Glorfindel's Daughter

18. A Distant Memory

It had been a few days since Cadhradriel had returned home. She was now fully rested and back to her normal duties, which consisted of reading documents, writing documents, and sword training. The sword training was really more for her to remain skilled with her blade.

Ever since the Last Alliance, Cadhradriel had retired from the army, and became a member of the elven embassy. Meaning, she was an elven ambassador to other kingdoms throughout Middle Earth.

The paperwork had piled up on her desk, and the tired elf leaned back in her chair. She rubbed her eyes. "I need a break. I'll finish this later," she thought.

Cadhradriel stood up and placed her hands on her lower back. Sitting in that chair had made her sore. She cracked her back, and decided to visit the library for some pleasure reading.

oOo

Her dainty fingers gently brushed the spines of the books as she passed them, looking for a good one to read. She paused for a moment at a book on Fëanor, her grandfather.

Cadhradriel had never met him, he died before she and her brother were born, and neither her mother nor her uncles had ever mentioned him. Curious, she picked up the book and held it to her chest.

She walked through the halls of the Last Homely House, and found a secluded bench. Her mother's voice could be heard in the distance as she gathered her blue dress, and sat down open the book.

The first few pages in, it mentioned her mother and uncles, the children of Fëanor and Nerdanel, her grandmother. Her mind wandered back to when she lived in Himring with her Uncle Maedhros, before moving to Rivendell for the first time.

oOo

Cadhradriel hid behind Daelarien's dress as she, her brother, and her mother were lead into the throne room of Himring. Daelarien smiled when she saw her oldest brother walking to greet them.

He was very tall, with rusty red hair to his shoulders, scars across his face, and missing his right hand. The sight before young Cadhradriel frightened her. She hid further behind her mother's green dress.

"Mae govanen, little sister. You and your children are welcome here anytime," the lord of Himring stated as he pulled his only sister into a hug.

After his time in Angband, Maedhros had become cold and hard to Morgoth and Sauron, but when news reached Maedhros of the fall of Gondolin and that his sister was alive, he immediately set aside his anger and sent for them to be brought here.

The tall elf lowered himself to Cadhradriel's height. "You must be Cadhradriel, my sisters daughter. My name is Maedhros," he said gently, kissing her tiny hand.

Cadhradriel giggled. "Maybe he's not so bad," she thought.

oOo

Over the next three decades, Cadhradriel had begun to take an interest in fighting. Glorfindel, her father, had just begun teaching her the basics of sword fighting when he died. Since his death, Cadhradriel had been determined to be the best sword fighter.

The young Elleth watched her uncle train and even trained with him. Maedhros was deadly with a sword, but he went easy on his niece.

"Harder. Don't hold back on your enemy, because they won't hold back on you," Maedhros instructed as Cadhradriel sparred with a training dummy.

Cadhradriel grunted and whacked the dummy on its wooden arm. The training sword was still strapped to it.

"Uncle, this is impossible!"

Maedhros chuckled and sat down on the ground near his niece. Cadhradriel sheathed her training sword and stood next to him. When the eldest son of Fëanor was sitting, he was as tall as his niece, who was already 5'6 at 350 years old (14 years old in human years).

"You're doing very well, little warrior. I know your Ada would be proud of you."

"Maybe nana is right. The battlefield is no place for a lady."

Maedhros nodded. He had seen enough of war to know that his sister was right. He also knew that she had even been apart of the kinslayings. The latter had left Daelarien emotionally scarred by the horrors she went through.

"Are the battles why nana doesn't want me to fight," Cadhradriel asked her uncle, looking up to his face with her big blue eyes.

The elf nodded. "Your nana never wanted to leave Valinor, but she felt an obligation to follow our Ada no matter what."

Cadhradriel dug her heel into the dirt. All elves, especially the Noldor, knew of the rebellion against the Valar. Daelarien was reluctant to join, but ultimately did and was banished to Middle Earth along with the rest of her kin.

"Now, do you wish to continue your training, little warrior," Maedhros asked his niece as he slowly stood up.

Cadhradriel nodded and took his left hand in hers.

Maedhros walked to the opposite side of where Cadhradriel stood, and unsheathed his sword. "Remember what I told you. Now, give it all you got."

The young Elleth nodded and launched herself in an attack.

oOo

Cadhradriel smiled at the distant memory. A drawing of her uncle was featured in the book she had open on her lap. She closed her eyes to keep the tears from falling. When Maedhros fell, (if you've read the Silmarillion you'll understand....I'm sorry) Cadhradriel felt as though she was lost.

Her uncle taught her all the sword skills she had, and now he was gone forever.

"Cadhradriel? My daughter, are you all right?"

The Elleth looked up to see her mother standing a few feet away. Cadhradriel wiped a tear and smiled. "I'm fine. Really nana, there's no need to fuss."

Daelarien sat down next to her daughter. Her blue eyes fell to the book in her lap. The only daughter of Fëanor let out a small gasp as she saw the drawing of her oldest brother.

"Mae...oh he always looked out for me. Especially when your Uncles Amrod and Amras would pick on me," she whispered as she held the drawing. She laughed remembering a time long ago.

"I remember when I first told my Ada I was your to marry your Ada."

Cadhradriel's eyes widened. "Really? What did he say?"

Daelarien laughed and told the tale.

Maedhros the Tall, eldest son of Fëanor.

A/n: I don't own the drawing of Mae. If you haven't read The Silmarillion, you'll know who he is.