This story is concerned chiefly of elves. Sustained by the light of the Valar, the elves left Valinor to settle in Arda, known in the Common Westron as Middle Earth, to dwell among Mortal Men and the Free People. Yes, there were Ents as you might have known. But they were still wild and unknowable, free to walk their forests alone. Only the Elves ever drew close to them in friendship.
Thousands of years past by, marked by the ever continuing shadow of Morgoth, hated and feared by all. War broke upon the lands unceasingly, like waves upon a shore. At last, Morgoth met his end in The Great War of Wrath, which changed the face of Middle Earth as it was known. Sorrow and hate had filled the time before his banishment, marked by Kinslayings, betrayals, and murders. The realms of Nargothrond, Doriath, and The Havens of Sirion were swept away, leaving the Elves broken, confused and lost. Only after Morgoth was chained to the depths of stone did the elves see joy for how it was. However, the full sorrow of their long lives could be seen in their fair faces forever.
Galadriel and many of the Fair Folk of Royalty were persuaded to go to middle earth when the Elf Lord Feänor was determined to rebel against the Valar and win back the Silmarils. During the First Age, she met and fell in love with the Elf Lord Celeborn (name: Silver Tree). Their love was a mighty one, enough to kindle the stars and unite a realm under them after the fall of Eregion. Galadriel, with all of the mighty power gifted to her by the Valar, and the power of the Elf Ring Nenya, established Lothlórien as a kingdom likened as to the old of Doriath. She fenced it in just as her friend Melian had done, but not near as strong. Lothlórien became a haven for those who sought guarded peace, and a place no evil thing dared to try and enter.
This is where Rîniel first entered the history of Arda.
A small war with the increasingly daring orc hordes of Moria was raging around the outskirts of Lothlórien in the Year Third Age 510. The war of the ring had only been a few centuries before. The villages of the Silvan elves that lived beyond the protecting walls of the Lady of the Wood's elven magic were terrified of what could happen to them. The few noble folk of the fair realm that kept the peace of the outlying cities were taken captive, tortured or slain. The children were sometimes sold as slaves, and the women... unspeakable things happened where darkness was rampant.
One horribly sunny and cheerful day, the small city of Ostwhesta, when the elanor flowers were blooming and the baby mallorn trees in the gardens were glowing with the sun, a black, cruel arrow sped its way into the heart of a tree, barely missing an elven lady's head. She screamed, but it was too late. Without warning no less than five hundred orcs snuck up unnoticed around the city in various places and began to mutilate and destroy everything within their reach. After two hours of bloodshed and fire, murder and fear, all ellith and ellyn left in the city were dead. The life was vanquished, never to return to that accursed spot. The name of Ostwhesta was whispered among many for years, everyone shaking their heads at how one minute elves with lives, hopes and futures could be dancing around the city square, and next lying among the wreckage of blood and war.
When Lord Celeborn and Lady Galadriel finally heard of the destruction, they sent their best contingent of soldiers to scout for any survivors. Among them was Radillion, first captain of the guard. He was a hard warrior, touched by thousands of years of service in Mirkwood and Lothlórien. Though inflicted with sorrow, he was pure, and good. These city destructions were not new to him. He treated it with indifference.
"Captain!" He heard a yell from inside a half collapsed building. Dismounting, he ran inside with the soldier that called him. He was not prepared for the site. Ten or more bodies lay in a tight bunch. Some had pots or sticks in their hands, and several orc carcasses lay on the outside, indicating there was a struggle before the death. They were obviously protecting something, Radillion thought to himself. What could have been more important than their lives? He pushed aside one of the handmaiden's bodies, for they were all young ellith, and stumbled back with a gasp.
An elfling, wrapped in a silken blanket, stared up at him with very much awake and pitiful eyes.
Radillion could not believe it. This was impossible. How did the orc filth miss such a thing? How did this baby survive for two days in the sultry conditions of the summer heat? There were so many mysteries to this. Perhaps the Valar had intervened in this case...though he hardly gave thought to such a notion.
He abruptly turned around. "We carry the elfling back with us."
"Yes my Lord." The soldier who spoke was a young herald by the name of Haldir. His kind eyes followed his lord out the door, then turned to gaze at the babe now squalling in his brother Haldor's arms. Haldir beckoned to his brother, then turned to leave.
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The ancient city of Caras Galadhon loomed out of the peaceful forest around. The beautiful singing in the city could be heard from miles around. Flowers decorated the green-silver grass and water trickled from numerous springs and fountains. The weary group of returning soldiers stood at the foot of the wall before the gate.
"Haldir!" A small voice cut through the air. Haldir turned and smiled at the tiny elleth who came rushing out to him. Arwen, for that was her name, giggled and jumped into his arms. "I have missed you!" She patted his face a little too aggressively, then reaching to tug on his long pale hair.
"Nîdh, Arwen, stop your pulling! I have only been gone three days and you are pulling on my hair like I have been gone a twelve-month!" Haldir grimaced and put the pouting elfling down. But then he laughed. "As stubborn as always, little one. I have missed you too."
Arwen was suddenly distracted by the bundle in Haldor's arms. It had let out a loud wail at that moment. Arwen jumped up and down trying to glimpse it. "Let me see Haldor! Let me see! Please?"
"Careful! Careful! All in due time. We must wait for The Lady. She will show you if it pleases her," Haldor smiled at the elfling before him.
"Haruni! Hurry up! Nana come quickly! You must see the thing in Haldor's collo. Hurry tolo ar nin!"
A silvery voice laughed and replied, "Coming iellig! You must wait on your elders, they are not as impulsive as you!" Haldir turned around and bowed low with all the other soldiers around him.
Two elleth stood before them. One was tall and willowy, with long blonde hair and a silver circlet. Her eyes were solemn, like one who had seen the end of the world. The other was equally as fair, and matched the other in almost everything except height and depth of sight. Her eyes were peaceful, but twinkling with merriment.
Radillion, who had been standing respectfully behind the two ladies, came forth and bowed. He gestured for Haldor to bring the bundle forth. "My Lady Galadriel, this is the elfling I spoke of. We found her unharmed in one of the houses of the noble families. She had been protected to the last. It is a wonder that she was not found and murdered. A maid was clutching her tightly under her cloak."
Galadriel stepped forward, her eyes now full of pity. She gently took the crying henig out of Haldor's arms. She gazed long into the infant's eyes. When she looked up her face was stunned, as if she saw something she was not expecting. "Iellig..." She drifted off. Celebrian glided forward, concerned. "What is it, naneth? What is this child?" Celebrian then whispered softly into her mother's ear. "Is it the one you saw in the mirror, the one you said was coming to comfort you?"
Galadriel nodded and a single tear fell from her cheek. "The vision had said she would be a lost gem, a silver star, a descendent of the noble and simple. Little did I know she would come from a Silvan noble family. Why? Why is she here? The vision did not tell me that." Galadriel sighed softly and, straightening, turned back around to the soldiers and Arwen, who now appeared quite uneasy from the long silence there had been after Radillion spoke. "Thanks be to the Valar you all returned safely. Go back to your families, rest. You have had a long journey." She graciously nodded to each of them and turned back into the city. Come, Arwen. We must go to your haru. "
Arwen curiously stared at her grandmother as she squirmed from Haldir's arms. "Aren't you going to give the bundle back to Haldor, haruni? I think it must be his present." She tried again to peek into her grandmother's arms. Galadriel stifled a smile. The little elleth did not listen closely to conversations around her, a result of many years around solemn voices with too much to say.
" No iellig, the bundle belongs to us for now. Come love, follow me," Celebrian took her daughter's hand and the group started walking back into the city. So Rîniel entered Caras Galadhon, in the company of Galadriel herself.
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Elvish Translations:
Tolo ar nin: come with me
Henig: Child
Naneth: mother
Iellig: daughter
Haru: Quenya for Grandfather
Haruni: Quenya for Grandmother