Chapter Ten: The Fall of Númenor
I am unaware how long I remained in Mithlond. Years never mattered much to me, though I had been forced to keep track of them in previous.
There came one day to the Havens a great storm, one of which the likes I had never seen. It ravaged the shores of our land for four days. Glorfindel and I were dwelling within Círdan's house away from the coast at the time, so the storm did not hit us hard, but the docks and those dwellings along the shore were damaged and in the week after the storm we spent most of our time cleaning up.
I dreamt very rarely, and that night was brought a dream, and in my dream walked a worn path that had not been traveled for several years. It took me north from the city and for a great number of hours I walked.
At length the path ended and I turned out to face the sea. Enhith flew down to land on my shoulder and the two of us stood silently, looking out at the sea's churning waves. One such wave appeared to rear up and upon it was seated a lady. It was in that hour that Uinen, the Lady of the Seas, came to me. She spoke like the whispers on the wind.
"Lhunrothien," she said, "Child of Laughter, long have you toiled on the soils of Arda."
I knelt on the hard rock,
"Fair Lady," I said, "What would you have of me?"
"The mighty land of Númenor has been destroyed by my kin." Uinen said; her voice layered with pain, "I have saved one boat and sent it upon the shores of Middle Earth. There shall they dwell for years to come, but first they must find hospitable land. You shall be my messenger, for your fate, and the fates of Man intertwine, today and in future. Go now, find the craft beached on the shores, and take the men north."
I did not want to help the Númenóreans, but I would do Uinen's bidding. I nodded and rose to my feet.
I woke in my bed with a clear direction in my mind. Dawn was just breaking and I changed into breaches and a heavy tunic before strapping my long knives to my belt and picking up my quiver and bow. Lifting at last a bundle of Elven Waffers and attaching it to my belt, I left the room quietly and made my way down the corridor. I had almost left the house when I was stopped by Athenian the Door Guard.
"I must go quickly from the city at the bidding of Uinen." I whispered, "Please tell Glorfindel of my departure and ensure him I am safe. There is no time for an explanation."
Athenian nodded and I slipped past him into the still dark streets of Mithlond. I had not gone far before the shadow of Enhith flew down from the skies and landed on my right shoulder.
"I suppose I can not escape all my companions" I whispered to her, "very well, you can come."
My feet carried me to the North of the city. I walked old paths through the wilderness for many hours, I somehow knew which direction to go and I did not hesitate.
I came at last to a long silver beach with many Gulls circling overhead. The sand was smooth and as I began to walk along the Gulls flew near, calling to the mighty Hawk on my shoulder. Enhith, muted all those years before, cast them a piercing gaze and they gave us our space.
Towards the middle of the beach, there lay the wrecks of a crudely made boat. Several men were scattered around it and I ran to them. Turning one over, I saw that he was wounded, but not severely. He looked up at me and smiled.
"Have I could to Valinor?" He asked, his voice shaking.
"No Lord," I replied, "You have come to Middle Earth. I am Lhunrothien, I have been sent by Uinen to protect you and see you to your new lands. What is thy name?"
"I am Elendil of Númenor." He said.
I am unaware how long I remained in Mithlond. Years never mattered much to me, though I had been forced to keep track of them in previous.
There came one day to the Havens a great storm, one of which the likes I had never seen. It ravaged the shores of our land for four days. Glorfindel and I were dwelling within Círdan's house away from the coast at the time, so the storm did not hit us hard, but the docks and those dwellings along the shore were damaged and in the week after the storm we spent most of our time cleaning up.
I dreamt very rarely, and that night was brought a dream, and in my dream walked a worn path that had not been traveled for several years. It took me north from the city and for a great number of hours I walked.
At length the path ended and I turned out to face the sea. Enhith flew down to land on my shoulder and the two of us stood silently, looking out at the sea's churning waves. One such wave appeared to rear up and upon it was seated a lady. It was in that hour that Uinen, the Lady of the Seas, came to me. She spoke like the whispers on the wind.
"Lhunrothien," she said, "Child of Laughter, long have you toiled on the soils of Arda."
I knelt on the hard rock,
"Fair Lady," I said, "What would you have of me?"
"The mighty land of Númenor has been destroyed by my kin." Uinen said; her voice layered with pain, "I have saved one boat and sent it upon the shores of Middle Earth. There shall they dwell for years to come, but first they must find hospitable land. You shall be my messenger, for your fate, and the fates of Man intertwine, today and in future. Go now, find the craft beached on the shores, and take the men north."
I did not want to help the Númenóreans, but I would do Uinen's bidding. I nodded and rose to my feet.
I woke in my bed with a clear direction in my mind. Dawn was just breaking and I changed into breaches and a heavy tunic before strapping my long knives to my belt and picking up my quiver and bow. Lifting at last a bundle of Elven Waffers and attaching it to my belt, I left the room quietly and made my way down the corridor. I had almost left the house when I was stopped by Athenian the Door Guard.
"I must go quickly from the city at the bidding of Uinen." I whispered, "Please tell Glorfindel of my departure and ensure him I am safe. There is no time for an explanation."
Athenian nodded and I slipped past him into the still dark streets of Mithlond. I had not gone far before the shadow of Enhith flew down from the skies and landed on my right shoulder.
"I suppose I can not escape all my companions" I whispered to her, "very well, you can come."
My feet carried me to the North of the city. I walked old paths through the wilderness for many hours, I somehow knew which direction to go and I did not hesitate.
I came at last to a long silver beach with many Gulls circling overhead. The sand was smooth and as I began to walk along the Gulls flew near, calling to the mighty Hawk on my shoulder. Enhith, muted all those years before, cast them a piercing gaze and they gave us our space.
Towards the middle of the beach, there lay the wrecks of a crudely made boat. Several men were scattered around it and I ran to them. Turning one over, I saw that he was wounded, but not severely. He looked up at me and smiled.
"Have I could to Valinor?" He asked, his voice shaking.
"No Lord," I replied, "You have come to Middle Earth. I am Lhunrothien, I have been sent by Uinen to protect you and see you to your new lands. What is thy name?"
"I am Elendil of Númenor." He said.