The race
It was a warm summer day, it would probably have been sunny to but that is not something that happens in the forests of Nan Elmoth. It was always dark and gloomy there no matter the season. In the winter it was dark and cold with many snowstorms and little to eat. In the summers like this one it was usually hot and full of insects. Luckily the inhabitants of the forest was used to the climate and had remedies for most of the insect bites that could occur.
A young boy was sitting in a dusty library pouring over some old maps. He sighed and looked out of the window to his right. How he wished that he could go out and explore or help his father in the forge, but alas that was not to be for his father had sternly told him to study for most of the day. Once again the boy sighed and turned back to the maps. It was not an astoundingly beautiful child. He looked very young, around 9 years in the mortal ways. His real age was a mystery. The boy had inherited most of his looks from his mother. From the soft black hair to the high cheekbones to the chiselled face. What he got from his father was the onyx coloured eyes the shone in his pale face, the temper and determination was also the work of his father. It was not that he was ugly, he was in fact very beautiful for a child of the elder but something in his eyes made him seem lesser than he was. He was a very humble child who strived to make his parents proud of him.
Suddenly the doors were thrown open and the boy flew up from his chair. In the opening stood a tall elleth. Her black hair flowed behind her and stuck in different directions. She wore a simple grey-white dress with the sleeves rolled back up to the elbows. She had a wide grin on her face. "Nana! What is the matter?" the boy look bewildered at the elleth that was now recognized as his mother. The elleth's smile broadened. "It is a warm day my son. To warm to stay inside a boring library. Let us go to the river to cool down!" The boy looked conflicted and did not know what to do. He wanted to go with his mother and enjoy a day at the river but he did not want to be met by his father's disapproving and disappointed face. "B-but what will father say?" His mother laughed and went over to the boy and hooked his arm in hers. "Don't let your grumpy father scare you. If he say something I will talk to him, let's go!" Then both mother and soon proceeded to leave the library and head towards the river under the sounds of laughter.
Hours later the lord of the house was finally done for the day and was making his way back from the forges to see what his family had been up to during this day. Just as he was about to climb the stairs he heard sounds of laughter echoing through the trees. He stopped and waited, confused. Soon the source of the laughter came into sight. First it was his son who came sprinting out from behind the trees and soon after him came his wife. The both of them skidded to a stop in front of him trying to catch their breath. The lord just stared at them. His wife had mud on her skirt that reached past her knees, her hair looked wild and untamed with twigs poking out of it in various places. His son was not better. Twigs in his hair and just as muddy as his mother. On top of that, both were barefoot. He finally managed to regain his composure. "What happened!? Did you get attacked?" He asked suddenly nervous. His son spoke up. "Mom and I had a race to the river. It was so fun and when we arrived we had a swimming competition!" The elleth just laughed. "Next time darling you will have to join us." The ellon just stared at them. He would never understand their concept of fun, but he would try if it made his family happy. A tiny smile could be seen for a moment before he growled at them. "Well since you made a mess out of yourselves I guess I will have to put you two in the bath dungeons for being so naughty!" The boy squealed and made a run for it along with his mother who laughed. Soon the whole family was running around in the courtyard. It was a rare sight for anyone that did not know them. The servants that did indeed see this moment of joy saved it in their hearts but never spoke of it. For who would believe that the Avari could be this joyful? No it was best if it stayed like this.
Many years' later mother and son was yet again racing towards the same river but now atop two horses that carried them swiftly across the forest floor. Their faces were no longer filled with joy but with fear and determination. When they arrived at the river the son momentarily stopped and remembered a warm day years ago. He and his mother had raced to the river and back. It was a precious memory. "Maeglin hurry we cannot tarry, soon they will realise that we are gone!" The young ellon turned towards his mother and nodded. Soon they were on their way again. This time they were not intending to come back. It was not a race for fun anymore but for survival.
The End