Here are fragments and pieces of the story of Amroth, King of the Elves in Lorien, and Nimrodel. Most of the events take place around 1981 Third Age, just after the Dwarves awoke the Balrog and Moria fell. This disaster played into the story of the Elves.
Amdir, possibly Amroth's father (Celeborn and Galadriel may also have been Amroth's parents), was killed in the Battle of Dagorlad during the Last Alliance at the end of the Second Age. Amroth became King of the Elves in Lorien and patterned his cities in the manner of the Silvan Elves, living high flets among the trees; earning him the name 'high climber'. "This he did because of his love for Nimrodel. For long years he had loved her, and taken no wife, since she would not wed with him" (p. 240, Unfinished Tales).
Nimrodel loved Amroth, however, her people did not think highly of the Elves from the West who had brought many wars with them upon their return to Middle-earth. Even after the Silvan tongue ceased to be used in Lorien she still spoke her native tongue by the River Nimrodel, to whom she gave her name. "But when the terror came out of Moria and the Dwarves were driven out, and in their stead Orcs crept in, she fled distraught alone south into empty lands [in the year 1981 of the Third Age]" (p. 241, Unfinished Tales). Amroth pursued her and found her near Fanghorn forest. "She dared not enter the wood, for the trees, she said, menaced her, and some moved to bar her way" (p. 241, Unfinished Tales).
There Nimrodel decided to give herself in marriage to Amroth but not before he brought her into a land of peace. Amroth knowing that could not be found in Middle-earth spoke to her about the Valar and Blessed Land and how a remnant of Elves in the South still built ships to pass over the Great Sea. "Amroth vowed that for her sake he would leave his people, even in their time of need, and with her seek for such a land" (p. 241, Unfinished Tales). I think it is interesting that for love Amroth would shirk all responsibility to his people. I suppose love can make us do crazy things.
Their journey took place during the reign of King Earnil II of Gondor (he reigned from 1945-2043 Third Age). Little is told of the journey but they became separated and Amroth looked for Nimrodel in vain. Finally he made his way to the Elf-haven, in Belfalas, and found only one sea-worthy vessel and a few Elves ready to depart."They welcomed Amroth, being glad to strengthen their small company; but they were unwilling to await Nimrodel, whose coming seemed to them now beyond hope" (p. 241, Unfinished Tales).
Yet Amroth was distraught and for his grief the Elves tarried. "Then in the autumn there came a great night of storm, one of the fiercest in the annals of Gondor" (p. 242, Unfinished Tales). It ripped the Elvish ship from its moorings and swept it out to sea. Though it was never seen in Middle-earth again it was built for the Great Journey and almost certainly made it to the Blessed Realm. Yet Amroth did not complete that journey. He slept during the storm and awoke to great anguish being far from shore.
"Crying aloud in despair Nimrodel! he dove into the sea and swam toward the fading shore. The mariners with their Elvish sight for a long time could see him battling with the waves, until the rising sun gleamed through the clouds and far off lit his bright hair like a spark of gold. No eyes of Elves or Men ever saw him again in Middle-earth. Of what befell Nimrodel nothing is said here, though there were many legends concerning her fate" (p. 242, Unfinished Tales).
It would seem that somehow Nimrodel and Amroth were separated in the White Mountains. Some legends say she was alone and others, more probably, that she had some of her Elvish maidens with her. It is said that, in despair, she stopped by a river that reminded her of Nimrodel in Lorien. "There she fell into a deep sleep of weariness, and so long she slept that she did not come down into Belfalas until Amroth's ship had been blown out to sea, and he was lost trying to swim back to Belfalas. This legend was well known in the Dor-en-Ernil (the Land of the Prince), and no doubt the name was given in memory of it" (p. 243, Unfinished Tales).
Indeed, during the days of the War of the Ring at the end of the Third Age folk from Dol Amroth, led by their Prince, aided the King. "The legend of the prince's line was that one of their earliest fathers had wedded an Elf-maiden: in some versions it was indeed (evidently improbably) said to have been Nimrodel herself. In other tales, more probably, it was one of Nimrodel's companions who was lost in the upper mountain glens" (p. 248, Unfinished Tales). In fact the line was traced back to the first Lord of Dol Amroth, Galador, who took Mithrellas an Elven-lady as wife. She would have been of the lesser Silvan race, not the High Elves, who had been to the Blessed Land, but nonetheless it is clear that the Men of Dol Amroth had Elvish blood mixed with theirs.
Meanwhile, Lorien was left without a ruler since Amroth deserted his people and was lost at sea. "Celeborn and Galadriel returned to Lorien, and were welcomed by the people. There they dwelt while the Third Age lasted, but they took no title of King or Queen; for they said that they were only guardians of this small but fair realm, the last eastward outpost of the Elves" (p. 245, Unfinished Tales). Indeed, by the guardianship of Celeborn and Galadriel Lorien remained unspoiled by the upcoming events of the Third Age, including the War of the Ring. "In her wisdom Galadriel saw that Lorien would be a stronghold and point of power to prevent the Shadow from crossing the Anduin in the war that must inevitably come before it was again defeated (if that were possible); but that it needed a rule of greater strength and wisdom than the Silvan folks possessed" (p. 245, Unfinished Tales).
I particularly enjoyed this legend. How the fates of the people's of Middle-earth, though different races, are intertwined as it is in our world. The Dwarves awakening of the Balrog created a domino effect in the lives of Amroth and Nimrodel. Amroth perished allowing Galadriel to take up the governing of Lorien which would be a strategic location for years to come. Nimrodel, or at the very least one of her maidens, married a man beginning the folk of Dol Amroth--whom will be referenced in The Lord of the Rings stories (but was cut out of the movie interpretation).
Middle-earth timeline: Third Age, 1981
Today's reading comes from: Unfinished Tales, pages 240-243; 248; and 245
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