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Chapter Five: Hyápatva Yaar

Elrilya and her family came to the courtyard early the next morning and found it teeming with Noldor ready for the long travel ahead of them. Several Vanyar stood above them on the walls, watching as their kin prepared to leave for good. A few were singing soft songs of good wishes and for a safe journey despite their dislike for the purpose of the departure. Elrilya scanned the crowd in search of Idril and finally noticed the familiar fair-haired elf maiden's head bobbing about near one of the courtyard walls. She was busy preparing amidst her family as well as the large extended relatives.

"Elrilya," Kalmírë said to her daughter. "There is word that Fingolfin and Fëanor will be traveling in different groups. We will be traveling with Fëanor's troop, you are welcome to stay with Idril and her family but we wish that you would stay close to us on most of this journey."

"Of course, Amil," she answered obediently. "I will stay with you and Atar but let me see Idril off before we go."

"Meet us at the gate of the city," instructed Kalmírë before she turned to her husband.

Hîthuial brought his arm around his wife and led her with him toward the gate.

"I am glad she will be joining us," he confessed. "We rarely see her enough as it is. She and Idril are practically inseparable."

"They are the best of friends and make each other happy," Kalmírë said. "That is what is important: that she is safe and happy."

Meanwhile, Elrilya had made her way to Idril to see her friend off on their long walk. Fingolfin was speaking with his brother Finarfin as well as Turgon, Glorfindel, and other noble relatives that would help lead their portion of the Noldor who favored Fingolfin as king of the Noldor rather than Fëanor.

"My parents wish me to be with them on the first leg of the trip," Elrilya said. "But I promise I will come join you soon enough."

"Do not worry," Idril replied. "We have lots of time to see each other along the way."

"I shall see you soon," Elrilya said, embracing her friend in farewell. "I must go, Fëanor is leaving shortly!"

Trumpets had sounded in the distance while Elrilya and Idril spoke so Elrilya knew that Fëanor was about to head out of the city walls. Hurrying with her light pack, Elrilya made her way down the streets of the city to the gates at the edge of the hill of Túna. She saw the large, yet smaller crowd, of Noldor standing by the gate. Fëanor's powerful and loud voice became louder and clearer as she came closer. He sounded deafening and angry as his voice thundered over the plains. Elrilya spotted her parents and quickly came to them.

"What is he carrying on about now?" Elrilya asked as she came up to Kalmírë's side.

"Shush, Elrilya!" her mother scolded her. "Have some respect for our king, he might hear you. And since you missed it, I will have to tell you. A messenger just arrived from Valinor."

Elrilya's eyes widened as she received the news in her ears. Everyone had been wondering why no word had been heard yet since the destruction of the Two Trees. Fëanor blamed it on inaction and the Valar's disregard for the Eldar.

"The Valar have decreed that only Fëanor shall be exiled and judged at this time but if we wish to join in this journey still, we shall all have to face bitterness and dangers we have never see in our lives. Just words to scare us," Kalmírë continued. "Fëanor just finished sending off the messenger back to Taniquetil with his answer."

Behind Elrilya, she heard the larger group of Fingolfin make their way down the hill to follow. By now, someone would have brought word to them about the messenger. Elrilya wondered what Idril thought about this turn of events. She herself was troubled but she continued to follow her family as they went along with Fëanor northward on the path that Morgoth had taken on his flight from Valinor.
*

"What is wrong, Elrilya?" Idril asked as she approached her friend.

Fingolfin's group had fallen behind Fëanor's fast paced assembly and had just caught up on the resting Noldor after a few days.

"Nothing, I am just bored," Elrilya said as she sat on the ground, drawing pictures in the dirt with her fingers. "Fëanor went north a ways while we camped so that he could see our path ahead."

"How was the march?" Idril said as she seated herself on top of her light pack.

"It was fine but Fëanor is in such a hurry!" she exclaimed. "I've never walked so long at such a fast pace in a long time!"

"Maybe you would like to join us at this time," Idril laughed.

"Sounds like a good idea to me," Elrilya sighed. "Especially being in the wasteland of Araman, there is not much to look at. I'd rather spend time talking with you."

A few seconds later, calls were heard across the camps that Fëanor had returned. He was reversing their course and would be taking them to Alqualondë, the harbor of the Teleri, not far south. He hastened many of his troops together and made ready to march at once. Elrilya took that moment to go to her mother who had been talking with several other Noldor and informed her of joining with Idril for the next part of the trip. After she received permission, Elrilya returned to her friend and her family where she was greeted enthusiastically.

"Atar and my grandsire wish to have everyone rest a while before we continue following Fëanor," Idril explained to Elrilya after the greetings were made and they were on their own.

"That is better for me, I would rather rest longer!" Elrilya laughed.
*

Fingolfin set out a many hours later with his followers to Alqualondë to see what Fëanor had come to with the Teleri. Before leaving, Fëanor had mentioned to Fingolfin that he had hoped to convince the Teleri to join their quest and cause, as well as use their great ships to cross the great sea to the Hither Lands. Fingolfin doubted the idea would work but let his brother clear his obstacles on his own.

"Ah, thank goodness," Idril said to Elrilya. "We are in sight of Alqualondë. I was beginning to wonder how much further we had to go."

"I'm glad we get to see the harbor before we leave these shores," Elrilya said wistfully. "It is quite beautiful with all the lights and ships upon the waters."

The young maidens quickened their pace as the large troop descended from the hills down upon the Teleri city, the great sea opening up in front of them. However, once it was in better sight, everyone knew something terribly wrong was going on in the city.

It appeared that Fëanor's troops were fighting with the Teleri, each slaying their kin upon the beach and within the city. Bodies of dead Eldar lined the white shores, some areas were stained red with blood. The Teleri were running about or standing upon structures shooting their arrows from their bows at the Noldor who slashed and stabbed with their spears and swords.

"Stay here with Glorfindel, Idril!" Turgon commanded as he rushed past them suddenly with Fingolfin and several other nobles. The majority of the male Noldor within Fingolfin's compliment followed on with them, swords and weapons drawn.

"What is the matter?" Elenwë said as she came upon her daughter and Elrilya.

Idril's eyes were wide with horror as she took in the massacre before her.

"It looks as though they are at war with each other," she said, her voice shaky. "I do not know what to make of it."

Elrilya felt a sudden chill run up her spine as realization dawned on her. She began to sprint down the hill toward the chaos reigning on the beach as the fear inside her began to mount.

"Elrilya! No!" Glorfindel said as he dashed in front of her, barring her path. "You must stay here. It is too dangerous a time to rush into what we do not know is happening."

He noticed her skin had paled dramatically and her blue eyes were wide with urgency and need. He held her strongly by her arms as she attempted to run past him again. She struggled against him as he held her tightly in place.

"Listen to me!" he commander loudly to her. "Stay here!"

"But... my parents!" she said, her voice begging. "I need to find them!"

"You cannot go," he said. "Turgon and the others are going to help them!"

Her eyes were grievous and pleaded to him to let her go but Glorfindel knew he could not, for it might cost her immortal life. He held onto her still, unrelenting in his stance to let her run into possible death.

"Please, Elrilya," he said quietly so that only she could hear his words.

Glorfindel noticed her become limp in his arms as she finally gave up on passing him. He led her back to the group that continued to watch in shock upon the kin-slaying occurring below. Words passed between the onlookers that spoke of the Teleri possibly attempting to waylay the Noldors' march and journey east at the will of the Valar. Others simply cried in pain at the fighting below.

"There! Who is that there coming our way?" cried some keeping watch.

Turning, Glorfindel noticed an injured female Noldor slowly trying to reach them. He sprinted quickly down the hill and retrieved her, carrying her the rest of the way to those waiting.

"Amil!" cried Elrilya as she rushed to where Glorfindel was placing her down on the ground near the group.

Glorfindel ripped off a piece of cloth from his clothing and began to wrap Kalmírë's visible wounds. Elrilya had her mother leaning against her as they tended to her. Tears fell from both their eyes as Elrilya tried to comfort her and make her not focus on the pain.

"What is going on?" Elrilya asked.

Her mother struggled to speak, her breathing rasping as she fought for air.

"The Teleri... would not help," she said. "Fëanor told us... to take the ships... fight broke out."

"Where is Ata?" her daughter questioned, her voice shaking with fear.

Kalmírë shook her head with clenched eyes as she fought back sobs rising in her throat, "Slain..."

Elrilya's body shuddered as she heard the news and held her mother close to her as she cried with her. Glorfindel stood to leave them alone and made his way over to where Elenwë held Idril close to her, mostly in fear of what could happen to their own family like that of Elrilya's. They all silently hoped together that this terrible event would be over soon.

"She will not survive," Glorfindel whispered into his cousin's ear. "Her wounds are too serious; there is nothing I or anyone can do."

Elenwë nodded solemnly in reply as her eyes drifted back to mother and daughter at the crest of the hill. She could feel wet tears on her neck as Idril nuzzled closer to her, wrapping her arms around her to make sure she was physically there and to find some sort of comfort.

As the battle began to wane, Kalmírë released her last breath and passed on to the Waiting Halls of Mandos from her daughter's arms. Idril drew her friend away from her mother's body as anguish overtook Elrilya. The surrounding Eldar then came forth to tend to the body and finally buried it upon the hill overlooking the white shores she had been so fond of.

Turgon returned with the remainder of those who survived from Fingolfin's assembly and also bore Hîthuial's body with him. They then laid him to rest beside his wife in the ground. Turgon then came to his daughter's closest friend and took her into his embrace.

"On this day, I take you, Elrilya, into my family and house as a daughter," he said to her. "You shall find safety and comfort for as long you wish to reside with us and forever more."

"Thank you," she barely whispered through her tears.

Elenwë and Idril then came forth and embraced Elrilya as well, to let her feel and know that they were there for her. They led her with them as the Noldor then began their march again northward, with the ships of the Teleri that they took, to cross over the sea to reach the Hither Lands.

******

Glossary
Hyápatva Yaar: shore of blood
Amil: mother
Atar: father