 | |
|---|---|
| Valaina | |
| Noldo | |
| Biographical Information | |
| Other names | Eruanna Estelonwë ( child of Hope ) |
| Titles | Princess of Ailinosto |
| Location | Ailinosto |
| Affiliation | Noldor and Teleri |
| Language | Sindarin and Quenyan |
| Birth | TA 60 Ailinosto |
| Rule | Princess of Ailinosto |
| Death | TA 567 (aged 507) Dargolad |
| Notable for | Her happiness and peace ideas |
| Family | |
| House | House of Vaeril |
| Parentage | Vaeril and Caladwen |
| Siblings | Vehiron, Maethoriel, Maidhion, Maldor and Manwë |
| Spouse | None ( was fianced to Elladan ) |
| Children | None |
| Physical Description | |
| Gender | Female |
| Hair color | Blond |
| Eye color | Blue |
| Weaponry | Bows and swords |
Valaina was the second child of Caladwen and Vaeril , born in TA 60 in Ailinosto. She was supposed to rule Ailinosto after the death of her brother but was killed before him in TA 567 in Dargolad.
Biography
Early life
Valaina was born in TA 60 in Ailinosto. She was supposed to be stillborn because of her health. Her first name was supposed to be Eruanna, but after her death she strangely relived and was called Valaina by her people to remind a divinity. Her second name was immediatly Estelonwë, or Child of Hope. Valaina grew in her fathers pain because of his visions of their future and tried to comfort herself by reading books or spending time with her brother Vehiron , living in the same shadow. In TA 75, she was send away to Rivendell to do her military service among Noldor elves. There, she developped a strong relationship with Celebrian and Elrond who almost treated her as their own daughter.
Valaina during her young days
Nevertheless, in TA 125, Valaina came back to her homeland after a letter from her parents telling her that she will be married to Legolas Greenleaf during the next century if her mother will not give birth to a girl. Valaina disliked Legolas' behaviour and developped strong feelings toward elves of Rivendell. She grew a found relationship with Elladan , son of Elrond, during more than fifty years and watched him growing up. She loved to spend time with him and teaching him some fighting techniques before heading back to her homeland.
Marriage and troubles
Valaina refused the union with Legolas, which forced her father to arrange a wedding himself. Vaeril forced Valaina to accept the union even in front of Thranduil who disaprooved this, knowing that the lady was not able to handdle such responsability of being the future Princess of Mirkwood. Even Legolas refused the wedding, which made Vaeril feel annoyed and being more rude with his daughter so she would do the first step in their union. Nevertheless, Valaina was reluctant and was forced to leave Ailinosto for Lothlorien where she found help from Galadriel and Celeborn who gently offered her time and compassion until the announcement of the birth of her sister Maethoriel in TA 240. Valaina was then left by her father who concentrated his hopes on her little sister.
Valaina presented to Thranduil and Legolas
She took a due care of her, learning her how to read and write and kept her away from peoples eyes to hide her. Valaina showed great interest in raising children and often told this to Elladan who was quite doubtfull in front of her desires.
After Maidhion and Maldors birth, Valaina was kept in the palace to watch over her brothers. She was recognized like to be their " second mother " because of Caladwens responsabilities. Later on, when her mother left to Lothlorien because of her sister and of her father, Valaina was the one who raises her brothers all alone, giving some rights to Vehiron to train them in fightings and Maethoriel to teach them how to use a bow. Valaina was very close to her brothers and sister, she refused them to go away from Ailinosto for a long time. During an official visit of Elrond and his family, she officialized her relationship with Elladan who was considered like to be her prospective husband. Valainas happiness was shown in the whole Middle Earth. Also, during great meetings between elves and dwares, Valaina was shown as a child of peace and a very elegant young lady who was spending her time to take care of guests.
Interests and dreams
Valaina had a very special relationship with Maethoriel. She loved her more than like a sister, considering that she saved her from her wedding with Legolas. She loved her sister even more than anything else also because Maethoriel was the only sister she had. Both are very close to each other, Maethoriel even confess that she is not able to live without Valainas help and advices.
Maethoriel and Valaina in front of a dragon figure
Valaina magnifested very big interests in figures and shared it with all members of her family who were offering her several figures of mysticall creatures such as dragons. Valaina told them that it was to discover other anatomies without having to travel around the whole Middle Earth to search for it. She shares her interests with her younger brothers who find a way to developp their skills in anatomy by their sisters help. Valaina wished to travel around Middle Earth all alone, but the etiquette orders her to stay in Ailinosto. She was forced to rule a small part of her city with her brother while her younger siblings had the right to travel around. During the Military Service of Maidhion and Maldor, she asked them to travel anywhere they can to bring her many things so she would think that she traveled herself.
Knowing that if she gets married with Elladan, she will be free from her etiquette, Valaina urged to start procedures with Elrond and Celebrian without telling anything to her father. However, Vaeril learned everything from Elrond who thought that the Waterfalls king knew everything about their possible union. Vaeril refused the procedures of Valainas wedding, which forced Galadriel to take part in the conflict by telling him that, among elves, Valaina has the right to marry the man she loves without her fathers agreement. Caladwen supported her adoptive mothers speech and told Vaeril that Valaina was able to do whatever she wanted to do. Vaeril refused everything and kept his daughter in Ailinosto for years before leaving her a bit behind after the birth of Manwë. Valaina inspired Maethoriel for her rebelious ideas of freedom and her desires to throw the etiquette away. She finaly obtained the right to travel to Lothlorien for a couple of months and was comforted by Celeborn who offered her to officialize her union with his grandson. Valaina accepted and choosed to become Elladans fiancée at the end of TA 526.
Lanthir Auth and death
Valaina choosed to become Elladans fiancée before Lanthir Auth, claiming that she would come back to her land without any troubles. After Manwës disparition, she became very rude toward people from the court and claimed that it was their fault is her youngest brother was not a part of them anymore. Elladan tried to comfort her as he can. However, Valaina left him to Dargolad. On the Battle Field, her elite was lead to Emyn Muil with her fathers elites. Even during the battles, shes tried to take care of her brothers who were next to her until being taken away to Mordor before her mothers death. With her Elite, Valaina stands on high rocks to protect her soldiers. As she saw that her father was wounded, Valaina urged to go down but is shot by an orc and died in her sisters arms. This enraged her father who did not accept his daughters death and fought until his last breathe for Caladwen and Valaina. During the burial, Elladan mourned his loves death by wearing the necklace she gave him before leaving. Elladan choosed to remain unmaried for the rest of his life, claiming that Valaina was the only one he loved.
Trivia
- Valainas name is derived from the word " Valar ". People treated her like a divinity during her whole life.
- Vehiron and Valaina have one of the smalest age gap among elvish non twins of Middle Earth ( 20 years )
- Maethoriel was very loved by Valaina because she " saved " her from a forced marriage with the one she did not love.
- Valaina and Elladan were fianced, but their marriage was broken by her death in Emyn Muil.