Of Mortals and Eldar

Prologue I

The Last Sons of the Finarfin


Many have known the stories of King Orodreth and his son, High King Gil-Galad of the Noldor. But many have not heard of Orodreth's brother and his brother's descendants after him. Ólerydion was the brother's name, though he did not dwell in Naragothrond nor did he stay in Tirion. Ólerydion settled in the land of Gondolin where his twice cousin ruled and prospered. With High King Turgon opening his arms as a welcome, he granted Ólerydion a position him as the advisor to the throne and tutor to the Princess Idril Celebrindal. With his newly occupation, Ólerydion prospered and advised wisely.

As he stayed in Gondolin, Ólerydion met, grew to love, and married Hithaeriel who was the sister of Lord Ecthelion of the House of the Fountain. With their companionship and love, a child was born into the world of Arda. Ólerydion named his son "Aenion" for he saw a beam of light upon his brow which was a sign from the heavens that his Aenion was blessed. Aenion, as a young elfling was beloved by many of the elves of Gondolin. Wonder was his heart and curiosity helped gain wisdom for the future that would come upon him. He became good friends with Eärendil, the son of Tuor and Idril Celebrindal. Aenion and Eärendil were almost passable as brothers, for they looked very much alike and bonded as if they were brothers.

Then, when Gondolin fell, Ólerydion, Hithaeriel, and Aenion managed to escape the destruction of the once mighty city and they settled in the land of Lindon. Half an age passed with peace in the home of Ólerydion, but peace never lasted. In the Second Age, Ólerydion was discovered by his brother's son, Gil-Galad, and offered Ólerydion to have Ólerydion serve in the Last Alliance to fight against the forces of Sauron. Ólerydion, alongside with Aenion who was grown into maturity, agreed to fight against Sauron. Many battles Ólerydion and Aenion fought and many deaths they have seen. But on that terrible day on the Siege of Barad-dûr, Ólerydion fell alongside with High King Gil-Galad and High King Elendil of the Two Kingdoms. With Sauron killed and the war ending, Aenion's heart was filled with the grief over the loss of his father.

However, Thranduil, the newly crowned King of the Woodland Realm, comforted the Finarfinion for he too lost his father in the Battle of Dagorlad. With the comfort, Thranduil and Aenion became close friends and the Sindar king invited Aenion and Hithaeriel into Thranduil's Halls as honorary guests. During the stay, Aenion met the beautiful sister of Thranduil, Tuilinhel was her name and the Princess of the Woodland Realm. She was pale was the Everlight Star, her hair was silver as newly made steal, and her eyes were as blue as the Great Sea. Though their first meet was not love at first sight, they bonded and their relationship turned into a friendship.

Many suns and stars passed and Aenion was greeted by the Lady Galadriel of Lothlórien. They met and discussed the kinship they both shared and Galadriel offered a place to live in Lothlórien. With hesitation, Aenion accepted Galadriel's kind offer and spoke to Thranduil who supported Aenion's choice. For Aenion's mother, however, could not vision herself living in Middle-Earth for much longer. Hithaeriel's pain of grief over Ólerydion was too much for her to take into her heart and decided to sail west and settle into the magical land of Valinor.

Aenion lived in Lothlorien alongside with Lady Galadriel and Lord Celeborn. Aenion became Captain of the Marchwarden of Lorien and peace came into his heart. Since his stay in Lothlórien, Princess Tuilinhel traveled from the Woodland to Lothlorien to visit Aenion. Each visit the elven princess made, she began to grow love for Aenion and the Noldor captain began to fall in love with her as well. Then one day, as Tuilinhel traveled again to see Aenion, Orcs ambushed her company and Tuilinhel's back was cut by an Orcish blade. She was left to die and the rest of the company were stained for taken as prisoner. When hope seemed lost to the princess, a great light appeared and the shadows of Morgoth's demise were anguished. and Aenion, who slay many orcs, saved Princess Tuilinhel and healed her in Caras Galadhon. For many elves who are healed from any evil and deadly attack are often not the same. Though for Tuilinhel, sense of light and grace bestowed upon her and the love of Aenion she had for him became infinite as Varda's stars from above.

They both became husband and wife and stayed in Caras Galadhon with great happiness and blessings. As they lived, Tuilinhel became with child and the glow that she once had became as bright as the Evenstar above. With Tuilinhel being with child, many visions came upon her. She saw the past where there was only Eru Ilúvatar and nothing but The One, she saw the present where both light and darkness lived and the future where a horrific war will destroy all of Middle-Earth if all hope seems lost... This war she saw was the next war to come, 'The War of the Ring'...

Tuilinhel saw her unborn child, fighting against the darkness as a servant of the light and an ally to the World of Men. A mighty warrior, her child was to be, and grace was his strength. Though the shadows he will descend to whereas another will follow him. As these visions ended, the elven princess sought the counsel of Lady Galadriel and told her vision in which Galadriel believed White Lady wrote her visions down in parchment and named the book of visions "Fantlyë Minti o Ambarenya".

On the eve of the child's birth, Aenion aided Arathorn I, Chieftain of the Dunedain, against the Orcs of the Misty Mountains who were attacking the peaceful settlements of Arathorn's people. As he slew many orcs and trolls, a poisoned arrow pierced his armor and his heart. The beloved Noldo elf was slain along with Arathorn I and news spread like a flock of sparrows in the night. Tuilinhel, at the moment of Aenion's death, gave birth to a son. With silver and gold on the newborn's head, he gave the resemblance of both the Sindar and the Noldor clans. He was the most beautiful elfling in the entire world of Arda, so beautiful that he mirrored the sun and the stars. Tuilinhel praised her son with joy and wonder and she named him Aurëndil.

With three days of joy, it was slain by grief when she discovered Aenion's body being carried by the men of the Dunedain. His body was laid to rest under a mallorn tree and men and elves grieved over Aenion. The death of Aenion made Tuilinhel ill and mad, her glow faded away for six days and on the last day Tuilinhel fell into eternal sleep and her glow was no more. She was then laid next to Aenion's body. Aurëndil, newborn prince of the Noldor in the House of Finarfin, was now the orphaned prince.

A council was taken place in the Home of Lord Elrond Half-Elven and discussed the matter of the potential care of the elfling, Aurëndil. As Lord Elrond, Lady Galadriel, Cirdan the Shipwright, and Thranduil of the Woodland Realm met, Thranduil appointed himself as caretaker for Aurëndil for he was Aurëndil's uncle- the closest to kin among the council. The council agreed to this and Galadriel proposed to have Aurëndil, at a mature age, to visit Lothlórien for she too was akin to Aurëndil and Thranduil agreed. Thranduil raised Aurëndil as if he was another son to him. Aurëndil grew tall, stronger, and more handsome than his forefathers before him. He became good friends with his cousin, Prince Legolas, and many of the Silvan elves who lived in the Woodland Realm. He became one of the Captains of the Elven Guard and, by the year T.A. 2939, Thranduil gave Aurëndil the title of Prince of the Woodland Realm- third line of the Throne of the House of Oropher.

Even though Aurëndil was given the title as "Prince of the Woodland Realm", he was not satisfied with it. He never desired any power or authority that was given due to being noble by blood. Duty and work were what he desired and what he yearned for. But most of all, he wanted to know who his parents were and why he was placed in his uncle's home. As Aurëndil confronted Thranduil about this, Thranduil told him in truth and distraught Aurëndil was. Through the several days of ponder and thought, Aurëndil decided to choose the path of the elven rangers due west of the Misty Mountains. Hearing no opinion on this matter from Thranduil and Legolas, Aurëndil wandered west and guarded the land of Eriador as a lone elven ranger. He concealed his name and gave himself the alias as "Pathfinder"...

...He still guards the peaceful region against orcs, trolls, and any dark entity by the nature of Morgoth. He never shows his face or hair, a mask of shadow covers his fair face and dark elven leather armor is what he is clothed with. But little does he know that a darkness from the east rises in a sleepless malice and his destiny will venture himself in a war between the good and the evil of Middle-Earth...


+++ I hope you all like the first out of two prologues! Stay tune for the next one! +++