Fading Light - A Silmarillion Tale | Of Every Race Saga Book I

Chapter 5: Indescribable Pain

Yeah, yeah, I know. That person is Arwen. But Elthríel is supposed to look like her so, why not? Haha, enjoy the chapter!  This chapter's dedication goes to GadSul for the wonderful comments and feedback on last chapter.

His dream was strange. But not strange like dreams sometimes are as in its unrealness. It was strange because of how real it was in its striking clarity. It was strange in how it made him ache inside.

The golden lights of Laurelin danced off the ripples of the stream and reflected off into the pale blue sky. Finrod gazed lazily at the water, feeling the warmth of summer make him drowsy. Slowly, his eyelids closed and he sighed in deep content. Then he felt cool hands placed over his eyes and heard a laugh like the silver tinkling of water. "Amarië!" he laughed, reaching behind him and tossing her to the ground, twisting out her grasp and was on hands and knees beside her, holding her down with one hand as they both were laughing.

"Finrod! Let me go!" she yelped in mock hurt.

"Absolutely not! Now that I've successfully captured you I shall--" he stopped abruptly and plopped down next to her, pressing his forehead against hers gently.

"Shall what?" she questioned in that delicious giggle of hers. "Finrod, won't you--" she was cut off by him as he kissed her.

"That's what I shall do," he said when he pulled back.

"Then maybe I should sneak up on you more often."

"You're terrible!"

"You actually don't seemed to mind that idea, don't you?" she answered mischievously.

"Why should I when it's you who's in question?"

They both lay back down, staring at the sky and talking about absolutely nothing important.

Then the scene shifted. There was fire. Blood. And screams. Finrod relived the terrible hours of the Kin-Slaying with a terrible feeling of guilt in his soul. The scene shifted. Now it was dark. Cold. Icy. Terrifying. In his sleep, he shuddered as the nightmerish memory was relived, its terror unchanged.

Yet instead of the memories of what happened after they reached the shores of Middle-earth, it changed.

Darkness. Deep darkness. Nothing else. He could hear someone sobbing. Sobbing as if their heart was breaking. What was wrong? He felt like he was walking through a hallway and then realized he was back in Nargothrond. It was the middle of the night. Walking down the corridor, he realized he was in the women's wing of the place.  What am I doing here? Then he heard it again, the crying. Only, it sounded like someone was in great pain. He followed the sound and waited outside a door. At last, he gathered enough courage and opened it. He stood still in the doorway, stunned. Elthríel. What was wrong with her? The moonlight flowed through through a skylight, illuminating her bed where she lay. He stepped closer and watched as she tossed in turn, sobs shaking her frail frame and tears falling down her pale cheeks. For some strange reason that he could not explain, he wanted to pick her up and hold her, to wipe those tears away, and tell her it was alright. Yet he couldn't, for he was just dreaming...

There was fire. Heat. Searing pain. Terror. Fear. Panic rising within her. Elthríel tossed and turned as the terrible dreams that haunted her from time to time played in her mind. At last, she sat up and leaned back against the headboard. Why? Why? Why? Why me? Why must I be so accursed? She rose and walked to a tiny window up the wall that allowed in a little light along with the skylight. The only thing that interrupted the silence was her sniffling and shakey breath as she tried to calm herself down. Roughly, she brushed the tears away from her eyes. More and more often, these dreams had come to her. In the beginning, Daelthron had been there. Her brother had comforted her in her pain. But he was no longer here. He was in Mandos' halls in Valinor far away. And Finrod... If her heart could speak, it would have gasped in indescribable pain. She had no idea where he was. He didn't know who she really was. Still, she felt like if he were here, he would have comforted her regardless. When will he return?  Oh, how she pleaded to Varda and Manwë he would come soon.

It was getting harder and harder to patienty endure Amtharel's cruel teasing and treatment of her. Soon, she would completely lose her patience with her.

Elthríel closed her eyes and sighed heavily. Finrod... Long ago in Valinor? Do you remember? When we sang and danced together? When the stars shone down in delight upon us? Do you remember? Please do not say you have forgotten me. Please do not say that Amarië is forever gone from your heart. From your memory. You loved me once. Please say you still do...

The morning sun dawned cold yet bright and golden upon a waking world. Finrod stirred to see the camp preparing off to move again. He had been leading this group of men west since he had first discovered them. One of them walked up to him now, brown-haired and blue-eyed, his stride even. "Where shall we march today, Finrod Felagund?"

The elven lord stood, shaking the last bits of weariness from his eyes. He inhaled deeply before answering. "I had a dream last night, Brúthain. A dream so real it was more like a vision..." his voice trailed off as he remembered seeing Elthríel suffering so. "I need to return home..." Finrod whispered. "We shall go west."

Brúthain nodded and walked down the hill, barking orders to the rest.

Later, when the sun was nearly midway the sky, they were all mounted and headed out of the valley where they had camped. I'm coming, Elthríel. I promise I will hold my word with Daelthron. I'm coming.

So, what did you guys think? Hopefully this story will start picking up more as I have a lot planned. Please tell me what you thought in the comments below! Thanks!