This is the story of Elsoriel, daughter of Elsulan, a noble Elf from
Rivendell, and Ellia, a demure maiden from Rohan.
Elsulan had always been a particularly adventurous Elf. As a youth, he was often to be found pacing up and down near to the walls of Rivendell, an enigmatic expression on his lean face. Indeed, it was in his youth that he first befriended Elrond Halfelven, Lord and Founder of the Safe Haven that was Rivendell. Elsulan's father, Elsumen, was a close friend of Lord Elrond's, and this friendship was to be passed on to Elsulan himself. Elsulan dwelled in the House of Elrond, by invitation of the Lord himself, in the hope that the wonder of Elvish history (which was to be found throughout the house) would distract his wandering mind. But this plan was all to no avail, as the wise Lord Elrond had known all along. When he came of age, the still young (in Elvish years) Elsulan said farewell to his good friend and counsellor, Elrond, to his family, and to Rivendell. He had always had a fascination with the world of Men, and his friendship with a then youthful Aragorn (a fellow foster son of Lord Elrond) only fuelled his desire to dwell amongst them.
Elsulan first went to Gondor, but he did not feel at home there. The White City was too harsh for him, too stonish. Elsulan belonged to Nature; his heart lay with the trees, the fields, with animals. Speaking of his passion with an elderly man of Gondor in an Inn one night, he was directed to Rohan, 'where there's enough Nature to fulfil even an Elf's most extravagant wishes', or so he was told. And so, Elsulan bade farewell to yet another city, and to yet more friends, and set off for the city of Edoras.
Elves were something of an oddity in Rohan, very few had passed through the gates of Edoras in many a decade, and none at all during the present King's reign, until Elsulan entered the realm. The enthusiastic Elf was overwhelmed by the sheer beauty of Rohan. Edoras was built practically entirely on flat land, land upon which were reared the most magnificent horses that Elsulan had ever laid eyes on. These horses were as tame as the beauties bred upon Elvish soil- Elsulan was genuinely taken aback. But something bewitched him much more than any horse ever could- Ellia, a young maiden who dwelled in the Royal House of Edoras, tending to the young Shieldmaiden of Rohan, Éowyn.
Neither of the two were sure that they believed in love at first sight- until they laid eyes on each other. Ellia, of a poverty- stricken background and absolutely privileged to now be living in the Royal House, had never before witnessed an Elf. When she looked upon Elsulan for the first time, she was stunned by his beauty, his mysteriousness, his perfection. The Elf stood tall, nearly seven feet off the ground. Despite his stature, his poise was nothing other than graceful- he reminded Ellia of a noble swan. His face was long and angular, framed with flowing locks of deepest chestnut. His eyes were dazzling blue, they were the eyes of a young Man, and yet not so, for Elsulan was an Elf, and Elvish eyes contain a wisdom, a secret knowledge, unknown to Man. The tips of his slender ears were pointed, the perfect finish to a perfect figure. Ellia could hardly breathe.
And the same could be said for Elsulan, when he first laid eyes on Ellia of Rohan. She was a great deal shorter than he was, and her brown hair tumbled down her back, and beyond her waist, in large curls. She was of a petite stature; her facial features were small, and lovely. Her nose turned up adorably at the end, and her deep brown eyes sparkled, a youthful, almost mischievous glint was in them. It was Ellia's eyes that drew Elsulan into the cage of rushes that is love. He saw something in Ellia's eyes that he had never before seen in any others. He could not quite describe it, but the moment he set eyes on dear sweet Ellia, Elsulan longed for nothing but to marry her.
And so they were married, under the leafiest tree in all of Rohan, and they spent the night under that very tree, and it was under that very tree on that very night that Elsoriel Halfelven was conceived.
Elsoriel's was a birth to be proud of- she was born in the very same room as Lady Éowyn, Éomer, Third Marshal of Rohan, their uncle the King and generations of Rohirric nobles before them. Elsoriel was honoured with such a place of birth not only because her mother was well favoured by the child Éowyn, but also because her father was such a highly- respected citizen of Edoras. Yes indeed, Elsulan had been granted citizenship of the city he so loved shortly after his marriage to Ellia. Elsoriel's birth was to go down in Rohirric history as one of the most highly anticipated of all time. There was great speculation about this half Man, half Elf baby. What would she look like- Elf or Man? Would she perhaps have some sort of deformity? Ellia had worries similar to this, but Elsulan was quick to reassure her that this would not be the case; instead, like her father's beloved Lord Elrond, Elsoriel would have the choice to lead the life of an Elf or a Man, as soon as she was of a suitable age. She would not be some mixed- up creature- for a while she would even have the best of both worlds!
As a matter of fact, at first glance, the infant Elsoriel appeared to be the perfect Elvish child. Or so the people of Rohan thought. Elsulan and Ellia knew different- Elsoriel certainly looked like an Elf, she was long and slender, and her ears were beautifully pointed. But there was something not quite right, something that set Elsoriel apart from other Elves. It was hard to pin- point, but her parents quickly picked up on it. It was their daughter's eyes. They were not little pools of undying wisdom. Yes, she was young, but all Elves have mysteriously knowing eyes- but Elsoriel did not. Her eyes were like that of any Human baby. Men could not tell, but Elves would certainly realise: Elsoriel was not one of their own. She was different.
Elsulan had always been a particularly adventurous Elf. As a youth, he was often to be found pacing up and down near to the walls of Rivendell, an enigmatic expression on his lean face. Indeed, it was in his youth that he first befriended Elrond Halfelven, Lord and Founder of the Safe Haven that was Rivendell. Elsulan's father, Elsumen, was a close friend of Lord Elrond's, and this friendship was to be passed on to Elsulan himself. Elsulan dwelled in the House of Elrond, by invitation of the Lord himself, in the hope that the wonder of Elvish history (which was to be found throughout the house) would distract his wandering mind. But this plan was all to no avail, as the wise Lord Elrond had known all along. When he came of age, the still young (in Elvish years) Elsulan said farewell to his good friend and counsellor, Elrond, to his family, and to Rivendell. He had always had a fascination with the world of Men, and his friendship with a then youthful Aragorn (a fellow foster son of Lord Elrond) only fuelled his desire to dwell amongst them.
Elsulan first went to Gondor, but he did not feel at home there. The White City was too harsh for him, too stonish. Elsulan belonged to Nature; his heart lay with the trees, the fields, with animals. Speaking of his passion with an elderly man of Gondor in an Inn one night, he was directed to Rohan, 'where there's enough Nature to fulfil even an Elf's most extravagant wishes', or so he was told. And so, Elsulan bade farewell to yet another city, and to yet more friends, and set off for the city of Edoras.
Elves were something of an oddity in Rohan, very few had passed through the gates of Edoras in many a decade, and none at all during the present King's reign, until Elsulan entered the realm. The enthusiastic Elf was overwhelmed by the sheer beauty of Rohan. Edoras was built practically entirely on flat land, land upon which were reared the most magnificent horses that Elsulan had ever laid eyes on. These horses were as tame as the beauties bred upon Elvish soil- Elsulan was genuinely taken aback. But something bewitched him much more than any horse ever could- Ellia, a young maiden who dwelled in the Royal House of Edoras, tending to the young Shieldmaiden of Rohan, Éowyn.
Neither of the two were sure that they believed in love at first sight- until they laid eyes on each other. Ellia, of a poverty- stricken background and absolutely privileged to now be living in the Royal House, had never before witnessed an Elf. When she looked upon Elsulan for the first time, she was stunned by his beauty, his mysteriousness, his perfection. The Elf stood tall, nearly seven feet off the ground. Despite his stature, his poise was nothing other than graceful- he reminded Ellia of a noble swan. His face was long and angular, framed with flowing locks of deepest chestnut. His eyes were dazzling blue, they were the eyes of a young Man, and yet not so, for Elsulan was an Elf, and Elvish eyes contain a wisdom, a secret knowledge, unknown to Man. The tips of his slender ears were pointed, the perfect finish to a perfect figure. Ellia could hardly breathe.
And the same could be said for Elsulan, when he first laid eyes on Ellia of Rohan. She was a great deal shorter than he was, and her brown hair tumbled down her back, and beyond her waist, in large curls. She was of a petite stature; her facial features were small, and lovely. Her nose turned up adorably at the end, and her deep brown eyes sparkled, a youthful, almost mischievous glint was in them. It was Ellia's eyes that drew Elsulan into the cage of rushes that is love. He saw something in Ellia's eyes that he had never before seen in any others. He could not quite describe it, but the moment he set eyes on dear sweet Ellia, Elsulan longed for nothing but to marry her.
And so they were married, under the leafiest tree in all of Rohan, and they spent the night under that very tree, and it was under that very tree on that very night that Elsoriel Halfelven was conceived.
Elsoriel's was a birth to be proud of- she was born in the very same room as Lady Éowyn, Éomer, Third Marshal of Rohan, their uncle the King and generations of Rohirric nobles before them. Elsoriel was honoured with such a place of birth not only because her mother was well favoured by the child Éowyn, but also because her father was such a highly- respected citizen of Edoras. Yes indeed, Elsulan had been granted citizenship of the city he so loved shortly after his marriage to Ellia. Elsoriel's birth was to go down in Rohirric history as one of the most highly anticipated of all time. There was great speculation about this half Man, half Elf baby. What would she look like- Elf or Man? Would she perhaps have some sort of deformity? Ellia had worries similar to this, but Elsulan was quick to reassure her that this would not be the case; instead, like her father's beloved Lord Elrond, Elsoriel would have the choice to lead the life of an Elf or a Man, as soon as she was of a suitable age. She would not be some mixed- up creature- for a while she would even have the best of both worlds!
As a matter of fact, at first glance, the infant Elsoriel appeared to be the perfect Elvish child. Or so the people of Rohan thought. Elsulan and Ellia knew different- Elsoriel certainly looked like an Elf, she was long and slender, and her ears were beautifully pointed. But there was something not quite right, something that set Elsoriel apart from other Elves. It was hard to pin- point, but her parents quickly picked up on it. It was their daughter's eyes. They were not little pools of undying wisdom. Yes, she was young, but all Elves have mysteriously knowing eyes- but Elsoriel did not. Her eyes were like that of any Human baby. Men could not tell, but Elves would certainly realise: Elsoriel was not one of their own. She was different.