It was a warm summer day and all the village children were out to play as they always were. Mothers watched babies and hung laundry, or cooked evening meals. Father’s returned home from hunting, or fishing, or perhaps trading with other villages. As night fell, and mothers called in their children, and babies were put to bed, and meals were eaten, not one being in the village had any idea of the doom enclosed in the darkness of the night.

Kerowyn was restless, what else was new. With Lindir the only one to keep her company, Elrohir still being in Mirkwood to help with a battle against spiders, and Elladan and Amber in Lorien, there was no one to run too when she and Lindir had a fight. Elenwe and Legolas were still in their kingdom, learning the benefits of ruling a land like Mirkwood, minus the spiders of course. Kerowyn turned back to the cradle in the corner of her daughter’s bedroom, where her newest child Linrin was fussing. She picked up the child and rubbed soothing circles on her back. Kerowyn could not help but look in her son’s eyes and feel a moment of melancholy when it was Lindir’s eyes that looked back at her. Dark and full of fury yet unleashed, who knew what those eyes could bring his world…tragedy? Kerowyn always played this game, when looking at her children. She predicted what would happen. With her twin daughters, Kerowyn saw a great many things, she saw them as powerful as the twins, perhaps as powerful as Luna was, and hopefully as skilled with a blade. Kerowyn sighed, and her eyes welled up with tears, it had been about two months since Luna’s death and funeral.

Flashback

“Come on Ker! You can do better!” came Luna’s cheerful voice. Kerowyn shook her head. She would never be as good at throwing daggers as Luna was. Luna was an assassin warrior, not the kind of warrior most elves could be. Kerowyn shook her head again, and took aim. She threw the dagger—

End flashback

“Ker?” came a voice form the doorway. It was Elrond. He stepped in and gently took the now sleeping bundle from Kerowyn arms and laid the child back in the cradle. Then he steered Kerowyn to a window seat. Kerowyn smiled shakily at him. “*Aspene me?” she (*forgive) asked him. He smiled.

“For what penneth?” he asked. “As far as I can tell, you have done nothing wrong.” He said.

“Yes…I can’t look at my daughter without being reminded of a fight Lindir and I had…or even thinking about Luna.” Kerowyn murmured. Elrond looked concerned.

“Kerowyn, it is normal, you are still grieving, and Lindir is not helping you any. He has yet to come to turn with his own grief. You mustn’t let that bother you.”

Kerowyn looked out the window. There was a human village…pretty far away, but close enough that elf eyes could see it. She watched as the lights in windows went out, and fires died, and smiled at the children being carried into homes with love. She smiled, and then shivered. There was a strange feeling upon the air here…almost like doom was on its way, and it was headed straight for the village over in the hills.

“Elrond…will you watch my children? I am going to go out for a while…” she asked.

“Of course, penneth, take the time you need, but be careful.” He nodded, and Kerowyn grabbed a cloak and ran out the door.

The mother’s and father’s and children were all asleep. There was no one stirring in the village. A lone figure was in the trees, with many other figures at its beckon and call. The figure smiled, and waved his arm. All at once other figures materialized. “It’s time” the figure hissed.

Kerowyn and her horse were going as fast as the horse could carry her. “Naro Lim!” she shouted to it. Something was happening she knew it. Her heart pounded faster and faster, and she still felt like she wasn’t going fast enough. She closed her eyes and prayed. “Valar, please, help me, let nothing happen until I am there!” she prayed.

Black figures scattered left and right, and were ready to attack. The leader gave the signal, and hell opened it’s doors. Screams filled the night as the figures attacked. There was flames and blood and noises. Children ran, and chaos reigned.

“No!” Kerowyn yelled. She was only a mile or so away, and she watched as the village was attacked. She tapped her horse in the ribs. “Naro Lim! Naro Lim!” she yelled. She had to get there; she could here the children scream. Within minutes she was there, at hell’s doorstep. She looked around and was already overwhelmed. She didn’t know where to start. Her body went onto auto-pilot, killing the black figures and helping those who needed it. She ran toward a home in flames. There was smoke, so much smoke, Kerowyn could hardly see. She looked around. “Is anyone here!” she yelled. A child’s scream echoed throughout the house. She ran around, blind, and covering her nose. “Where are you?!” she screamed. The child screamed again, and Kerowyn panicked. She searched blindly, praying to all the Valar. She finally found the child. He was stuck on a loose peg in the wall. Kerowyn blindly grasped and pulled at the child’s pant leg. She sighed when the fabric ripped and the child was free. She hurried him to the door, and shrieked. Her leg had gotten stuck in the floor. “Lelya! Go!” she yelled. The child did not hesitate. Kerowyn was stuck and was thankful that she managed to get the child out. Now there was the small matter of getting herself out of the house before she turned into ashes with it.

Elrond was worried. He could smell smoke and see flames, and he knew that Kerowyn was there. He didn’t know how he knew it, but he knew that she was there. He sent for Glorfindel and a few other soldiers. He gave them the command to go to the village in the hills…the one that was burning. He only hoped that they would arrive in time.

Kerowyn was getting desperate. She could see flames now, and she was still stuck. In desperation she cried out, “Luna! Help me!”

Glorfindel and the soldiers were getting close now, but unknown to them, Elenwe, Elrohir, Legolas, and Elladan, and Amber were all closing in on the village from the other side, no one knowing that Kerowyn was trapped inside a flaming house.

The leader of the black figures smiled. All was going according to plan, and the child was now theirs. That was why they had come. There was a gifted child here, one that the Lord Sauron wanted. Now they could go. The leader gave another signal and all the figures took off. The leader thought he heard something go whizzing by him, and he heard a shout. Protruding from the chest of one of the figures near him was an arrow. The leader didn’t stop; he had to get the child to Sauron.

Glorfindel and the soldiers converged into the village and met up with the twins, Amber, Elenwe and Legolas there to. None of the elves looked surprised to meet each other. There were many homes on fire and all of the gathered elves were trying to put them out.

Kerowyn was about to give up hope when the flames stopped. But whoever stopped the flames couldn’t see her in all the rubble. She was stuck up to her chest in the rubble, and the roof had collapsed sometime ago. Kerowyn whimpered. She felt like all had abandoned her. “Luna…” she whimpered. Kerowyn was ready to die…

Lindir came riding up to the village, it was early morning, and all the elves were still trying to put out the fires. Elenwe noticed him first. “Lindir…” she greeted him, and wiped some soot off her brow.

“Have you seen Kerowyn?” he asked Elenwe. She shook her head. “Elrond said she was seen riding here, and she is not in the Last Homely House!” Lindir yelled. “I don’t know where she is!” Elenwe looked worried.

“If she is here, we will find her!” she said, and continued to search through rubble looking for bodies.

“Kerowyn…” a voice floated to Kerowyn’s ears. “Kerowyn, you must wake up…” Kerowyn stirred. The voice was familiar. No…it couldn’t be. Kerowyn opened her eyes. Before her stood Luna, looking the same as she had many years ago.

“Luna…” Kerowyn croaked, unable to believe her eyes.

“Indeed, Mellon. It is I.” Luna knelt down next to Kerowyn. “I need you to listen to me. Do not give up hope. Think about your daughters, and Lindir. Think about our friends. They are already heart-broken over my death; do not make them mourn you as well.” Luna said, taking Kerowyn’s hand in hers. “Your daughters need a mother’s love, and your husband needs you. He is worried about you.”

Kerowyn nodded. Hope returned to her as Luna spoke. She could hear other voices, calling her name.

“Take my hand!” Luna instructed. Kerowyn did as she was told, and Luna started to pull Kerowyn up out of the rubble.

Elenwe and the others were searching very hard. “Kerowyn!” Elenwe shouted, cupping her hands around her mouth so she was louder. Elenwe walked over to a house and sat down on a piece of rubble. She wiped a tear from her eye. “Ker…where are you?” she asked.

Suddenly a white hand appeared before her. Someone was trying to break though the rubble. Elenwe shrieked and grabbed the hand, daring to hope. “Guy’s….help me!” Elenwe yelled. Amber, Elladan, and Legolas all came and pulled on the hand. Out came Kerowyn. The four knelt down beside her, and pulled her the rest of the way out of the rubble. Kerowyn opened her eyes. “Luna?” she whispered. Legolas and Elenwe exchanged glances. Elenwe quickly checked for injuries and was concerned when she saw purple spots on Kerowyn. She looked up at the other three worried faces. “We need to get her to the healing wings…now!”

Kerowyn felt herself being pulled out of the rubble by Luna. She felt herself break the surface. But when she opened her eyes, she did not see Luna anywhere. “Luna?” she croaked, and then all went black again.

Elenwe and Lindir were the ones elected to get Kerowyn back to Rivendell, the rest were going to stay behind and help put out the fires. Elenwe watched as the purple spots became purpler, and grew worried with each passing league. Finally the gates of Rivendell came in site. Elrond met them at the gate, looking more aged than he had looked recently. Elenwe dismounted and helped Lindir carry the litter to the healing wings. Elrond followed behind, occasionally speaking a word to a servant to get something. Finally they reached the healing wings and Elenwe and Lindir laid down their precious bundle. Elrond hurried over and looked at her injuries. HE breathed a sigh of relief. “The baby will be fine” he said after a few minutes. Lindir and Elenwe looked startled.

“Baby?!” They both exclaimed at the same time. Elrond chuckled.

“You didn’t know?” He said. But his face grew serious. “The baby is fine now but she may not be if we don’t help her now with her other injuries. “ Elenwe nodded, but Lindir paled. Elenwe smirked.

“No stomach, Lindir?” she asked in a sugary voice. Lindir missed the insult and fled the room. Elrond rolled his eyes and quickly gathered what he would need. Elenwe helped, and soon Sanariam walked in as well with another healer. She looked exhausted, and it took Elenwe a minute to realize that she had borne a child recently as well, and the child was incredibly fussy.

Elenwe nodded, and Sanariam hurried over to help. Within a few hours they had most of the injuries taken care of, all but the gash on her head. Just as Elrond finished bandaging it, Kerowyn woke up.

“Elrond?” She asked, bewildered. She looked around. “Elenwe…Sanariam?” She shook her head slightly. “I thought Luna was here.” Elenwe and Elrond exchanged glances.

“Luna pulled me out of the rubble. She should be here! Where is she?” Kerowyn cried, starting to sob. Elenwe felt her heart break.

“Don’t cry so Ker…or the child you are bearing will be born a sad baby.” Elenwe soothed, stroking Kerowyn’s brown hair.

Instead of calming Kerowyn down like Elenwe had hoped, Kerowyn only cried louder. Elenwe almost panicked. “What did I say?” She said hysterically.

“Lu-Luna said that to-to-to me once!!!” Kerowyn wailed. Elenwe could have kicked herself. Of course Luna would say something like that, it was an old MoonTong proverb. It was something the healers in Durbar had said once to a member of the Drow nobility…