Prologue
Elves are immortal. Their beauty never ages yet they become wiser as they grow older. When two elves fall in love, it was said that they pledged eternity to each other. But what if you turned your back on love because you knew you had eternity?
I didn't know where I was and I didn't care. I just kept running, tripping over roots, but no matter how hard I fell I had to keep going. Running from Rivendell, despite the paradise it was, running from him from my father.
Eventually the sound of water filled my ears so I knew I must be close. A large waterfall loomed bellow me moments later. I took tiny steps as I edged closer to the crash of the waves. I slipped my hand into the pocket of my cloak and took out a dagger. I traced my finger over the words carved in elvish. Life is always a two-sided blade
"Life," I said bitterly. "What life?"
I fiddled with my auburn braid which reached the middle of my back. In one swift stroke I had cropped off the braid. I held the bundle of hair in my clutched hand and let go. Some of the hairs flew in my face but the strong winds blew them away. I walked forward until I felt I was close enough to the edge.
"The light will always shine," I whispered and took my fall.
I was prepared to feel the wind whip me like a stick and my heart beat for its last seconds of life, but he stopped me.
"Stop!" he yelled grabbing me from behind and wrapping his arms around mine so I couldn't break free.
"Let me go, you can't stop me!" I shrieked struggling to get out of his grasp.
"The light will always shine, you said it yourself. Why have you given into the darkness?" he repeated my last phrase. He gripped more tightly.
"There is no light for me, only darkness," I cried out. "I will always be in darkness, The light will always shine, without me!" I screamed before bursting into tears when his grasp was too strong for me to fight.
He held me there as I wept. His grip loosened slightly and then he did something I had not expected. He began to sing.
May it be an evening star
Shines down upon you
May it be when darkness falls your heart will be true
You walk a lonely road
Oh! How are you are from Home
Mornie utulie (Darkness has come)
Believe and you will find your way
Mornie alantie (Darkness has fallen)
A promise lives within you now
May it be shadows call
Will fly away
May it be your journey on
To light the day
When the night is overcome
You may rise to find the sun
Mornie utulie (Darkness has come)
Believe and you will find your way
Mornie alantie (Darkness has fallen)
A promise lives within you now
A promise lives within you now
He turned me around, still keeping his hands firmly on my shoulders. He tipped my chin up and I looked into his bright blue eyes that were framed by dark lashes and gentle features.
"Tandaewen, daughter of Elrond, your father will not be happy to see that you cut your lovely hair."
I looked down at the ground and he stepped back from me.
"Come back to Rivendell, and perhaps we can just forget this happened?" He said gently, offering me his hand.
I stared at him for few moments, just wondering, as the breeze caused his blonde locks and green cloak to waft about his elvish form. I looked back at the falls and wished he hadn't disrupted me.
"What good is eternal life when you spend it alone and in darkness, Legolas?" I scowled at the rolling waters and He put his hand gently on my shoulder.
"You have a promise of light, don't give it up so quickly," Legolas asked.
"I don't want the light."
"No? Then why do you despise mornie? I think you are actually seeking light."
"In the darkness of death?"
"No, in the death of darkness."
"Quit speaking in riddles, Legolas of Mirkwood, I won't pass into shadow on this day. You've done the noble act of saving me." I walked briskly past him and headed down the hill into Rivedell. Leaving him to wonder what was so wrong that I would want to fling myself over the falls.
He followed swiftly after me and saw to it that I made it safely to my room. I was irritated but something about his caring demeanor both disturbed and comforted me. He waited in my sitting room while I changed into a fresh gown, even though I had expected him to leave and thought that he had. I set the now tattered and soiled one aside to be cleaned and mended.
I looked at myself in the mirror and nearly wept. My hair was now chin length, the strands that always hung loose from my braid and near my ears were the only long pieces and they only reached just below my shoulders. I took out my blade again and cut them as short as the rest of my hair. I quickly examined the rest of my appearance in the mirror. Shimmering golden streaks ran through my hair, and my green eyes looked red from my tears. The gown I wore was green, deep forest green, a gift from a dear friend in Mirkwood, with billowing sleeves and made of soft fabric. A silver belt was wrapped loosely around my waist, my silver pendant hung around my neck and I wore soft black leather slippers that made my feet look slender.
I stepped into my sitting room and expected to simply go down to dinner, where my father would wish to see me, but instead I saw Legolas still sitting there. I jumped slightly, startled that he'd stayed.
"Ready for dinner, Tandaewen?" He stood and gently took my arm, leading me down to the dining hall.
"Yes, Legolas." I said it with little emotion, only in soft submission.
Elves are immortal. Their beauty never ages yet they become wiser as they grow older. When two elves fall in love, it was said that they pledged eternity to each other. But what if you turned your back on love because you knew you had eternity?
I didn't know where I was and I didn't care. I just kept running, tripping over roots, but no matter how hard I fell I had to keep going. Running from Rivendell, despite the paradise it was, running from him from my father.
Eventually the sound of water filled my ears so I knew I must be close. A large waterfall loomed bellow me moments later. I took tiny steps as I edged closer to the crash of the waves. I slipped my hand into the pocket of my cloak and took out a dagger. I traced my finger over the words carved in elvish. Life is always a two-sided blade
"Life," I said bitterly. "What life?"
I fiddled with my auburn braid which reached the middle of my back. In one swift stroke I had cropped off the braid. I held the bundle of hair in my clutched hand and let go. Some of the hairs flew in my face but the strong winds blew them away. I walked forward until I felt I was close enough to the edge.
"The light will always shine," I whispered and took my fall.
I was prepared to feel the wind whip me like a stick and my heart beat for its last seconds of life, but he stopped me.
"Stop!" he yelled grabbing me from behind and wrapping his arms around mine so I couldn't break free.
"Let me go, you can't stop me!" I shrieked struggling to get out of his grasp.
"The light will always shine, you said it yourself. Why have you given into the darkness?" he repeated my last phrase. He gripped more tightly.
"There is no light for me, only darkness," I cried out. "I will always be in darkness, The light will always shine, without me!" I screamed before bursting into tears when his grasp was too strong for me to fight.
He held me there as I wept. His grip loosened slightly and then he did something I had not expected. He began to sing.
May it be an evening star
Shines down upon you
May it be when darkness falls your heart will be true
You walk a lonely road
Oh! How are you are from Home
Mornie utulie (Darkness has come)
Believe and you will find your way
Mornie alantie (Darkness has fallen)
A promise lives within you now
May it be shadows call
Will fly away
May it be your journey on
To light the day
When the night is overcome
You may rise to find the sun
Mornie utulie (Darkness has come)
Believe and you will find your way
Mornie alantie (Darkness has fallen)
A promise lives within you now
A promise lives within you now
He turned me around, still keeping his hands firmly on my shoulders. He tipped my chin up and I looked into his bright blue eyes that were framed by dark lashes and gentle features.
"Tandaewen, daughter of Elrond, your father will not be happy to see that you cut your lovely hair."
I looked down at the ground and he stepped back from me.
"Come back to Rivendell, and perhaps we can just forget this happened?" He said gently, offering me his hand.
I stared at him for few moments, just wondering, as the breeze caused his blonde locks and green cloak to waft about his elvish form. I looked back at the falls and wished he hadn't disrupted me.
"What good is eternal life when you spend it alone and in darkness, Legolas?" I scowled at the rolling waters and He put his hand gently on my shoulder.
"You have a promise of light, don't give it up so quickly," Legolas asked.
"I don't want the light."
"No? Then why do you despise mornie? I think you are actually seeking light."
"In the darkness of death?"
"No, in the death of darkness."
"Quit speaking in riddles, Legolas of Mirkwood, I won't pass into shadow on this day. You've done the noble act of saving me." I walked briskly past him and headed down the hill into Rivedell. Leaving him to wonder what was so wrong that I would want to fling myself over the falls.
He followed swiftly after me and saw to it that I made it safely to my room. I was irritated but something about his caring demeanor both disturbed and comforted me. He waited in my sitting room while I changed into a fresh gown, even though I had expected him to leave and thought that he had. I set the now tattered and soiled one aside to be cleaned and mended.
I looked at myself in the mirror and nearly wept. My hair was now chin length, the strands that always hung loose from my braid and near my ears were the only long pieces and they only reached just below my shoulders. I took out my blade again and cut them as short as the rest of my hair. I quickly examined the rest of my appearance in the mirror. Shimmering golden streaks ran through my hair, and my green eyes looked red from my tears. The gown I wore was green, deep forest green, a gift from a dear friend in Mirkwood, with billowing sleeves and made of soft fabric. A silver belt was wrapped loosely around my waist, my silver pendant hung around my neck and I wore soft black leather slippers that made my feet look slender.
I stepped into my sitting room and expected to simply go down to dinner, where my father would wish to see me, but instead I saw Legolas still sitting there. I jumped slightly, startled that he'd stayed.
"Ready for dinner, Tandaewen?" He stood and gently took my arm, leading me down to the dining hall.
"Yes, Legolas." I said it with little emotion, only in soft submission.