ERRANTE ET ÉTERNELLE ? (SUITE ET FIN)

A few months later, King Elessar lied down to rest and said his farewell to his people and his family. What he then told to his son is known, and how he and Queen Arwen tried a last time to convince each other to change their choices. But in the end it was as their daughter had foretold. And he gave his son the Sceptre and the Winged Crown. But none has told what he said to his youngest child, nor the fate of the Elessar.
As she came to her father, he opened his left hand, revealing the green shining of the stone. “I want you to bear the Elessar, he said. For Estel I was, in times which are now forgotten, but Estel you’ll have to be, in times I cannot yet see. I wish I could give you the light of Eärendil, as the Lady Galadriel did for Frodo, but the only light I can claim for mine and give you is this one. Keep it, for you’ll have to bear the inheritance of Elves and Dunedain into distant ages.”
Then he hesitated, for he loved her dearly, and felt sad and worried for her. But as she had said before, there shouldn’t be any untold words between them. So he went on : “That will be a lonely road.”
And she was weeping, but gripped the Elessar in her hand and answered : “I know, Father. But you will be with me, and also will Mother."
"No one can advise you, for no one followed this road before you. But if I see right, I would tell you to walk cross Middle Earth, to be a Wanderer, as I was in my youth, and as Mithrandir was, in past ages of the world. For all lands will need you, not only the western realms. And you will need them, too."
"I will do as you said, Father.”
And he saw stars in her eyes, but perhaps were they just tears.
Then he softly caressed her cheek and gave her the name which is still hers.
“Eldawen Calacolindë” he said. And added : “Aure entuluva.”(*) We have to suppose these were the last words they shared.

After the death of the King, her brother and sister tried to convince their mother to stay with them, but Eldawen didn’t join them. She left the White City at nightfall, as all the eyes were fixed on Queen Arwen’s departure. Her sister only saw her leaving, and said : “Shall I lose in the same day all the people I love ? He had to leave, and I suppose she couldn’t stay after him, but you ? You are young, and spent so few years among the people of Gondor. You have time.”
But Eldawen answered : “Utùlie’n aure. Time has come. I will miss you, and our brother, and all the people. I will miss the gardens of Ithilien, and the morninglight over the White Tower of Ecthelion. Yet I shall leave.”
And her sister saw the light on her head and under her cloak. But she added :
“Where will you go ?"
"All around Middle Earth, she answered. I don’t know if we’ll meet again in this world.”
She kissed her sister and went out of Minas Tirith. If she met her mother and they had a last meeting before Arwen’s death on Cerin Amroth, their words haven’t reached us.
It is told that Eldawen was on the shore when Legolas and Gimli sailed over Sea, and that Legolas offered her to join them, for he had seen her nature, and alone among Arwen’s children she would have the choice of the Half-Elven. But she knew this was too easy a way, and too fast.
It is told that she was seen from time to time in the following centuries — walking in a wood, fighting for a cause, singing in a lost valley, learning a foreign language or teaching an ancient magic. It is told that she still inhabits Middle Earth, bearing the Light of the Elessar and her own Light.
It is little for a story. But the time will come, when Middle Earth will need the heritage of the Peredhil. And then, the time for her story to be told.

Marseille, France, Middle Earth, 7.12.2003


(*) which means, in high-elvish, Eldawen Light-Bearer and Day shall come again.