Out of Mirkwood

Scribbles-on-Parchment

September 28, 2019

Chapter 12 – The Last Sinda

Estel was exhausted. They had ridden through the day and into the night. When they had finally stopped for the night he found that he could not find rest. The mysterious elfling was still not waking up. Elladan had not said he was worried, however, his brother's mumbling and constant checking of the young elf were enough to tell what he needed to know.

There had been no place for them to have a sheltered camp as they were now out on the open plains of Rohan and this made Estel feel very exposed. They had lost sight of the yrch soon after they had left the forest yet he still felt on edge.

His brothers had finally had to force him to lay down and rest, but his mind kept turning every shadow into the hulking shapes of yrch. At every noise his eyes would fly open thinking they were about to be attacked, however, he would only see his brothers around the fire talking softly to one another and the elf, who they had named Maer, laying next to him as lifeless as always. The eldar's golden hair reflected the flickering light of the campfire making him look like an ethereal being.

When the sun had at last begun to rise, Estel was relieved. He always preferred the light of the sun to that of the moon and stars, though he knew this was not the way of the eldar who preferred the lights that shone brightly in the dark.

The young human could tell that Elladan was worried. In the night Maer's fever had returned. Though it was not as high as it was before, it was still a cause of great worry for everyone.

"What do you suppose that we do now?" Estel bit into another piece of Lembas, watching as his older brothers finished packing their bags.

"We first have to wait until you are finished eating before we can go anywhere," Elrohir smirked, "But Elladan and I spoke last night and decided that it would be best to make our way to ada as quickly as possible. Most likely he is already well on his way back to Imladris but we might be in luck and catch up with him."

"Assuming that our guest does not get any worse," Elladan broke in glancing over at the still form, "Ai Valar. I hope ada can do what I cannot seem to do."

Everyone was silent for a moment.

"One day toron, we will finish this adventure and explore this side of the mountains, however, it appears as that this is not that trip," the younger twin slung one of the packs onto the horse.

Estel finished his Lembas and before he mumbled, "Assuming that ada will let us."

Elrohir heard and picked up a small rock at his feet. He threw it at the edan, grinning as it hit the human in the arm. This earned him a fierce glare.

"Stop complaining and help us finish packing," Elladan frowned at his brothers, "We need to leave soon if we are to have any chance of catching up with ada."

Estel looked over at the golden-haired elfling that lay slumped against Elladan. The ellon was flushed with a fever that seemed to be getting worse as the day continued. A brisk breeze blew his brown hair into his face. He mumbled curses as he brushed it out of his eyes. When would this accursed plain ever stop?

He did not remember it taking this long when they had crossed it before. The day had barely begun and it already felt as if they had been riding all day.

The riders came to the top of one of the many rolling hills and the young human sighed as he saw nothing but more hills and grass. He did not even know in which direction they were going in now, but his brothers seemed to know where they were going; at least he hoped they did.

"Dartho. Tiro!" Estel's head jerked up at Elrohir's exclamation and saw that the Noldo was pointing at something.

"Two horses and riders!" Estel squinted as he looked back out at the plains; he saw nothing. This was not the first time that he wished he had the eyesight of the eldar.

"Who is it? How far off are they?"

"It's ada!" Elladan turned to his little brother and grinned, relief flooding his face, "He is with Tamír. They cannot be more than a league away and it appears as though they have stopped. Perhaps they see us as well."

This was all the encouragement that Estel needed as he urged his horse into a full gallop.

Elrond frowned slightly as he watched his sons gallop toward him. Why did they seem to be in such a hurry? Could they not see that he was waiting for them? Did they honestly expect him to just turn tail and ride away?

"Who does Elladan have with him in the saddle?" Tamír asked, looking hard at the approaching horsemen.

The elf lord looked again and this time spotted the limp figure that the oldest twin was holding close to his body. What had caught his eye was the figure's golden hair.

"It seems as though they will be in need of your service, mellon nín and I have no doubt that this will be quite the story."

"Perhaps they ran into an injured human and decided to help. A female perhaps?"

The Silvan nodded, "Some of the Rohirrim have fair hair."

Elrond knew that his friend was also remembering the golden hair of the Sindar. He put a hand on his friend's shoulder and offered a soft smile, "The pain of such a great loss never truly goes away. It is normal to continue to feel some grief at memories even centuries after."

Tamír forced a smile but the Noldo could see the echoes of regret in his soft brown eyes.

"Now come and let us see what trouble my sons have gotten themselves into this time."

The two ellyn waited silently as the group of riders drew near. Estel was the first to reach them and pulled his steed to a sudden halt right in front of them.

"Ada! You will never guess what has happened to us!"

Elrond smiled, "Mae govannen ion nín. What has brought our paths to cross? You are not injured I trust."

"Of course not," Estel jumped down from his horse, "But Maer has a fever that not even Elladan can heal."

"Maer?"

"Yes, that is what we have taken to call the eldar that we found in the forest. He was bitten by a spider and will not wake."

Normally Elrond was not easily puzzled, but the flood of words that had just left his youngest son's mouth were confusing to him. He held up his hand to quiet Estel.

"What are you saying about an ellon?"

It was at this moment that Elrohir came riding up, followed closely by Elladan and the unconscious stranger. Elrond hurried over to his eldest son, leaving Tamír to decipher whatever Estel had tried to tell them.

"Let me help you, ion nín," the elf lord said as Elladan struggled under the awkward weight of the limp of the ellon.

It was not long before they had gently lowered him into the soft grass.

"Tell me everything," Elrond said as he was able to finally get a good look at the unconscious figure.

The eldar had a fair face with smooth, pale skin; much fairer than any skin he had ever seen on an elf in many years. His eyes were shut, leaving the elf lord to wonder what the orbs that lay hidden underneath the dark lashes looked like. The braids that held back the golden locks were intricate and a design that the Noldo had never seen before. Some of the golden strands had come loose and lay plastered against the young elf's forehead in the heat of the fever that gripped his body. For a young elf, it was, very young in fact younger than he had seen in many years. Surely this elfling could not yet have even reached his majority.

Elrond looked back at the face of the ellon. The distinct shape and coloring looked familiar to him. but surely it could not be. It was not possible. Those elves had all left these shores long before, never to be seen again in all of arda. Beside him, Tamír was staring wide-eyed at the eldar. The Silvan's face had gone deathly pale and a moment later he fell to his knees and put his hands to his face.

Estel and his brothers stood beside them, confused at the reactions of their ada and Tamír. What did they see in the young elf that they could not?

The Noldo lord stood in shock. He hardly registered anything else around him. It was as if his whole world had been turned around in an instant, for he was looking at the fair face of a young Sindarin elfling, of who's kind was thought to have been wiped out generations ago.

Elvish Translations:

toron – brother (Noldorin Elvish)

ada – dad

yrch – orcs

maer – golden

dartho – wait

tiro - look

mellon nín – my friend

mae govannen – well met

ion nín – my son