Daughter of the Stars

Prologue

Year SA 505

A young elven mother enters the harbor of Mithlond, carrying a newborn baby in her arms. Her long platinum blonde hair hangs around her,tangled and full of leaves. She's weak, very weak. Círdan, an elven male with silver gray hair and beard is looking through some papers when he sees her. Quickly he drops the papers and rushes to her side to support her.

"Please, my child." He looks at her and then at the infant she carries. Slowly she pushes the child into his arms.

"Protect her from her father." They slowly drop to the ground. With Círdan now holding both the mother and the child in his arms. She looks at him. "Protect Dimera from him."

Círdan looks at the child. "Who is the father?"

She gives him a weak smile. "The father is ...." She whispers the name in his ears just before she lets out her last breath. Some other elves in the harbor gently lift the dead mother from Círdans arm. Ëarhín, the captain of the harbor and close friend to Círdan, helps him up and carefully moves his friend to a bench. Ëarhín slowly pulls away a strand of hair from his friends face and place sit behind the ear.

"What happened?" Ëarhín looks worried at Círdan.

Círdan looks at his friend. "I don't know? I saw her and knew that she needed help." He tries to gather his thoughts, still confused over what just happened. The fear she had on her face when she gave him her child, and then the calmness when she told him the name of the father.

"Is she alive?" Ëarhín looks down at the child.

Círdan looks down at the child too and nods. "She is breathing. But I think it is best for a healer to look at her."

Ëarhín helps him up and slowly they walk through the city to the house of healing.

---

Inside the house of healing lies a garden, filled with flowers and herbs. In the middle stands a small but beautiful fountain. A path of pillars surrounds the garden and through one of the four doors on each side,comes an elven female. Her hair is light golden and lies braided down her back. She walks over to the two approaching elven males, noticing one holds an infant in his arms. With grace she nods at the two males and then looks at the one with the child;

"Lord Círdan, what brings you here?"

"Lady Ethiril, I come here with this child. Her mother has just passed away and I am worried over her and want to be sure that she is healthy." Cirdan answers the healer as he carefully shows her the little one.

Ethiril takes the girl and studies her. The baby has blue eyes with shades of green and the little hair on her head is light brown. Her nose is small, but perfectly beautiful and the ears have a nice shape. "She is lovely and is an elfling. I have to keep her here for a few hours to make sure she is in good health." She looks up at Círdan who nods. "What is her name?"

"Dimera." Círdan answers as he looks at the child. "I will try to comeback later to check up on her if I am allowed."

"You are always allowed here, my Lord." Ethiril smiles at him.

Círdan walks away and leaves Ethiril and Ëarhín alone in the garden. Ëarhín walks over to the fountain and lets his finger run through the water.

"Ëarhín, is something troubling you?"

He looks at Ethiril, who looks at him with worry in her eyes. "I am fine my love. I only worry over Círdan and this little one." He cherishes the cheek of the child. "I really hope that she will survive for I believe that he may have taken a likening to her."

"I promise you that I will do everything I can to keep her alive."

With that promise hanging in the air she kisses her husband goodbye and walks away with the child, leaving Ëarhín alone in the garden.

---

The sun is setting as Círdan watches over the harbour. The body of the mother is soon to be taken on board a ship. It had been decided that she were to be taken to Aman with some elves that wanted to return. He looks at the young woman. They had given her the name Mithrilhel so she at least has a known name when she arrives in Aman. She was beautiful, still is. Her hair has the color of the stars; her eyes had been crystal blue, her lips are small and her skin is soft. Círdan laughs to himself and smiles. He scratches his head and blushes easily over his thoughts. It was not a usual thing for him to look at or think of women, his heart lies with the ocean. But there was something about this elven lady? Pushing the thoughts from his mind Cirdan quickly walks down the stairs and over to the docks.

"Is everything prepared for departure?"

"Yes,we are ready, only waiting for the order to set sail." One of the Sailors answers.

"Good." Círdan replies with a nod and walks over to Mithrilhel to kneel down beside her. In a sad but resolute voice he whispers to the now still form of the elleth; "I promise to protect her." Carefully he strokes away a strand of hair from her face. "I only wish I could have met you earlier."

"Círdan!" He looks up and sees Ethiril walking towards him, holding Dimera in her arms.

"Ethiril." Slowly he stands up to acknowledge the healer.

"I thought she could say goodbye to her mother." She smiles and carefully hands over the child to Círdan.

"It'sa nice thought." He looks down on the little girl in his arms. "Will she survive?"

"She is a fighter. She will live. If you want I can care for her?"Ethiril suggests and strokes Dimera's cheek fondly.

"No!" Cirdan was surprised at how the thought of someone else, but him, caring for her felt wrong.

Dimera's mother had given her to him and he had earnestly sought the council of the Vala Ulmo, the god of the ocean, on the wisdom of someone such as he raising this child. During his time of prayer to Ulmo, his Maia Ossë, came to Cirdan and told him that Ulmo thought that the child should be in his care. Never one to question the wisdom of the Valar, Cirdan vowed to do just that.

"I will care for her. Her mother asked me to do that." Cirdan eventually speaks his intentions aloud feeling proud over this decision, and knowing he will do everything he can to give her a good life.

Ethiril smiles at him. "I will help you with what you need and I am sure that you will be a good father."

"Thank you, Ethiril." He turns away from her and kneels down beside Mithrilhel again. Ethiril knowing her presence is no longer required leaves Cirdan alone to his thoughts. Círdan looks at the woman's face and caresses her cheek;

"Why does it feel it like I'm falling for you? I don't even know you. But yet it feels like I have known you for a long time?" He smiles and places a kiss on Mithrilhel's forehead. "Who are you Mithrilhel? Why do you move my heart like the way only the ocean can?"

Nothing of this made sense to him, not the feeling of falling for someone or the feeling of knowing a woman he never had meet before. It confused him. Círdan shakes his head. He has to let go of those thoughts. He has to focus on Dimera now. With a sad look he watches the woman's face. "I will take care of Dimera and raise her as best I can. Farewell Mithrilhel."

He stands up and starts to walk away. Dimera, the little elfling in his  arms, looks up at him and he smiles fondly in return.

"You can set sail whenever you want."

"Yes, my lord."

Círdan leaves the harbour behind and returns to his home with his child.

"I will protect you Dimera, I promise."

---

Author's Note

I hope that you all loved the Prologue as mush as I did when I wrote it.

Every word written here was spoken to me as I wrote it. I love this piece and the feeling it have.