Death of Morwen and the civil rebellion of Brethil

These two stories are too tight nit together to be separated

First age 500

After 28 years of imprisoning, and one year after the death of Turin, Hurin was released from Angband, to suit the purpose of Morgoth. Hurin was then 60 years old but great strength was still in him and no man who had known him in his youth could mistake him even his hair and beard had grown long and white. He walked unbowed with a great black staff, girded with his sword and a fell look was in his eyes.
Hurin was escorted to the East-marches of Hithlum and there set free, the Easterlings in Hithlum were dismayed, they have already been reported that the Lord Hurin had returned and they feared their master had once more proven faithless and it was now their turn to be enslaved. Therefore the chieftains of the Easterlings dared not to lay hands on Hurin, and they let him walk at will. Hurin`s own people shunned him because of his coming from Angband as one in league and honor with Morgoth. The freedom increased the bitterness of Hurin`s heart, all the following that he gathered was a small company of homeless and outlaws that lurked in the hills. The leader of the outlaws was Asgorn and one of the others were Ragnir. From these men Hurin learned of Turin`s deeds in Brodda`s hall and Hurin decided to leave the land of Hithlum, and not try to gain his Lordship back. He therefore with Asgorn and Ragnir and five other brave men went to the halls of Lorgan who called himself the Lord of Hithlum and told him of his decision. But Lorgan did not trust Hurin and he dogged Hurin`s footsteps and did not leave his trail until he and his companions went up into the mountains.

When Hurin stood on the high places he descried the peaks of Crissaegrim and he remembered Turgon and his heart desired to come again to the hidden realm, for there, at least he would be remembered with honor. But he knew not that Turgon had hardened his heart against wisdom and pity and allowed no-one to enter or to go forth for any case whatsoever.
Hurin resolved to turn his step towards the Crissaegrim but he said nothing to his companions, for he was still bound by oath to reveal to no-one that he knew even in what region Turgon abode, so Hurin said to the men " We must leave this land now for Lorgan will leave us in peace no longer. Let us go down into the vales of Sirion"
Ascorn then lead them to one of the ancient passes that led East out of the mountains into the Narrow Land between the mountains of Hithlum and Crissaegrim. Now they went with great weariness for Hurin put little trust in the freedom that Morgoth had granted him, and this was right for Morgoth had news of all their movements and they where followed and watched; yet with such cunning that they seldom got wind of it.
At length they came to the Ford of Britiach where Hurin wanted to rest for the night and then go to Brethil, the land where his son Turin and daughter Nienor died, but during the night when all were asleep, Hurin left them while the others slumbered and he crossed the Ford of Britiach.

The death of Morwen

Now Hurin, coming into Dimbar, summoned his strength and went alone towards the dark feet's of the Echoriath, the land was cold and desolate and when at last it rose steeply before him, and he could see no way to go further, he halted and looked about him in little hope.
He stood at the foot of great fall of stone beneath a sheer rock-wall but did not know that this was all that was left to see of the old Way of Escape. The Dry River was blocked and the arched gate was buried. Then Hurin looked up in the grey sky, thinking he might once more descry the eagles as he had done long ago in his youth, but he saw only the shadows blown from the East and clouds swirling about the inaccessible peaks, and in despair before the stern silence of the Echoriath and the Western sun piercing the clouds, staining his white hair with red, he cried aloud in the wilderness with wide spread arms standing on a great rock towards Gondolin "Hard as the hearts of Elves and Men, Turgon, Turgon! Remember the fen of Serech! Turgon! Hurin calls you. Oh Turgon, will you not hear in your hidden Halls!?"
But there came no answer and all he heard was wind in the grass. As the sun went behind the Mountains of Shadow a darkness fell about him, the wind ceased and there was silence in the waste. Hurin fell asleep, into a deep sleep of grief, where he heard the voice of Morwen lamenting and often she spoke his name and it seemed to him it came from Brethil, therefore, when he awoke at the coming of day, he arose and returned to the ford and went along the eaves of Brethil. The sentinels of Brethil saw him but they were filled with dread, so that they did not dare to move or cry out, for they thought they saw a ghost out of some old battle-mound that walked with darkness about it

But Hurin passed on and on the sixth day he came at last to the place of the burning of Glaurung. There he saw the tall Standing Stone standing near the brink of Cabed Naeramarth. Hurin did not look at the stone, he already knew what was written on it and he knew he was not here alone. Sitting in the shadow of the stone there was some homeless wanderer, broken with age it seemed, to wayworn to heed his coming. Hurin stood there silent and at length the wanderer casted back the tattered hood and lifted up the face. Morwen it was, sharpnosed with broken teeth and grey, with a lean hand she clawed at the cloak upon her breast but when her eyes looked into his Hurin knew her, for though they were wild and full of fear a light still gleamed in them, the Elven light that long ago had earned her name, Eledwen : Elfsheen.
Hurin cried out and she rose and stumbled forward into his arms "You came at last, I have waited too long" she said. "It was a dark road, I came as I could" he answered" But you are late, too late, they are lost"
"I know but you are not" "Almost" she said "I am spent utterly. I shall go with the sun. They are lost and little time is left, if you know, tell me! How did she find him ?"
But Hurin did not answer, and he sat beside the stone with Morwen in his arms; and they did not speak again. The sun went down, and Morwen sighed and clasped his hand and was still; and Hurin knew she had died.

So passed Morwen the proud and fair.

Hurin arose and lifted Morwen up but it was beyond his strength to bear her, he was hungry and old and weary, and he laid her down again beside the Standing Stone "Lie here a little longer Eledwen until I return" and he stumbled away and came back towards the Ford of Teiglin and fell beside the hill Haud-an-Elleth and there a darkness overcame him and he lay drowned as in sleep.

The outlaws.

In the time between the leaving of the company and the death of Morwen, Asgorn and his outlaws turned towards Brethil, knowing Hurin would seek that people for he had said he had an errand there. During the next night the outlaws were found and captured by the march-wardens of Brethil and brought before Ebor their captain. They were blindfolded and brought to Obel Halad were Hardang, the Haladin and the seventh Lord of Brethil, was to judge them.

Hardang was not friendly minded towards people of Hithlum, he well remembered the time when Turin had lived among them and his slaying of Brandir, but due to the fact that Turin also had delivered the land from Glaurung, he spared the lives of the outlaws and instead trusted them out of Brethil without weapons or food. As they were haled from the hall Asgorn cried in anger that this was a deed of Orcs and they did not serve Turin but Hurin, right lord of Hithlum, and that he was in Brethil seeking the people and the Haladin of the land. By these words Hardang`s face whitened and fear came into his heart for he was not a man of great spirit.

At the borders, Ebor, despite the words of his Lord, returned to the outlaws their weapons and gear for he was ill pleased with what has happened at Obel Halad. His kin and family still held their friendship and akin with the Edains of Hithlum in honor and remembered the deeds of those people in the Battle of Unnumbered Tears.

Hurin is found

In the morning before the light had recalled Hurin he was found by guards that Hardang had commanded to keep special watch at that place. Those men were Sagroth, Forhend, Manthor and Avranc the son of Dorlas. The commander of this watch was Manthor, older brother of Ebor.
The first to see Hurin was Sagroth and he looked at Hurin in wonder and was afraid because he knew who this man was and that the tale of the outlaws was true.
"As ever you find trouble Sagroth, The Halad will not be pleased with such findings, maybe he would be better pleased to hear that we had stopped trouble at the border, trust it out or end its life here" was the suggestion of Avranc.
" Shame on you" cried Manthor their captain " Haven't you heard of the deeds of Hurin of Hithlum, or did you just take them for fireside fables, to slay him in his sleep is your counsel. Indeed the shadow have fallen upon hearts of men as the power of Morgoth spreads far and wide. Out of hell comes that thought "

As they spoke Hurin awoke and when Manthor would give him food Hurin denied it but asked to be lead to Manthor`s Haladin. Manthor commanded his men to keep up their watch while he himself lead Hurin towards Obel Halad. As they, in time, reached Obel Halad and entered it became known to them that Avranc had left his duty and broken the command of Manthor. He had sped before them and told Hardang of the coming of Hurin and thus Hardang were ready. As Manthor and Hurin entered the hall an unfriendly welcome was given to Hurin. Prisoner was Hurin called and Harding did not greed him and no chair or food was he offered but at the asking of Manthor Hardang bided for a stool to Hurin and he scorned Hurin.

But Hurin suddenly rose to his feet and he casted the stool so it smote the forehead of Hardang and called him scorner of grey-hairs, starver of wanderers and Master reed of the Bog and he turned to leave the hall but Avranc ran before him and stopped him and he was imprisoned in a cave.

When the news came to the ear of the people of Brethil they were divided, many were followers of Hardang and some listened to the lies of Avranc but others who still held Hurin and the house of Hador in ave took the party of Hurin and among those were the family and kin of Manthor.

At the trial in the Moot-ring Manthor spoke wisely on behalf of Hurin, of the words of Avranc about putting Hurin to death as it would please the Haladin and of the grief of Hurin and the scorning of him and of drugging his food while he was in prison and of the kinship between the peoples of Brethil and the House of Hador and how some in Brethil seemed to have fallen into darkness. And he spoke of deeds of Hurin and his kin in battles and the fact that these deeds were now why Brethil was still free and he spoke of why only two men of Brethil have had the courage of aiding Hurin`s son while he fought Glaurung and how it came to pass that an old aged man were not to seek the graves of his children and why no one had aided his wife in her peril while she was still alive but instead she was trusted out with no food or fire to starve to death. And Manthor asked why it seemed so strange that this old man were angered towards Hardang their Haladin.

At this point Hurin arose and he accused Hardang of the death of his wife in like manners that he would have treated Hurin himself and he asked the people of Brethil if this was the Haladin they had chosen to lead them and if it was their wish to continue following his command. The roar from the people filled Hardang with fear and amazement and as Hurin strode towards him he called his house-hold men to him and they turned towards the gate of the Moot-ring. This for many appeared as Hardang admitted his guilt and they draw their weapons crying out upon Hardang and the shouting "Away with Hardang, take him to the caves" ringed in the woods.

But Hardang and his followers ran to the gate of the Moot-ring and they made it to Obel Halad where they shut the doors and there they were now besieged. At the arrival of Hurin and Manthor to the hall the wrath of the assailants were great but Manthor lifted his voice and promised that those inside who came forth without weapons should go free and even so Hardang and Avranc if they would stand before the Moot the next day but all he had in answer was an arrow who went close by his ear. Now the anger arose again and many ran to the doors and tried to break it down. A sortie was made from the besieged and many were slain or hurt by shots from the windows.

The assailants now in mad wrath brought wood and set it by the gate and they gave the besieged until nightfall to come forth or they would burn the hall and those in it

At nightfall no one had come forth and the wood was kindled to flames. Some few tried to escape but were caught, but at the rear of the hall a small door lead to a high porch close to the surrounding wall and by this door and porch Hardang and Avranc crept out. They were not spotted before they climbed up from the outer dike but then men shouted at them, yet Avranc escaped into the night but Hardang was hit by a spear in his back and he fell with a great wound. Hardang was brought to Manthor and Hurin and before the pitiless face of Hurin and facing his death he denied any knowledge of Morwen being in Brethil and then he died of his wound. Manthor supported Hardang`s last words, he told Hurin that since the days of Turin no man or women had or would ever come close to the place of Glaurung`s death but if Hurin would lead them he would find some men of great heart and some women of mercy, and they would seek the body of Morwen and do as Hurin asked.

Final part of the death of Morwen

The next day Manthor gathered the people of Brethil and asked who was willing to go with him and Hurin to the field of the worm and the Stone of the Hapless, where Morwen, the mother of those, lied untended. Though many drew back in fear many were willing to go, but among these there were more women that men.
Therefore at a length they sat off in silence on the path that led down the falling torrent of Celebros. Darkness fell as they came to Nen-Girith and there they passed the night as they could.
The next morning they went on, down the steep way to the field of burning, and they found the body of Morwen at the foot of the Standing Stone. Then they looked upon her in pity and wonder for it seemed to them that they beheld a great Queen whose dignity neither age nor beggary nor all the woe of the world had taken from her.
Then they desired to do her honor in death and some said " This is a dark place. Let us lift her up and bring the lady Morwen to the Garth of the graves and lay her among the House of Haleth with whom she had kinship" But Hurin said " Nay, Nïenor is not here, but it is fitter that she should lie here near her son than with any other strangers. So she would have chosen" Therefore they made a grave for Morwen above Cabed Naeramarth on the West side of the stone and when the earth was laid upon her they carved on the Stone : Here lies also Morwen Elfsheen.
Some sang in the old tongue of their people and while they sang there came a grey rain and all that desolate place was heavy with grief, and the roaring of the river was like the mourning of many voices. When all was ended they turned away, and Hurin went bowed on his staff. But it is said that after that day fear left that place, though sorrow remained and it was ever leafless and bare. But until the end of Beleriand, women of Brethil would come with flowers in spring and berries in autumn and sing there a while of the grey lady who sought in vain for her son. Glirhuin, a seer and harplayer of Brethil, made a song saying the Stone of the Hapless should not be defiled by Morgoth, nor ever thrown down, not though the sea should drown all the land as after indeed befell, and still the Tol-Morwen stands alone in the water beyond the new coasts that were made in the days of the Wrath of the Valar.

Final part of the civil rebellion of Brethil

As the company went back towards Amon Obel and had walked for awhile they took a short halt and as Hurin gazed towards west and the setting sun an arrow came from the trees and it went into the side of Manthor who stumbled to the ground. As men ran to seek the bowman they saw Avranc run like a deer towards Amon Obel but they could not catch him. Before the persuevents of Avranc returned Manthor said to Hurin that now four of the kin's of the House of Hador had fallen under its shadow and as the last of the right Haladins he asked Hurin to leave the land before it died and that he did not bring the shadow of his doom upon others. To this Hurin replied " I will but if the well of my tears were not utterly dried up I would weep for you Manthor, for you have saved me from dishonor and you had love for my son. Why must I not still walk in the world ? I will go on till the shadow overtakes me. Farewell"

Then Hurin parted from Manthor and when the presents returned to Manthor to lift him back to Amon Obel Manthor rejected and he plucked out the arrow with a cry and was dead. Thus ended the House of Haleth and Brethil were ruled by lesser men in the time there was left.

In further drafts and sketchings of what happened it seems like, after the death of Hardang and Manthor, further riots and fighting's went on in Brethil but at last, as the madness cooled, they made peace and chose Avranc to be their leader since no one of the line of Hareth were left. But Avranc wielded no such authority and reverence as the chieftains before and the people of Brethil fell back to be more like as they once long ago were. People living scattered in the woods, minding their own business and homesteads and their strength was loosened.