Little is known of her parents, all that was known was what they called themselves: Maireldo and ALyamil. From what the records shows they lived in Mirkwood from the beginning of the second age.
There Alyamil granted her husband, Maireldo, two children, a twin. The first one was a boy who came into the world al screaming and fighting, they gave him a sindarin name: Baravaethor, the second one was a little girl, smaller in posture to the first one and much more quieter and pale, the child did not live.
Alyamil cried with her lifeless child in her arms, Maireldo tried to comfort his spouse but nothing could comfort her from the loss of her child and the stars and the moon listened to her cries and as they shone their light through the window upon the weeping mother, the child cried and Alyamil cheered and gave her child the name: "Ithílwen".

As the two grew up the twin couldn't be more different, Baravaethor was fierce, strong and hot tempered. His hair was as black as coal and his eyes as fierce as the wildest waters. While Ithílwen was quick and nimble, with oaky dark brown hair and green calm eyes. Though her skin was palest yet fairest of all her kin, the sun couldn't change its colour nor could warmth blush her cheeks.

Though their father, Maireldo, was a carpenter by trade though his children showed different loves; Baravaethor showed more love for metal and arms unlike his twin, Ithílwen, who loved the forest and often dwelt within them.
Having little talent for the crafting from wood, she learned she had a talent for the bow and arrow.

Though the two couldn't be more different, in their youth they were never apart from one another. Though baravaethor grew jealous of his twin, who was more fairer then he and more loved as he was more brutal and fierce and by his kin he was named "Orchellon". Though he was still as graceful as all the other elves, though he had it less then his kin but even Ithílwen as Baravaethor had one flaw they had in common.
They were both extremely stubborn, curious and above all, proud.

Ithílwen wandered through the woods of Mirkwood as she did so often. With the bow on her back that her father had crafted she heard something in the bushes and she draw her bow out of instinct. But when the elf came closer, the bush made room for a bear that jumped before her. It was not fear that nailed Ithílwen to the ground, but the seize of such a beast, no voice of reason it wished to listen and the bear wacked the bow out of Ithílwen's hands and the bow broke the moment it hit the ground and with a might slap the bear slapped Ithílwen onto the ground and Ithílwen looked upon the beast that would destroy her body and send her soul to the Hall of Mandos. And as Ithílwen closed her eyes to prepare to be crushed by the ferocious bear, nothing seemed to happen.

Ithílwen felt the wind blow over her head and the sound of hooves rushing through the woods and when she opened her eyes a bright white horse with on it a copper haired elf stood between her and the bear. The elf lifted up his mighty sword and cried of which the bear backed away and quickly rushed back into the forest.
The elf then turned to face her and immediately she was captured by his appearance, tall, beautiful and not like any other elf she had ever seen. Unlike the elves she knew, this elf's hair was copper colored and with the brightest blue eyes she had ever seen.
The elf who rescuid her was named rossellon and he brought her home.
Therafter did Ithílwen often dwell the woods and within the halls of the Mirkwood with Rossellon, though the more time she spent with Rossellon, the less time she spent with her twin Baravaethor and one day Rossellon gave her a new name, as she sat at a pond and enjoying the view as geese gathered around Ithílwen to observe her with interest.

Rossellon just laughed when he saw the geese of the forest gather around Ithílwen and said: 'You do not wish to give me your name, fair maiden but there is no need. I can give you a new one! Vanwen!'

Vanwen later on wedded Rossellon and together they dwelled through Mirkwood and those where the happiest time of her life. When with Rossellon she never thought of Valinor nor of the desire to go to the blessed land. Vanwen eventually gave birth to a daughter which she called Númírë, as she will forever long for the west and the west for her.

Rossellon was not there when Vanwen gave birth, he was out hunting and when Vanwen was resting from delivering Númírë to this world a darkness then covered her and she could not see or hear. Once the darkness faded Númírë was no longer with her and so was her brother Baravaethor. Vanwen cried and searched for her and once she entered the woods where Rossellon hunted she found his body, mutilated and his head decapitated.

Vanwen cried as all her joy and happiness has been taken from her that day. But soon she picked up arms, again she would wander the lands of Middle earth, in search for her Númírë....