Biography
the story of her life
Arwen Undómiel, Evenstar of her people, was born as the last child and only girl to Elrond Half-elven, Lord of Imladris, and Lady Celebrían daughter of Galadriel, the Queen of the Galadhrim in Lothlórien. In the valley of Rivendell she was born and she grew there surrounded by other elves and protected lovingly by her two older brothers, twins Elladan and Elrohir. She was cherished by her mother and was especially beloved by her father. Indeed, Elrond Half-elven loved his daughter more than words could say -- and his love proved a strong influence upon her life.
Arwen oftentimes travelled between her mother's birthplace, Lothlórien, and her home in Imladris. During the times she stayed in Lórien, she may have very well been one of the Yavannildi -- Maids of Yavanna. These elfmaidens grew and harvested the corn that was used to make lembas -- the waybread of the Lórien Elves.
Arwen would have been well-educated, growing up in the house of Elrond. Her father was the master of Eldarin lore, and she was in contact with some of the greatest Elven minds of the age -- Galadriel and Celeborn the Wise were her grandparents, Círdan the Shipwright was a close friend of her father's, and not to mention her many learned kinsfolk at Rivendell. Taking this into consideration, it is highly possible that Lady Undómiel was considered one of the Wise.
Arwen's life continued on happily, until in the year 2509 of the Third Age, when tragedy struck the entirety of her family. Her mother, returning home from a visit to Lothlórien, was delayed in the Redhorn Pass by Orcs. While Celebrían tried to escape, and her escorts (including her sons) fought back, the Lady of Imladris received a poisoned wound. She did not die, and was rushed back home.
Elrond was a master of healing, and soon, under his care, his wife grew well again -- but only in body. Her mind was under such torment that it was agreed: the only way Celebrían would ever heal would be for her to journey to Valinor, to the Undying Lands. There she would find peace of mind and be cared for. With heavy hearts, her children and her husband bade her farewell at the Grey Havens, where Círdan's swan-fashioned boats journeyed across the Sundering Seas and out of the sight of those in the Middle-lands.
This parting effected the family in different ways. Elladan and Elrohir, fuelled by anger and a lust for revenge against their mother's tormentors, oftentimes rode out in the wild, solely to hunt and destroy Orcs. It must have been a stunning blow to Arwen and Elrond, to loose her mother in such way, yet they found strength in each other. Elrond loved and guarded his daughter endlessly, and Arwen clung to him. The pain was lessened and the father and daughter grew closer than ever before.
Thus, Arwen became the most precious thing in the world to her father...
Three hundred years later, Arwen had just returned from Lórien and was walking in the forests of Imladris, when she heard someone call out a name that was not hers..."Tinúviel! Tinúviel!"
The owner of the voice was a young man, almost a child to her, named Aragorn. He had been raised in Imladris by Elrond, as he was the heir of Isildur -- the man who bore the blood of Kings in his veins. He was captured by her beauty, and called her so because he believed she was Lúthien Tinúviel, elven enchantress of old, the most beautiful woman ever said to walk the Middle-lands, and Arwen's ancestress. Arwen replied that while she was not she, perhaps her doom would be not unlike Lúthien's. Although Arwen thought no more of him than a sweet young man, Aragorn fell in love with her that very moment.
Elrond was perceptive, and could tell that his adopted son had fallen hard for his daughter, and told him gently that Arwen was far too above him, and that "she has lived in the world already so long that to her you are but as a yearling shoot beside a young birch of many summers. She is too far above you. And so, I think, it may well seem to her." And so it was. Aragorn, however, was not deterred, so in love with the fair maiden was he. He set out on a journey to harden himself in the Wild, to grow, and perhaps, just perhaps...be enough for the Lady Undómiel.
Thirty years passed in serene uneventfulness, when Arwen found herself in Lórien once more...and who should she meet there but the young man from half a lifetime ago? Or was he? Aragorn had changed so much...he was stronger, older, wiser...there was nobility and there was strength within his heart. She fell in love. They spent the long days together, in love and carefree.
The days turned until it was Midsummer's Eve. On the hill of Cerin Amroth, where the sunstar flowers of elanor bloomed, Aragorn and Arwen plighted their troth. Aragorn gently explained to Arwen that for them to be together, she had to choose to forsake the immortal life of her people...to choose mortality and death. It was the hardest choice Undómiel ever had to make, but she loved Isildur's Heir so much that she chose death.
The two parted when summer was over, saying their farewells at the river Nimrodel. They exchanged things to let each other remember the other...Aragorn put on Arwen's hand the Ring of Barahir; his long ancestor, older than his beloved, even. Arwen gave to him a single flower of elanor, and they said goodbye.
We can only imagine how heartbroken Elrond was upon hearing of their betrothal. He called Aragorn to him once again, and told him that he would not be able to marry Arwen unless he reunited the Kingdoms of Gondor and Arnor -- and became their King, and then only if Arwen consented. Aragorn accepted this, and set out on the seemingly impossible task.
Arwen saw her beloved only in quick intervals after that, and they were few and far between. Until one last return to Imladris, he was accompanied by four Hobbits, and the wheels of destiny where set in motion finally. The company stayed in Imladris for quite some time, and Arwen took the chance to steal her beloved away for a moment and show him the beginnings of a wonderful standard she was making for him, kingly and one that only the Heir of Isildur, the one with the blood of Kings, would display upon the battlefield.
Aragorn departed shortly after that...Arwen could not bear to see him go.
As Aragorn journied on his errands as part of the Fellowship of the Ring, the Evenstar watched over him in thought constantly, and worked upon the banner, weaving enchantment and her love for him within the threads, never giving up hope that she could somehow deliver it to him.
In the spring, Halbarad, Aragorn's cousin, and his band of Rangers passed through Rivendell, on their way to the Pelennor Fields to aid him in battle. Arwen passed the banner to them, with a message for Aragorn. Now there was little left to do but wait. And the entirety of Middle-earth waited as anxiously as the Evenstar in those terrible, slow weeks.
Then the news and joy flooded the land. Sauron had fallen, the Ring gone forever, and the King had returned!
Arwen, with her father and most of the company of Rivendell set out now for Minas Tirith. Passing through Lothlórien, Galadriel and Celeborn also joined their train, wishing to see their grand-daughter during the happiest day of her life.
On Midsummer's Day, amongst family, friends and the people of their Kingdom, Aragorn Elessar II and Arwen Undómiel were married. Elrond laid the hand of his daughter in the hand of his adopted son's, and gave to him the Sceptre of Annúminas. They were named King and Queen of Gondor. Finally, finally, after all their years of waiting, they were together.
After the celebrations were over, and the Company of the Ring were relaxing together, Arwen spoke to Frodo. She seemed to have an almost mystical connection to the Ringbearer, and seemed to understand his pain. She gave to him a white, star-like gem she wore around her neck in memory of herself and Elessar, and a greater gift besides that. Arwen, unbeknownst to the Ringbearer, had pleaded that Frodo be allowed to take her place upon the ship that would have borne her to the West. There, he could stay until his hurt and weariness had healed.
The time came for the guests to return home, including Elrond. If Arwen's wedding was the happiest day of her life, then this day was surely the most heartbreaking and bitter. No one saw Arwen Undómiel and Elrond Half-elven together for the last time, as they went deep into Imladris' hills and talked for many hours. No parting had ever been more sorrowful, and their loss would be endured to the ends of the world. Elrond's heart must have been shattered. To lose first his wife...and now his daughter.
Arwen and Aragorn shared a long and happy marriage, having six children: five daughters and a son, Eldarion, who was to succeed King Elessar on the throne of Gondor.
When Eldarion had reached twenty years of age, Aragorn stepped down and left the throne in his hands. He felt within his heart that it was his time to pass on from this world. Arwen, horrified, couldn't believe that the time had come so soon. Although she was now counted as mortal, she still had an Elf's view of time. She begged Aragorn to stay a little longer, but he replied that he could not, and he finally closed his eyes with her hand in his own.
To say that Arwen's heart broke would be an absolute understatement. She felt the very life drain from her, and the light in her eyes disappeared altogether. She kissed her daughters goodbye, and not looking back, travelled to the now empty Lothlórien, and numbly spent the rest of the winter under the golden shade.
When the mallorn leaves began to fall, but the spring had not yet come, the Evenstar walked to Cerin Amroth, where long ago she and Aragorn plighted their troth. There she lay down, and passed from the world, alone and silent. And there is her green grave, and there it shall be until the days of her life are utterly forgotten, and the elanor and niphredil bloom no longer.
Namárië, Undómiel vanima...