The Shadow and the Sunrise - Chapter 4
Read on AO3 here: https://archiveofourown.org/works/45918361/chapters/117255877
Story Summary: Ranyare, a member of the original eldar who awoke on the shores of Lake Cuiviénen, has survived into the Third Age and has lived hidden away from others in Fangorn Forest. Forced to come out of hiding, she meets the elves of Lothlórien and Greenwood. Much to her surprise, she and Thranduil become friends and together they will work through their pain and traumas to finally find peace and love.
Chapter 4
Many centuries passed and the first millennium of the Third Age came to a close. The elves of Thranduil’s realm prospered and had made great strides in replenishing their numbers after losing so many at the end of the previous age. They were happy and their joy made Thranduil happy too but he did not feel whole. He missed someone, someone he feared he would never see again. Ranyare had indeed lived unbothered in Fangorn but recently she had begun experiencing a strange series of dreams. She saw a black cloud moving over the trees until they became dark and twisted. It felt so real and dreadful but she tried to put it out of her mind. One afternoon she was walking to the spring to fetch water when a small yellow bird began circling her head and chirping cheerily. Many birds had been her friends throughout her life and this was the most recent one to befriend her. “Good morning little bird.” The bird noted that she looked tired and she explained the distressing dreams she had been having. “I do not believe this is a vision of Fangorn. I think it might be Greenwood. I do not know what to do.” “Yes you do. Follow your heart.” These words came from the bird but were not spoken as usual. Ranyare heard them in her mind and the voice was that of a man, warm and comforting. Before she could question this, she heard the voice again. “Follow me!” and the bird flew back in the direction of her camp. As she was running to keep up with the bird, she knew she must go to Greenwood. “I will send you help” the bird said as they reached her camp, now speaking as it normally did, and then flew off through the trees. Ranyare quickly packed a few things and just as she finished, a large deer came out from the trees and knelt down indicating she was to get on its back. She rode the animal to the edge of the forest and was then on her own from there. She walked day and night only stopping for short periods to rest until the edge of the wood was in sight.
As soon as she walked in amongst the trees, she could feel a change in the atmosphere. It was a lovely Summer day but the air suddenly felt colder and almost claustrophobic the closer she got to Amon Lanc. When she was close enough to see the fort off in the distance she stopped and was frozen in place. Orcs walked along the parapets and she could see none of the elven soldiers. She quietly snuck around to the back of the guardhouse, the entrance to the old city, and saw the bodies of the slain elves. One elf however remained alive as she saw his chest moving up and down in very shallow breaths. She could see no orcs from her position so she quickly ran to him and knelt down beside him. “If I help you, do you think you can walk?” she asked looking into his eyes. “No” he said in a raspy voice as each breath became more labored. “I must get you out of here somehow.” “No. Tell the…king we…were ambushed. They…mean to…take…the fort.” “I will not leave you. Not again” she said as she grabbed his hand and held it tightly to her chest against her heart. He did not understand what she meant by ‘not again’ as he delivered his final words. “You…must…warn…them. Please…go.” She watched as the last bit of life left his body and his head fell limply to the side and away from her gaze.
Realizing she could do no more for him, she let him go and began to run. The tears flew from her face as she dashed through the forest. She was not alone however as an orc thought he heard something and he was also running her way. Ranyare heard his footsteps as he began to close the distance between them. She stopped and quickly climbed up a tree hoping he would soon give up and retreat back to the fort. She held tight to the tree trunk as she sat crouched on the branch watching the creature stalk around below her. “I smell you elf!” he shouted with disdain. He soon sniffed out her location and began to climb the tree with a sickening smile on his ugly face. Ranyare reached into her pocket to retrieve her knife, unfolded the blade, and then hid it behind her back. “A she-elf! You’ll regret crossing my path girlie” he said with a sickening smile as he got close enough to see her. His voice nearly made her blood run cold but she took a deep breath and once the orc was within reach, she sliced his throat with one quick movement. He made a horrible gurgling sound as his black blood spurted out onto her and then he fell, landing with a thud and the sounds of bones cracking. Ranyare couldn’t see any others who may have followed him so she climbed down and ran.
She only stopped when she reached a point where she could barely breath and would stay still for no than a few minutes until she started running again. Her long legs carried her quickly across the great distance to the Woodland Realm and when she at last reached the entry gate she banged on the door and screamed for them to let her inside. “I must…see the king” she said practically panting as she desperately tried to catch her breath. The guards recognized her and one of them ran to fetch Thranduil. She was in a terrible state as she still clutched the knife in one hand and was splattered with orc blood. Her silver hair was practically wet through and through with sweat and stuck to her face and neck. The king came out to find her sitting on the ground still trying to recover from her great endeavor. Without saying a word, Thranduil picked her up and carried her inside to the room she had once used. Each time she tried to speak he would shush her and tell her to rest. He could feel how quickly her pulse was still racing and her breaths were short and shallow. He laid her gently on the bed and managed to pry the knife from her hand and place it on the bedside table. He then called out for his butler Galion. “Bring us some Miruvor and water immediately!” He sat on the edge of the bed beside her and held her hand. “Are you hurt?” She shook her head ‘no’. “Try to breathe slowly and deeply” he said doing it himself as an example for her to follow. Ranyare did the same and after a bit, she felt better. Galion brought the drinks and Thranduil poured her a small glass of the Miruvor used by the elves as a type of healing cordial. After she drank it, he offered her a glass of water which she also quickly drank and then asked for another.
“Tell me what happened to put you in such a state” he asked as he pulled her hair away from her face. “Orcs have taken Amon Lanc. They killed everyone there. One soldier was still clinging to life and he told me they wanted the fort. I tried to save him but…he was too far gone and he…he died in my arms.” Thranduil’s heart nearly stopped at this surprising and dreadful news. He pulled her up towards him and held her tight. “He told me to run and I did. I had to warn you” she said and she squeezed him tightly as well. “You have orc blood on you. What…” “One chased after me and I killed him. No others followed” she explained not letting him finish his question. “How did this happen? Why were you there?” He pulled away just far enough so he could look in her beautiful grey-violet eyes that he had seen so many times in his dreams. “I have been dreaming of a darkness covering the forest. I believed it was Greenwood and I knew I needed to warn you.” “I have felt something strange myself of late but could not understand it” Thranduil said and then he kissed the top of her head and gave her one more embrace before he let her go and stood up. “How many orcs did you see?” His voice was now strong and determined. “Fewer than a dozen but I do not know how many were there that I did not see.” “I must go at once. Please stay here until I return. Promise me you will.” “I promise. But you must also promise me that you will come back unharmed” she said as she lay down on the pillow still quite exhausted. He smiled and said, “I will do my best.”
A company of his most capable soldiers were quickly assembled and they rode in haste to Amon Lanc. The orcs were no match for these fierce elves and they dispatched them all but one. The prisoner was brought before the king whose silver armor shone brightly in the sun causing the orc to wince and squirm in a futile attempt to get away from the light. “How did you come to ambush my soldiers?” Thranduil said coldly looking down at the wretched creature who was kneeling before him. “You’ll never know…elf.” He said the last word with much disgust and then spit upon the king’s boots. The soldier holding the ropes tied around the orc’s hands behind his back yanked it a little tighter but the king gave him a look as if to say not to be too rough. “Your kind is not clever enough to have done something like this on your own. If you tell me what I want to know, I will allow you to leave here alive and return with a message to whoever sent you that our forest will never fall to your kind.” The orc laughed and said, “You are no match for the one who sent me. He means to have this forest and you can’t stop him. They didn’t see us coming because we were hidden from sight. Oh yes, he is that powerful. But I will give him your message all the same.” “Release him” Thranduil said and the soldier jerked him up onto his feet and cut his bonds. “You will not win this fight elf.” Those were the last words that orc ever spoke as the king’s sword moved swiftly and silently separating his head from his body in one stroke.
--
Thranduil entered the room where Ranyare slept. It was mid-afternoon the day following her arrival, but she was still recovering her strength as she had pushed herself to the very limit of elven endurance to reach them as quickly as she did. He picked up the chair in front of the vanity table and placed it beside the bed so he could sit near her. Her pack was sitting on the bedside table and he noticed something sticking out of it that looked familiar. He pulled it free and realized it was the tube containing the drawing he had given her and when he opened it and found the paper still inside, it warmed his heart and he smiled.
“I knew that was you, even before I opened my eyes” Ranyare said as she awoke and turned to face her visitor. “And how exactly did you know that?” he asked with a smirk. “You always smell of Vetiver. I like it. It is warm and comforting, like being in the heart of the forest. A very kind elleth gave me some lovely rose scented soap for my bath. I have always made my own soap but it is fairly crude and did not have such nice scents. Oh, I know I am babbling; I suppose I do not want to hear any bad news you may have brought. I am however very glad to see you returned safely.” “We all returned safely and we brought back our fallen brethren so they may be properly laid to rest.” “That is very good news indeed” she said sitting up. Thranduil didn’t yet have the heart to tell her the rest of the troubling tale and decided he would save that for another time. “I should go and let you rest. I only wanted to check and make sure you were doing well.” He rose and moved towards the door. “I am feeling much better. Could we dine together later?” “That would be wonderful” he said as left her and then immediately went to the kitchen to plan the perfect meal.
Later that day, he knocked on her door and announced that dinner was ready. “You look lovely” Thranduil said as she was wearing a simple light blue dress and had put her hair in a long braid. “Thank you” she replied as she blushed a bit at the compliment. “Is that the staff I made for you?” she asked as he held it in his hand. “Yes. I was planning to leave it as you made it but after you left I had it plated in silver. If it was the only thing I had to remember you by, I wanted it to last.” Ranyare smiled and took his arm as they walked to the dining room. “I kept your drawing as well” she confessed. He already knew this but he said nothing about it, simply smiling instead. “I hope you still like venison and roasted potatoes with honey cakes for dessert.” “You remembered” she said a bit surprised that he had indeed remembered that had been her favorite meal when she spent the Winter with him so many centuries ago. He looked her in the eye and said in a very serious tone, “I have forgotten nothing about the time we have spent together.”
They enjoyed their meal and then went outside to spend the Summer evening in his private garden. She had not seen it when she was there earlier as the plants went dormant for the cold Winter. He knew the name of every flower and bush and seemed to beam with pride as he showed her around. “Do you tend the garden yourself?” Ranyare asked. “I do. It was my mother’s and I helped her with it from time to time. Before she sailed West, I promised her I would always look after it.” “You have done a fine job. Everything is so beautiful. I do not think I have ever seen roses this color” she said as she stopped to admire the blooms that were a shade of pale purple. “A result of my mother’s very green thumb. My father used to tease her that she spent more time in her garden some days than with him.” His face practically lit up when he spoke of his parents. Ranyare had long wondered what it was like to have parents or a family. She was fine on her own but there was always a tiny bit of her that couldn’t help but wonder what it would be like to be part of a family. “Speaking of your father, how are you doing in regards to dealing with your anger towards him?” Before answering, Thranduil sat down on the stone bench in the center of the garden and she sat beside him. “I have forgiven him. None of us are perfect and while he did have his flaws, pride and stubborness in particular, he was a good ellon and a wonderful father.” “I am glad to hear that” she said truly happy for him. “How have you been?” he asked. Ranyare sighed and then answered him truthfully. “I am tired. So very tired of carrying this pain for so long.” “I would do anything to lessen your grief and burden.” She looked up at him and smiled. “Part of the reason I returned was to warn you of what I saw in my dreams but I also wanted to see you again. Your friendship was very special to me. I often felt at peace when you would visit and I have missed that…missed you.” “I felt a true kinship with you and it hurt me quite deeply when you left.” “I am sorry. Is there any possibility that I could have your forgiveness as well?” “I would forgive you in an instant mellon nin, but I do not wish to repeat this cycle. Will you stay for a while and then run away once again?” Ranyare hung her head and was quiet for a bit. “I am tired of running. I am tired of solitude.” He gently lifted her chin with his fingers and said, “Then stay here, with me.” She nodded and he put his arm around her and she leaned her head against his neck and closed her eyes. For a moment, they both felt a sense of overwhelming peace and they stayed in that same spot for many hours until the sun rose.
Thranduil left her to have breakfast alone as he had business to attend to although he would have much preferred to stay with Ranyare. She did not see him for much of the day and when she caught sight of Galion in the late afternoon, she asked about him. “He will join you for supper my lady.” The king’s long-time friend and faithful butler had been sworn to secrecy by Thranduil as to the nature of his business as he wanted to tell her himself. “If you do not mind my saying, we are glad to have you back amongst us and your presence has greatly lifted Thranduil’s spirits. He has not quite been the same since you left long ago.” She smiled and thanked him for the kind words. Her heart beat a little faster too knowing how much he had missed her, just as much as she had missed him.
“What does this mean?” asked one of the realm’s elder members as he along with several other elves were gathered in Thranduil’s throne room including key figures of their defense forces. “I am not sure but I can tell you that something nefarious has taken up residence at the old fort and I do not believe it is a force we can fight with swords and arrows” the king replied. “Please my lord, tell us exactly how it looked and what you felt” one of the marchwardens asked. “We easily dispatched the orcs and as we were leaving, I saw it from the corner of my eye. I turned and could see a dark cloud low in the sky moving towards the fort. It settled over the structure and all around it everything became very dark. I order the soldiers to retreat back to the tree line as I moved closer to it. My horse was reticent to go so I made my way on foot. With each step I could feel the presence of something evil bearing down upon me until I could physically go no further.” This stunned the elves as they knew their king to be one of their strongest members, both in body and in will. “I fell back with the others and we watched for quite some time with no change in situation.” “I am loathe to utter this name, but it is possible Sauron has returned?” one of the younger elves, who was born after the Dark Lord’s defeat, asked. Thranduil couldn’t help but shutter at that name but this was also something he had wondered. “I suppose it is possible. It is also a possibility that it may be one of his minions, perhaps one of the Nazgul.” “Surely we will not simply accept this abomination!” one elf practically shouted as this was quite an upsetting situation. “Of course we will not” Thranduil said calmly. “I have sent a company to monitor the situation and I have also sent letters to King Amroth and Lord Elrond asking if they have had any similar troubles.”
The meeting ended and the king went to join his guest in the dining room. She could tell something was upsetting him and as they waited for the meal to be served, he explained to her what he had seen. Neither spoke while they ate and as their appetites were both diminished, they merely picked at their food and ate little. “Come with me” Thranduil said tenderly as he rose and extended his hand to her. She took his hand without speaking and together they walked to the garden. “Are we to be left alone once again to fight this enduring evil?” Ranyare asked as they walked along the little path. Her voice was weary and filled with anxiety. “Eru made this world and the Ainur helped shape it, and it is for us, all the children of Ilúvatar and we must defend and protect it. They have not abandoned us but instead they give us the strength and wisdom to do what must be done.” She was quiet for a while and then she began to think of all the times birds had come to talk with her. They gave her news of the world and were often quite helpful such as the one who brought her the deer who enabled her to quickly reach the edge of Fangorn on her way to warn Thranduil. Suddenly she halted as the realization dawned on her that maybe her dream was a warning from them and that those were not mere birds after all. “Thranduil, I think you may be right. Perhaps they have been helping us in ways we did not even realize.” He was surprised at her words but delighted in hearing them. “Often have the Valar come to our aid. Ulmo gave Turgon the inspiration to build the hidden realm of Gondolin and then also sent Tuor to warn him of its impending destruction. The Númenóreans were given multiple warnings in the forms of clouds shaped like Manwë’s great eagles to turn away from Sauron’s evil ministrations. We have free will and do not have to follow their signs or advice, but they do still often try to help.” She smiled up at him and said, “I have been so blind and so consumed by my own failings that I did not see. It was easier to blame them for not helping us sooner than to face my own weakness.”
Just at that moment, a small yellow bird flew by them and landed on a nearby rose bush. A bright glow began to emanate from around the bird and in a flash it had changed into the shape of a tall man. He stood before them clothed in a long green robe with his dark hair falling loosely over both shoulders. His bright eyes looked upon them both with love and his smile quickly put them at ease. “I am Taurënur, a Maia in the service of Oromë. Long have I waited for this day when your faith would be restored and you would know peace.” Ranyare recognized his voice as the one she had heard in her mind when last she saw the little yellow bird. “It was you. All those times, all the different birds, it was you” she said stepping towards him. “Yes my child. I was sent from Oromë to watch over you. It has laid heavy on his heart that he was not able to save all the firstborn of Ilúvatar from suffering at Morgoth’s hands. You and Nowë are the only elves left in Middle Earth from those earliest generations and it has been my honor to watch over the both of you.” “Nowë is still here? I thought I must be the only one” she said as tears filled her eyes and one broke free running down her cheek. He gently wiped it away with his thumb and then reached down to take her hand in his. “He is the lord of the Grey Havens and he builds the ships sturdy enough to make the journey to the blessed Undying Lands.” “That is Círdan. The elf whose name you did not recognize” Thranduil said stepping forward to join them. “Why did you not tell me who you were?” she asked confused why he kept his identity a secret. “Faith is strongest when you find it for yourself and you will need your faith to be strong for the dark days that may be coming. I know what you saw Thranduil, but do not let fear into your heart. You are strong and you are a great king. Help will soon come from Valinor in the form of counselors to guide the free peoples of Middle Earth through whatever tribulation may lie ahead.” “Thank you. We are always grateful for any help that may come from Eru or his blessed Ainur” Thranduil said with reverence as he put a hand to his heart and bowed his head.
“Please, can you tell me what happened to my friends. The ones who were taken, and the ones I left behind?” Ranyare asked with such desperation that Taurënur did not hesitate to answer. “They are safe and protected in Aman.” So relieved was she to hear this that she fell to her knees, while still holding his hand, and she laughed with great joy as if a weight as massive as the Misty Mountains themselves had been lifted from her heart. “So many times I wanted to tell you, but that would have given myself away and I was not permitted to do so until you found your faith again.” “Thank you” she said almost in a whisper as she was still so overcome by the glad tidings. Taurënur helped her to her feet and then extended his other hand to Thranduil and the king stepped forward and took his hand. “Your parents are also together again.” Thranduil was too overwhelmed to say anything but he graciously nodded to the Maia. “I must return home now, but I feel confident that I am leaving you in loving hands.” With another burst of bright light, he turned back into a bird and flew away to the West.
Notes:
Taurënur – Forest friend
