Gwendolyn

- 31 | T H E F A L L O F A L O V E D O N E

Aragorn turned around just in time to see Gwen standing in front of him and receiving the blow that was meant for him.

A scream escaped his lips and he looked with wide eyes at his daughters unmovable body.

His attention was brought back by the fall of the Eye but while the others celebrated, he ran towards Gwen.

"No, no, no!" He kept repeating. His hand went to her neck, trying to find a heartbeat.

It wasn't there.

"No!" Aragorn yelled, sobbing over the body of his deceased daughter. "Why did you do it? Why did you do it! It should have been me!"

Legolas came up behind him, wondering who his friend was sobbing over. His heart broke when he saw it was Gwen and he felt on his knees, broken for the first time in his long life. The woman he loved, who gave him her heart, was dead.

Gimli ran over to the two sobbing men and gasped when he saw her body.

"No," he said, "not the lass."

All the survivors stood around the body, mourning about the fallen ones.

Aragorn stood up. "Gather the dead, we'll give them a proper funeral." He then picked up his daughter and rode with her back to Gondor.

•

Éowyn came running towards the survivors and kneeled down by Gwen's body.

"No!" She cried out. "You promised! You promised!" She sobbed. "Please, please come back to me, I can't do this without you."

When Gwen didn't respond, she buried her head into Gwen's body, trying to smell her smell one more time.

"No! Mahal, why are you so cruel?"

Aragorn watched the scene with wet eyes.

By the Valar, how do I tell Arwen her only child died? He thought.

Gandalf rushed over but stopped in his footsteps when he saw Gwen's body. He bowed his head, having to tell Frodo the bad news.

"The eagles are here to bring us to Frodo," he told Aragorn. Aragorn nodded absently. "You can tell the others, I need to be alone for a while."

Gandalf nodded understandably and with a last look at Gwen and a crying Éowyn, he left.

Éomer couldn't handle the sadness of his little sister any longer and walked over to her. "Come on, Éowyn, let's give Aragorn a moment with her."

Éowyn shook her head and clamped herself at Gwen. "I'm not going anywhere."

Éomer sighed, also sad because of Gwen's dead, and scooped Éowyn in his arms.

"No!" She protested. "Let me go! Gwen! Please!"

Legolas kneeled quickly down and pressed a soft kiss on her lips.

"Sometimes, someone comes into your life, so unexpectedly, takes your heart by surprise, and change your life forever. You are that person Gwen. I love you and I'll wait for you."

He then stood up with a blank face and walked away.

Aragorn stepped closer and kneeled by the body of his only child.

"Gwendolyn," he started, "fifty-five years ago you were born and I couldn't believe I could love someone so much as I love you." He bowed his head and put her head on his lap. "Please, I beg you, come back to us."

He screamed when she didn't replied. He wiped his tears away and carried his daughter inside.

He laid her down in a room and took her armor off. He sat in the chair and started cleaning it. When he was done, he walked in the hall and asked a maid to wash and give Gwen new clothes.

One hour later, Gwen laid fully armored on her bed.

"We will burn her after my coronation," he ordered. "Now, I will go to Rivendell."

•

The Fellowship arrived in Rivendell on the eagles back a couple hours later.

They jumped from the back of the eagles and hurried inside, ready to meet their lost friends.

"Aragorn!" Frodo exclaimed happily. He then looked around. "Where is Gwen?"

Everyone around him fell silence, except for Sam, who didn't seem to know what was happening.

"Where is my sister?" He insisted, locking eyes with Aragorn.

"She died," he replied, looking down, already feeling the tears in his eyes. "She died right before the end."

Frodo's eyes became dull. "She - what?"

Aragorn stepped closer and put his hand on Frodo's shoulder. "I'm sorry, I know how much she meant to you."

Frodo looked at him and the to Legolas, who stood alone in the corner.

"We all did."

•

Aragorn stood in his chambers in Gondor, looking at himself in the mirror while having on his clothes for his coronation.

Gwen should be crowned too, he thought.

He turned away from the mirror and adjusted his cloak. A maid knocked on the door and opened it.

"It is time, your majesty."

Aragorn nodded and followed her outside. The crowed made way for their king-to-be and Aragorn kneeled down before Gandalf.

Gandalf took the crown and held it above Aragorn's head.

"Now comes the days of the king," he said while placing the crown on Aragorn's head. "May they be blessed," he added quietly.

Aragorn slowly rose and turned to face the crowd, who cheered and clapped for their king.

"This day does not belong to one man but to all," he began, "let us together rebuild this world that we may share in the days of peace."

Aragorn walked in slow procession down the white paved path as the crowd bowed their head in respect to their new king.

Aragorn passed Éowyn and Faramir, the first one had still tears in her eyes, and they bowed. Éomer stepped forward to bow in respect.

Trumpets sounded as a procession of elves, dressed in shimmering silvers and whites, leaded by Legolas, approached the king.

Legolas greeted Aragorn though his eyes held still sadness for losing his beloved. He gestured with his head at something behind him.

Aragorn looked past him and saw a banner bearing the white tree of Gondor in full flower, revealing a mortal Arwen.

Aragorn stepped forward and scooped her up in his arms, kissing her deeply. She smiled and let him go, looking past him.

"Where is Gwendolyn?" She asked, still looking for the brown haired girl in the crowd. "Where is our daughter?"

Aragorn looked past her towards Elrond who seemed to read his mind and paled. He looked back in Arwen's blue eyes. "She died."

"No she didn't."