~*~Author's Note~*~
This came to me in French class. I was sitting in my seat, finishing up an
exam, when the vision of this story came to me. I was near tears as I wrote
this, because of Caryldawen's innocence, and the eventual darkening of
their fair city. It's a sweet little vignette that I adored writing, though
it made me cry.
The light was beginning to fade over the fair Elven city of Tirion after yet another day. It was just before dusk, and the chill of evening had yet to settle over the land. A father and daughter sat on a raised spot, looking out over Calacirya-the pass of light. The father was an older elf known as Avarlomen. His face was lined with the pain and hard work of many years, yet filed with life and knowledge-his blue eyes still held the light that all Elven eyes do. His daughter, Caryldawen, was young, even by human standards. She had not yet seen ten winters. She had her father's bright eyes, and her mother's fair face. The two were seated there in effort to watch the stars, as the evening was both fair and clear.
"Ada. . ." Caryldawen started, her voice clear and filled with the joy and wonder of youth.
"Yes, Caryldawen?" Avarlomen responded, turning his gaze towards his daughter.
"Tell me the story of Varda and the brightening of the stars." She said, scanning the sky as it grew darker, and dusk arrived-the stars would soon be out for all to see. Avarlomen chuckled.
"You've already heard that story many times, little one."
"It's so lovely though, ada! Please tell me once more!" She begged, moving into her father's lap, her eyes still fixed on the sky. Avarlomen ran a gentle hand through his daughter's thick hair, and smiled softly.
"Very well then. You shall hear the story one more time." He was only too happy to tell it to her-she loved to hear tales of the Valar, from the creation of the world to the chaining of Morgoth. Caryldawen smiled happily as the first stars became apparent.
"Many years ago, before the Elves walked the earth, the Valar planned for our peoples awakening. They all did their part, but greatest of all to the Elves was the work of Varda, Lady of the Stars. She took the dew from the trees of the Valar, and went into the sky to brighten the stars. There, in all her glory, she used the dew to brighten the stars, and set in place the constellations that we know and love so well."
"Wilwarin, Telumendil, Menelmacar, Valacirca, Anaríma and Soronúmë!" Caryldawen cried out with glee. Avarlomen nodded, smiling at his daughter.
"Yes, little one. Those are them."
"Look! Valacirca!" she exclaimed, pointing upwards to the sky. Avarlomen looked northwards, to where his daughter pointed. Indeed, there was Valacirca the sickle. It glinted as dangerously as ever, a constant reminder to the Elves of the strength of the Valar. Valacirca had been placed there as a challenge to Morgoth, and he had accepted. Now, he was chained in the abyss for his audacity, and his crimes against the world. Avarlomen whispered a quiet word of thanks to the Valar that he lived in this time, filled with peace and laughter.
"It is beautiful, isn't it?" Avarlomen said, regarding it with respect. Caryldawen nodded solemnly, her eyes brimming with awe and amazement.
"Ada. . ." Caryldawen said quietly.
"What is it, little one?" he responded, his gaze moving from the sky to his daughter.
"The stars will always shine bright for us, won't they?" She asked, her voice suddenly filled with unsurity. Avarlomen held his daughter tight, and smiled.
"My dear child, do not fear the future so needlessly. We are the Noldor, a proud and wise people, and the favorites of Aulë. Varda will certainly keep the stars bright for us, and the Valar will protect us from any darkness. You need not fear anything, little one, for the Valar will never let any harm come to our city." Caryldawen nodded gravely, taking in her father's words. Her face grew bright again, as she climbed off her father's lap and stood up. She faced the darkened night, smiling, and called out to the gentle breeze
"Thank you Varda! Thank you Valar! May Eru keep you!" Her father smiled gently as he too stood up. Taking Caryldawen's hand, he spoke.
"Come then, Caryldawen-let's get home. Your mother is probably getting worried."
The light was beginning to fade over the fair Elven city of Tirion after yet another day. It was just before dusk, and the chill of evening had yet to settle over the land. A father and daughter sat on a raised spot, looking out over Calacirya-the pass of light. The father was an older elf known as Avarlomen. His face was lined with the pain and hard work of many years, yet filed with life and knowledge-his blue eyes still held the light that all Elven eyes do. His daughter, Caryldawen, was young, even by human standards. She had not yet seen ten winters. She had her father's bright eyes, and her mother's fair face. The two were seated there in effort to watch the stars, as the evening was both fair and clear.
"Ada. . ." Caryldawen started, her voice clear and filled with the joy and wonder of youth.
"Yes, Caryldawen?" Avarlomen responded, turning his gaze towards his daughter.
"Tell me the story of Varda and the brightening of the stars." She said, scanning the sky as it grew darker, and dusk arrived-the stars would soon be out for all to see. Avarlomen chuckled.
"You've already heard that story many times, little one."
"It's so lovely though, ada! Please tell me once more!" She begged, moving into her father's lap, her eyes still fixed on the sky. Avarlomen ran a gentle hand through his daughter's thick hair, and smiled softly.
"Very well then. You shall hear the story one more time." He was only too happy to tell it to her-she loved to hear tales of the Valar, from the creation of the world to the chaining of Morgoth. Caryldawen smiled happily as the first stars became apparent.
"Many years ago, before the Elves walked the earth, the Valar planned for our peoples awakening. They all did their part, but greatest of all to the Elves was the work of Varda, Lady of the Stars. She took the dew from the trees of the Valar, and went into the sky to brighten the stars. There, in all her glory, she used the dew to brighten the stars, and set in place the constellations that we know and love so well."
"Wilwarin, Telumendil, Menelmacar, Valacirca, Anaríma and Soronúmë!" Caryldawen cried out with glee. Avarlomen nodded, smiling at his daughter.
"Yes, little one. Those are them."
"Look! Valacirca!" she exclaimed, pointing upwards to the sky. Avarlomen looked northwards, to where his daughter pointed. Indeed, there was Valacirca the sickle. It glinted as dangerously as ever, a constant reminder to the Elves of the strength of the Valar. Valacirca had been placed there as a challenge to Morgoth, and he had accepted. Now, he was chained in the abyss for his audacity, and his crimes against the world. Avarlomen whispered a quiet word of thanks to the Valar that he lived in this time, filled with peace and laughter.
"It is beautiful, isn't it?" Avarlomen said, regarding it with respect. Caryldawen nodded solemnly, her eyes brimming with awe and amazement.
"Ada. . ." Caryldawen said quietly.
"What is it, little one?" he responded, his gaze moving from the sky to his daughter.
"The stars will always shine bright for us, won't they?" She asked, her voice suddenly filled with unsurity. Avarlomen held his daughter tight, and smiled.
"My dear child, do not fear the future so needlessly. We are the Noldor, a proud and wise people, and the favorites of Aulë. Varda will certainly keep the stars bright for us, and the Valar will protect us from any darkness. You need not fear anything, little one, for the Valar will never let any harm come to our city." Caryldawen nodded gravely, taking in her father's words. Her face grew bright again, as she climbed off her father's lap and stood up. She faced the darkened night, smiling, and called out to the gentle breeze
"Thank you Varda! Thank you Valar! May Eru keep you!" Her father smiled gently as he too stood up. Taking Caryldawen's hand, he spoke.
"Come then, Caryldawen-let's get home. Your mother is probably getting worried."