A History for Adhara

Gentle and quiet in her ways, Adhara had no love of the sword

but sought seclusion in the shadows of great forests and trees.

The First Age.

During the Darkening of Valinor, with the atrocities carried out against the Teleri during the Kinslaying of Alqualonde, it was believed that Adhara’s parents travelled with Galadriel and Celenborn and even though guiltless of the Kinslaying, they were included in those that came under the Ban of the Valar and part of those Doomed Noldor when a curse and prophecy was laid upon them that their blood shall be shed because of their misdeeds and that they should have fear of treason of kin unto kin, and dispossessed they shall be forever.  Though saved from the first Kinslaying when they were welcomed to Beleriand where they remained, until all the Noldor arrived having crossed the Helcaraxe on foot, and under Thingol in Doriath,and they lived in peace for a time.

Though there is no record of their names, for Adhara was an only child and when still an infant, her parents were slayed in the Battle of Tumhalad, leaving her one of the few remaining survivors that managed to break free from under Glaurung, the first dragon of Morgoth during the First Age. 

The Second Age

The orphaned Adhara was taken to Eregion in the Second Age where the Noldor resided under the rule of Galadriel and Celeborn.  There she lived mainly in Ost-in-Edhil but never happy to be surrounded by so many, the now young Adhara often adventured further afield always exploring the regions around Hithaeglir.  Hithaeglir also known as the Misty Mountains was a great mountain range which lay between Eriador in the west and the Great River Anduin in the east. 

Adhara adored the base of the Misty Mountains as it offered the freedom of open expansive plains where horses roamed freely, to deep forests streaming with natural wildlife.  This is where her heart lay and this carried with her through all her long years.  Here, she gained the name Rochwen by the Elves, which in the Elvish language means ‘horse maiden’. 

Against the wishes of Galadriel, Adhara remained in Eregion when Eregion came under the rule of Celebrimbor, a descendant of Feanor.  Though Annatar had become friends with the Elves of Eregion, Adhara paid no heed to their mastery of all things, including the Rings of Power and when Annatar was revealed as Sauron, Adhara barely survived the destruction of Eregion. 

Many of those, whom fled Eregion, came to Lindon, Lothlorien and Rivendell.  It was to Rivendell that Adhara took refuge and within the gardens of Imladris most of all.  It was here that Adhara discovered another love, that of all things that bloomed.  For it was within the gardens of Imladris that Adhara poured most of her labour in the planting of tender saplings and the reaping of seeds to replenish the glorious gardens under the realm of Lord Elrond. 

The Last Homely House was the final outpost of Eriador before the Misty Mountains and many travelled between Imladris and Lorien, for Elronds wife was Celebrian who was also the daughter of Galadriel and Celeborn.  And so, Adhara was able to maintain the connection with the Noldor that had previously departed to dwell in Lorien who later moved further east across the Nimrodel to finally rest above Fangorn Forest but south of Mirkwood.

The Third Age

S.A. 3430, Adhara made the long journey with others to Lorien and, around the time of the War of the Last Alliance where shortly before the war began she was to have her first encounter with Oropher and his son Thranduil.  Though they barely spent time together, Adhara remembered them fondly and was deeply saddened upon the death of Oropher in the Battle of Dagorlad.

While Thranduil moved further north leading the remaining Silvan Elves to be crowned King of the Woodland Realm, Adhara seemed contented to remain in Lothlorien which she did for long years, until as was her way, she took to roaming the lands once more.  One day while venturing further north than she had intended, she happened upon the Woodland Elves merrily feasting in the deep dark forest of Mirkwood.  For the first time in her life, Adhara felt as if she had come home.  Though she had lived in many places, none had ever offered her the freedom of living so close to the nature she adored, among the animals that she cherished, but also, with those of her own kind who felt in their hearts as she had done.

By this time Thranduil had a son Legolas whom Adhara instantly befriended.  Never before had Adhara taken another so close to her and in them a very deep friendship was formed.  So too did Adhara adore Legsanirannien and his betrothed, Altariel, Elven Witch and Chief Counsellor to Elven King Thranduil, for gifted was she in all manner of things and never would he make a decision without first consulting his Chief Advisor, for her wisdom and knowledge was rare among the elves.  Upon the Binding of Legsanirannien to his beloved Altariel, Adhara wept with tears of joy, for in her heart, she knew that his love for her, was greater than any love ever created, in all the ages. 

While the Silvan elves lived under the rule of Oropher, Thranduils father, Nellas, friend and tutor of Turnin came, heavily with child to the border of Mirkwood.  Here her husband was slayed but her life was saved by the Silvan Elves in time for the birth of Nymphiel, whom they took under their care.  But during that encounter, Nellas had been mortally wounded by the bite of a poisonous spider and two years later, she passed from this land.  After Thranduil became King of the Woodland Realm, he took the oath of his father and called this infant his own.  Nymphiel was still young when Adhara came to know her and fell deeply in love with her from the moment she laid eyes upon her.  Just like Adhara, Nymphiel had been orphaned at a young age and it was Adhara who lovingly cared for her and watched her bloom into a strong courageous woman.  Nymphiel in turn fell in love with the Captain of the Mirkwood Guard, Ereinion and it was with Adhara he had been, that first day that he laid eyes upon her and never again were they parted, for even now to wander the paths of Mirkwood, when laughter rings down from the boughs of the Beech trees, it is said that the Ereinion and Nymphiel are never far.

Fate would not be kind to Adhara when upon a Quest for the Silmarils, she was attacked and wounded by the Witch King of Angmar, sent by the then spirit of Melkor through Sauron.  By the power of her pure blood, was his form renewed and from that day on, she was tormented by his dark and malice thoughts.  It may have seemed as if the Doom of the Noldor as predicted by the Prophecy of the North, had now befallen Adhara.

Returning to Mirkwood, Adhara remained happy there but during the long years there, she had given her heart to Thrandfindlas, but sadly, fate would not keep them together.  She was quiet and revered only peace and rarely did she take others close to her heart.  With the growing numbers now coming to Mirkwood, Adhara returned to old ways, and retreated more and more into seclusion.  With the darkening of Mirkwood in recent times, she departed, for it grieved her greatly to see the only place she thought of as home, ransacked and ruined by strangers and so she returned to Lothlorien, to be amongst the Mighty Mallorn trees, and to heal her wounded heart.  But the call of Mirkwood sung too loudly in her ears and at the request of Legsanirannien, her closest friend, she secretly returned to aid in the tending of Mirkwood where long hours she laboured with the Wood Elves to banish those who had wrought destruction upon their home.

Over time, Adhara found contentment to pour her love and knowledge into the replanting of the Beech Trees with blessed soil from beneath the Mallorn trees of Lothlorien, the secret hidden gardens she filled with seeds from Imladris, and the weaving of tapestries to place upon the cavern walls depicting the histories of their kin she placed deep within the Halls of Elven King Thranduil.  But much had changed and though she cherished her Mirkwood kin, still Adhara could not settle.  Perhaps because of her unsettled upbringing, this was part of her and never would she stay long in one place, but if ever there was to be one place she could have called home, she wished with all her heart it could have been Mirkwood.