A/N: Thank you for the reviews!
Cuivienen
It was like waking from one dream into another. I have no memory of what was before. It's dimmed and was forgotten the moment I opened my eyes and first gazed upon them. My heart leaped with joy. They were so beautiful! Never had I thought anything could be so wondrous. And I knew their name.
Stars.
I loved them. There was nothing more glorious than they were. I felt something slide down my cheek. I reached up and felt wetness. It was a tear. A tear of joy. I have never felt that same joy since than, but I always have kept the memory close to my heart. It must have been sometime before I realized that I wasn't alone. There were others like me. We all were beautiful. Some of us had hair that was golden while others had hair as silver as the stars. And still others had hair darker than the sky above us. I was among the last category. We were all naked and beautiful. Many were still looking at the stars. They too had tears of joy upon their faces. It was strange, but I felt that I knew them all. As if we had all been together before this moment. But there was only one whose name I knew.
He was handsome beyond words. His hair of spun gold, his eyes were of crystalline blue and brighter than the stars, his body strong and luscious. No flaws were in him. He was as fresh as a newborn, even more so than the others. He sat by my side and gazed into my eyes. No longer did the stars hold my attention for the moment. Only he who I knew from before. He who was my husband and I who was his wife.
"Ingwe," I whispered.
"Laurelothwen," he barely breathed my name. He took his hand and stroked my face. I clasped his hand and kissed it. It seemed that we knew everything about each other. I wondered if anyone else had awaken with their love by their side.
It was that way for a very long time. Our simple existence of being together. But after a time we found a need to clothe ourselves, to feed ourselves, and to name things. Oh yes the joy of naming and of speaking was an actual need! Everything there was, we named. Alda, curu, dae, elen, fuin, gor, hini, lith, mel, nen, rokko, yave. Tree, skill, shadow, star, darkness, horror, ash, love, water, horse, fruit. Everything had a name. It was something that gave us great joy. Simply naming things. Including us. We were the Quendi. The people who speak with voices. Naming things, dancing, and singing. Oh singing! The songs we sang at the waters of Cuivienen were probably our most beautiful. We could sing forever! The joy of song was even greater than the joy of naming. We sang mostly of the glorious stars that had first held out gaze. We also sang of Cuivienen. The waters of awakening.
But our life wasn't as completely blissful as it may seem. There was fear. Terrible fear. A shadow. A darkness that we did not understand. It was great and made us afraid to leave the safety of Cuivienen. But some did and they never returned. It was said that a Hunter took them away and did abominable things to them. Twisted them into things that were of dark and hideous forms. We tried not to think of it, but it always cast a shadow over our lives at Cuivienen.
Since we had no reckoning of time it is difficult to say when Orome came. It was after another small band of our people went forth from Cuivienen to see what lay outside of our home. They did not return. We sang a song of lament for them. We were in the middle of this song when we all stopped and listened. It was the sound of a great horse. Whispers flew among us. "The Hunter is here! He has come to kill us all! We must hide!" But we knew not where to go. So we sang again. A song of sadness that this might be the end of our short existence.
The light was dim at first. As it came closer it shined through the trees. An outline of a horse and a rider seem to show through the trees. It was as if they were the center of the light. The ground shook with each step of the horse. This was the evil? It didn't seem that way. Evil wasn't light like this. We continued to sing. Many still sang a song of fear, but I couldn't. This being didn't seem to be the terrible evil that had plagued us. My song changed from one of fear, to one of courage. Ingwe who stood by my side also changed his song. His song was one of welcoming. He too felt that this was not the evil we so greatly feared.
The horse and rider came through the trees. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a great deal of our people run away into the forest and were lost. Others followed, but not so far into the wood that they too would vanish. Some of our people continued to sing, but I could not. What I saw was too great. I was amazed by what came through the trees. The horse was of purest white. Its mane and tail were the silver of the stars. Its hooves more golden than even our tresses. The rider dismounted. Too great was he that no words could possibly describe him, but I shall try. He was like a giant, even taller than some of the trees. His eyes were like two great flames. He was light as we had never seen before. In his right hand he carried a great horn. It was carved with designs and patterns that we had never imagined. For a time he simply stood there with a smile upon his face. Some continued to sing in fear, but many others fell silent. Too great was their awe. Or could it have been their fear? I know not. I only know that I loved this being of light and I knew that there was nothing he would do to harm us.
"Hail Children of Iluvatar! I am Orome, a Vala of Aman. Long has your coming been foretold to us and we are joyful that you have come."
His voice was strong and gentle, like a father. But his words meant little. Children of Iluvatar? Vala of Aman? Our coming foretold? Who was "us" and "we"? Within me I felt a great desire to speak to him. To understand his words. I moved forward, but Ingwe grabbed my arm and shook his head.
"Let him explain himself Laurelothwen," he whispered, "I do not fear him, but we must exercise caution around such a great being."
"You sing in welcome to him and you say you fear him naught, but your actions say otherwise. Nay husband, we cannot open the door than quickly shut it in his face when we do not understand him. Let me go."
Ingwe let go of my arm. His face showed that he only wanted to protect me. And perhaps was that shame in his eyes? No, it was gone before I had time to register it.
"Go my wife, bravest of the Quendi."
I placed my hand upon his cheek, "Do not fear. I will not incur his wrath."
I stepped through our people till I stood before this being who called himself Orome. Not only was he light, he was also warmth. He looked down upon me, the only one to dare to approach such a magnanimous being. For a moment I felt that I should step back. Who was I to speak to one so great? But the moment was fleeting and my voice returned to me. I was unsure of what to say at first, but supposed that a greeting similar to his own would be a start.
"Hail Orome, Vala of Aman! I am Laurelothwen, wife of Ingwe of the Quendi. We welcome you, but please, your words of greeting are not understood. You address us as the "Children of Iluvatar", yet we know none of this name. You say that our coming has been foretold; yet we know naught of you and of your kind, whom by your words, we must assume that there are more than one of you. But please, come and stay with us as a guest. We have many questions and wish only to understand you."
So it came to pass that Orome lived with us and taught us many things. He told us of Iluvatar and of the Great Music. He told us of the Valar and of the Maiar. He spoke of Aman where they dwelt and of the Two Trees, which were more brilliant than starlight. No longer like babes were we, but growing children learning from one of the Fathers sent to govern the world. When Orome declared that he was leaving many of us wept and begged him to stay. So much we now understood and so much more we wanted to understand. But he promised to return to us as soon as he had told the other Valar that the Children of Iluvatar had finally come into the world.
We waited rather impatiently for Orome to come back to us. It seemed as if an eternity had passed before he did. We rejoiced with much singing and dancing when he and Nahar returned to us, but his stay this time was very short.
"I am needed among the Valar to help them insure your safety."
When we asked what he meant he said naught and departed again. Once again we waited. But after a time, something terrible happened. For the waters of Cuivienen frothed, the ground beneath us shook, and a great fire arose in the east. In the forest around Cuivienen it seemed that a barrier was set around to protect us from whatever was happening in the east. But we were afraid. Were those the Valar? Were they causing this terror? Were Orome and Nahar with them destroying whatever evil lay in the east? We believed it to be so and became afraid of the Valar. Than as quickly as it began, it stopped leaving behind only a cloud so dark that it blocked the starlight. It was the first time we could not see the stars and we cried out for them. It was in this darkness that Orome returned.
"The world is safe again. The Valar have sent me to summon you to Aman to live with them in fellowship and unending bliss."
Once again I spoke on behalf of my people. "We have seen none of the Valar save you Orome. We have seen a terrible fire in the east and we fear that it was the Valar who caused this. Can you tell us otherwise?"
"I will say neither yay or nay. But what if I were to take some of you to Aman and then you may return to tell all your people that my words are not simply honey used to cover something foul?"
I fell silent to that. Surely one who has nothing to fear would make such an offer.
"Very well," said Orome. "I will choose three of you to come with me and be ambassadors of your people. When we return you may assure all the Eldar that what I say is true."
He walked among us and stopped every so often to look closely at us. He stopped at me for a moment and looked deeply into my eyes. So strong was his gaze that I dared not to look away. Finally he stopped and spoke to us.
"I have looked among you and these three I have chosen. Ingwe, Finwe, and Elwe!"
I was aghast. Why hadn't I been chosen? I who spoke on behalf of my people? I who was first to greet Orome? Why had my husband been chosen and not I? Why was I going to be left behind? As the others stood forth to go with Orome, I could no longer contain myself.
"Orome! Am I to be left here? I who spoke to you first? I who greeted you and learned all I could from you? Why should I be left and my husband should go forth? Would it not be wrong that husband and wife should be separated?" I called out.
Orome stopped to consider this. After a moment his face rose. "Yay you will also come Laurelothwen, for it would be wrong for husband and wife to be apart. And I feel that you may serve a special purpose in Aman."
Words could not express my joy. I was to go to Aman to see the bliss that was there. Yet something in the depths of my heart felt ashamed. I did not want to go because I did not want to be separated from my love. I wanted to go because I felt I was worthy and should be allowed to go. Pride was what made me wish to go along with my desire to see the things Orome spoke to us of.
Pride the thing that now binds me to this world of men. The thing that will not let me return to my beloved people and my beloved home.
But I did not dwell long on this feeling. Too much was my joy to be going. Orome, Ingwe, Finwe, Elwe and I bid farewell to our people, promising to return soon and tell them of the truth in Orome's words. So great was Nahar, that carrying four small Quendi was no trouble to him. With one last farewell to our people we journeyed into the unknown.
TBC
Cuivienen
It was like waking from one dream into another. I have no memory of what was before. It's dimmed and was forgotten the moment I opened my eyes and first gazed upon them. My heart leaped with joy. They were so beautiful! Never had I thought anything could be so wondrous. And I knew their name.
Stars.
I loved them. There was nothing more glorious than they were. I felt something slide down my cheek. I reached up and felt wetness. It was a tear. A tear of joy. I have never felt that same joy since than, but I always have kept the memory close to my heart. It must have been sometime before I realized that I wasn't alone. There were others like me. We all were beautiful. Some of us had hair that was golden while others had hair as silver as the stars. And still others had hair darker than the sky above us. I was among the last category. We were all naked and beautiful. Many were still looking at the stars. They too had tears of joy upon their faces. It was strange, but I felt that I knew them all. As if we had all been together before this moment. But there was only one whose name I knew.
He was handsome beyond words. His hair of spun gold, his eyes were of crystalline blue and brighter than the stars, his body strong and luscious. No flaws were in him. He was as fresh as a newborn, even more so than the others. He sat by my side and gazed into my eyes. No longer did the stars hold my attention for the moment. Only he who I knew from before. He who was my husband and I who was his wife.
"Ingwe," I whispered.
"Laurelothwen," he barely breathed my name. He took his hand and stroked my face. I clasped his hand and kissed it. It seemed that we knew everything about each other. I wondered if anyone else had awaken with their love by their side.
It was that way for a very long time. Our simple existence of being together. But after a time we found a need to clothe ourselves, to feed ourselves, and to name things. Oh yes the joy of naming and of speaking was an actual need! Everything there was, we named. Alda, curu, dae, elen, fuin, gor, hini, lith, mel, nen, rokko, yave. Tree, skill, shadow, star, darkness, horror, ash, love, water, horse, fruit. Everything had a name. It was something that gave us great joy. Simply naming things. Including us. We were the Quendi. The people who speak with voices. Naming things, dancing, and singing. Oh singing! The songs we sang at the waters of Cuivienen were probably our most beautiful. We could sing forever! The joy of song was even greater than the joy of naming. We sang mostly of the glorious stars that had first held out gaze. We also sang of Cuivienen. The waters of awakening.
But our life wasn't as completely blissful as it may seem. There was fear. Terrible fear. A shadow. A darkness that we did not understand. It was great and made us afraid to leave the safety of Cuivienen. But some did and they never returned. It was said that a Hunter took them away and did abominable things to them. Twisted them into things that were of dark and hideous forms. We tried not to think of it, but it always cast a shadow over our lives at Cuivienen.
Since we had no reckoning of time it is difficult to say when Orome came. It was after another small band of our people went forth from Cuivienen to see what lay outside of our home. They did not return. We sang a song of lament for them. We were in the middle of this song when we all stopped and listened. It was the sound of a great horse. Whispers flew among us. "The Hunter is here! He has come to kill us all! We must hide!" But we knew not where to go. So we sang again. A song of sadness that this might be the end of our short existence.
The light was dim at first. As it came closer it shined through the trees. An outline of a horse and a rider seem to show through the trees. It was as if they were the center of the light. The ground shook with each step of the horse. This was the evil? It didn't seem that way. Evil wasn't light like this. We continued to sing. Many still sang a song of fear, but I couldn't. This being didn't seem to be the terrible evil that had plagued us. My song changed from one of fear, to one of courage. Ingwe who stood by my side also changed his song. His song was one of welcoming. He too felt that this was not the evil we so greatly feared.
The horse and rider came through the trees. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a great deal of our people run away into the forest and were lost. Others followed, but not so far into the wood that they too would vanish. Some of our people continued to sing, but I could not. What I saw was too great. I was amazed by what came through the trees. The horse was of purest white. Its mane and tail were the silver of the stars. Its hooves more golden than even our tresses. The rider dismounted. Too great was he that no words could possibly describe him, but I shall try. He was like a giant, even taller than some of the trees. His eyes were like two great flames. He was light as we had never seen before. In his right hand he carried a great horn. It was carved with designs and patterns that we had never imagined. For a time he simply stood there with a smile upon his face. Some continued to sing in fear, but many others fell silent. Too great was their awe. Or could it have been their fear? I know not. I only know that I loved this being of light and I knew that there was nothing he would do to harm us.
"Hail Children of Iluvatar! I am Orome, a Vala of Aman. Long has your coming been foretold to us and we are joyful that you have come."
His voice was strong and gentle, like a father. But his words meant little. Children of Iluvatar? Vala of Aman? Our coming foretold? Who was "us" and "we"? Within me I felt a great desire to speak to him. To understand his words. I moved forward, but Ingwe grabbed my arm and shook his head.
"Let him explain himself Laurelothwen," he whispered, "I do not fear him, but we must exercise caution around such a great being."
"You sing in welcome to him and you say you fear him naught, but your actions say otherwise. Nay husband, we cannot open the door than quickly shut it in his face when we do not understand him. Let me go."
Ingwe let go of my arm. His face showed that he only wanted to protect me. And perhaps was that shame in his eyes? No, it was gone before I had time to register it.
"Go my wife, bravest of the Quendi."
I placed my hand upon his cheek, "Do not fear. I will not incur his wrath."
I stepped through our people till I stood before this being who called himself Orome. Not only was he light, he was also warmth. He looked down upon me, the only one to dare to approach such a magnanimous being. For a moment I felt that I should step back. Who was I to speak to one so great? But the moment was fleeting and my voice returned to me. I was unsure of what to say at first, but supposed that a greeting similar to his own would be a start.
"Hail Orome, Vala of Aman! I am Laurelothwen, wife of Ingwe of the Quendi. We welcome you, but please, your words of greeting are not understood. You address us as the "Children of Iluvatar", yet we know none of this name. You say that our coming has been foretold; yet we know naught of you and of your kind, whom by your words, we must assume that there are more than one of you. But please, come and stay with us as a guest. We have many questions and wish only to understand you."
So it came to pass that Orome lived with us and taught us many things. He told us of Iluvatar and of the Great Music. He told us of the Valar and of the Maiar. He spoke of Aman where they dwelt and of the Two Trees, which were more brilliant than starlight. No longer like babes were we, but growing children learning from one of the Fathers sent to govern the world. When Orome declared that he was leaving many of us wept and begged him to stay. So much we now understood and so much more we wanted to understand. But he promised to return to us as soon as he had told the other Valar that the Children of Iluvatar had finally come into the world.
We waited rather impatiently for Orome to come back to us. It seemed as if an eternity had passed before he did. We rejoiced with much singing and dancing when he and Nahar returned to us, but his stay this time was very short.
"I am needed among the Valar to help them insure your safety."
When we asked what he meant he said naught and departed again. Once again we waited. But after a time, something terrible happened. For the waters of Cuivienen frothed, the ground beneath us shook, and a great fire arose in the east. In the forest around Cuivienen it seemed that a barrier was set around to protect us from whatever was happening in the east. But we were afraid. Were those the Valar? Were they causing this terror? Were Orome and Nahar with them destroying whatever evil lay in the east? We believed it to be so and became afraid of the Valar. Than as quickly as it began, it stopped leaving behind only a cloud so dark that it blocked the starlight. It was the first time we could not see the stars and we cried out for them. It was in this darkness that Orome returned.
"The world is safe again. The Valar have sent me to summon you to Aman to live with them in fellowship and unending bliss."
Once again I spoke on behalf of my people. "We have seen none of the Valar save you Orome. We have seen a terrible fire in the east and we fear that it was the Valar who caused this. Can you tell us otherwise?"
"I will say neither yay or nay. But what if I were to take some of you to Aman and then you may return to tell all your people that my words are not simply honey used to cover something foul?"
I fell silent to that. Surely one who has nothing to fear would make such an offer.
"Very well," said Orome. "I will choose three of you to come with me and be ambassadors of your people. When we return you may assure all the Eldar that what I say is true."
He walked among us and stopped every so often to look closely at us. He stopped at me for a moment and looked deeply into my eyes. So strong was his gaze that I dared not to look away. Finally he stopped and spoke to us.
"I have looked among you and these three I have chosen. Ingwe, Finwe, and Elwe!"
I was aghast. Why hadn't I been chosen? I who spoke on behalf of my people? I who was first to greet Orome? Why had my husband been chosen and not I? Why was I going to be left behind? As the others stood forth to go with Orome, I could no longer contain myself.
"Orome! Am I to be left here? I who spoke to you first? I who greeted you and learned all I could from you? Why should I be left and my husband should go forth? Would it not be wrong that husband and wife should be separated?" I called out.
Orome stopped to consider this. After a moment his face rose. "Yay you will also come Laurelothwen, for it would be wrong for husband and wife to be apart. And I feel that you may serve a special purpose in Aman."
Words could not express my joy. I was to go to Aman to see the bliss that was there. Yet something in the depths of my heart felt ashamed. I did not want to go because I did not want to be separated from my love. I wanted to go because I felt I was worthy and should be allowed to go. Pride was what made me wish to go along with my desire to see the things Orome spoke to us of.
Pride the thing that now binds me to this world of men. The thing that will not let me return to my beloved people and my beloved home.
But I did not dwell long on this feeling. Too much was my joy to be going. Orome, Ingwe, Finwe, Elwe and I bid farewell to our people, promising to return soon and tell them of the truth in Orome's words. So great was Nahar, that carrying four small Quendi was no trouble to him. With one last farewell to our people we journeyed into the unknown.
TBC