Chapter Ten: Unexpected Blessings
Aerandir was content. Míriel allowed him to do what he most desired on her own. He felt like the happiest Elf on Middle-earth. Míriel, though happy, suffered. Visions of Falathar returned to her at night, so that she feared of resting at night. As a result, she slept during the day and remained awake at night, listening to her husband's rhythmic breathing. She informed no one of her suffering, and smiled always.
Dol Guldur was destroyed completely a fortnight later. Míriel accompanied Aerandir, much to his and Gil-celeb's fears, to see the ruins. Not a single word did she utter as she stared at it. Only when they were back in the palace did she speak.
"You know naught of Falathar?" she asked.
"Nothing." Aerandir replied.
She smiled as he asked her why, but said no word. Míriel knew in her heart that Falathar still lived, for on the night that Dol Guldur was assailed, she saw a winged creature flying in the sky, and upon its back she recognized Falathar.
Several days after returning to the palace, King Gil-celeb sent messengers to the Beornings and Woodmen informing them that the land they dwelled in was now theirs. They already knew, for King Thranduil, on his way home, told them himself.
"We were treated with great honor, hîr nín." the messengers reported upon their return. "Oaths of friendship and loyalty they swore."
"Glad tidings." Gil-celeb said.
The portion of Elves who remained behind from Lothlórien's army announced to Gil-celeb of their intent on departing to their homes. They had done their part aiding the Eryn Lasgalen Elves in destroying Dol Guldur, and their home called. Sadly, they took leave, and promised to remain in friendship with the Eryn Lasgalen dwellers.
"So fair they are." Míriel said, as she watched them go.
"Indeed." Gil-celeb agreed, watching the last gray boats disappear.
Thranduil's people, however, remained longer. Most of them had never been to the southern portion of Eryn Lasgalen, which, they said, was fairer than their home. Some were even discussing plans of moving to Gil-celeb's realm amongst themselves.
Aerandir was relived of duty in the royal army. Since Dol Guldur was gone, and Falathar vanished, the main assaults on southern Eryn Lasgalen were no more. The spiders alone remained somewhat of a threat, but that was only if one was lost amidst their dwellings. Seldom did they come near the palace, for fear of facing Aerandir and Míriel, whom they hated. Míriel and Aerandir hunted them mercilessly.
In secret, Aerandir and Gil-celeb sent out spies to bring back any news they could gather about Falathar. His disappearance and quietness
disturbed them greatly, for they did not forget Lady Galadriel's words. Often they would repeat them to each other. Little did they know that Falathar would watch their doings at times. He relocated to an old, abandoned castle near to the Beornings and Woodmen, and would ride upon his fell winged creature, and thus he knew much of what went on. He had seen Gil-celeb's messengers to the Beornings and Woodmen, but had left them alone. For all of his evil doings, he was wise in one thing: those whom he judged not to be interfering with his affairs he left alone. King Thranduil's realm, therefore, was not assailed until he harkened to Gil-celeb's plea for aid and sent him skilled archers. That was a sore loss on Falathar's account, for Thranduil defeated his army—all were slain.
Falathar expected a hunt and an attack from Gil-celeb and Aerandir. Dol Guldur's destruction angered him, but he feared if he came within sight of Gil-celeb's palace he would be slain. He knew all of the Elves in Gil-celeb's realm knew of his betrayal and allegiance to Sauron, and would kill him if they saw him. When no sign of attack or hunt was visible, he retreated to his castle, for the Beornings and Woodmen became aware of him, seeing his winged creature, and he feared they would send tidings to Gil-celeb. He rode into the skies no more.
In this way, Aerandir and Gil-celeb were not able to gather any news of Falathar from the spies upon their return. they had gone to the far borders of Gil-celeb's realm, but did not find Falathar's castle, for it lay beyond the borders. Yet Aerandir knew Falathar was biding his time, waiting for the opportune moment to strike, and it worried him.
Despite his growing worry, Aerandir enjoyed himself with Míriel. He would spend all his time by her side, talking and laughing softly with her. And when he left her for a short period of time, he would not wait until he returned to her. Such was his love for her. At times they would ride in the trees, forgetting that Falathar could yet be alive. Míriel was happiest outside, and often she sang loudly, much to Aerandir's delight. He would watch her as she sang, the sun causing her silver hair to shimmer, and all else that was upon his mind he would forget.
It came to pass that after several more weeks passed, and still nothing about Falathar was heard, Aerandir and Gil-celeb decided to visit the Beornings and Woodmen. Míriel wanted to join them.
"Aerandir, let me join you. I cannot be parted from you." she implored him, as he and her sire were preparing to leave.
"You must stay, Míriel." Aerandir said.
They kissed passionately, and Aerandir tasted her as if for the last time, for he knew not what fate had in store for him.
"Gerich veleth nín, adar!" Míriel told her sire, embracing him.
Then Gil-celeb and Aerandir smiled at Míriel before riding away with their host of guards. She watched them until they disappeared.
Gil-celeb watched Aerandir.
"You desire to return to her?" he asked knowingly.
"I feel as if I abandoned her." Aerandir replied.
"We will return."
A fortnight passed before Míriel heard word from her sire and husband. Each day seemed like an eternity for her as she sat in her quarters. Often she would bury her face in Aerandir's pillow, or his tunics, and breath deeply his scent. At night was when she missed him most, for the visions of her long torment in Dol Guldur haunted her.
"Ai, so you are safe!" she cried happily as she read his letter.
Aerandir wrote to her about their journey, describing to her everything so clearly that Míriel felt as if she has gone with him. He then told her how much he missed her, saying he was unable to rest at all.
'For me,' he wrote, 'even looking at your sire is a great torture for my heart, because you resemble him. No doubt you suffer in my absence, but I promise to return. Gweston.'
Míriel smiled amid her tears. Then she clasped the letter to her breast and fell into deep rest. The following morning she awoke utterly refreshed. No visions of Falathar troubled her that night, but she dreamed of the night when Aerandir entered into her. she still could feel his hands as he held her, could smell him if she closed her eyes. Her stomach fluttered wildly.
"If I am not careful, I will fall ill." she chided herself.
There was a light breeze that blew through the windows. Míriel stretched her arms, and then looked at herself in her large gem-covered mirror. As she closed her eyes, she imagined leaning back against Aerandir's chest. Her stomach fluttered again.
"Ai, I will stop!" she laughed.
The smell of the flowers in the garden enticed her outside. She stepped onto the soft grass, feeling each blade beneath her bare feet. Birds sang in the treetops, and her attention was turned towards the fountain. There was the sound of wings fluttering wildly amid chirping.
A small bird was struggling in the water. Its leg was broken. It was chirping as if calling for aid. Míriel saw that it was slowly drowning.
Carefully, the Princess cupped her hands together and slid them underneath the bird's legs. Then, lifting it, she placed it gently against her bosom, next to her heart. It seemed to Míriel that the bird relaxed, being comforted by listening to her heartbeats.
"Poor aew, your leg is broken!" she murmured to it in pity. "How ever did it happen?"
The bird, sensing that Míriel meant her no harm, began to chirp. The Princess learned long ago in her birthplace, Doraith, the speech of birds, for often she would accompany her kinswoman, Lúthien, into the woods. Míriel listened to the female bird's story intently.
"Your leg was caught in the crook of a branch of the tree above my
fountain, and you pulled hard and broke it." Míriel said. "How I pity you!"
She inspected the bird's leg again.
"I will heal it, if you allow me, aew." she said.
The bird chirped in agreement.
Holding the bird carefully in her hands, Míriel rushed back to her chamber. She set the bird atop a pillow then busied herself gathering the various items she needed. The Princess bound the bird's leg with a tiny piece of cloth she dipped in a healing salve.
"There, I have finished!" she told the bird.
It thanked her graciously.
"I name you Annarámainen, which means gift on wings. I feel the Valar blessed me by sending you as a gift." Míriel said. "You are female?"
Annarámainen bobbed her head.
Míriel smiled wanly; she suddenly felt tired, and her stomach reeled and lurched. Annarámainen chirped to draw her attention, but the Princess did not respond. Desperately, Annarámainen started to call loud and clear. Moments later, the door of the chamber opened and two handmaidens appeared looking puzzled.
"Hiril nín!" one cried.
"She is alright. She only fainted because…" the other said.
"Because why, Amorith?"
"Because…she carries a child!"
"MAN?"
"It is true, Giliath." Amorith said.
The handmaidens talked together in excited whispers. Annarámainen began to twitter; the Princess was stirring.
"What happened to me?" Míriel said weakly.
"You fainted, hiril nín." Amorith replied.
"How do you know?"
"The bird, Princess. It called." Giliath answered.
Míriel looked towards Annarámainen with a smile.
"You are an unexpected gift, truly." she told her bird.
Amorith and Giliath exchanged glances.
"Hiril nín, we wish to tell you the cause of your faint." they said.
"And what may that be, pray?" Míriel wondered.
Giliath nudged Amorith forward, since the Princess knew her better. The handmaiden took Míriel's hand in hers.
"You are pregnant!" Amorith whispered.
"Non…pregnant?" she repeated in disbelief.
When the handmaidens left Míriel alone with Annarámainen, the Princess stood before her mirror, examining herself closely.
"I am carrying Aerandir's child!" she said quietly. "This will make him so happy! I dreamed and prayed for this, and now it is a living reality! I have conceived! What a beautiful yet unexpected blessing!"
Sindarin Translations:
Aew: small bird
Man: what
Non: I am