Eliswathe Here is the part of the history of the House of Elfadhras ( Mostly concerning Golledhel Faroniel, the last known descendant in Middle Earth): When Falafea of the host of Olwe was lost in the Great March, few had the courage or were willing to look for her,for there were other things to trouble about and the lands were deemed safe for a while for her to wonder in.. Falafea became separated from the host and was lost in the wild and she never came to Valinor in that age on the world. By strange paths she tread the twilight of Middle Earth , dwelling alone under the trees being sundered from her kin. And she became both cunning and strong, tutored by nature itself, not knowing any law but the ones she set herself. Yet being that of the host of Olwe, she had already the seedling of the sea in her heart without even looking upon it, and as years went by, she dared the perils of the mountains and was so reunited , as if by chance, with her kin led by Denethor, son of Lenwe, who were at the time making their way into Beleriand. She was not accepted, however, as she should have been between the Nandor, and her soul knew no obedeance to her lord.During the long march Falafea met one of alike soul, and became betrothed to him. Gondhras was his name , and he loved the rebel spirit of Falafea. It was not long while during the march Falafea had given birth to a daughter and they called her Fornelen. But before the host crossed the Blue mountains into Beleriand, Falafea forsook the march again, and left Gondhras with little Fornelen in his arms. Her last words to him were: " Nay, Do not weep! For we shall yet meet again when the twilight has passed. It is not my fate to look upon the shores of the sea in this age of the world." And with that she passed away, and none from all the host of Denethor saw her again save one. With the departure of Falafea, the elves turned upon Gondhras and Fornelen.As it were, Falafea would embrace no laws, and she bore a child without being wedded, therefore the green-elves saw this as a bad sign, and never held any descendants of Falafea in great reverance, although soon Fornelen grew to be a fair maiden. It was at this time that the Noldor returned to Beleriand, and many encounters chanced between the green-elves and the noldor. Through this, Fornelen wedded Valedhel of the house of Finrod. The couple surviving the turmoil of the War of Wrath settled in the Grey Havens and later in Ost-in-Edhel in Eregion as the ages went by. Another daughter was born in the family, and named Golledhel Faroniel. This was Year 1585 of the Second Age. ***************************** Golledhel loved her father dearly and all the Noldor kin, for she grew up among them in Ost-in-Edhel.As a child, she would ride behind Valedhel on his great dark horse with a plaited mane and she would sing as he went ever up the Hollin road, on what buisiness she would not understand.And sometimes, he took her further afield when he would hunt for leisure wild boar and Golledhel would sit in some high place and in safety listened to the sounds of the last desparate stand of the animal.And then they would ride home together, often behind the other elves who went on a hunt, so that they could be alone. And in these moments, he sang to her songs of Valinor. Little of these could she understand, but she remembered them ever for the ages that were to come. As years went by, Golledhel grew to love Eregion, and she knew every pebble on the city streets and every song that rang clear under evening lanterns.But the memory of Eregion will always be tainted to her- tainted by those screams, battle cries, and the reckless hate of the Enemy that she did not understand in her youth: the sounds of a doomed realm. The sack of the city was horrid: there was blood in their noble house, and Fornelen fled in terror to the streets and was not seen again in middle earth by the noldor. Whether she escaped and took the ship, Golledhel never found out, since her soul was ever bound to middle earth.And her father, Valedhel, he fell with both sword and spear in his hand, the same spear he had used for hunting in those summer days. Golledhel escaped by the swiftness of Alakdae, the horse so beloved by her father. Oh how she dodged through the streets clinging to the horses mane! And then- turning round to see burning pillars, those holly trees she used to sit in, around a city caught in blazing bonfire and all the folk screaming, as if in awe of this wizardry. And Golledhel drove the horse forward away from this terror , and rode and rode and rode, until the horse perished himself. The little elf then took up wondering alone over the plains and holly trees, and everywhere she saw the scars of war, too much and yet too little for her heart to take in. Exhausted and scared, Golledhel came upon the encampment of lords Elrond and Glorfindel, where the survivors were now gathering. She was saved for a while from the shadow. During the same year, the last homely house was founded by Elrond half-elven, and Golledhel made her dwelling there. Here she found a small share of what she lost in Ost-in-Edhel, and other things she found that she had not known before. And there she stayed in peace, until she sensed the shadow grow in her heart. Golledhel then joined the army, and taking a newborn stallion to be her companion, she fortified her skills and took up her father's weapons which she saved from the sack of Eregion without realising it. Alakdae she named him, a tan stallion, in reverence for the swiftness of another that she knew and a bond of love grew between them. And yet all too soon, she found herself marching with the Last Alliance seeking vengence. Many that went with her, she remembered as merry and graceful bards, singing in the hall of fire, or even before that with helpless wounds that have left scars seeking justice in the camp of Elrond under the skies of Eregion. And she found that even before they crossed the mountains, vengence found many of her companions first and Golledhel silent and grim recalled the songs that they sang in the dark paths of her mind at night. She found now that her justice would not awail,as there was none in middle earth, and taking her gear, silently at night, just after they had crossed the misty mountains, she mounted Alakdae and turned north. She held her course aimlessly to the north- east as if some strange purpose called her somewhere. It wasn't the lack of faith or love for her people that made her leave- she knew they would be alright, those who were supposed to be alright. The war was over for her. She just felt passive, no longer caring for anything but the wind in her face.And she had to do something before the end. ******************* " The woods are silent, and Falafea is gone."said The Minstrell by the camp fire." Our people grieve for the loss of that lady for she dwelt with us for an age of this world." Eliswathe warmed her hands by the merrily burning wood and tried to convince The Minstrel to sing. Yet it was of no avail, and soon she gave up, feeling rather uncomfortable by the way the bard was eyeing her. " Is there something ...?" She started, but the elf pressed his finger against her lips and hushed her softly but irresistably. He stood up with amazing agility and taking his harp and his bow, took Eliswathe's hand and lead her into the shadows of the forest. The wood burned merrily still.At that moment a great crashing was heard through the trees and a small band of orcs was fleeing in terror of something." The war is not over yet, nor are the foul creatures of this world dispatched" Said The Minstrel as he nodded to Eliswathe when the danger had passed. They came back to the camp and sat in silence for a while. " You remind me of Falafea, of ..well, the Sea.But the Noldor came from the Sea and the song of the waves lives in their eyes. Falafea was the mother of Laughter and our people were glad. Sorely do we miss her." There seemed to be a shadow in the eyes of The Minstrell as they sat under the boughs of Greenwood the Great, contented by chance meeting. Eliswathe kept silent for a while.She had come too late, it seemed, but all she could now do is go on.Yet the reason to hurry was never revealed to her. " She will not persish in the wild and you may yet see her, Minstrell.And you may yet sing in this new age of the world." Eliswathe tried to comfort him. " I do not fear for her, I never did.But she will not be tied down by any bonds and when they strain her she breaks free.Such was always her life. But come now, Eliswathe is not a name to give to a Noldor." Eliswathe now smiled." And Minstrell is not a name you give to one of the Laiquendi. But I was called Faroniel in my youth and it grieves me also to find Falafea gone, if I know something of my ancestors." " Then I was called Gondhras in my youth, and I can tell you that you know nothing of your ancestors, Golledhel, if you don't recognise your own kin." And he put his arms towards her and a tear twinkled on his cheek. ************* Eliswathe made a long stay in the Woodland Realm when she finally arrived there. She learnt there an altogether wonderful story of the wanderings of Nandor, such as Gondhras her grandfather could contrive, and wanderlust flowed through her veins once again. And he told her of Falafea, the years they dwelt separatly and together, although they never really married. " You should have wedded her that day;" Eliswathe would often say to him and he shook his head. One day, when Eliswathe sang merrily in the glades of Greenwood, she saw Gondhras coming towards her. " It is time for me to follow her again, Golledhel" He sighed and Eliswathe knew he was leaving.She nodded slightly and stopped her song. " Don't linger here too long. A great shadow is falling on this forest. If you would ride with me over the mountains, I'd be glad. " So together they returned back to the north, and found things greatly changed. Arnor was no more and the lands were lonely. Gondhras stayed in Rivendell for a while, but when spring came, he called Eliswathe again. They walked far by the banks of Bruinen and spoke of many things, not the least of Valinor. For Gondhras desired to see that land and hoped to find peace there. " Falafea is waiting." He often repeated and Eliswathe was sad. Soon Gondhras got ready to depart and on their last meeting Eliswathe begged him to take her with him to the havens. But he shook his head and said:" Nay, my child! For you are my daughter through Fornelen, and Falafea's also. But you are bound to middle earth, like Falafea was, and still is: her spirit dwells in you and will pass onto your children, and your children's children. It shall abide here forever, in a line unending, even if you give it up." But Eliswathe found nothing to say, she just wept, and raised her grey-green eyes filled with crystal tears and Gondhras saw the calling of the Sea in them. He took her hands and kissed them." Remember," he whispered," when I said that the shadow was falling on the trees, where we long found joy together? Now I say to you again-not until the shadow grows darker than the shadows in your hair, and is dimished again, not until then will you behold the shores of the Sea. Now is not your time, but be glad: when your road finally takes you to the West, there will be a feast long prepared awaiting the last guest." With that they parted and Eliswathe now completly forsook her birth name and dwelt in Imladris in peace, often wandering far and wide, with friends or alone. Yet when Elrond finally resolved to take the westward road, Eliswathe rode with him and all those who were to depart too. And then she beheld the Sea far off and her heart was glad. Cirdan stood there also, still lingering on the coast , and he turned to her and said:" You're late, Faroniel." But Eliswathe smiled, and shaking her head laughed:" It took a while to choose a wedding present for them. But I may make it to the feast yet." ********************************* Whether Eliswathe ever had children, it is not known. Yet even as Gondhras had said, the spirit of Falafea remained in middle earth, although Golledhel Faroniel, Fornelen and Falafea herself departed. The last look on Middle Earth filled Golledhel with contentment and all remaining traces of rebelion left her face. But just how the line of Elfadhras endured, nobody ever found out. Back to the top Return to the front page of the book