Prompt 2: Family
The memories that feel the most trustworthy, tell me that my mother was of the stone elves, the word used by a writer was Noldor. She was tall with grey eyes and hair as black as the darkness between stars. I don't remember her voice. She smelled like sweetbread. My father was quiet. He worked with wood, knowing how to take from the great trees without killing them, cutting them but leaving them able to regrow and restore themselves. He hated war, but never blamed my mother for it and chose to live with her kin because of her love of them and loyalty. She had come across the Ice I think. Strange when so few women of any clan came across, but it feels as if she did so, that she told me of this as a child or perhaps she was given birth to along the way. I feel as if my father had black eyes, but they must have been only a very dark grey, since I think the Sinda were almost all dark of hair and grey eyed, I cannot think of any of those who never crossed the sea that would have had dark eyes and pale hair, as my memory seems to say he was. But then my memories are only small glimpses, and over time everything can warp and be uncertain.
My second brother was taller than myself, golden hair and fair of face, with a sadness to his eyes that never matched the sunlight of his smile. Our little brother, just as tall, pale with dark hair, like our mother with our fathers dark eyes, more terrible in his vengeance on the Enemy than we ever could be. It was a strange difference, so youthful and innocent, but as cold as starlight when in battle. He was blessed to appear so much like those who had never crossed the sea, for when Quendi were still a power the Enemy loathed and feared, we had many prejudices even among ourselves.
I do not remember having children. I remember not knowing I had brothers until I was sent with others to reinforce or find survivors of my mother's village, and finding them in a burned out watchtower. My nieces and nephews, carrying them around as babes. But no memory of my own children, if I had any. No wife. I have no memory of any family my father might have had, if he had any they must have all been dead or broken with him for wedding one of the Noldor. Of my mother, I remember only tall dark men in armor, tired adults with the smell of smoke and ash, of her helping the Lady of the lands who I think was kin of hers with bread making and the lembas. I recall one who my mother told me was one of her kin, who would come to visit and was the most beautiful of the eldar I would ever remember, but not for fairness of face, his soul seemed to shine through his hroa. He was a genuinely good person, and he was nice to me. His hair was gold, and he used a black wood clasp to hold it back. I do not mean to somehow metaphorically give him a saintly aura, but even among quendi it was not often you found one who was able to easily smile and somehow find a way to make others feel better about everything, as if somehow it would all be alright. I would say he was not perfect, but he was very good at making an effort.