(Previous part of the story: here)
Every morning, I watch the sun rising.
Anor rises every morning, thus I watch.
Yárendo said I should watch it.
And he said I should listen to the stars at night, which I do.
He said whatever happens, Anor a Elin will watch over me.
Sun and stars will protect me.
Thus I watch Anor rising, and I listen to the stars at night.
Angry and evil men come every day.
I am doing the dishes, and I am cleaning the room. I am feeding the dogs of master every day.
The angry men yell at me and sometimes they beat me with sticks.
Yárendo said I have to be very brave, and he said I have to act like a true lady of the Doriathrim now.
Which is not true, for I am only twenty-nine (1). I am not old enough to be a lady.
Yárendo does not like them to beat me with sticks. The first time I told him that he got very angry, and broke the door to fight the guards. I did not see him for a week after that.
Later, I saw him again. He looked injured. I asked him what had happened. He told me he was just very tired. He told me I should not worry about him.
I decided not to tell him anymore about the sticks. It makes him very angry and sad and I don't want that to happen.
Yárendo was a sculptor. He is tall, and he is very strong. He does the fighting in the pits.
Hadronwë told me that he has to fight dogs, and wolves, and Wargs, and sometimes other prisoners of master. Oftentimes he gets injured, but he is strong, the wounds heal quickly.
I asked Hadronwë why Yárendo has to do all this fighting.
His eyes became sad, and he told me it's because the dog-men like to watch. It is fun to them.
Hadronwë does not say much. But whenever I ask him something, he answers me.
He was a warrior, before they took him prisoner.
Like my father, who served in the king's guard.
Yárendo and Hadronwë are my friends. And Frog is my friend too. He is a tiny dog and can be seen near the kitchen most of the time. I named him Frog, because he looks like a frog. And when he barks, he even sounds like one.
Every morning, I watch the sun rising.
Anor rises every morning, thus I watch.
Yárendo said I should watch it.
And he said I should listen to the stars at night, which I do.
He said whatever happens, Anor a Elin will watch over me.
Sun and stars will protect me.
Thus I watch Anor rising, and I listen to the stars at night.
I miss home. I miss father, and mother.
Once I asked Yárendo where he was from.
He told me he was from the north, from a land called Lothlann.
I asked him why he had not stayed there.
He told me great fires had consumed his homeland.
I told him that I missed home too.
He gave me a hug and said nothing.
I like when he gives me a hug. I feel safe and protected.
I asked him why his mother had given him the name Yárendo.
He told me he had given this name to himself.
I asked him why.
He looked at me with a smile, but his eyes were very sad.
He was silent for a while.
He said he had done some great evil.
I asked him what evil he had done.
He told me that he had killed many of my kinsmen in Doriath.
His voice was almost breaking. He fell on his knees and covered his face with his hands.
It was scary. I did not like seeing him like this.
I ran at him and embraced him.
He whispered "Diheno! Diheno! Diheno!"
I did not know what to say.
Yárendo is such a gentle Ellon. He would never do any harm to our people.
Although he does all the fighting in the pits, he has a gentle heart. I know that.
A few moments later the guards came in and separated us.
Every morning, I watch the sun rising.
Anor rises every morning, thus I watch.
Yárendo said I should watch it.
And he said I should listen to the stars at night, which I do.
He said whatever happens, Anor a Elin will watch over me.
Sun and stars will protect me.
Thus I watch Anor rising, and I listen to the Elin at night.
One day, Orcs visited master.
I do not like Orcs. They are ugly. Every time I see them, I feel sad for them.
I did not understand what they wanted, but master was angry.
They were shouting and suddenly blades were drawn.
I ran as fast as I could, but some of the orcs had seen me. They came after me.
I ran to my cell, and the guards fought the orcs with their spears, but they were slain. Doors were opened, and I heard Hadronwë shouting. I was scared. I crouched and covered the head with my hands. The orcs were smelling awfully.
Suddenly I heard the noise of breaking furniture and much screaming and drooling.
Then it was silent, there was only noise in the courtyard.
Someone lifted me up and carried me through the corridor. I did not open my eyes. I knew, it was Yárendo.
He told me not to be afraid.
Every morning, I watch the sun rising.
Anor rises every morning, thus I watch.
Yárendo said I should watch it.
And he said I should listen to the stars at night, which I do.
He said whatever happens, Anor a Elin will watch over me.
Sun and stars will protect me.
Thus I watch Anor rising, and I listen to the stars at night.
Yárendo is bleeding, an arrow is stuck in his leg. Another in his back.
He wanted to carry me all the way, but I insisted to run on my own feet.
I am even faster than he is.
The mountains in front of us look beautiful.
But Yárendo is sorrowful. He tells me to run faster.
He uses his stick to support his injured leg.
They are still far away. They sent their dogs, but Yárendo frightened them.
Frog was not among them. I hope he is alright.
Now the evil men are after us themselves.
Yárendo urges me to run faster.
Suddenly, he falls. I help him to stand up, but he is such a heavy ellon. I can hardly move him.
He is breathing for a while, looking downwards.
Then he looks at me.
He tells me: you have to be very brave now. For your mother, and for your father. For your people.
you have to be very brave - for me.
I tell him I will.
He tells me to run as fast as I can, and never to look back. He tells me to cross the mountains until I reach the lands beyond.
I do not like this. Tears roll down my cheeks. I do not want to leave him.
But Yárendo is very stern. He insists.
He gives me a bundle of something. He tells me only to eat a little every day. He tells me to hide, not to speak to anyone until I have crossed the mountains.
Even more tears roll down my cheek.
His eyes are very sad. He tells me: I love you, Pînvallos, little flower. Go now. Go with the blessings of all Eldar. Run as fast as you can.
Master and his servants are close. I can hear them shouting.
He pushes me. I run.
I can hear his battle-cry behind me, but it is a language I do not know.
It sounds strange, but mighty.
Up the hill, and to the trees. Before I run into the forest, I turn around.
I can see him. He is fighting them. A few are slain.
But they are too many. At least three or four dozen.
His stick breaks. They are hanging down his neck, like forests hanging down on a mountain. He still stands.....
I feel something choking my throat. I wipe off my tears.
No, Yárendo will never fall. He is an ellon who never falls down.
I banish the image of him falling down from my thoughts.
You have to be brave now. I remember his words.
Run, little flower, run as fast as you can.
I turn around. I look up at the trees. They are my friends.
They look down at me, gently, almost like the grey-golden eyes of Yárendo.
"Come, come! We will hide you!"
are the trees whispering to me?
I run. The forest feels safe.
Every morning, I watch the sun rising, between the trees.
Anor rises every morning, thus I watch.
Yárendo said I should watch it.
And he said I should listen to the stars at night, which I do.
He said whatever happens, Anor a Elin will watch over me.
Sun and stars will protect me.
Thus I watch Anor rising, and I listen to the stars at night,
beyond the trees.
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Translations and notes:
Anor - Sun (Sindarin)
Yárendo - Bloodstained heart (Quenya, a Kilmessë Ráolor gave to himself after the Kinslaying in Doriath)
Elin - stars (Sindarin)
Doriathrim - People of Doriath, kingdom of the Sindar in Beleriand
Diheno! - Forgive me! (Sindarin)
Ellon - Elf (male)
Pînvallos - little (golden) Flower (Sindarin)
(1): For an elf, 29 years means still a very young age. Elves are considered grown-ups aged about 100.
