In Darkness Bound by Fiondil

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Chapter 100: On to Eldamas

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100: On to Eldamas

Ingwion and the others crouched behind an outbuilding of the farm belonging to Eccaldamos’ brother while Vánamelda went to see if all was well.

"As soon as we know it is safe, I want to leave for Eldamas," he said softly. "I have lingered here for too long."

"You will linger here even longer if you get caught, Ingwion," Valandur retorted in an equally soft voice.

Ingwion grimaced at the truth of that statement. "It will be dangerous no matter when we leave," he replied, "but sitting here will not get us anywhere."

"If we knew which farms have already been searched, we could make our way from one to the other until we are far south of Vanyamar," Arminas suggested.

"That only assumes that the farmers would not immediately turn us in for whatever reward Ingoldo is offering for our capture," Ingwion said.

"Do you think anyone would betray you, my prince?" Eccaldamos exclaimed in dismay. "I know these people, no one...."

"I do not wish to take the risk, Eccaldamos," Ingwion replied. "I have no doubt that the farmers are honorable and trustworthy, but why put temptation in their way? These are desperate times, and people are hurting. Who knows what anyone would do if presented with such a situation. I would prefer to avoid all the farms if at all possible. The fewer who know for sure where I am, the better for us all. What they don’t know, they cannot inadvertently reveal by a careless remark."

"Ingwion is correct, Eccaldamos," Valandur said. "No one is impugning the honesty and integrity of the farmers, but too many people, in my estimation, know where we are at this moment, and it only takes one person with a careless tongue to bring us to ruin. The sooner we’re away from the vicinity of Vanyamar, the better for everyone, everyone, that is, but Ingoldo." He cast them a sardonic look and they chuckled, the tension easing around them.

"If that is the case," Eccaldamos said, "I think I can map out a route that will avoid any of the farms, but it would mean having to go directly west from here first before we can hope to reach the road to Valmar. Even there we will need to exercise caution. There is little traffic on that road these days from what I’ve heard, but that is not to say that there is no traffic."

"Agreed," Ingwion said. "Ah, I believe your niece is returning."

Sure enough, they looked to see Vánamelda approaching. "All is well," she said as soon as she reached them. "Atto says to bring you to the barn. It will be safer for you and if you need to leave unseen it will be easier from the barn than from the house."

"Your atto is very wise," Ingwion said approvingly.

Vánamelda smiled. "Of course. He’s my atto," she said simply without any hint of facetiousness in her tone; she was obviously being completely sincere.

Ingwion noticed Eccaldamos rolling his eyes and muttering something under his breath that none of them heard and hid a smile. He turned to the elleth. "Lead us then, child," he commanded and they were on their way again. Vánamelda did not follow the same route back that she had taken before but led them through an orchard that bordered the farm to the west, then brought them from the southwest until they found themselves directly before the barn without having crossed any open fields.

"Clever girl," Eccaldamos said, giving his niece a kiss on her head.

The elleth beamed. "It was Atto’s idea."

"Ah," Ingwion said, casting an amused smile at Eccaldamos. "I see intelligence runs in your family."

The others snickered while Eccaldamos just blushed.

"Come," Vánamelda urged them, "we just have to cross this short space." She looked at Eccaldamos. "You know where the ladder to the upper hayloft is?" Eccaldamos nodded and she continued. "Atto said he would have everything you might need already there. He will come to speak with you as soon as I let him know you are here."

"Go then," Eccaldamos said. "I know the way."

Vánamelda nodded and slipped away, heading south along the edge of the orchard. They watched her go for a moment and then Eccaldamos motioned them to follow him and they were crossing the few dozen feet that lay between them and the barn. He took them unerringly to a side door and they were soon inside, breathing in the smell of hay and straw, hearing the snuffling noises of horses and the lowing of cows. Eccaldamos led them to a built-in ladder that was set within one wall.

"When you reach the top," he told them quietly, "head straight for about ten paces and you will find another ladder that will take you to the upper hayloft. Take care when you step on the bales."

They nodded their understanding and at Eccaldamos’ urging, Ingwion went first, followed by Valandur and Arminas. The two younger Elves came after with Eccaldamos bringing up the rear. There was no light, not even starlight, to guide them and Ingwion, when he reached the top of the first ladder, took a few seconds to let his eyes adjust to the greater darkness before attempting to cross the space to the other ladder. Even though he was sure he was walking straight, he had to grope about when he reached the wall before he found where the other ladder was located.

"Here," he whispered loudly to Valandur whom he could hear stepping off the ladder onto the loft. "Stay where you are, Valandur, and wait for the others. No sense all of us groping about. When everyone is present, just follow my voice."

"Good idea," he heard Valandur say and a few minutes later the loremaster let him know that everyone was there. Ingwion suggested they cross the space one at a time. It turned out that the first person to reach him was Marilla, whom he urged to climb the ladder. Tulcafindil came next and then Arminas and Valandur with Eccaldamos coming with the loremaster.

"I could have just brought them all over here myself," he told Ingwion, sounding amused.

"But this way I felt as if I were the one leading instead of just following blindly wherever you would take us," Ingwion quipped, though there was an undertone of frustration in his words which both Eccaldamos and Valandur recognized.

"You are the prince, and our leader, Ingwion," Valandur said soothingly, "but sometimes it is more prudent for others to lead while you follow."

"Atto doesn’t follow anyone," Ingwion retorted, though there was a questioning note to his words.

"Does he not?" Valandur replied and Ingwion could almost hear the smile in his voice. "How many times do you think Ingwë has allowed himself to be persuaded from a particular course by your ammë?"

Ingwion wasn’t sure how to answer that. "Let’s get up," he said instead and he followed words with action by stepping onto the ladder and climbing, leaving the two older ellyn to follow.

When he reached the loft, Ingwion was surprised to find that there was light enough to see by. The loft door was open and starlight streamed in. Marilla and Tulcafindil were sitting on bales. Someone had shifted the bales about so there was a cleared space, making it easier to walk. A hamper had been placed on a bale and Marilla was going through it, pulling out a couple of flagons of wine, some fruit and bread and cheese. She looked up as Ingwion stepped off the ladder, giving him a smile.

"It looks as if we’re expected," she said coyly and Ingwion chuckled.

"Some of us won’t be staying long enough to enjoy it, though," he said as he sat down on a bale next to Turcafindil. "As soon as it is deemed safe, I will be leaving for Eldamas. You two may have to remain here until it’s safe to return to Cemellindo’s farm."

The two younger Elves nodded. "At least we won’t starve in the meantime," Tulcafindil said, trying to look on the bright side of being left behind.

Ingwion patted him on the shoulder, silently letting him know that he understood how the younger ellon felt. By this time Eccaldamos, Arminas and Valandur had joined them and they sat in silence, passing around one of the flagons of wine. There was the slightest sound from below and they all stood in alarm. Ingwion held out his knife, realizing how pathetic a weapon it was. He thought about the swords Findaráto had shown him when he was in Tirion, now wishing he had taken one for himself when his cousin had offered to gift him with one, but at the time he thought it was rank folly to have any sort of weapon, for against whom was he going to use it?

"Eccaldamos?" They heard someone call down from below and Eccaldamos sighed with relief and went to the ladder.

"Here, hanno," he called down.

The others relaxed as they realized that it must be the ellon’s brother who had called out. A minute later they saw an ellon climbing up and standing before them. He and Eccaldamos hugged each other, speaking in low voices and then Eccaldamos was introducing the ellon to Ingwion and the others.

"This is my older brother, Laurefassë," he said as he gave his brother the names of his companions.

Ingwion smiled when he saw Eccaldamos’ brother. He was a burlier version of his younger brother, well-muscled from working on the farm. The ellon’s white-gold hair, however, was very unruly, the locks almost curly, an unusual trait among the Elves where straight hair was the norm, and Ingwion realized why he’d been given his name.

Once the introductions were over, Ingwion asked how safe it would be to travel.

"I’ve got my people scouting the land around us, keeping an eye on the guards as they go from one farm to the next," Laurefassë said as he took a seat on one of the bales. The others joined him. "These are very foolish guards," he continued with a sneer. "They would have done better to have sent several groups of guards to the farms all at once. While they’ve been searching one farm at a time, word has been gotten to the other farms, giving them advanced warning. That’s how I knew to send word to Atto." He turned to Eccaldamos as he said this and his brother nodded.

"For which we are very thankful. So how long do you think we will have to remain here in hiding?"

"Not very long," Laurefassë said, absently pushing his hair out of his eyes. It seemed an unconscious gesture and Ingwion had the feeling the ellon did it constantly, for he could see that the ellon’s hair refused to stay neatly braided. "My suggestion to you," the farmer continued, "is to lay low for a few more hours before leaving. By then all the farms should have been searched and the guards gone."

"I am planning to take the prince west," Eccaldamos said. "We need to avoid the more populated areas and your farm is conveniently on the edge of cultivated land."

"Make your way through the orchard," Laurefassë suggested. "You remember the pool?"

Eccaldamos nodded. "Yes, and thank you for the reminder." He turned to the others. "There is a spring on the other side of the orchard. If we make for it we can follow it to a pool that is almost directly west of here. From there we are only a few leagues from the path that leads northward towards the royal hunting lodge. Once on the path we can continue south to Eldamas."

"How close would we be to the lodge?" Valandur asked.

"Why?" Ingwion countered, looking puzzled. "What interest do you have in the lodge?"

Valandur gave the prince a surprised look. "Has it not occurred to you that the hunting lodge would be an ideal place for Ingoldo to keep your atar prisoner?"

Ingwion felt himself grow faint. No, it had not occurred to him. His focus had been on obtaining help from the Valar, hoping they would tell him where to look. He had been so set on reaching Eldamas to begin his search, it just never occurred to him to wonder just where his uncle may have been keeping the High King.

Eccaldamos, realizing what Valandur was saying shook his head. "When we reach the path, or I guess it’s now a road, from what I’ve been told, we will actually be closer to Eldamas than the lodge. I suggest we go to Eldamas first and see if we cannot pick up Ingwë’s trail from there before we decide to run hither and yon in search of him."

"A rather cold trail by now," Ingwion said, speaking softly.

"Perhaps," Eccaldamos said with a nod of agreement, "but we need to start somewhere."

Ingwion nodded reluctantly. Valandur gave him a hug. "We’ll find him, Ingwi," he said encouragingly. "We’ll find Ingwë and rescue your ammë, Ingil and Indil."

"And Tam," Ingwion added.

Valandur nodded, giving the prince a warm smile. "And Tam, and anyone else who needs rescuing from Ingoldo."

Laurefassë stood. "I need to get back to the farm. I will come again in a while with supplies for your journey. For now, I suggest you rest. I have a lantern hanging on the post near the ladder on the next level down. I will light it as I leave. It won’t be seen from the outside so it’ll be safe enough. If any of you need to relieve yourself, you’ll be able to see your way down. When you reach the ground floor, you will find an empty stall to your left. Use that as the privy. There is a pitcher of water and a bowl there to cleanse yourself afterwards." He gave them an apologetic look. "I’m sorry for the primitive arrangements but you shouldn’t risk leaving the barn until we know for sure the way is clear for you to leave."

"Thank you for everything, hanno," Eccaldamos said, giving his older brother a hug.

Ingwion and the others echoed him with their own thanks. Laurefassë nodded and stepped onto the ladder and was gone. A moment or two later they saw a yellow glow and knew that the lantern had been lit. Ingwion sat back down with a huff.

"I hate just sitting around doing nothing," he said to no one in particular, staring at the wall opposite him. "It seems all I’ve done lately is nothing."

"That’s not true," Valandur retorted. "You’re just feeling frustrated at the turn of events. I think you are still feeling anger towards the Valar for not assisting you and you are anxious about your family."

Ingwion sighed, closing his eyes. "I guess," he admitted. "All I know is that nothing has been going right for me since... well, since going to Tirion with Atar when we tried to stop Fëanáro’s madness. I failed to convince Findaráto not to leave and it just seems everything has been going wrong."

"I know that’s how it must feel, child," Valandur said gently, "but you’ve done all that you can. Circumstances are just working against us at the moment, but I firmly believe that we will learn where Ingwë is and rescue him. Once that happens, everything else will fall into place. Now, I suggest we take Farmer Laurefassë’s advice and get what rest we can."

Ingwion and the others agreed and soon they were claiming bales and spreading cloaks and blankets over them and lying down. It was a long time, though, before any of them actually managed to slip onto the Path of Dreams.

****

Some hours later, Ingwion, Valandur and Arminas were making their way back through the orchard with Eccaldamos leading. Tulcafindil and Marilla were still back at the farm. Laurefassë promised to escort them to his parents’ home where the youngsters would stay for the present. The journey through the orchard was done in silence and Ingwion marveled at how well he could see with just starlight to guide him. Eccaldamos walked confidently between the trees and the others followed in single file with Valandur taking the rear position. Eventually the orchard came to an end and Eccaldamos took a moment or two to get his bearings, then pointed to the southwest and they silently went on. About a half an hour later they came upon a spring gushing out from the ground between a fall of rocks.

"We just have to follow the stream," Eccaldamos said as they stopped to drink from the cold water and rest a bit. He glanced up into the star-strewn heavens, obviously looking for something. Then he pointed towards the west. "From the position of the stars, I would say that when that group of stars there reaches the eastern horizon we will be in Eldamas barring any unforeseen obstacles."

The others looked up to where he was pointing. Ingwion saw a group of stars about halfway up the sky from the western horizon. They seemed to have a netted appearance and he said as much. The three older ellyn nodded. "We called them the Rembemíri," Eccaldamos said. "As we made the march across Endórë, Lord Oromë taught us much about the heavens and we had plenty of time to make our own observations and name the astinwessi. Soon Menelmacar will be rising."

"Who?" Ingwion asked in confusion. All three of the older Elves laughed and Ingwion felt himself blushing, feeling stupid and untutored. He gave them a sour look. "All right for you, but until now I’ve only seen the stars once and I was too young for a star lesson."

Valandur clasped Ingwion’s shoulder and gave it a friendly squeeze. "Then, while we are walking, we’ll give you your first lesson."

Ingwion smirked at them. "Too late. Atto taught me something about the stars on our way to Tirion." Then his expression became more pensive. "I just wish he were here to give me more."

"Then, let us go, my prince," Eccaldamos said firmly, "and on the way, you can tell us what you know of the stars and we will supplement your knowledge, so when you and the High King are reunited, you can amaze him with your starlore."

"Do you think we will have to develop a new branch of lore, Valandur, now that we no longer live under the constant light of the Trees?" Ingwion asked as they set out.

"I have no doubt about that, Ingwi," the loremaster answered with a knowing smile, for he had detected the underlying excitement in the prince’s tone as he asked his question. "Perhaps you would like to become one of the first tinwingolmor of Aman."

"You could found a whole new academy, my prince," Eccaldamos interjected and Ingwion could tell that the ellon was being entirely serious.

"You should consider having some Teleri join you in teaching at the academy," Arminas put in. "They are the most knowledgeable about the stars, after all."

"That’s not a bad idea, Arminas," Valandur said approvingly. "When all this nonsense with Ingoldo is done with, I think I will approach Ingwë about setting up such an academy and inviting some Teleri to join it, at least in the beginning." He turned to Ingwion with a smile. "You’ve already met Olwë. I’m sure you could go and ask him for the loan of his own tinwingolmor."

Ingwion nodded, and there was a rising excitement in him at the thought of returning to Alqualondë, though it had nothing to do with speaking to Olwë about his tinwingolmor, but with the image of a certain elleth. Perhaps when this nonsense, as Valandur so aptly put it, was done and over with he could persuade his atto to let him travel to Alqualondë and remain there for a time. He had been fascinated by the Teleri and their culture, so different from that of the Vanyar and the Noldor and it would give him more time with Olwen, for he had no doubt that they were meant for one another and he hoped she felt the same.

They journeyed on in silence, eventually coming to the path to the royal hunting lodge, though they could see that the track had been widened into a veritable road. Ingwion stared at it pensively and then his eyes went north. "Just how far are we from the lodge?" he asked Eccaldamos.

The older ellon gave him a sympathetic look. "Even if we were nearly at the lodge, Ingwion, I would still caution you against going there. We have no idea how many of Ingoldo’s men he has guarding the High King and we are too few with no weapons of any kind. We need information and allies and weapons before we go charging off."

"And Ingwë may not even be at the lodge," Valandur pointed out in a reasonable tone. "While it seems the most obvious place to hold your atar, Ingoldo does not always do the obvious. Let us go on to Eldamas and see what we can learn there before we go haring off into the wilds."

Ingwion nodded, sighing in frustration. "You’re right. You’re both right. I just wish you weren’t."

"Neither do we," Valandur replied with a smile and Eccaldamos nodded.

"Well, then, let’s get on to Eldamas," Ingwion said, squaring his shoulders and settling his pack more comfortably on his back. "I imagine Arminas is anxious to get to his family." He cast the innkeeper a knowing smile.

Arminas shrugged. "They don’t know I’m coming. I think they will be rather shocked when they see me."

The others chuckled as they set out on the road and soon enough they reached the junction to the road to Valmar. Two hours later they were coming to the outskirts of Eldamas. Ingwion suggested they head for the royal townhouse. "It’s where Atto would have gone once his meeting with the Valar was done," he pointed out.

Arminas asked leave to go to his family instead. "But know that if you have need of me, Highness, you only have to call upon me," he said, "and if you need reinforcements, I imagine I can scare up an ellon or three to help out."

Ingwion clasped the ellon’s arm. "Thank you, Arminas, for everything," he said sincerely. "If I have need of you, I will indeed call upon you."

Arminas then told them on what street his wife’s sister lived. Eccaldamos and Valandur seemed to recognize it even if Ingwion did not. He vowed to himself that once things were back to normal he would make a point of returning to Eldamas and becoming more familiar with the place. He realized that his education was sadly lacking in some areas. He’d lived too long in the cocoon of his family and Vanyamar. Until he had gone to Tirion as his atar’s emissary, he doubted he had been outside his own city for more than a week or two at a time.

After Arminas parted from them, the other three continued on their way, and soon enough they were coming to the royal townhouse which belonged to all three kings, though perhaps only Ingwë and Finwë had ever used it. Ingwion could not immediately recall ever seeing Olwë or any of his family there. Surprisingly, as they approached, they found the place all lit up.

Ingwion’s heart leapt. "Do you think Atto has been here all along?" he asked the other two.

Neither Valandur nor Eccaldamos ventured an opinion, and the question became moot as soon as they came to the gates and found their way blocked by a group of guards, Noldorin by their appearance and their livery, who stopped them, asking them for their business. None seemed to recognize Ingwion and the prince impatiently demanded they find someone who would.

"I haven’t traveled from Vanyamar through the wilds just to be prevented from entering my own home," he said imperiously and the guards stood uncomfortably under his implacable gaze while one of their party went in search of someone who could vouch for these three strangers.

Ingwion tried to ascertain who among the Noldorin royal family could be there but none of the guards would answer his questions. They did not have to wait long, however, for there was a flurry of activity at the front door of the townhouse and then Ingwion saw Intarion running towards him.

"Let them through, for the Valar’s sake," the ellon demanded. "Do you not know the Haryon of the Ingaran when you see him, you dolts?"

Ingwion nearly laughed out loud at the looks of chagrin on the guards’ faces as they stepped aside to let him and his companions through. Intarion gave his cousin a fierce hug. Ingwion started to ask him about Findaráto, wondering if the ellon’s mission had been successful, but Intarion shook his head.

"Let’s go inside, Cousin," he said quietly. "Your questions will be answered readily enough but not here."

Ingwion nodded and he and the others followed Intarion up the steps, passing the threshold where they stopped in surprise to see Olwë, Lindarion and Eärwen standing there, smiling at them.

"About time you got here, hinya," Olwë said in greeting and then started laughing at the nonplused expressions on the faces of the three ellyn, while Intarion, Lindarion and Eärwen smirked.

****

Laurefassë: ‘Golden-Tangled hair’.

Rembemíri: ‘Netted Stars’, the Pleiades. Cf. the attested Sindarin cognate Remmirath (Appendix E).

Astinwessi: (Plural of astinwessë) ‘With-stars’, the literal meaning of our word ‘constellation’. In Qenya, Tolkien gives us letinwessë [le ‘ (together) with’ + tinwë ‘star’ + -sse ‘locative suffix’; Parma Eldalamberon 12: 52]. I have updated the word to LOTR style Quenya, where le has become as. Tinwë, according to Tolkien, was the word (like Sindarin gil) used to denote the stars in the heavens ‘in place of the older and more elevated el, elen- stem’ [Vinyar Tengwar 42:11].

Menelmacar: Orion.

Tinwingolmor: Plural of Tinwingolmo: Loremaster of Stars, i.e. an astronomer, cf. the attested title Lambengolmor ‘Loremasters of Tongues’, i.e. Linguists.

Note: Eccaldamos is not in error when speaking of the constellations rising in the west. In the Silmarillion, the Moon and Sun are first seen rising from the west, which is the direction all stars would rise if the planet were rotating in a clockwise direction, instead of in the counterclockwise direction it actually rotates. When later the Valar have the Sun and Moon rising in the east, it must be assumed that the planet’s rotation was changed to reflect this event; that is, if you accept a more scientific explanation, rather than a mythological explanation, for these celestial phenomena.