Light Fails At Dawn by amyfortuna
Mar. 5th, 2020 01:42 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
elwinfortuna posting in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
b2memB2MeM Prompt: March 2: A Hopeless Dawn
Format: Ficlet
Genre: Gapfiller
Rating: Teens
Warnings: Character death
Characters: Andreth, Emeldir, Morwen, Aegnor
Pairings: Aegnor/Andreth, Emeldir/Barahir
Creator’s Notes (optional): The title is from “Time Stands Still At The Iron Hill” by Blind Guardian.
Summary: As the Battle of Sudden Flame rages on, both Aegnor and Andreth meet their fate.
There was no dawn that morning. Smoke covered the pine woods of Dorthonion, and this was no ordinary smoke from fire, but ash and dust and the evil will of Morgoth. Men, women, and children alike went around with wet cloths in front of their faces, and hurried swiftly through the darkening air to shelter.
Out on the borderlands, in the plains, valiant Men and Elves fought to keep the Orcs back. Both Emeldir and Barahir were among them, and they fought with Aegnor’s forces, until they were driven back, and Aegnor made his stand along with those of his household, sacrificing his life to spare the lives of the Edain.
When Emeldir, sweaty and sooty in her leather jerkin but uninjured, entered the small room where Andreth spent her days now, she found Morwen, Andreth’s student, hiding her head in Andreth’s lap.
A single candle burned on the table. Emeldir marched over and picked it up, raising it to look at Andreth and Morwen. Morwen pulled back from Andreth’s embrace, hastily drying her eyes.
“What is it, Emeldir?” she asked. “Why have you returned?”
Instead of answering Morwen, Emeldir looked at Andreth. “Lord Aegnor gave his life to save ours,” she said. “Barahir leads the men out for one last battle. It is my part to save the women and children, so come.”
Andreth gestured for the candle and Emeldir handed it to her. Solemn, with the air of someone performing a rite, she blew it out. Darkness fell.
“I will not stir one step from this place,” she said. “Morwen, go. Into your keeping I give the book of our people.”
Emeldir shook her head. “Aunt, don’t talk nonsense,” she said. “Come with us.”
"I'd only slow you down," Andreth replied. "And no. Moths should not outlast candles."
Emeldir made a frustrated noise but said nothing to gainsay her.
Morwen got to her feet, and Andreth handed her the great book which lay beside her. "Guard it with your own life. Take care of Rían." She looked up at Emeldir. "Don't worry for me, child. It's my time."
Emeldir shook her head but bent and kissed Andreth's forehead. "Farewell, then," she said. "Come, Morwen." And together they left the house, running through the smoke into the distance, into destiny.
Andreth sat back in her chair, watching as the smoke grew darker outside the window. She spoke no word but her eyes were very bright. She waited there for a long time, so still she might have already been dead.
In the shadows, a spirit took shape and walked toward her. He was tall and strong, his hair like white fire rippling back from his forehead.
He held out his hand to her, and with a final sigh, Andreth took it.
Format: Ficlet
Genre: Gapfiller
Rating: Teens
Warnings: Character death
Characters: Andreth, Emeldir, Morwen, Aegnor
Pairings: Aegnor/Andreth, Emeldir/Barahir
Creator’s Notes (optional): The title is from “Time Stands Still At The Iron Hill” by Blind Guardian.
Summary: As the Battle of Sudden Flame rages on, both Aegnor and Andreth meet their fate.
There was no dawn that morning. Smoke covered the pine woods of Dorthonion, and this was no ordinary smoke from fire, but ash and dust and the evil will of Morgoth. Men, women, and children alike went around with wet cloths in front of their faces, and hurried swiftly through the darkening air to shelter.
Out on the borderlands, in the plains, valiant Men and Elves fought to keep the Orcs back. Both Emeldir and Barahir were among them, and they fought with Aegnor’s forces, until they were driven back, and Aegnor made his stand along with those of his household, sacrificing his life to spare the lives of the Edain.
When Emeldir, sweaty and sooty in her leather jerkin but uninjured, entered the small room where Andreth spent her days now, she found Morwen, Andreth’s student, hiding her head in Andreth’s lap.
A single candle burned on the table. Emeldir marched over and picked it up, raising it to look at Andreth and Morwen. Morwen pulled back from Andreth’s embrace, hastily drying her eyes.
“What is it, Emeldir?” she asked. “Why have you returned?”
Instead of answering Morwen, Emeldir looked at Andreth. “Lord Aegnor gave his life to save ours,” she said. “Barahir leads the men out for one last battle. It is my part to save the women and children, so come.”
Andreth gestured for the candle and Emeldir handed it to her. Solemn, with the air of someone performing a rite, she blew it out. Darkness fell.
“I will not stir one step from this place,” she said. “Morwen, go. Into your keeping I give the book of our people.”
Emeldir shook her head. “Aunt, don’t talk nonsense,” she said. “Come with us.”
"I'd only slow you down," Andreth replied. "And no. Moths should not outlast candles."
Emeldir made a frustrated noise but said nothing to gainsay her.
Morwen got to her feet, and Andreth handed her the great book which lay beside her. "Guard it with your own life. Take care of Rían." She looked up at Emeldir. "Don't worry for me, child. It's my time."
Emeldir shook her head but bent and kissed Andreth's forehead. "Farewell, then," she said. "Come, Morwen." And together they left the house, running through the smoke into the distance, into destiny.
Andreth sat back in her chair, watching as the smoke grew darker outside the window. She spoke no word but her eyes were very bright. She waited there for a long time, so still she might have already been dead.
In the shadows, a spirit took shape and walked toward her. He was tall and strong, his hair like white fire rippling back from his forehead.
He held out his hand to her, and with a final sigh, Andreth took it.
