Through Sorrow to Find Joy by Dawn Felagund

The Swift Flame

Aegnor sees Andreth for the first time on the Summer Solstice. A double drabble.

The Swift Flame

It is said that Mortals arose at the Sun's first rising, that which is now the longest day of the year. It is said that Ilúvatar molded them of leaves and earth and ignited the life within them with the first rays of Arien's light, before the journey wearied her, when yet the Sun stood for endurance and hope.

When first he saw her, Aegnor was arriving in Dorthonion at the Sun's rising on the longest day of the year. Yet a maiden, Andreth stood on tiptoe, stretching to discern the first scrim of fire upon the eastern hills. She was laughing, lifting her arms, beckoning Arien forth.

If the life of the Eldar courses alike to the waters beside which they awoke, then so the life of the Edain is a flush and a fervor and, at the last, a flash upon the horizon.

Do not hasten! came Aegnor's sudden thought, for he felt how Time clutched him, saw how the Sun flung across the sky again and again and again, how the laughing maiden withered. Would he heave back upon the reins of Time, to linger forever here

Then slow descending darkness.

with the flash of first fire.

Chapter End Notes

Both the history (in italics) and the accompanying story are perfect drabbles, intertwined to form a double drabble. The story of the love between Andreth and Aegnor is found in Athrabeth Finrod ah Andreth in HoMe volume 10.