Bon(e)fire by Fuin  

Bon(e)fire

They sit side by side on a log by the fire in the center of the camp. Above them, the ruby-red banners bearing Fëanor's eight-pointed star move languidly in a gentle breeze. The air is thick with a hundred scents: smoke and roasted meat, leather and weapon oil, sweat and horse dung, interwoven with the fragrance of the pine forests of Dorthonion, now freed.

"In my old home, we lit great fires on midsummer nights," says the mortal man, who had drunk just enough apple-spirit to make him speak Sindarin well-nigh without an accent, while not making his deep voice slur. "The many clans of my people came together, old friendships were renewed and new ones were made. Oh yes, and then we danced around the fire all night long! And how we danced!" He tears the last piece of meat from the bone with his teeth and laughs. Fat drips into his beard and makes his fingers glisten. "For the feast, there was so much meat and bread and ale that we feasted upon them for a whole week after! And the bones of the slaughtered cattle we cast into the bonfire. The smoke wards off misfortune and appeases evil spirits! But special luck – special luck it brought us, when our hunters had slain great and terrible beasts: The elders still talk of the year in which the bones of the Dread-bear burned!"

From afar, the melody of a song rises. It is too far off to hear the words, but Caranthir knows them deeply.

They tell of courage in the face of darkness.

Of hope when the night is at her deepest.

Of light that shines in the black, untainted.

The song plants itself into the hearts of Elves and Men alike, like a seed that will sprout in the blood of the coming battle. Bringing courage and hope and light when they are in peril of faltering.

"A good custom," says Caranthir, gazing solemnly into the flames for a while. He remembers sitting by a similar fire with another mortal, speaking of the same matters. It has been a long time, by their reckoning. Word had reached him that she died of old age, but in his memory she is as young as she was on that eve. But he speaks not of that, telling rather of a past that is gone even longer:

"In my old home no night did we know such as we know here, and for long we deemed misfortune could never reach us. But we did celebrate the turning of the seasons and many other things out of pure joy. – There will be a great feast when the Enemy is cast down, my friend. You shall see the light that shone upon the Eldar's days of bliss! And then, Beleriand shall be as Valinor was of old; sorrow shall be overcome and you shall celebrate for joy's own sake."

Within him, a flame of grim determination blazes, as it does before the onset of any battle. But this time, there is something more, this time, there is the premonition of a turning-point: This will be their last battle against Morgoth, and their war will be brought to its end. 

"But first, Elven-lord, comes Midsummer Day and when it ends, our fallen foes will burn, and such as still are able shall flee before our fires!" Uldor smiles and fine lines crease the weather-beaten skin around his eyes. He pours them both more apple-spirit. "To victory!"

"To victory!" replies Caranthir, and raises his cup.

He catches himself smiling as well.

*

* * *

*

Seven days later, Uldor's dagger plunges into Caranthir's back.

His breath escapes him with a startled gasp. When pain and bitter realization reach him a moment later, there is not enough air in his lungs even to cry out.

On the horizon he only just beholds Dragon-fire erupt in a blazing light before his knees give way. 

The question whether the burning bones of the Eldar will bring luck to Uldor's people pierces his thoughts like a blade.

Then comes the night. 

Chapter End Notes

AI transparency: I used Gemini to correct spelling, grammar and tone after I translated my fic from German. I did not use AI for creating the original text except for minor grammar questions. – I would love to have a human beta-reader, contact me, if you're interested :)

German original can be found here: https://www.fanfiktion.de/s/d/6a2f3c320000bb3d338c8dc5/Knochenfeuer