Falling Fire by LadyBrooke

Chapter 1

Galadhon was gone, dragged away and lost. Baraves knew, with the certainty of one who has viewed those taken, has seen the eyes of lost friends staring back at her from the faces of those who dragged off her husband even as she fled into the woods with the time he bought, that he would not return.

Her wounds burned, the arrow that had stricken her in the shoulder clearly poisoned. But she had still won. The Dark Rider had not taken her, even if death would, even if he had taken her husband. 

But their youngest daughter was safe. Their older children were back in the camp, also safe. And she was close, so close, to the camp that would shelter her daughter even after her own death. 

“My littlest flower,” she said, pressing a kiss to her youngest daughter’s forehead and silver hair. “I hope your brother will find you, or perhaps your father’s father.” 

Elmo would be looking for them by this point. Celeborn should not be, but he would, darting into the woods at the slightest cry. 

And her flower would cry after her death.

She tucked the cloth tighter around her daughter. Celeborn might recognize it, or he might not. He would not recognize her, she knew with doom pressing down upon her. 

But even if her youngest son did not recognize the blanket, his youngest sister would be safe, she knew as well. 

“You will be a Queen, even if they do not know for sure who you are,” she muttered with the last of her strength. She felt a heavier doom pressing down upon her. “I love you, as I have loved all of you, and we shall meet again one day when doom lifts.”

Then the darkness fell, and with it her. 

Chapter End Notes

In my verse she is, in addition to being Celeborn’s mother, also Míriel’s mother. Obviously, Fëanor and his sons are not aware of this until far, far too late.