Amarië of Mirkwood

Character Name: Amarië

Mother-Name: Amarië (Good)
Father-Name: Írimiel (Daughter of Lovely One)
Sindarin Name: Amariel (Daughter of Earth)
Married Name: Alamdir (Good/Blessed/Fortunate Hope)

Age: 6780

Date of Birth: First Age 265, during the Long Peace

Race: Ñoldorin Elf

Residence: Mirkwood

Profession: Amarië uses her many talents to serve within the elvenking's halls. Of greatest assistance is that she is an Ivonwin. One imparted with the secrets of making lembas from her days living within the elvenhome of Rivendell. She is also partial to the knowledge of crafting miruvor, the cordial of Imladris, and has been sought after many times to see to making these items for King Thranduil's kitchens.

Appearance: She is of the high elves; black hair and blue eyes. She is slender, yet graceful and strong, and stands at 5 foot 11 inches. She once dressed in the fine regalia and colorful garment of the elves of Imladris, yet now she is often found to wear the same simple greens and browns of her woodland kin who she lives amongst.

Personality: Amarië's greatest need is to feel wanted and helpful. She tends to be happy and pleasant to others, though she is good at keeping most of her emotions hidden beneath the surface; that is, until she becomes overwhelmed and sets them loose... which she tries to do in solitude. If provoked she can become spiteful and harsh. Though most often bridled, under stress her temper reflects her Noldorin heritage.

Her family is most important to her, and she spends most of her time trying to decide how she can better her loved one's lives; that is Adanedhel and Saeros, among other people she meets and attends to. Her son is usually receptive to her gestures, though her husband is often not, and it saddens her when he ignores her attempts at helping him. She seeks harmony between those she loves, and she is very sensitive to criticism and will retreat to the forest to be alone when she feels unwanted.


Parents:
Mother:
Father Name: Írimë, daughter of Finwe (Irien)
Mother Name: Lalwendë (Lalwen)
Sindarin name: Haeronien

Father:
Sindarin name: Calaeron (Both died during the the sacking of Menegroth by the Dwarves of Nogrod)

Sister:
Sindarin name: Nenien (Resides in Imladris) (born in 446 F.A.)

Spouse:
Saeros
Married name: Astaron

Son:
Adanedhel (700 Years Young)
Mother-name: Estelfinwë

History:


The first elves were born into Middle Earth under starlight by the bay of the sea of Helcar called Cuiviénen. When they were discovered there by the Valar, only three were chosen as ambassadors to travel to lands of Valinor: Ingwë (Of the Vanyar), Finwë (of the Noldor), and Elwë (of the Teleri); and seeing what sights they did, the three returned to Middle Earth to lead the rest of the elves with them to Valinor. Finwë returned to Valinor along with his people to settle in the lands of Tirion, Ingwë was at his side, and they were both now named of the Eldar for having lived in the blessed lands, though his dearest friend Elwë did not and remained in Beleriand with his people.

In Tirion, Finwë married his first wife, Míriel Serindë, who bore him his first son, Feanor. Míriel was weakened by the birth of her son, and it was then that she became the first elf to fade away. Feanor was Finwë's most beloved son, and became the greatest craftsman of the elves beneath Aulë, later forging the Silmaril's which were the cause of many deaths, wars, and kinslayings. Finwë was lonely after the loss of Míriel, and afterwards took a second wife whom he loved, Indis, sister of Ingwë. Indis bore him four more children; two sons, Finarfin and Fingolfin, and two daughters, Findis and Írimë.

There was strife in Tirion at this time, and the House of Finwë became divided due to the lies of Melkor who was once again walking the lands of Valinor. Írimë watched as the brothers were turned against each other. After a time, the Valar exiled Feanor to the north, and Finwë gave up his crown to follow his son. The rest of the children of Finwë traveled with him, and no longer was he the High King of the Noldor.

After his exile, Feanor decided to leave Valinor and tried to gain ships from the Teleri. This being against the will of the Valar, the Telerian elves would not give over their swan ships, and Feanor's men drew swords and murdered many of the Teleri elves. When Fingolfin and Finarfin followed with their hosts, they were mistaken, thinking that the Teleri were the first to attack, and joined Feanor in the Kinslaying at Alqualondë. The boats were

Írimë was closest to her brother Fingolfin, and where he led, she followed. When some of the elves began to turn against Feanor for the choices he had made, and follow her brother Fingolfin instead, she went with Fingolfin. When they reached the shores of the sea, Feanor had already departed with his own host, and the smoke of the Telerian ships could be seen rising up. Feanor, deciding the follows of his brother were useless destroyed the ships, and their passage was lost. After the Kinslaying, Fingolfin was too ashamed to go back to Valinor and decided he too would depart for Middle Earth, along with the children of Finarfin. His sister, Írimë, traveled across the long waste of the Helcaraxë with her brother. All the Noldor who traveled to Middle Earth were thereafter cursed by the Valar.

When the bitter wastes of the ice bridge Helcaraxë gave way to the vales of Middle Earth, a great number of the elves had perished along the journey, and they encamped on the shores of the Lake Mithrim along with the hosts of Feanor who they met once again. It was then that Morgoth, seeing his chance to attack before the Noldor had established themselves, and the Battle of Dagor-nuin-Giliat was fought. The host of Feanor who had gone ahead from the ships of the Teleri, still having the light of Valinor within, easily defeated the hosts of orcs that poured out of Thangodrim, but next came the Balrogs, and it was then that Írimë's half brother, Feanor fought his last and fell. When the hosts of Fingolfin arrived, the moon rose in the starlit sky for the first time giving the people hope in their struggles, and the orcs and Balrogs were driven back at the first rising of the sun in Arda, and the first year of the First Age of the sun began.

In this time, the Noldor began the settlement of many realms of Arda, and while Fingolfin's title of High King of the Noldor was given unto him, Írimë was still greived at warfare and the loss of her half brother who she had not well known, and settled instead in the camps upon the island of Tol Sirion with Finrod, the son of her brother Finarfin. Finrod one day found himself taken under council of the Valar that he must build a fortress, and the caves of Narog were discovered, not long after being crafted with the help of the Dwarves, Nargothrond was built.

Elu Thingol, the High King of the Sindar who had once been known as her father's friend, Elwë, had banished the use of Quenyan in the lands of Arda, and Írimë changed her name to Haeronien, meaning 'daughter of the distant one', as she was still mourning the loss of her beloved father Finwë. When Finrod settled with the Noldor the newly founded kingdom of Nargothrond, and was beloved among the people there, especially of Finrod, who was her nephew.


From their meeting upon the Helcaraxë, it was then that Írimë, now known as Haeronien wed another Noldorin, Calaraen, and two daughters were born to them in the days of the Long Peace when Nargothrond was safe.

Amarië was the given name of the first, 'daughter of earth, both for Haeronien's love of her brother-son, Finrod, who had left behind a wife in Valinor of the same name, and also for the child being among the first born within the caverns of Nargothrond in 265 F.A. The elfling Amarië was as dark in feature as the blood of Finwë, none of the blood of her grandmother, who was Vanyar, shone through her black hair and blue eyes, and she looked a true Noldorin. Her younger sister Ninien was born later in 446 F.A.

Though Írimë had given up her own Quenyan name, she did not wish to leave the heritage of her father behind, and thus her daughter was called by her true name in the chambers of her family in Nargothrond where she began her life, but elsewhere she went by Amariel, her Sindarin form. Amariel grew alongside her younger sister, Nernien, and delighted in the tales of Valinor and the sea as told by her cousin Finrod who was the Lord of the Realm.

In the year 456 of the first age, Finrod had gone and come again to Nargothrond, bringing with him Curufin and Celegorm, great warriors who had fought and born tales of the Battle of the Sudden Flame, in which a creature so far unbeknownst to the world had come to be; a dragon, Glaurung. This evil was far greater than the elves know how to conquer, and their return to Nargothrond was in retreat. Amariel feared the stories of the great dragon beyond all else, and while her cousins busied themselves in councils of warfare and battle, Amariel busied the days and hours away watching her cousin's son, Celebrimbor, work his trade. Celebrimbor, who was not much older than she herself, yet had been born far off in the land of Valinor was a fascination to her; the way he worked with jewels and stones reminded her of the dwarves who still delved the caverns of Nargothrond deeper for the elves as the stronghold grew.

Though the threat of Morgoth was now over the north, Amariel's Nargothrond was still safe and hidden; that was until the day came when her eyes beheld her first Man. Beren came to their fortress to request her cousin Finrod keep his promise to assist in his Quest for the Silmaril. When Finrod kept his pledge to assist the man, it was in rebellion that her cousins Curufin and Celegorm took the crown from Finrod, and as Finrod departed, Amariel's parents also fled the realm along with their daughters, now going by only their Sindarin names, though they were taken in to the Girdle of Melian on Thingol's orders, for Haeronien's Father having once been the King and Kinsman and the chosen three back in the early days when only the starlight shone on the shores of the Cuiviénen.



Menegroth was a realm of beauty; greater even and longer had it been standing than Nargothrond, and though Amariel missed her first home, now grown she learned well in her new. Though most of those in Menegroth did not know the heritage of Amariel and her parents, nor how her parents partook in the First Kinslaying, Thingol and Melian knew, and Amariel was tutored in her years by the Maiar, and learned by her hands the art of the Yavannaldi, or the secret recipes of the lembas.

In 465 F.A. during her first year in Menegroth, she met Saeros, a young Silvan elf, and her affection grew for him.

In the Year 503 F.A., a great darkness fell over Menegroth. King Thingol had been murdered by the dwarves he had hired to work for him once again over the Silmaril, and so began the great strife between dwarves and elves at the Battle of the Thousand Caves. Many elves and dwarves died on both sides of the turmoil including both Amariel's Mother and Father. It was then that the young elf hardened her heart against the dwarves, and it was only a few years later when she would harden her heart against her own kin.

Eventually the Silmaril was recovered by Beren and Luthien, who now lived in the woods of Doriath as mortals, their son Dior now ruling Menegroth in his Grandfather's stead. The King had young children, and Amariel delighted in them and though Melian had now departed, she continued to spend her days in service to the King, working among his feast halls in the making of lembas, and spending what time she could with the young princes and princess.

The death of Luthien was known when the necklace of the Silmaril was again brought to Menegroth. Dior wore it upon his breast, but Amariel, it appeared a curse, for the Silmaril had been the destruction of her family, first in Valinor, then with Nargothrond laid to waste, and now the sons of Feanor and their host laid siege on Menegroth in search of the treasure. The Second Kinslaying left great death in it's wake, and it was only by being drawn from their beds in the night that Amariel and her younger sister, Nenian, survived the slaughter. Saeros also having experienced the death of his parents during the Thousand Caves would not lose Amariel also to the sword.


The kingdom of Doriath was scattered after the Kinslaying, and Amariel and Nenien wandered for some years east with Saeros into the wilderness, all the while, Amariel's heart darkened for the losses of her parents slain by the dwarves, the horrors of family who had slain family, and especially the losses of the innocent; the young children of Dior who she had grown close to in her final years in Menegroth. Saeros drew the sisters through the wilds until they came to the Mouths of the Sirion, wherefore Amariel once again saw the last child of Dior alive and well, and watched her grow, and wed. A longing began to stir in Amariel's heart for the makings of her own family.

Though there was no peace upon the land, Amariel and Saeros had each other. The outgoing, though sad, Amarië connected with the stern Saeros over the shared struggles of their early life. It was not long before Saeros had attached to her, with promises of love, and family to come, and it was only a few short years later in 527 of the First Age, that their souls were bonded in marriage while they resided in Sirion.

Ideas of a child were shortlived, for the elves were now living as refugees in the Mouth' of Sirion, and when news of Elwing's hold on the Silmaril spread back to the rest of Doriath, the remaining sons of Feanor came together and brought a host upon the decimated refugees living at the sea. This was the most brutal of the kinslayings and witnessing the deaths of many, only to be drawn away by Saeros again, Amariel and Saeros vowed to never let their home be destroyed without giving fight.


While they were yet young; Amarië became a warrior. She followed Saeros and with him joined among the ranks beneath one who was called Lord Elrond. Elrond was a Captain and herald of Gil-galad. Amarië marveled at the skill of the young Lord, and saw in him the image of his sires who she had known in long years past, his grandfather Dior, and the small child Elwing who had disappeared the same night as she during the second Kinslaying. Amarië vowed herself to serve Elrond in service to his great grandsire, Thingol, who had taken her in in his time of need, and she trained hard alongside Saeros. Elf-women who had not yet born children had every bit of strength and stamina that elf-men did, and Saeros wished for her companionship upon the battle field, and for Amarië to be a warrior within Elrond's ranks alongside him. As the years went by, Amarië hoped to begin a family with her husband, and he continued to promise that he would soon allow her an elfling, but elf children must be willed into existence, and Saeros did not will a child neither in dark years nor light, and he was distant from his wife in their own home, not touching her from the night of her wedding onward, and only consorting with her while they traveled and fought together beneath the Elf Captains.


They followed Elrond to Eregion and beyond west to the roots of the Misty Mountains. Amarië moved to Rivendell even at it's founding, and there she and Saeros dwelled for many years, leaving only when their leaders called again for war. Nenien dwelled with her as well and she was happy for a time in the realm. In the Second age 1701 Gil-Galad, Cirdan, Elrond and the Men of Númenor defeated Sauron for the first time, Amarië and Saeros within their ranks. In 3431 at the Battle of Dagorlad, they fought once more with the Last Alliance, where Gil-galad fell.


Saeros was disappointed in the death of his leader, and it was then that he chose to take a new King, and instead of returning to Rivendell, they turned to the east of the Misty Mountains to live and serve under Thranduil, the new King of the Woodland Realm.

While Saeros was a chief warrior among the small battles that passed the in the woodland realm through the following years, Amarië began to grow weary of fighting, and long once more for her old homes. Mirkwood reminded her of the forests of Doriath, which was long sunken under, yet she longed for her kin, or what remained of them, knowing there were still some who had stayed long years ago in Valinor. Nenien stayed with her own husband and children in Imladris, and she could not travel between the realms to see her often, and Saeros had promised her once again when the peaceful times had come after Sauron had fallen, that they would conceive a child, so she lingered with him. The days were again darkening in Mirkwood, for Dol Guldor was occupied by Sauron, and it was not until the year 2063 that Gandalf helped the elves to drive him out where he fled to Rhun. So began the years of the Watchful Peace.

Amarië could no longer fight. She put down her bow and sword and, and gave up her long hours of training at her husband's side. Saeros was wounded by this and felt abandoned, though Amarië had already spent thousands of years living through her husband's abandoned promises of family and elflings. She now spent her days working among the elvenking's halls, and wandering the forests, taking much delight in the forest creature about her, though not much else could bring her spirits to the joy she once had. Saeros tried again and again to get Amarië take up her bow once more, yet her grief was growing, and once near three hundred years of peace had passed upon the land, Amarië decided to rejoin her parents in Valinor, where she could at least have a semblance of family. In the year 2310 of the Third Age, Amarië was set to depart, first to Rivendell, and then west to the grey shores of the sea where Cirdan would set her upon a grey ship to see her parents once more. Upon her final night in Saeros' home, her husband came to her chambers and once more promised her a family, if she would only stay with him; even if she never picked up her sword again.

After 5700 years of marriage, Saeros once more joined with her and this time willed a child for them; not because he wished for one of his own, but because he wished to keep his wife on the eastern side of the sea. A child was given to them a year later, and though Saeros did not rejoice in the change of routine, he named their son Adanedhel, and Amarië's joy returned to her.

Saeros took not much part in raising the elfling, though for every lack of care and concern he offered, Amarië's love and devotion doubled and tripled. She spent all her days with the dark-haired elfling, teaching him all the ways of their people, taking him to the tops of the trees to see the open sky breaking through, and showing him the forest creatures she loved so much. She taught him in all ways of lore, music, and art, and gave him every skill she thought he should know ; save one. Many years passed, and Amarië still refused to touch her sword and bow; they were no longer in her heart, and she did not wish her son to dwell in the ways of the warrior that had filled her heart and slowly worn her down in despair over the years. She did not wish his innocent, pure heart to shed blood, nor witness the gruesome nature of battle. Saeros, however, would not have it. His son would grow to be a warrior like him, he was determined, and took it upon himself to begin the boy's training, much to Amarië's displeasure, for Saeros was often hard on him.

As their child grew, so Amarië's love grew for him. Adanedhel was the family she had always longed for, and though she had also loved her husband through all their years together, her affections spilled out onto her son who offered her unconditional love in return. With her son by her side, she no longer wished to leave for the sea, but rather to stay and watch him grow, and she became once again her youthful self, joyful and pleasant, and almost, at times, forgetting the the thousands of years she had been without him and alone, with only swords and training, and fierce battles to keep her occupied.

Now her son is no longer a child, and is finding his own way in life, and she looks on proudly at all his decisions for she influenced much of his character as he grew. Though he has a heart for travel, he always returns home to her to tell her of his exploits. She still takes great care in guarding her son's heart, for there are many instances in her past and Saeros' that she fears will wound him, and it is better that he not know. Some day, however, the truth may have to come out. Perhaps her days raising Adanedhel are done, and she fills them with other things while he tends to his adult life. She is once more serving in Thranduil's halls and spending her free time to wander the forests, healing little creatures that come into her care.

Amarië's most recent creature, was a baby elk which she found trapped in the low branches of the river, struggling for air. When she saved the poor creature, he became imprinted upon her. The creature has never quite been able to fend for himself some years later, so she feeds and nurtures him, and has him as a friend always waiting in the forest where ever she goes. An elf's life is a blink in the eye of an immortal, but for the time being he is her sweet companion.