Atanatari: Of the Three Houses of the Edain by Himring

What the Women Told Their Children

In the First Age as in the Third Age, mothers passing on the basics to their children.

Rating: Teens. Warnings: reference to canon situations of the darker sort

Once upon a time, we had a king. Once upon a time, we had a lord. Once upon a time, we served only the king and the lord we had chosen to serve.

Hide Grandfather's sword in the bedstraw but do not let the blade get blunt, for know this: one day, we shall be free again.

Once upon a time we had a city and a kingdom. Once upon a time we had a king.

Do not speak our chief's name to any on the road. Wear a plain cloak, but know this: we shall have a king again.

Chapter End Notes

Written for the challenge "Endings and Beginnings" at Tolkien Weekly on LJ, for the prompt "Once Upon a Time"

Explanatory note:
The people of the First Age referred to are the Edain of Dor-lomin. They were Men who had been ruled by lords of the House of Hador and fought for the High King of the Noldor  against the Dark Lord. After the great defeat of the Fifth Battle, they were enslaved for about a hundred years, until the Dark Lord was defeated in his turn. They are ancestors of the Numenoreans and therefore also of the Dunedain.

The people of the Third Age referred to are the Rangers of Eriador, concealing the survival and identity of the heir of Isildur over generations.