Anaynah at 22 years of age,
Rivendell
"Move your feet!"
The courtyards of Rivendell were full of commotion. Mainly coming from Elladan as he watched his twin brother spar with his youngest sister.
A routine it was for them, every Saturday morning they would join, practice and refine their skills amongst each other.
Elohir and Anaynah faced each other in the square, swords at the ready. He made a move, lunging forward with his blade. Anaynah deftly sidestepped, her own sword flashing in the morning sun. They exchanged several blows, each one blocked or parried by the other.
"You're getting better," Elohir said, grinning.
"I've had a good teacher," Anaynah replied, her eyes glinting with determination.
"She does not mean you, brother!" Elladan taunted as he called out from the side of the square.
They continued to spar, their movements fluid and graceful. The sound of metal clashing against metal echoed through the courtyard as they fought. Suddenly, Elohir slipped, and Anaynah took advantage of the opening, landing a quick strike on his shoulder.
"Nice move," Elohir said, rubbing his shoulder. "But do not get too bold."
"I wouldn't dream of it."Anaynah laughed.
They resumed their duel, both of them sweating and breathing heavily. Finally, Anaynah made a misstep, and Elohir seized the opportunity, disarming her with a swift strike.
Elohir grinned as Anaynah stood disappointed, holding up her hands in surrender.
"You win. I yield."
"It was a good effort, sister. Do not take the loss too hard." Elohir lowered his sword, grinning triumphantly.
"No, it was a poor effort." She grumbled.
"You cannot win every time."
"No, it is not that-"
"Dreadful footwork from you today, Elohir!"
Elladan commented as he marched up to the pair, Anaynah dusting off her tunic.
"Do not start with me, Elladan. I suggest you stick with your bows."
Anayna laughed at her brothers jesting. It was true, Elladan was a most skilled bowman whilst Elohir fancied the blade. However, Anaynah inherited both skills as her brothers were eager to share their knowledge with her as she grew.
"Ah, look! Arwen fancies a turn. A dual sister?" Elohir chimed.
Anaynah's head turned to the pathway to see her older sister making her way down to them.
"Do not antagonize her, brother. Arwen is just as skilled to bring you weeping on the floor." Anaynah chuckled as she spoke.
"You would do well to heed her advice, Elohir," Arwen spoke with a smirk as she joined the circle.
It was true, Arwen was indeed skilled with a blade, however, she did not ride into battle with her father and siblings, but rather stayed back to help the injured.
"I am here to ask you three to join me and adar for morning tea."
"I am quite famished, a cup of tea does sound appealing," Elohir spoke quickly as he put away his weapon.
"Anaynah, what say we resume training following morning tea? We shall move on to our archery." Elladan suggested as he too was starved.
"I am happy with that, I believe I need a rest. My head is all over the place today. I cannot seem to focus." Anaynah pointed out, concerned as she rubbed her temple. Elladan took notice of her troubled state.
"Well let us go then! Tea will be getting cold." Arwen urged Elohir forward, the pair wasted no time before making their way out of the courtyard.
Anaynah turned to pick up her sword off the floor, Elladan too packing away his gear.
"I do not know what is wrong with me today," Anaynah began as she put her sword back in its sheath, "I do not make mistakes as such. Yes, I know my weaknesses, but a spar with Elohir should not have been that easy surely?" The woman was frustrated with herself, four rematches she had with Elohir and she lost every single one due to the littlest of mistakes.
She could not afford mistakes.
She had been in real combat, if she made a mistake like that in battle, she could not live to see another dawn.
Elladan sighed at his sister's irritation.
"Anaynah, do not dwell on it," Elladan approached her as he slung his bow into his quiver, "you are one of Rivendell's most skilled warriors. Ada has had you lead our missions. I fear soon you will put me and Elohir both to shame." He comforted his sister, causing a slight chuckle to escape her lips,
"Come, let us not keep ada waiting any longer."
Elladan placed his hand warmly upon his sister's back in comfort, smiling as he nudged her forward.
Though still disappointed, Anaynah felt slightly better after her brother's kind words.
They began to make their way out of the courtyard.
Little did they know, she would not get far.
Anaynah abruptly stopped in her tracks, inhaling sharply.
Elladan too stopped beside her, a look of concern on his face.
"Are you alright, sister?" Elladan questioned as she stared forward, his hand still upon her back.
"Uh-" Her head was frazzled. A feeling washed over her that she had never had before, a most unusual sickening feeling.
She closed her eyes and took a deep breath in before replying,
"Yes. I am fine, just fatigued is all."
Anaynah gave Elladan a smile of reassurance, regardless, of which he was anything but. She nodded to say she was readying to continue forward.
Of a sudden, her head started to spin.
Anaynah tried to speak, but she could not form the words. She felt as if she was being pulled in two different directions, and she could not shake the feeling. She looked around, trying to find something to focus on, but everything was blurry. Suddenly, she felt herself falling, reaching out to grab onto something, anything to keep her from falling. Her brother was swift to wrap his arms around her before she could hit the ground, instead slowly bringing themselves to their knees. She clung to him tightly, her breathing ragged.
"What's happening to me?" she managed to breathe out, her voice shaking.
Anaynah's head fell forward, her breath now all of a sudden ragged. Elladan came to his knees in front of her, clutching her shoulders in support.
"Sister, what is wrong?!" Elladan exclaimed now growing more worried by the second. He brought his hand to her cheek, only to be shocked at the temperature of her skin.
"Anaynah, you are on fire..."
Fire.
"Elladan, I do not feel well." the girl said breathlessly as she leaned into her brother's grasp.
Her skin indeed felt as if it were on fire, crawling with heat as intense as the sun.
"I must get you to adar."
He put his arm around her and helped her to her feet, supporting her weight as they made their way back to the palace.
As they walked, Anaynah tried to steady her breathing, but it was difficult. She felt like she was suffocating like the air was too thick to breathe. She wanted to tell Elladan to stop, to give her a moment to catch her breath, but she couldn't speak. All she could do was cling to him and hope that they would make it to their father in time.
However, merely a few steps forward, she was sent stumbling, her legs giving out underneath her.
Elladan quickly scooped his sister into his arms, her body limp and her head leaned against his chest. He knew she could not walk and he did not want to waste a moment longer, making haste out of the courtyard.
Anaynah did not realise that her life as she knew it was about to change,
for The Fever had set in.
______
The night had grown cold, but the stars were hidden behind the clouds over the valley. Lord Elrond couldn't find any rest that night, as he remained by his youngest child's bedside. She lay there motionless, her fever still raging.
Finally, after hours of agony, Anaynah drifted off into a troubled sleep. Elrond sat with his head in his hands, feeling the weight of his daughter's suffering weighing heavily on his shoulders.
Elrond had known that his daughter's condition was dire, but he had not expected it to worsen so quickly. He had tried every remedy available to him, but none had worked.
He looked up at the moon, hoping that its light would somehow bring a miracle. But all he could see was the darkness, and all he could hear was the sound of his daughter's harsh breathing.
Elrond knew that he would not be able to leave her side until she got better. He would endure the pain and the exhaustion, for he loved her more than anything in the world.
As the night wore on, Elrond's thoughts turned to his daughter's future. He had always known that she was fated for greatness, and there was a great deal for her to experience. But now, he wondered if she would ever be able to fulfil them.
He prayed to the Valar, the guardians of the world, to grant him the strength to endure this trial. He also prayed for his daughter's recovery, for he knew that without her, the hole in his heart would be empty once more.
Elrond stepped out of his daughter's room, his eyes bloodshot from lack of sleep. He took a deep breath, trying to steady himself before he faced his other children. He knew that they were worried about their sister, and he didn't want to add to their burden.
As he turned the corner, he saw Elladan, Elrohir and Arwen standing by the window, their faces etched with concern. They turned to him as he approached, and he could see the worry in their eyes.
"How is she?" Elladan asked, his voice full of anxiety.
Elrond shook his head.
"I do not know what is wrong with her," he replied, his voice heavy with emotion. "I have tried everything, but her fever won't break."
"Is this a sickness of men? Surely it is common for them to fall ill. She must recover?"
Elohir asked.
"Yes, it must be."
Elrond replied simply, he had not told his other children of Anaynah's blood properties nor was he planning to.
"I do not understand, ada. She was perfectly fine this morning." Arwen spoke as her heart broke for her sister.
Elladan put a comforting hand on his father's shoulder.
"We'll find a way to help her, adar," he said. "We won't let her suffer."
______
As days passed, Anaynah grew weaker. In brief moments she would regain consciousness, she would not speak for she was in much pain.
Elrond sat down by his daughter's bedside, his hand reaching out to touch her forehead. It was still burning with fever, and he could feel his heart breaking. He had always known that his daughter was special, but now, he couldn't help but wonder if her fate was sealed.
He looked up at the window, the light of the sun filtering through the curtains. He knew that he had to be strong, for his daughter's sake. But he also knew that he couldn't do it alone.
"Ada?"
Elrond flipped his head around to see Anaynah slowly stirring, taking in her surroundings. His eyes widened as he rushed back to her bedside.
"Anaynah, how do you feel my daughter?"
He spoke with urgency, eager to see if she was still suffering.
Inhaling deeply, a small smile tugged at the corners of her mouth.
"I am in much less pain than I have been."
Elrond reached up to press his hand against her forehead. He let out a sigh of relief as he realised her temperature had gone down.
"My dear, I am so glad to hear you are feeling better. How worried we were." Elrond smiled for the first time in what felt like weeks.
"Oh, Adar, you worry for me too much. They say that stress ages one faster."
Elrond laughed at Anaynah's attempt at humour, eased to see she was already back to making jokes after days of discomfort.
He thought the worst was behind them, and that the start of Anaynah's recovery was the end of all things ominous. But never had he been more wrong.
______
Elrond made his way to Anaynah's chambers, where she lay in bed. Slowly she had been recovering, but far away she was from regaining her strengths.
"Anaynah," he said softly, approaching her bedside. "I have received urgent news. We must leave at once to defend the nearby city of men from Orcs."
Anaynah sat up in bed, her eyes bright with excitement.
"Of course, I will get ready straight away!"
Elrond placed a hand down on Anaynah's shoulder, forcing her to lean back into her pillows.
"I am sorry Anaynah. But you will not be coming with me."
"But I must come with you, ada," she said, with determination in her eyes "I am a soldier of Rivendell! What am I if I sit aside while my comrades fight whilst I lay here futile."
Elrond shook his head.
"I appreciate your offer, my daughter. But you are still recovering from your illness. You are not yet strong enough to ride into battle."
Anaynah's face fell.
"Please, ada," she said, her voice pleading. "I cannot bear to stay here while you and the others ride out to fight. I want to help defend our people."
Elrond looked at her sternly.
"Anaynah, you are still weak, You cannot fight in this condition. You must stay here and rest."
Anaynah's eyes flashed with defiance.
"I am not a child," she said sharply. "I am a warrior, I have led our armies, and I will not be left behind while you and the others ride out to fight. Orcs have attacked our people, and I will not sit idly by while they are in danger." Elrond sighed.
"I understand your desire to fight, Anaynah. But I cannot allow you to put yourself in harm's way. You must stay here, where it is safe."
Anaynah's eyes filled with tears as the feeling of failure sunk into her heart.
"Very well. If that is the will of Lord Elrond, I understand," she said quietly. "But please, ada. Promise me that you will come back to me."
Elrond took her hand in his.
"I promise," he said solemnly. "I will return to you, Anaynah. I swear it." With that, he rose from her bedside and left the room, ready to lead his warriors into battle.
As Elrond and his forces rode out of the gates of the city, Anaynah watched from her balcony, her heart heavy with worry. She knew that her father was a great warrior, but the orcs were there many, and the battle would be fierce.
As the day wore on, Anaynah twiddled with her fingers restlessly, her mind racing with thoughts of the battle. She knew that she should be resting, but she couldn't bear the thought of staying behind while they fought. She had to do something.
Slowly, she got up, wincing as pain shot through her body. She knew that she was still sick, but she couldn't let that stop her.
She knew she was a mortal. Every day she was reminded of that. And she knew if she let this sickness define her, let it control her, she would never forgive herself.
Anaynah got dressed in her sleek armour and hurried with haste to the stable.
As she mounted her steed, the pain in her body intensified. She took a deep breath and urged the horse forward, riding out of Rivendell.
As she rode through the countryside, she felt a sense of determination growing within her. She knew that she was risking much by going into battle, but she couldn't let her family fight alone.
Anaynah rode for hours, the pain in her body growing more intense with every passing moment. But she refused to give up. She was determined to reach her family and fight alongside them.
That decision would mark a pivotal moment in Anaynah's future, it would determine the course of her life and shape her destiny.
Her fate was now sealed.
If Anaynah had known what was to take place, she would never have set foot out of Rivendell.
______
Hope you enjoyed this chapter!
I've just realised how long this book is gonna be, just over halfway through the first movie and the book goes for 4 hours! Hope y'all don't mind, I've always loved a long read.
Vote and comment!
- I <3