Now and Evermore by Katie Tran

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Chapter 1

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(At the Helcaraxë)

Fëanáro had deserted them. The disbelief and gradual rage that was barely apparent on Fingolfin’s face was as clear as Manwë’s skies to Glorfindel’s sharp eyes. For Glorfindel felt the rage himself but chose not to say anything in case Nolofinwë gave his next orders.
Next to him, Turukáno and Ecthelion could not contain their bitter outrage.

The flames and smoke could be seen with elven eyes from miles and miles away. Fëanáro and his cohorts had deliberately burned the stolen Telerin ships. He had meant to abandon them from the very beginning. Nolofinwë, his family and their followers had no ships to journey to Middle Earth now.

Nolofinwë had not said a word. His mouth seemed to stop working as his grey eyes gawked ahead.

Glorfindel turned around to access everyone that was behind them looking to the Noldor prince, Ecthelion and himself as their captains to lead them on. Noldor elves of all ages, fair and dark were in abundance stretching for leagues to the very last elf in line. Rumors and claims of Fëanáro’s abandonment had now circled around the firstborns causing a strong commotion. Fights and disagreements had taken place.

“The high King has forsaken us!” One male elf shouted.

“It was not enough for the traitor to cause Prince Nolofinwë, Arafinwë and all of Valinor grief with his cursed jewels. He had to burn the ships as well.”

“Kinslayer! Not just a kinslayer but an irredeemable fraud!”

Kinslayer. The word twisted bitterly in Glorfindel’s heart. It was not only Fëanáro’s family that conjured the unforgivable murder of King Olwë’s people to obtain the ships for Middle Earth. Fingolfin and his family had reluctantly participated in the unpardonable deed as well.

The smoke of the fire and what was left of the ships burned in Glorfindel’s nose.

“Those bastards,” Irissë, the only beloved daughter of Nolofinwë, snarled. For someone who often partook in athletic endeavors and even made good friends with Turcafinwë and Curufinwë (both of which were Fëanáro’s sons,) this was a huge betrayal.

“What are we to do now? We cannot just return to Aman. We have just broken one of the Vala’s sacred rules of leaving Valinor. In following the Fëanorians, we turned our backs on all of the Vala. We shall never be forgiven!”

Only the Arafinwëans, (Findaráto, Angaráto, Ambaráto, Artanis, Artaresto) and even Turukáno’s wife, Elenwë, remained calm and silent amongst the rest.

Nolofinwë then roared over the many thousands of the firstborns.

“Silence!”

All became quiet. Findekáno and Turukáno paused in the middle of their debate over the next course of action. Staring at their father, they shut their mouths.  

Glorfindel and Ecthelion gathered the warriors, men, women and children into an organized fashion once again lest they lost anyone.

“What do we do next, my lord?” Glorfindel asked Nolofinwë quietly.

“We march on.”

“March on?” He asked again to be certain.

“Do I have to say it twice or have you gone hard of hearing, Laurefindil?” The high prince’s caustic tone softened.
“We shall cross the Helcaraxë. There is no choice.”

Glorfindel stared at the second son of Finwë and half-brother of Fëanáro in shock. His mouth parted and closed in a thin line.

“The Helcaraxë? This is madness; a suicide mission,” He told the high prince angrily. “You let your people get killed in this bizarre, wild-goose chase because your pride cannot stomach all that Fëanáro has done and treated you. Please come to your senses, my lord.”

“Laurefindil, you forget yourself. Shut up this instant,” Ecthelion interjected quickly before a fight could occur.

Nolofinwë showed no signs of even retorting the accusation. His glazed, cold as marble face merely stared on ahead at the fire that was slowly dying out in the midst of the snowstorm.

“Father,” Findekáno began softly. “You are aware that Nelyafinwë has always been the dearest friend of mine regardless of the differences between you and uncle Fëanáro. Nelyafinwë is currently out there beyond these shores sworn by a dreadful oath to his father. I predict this will lead his brothers and he to their doom. They need all of the aid they could get.” 

He touched Nolofinwë’s armored shoulder.

“However you decide to cross to Middle Earth, I am with you always.”

A shadow of presage crossed his younger brother, Turukáno’s face, but he uttered not a sound.

“We carry on through the Helcaraxë,” Was the final command. 

And so, the people and followers of Fingolfin kept on moving forward although on an entirely different path altogether.
As they journeyed, Ecthelion came over to Glorfindel and sighed heavily.

“What has all this mayhem over Fëanáro’s jewels that brought about poor King Finwë’s passing lead us to.”

Glorfindel turned towards the direction of the Helcaraxë’s entrance. The ice walls surrounding a tunnel like road pointed to darkness as far as his elven eyes could see. Even from where he stood, the bite of the ice-cold wind could be felt breezing against his cheeks.

~ ~ ~

On the first day, the travel was manageable, but definitely uncomfortable. On the fourth day, it got more and more difficult. It was cold and the snow on the ground reached up to their knees. As lithe and light on their feet the edhil were, even they had difficulties trudging through the snow and the harsh blizzard.
On the fifth day, they lost some people to the harsh environment. Much tears mixed with an incredulous feeling was felt for the elves were so used to their formidability and immortality. It was not until King Finwë’s death were they aware of how vulnerable they truly were against weapons, natural casualties and fate.

Still, Nolofinwë continued his path and was relentless no matter how much there was no light anywhere to be found.

Turukáno was afraid. He had brought his whole family. Elenwë and their precious daughter, Itarillë, were gently bred Vanyar women. Their constitutions were not meant for this sort of environment and Glorfindel was extremely protective of the both of them.

“How much longer is this going to take? My wife and daughter cannot take much more,” Turukáno growled.

“Come, Turukáno. Stay strong for both you and your family, my friend,” Glorfindel shed his cloak and draped it around Elenwë’s narrow shoulders. She shook her head immediately.

“I will be all right, Laurefindil,” She soothed. “Keep it or you will freeze your toes off.”

But the golden elf lord insisted the elleth take the warm garment anyway. They had arrived to what looked like to be a deep, frozen lake. One misstep and the sheer ice could easily break, resulting in misfortune.

“Merciful Elbereth…” Findekáno whispered in apprehension.

Ecthelion warned over the crowd of elves to be utmost careful lest they fall into the freezing waters. It was the most painful and nerve-ridden experience as the edhil slowly moved across the ice, inch by inch.

“Ah!” A panicked cry was heard from Itarillë.

Glorfindel glanced sharply at the noise.

“Itarillë! Elenwë!” He ran over to where the mother and daughter had fallen into a large hole where some of the ice had broken off.

The depths of the water were unknown, but Elenwë was struggling with the icy cold scaling up to her chin. Her body paddling on for dear life.

“Mother, please hang on,” Itarillë cried out and desperately reached for a floating piece of ice to anchor herself.

The current of the water was going North as it was strong and powerful. Itarillë managed to grab a hold of Elenwë’s cloak when the water pulled the elleth roughly away.
Turukáno raced over to his wife and daughter, horrified and stricken. In a paralyzed state, his head rushed to figure out what to do to save the both of them.

The rest of the elves were too cowardly and chilled to dare lend a hand. Go anywhere near the edge of the ice and they would fall into the current to their deaths. It was futile.

With a pained face, Nolofinwë blocked Turukáno and Findekáno with his arm. His solemn expression said it all.

We cannot afford to lose more lives. You must choose one.

Elenwë’s face was ghostly white as the deathly cold took over her.

“Turukáno…My love. Protect Idril,” She rasped. “Forget me. She is meant to live for the both of us and has a higher purpose soon to fulfill. I have seen it.”

She closed her eyes. The grand elleth had made her final decision.

“Remember that I love you both to the ends of the world.”

With that, she let go of Itarillë’s grasp and let the water drift her away to her doom.

Itarillë and Turukáno sobbed out her name in despair. The second son of Nolofinwë felt half of his soul cruelly torn from his body that day.
With an anguished wail, he threw himself at Itarillë to pull her in with the force of his own life.

Glorfindel shook out of his own shock and wretchedness at having failed to save one of his charges. No doubt this would remain one of his biggest failures and regrets. He quickly took a hold of Turukáno’s legs before the water could claim him too. Then he felt someone grab his own cloak to help pull them all back on to the firm parts of the iced lake. It was the combined efforts of Ecthelion, Nolofinwë and Findekáno.

Itarillë gasped from the pain of the cold and the excruciating heartbreak of losing one’s mother. She cried, breathed heavily and cried more. Her father had to turn away and deal with his own immense grief.

Prince Nolofinwë clenched his fists and felt the misery and anger of it all; His family’s pain. His people’s struggle.

“You will pay the day you have laid this desolation upon us,” He vowed.

 

“You will pay your dues…Fëanáro!”

The bellow was echoed over the night sky.

~ ~ ~

 

Names and Words

Nolofinwë = Fingolfin

Laurefindil = Glorfindel

Itarillë = Idril Celebrindal

Turukáno = Turgon

Findekáno = Fingon

Fëanáro = Feanor

Findaráto = Finrod

Angaráto = Angrod

Ambaráto = Aegnor

Artanis = Galadriel

Artaresto = Orodreth

Elleth = Female Elf

Edhil = Elves