smiled. (About time)

“My apologies, Legolas and Elessar, but I must steal my daughter away for a few moments,” he told them.

“Oh, but we were having such a wonderful time!” Legolas whined. Elrond chuckled. Arwen kissed both her escorts upon their brow, lingering for a second longer with Aragorn then Legolas.

“Alah losta, my noble escorts,” she murmured before disappearing into a room with her father.