Smoke billows in the night sky.
Cabins and huts crumbled to ashes as they were swallowed by the thick, hot flames.
All who had lived in the Dúnedain village were dead.
The once lively camp was desolate and dark. The main hall was destroyed by the flames and black arrows that pierced its wooden walls.
Dírhael, the once prideful Chieftain of the Dúnedain camp, laid dead on the forest floor behind the main hall. His lady wife curled in his arms.
Forever frozen in the embrace of death.
"Iell-nîn."
The slim hooded stranger stood from their crouch. Pale fingers clenching on the handle of their sword.
"Goheno-nin, Adar" the voice was feminine. A slight tremor in her voice as she released the sword. A large pale hand grasped her shoulder. "De ûvarn an ledhed erui" the speaker was male. His deep voice was smooth, yet gruff, as he spoke.
The female nods quietly.
Turning away from the chieftan and his wife's corpes and following the tall male into the woods. Her blue-grey orbs lathered with tears as sorrow sank deep withing her heart. The sorrow soon disappearing as a simmer of anger flared like small flakes of ashes. Dírhael and his wife had been her grandfather and grandmother, from her naneths side.
Losing them felt like a deep stab wound that never healed. "Ú dha fo iduath han moba" another voice broke her wandering thoughts. It belonged to her Naneth. Ioreth Dírhaelìel, Dúnedain woman of Numenor descent.
The girl glanced up from under her hood. "Come Beríadanwen, let us not tarry any longer." She hesitated. Looking back at what once was her Grandparents home. "Quickly now, Beríadanwen."
The now introduced girl leaped atop her horse, a grey and white speckled steed by the name of Barathön.
Turning she searched for her Adar who had been beside her mere moments ago. "Do not worry, henig-nîn" the tall form of Thaladír Ferenìon stepped out from the trees and leaped gracefully onto his own horse. The hood that hid his identity fell and revealed an unearthly glow that concooned the Elven male. His long Midnight colored hair shimmering underneath the pale moonlight as he pushed it away from his face and behind his finely pointed ears, which revealed his elven heritage.
The tall muscular ellon nudged his steed pass her. Grey orbs landing on his blonde haired, mortal, wife and his black haired, peredhil, daughter.
"Come let us be on our way."
Beríadanwen taps Barathöns flank and follows after her Adar and Naneth.
"The spawn of Mordor will come back to reclaim the meat before dawn, let us not join the dead to Mandos' Hall, this night".
Beríadanwen felt her heart constrict when she saw her Naneth wipe her teary eyes and bid a final farewell to her old village and parents.
Clenching her jaw the 64 year peredhil swallowed harshly and looked to the side. Her thoughts once again began to consume her.
"Beríadanwen?" Ioreth caught the half-elleths haunted eyes. "Come." She passed her daughter without another word.
"Of course, Naneth."
Beríadanwen forced her thoughts away. Glancing back at the darkened village and whispering her own goodbyes.
Her parents began to gallop.
Pushing her horse faster Beríadanwen managed to keep pace with them. "We'll make way to Imladris, by tomorrow." Her adar glided through the trees and spoke louder over the horses footfalls. "Lord Elrond will grant us shelter."
At the mention of Rivendell, Beríadanwens chest released the heavy burden that had settled on it a while back.
They were returning to her Adars home. The peace and tranquility of Imladris always calmed ones weary spirit.
"He will know what to do next".
Beríadanwen pushed her horse faster.
"Noro! Barathön, noro!"
-Next Day-
The ride to Imladris took the entire night and half of the next day.
Beríadanwen knew her Adar did not want to linger anywhere near the filth of Morgoth. Thaladír had no wish to fight a horde of yrch that night.
As she and her parents neared the border of Imladris her Adar suddenly stopped. "Daro!" Beríadanwen ceased her steeds movements and nudged Barathön next to her Adar. She followed his eyes that latched onto the giant trees. She could see two figures cloaked in dark green hoods, hovering in one trees limbs.
"Step into the light, and speak your name, cowards." Her voice was clear and loud.
She knew her Adar did not like her speaking to beings they did not know.
"Ahh! So cold you are, to your favorite twins?"
Two elven men jumped down from the tree brances. Their hands unloading their bows.
"Tis been too long, Gwathel-nîn!"
Beríadanwen relaxed when the two ellons removed their hoods from their faces and showed them that it was their Lord Elrond's twin sons, Elladan and Elrohír.
"Gîl síla erin lû e-govaded vin! Hír-nîns" she clasped both ellons arms with her hands as they walked towards her.
Elrohír smiled widely and glanced at Elladan mischievously. "So you recognize these cowards now, don't you?" Beríadanwen chuckled and nodded.
Her midnight hair swaying gently from the movement.
"Forgive me." She smiled and let go of their arms. "I jest young one." He grinned.
The twins returned her earlier greetings and stepped back. "We are over joyed that you all have finally returned home" Elrohír looked to her Adar and greeted him as he spoke.
Thaladír nodded respectfully at his Lords twin sons.
Elladan bows his head at Beríadanwen's mother before he looks to her Adar. "Our Adar has foreseen your return and awaits you three in his courtyard."
The eldest son of Elrond whistles for his brother and his' horses.
Beríadanwen smirked when the two black and white animals galloped towards their owners. Elrohír slowed their gallop and silently grabbed the reins to his horse, while Elladan leapt ontop of his steed.
"We will follow you."
Beríadanwen let her parents ride infront of her. Keeping pace with Elladan and Elrohír, as the five rode down the small path that led them into Imladris.
She spoke with Elrohír and Elladan.
Speaking of her travels and what they had witnessed of the Dúnedain villages being attacked. "Lernin oh vín egor dãd i ledhed gín min dŷr Edain." Beríadanwen shook her head. "I remembered promising a young henig that we would ask around on you and your families health..do you not?"
Elladan sighed and also shook his head. "Muindor-nîn, leave the little Beríadanwen to her own thoughts."
He frowned and slowed his horse stop a steady walk as the group of five crossed the stone made bridge.
Elrohír gave in and ceased his teasing.
Eyes leaving the hilarious look on the sullen ellons face Beríadanwen looked all over her surroundings as the beauty of Rivendell finally showed itself to the young peredhil. "Adh i aear ah gil!" Her blue-grey eyes watered as she took everything in. The peacefulness in the air seemed to sooth her sorrows like healing balms to a infected wound.
"Beríadanwen Thaladírìel. Welcome home."
Their small group unsaddle themselves from their respective horses and stood beside one another as the Lord of Rivendell descended the finely carved stairs. "Long has it been since you all graced these halls with your joy and love. Welcome home mellon-nins." Lord Elrond greeted her adar with a warriors handshake and kissed her naneth's hand gently with sympathetic eyes.
"Hannon le, Hír-nin." She bowed when he reached her next. Elrond shook his head and pulled the younger peredhil into a warriors greetings like her ada. Her eyes widen. Knowing that it was his way of accepting her as an equal and warrior. "You have grown, pen-neth."
His wise grey orbs saw the heaviness in his fellow Peredhils eyes. He knew what had happened. "Hannon le" she whispers quietly.
Tears brushing her eyelashes.
The lord of Imladris had always held a special place for her in his heart. For like him her footsteps could be heard by the other elves. She had aged quicker than what a normal elfling had aged, like he had. Both would carry the choich to remain one of the Eldar or one of the Edain. Two mixtures of both worlds. They hugged gently and pulled away with wide smiles.
Turning Elrond waved for the group to follow him. "Come. Let us dine together."
They all trailed after the Half-Elven Lord to the dining halls. Talking softly in low tones, catching up on things all had missed out on.
Beríadanwen sighed in awe when they entered the dining hall.
She could see elleths and ellons sitting and standing, all sang laments, playing with their minstrels and flutes. Their voices eased the burden in her chest as she took a seat next to the twins and across her parents and Lord Elrond.
The music grew soft, low, so the group could speak without shouting.
Thaladír explained why they had returned so quickly, without word.
Every face in the dining hall grew somber. The news not easing any hearts. Beríadanwen lifted the goblet that was filled with wine. Thanking the tall elleth that had passed it to her and stared at the gentle ripples when she moved it around. Her blue-grey eyes haunted.
"Word has spread across the land of Isildur's linage being found." Elrond wiped his mouth with his cloth and gazed around the table with saddened eyes. "The orcs are pillaging every Dúnedain village known to us that carried a single drop of Isildur's blood. Seeking to end the line of the heir to Gondor.."
Beríadanwen saw her naneth pale. Worry growing for her sister, Gilrean and her husband Arathorn.
Lifting the goblet and draining wine in one big gulp Beríadanwen spoke.
"Aunt Gilrean sent us a warning, when we reached Lóthlorien." She cleared her throat as dread began to clog it. "We traveled further east from here. Looking for Grandfather Dírhaels settlement.."
The young peredhil hesitantly wiped her eyes.
"Men, women, children..all were dead. My grandparents had departed from Arda long before we came.." She looked down.
Forcing herself to control her emotions.
The twins were silent beside her.
Elladan reached out and placed a strong hand on her slumped shoulder.
His normally calm nature giving into his unusual temper. Rising to the point of no return.
The Dúnedain were being hunted like prey. An it was just the beginning.
"Our kin no longer dwells east of Imladris." She looked up and once more wiped her eyes. Beríadanwen saw her ada bring her naneth into his warm embrace. Giving the mourning adaneth some comfort in her time of need.
"Hannon le, Elladan" She gave him a sweet smile. The quiet son of Elrond nods and moves his hand, placing it near her arm.
"Most welcome Danwën." His deep voice soothes her saddened heart.
They soon look towards Lord Elrond who had been silent. The quiet ellon stood, walking towards the nearby balcony and gazing at the cloudy blue sky.
After collecting his thoughts Elrond turns back to them.
"There are two of your kindred who still draw breath, in Imladris." His confession had frozen Thaladír, Ioreth, and Beríadanwen in their seats. "Two days ago a small band of Rangers rode into the Hidden Valley. Caring two, who held the fate of Arda in their very palms."
Looking the family of three in their eyes he glided towards the table. Stern features softening ever so slightly.
"You may calm your wearied Fëa. For Lady Gilrean Dírhaelìel still draws breath here in my home..with her young son, Aragorn, son of Arathorn."
...Hello and Welcome to my little creation. Thank you for taking time out of your day to read it! I am new at this and beg that you all bear with me. But truly I thank you for reading my fanfic story and I am excited to be on the journey with you! Hope you enjoy!
Elvish words!
~Iell-nin~"My Daughter"
~Goheno-nin~"Forgive me"
~De ûvarn an ledhed erui~"It is not safe to travel alone"
~Ú dha fo iduath han moba~"Do not let the darkness take you"
~Henig~"Child"
~Noro~ "Run!"
~Daro~ "Stop!"
~Gwathel-nin~ "My Sister"
~Gîl síla erin lû e-govaded vin~" A star shines upon the hour of our meeting"
~Adar~ "Father"
~Naneth~ "Mother"
~Lernin oh vin egor dãd i ledhed gin min dŷr Edain~" I heard about one or two of your travels in the lands of men"
~Muindor-nin~ "My Brother"
~Adh i aear ah gil~ "By the sea and stars"
~Mellon-nins~ "My Friends"
~Hannon Le~ "Thank you"
~Hir-nin~ "My Lord"
~Pen-neth~ "Little One"