September 23, 1436 SR: It was this day 18 years ago that Frodo left Bag End and began the Quest. Yesterday was Frodo's birthday and Bilbo's, too. We always had a birthday party at home, even though they are both long gone to the Havens. Father is always in a queer mood that day, it brings so many different things to his mind. It has been a long, hard day for me, and I am homesick. I had not felt so low and miserable since May Day. Still, the King took me aside this morning and said he wanted to remember Frodo and Bilbo at dinner this evening, and that it would be a special dinner for another reason, as well.

So, I thought, what will I wear? And the fact is, I have almost nothing. My best gown is not best any more, but it's all I have. And I have very little money left because I bought Pixie. Everything is very dear here, and even if I could buy some cloth I have little money to pay a needlewoman to sew anything for me. At breakfast the other girls were chattering away about what they were going to wear, and how they would do their hair, and what scent they liked and I just felt left out. They are all rich, and I am not. I suppose Queen Arwen could see all this in my face because she asked me to come to her rooms after breakfast. When I went, she asked me to sit down and she asked me what was wrong. I couldn't help it, I started to cry. Not about the gown, or the hair, but because all of a sudden I missed my home and my Mother and my Father so much. I have been away from them all for six months and now that we are not journeying and seeing new things all the time, I seem to be more homesick. She sat beside me and put her arm around me and kissed my forehead and we sat like that for a long time. She listened so lovingly, and when I looked at her face, I saw such sadness there it nearly broke my heart. I realized then that she misses her home and her Father, too, and that she will never, ever see him again. I felt dreadful, to have troubled her about my homesickness, and when I said that, she put her fingers against my lips and said, It is no trouble to me, Elanor. I understand how you feel, that's all.

My Lady, I said, I wish I had not made you so sad.

She smiled and said, You have not made me sad, Elanor. Then, tears ran down her cheeks and she said, Oh, Father! Father! and she covered her face with her hands.

I felt so awful, and what could I do? She looked at me, finally, and said, Don't look so frightened, Elanor. She got up from the bench and went to the window and looked out to the West. Elanor, she said, this is foolish, sitting about crying like this. Go and get your cloak. We are going for a walk.

We walked up and down the park and we talked and talked. She listened while I talked about needing new gowns, and about the birthday parties at home, and all my little sisters and brothers, and Lady Iorlas and Brego, and everything else. She told me about when she first met Bilbo, and Frodo, and Father, and she told me little funny stories that made both of us laugh. We went back inside, finally, and the other girls stared at me, coming in hand in hand with the Queen. I went to my room and Merien came in. What was that all about? she asked.

Oh, I said, I was just feeling homesick, and the Queen took me out for some air, that's all.

Merien wrinkled her nose. You poor little thing, she said. I keep forgetting how far away your home is. Then she said, Elanor, let's go to the market. Firiel and Amanda are going, too.

We walked all the way down to the cloth market, which is near the third wall, and Firiel and Amanda bought lengths of cloth to have new gowns made. Merien has dozens of gowns, but she loves to look at things, and it was fun, I felt much happier, walking back. I found a very pretty scarf that cost me almost nothing, and it will look well around my shoulders when I wear my old gown. Anna showed me a new way to fix my hair, coiled around and wound up on top of my head, and I think it looks nice. It makes me look taller, anyway.

At dinner the King made a toast to Bilbo, and Frodo, and Father, and to the Fellowship that was. Everyone raised their glasses, and looked at me, and I felt very self-conscious, but proud. We were not in the family dining room, but the State Dining Room, and there was a large crowd, at least two hundred people. Court Lords and Ladies, and foreign ambassadors, and important people from the city. Two Dwarves were there, with messages from Gimli Gloin's son, and a man from Far Harad, with a box of treasure for the King. There were musicians in the gallery and they played softly during dinner. We ate from golden plates, like people imagine, and drank from golden cups. The King and Queen sat handfasted through most of the meal, and her tears had left no trace on her lovely face.

As the dessert was served, and the sparkling wine, the King rose and said, My Lords and Ladies, Knights and Gentlemen, honoured guests from near and far, I have an announcement to make. My beloved wife, the Queen Arwen, is with child........he got those words out and everyone leaped to their feet and applauded and there was laughter and everyone calling out Congratulations, and Gondor will be Blessed! The Queen sat smiling, rosy faced, and looked up at him lovingly and bashfully. After a time the people sat down and the King went on, We expect our child in the Spring, and we ask that you all keep us in your thoughts, and wish us well. Everyone cheered again, and glasses were raised and toasts shouted. I felt very smug, because I had guessed this, but it was lovely to see how pleased everyone was, and how proud the King was.

Even though it was a happy day, on the whole, I feel worn out, from all this feeling, and ups and downs. I imagine the news is all over the city by now, and I can share the excitement, there has not been a King's child born in Minas Tirith for hundreds and hundreds of years. Soon every corner of the Kingdom will know, and we will all wait for this blessed event. Babies are always nice, at least our babies always have been!, and this baby is so terribly important. I wonder, will it be a boy or a girl? Well, six months and we'll know. And Queen Arwen's feelings, I wonder. This child will bind her here more than anything else could do, maybe she will be happier now. Not that she isn't happy with the King, she is and anyone can see it. But I guess we can't have everything in this world, even if we're Queens.