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Princess of the Noldor, Lady Anairë.

Anairë was born and raised in Tirion-upon-Túna, one of two children. Through her family’s work selling wares in the city she became acquainted with Prince Nolofinwë Arakáno, though it was many years between their original meeting and the start of their courtship. Allegedly, the Trees mingled their lights twenty-eight times between Nolofinwë’s proposal and when Anairë gave her answer. Queen Indis believed Anairë might have a moderating effect on her occasionally impulsive oldest son.

The last of the three to marry one of Finwë’s children, Anairë was always deliberate and thoughtful in word and action, never rash or hasty. Preferring to sit and listen in conversation, her friendship with the talkative Eärwen seemed to serve both their needs perfectly. Their two houses eventually became so close they were virtually one, and Anairë often found more than her own four children at the dinner table.

The departure of Nolofinwë and her descendants grieved her greatly, but she would not shift from her decision to remain in Valinor. To the present day, she keeps one of Nolofinwë’s earrings, which he gave to her as a memento at his departure, in her jewelry box.

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Princess of Greenwood the Great, queen of Mirkwood, defender of the realm, Lady Niwë.

Talented both with a blade and with figures, and with a fierce sense of justice, Niwë cut a formidable figure. Early in the Second Age she grew close with the only child of King Oropher. When they were wed, she took the title “princess of Greenwood the Great.” For a time she, Thranduil, and Oropher lived in joy, and shared as much of that with their kingdom as they were able, but their family splintered apart during the War of the Last Alliance when Oropher was killed.

Thranduil and Niwë did their best to mend the wounds of the Greenwood, but their devastating losses in Mordor made it impossible to continue to defend their borders and parts of the kingdom fell into shadow. On a scouting mission to investigate suspected Orc activity in Gundabad, Niwë’s team was ambushed, and she held the line so the others could escape.

In his private notes, Thranduil said of this day: The sun has gone from the sky.

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