Belen Menel
Chapter 5: Leuruna-Noss Mother

The Drúedain envoy was small, numbering no more than twenty. Gobân-buri-Gobân, son of Ghân-buri-Ghân, led the Drúedain delegates through the Great Gates of Minis Tirith. Among them were Rhûn-bamo-Rhûn, also of the Drúadan Forest and Leuruna, noss (clan) mother from the Drúwaith Iaur.

It had been long since her folk had crossed this way, but the stories they told of the Journey provided Leuruna guidance on this new journey. The convoy had been met by emissaries of the King outside Minas Tirith, extending welcome and warmth to the Drúedain. Leuruna had heard of the White City, described as the city in the mountain. It was a sight to behold, but as her legs carried her up its winding streets, her bones voiced their disapproval. She would have it no other way. Upon her feet, feeling the earth, the stone beneath her, she would meet the very King himself, and he, he would meet Her. She had insisted that she wanted to meet the King and the Lord of Ithilien high upon their Mountain throne—to relive the tales she heard of the old Numenorean Kings her peoples had lived with.

Scores of Gondorians lined the streets, awaiting with eager anticipation the strange and mythical visitors that descended on their city. The crowds were full of cheer as the convoy ascended the main road. Gobân was secretly relieved as he looked upon the faces of Elessar’s people. He recognized curiosity in their smiles, but not ill will. He felt the same. These were curious people with curious customs. But to Elessar, to Ellesar—Gobân and his father owed much respect. He glanced over to the old clan mother of his mountain kin. He knew her old bones were hurting, but he also knew her feet would not leave the earth.

Leuruna had long silver hair that she wore wrapped in a bun that settled at the nape of her neck. Her eyes were a brilliant hazel. The folks from the ancient forest of the White Mountains shared striking features—clear eyes in hues of hazel and amber and dark red hair—that many say are remnants of the Folk of Haleth. Although it is said that the Haldin were dark haired and brown-eyed, the descendents of Haleth, before unknownst in the lore of Gondor, were born, it was told, with the color of fire. It was said Haleth had no children, as Haldan her nephew became chieftain upon her death; yet ‘twas not so. Haleth indeed had children, born from the union with a Drúedain warrior. From Haleth’s legacy was born the line of women who lead the Drúin of Drúwaith Iaur, the ancient Drû homelands of the White Mountains. Leuruna was that leader, the noss mother of her people [2][3][4].

Her stature, taller than that of Hobbits, was strong, even for one so old as she appeared to be. The Drúin did not have the long lives of Gondorians. They shared many customs with their cousins of the Drúadan Forest where Ghân-buri-Ghân ruled. Their life span short, but not as short as the average sixty years lived in the forests near Rohan. The Drúin of legends, in comparison to Men, lived shorter lives. The noss mothers lived longer life spans, perhaps because of the line of Haleth in their blood, or perhaps because their gift of foresight was strongest. What was sure is the Drúedain did not tarry long on middle earth. They did not fear death, but they did deeply mourn the untimely, tragic death of one taken before his or her time as did any of the First and Second Born. Leuruna understood that she would have much to learn, but she also knew that she would have much unlearning to accomplish in her Gondorian hosts, for she was well aware of the myths that permeated the stories of her people. In fact she was aware that beyond myth, little was known of her people in these lands. This ignorance had been the salvation for her kin, but now times were different; and Leuruna had an old promise that was now ready to be fulfilled.

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[1] pronounced leh-oo-dhu-na
[2] Drú is singular of Drúin, shortened form of Drúedain (plural)/Drúadan (singular) for wild man/men or wose(s). Drúath is the collective form of drû the people of the Drû or Woses.
[3] noss is Sindarin for clan
[4] See Unfinished Tales for more on the House of Haleth. The red hair, clear eyes, is my own creation. Although there is an entire section devoted to describing the Drúedain in Unfinished Tales, I depart from the physical description contained in that text.