Silmarilion Shorts

The Awakening pt. 2

It was not until much time had passed, and perhaps once or twice a faint silvery-gold light shown at the western sky, the newly made mountains blocking our view for the most part, that we saw it. Our third taste of true light, not starlight or fire, nay, this was a bright white, so sharp it felt like it was burning our eyes. I yelped and turned away.

Then we heard the pounding. The earth shook as whatever it was approached, and many were afraid. We hid on the edges of the clearing, but some fled as it drew nearer. A greater amount, though, were intrigued by this light, despite our fear of it, for we only fear what we cannot understand, but we also wanted to understand.

I was so glad I did not run off, because those who did became orcs, which is a torture beyond anything any of us ever experienced, though some would beg to differ.

We drew our stares to the center of the clearing we currently inhabited, and to our surprise it was a great figure upon a horse. It appeared to be a man, and he looked at me in surprise, joy soon covering his features. After he dismounted from the strange creature, whom we learned was a horse, he smiled brightly at us.

"So the first children have come." My Fëa bond, which is what we called it, marriage, having no other name, went to the an ellon whom we would later call Finwë, who stepped forward now. When Finwë my soul bond spoke to him, his good friends Elwë and Ingwë followed. Ingwë knelt in front of the man, but Elwë was about his height, and just stared curiously into his eyes.

"Thou hast been long proceeded by our preparations, but if one of each group would be so willing, a meeting with thy fate would be near at hand." His speech was lilting and smooth, his auburn eyes burning with hope. "My mother will be pleased that the time has come. Know that she never intended to keep you in darkness."

"What darkness do you speak of?" Elwë breathed. "Do you not see the stars?"

"Ah, you are yet young, and can be excused in your ignorance, as can we for failing to protect the true light." Oromë, whom had somehow made his name known to us, chuckled. "The stars are but pinpricks in a much greater well. They are drops of dew in a great garden. You may choose to marvel at them, or experience the brilliance beyond the mountains. I can only take three with me, whom shall it be?"

"We will do it." Ingwë said, his blue eyes shining with eagerness. "My brethren and I are ready to travel, my liege."

"Yes, it's only right that one from each of our factions should go." My love, Finwë said, but he was looking at me. "Míriel..."

My name, which was changed to Quenyan many years later, and is what you are reading now, spilled from his lips.

"Go." I said. "You are our king, and our leader. For your people need you more than I; I am but one elleth."

And it was true, as I realized when I refused to return to him. He found love in another, Indis, and who was I to deny him happiness? Even in death he only ever cared for her, and our bond was irretrievably broken. Our son died, but his legacy spans thousands of years, and across many ages. I may have been just one elleth, but he was the start of a line that would define the First Age of Arda.

In that, my story only serves as insight, and we all remember, but those who were not there forget where we came from, so as a loyal servant of Vairë, weaver of memories, I remind them.