What The Actual? (LotR x Reader)

The Story of Coolio

AN: This is simply a look into the past of our beloved odd Elf. The story will continue in the next chapter! Feel free to skip and come back later.

~

A long time ago, when dragons were not so scarce, Elves were not bitches, and Melkor had rule over his lands, there was an Elf.

Now, before this tale continues, you need to know a bit of the back story.

Melkor.

Melkor was a powerful, perhaps the most powerful, Ainur. ( These were the first beings made of the thought of Eru Ilúvatar). Over and over again he corrupted the creations of the Valar out of jealously and malice formed long before, but eventually, the balance tipped in the favor of the previous and thus, left him to flee. In this event, he began to create an army, while the Valar prepared the new world for the coming of the Elves.

To give light to the world, the Valar constructed two Great Lamps and set their place of dwelling somewhere now forgotten. During this time, Melkor reentered the world subsequently to his departure, and set his army in the north-east.

He soon enough destroyed the lamps, scorching the lands across Middle-Earth and allowing himself to obtain his abandoned fortress that had been left before. After the destruction of the lamps, the Valar withdrew to the continent of Aman and there built Valinor. In doing so, however, they gave Melkor virtually free reign in Middle-Earth, as they were far off west. As a result, the continent languished in darkness, and he filled its lands with terrible creatures and decay. The Valar, fearing more destruction, were unsure if they should still wake the children of Ilúvatar (or the Elves), and remained in Aman. But Melkor discovered the Elves anyway, kidnapped most of them, and after a long period of torture, turned them into orcs: nasty, spitting, dripping, oozing creatures.

So where does the lonely Elf come in?

Estellio. That is his name. Or it was anyway.

Well, no, at first he was named Eldrin, but later--well, it's quite complicated actually.

Eldrin somehow managed to escape the cruelty of Melkor weeks before he arrived, and journeyed to the Valar. There, the Elf warned them of the power of the dark Ainur. But before he arrived the Elf suffered countless trials. He left behind everything and travelled over bare lands, alone. He could not properly wield a sword, and relied on his own self-taught instincts to endure.

When he arrived, beaten and bruised and battered, the Valar gifted him the name Estellio, meaning trust. It became his duty to guide his kin.

Countless times had he led his people against Melkor, and countless times had he failed. He tried, with all that befell him, he stood.

Finally, after ages, the turning point happened. They pushed back the foe, and in one last effort, Melkor fell.

All the darkness began to fall too.

As Estellio removed his helmet, he turned to his right-hand man and smiled.

That day the Valar entrusted him with one more task.

To bring music to the broken world.

He gladly obliged.

For centuries he played his string, touring all over the continents.

But one day, one very upsetting day, a servant of Melkor, once thought dead, attacked.

Estellio had just left a village and was walking through a forest when he stopped for a break, falling asleep on a rock. They say Elves do not sleep. Yes, they do not, not anymore. Not since that day, the Vala made sure of it.

Sauron slew him, and left a mark on his soul.

A farmer happened to be pulling his cart by a few hours after, and he raced back to his home at the sight of the dead Elf. Slowly, the word spread to the Elven communities. Rivendell was notified first, being the home of Elrond (who was a friend), then Lothlorien, home of Galadriel. Lastly, news arrived to the home of Thranduil and his wife Elerrian, once close people with Estellio.

The Valar mourned with them.

All but one.

For once, and only once, Nienna did not mourn.

When all the other Vala were off, she sent Estellio and his soul somewhere else, somewhere he would hopefully be hidden. Somewhere he would hopefully be safe. A place she did not even recall, hoping it would save him. In death, Elves eventually return to the halls in Valinor after a period of rest. But Estellio's very soul was so damaged, he was never to wake from his eternal slumber. She had no choice.

He was sent to Earth, and there he lived for many decades. Lost.

Until the birth of one would cause his return.

~

Two Elves walked down a path, a humbled trail covered in leaves and older than time it seemed.

One was Estellio, hero of the Valar, and the other Elerrian, beauty of the land. One was happy and content, the other harboring news not well.

The lady blinked back tears as her low voice sounded.

"I accepted." The male peered down at her, young and handsome face confused.

His hand was wrapped tightly around hers as he spoke.

"Accepted what?"

"The king's proposal."

He froze.

You see, Estellio was a great friend of Thranduil. Both of them had endured more than enough sorrows for a lifetime. But envy and hubris are strong vices, vices which wound tightly around the Mirkwood king. Elerrian was the fairest Elven lady by far, and by Vala did Thranduil want her. She loved Estellio, she really did, with every ounce of her being--but she also wanted a family. A family that would not have to fear for their father every waking second of the day should he be sent off on a whim by the Vala as their renowned hero. It was a daunting task that was too much to bear, and she sought comfort in the Mirkwood king.

His voice was strangled. He couldn't speak. So she did.

"My love, please forgive me."

The fury Estellio felt was too strong to displace anywhere else but where it rightfully belonged.

All his work.

All the blood, sweat, and tears he put in to make the world a better place was a waste. He realized in that moment, that no matter what, he was doomed to be unhappy.

"Do what you wish, but do not expect me to ever forgive you for it."