Lost Texts: Lament for Edhelion

Her gates were bright as braided gold
Her walls the stars’ light did reflect
An age’s lore her heart did hold;
Such was her duty to protect.

Ai, Edhelion, that place!
She harboured safe the Elven race.

Her people gathered living wood
With which to craft each ship of white;
In Mithlond’s bay the vessels stood
And broke the calling seabird’s flight.

In sunlit glades round haven’s stone
There lay the many vineyards fair;
The finest fruits were in them sown
To make a nectar sweet to share.

Ai, Edhelion! Alas!
Her gentle bliss was not to last.

He sought to break the bonds of death,
A dour-handed Dwarven Lord;
With heart as cold as mountain’s breath
He gathered then his shadowed horde.

With goblin spear and mace of troll
Did Skorgrím come to haven’s gate;
Her lore he thought would save his soul
From that which is the mortal fate.

Ai, Edhelion, that name!
But in the dawn-break Skorgrím came.

And in her heart, the archive lay
Defended by one Elf alone:
Brave Talagan, who vowed to stay
Till death would take him for its own.

Ai, Edhelion! Such pain;
Her lifeblood every stone did stain.

Then Skorgrím came to haven’s heart
And bade her master stand aside;
But Talagan caused stone to part,
And Elf and Dwarf together died.

A refuge thus a tomb became,
And from that place the light has gone.
Now sorrow echoes from its name:
The ruins of Edhelion.

Ai, Edhelion! It lies
As shadow on immortal eyes.