#haldad

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Haldad and his children, Halson and Haldaughter

          Haldad was the son of Halthor the Hunter, and a chieftain of the Haladin. He was not the lord of all his people, but led the largest group of them in the region of Thargelion. Haldad was a strong and brave man, but his focus was less on warfare and more on providing for his people through a pastoral lifestyle. He bore his husband Danhar identical twin children, Haleth and Haldar: the elder a girl, and the younger a man like himself who expressed his true gender as he came of age.           The Haladin lived in relative peace for many years, until one day a swarm of orcs descended upon their settlement without warning. Danhar was one of the first to fall in this assault, and the loss of his husband drove Haldad to act decisively so he might prevent further deaths. This attack came at a time of feasting and gathering for the Haladin, and nearly all their tribes had gathered at the convergence of the rivers of Gelion and Ascar for a festival. Haldad rallied his people, and even those who did not claim him as their chief obeyed his commands.           The battle was fierce and soon turned ill, forcing Haldad into a retreat. At the suggestion of his daughter Haleth, Haldad built a defensive stockade across the rivers just south of the dwarf-ford of Sarn Athrad, where the Haladin endured a bitter siege. At last, their supplies exhausted and no relief in sight, Haldad led a sortie against the attacking orcs, desiring to die in battle rather than starvation. Here he fell, and when his son Haldar rushed out into the field to recover his father’s body, he was slain in turn.           But Haldad’s death would not be in vain, for Haleth his heir remained. She was a woman of great heart and strength, keeping her people alive for seven days, though some gave into despair and cast themselves into the rivers to drown. On the seventh day, Haleth prepared for her own last stand against the orcs as they breached the stockade’s defenses, but just as the Haladin were about to be overwhelmed, a music of trumpets was heard from the north.           At last aid had arrived, unlooked for: Caranthir the Dark, the elven-lord of Thargelion to whom the Haladin paid no tribute, had come riding into battle. He and his warriors slaughtered the remaining orcs, rescuing the surviving Haladin from certain death. Then at last Caranthir saw the valour of Men and extended to Haleth an offer of allegiance and recompense for her fallen kin, if they would but follow him to his estates in the north.           But to Haleth this seemed far too little, far too late. She was proud, unwilling to be guided or ruled, and rejected him, declaring that she would lead her people west as had the other Houses of Men. Offended by her bluntness and yet impressed by her strength of will, Caranthir began a correspondence with Haleth that would lead to further dealings between them.           Haleth led her people to Estolad, the once-great encampment of Men where now only a fraction of Marach’s House dwelt. Here she was proclaimed Chieftain of all the Haladin, and from thence forth they were known also as the House of Haleth in her honor. She took no spouse in all her days, instead raising her young nephew Haldan as her heir, for both his fathers had perished in the battle.           Soon Haleth desired to move further westward, and though most of her people were uneager to leave their new lands they were devoted to their Chieftain and followed her across the rivers of Celon and Aros and into the perilous lands between the Mountains of Terror and the Girdle of Melian. They were unaided by the elves, and despite suffering hardship and loss along the dreadful path Haleth urged her people forward by the strength of her will, until they crossed the Brithiach into the woods of Talath Dirnen.           Some of the Haladin bitterly regretted this journey, but there was no returning by the path they came. Those who could not bear Haleth’s pride left for other lands, some wandering as far as Nargothrond; but those who loved Haleth and remained loyal to her followed her to the Forest of Brethil between the rivers Teiglin and Sirion. In later days many of her scattered folk would return, but the House of Haleth was ever the most disparate of the Edain.           Brethil was in the dominion of King Thingol of Doriath, though it was not within the Girdle of Melian, and unlike Caranthir he was not content to let the Haladin dwell in his realm without leave. But Finrod Felagund, who loved Men, interceded on Haleth’s behalf and obtained the grace of Thingol his kinsman for her, should she and her people defend the Crossing of Teiglin against the orcs. At this condition Haleth laughed bitterly, for she hated orcs more than any other mortal, desiring revenge against those who had devoured her father and brother.           Haleth lived a long and storied life, a proud Chieftain and formidable warrior to the last. She perished in a skirmish against orcs on the banks of the Teiglin at the age of seventy-nine, and the Haladin raised a green mound over her body in the heights of the forest: Tûr Haretha, the Ladybarrow; and it was said at times that a tall shadow would rest flowers on her grave, disappearing like an elf if any mortal dared approach its mourning.