Chapter VI: The Second Awakening (Pt. V)
I took my place beside MĂźrwenâI marveled at how she radiated when she smiled at me. We stood with Elmo and Orowen, Galadhon and Celebriel, Galathil and NĂĄrwen on either side of King Thingol and Queen Melian. Oropher, Amdir, Galathil, and EĂ€ros stood with their wives beside Celeborn and Galadriel as they stood before the court to take their vows.Â
âCeleborn, son of Galadhon,â Daeron began. âYou have chosen Galadriel?â
âI have,â Celeborn said proudly.
âAnd you, Galadriel, daughter of Finarfin,â another elf said to her. âYou have chosen Celeborn?â
âI have,â Galadriel said gazing into Celebornâs eyes.
Daeron and the elf bowed to Things as he stood to address the couple.
âI say to you both, you have my blessing.â
They shared a kiss and the Great Hall erupted with cheers. Servants cleared the hall to prepare for evening celebrations as we left with the family into an adjacent room beyond the thrones. Once there, I noticed King Thingol speaking to his queen quietly across from us. The door opened.
âSaeros,â Thingol said to the elf that entered. âCome.â
I recognized him as the other officiant. Unlike most elves in the service of the king, he was a Nandor. Today was his first official duty as a member of the council. Graceful and fair, his demeanor reminded me of Denethor.
âThat was a beautiful ceremony,â Orowen began. âIt was indeed the respite from the goings-on beyond these walls we needed.â
âIf you are referring to the sundering of the lands around Beleriand by the sons of FĂ«anor, Fingolfin, and Finarfin, then yes, it was,â Galadhon said quietly.
âIt is your sonâs wedding day,â Elmo began sternly. âThere will be none of that.â
âWhere has Celeborn gone to,â MĂźrwen asked, looking around.
âHe is probably with his brother and his cousins,â I said. âHis bride was last seen with LĂșthien and her ladies.â
âI am rather looking forward to this evening,â Galathil said. âHow long has it been since we have found cause to celebrate?â
Shortly, we found ourselves summoned to the Great Hall again for feast and merriment into the night. When I was not dancing with MĂźrwen, I spent my time observing my kin enjoying themselves. Even SĂșlwĂ« found a measure of happiness as he danced with Galadriel. For a moment, it seemed the past was forgiven.
One morning not long after, I lay in bedâmy eyes shut with my mind drifting peacefully in tranquil darkness. I felt MĂźrwen move closer to me, her lips touching mine. I opened my eyes to find her looking at me. We kissed again and soon we were lost in each otherâs arms.
âHow is my wife this morning,â I asked.
âShe is very happy,â she said.Â
She kissed me again, but I did not respond.Â
âWhat is the matter?â
âIt is too quiet,â I answered. âSomething is about to happen.â
âDo not be silly,â MĂźrwen said, kissing me again.
There was a knock at the door. MĂźrwen frowned at me as I smiled at her.
âI told you so,â I whispered. âOne moment, if you will,â I said to the door.
MĂźrwen rose from our bed and covered herself with her robe.
When the door opened, several ladies entered. I recognized two of them.
âGood morning, Nimeithel; ValdĂșril.â
âOrothĂŽn,â Nimeithel said as she turned to MĂźrwen. âWonderful news! NĂndi is with child and Galathil has asked Meriel for her hand.â
âThat is wonderful news,â MĂźrwen cried gleefully.
âYes,â I began. âWonderful.â
They all turned and looked at me for what seemed a lifetime.
âApologies, my love,â MĂźrwen finally said.Â
She motioned for the ladies to follow her to her dressing corner so I could properly cover myself in my robe. It was then another knock came. I sighed deeply.
âEnter,â I said as I sat down on the bed. It was Ălengolas and FinĂ«ar.
âYou are not in bed,â FinĂ«ar said.
More dressers entered as MĂźrwen emerged dressed for the day. She came to me and whispered into my ear.
âUntil later,â she said as she kissed my cheek.
I nodded and she disappeared into the hall with the ladies.
âI do not wish to know,â Ălengolas began. âPlease keep that to yourself.â
I let out a weak laugh as the dressers got to work.
âAny word from court other than Galathilâs engagement?â
âLady Galadriel has left Beleriand,â FinĂ«ar said.
âIt is nothing,â Ălengolas added. âShe went to see her brother.â
âThe king allowed this,â I asked.
âHe cannot deny her such a request even as he and his brothers are exiled.â
âDid Celeborn leave with her?â
âNo, he remains,â FinĂ«ar answered. âHe has duties to attend to here.â
âHe is the grandson of the kingâs brother. Let no grudge go unheld,â Ălengolas said as the dressers finished and left.
The three of us made our way toward the Great Hall.
âWhere does Finrod make his home,â I asked.
âNot far from our southwest borders,â FinĂ«ar said. âThe sons of FĂ«anor are our north and east.â
âDo not forget Fingolfin and his sons,â Ălengolas said. âThey occupy territory in the Northwest regions. All is right with the world.â
âFor now,â I said to myself as we continued on our way.
As the years went on, our world began to grow. There were noticeably more elves and naugrim walking the hills and valleys of Arda. After the birth of EĂ€ros and NĂndiâs son ĂarmĂźr, Galathil wed Meriel. Not long thereafter, their daughter Nimloth was born.
In the days following, my visions became more frequent and vivid. I told no one of the darkness and the despair I saw but Oropher seemed to understand whenever I became distant from friends and family.
There were rumors out of Ossiriand from the remnants of the Laiquendi still residing there. A new creature had appeared. Unlike the naugrim, it was said to be far more pleasant to look upon, yet their presence was unwelcome. Saeros would scoff at the stories of his lost people as fantasy as their plight of living under the eyes of two sons of FĂ«anor was less than ideal.Â
Queen Melian, however, took these rumors to heart. She said very little on the matter except to tell us not to dismiss these tales out of hand for creation continues under the Heavens. After a while, the rumors would be put aside and we went on with our livesâuntil the night when the rumors came within the borders of Doriath.Â
For elves, the night brought us comfort. We awoke beneath the stars so it was not uncommon for any of us to find ourselves outside on cloudless nights lost in thought. On nights such as this, LĂșthien would wander out of the palace. It was unclear whyâfor it had started to become routine. Upon her return each time, her behavior seemed changed. Her cousin Galathil fell suspicious firstâtelling Oropher she was almost tolerable. Still, no one said a word. It was in her nature, we told ourselves.
One moonlit night, I went to find my son. He was on watch in the keep. When I arrived, he was lost in thought, gazing into the sky.
âWhat is on your mind, son,â I asked.
âNot a thing,â he said, turning his gaze toward me. âI was enjoying the view.â
I went to join him at the window. It was one of the most beautiful nights I had seen.
âWhat a view it is,â I said. âIt is breathtaking.â
âPerhaps if we were outside,â he began. âI would love to take Nimeithel for a walk.â
âThere will be other nights,â I said. âHow is Nimeithel?â
âShe has been tasked to look after LĂșthien,â he answered. âTo see where she wanders on the orders of grandmother. She thinks LĂșthien has found a new place to wander but she wants to make sure it is not too far from Menegroth.â
âHas she returned,â I asked.
âShe never left,â Oropher laughed. âLĂșthien escaped before she could follow.â
We look out the window and saw Daeron leavingâcrossing the bridge swiftly.
âWhere is Daeron going,â I asked.
Oropher looked for himself.
âI do not know, but he has been often wandering out of Menegroth as of late searching for LĂșthien.â
âPerhaps he goes for the king,â I said.
âThe king does not know,â he answered.
âHow is that possible?â
âI cannot say,â Oropher began. âBut he does not know Daeron is in love with his daughter.â
âI beg your pardon,â I cried.
âIt is true, Ada,â he said. âI do not know how no one has noticed how he looks upon her.â
âEveryone looks upon LĂșthien with high regard,â I said.
âHe looks upon her as I look upon Nimeithel or EldĂŽr looks upon ValdĂșril. He is in love but it is unrequited.â
I looked out again to see Daeron returning from his outing. Even at a distance, I could see he was infuriated.
âHe is not happy,â I said.
âHow can you tell,â Oropher asked. âHe always looks that way.â
âSomething has him overwrought,â I said. âPerhaps I should go after him.â
âThere is no need to,â Oropher said pointing into the night.
I saw LĂșthien coming across the bridge and into the gates. We looked at each other perplexed. I would not be long before the answer to our questions would come walking into the court of King Thingol.ââTKWRT Book I: The Epic of Eryn Galen by JaynaĂ© Marie Miller. 8-03-2019
Note to @staff : This is Liv Tyler as Arwen. Duh.
Images: ©2001, 2002, 2003. Warner Brothers Pictures. The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King. All Rights Reserved.