Song and Smoke by Zdenka

Chapter 2

Written for the femslashficlets Language of Flowers prompt table challenge: poppy, meaning "peace in death."

Thanks to the people who left encouraging comments on bits of this as a WIP.

In Dor-lómin, Lady Aerin—
wife unhappy, unwilling bride—
dwelt in sorrow. Dead were her kin,
and robbers ruled the rich farmlands.

Often she bore Brodda’s anger
and paid the cost for kindness shown.
One thing consoled her sad spirit,
brought secret hope and heart’s comfort:

Close by her side she saw and heard
a flitting form whose face she knew,
a voice singing of summer’s light,
yet seen and heard by her only.

Mournful Rían, maker of songs,
who Aerin loved long but vainly—
she fled away to wild places
and found a grave far from her home.

Cold in the earth, she came never
back to her land as living maid.
Only in death, a dim spirit,
she walked and sang where once she dwelt.

You know the tale: Túrin’s rashness,
events moving as Morgoth willed.
All went amiss. Even patience,
pushed past bearing, breaks at the last.

By Aerin’s word, over the hall
the red flames rose. And Rían came;
fair as a bride, burning torches
held in her hands, her hair unbound.

Lacho calad! her clear voice sang.
Let flame the light! And flee, darkness!
Into the house Aerin followed
the fierce war-song wildly ringing.

Wavering flames filled Brodda’s hall;
smoke was round her, smothering-thick.
Aerin stumbled, struggling for breath;
Rían caught her and kissed her brow.

Sweetly and low, a lullaby
sounded gently, soft in her ear.
Aerin smiled, her eyes closing,
resting at last in Rían’s arms.

Chapter End Notes

she came never / back to her land as living maid – adapted from a line in The Fellowship of the Ring, “Lothlórien,” where Aragorn “left the hill of Cerin Amroth and came there never again as living man.”

Even patience, / pushed past bearing, breaks at the last. – referencing a line in The Children of Húrin, spoken about Aerin: “Her heart was not faint, and patience will break at the last.”

Lacho calad! - See note on Chapter 1.

wavering flames – This phrase is used to describe the fire that surrounds Brynhild’s mountain in the Eddas and Volsung Saga.