“Owww!! My finger hurts! Look, it's bleeding again! No, Mama, I'm not touching that needle ever again !” And so it began, with the pricking of a finger on an embroidery needle when Terith was merely five years old. For years after, the young girl stubbornly refused to touch needles, saying that they were Evil and that she hated sewing.

erdala Caideth, daughter of Eraniel, was a seamstress, and she owned a small shop in the Second Circle of Minas Tirith. She had come to the city several years before with the purpose of starting her shop, journeying in from the countryside. Her husband Nevrin Syaren, son of Terin, was a man of Guard and a native of the White City, the two of them living in a small room on the second story of Merdala's shop. They were happy, and the arrival of their first child, Relithaviel, brought them much joy. However, as little Reli grew, the small room above Merdala's shop began to feel more and more crowded. So they moved.

t was in a medium-sized house in the Fourth Circle where Merdala and Nevrin's second child was born. Another girl with a mess of brown hair sprouting from her head, they named her Terithavrindiel. And life continued, the family living happily together.

he art of sewing was introduced to Reli and Terith at a young age, an art that Reli took to immediately. She loved making things of cloth and thread, sewing and embroidering various things. But Terith, after pricking her finger numerous times, stubbornly shunned all sewing (though years later, she learned enough needlework to be able to mend her own clothes).

uring her stubborn needle-hating phase, Terith began following her father around whenever she could, resolutely promising herself that she would be like him, not a seamstress. And so she imitated Nevrin's sword forms with a stick, practicing alongside him whenever he did exercises at home. Merdala just smiled and shook her head; the child would soon give it up and turn to some other activity like all children do. But Terith persisted.

bout a year later, two little souls joined the family. Lethianel and Nevrenor, twins, loved by all. Terith and Reli were overjoyed by their new siblings, spending much of their time playing with them, laughing as the twins' little brown curls bounced, eyes alight with joy.

ime passed. When Lethy and Nev were about five years, the family received a letter from Merdala's youngest brother, announcing that he, Eranin, was to be married two months hence, and would be ever so pleased if his favorite (and only) sister came to his wedding. The family sent a reply, saying yes.

ranin lived in the country, in a village not far to the north of Osgiliath. Merdala knew the place well, for it was the same in which she lived her childhood days. The marriage was favorable, Eranin happily wedded to a pretty young woman of the village. All of their relatives stayed for some time after, enjoying the chance to catch up on family news. Oft times, the youngest of the cousins and nieces went un-supervised, and this was how little Lethy and Nev managed to escape.

hey ran off together, giggling with mischief in their eyes, sneaking away from the village proceedings. It had been Terith's job to keep an eye on them (two when she could spare them), but she was distracted, and the twins slipped away.

t was dusk when Terith remembered. Immediately, she knew something was wrong. Lethy and Nev always returned by nightfall, unless they wished for a scolding and punishment. Tonight shouldn't have been any different—but it was.

unning over hills, past trees, through a stream, Terith headed towards the twins' favorite, newly discovered hideout. Yes, she could hear sounds up ahead, they were there and—no. Her eyes widened, feet stumbling to a halt. No. Those voices—those faces—those—no. No! Orcs, hideous in the rising moon's light—NO! She couldn't move—frozen, watching—Lethy, Nev! Tortured, tormented, she could see their eyes. They could see her, they knew she was there; they knew she could help them—Terith was frozen. She wanted to move, oh Eru, she wanted to save them, but she couldn't move! Frozen—she watched, frozen, as the Orcs tortured little Lethy, sweet Nev. She watched, frozen, as the twins were brutally killed. She could do nothing. Frozen...

evrin took a group of village men and hunted down the Orcs the next day, finding them and killing them all. Yet Terith was scarred for life. Her fear, her anger, her sorrow—it would never truly disappear. So she hid the memories, shoving them away, trying to forget their eyes... It was a long time before she was able to face those memories.

ot many years later, the War of the Ring began. Merdala and her daughters took the road to the vales of Tumladen and Lossarnack, and the mountain villages, and then on to Lebennin alongside Minas Tirith's other women and children. Nevrin stayed; a guard was he, and his duty was to his city and people. He fought through the Battle of Pelennor Fields, barely managing to survive as the war was ended.

hen Merdala and her daughters returned, it was to find Nevrin a changed man. He was older, wearied and worn by the war, different. Quiet. His face didn't laugh; his eyes had lost their light. Merdala didn't understand this change, but tried to with all her heart and loved him even more. Nevrin's death less than a year later broke her heart.

erdala moved to her home village, her daughters trailing behind. Reli married a village farmer not long after, content with village life. But Terith was not. Her duty, like her father's, was to her city and her people. She left the village, traveling back to Minas Tirith to at last do what her heart wanted. She became a Ranger, fighting for Gondor, fighting to keep others from loosing those they loved—fighting for little Lethy and sweet Nev.

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