Introduction - The World of Rómeniêl Arandil

To better understand Rómeniêl I'd like to give an introduction to her background. The following pieces of writing are solely for those who wish to know something of Tolkien's idea of who the Dúnedain are, who the rangers are and why relationships between Men and Elves are always slightly tragic.

Of the Elendili

This tale tells in short of the Elendili, to whom Rómeniêl belongs.

When the First Age of the Sun was ended and the power of Morgoth was broken, there remained but a remnant of the race of Men called the Edain, who were allies of the Elves in the terrible Wars of Beleriand. So the Valar took pity with those Edain, after the Great Battle were they had suffered badly and where their land was lost. So the Valar created an island in the Western Sea, set between Middle-Earth and the Undying Lands. Along with this land the remaining Edain were gifted with long life and greater powers of mind and body, along with many skills and knowledge that had only been granted to the Elves before. Being changed this way they were forth known as the Númenorians, for their land was called Númenor or Westernesse. But some even called it Andar "Land of the Gifts", Elenna "Land of the Star" or Atalante.

In the Second Age of the Sun the deeds of the Númenorians were great and outstanding. First of their kings was Elros, brother of Elrond, who had chosen a mortal life. Yet he ruled 400 years. The Númenorians sailed all over the world, even to the Gates of Morning in the East, but they weren’t allowed to sail West to the Undying Lands of Eldamar.

But though the people of Númenor prospered, a new darkness arose in Middle-Earth. the great servant of Morgoth, Sauron, had returned and many men in the South and Eastern Lands worshipped him. In this time falls the tale of the making of the Rings of Power and when Sauron made the One Ring. He covered all the land with darkness and battled the Elves and slew many of them. But the power of the Men of Númenor had grown and they came to the aid of the Elves and made war upon Sauron and he was drive West. For some time there was peace again, but the Númenrians became proud and wished to declare themselves Lords of Middle-Earth as well as lords of the sea. So close to the end of the Second Age they came to the land of Mordor, where Sauron dwelt and he could not withstand their forces. So he came from his tower and surrendered to the Númenoreans. He was made prisoner and bound in chains at the tower of the king of Númenor.

But Sauron proved to be a deceiver, his plan was to achieve by guile what he could not achieve by force. He had perceived the fatal flaw of pride and ambition, so he hoped to tempt them with his gifts of power. Sauron achieved his goal and corrupted the Númenorian king Ar-Phararzôn. He built temples for the Dark Lord and even sacrificed humans to him. The king’s followers that later survived the Downfall of Númenor were called the Black Númenoreans ever after and were dreaded all over the World. Only a small group of Númenorians remained loyal and faithful to their old ways.

Finally Sauron advised the king to make war upon the Valar and Eldar in the Undying Lands. Ar-Pharazôn sent out the greatest fleet ever seen in Middle-Earth, they even reached the Undying Lands but lay a doom on themselves by this. The Pelorí Mountains came down upon the king and his army and all the men of Númenor were last. The mountain in the middle of Númenor, the Meneltarma, from whom the Undying Lands could be seen, erupted and distroyed the island. Thus came the Change of the World. For still in the Second Age, the Undying Lands were set apart from the Cirlce of the World and moved beyond the reach of any but the Chosen, who travelled on Elven ships along the Straight Road.

Yet a part of the Númenoreans lived on. They were the last of the loyal and faithful. They followed Elendil, and were called the "Elendili" - "The Faithfull" - because they were never corrupted by Sauron and had refused to abandon the ancient ways of the Eldar and Valar. They came to Middle-Earth in nine ships and made the two mighty kingdoms of Arnor and Gondor.


If we speak of the Dúnedain in the Third Age, we mean the remainants of the Númenareans in Middle-Earth, but most often meaning the Elendili.

Rangers

Best known of Human Rangers in Middle-Earth were the Rangers of Ithilien and the Rangers of the North. They are distinct in appearance and both are mentioned in “The Lord of the Rings”.

Rómeniêl grew up to serve her king, which is Aragorn. She actually is an “Arandil”- a king’s friend – which is a term used by Tolkien, but I took the liberty of making it a title for the family she hails from.

She joined the Rangers of the North in her teens, despite her father’s wish. She does not always resemble those rangers anymore, though of their ranks and being one of their highly honoured Captains.

Rangers of the North

The lands of Eriodor were secretly protected by the Rangers of the North in the Third Age of the Sun. Those Rangers were most often men, mostly grey-eyed and dark-haired and grim-faced. They were clothed in cloaks of green and grey, with clasps of silver stars, armed with sword and spear and wearing long leather boots.

Most common folks in Eriador just called them Rangers and thought them unfriendly, strange people, for they often wandered silently all over Eriador on foot or on strange shaggy horses. Most common folk did not know were those Rangers came from and whence they went.

Only few knew that the Rangers were the last remaining knights and nobles of the Dúnedain of Arnor and that their chieftain was the High Dúnedain king.In the years before and after the War of The Ring that was Aragorn, son of Arathorn, who as a Ranger was called Strider.

Rangers of Ithilien

Also in the Third Age of the Sun there was a brotherhood of Rangers formed under the Stewart of Gondor. Those were called the Rangers of Ithilien.

These were knights of Gondor, dressed in green and fighting with swords, spear and bow. They were less often abroad and less feared for it was known that they were knights of Gondor.


Their greatest dwelling were the hidden caves and tunnels behind a waterfall overlooking the Vales of Anduin, at Henneth Annûn.

Of Elwing and Earendil - or: Love Between Men and Elves

One of the most thrilling love stories that Tolkien invented and that is rarely ever known is the story of Elwing and Earendil. Funny thing is, that it seems that all the great love stories can be found in the families deriving from Thingol's (Elwe Singollo) and Melian the Maiar's family.  The climax to those love stories is found in the "Lord of the Rings" with the Union of Arwen and Aragorn.

Elwing the White was princess of Doriath and daughter of King Dior (son of Beren and Luthien) and Queen Nimloth of Doriath. Being the only one to survive the assault of Menegroth she inherited one of the Silmarils -the one that Beren had taken from Melkor's crown.

Being pursuit by the sons of Feanor she found refuge in the Haven of Arvernien, where she met and married Earendil the Mariner and gave birth to her sons: Elrond and Elros. But the Noldor learned that the Silmaril was with her and thus attacked again. Seeing no other option to safe her sons, she threw herself into the sea with the Silmaril. Ulmo the Lord of Waters intervened and changed her into a white seabird, carrying the Silmaril in her beak to fly across the Ocean to find her husband.

With him she found a way to pass through the Shadowy Sea to the Undying Lands. The Valar could not decide if they allowed Earendil and Elwing to set foot upon the land for it was not allowed for mortals to set foot there. The reason for that is that Illuvatar has set the fate of his Children apart.

But Earendil was son of Tuor, a mortal Man, and Idril of Gondolin, an Elven Lady - thus he was Half-Elven. Elwing had mortal blood, as well as that of a Maiar and an Elf in her, so she was counted as immortal. The Valar impressed by the faith and courage of the couple allowed them to speak before them, but setting a doom upon Earendil.

Elwing begged the Valar to help Middle-Earth and the remaining Edain, so they intervened with the fate of Middle-Earth set out an army of Valar and Maiar, along with the Elves of Eldamar to help against the Dark Forces. In that battle Earendil fought on his ship Vingilot with the Silmaril bound to his brow, giving his ship the ability to fly. So he could overcome Ancalagon, the greatest of all dragons.

As a reward Earendil was allowed to lead the surviving of the Edain, Mortal Men that had fought against the Dark Lord, to Númenor. But Earendil having stepped unto the Undying Lands was bound to his ship Vingilot and destined to sail the firmament. From now on called the Evening Star and "the flame of the west" -ever carrying the Silmaril on his brow to shine down from the night sky.

Elwing herself, being of immortal rather than mortal blood, was allowed to reside in Eldamar. There she made her home in a tower on the nothern coast, and each night as Earendil's ship draws near the western horizon, turns into a white bird flying to greet and join with her husband.

The fate of their children was sealed by those two reaching Valinor, because the Valar decided that there should never be any who could step upon Valinor not being of Elfkind. Thus the sons of Earendil and Elwing had to decide as with what kindred they would live. Elrond (father of Arwen) decided for the life of an Elf, later founding Rivendell. Elros (ancestor of Aragorn), choose a mortal life and became the first ruling king of Númenor. Not all his offspring are accounted in the Silmarillion, just those that actually took over the throne.

Thus the Valar laid a doom on any that choose to mingle the blood of Elves and Men, that the immortal Elves would have to choose a mortal life if they married Men.