Prologue

My love, my love

My fearless love

I will not say goodbye

Sea may rise

Sky may fall

My love will never die

Go on, go on

Go bravely on

Into the blackest night

Hold my breath

'Til your return

My love will never die

My heart, my heart

My drowning heart

Oh all the tears I've cried

Oh I may weep forevermore

My love will never die

Many years before…

The stars shone silently above the blackness of the sea. Far away, the soft lights of the Haven created another firmament that was lost in the reflections of the water. The night was still young, and the cheerful chants from the Austalende celebration came muffled, carried by the breeze.

A beautiful elleth was sitting in the middle of a meadow on the high cliff, quietly singing. Her silver hair seemed to have ensnared the light of Telperion and all the stars of Varda. Countless white lilies surrounded her slender figure, and seemed to dance in the wind at her tune. However, despite the apparent joy of the flowers, her melodious song was filled with sadness. Her silent tears did not escape the sharp gaze of the ellon who, unbeknownst to her, was watching the fair maiden not far away.

Whether it was the elleth's sweet voice or the mere sight of her that stopped him, he couldn't tell. Mesmerised, he simply stood there, observing her from behind a tall willow, and dared not move nor make a sound. In ancient times her people named themselves Lindar, or "Singers", because they were known for their fair voice. That title suited her, he thought.

The elf remained hidden for as long as possible before he could contain his emotion no longer. Every single word of that song was agony, for both of them.

That's enough.

After running a trembling hand through his raven black hair, as to muster some courage, he slowly walked into the open field where the lonely lady sat.

It was a fleeting sensation that brought her out of her numbness. She could not tell how she sensed that he was there. There had been no sound, no change in the air about her, but somehow, she had felt a warmth, a welcome presence behind her, and she turned.

"My lord." She murmured, hurriedly wiping the streaming tears from her cheeks, and rising quickly to her feet.

Her eyes, blue as the colour of the ocean in a terse day, met his, grey and piercingly bright as mithril, the silvered steel. The elf standing so close in front of her was tall and imposing compared to her small figure.

"Alassë, what are you doing here, alone? Fortunately, I recalled your love for this place. Why aren't you with your people on this merry night?" He asked, his baritone voice filled with concern.

She bit her lip. "I-I beg your pardon, my lord. I needed to get away from the worldliness to which I am forced. If I had known about your visit, I would have waited for you. I apologise for my appearance, too. I must be a horrible sight."

Her voice quivered slightly and tears threatened to show up again. If only she had known of his arrival, she would have made herself presentable instead of making a fool of herself like that. But he was simply unpredictable.

His soft smile surprised the elleth. "No, for you are always beautiful, my sweet flower. Even when your sadness tears my soul apart."

It was no more than a whisper of air from his lips, yet powerful enough to awaken long-stifled feelings.

"Fear and loneliness are my only companions. I miss our time in Tìrion, where everything seemed so… simple. Being separated from you for so long was a torture."

Upon hearing this, he turned pale, but said nothing.

Alassë bowed her head in shame. "Forgive me, my lord. I know how much this trip must have cost you. It's not my intent to bore you with my worries."

The ellon flinched, her words twisting his heart. How was it possible that she still considered herself a nuisance, after all that time?

Slowly, he rose a hand and caressed her cheek. He felt her trembling.

"Alassë-," the elf managed through a voice choked by emotion and guilt as he caught her hand within his, and held her firmly, but gently. "Please, listen. You are not a burden. You never were. It is I who must beg your forgiveness for making you suffer, for watching you go away without doing anything. And for waiting so long before looking for you…"

"Say no more, my lord," She pleaded in a voice thick with pain. "I know what kept you away. I was aware from the beginning that your family and business would come first."

With copious tears now streaming down her face, she could barely murmur, "I cannot be so selfish as to think of snatching you from your sons, your father, least of all from your wif-"

This, this was all his doing. His fault. The ellon cursed himself for his blindness. A rough breath caught in his own lungs as he pulled her tightly against him. She gasped, but immediately surrendered to that long-desired embrace.

"You have been in my heart since the day I met you. Please, my sweet flower, do not hold yourself responsible for destroying something long dead."

At this, Alassë looked up at him, tears shimmering on her long lashes. "It is my fault that we have violated the most sacred of our laws, the greatest gift that the Valar have bestowed upon us-"

Embers flared in his steel gaze. A dull, ill-subsided rage was rekindled.

"I do not intend to be a pawn and let other decide for me again!", exclaimed the elf, and she saw a fire burning in his eyes that could overwhelm everything and, at the same time, warm and soothe even the most restless soul. He hold her close and placed a light kiss on her forehead.

"I will no longer allow them to separate us! I will speak to my father soon: I no longer intend to stay in this place which, however splendid, remains a gilded prison."

The maiden looked at him for a long time, feeling protected and loved in that strong embrace. "I have never questioned your actions. You always keep what you promise. However, I am afraid that your words may anger others and lead them to oppose you."

The elf smiled. "Let them try. Let them dare to take away from me what I love most, what I have created or what is my birthright, and they will have what they deserve! I fear nothing."

They remained embraced for a long time, under the silent stars.

"I missed you, Alassë. Your thought is what comforted me in the darkest moments."

Alassë stroked his black hair. "You are always in my heart, my lord."

Pain flashed in his grey eyes. "Please, no more titles, my sweet flower. You need not call me that".

With her face against his chest, she could hear his heart pounding, and felt his warmth against her cheek. The touch of him was fulfilling and real, unlike the vague, faint shadows of dreams that had tormented her at night, only to disappear when she awoke. This time, there would be no waking, and no loss.

"Nál melmenya." She breathed, as she reached up, touching her fingers against his smooth cheek. "Please, stay with me tonight".

You are my beloved. For a long moment, he said nothing as they held each other, but caressed her silvery hair, sending pleasant shivers along her skin. At last he bent his head and buried his face in her hair, shaking. He was holding her as if he needed to know of the reality of her as much as Alassë needed his touch to assure herself of his.

"You should change your song, my lovely nightingale." he said, a smile touching his lips, humour lacing his voice. "Because, even if the sea may rise and the sky may fall, I will always be with you, my love."

She laughed with joy, but her breath quickened as the ellon's hands softly cupped her face and brushed his lips warmly over her brow and her cheek. And lastly, his lips met her trembling mouth, famished for a taste of him.

He gave no other explanation, but she needed none as his kiss deepened, growing more heated, more insistent and his arms tightened around her, gently, yet also with a subtle urgency.

Questions remained unanswered in her mind, he himself remained a mystery to be deciphered, but she did not care. The answers would come when they would. All that she craved in that moment, was him.

As her senses and her fëa, or spirit, became entwined with his, everything else faded. The pain, the sadness, the fear, all disappeared like snow in the sun, burned in the fire of that love.

Above them, a shooting star crossed the immensity of the sky. But the two elves, discovering each other anew, barely noticed.

Dear Readers,

I hope this incipit intrigued you.

It has been many years since I last wrote something that goes beyond a simple one-shot. Writing for me has always been the best way to escape from negative moments. After this last year, I felt the need to go back to writing, and what better universe than the one created by Tolkien?

The story promises to be a HUGE project and it took me a good dose of courage to click "publish"… but I hope you will accompany me on this journey.

Please don't leave me alone with this Balrog of a story.

The song reported at the beginning is the one that started the whole project. Throughout the story it will appear several times, with an origin in keeping with the world of LOTR.

In reality, this is the beautiful "My love will never die" by Claire Wyndham (Any fans of Lucifer among the readers?)

Last but not least, I am not a native speaker, so any advice and opinion is welcome. Even some beta reader support would be great!

Thank you,

Cryo11