In Darkness Bound by Fiondil

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Chapter 22: Ingwë at Formenos

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22: Ingwë at Formenos

The road to Formenos wound its way through a forested area that opened up into steppes with tall grasses undulating in the breeze. Their way followed the gentle grade of the hills rather than seeking a way around them or through them. Ingwë eyed the road with disapproval; Sérener, apparently eyed it with suspicion.

"It’s too flat," Ingwë’s guard said suddenly, his face set in a scowl.

Ingwë turned to him with a puzzled look. "What do you mean? The road rises." He pointed to the way ahead.

"That is not what I meant, Sire," Sérener said. "I was referring to the grass." He pointed down at their feet. "The Noldor passed this way many weeks ago, yet, look, there is no hint that the grass is reclaiming the road."

Ingwë looked about him and realized the truth of what Sérener had said. The road that the Maiar had made for the Noldor was not paved in any manner. Essentially, they had merely flattened an area that was wide enough for two wagons to pass through. By now the road should have been less evident as the grass began to grow back, but that was not the case. The way was still flattened, as if made only the day before.

"Has there been any traffic along this road?" Ingwë asked.

Sérener shook his head. "As to that, I cannot say, lord, for no watch was put on it."

"True," Ingwë said. "Something I should have ordered, but did not. Well, perhaps when we reach Formenos the mystery will be solved."

They continued on and eventually as Telperion’s light began to fade and Laurelin’s began to grow, they came to a final rise and looked down into a fair valley that was ringed with a series of ridges that were bare of trees. Instead, strange stone pillars were set equally spaced on the hilltops. Ingwë had no idea what their purpose, if any, was. The valley was wide, perhaps a league across. To the northeast, he could see a small city of tents clustered around a half-finished edifice made of fieldstone, its main doors facing south. It seemed to Ingwë’s eyes to be unbeautiful, its lines too straight and precise and he had the sense that he was seeing, not a residence, but something more formidable, more sinister in the making, something meant to protect those within from attack. He grimaced at the thought and shook his head. Whom did Finwë think was going to attack him and his people? The Valar? He wondered whose idea it was to build it in the first place, and suspected that it had come from the mind of Fëanáro. At least, he hoped so. The thought that Finwë might feel such a need disturbed him more than the thought of Fëanáro coming up with the idea.

People were wandering about, some working on the building, others tending to sheep and cattle or hoeing small patches of gardens. Elflings played quietly under the watchful eyes of their parents and Ingwë grieved at the sight of them. He had thought the Valar allowing others to join Fëanáro and his sons in exile a mistake. To his mind it would only cause further tension between the Noldor themselves, and possibly with the Vanyar.

Ingwë gave Sérener a rueful look. "Let’s see if Finwë will speak to me. Keep your eyes peeled for my brother or any of his men."

"You truly think Lord Ingoldo came here?" Sérener asked.

Ingwë shrugged. "There are few other places he could have gone. I truly hope he isn’t here, but I intend to find out."

With that he started to urge his horse downhill but the sudden appearance of two Maiar caused both horses to shy, though Ingwë and Sérener were able to calm them quickly enough. Ingwë eyed the Maiar with something like annoyance. They were wearing blood-red surcoats with the silver sword emblem of Lord Tulkas embroidered on them.

"What do you here, Ingwë of the Vanyar?" one of them asked, his tone respectful though there was much authority in it.

"You have the advantage of knowing who I am," Ingwë replied, reigning in his anger.

The Maia who had spoken smiled. "I am Cassantur of the People of Tulkas. My brother Maia is Ramandor."

"And now that you know who we are, perhaps you will answer our question," Ramandor said.

"I’ve come to speak with Finwë," Ingwë answered.

"For what purpose?" Cassantur asked. "Know that we have not been given any instructions as to who may come and go freely from this vale."

"Yet, it is only Fëanáro who is enjoined to remain here for the term of his exile, is he not?" Ingwë said. "Surely, those who came with him did so voluntarily and are not under the Valar’s ban, are they?"

"Perhaps not," Ramandor conceded, "but we have been set to guard and so we must fulfill our duty in asking for what purpose you come here."

"For all that Finwë has chosen to follow his son into exile, he is still Noldóran and as such I wish to consult with my fellow ruler on matters concerning the state of affairs among the Eldar. There is still much unrest in our realms."

"I will see if Finwë will speak with you," Cassantur said. "Remain you here for now. You may take your horses onto the field so they may graze but go no further than that."

Ingwë nodded. "Thank you. Please tell Finwë that this is not a social call on my part."

Cassantur gave him a wry look. "If he will not see you, Ingwë of the Vanyar, I cannot make him come to you, nor will I allow you to go to him unless I have specific orders from my lord."

"Fair enough," Ingwë said with a sigh. He and Sérener made their way down into the valley, releasing their horses to graze, and stood about while Cassantur faded away. Ramandor remained with them. Ingwë took the opportunity to quiz the Maia on one or two matters that were uppermost in his mind.

"Why has the road not been returned to its original state?" he asked. "We noticed that the grass has not yet grown back."

"The road will be needed twelve years hence when the exiles return to Tirion," Ramandor answered readily enough.

"But that is twelve years from now," Ingwë pointed out.

"Yes, but we Maiar are not willing to redo the road again," the Maia explained with a wry smile, "and so we have made sure that it will remain in its present condition until then. Once there is no need for the road we will allow the grass to grow back. It’s easier to maintain the road in its present condition than to rebuild it."

"Have there been any other visitors to Formenos since the Noldor came?" Ingwë then asked, his tone nonchalant, as if he spoke out of idle curiosity, waiting for Finwë’s arrival.

Ramandor’s expression became unreadable. "None have crossed the barrier except you, Ingwë of the Vanyar."

"Barrier?" Ingwë asked, looking around in puzzlement, for he could see nothing that looked anything like a barrier to him. He could see Sérener casting his gaze about him as well, his expression equally puzzled.

Ramandor pointed to the pillars spread across the ridges bordering the vale. "There is a barrier, one you cannot see, but it is there nonetheless."

"Not much of a barrier if it doesn’t stop anyone from crossing it," Sérener muttered, his guard’s mind-set affronted by the thought.

Ramandor cast him a brief knowing smile. "The barrier does not prevent any from passing through, but if any do, we Maiar are instantly alerted."

"So, every time one of those sheep stray...." Ingwë started to say as he pointed to where he could see a flock of the creatures grazing, but the Maia shook his head.

"The barrier only works against Elves, Vanyaran," he explained and then gave them a slightly wicked grin, "which means that if any of the sheep or cattle wander away, their owners have to wait until one of us comes to retrieve their lost lamb."

The two Elves chuckled at that. "Rather inconvenient," Ingwë surmised.

"Perhaps," Ramandor conceded, "but a Maia always comes at the Second Mingling to check on them," he nodded towards the Elves in the valley, "to see if anything is needed."

Ingwë gave him a hard look. "A Maia comes? Are not the Maiar guarding...."

"Yes, we are," Ramandor interjected, "but we all have other duties to the Valar. Yet, those of us assigned to watch duty are constantly aware of the barrier and if any Elf crosses it from either direction, we are there at a single thought. Cassantur and I, for instance, were attending upon our Lord in Valmar when we felt you cross the barrier and we were here before your horse took another step down the road."

Both Elves raised an eyebrow at that revelation and silence reigned between the ellyn and the Maia for several long minutes as Ingwë digested that bit of information.

"What are those strange pillars?" Sérener asked suddenly. "Do they have anything to do with this barrier of yours?"

"They mark the barrier," the Maia explained. "Only here where the road comes down is there no pillar since the road itself acts as a marker. The pillars are there more for the benefit of elflings than anything else. Unlike the adults they need a physical reminder of just where the barrier lies."

Ingwë looked more closely at the pillars. All of them, from what he could see, were the same: smooth and featureless, rounded at the top, standing elf-high. He took note of where the pillars stood in relation to the community below and frowned. "So, if someone from the valley were to climb the ridge but not pass a pillar, you would not be alerted."

Ramandor nodded. "The Noldor here have free range within this valley, but they may not pass the pillars."

Ingwë nodded, deep in thought. "That means that anyone can come up from this side, stand beside a pillar but not pass it and look down into the valley."

"Technically, they could," the Maia conceded, "but except for this road there is no easy way to this valley."

"Yet, it is possible," Ingwë pressed.

Ramandor shrugged. "Anything is possible, Ingwë of the Vanyar, but some things are less likely than others."

"Yet, a person from outside, if he could reach the top of a ridge," Ingwë insisted, "could stand there in full view of anyone from the valley and someone from Formenos could climb the ridge on his side and as long as neither passed the pillars, they could have a conversation and you Maiar would never know it."

There was a long pause as the Maia contemplated Ingwë’s words, his eyes sweeping across the ridges and valley before settling upon the two Elves. "I will speak to my Lord Tulkas about this," he said, giving Ingwë a slight bow. Then he straightened and smiled. "Ah, it looks as if the Noldóran has deigned to give you an audience, Ingwë of the Vanyar, for see, he approaches." The Maia pointed and Ingwë turned to see his friend making his way to them with Cassantur as escort.

"I think it’s the other way around," Ingwë said with a wry twist of his lips. Ramandor merely shrugged, his expression giving nothing away as to what he was thinking of the whole situation.

It took a little time for Finwë to cross the valley to where Ingwë awaited him. Ramandor, in the meantime, kindly provided an awning of blue sendal under which he caused two chairs and a small table to appear. The table had a decanter of wine and two goblets sitting on it. Ingwë bowed his thanks to the Maia, then ordered Sérener to take their horses and move back up the road to await his lord’s pleasure. The conversation between the two kings would be private, or as private as it could be with two Maiar there.

Ramandor must have divined Ingwë’s thoughts for he smiled. "We will leave you your privacy, Vanyaran," he said. "When you have finished your meeting, just call for me and I will come."

Ingwë gave him a puzzled look and the Maia shrugged. "The barrier only tells us if someone has breached it; it does not tell us who."

Ingwë’s eyes widened at the implication of the Maia’s words. "Then I will do as you bid," he said with a bow.

By now, Finwë and Cassantur were there, the Maia looking amused, Finwë looking less so. In fact, Ingwë could see, the Noldóran was caked with stone dust, though he had made an attempt to clean himself up a bit. Before Ingwë had time to proffer a greeting, Finwë spoke.

"Why are you here, Ingwë?" he demanded, glowering at him. "Came to gloat? Or did you forget something from our last meeting?"

Ingwë kept his expression neutral and gestured to the table and chairs. "Why don’t we sit and be comfortable, Finwë." He followed his own advice and sat in one of the chairs, reaching for the decanter and pouring wine into the goblets. Finwë hesitated for a moment, stealing glances at the two Maiar and Ingwë before complying and sitting in the other chair. As soon as he did the two Maiar bowed to them and faded away.

Ingwë handed one of the goblets to Finwë and picked up the other for himself. "I did not come to gloat, Finwë," he said after taking a sip of the wine. "I came to consult with you."

"About what?" Finwë asked after taking his own sip.

"About what is happening here and elsewhere," Ingwë said. "I did not approve of the Valar allowing all these people to follow you and your son here. I fear that in the intervening years of the exile, the division between the Noldor will only widen. You have the makings of a small city here and it’s obvious that those who followed you did so out of loyalty to you, if not for Fëanáro’s sake."

"Your point, Ingwë?" Finwë asked with a scowl.

"My point, meldonya, is that when you return to Tirion, how will you reconcile your followers to those who remained behind and see Ñolofinwë as their lord?"

"He is merely my regent...."

"And after twelve years, I suspect that many of the citizens of Tirion will conveniently forget that little fact," Ingwë retorted. "You may find reclaiming your throne not an easy thing."

Finwë reddened in anger. "Are you accusing Ñolofinwë of disloyalty to me?"

"No, Finwë, I am not," Ingwë replied with his own anger rising. "I am suggesting that your decision to follow Fëanáro here was a mistake. You should have stayed in Tirion. Your coming here was a signal to many, including me, I might add, that you did not agree with the Valar’s sentence upon your son."

"I will not desert my son!" Finwë shouted, slamming a fist on the table, jarring the decanter, which Ingwë just managed to grab before it toppled to the ground.

"You have three sons," Ingwë shot back, "in case you have forgotten, not to mention your daughters whom you never mention."

"Bah," Finwë said with a scowl as he sat back in his chair and drank his wine. "They are well enough. Findis and Faniel are well enough now that they are married."

"And Lalwendë?" Ingwë asked.

Finwë snorted. "You mean Finwaina? She made it very clear that she has no desire to marry anyone anytime soon. She’s much too busy with her own work."

"Making swords and spears, I understand," Ingwë said with a frown.

Finwë shrugged. "If it keeps her happy and out of my hair...."

Ingwë glowered at the Noldóran. "Getting back to your other sons," he said softly, "I know you still feel guilt over Míriel, but you have no reason to take that guilt out on the innocent. Ñolofinwë and Arafinwë deserve better from you."

"Leave Míriel out of this," Finwë said in a dangerously low voice.

"It was you who went to the Valar demanding that you be allowed to marry Indis," Ingwë pointed out. "You wanted more children, you said. Well, you got your wish, but sometimes I have to wonder if you ever loved them."

"Are we finished here?" Finwë interjected heatedly.

For a moment Ingwë merely stared at his friend, his expression closed. When he did speak it was with a question of his own. "Have you had any visitors lately?"

The unexpectedness of the question threw Finwë and he took a moment or two to gather his wits. "Visitors? Why do you ask?"

Ingwë shrugged. "Just wondered if I’m the first visitor you’ve had since you came here."

Now Finwë eyed Ingwë with some suspicion. "Well, as to that, I cannot say."

"Cannot, or will not?" Ingwë retorted.

Finwë merely shrugged, a smug smile tugging at the corners of his lips as he took another sip of his wine before setting the goblet on the table and standing. "If that’s all you have to say to me, I will be going. There is still much work to be done."

Ingwë stood as well, sorrow etching his fair face as he gazed at his friend, fearing that their friendship might be ending. "I wish you had not come here, Finwë. It cannot lead to a good resolution to any of our problems."

Finwë shrugged. "Water under the bridge, as I think Olwë is fond of saying."

"He misses you, you know," Ingwë said sadly. "He would have come to you had he known sooner what had happened. He was very upset at your decision to leave Tirion. He thinks had he come to Tirion in time he could have persuaded you to stay."

"I miss him, as well," Finwë said, "but he would not have persuaded me from my course."

"So I told him."

The two stared at one another for a long moment, regret in both their eyes for what could not be changed. Finally, Ingwë nodded. "Ramandor," he said quietly and the Maia was suddenly there. Ingwë gave him a bow. "Thank you," he said and then without another word, he turned and strode up the hill, refusing to look back. He came to the crest of the hill and nodded to Sérener. "Let us go."

They mounted their horses and it was only then that Ingwë looked back to see Finwë striding away toward Formenos. Of the Maia there was no sign. Ingwë cast a knowing look at his guard. "What are you thinking Sérener? Tell me your thoughts."

"I am thinking that perhaps Lord Ingoldo could well have come to Formenos to speak with someone, though I do not know why or who."

"Finwë denied that there have been any visitors," Ingwë said.

"That does not mean there haven’t been, Sire," Sérener pointed out. "The Noldóran could be unaware of anyone showing up."

"I doubt it," Ingwë replied. "Unfortunately, I have no proof either way. Well, we’re not going to find any answers here. Let us go."

"Will we stop at the lodge on the way?" Sérener asked.

Ingwë shook his head. "No. In fact, I find the idea of riding back down this road distasteful. Come. Let us ride overland. We will camp along the way and be back in Vanyamar by the next First Mingling."

Ingwë urged his horse back down the hill away from Formenos with Sérener right behind him and then they left the road, heading southeast.

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Vanyaran: King of the Vanyar [Vanya + aran], cf. Ingaran [Inga + aran], which is attested, and is Ingwë’s actual title as High King of all the Eldar in Aman. Ramandur, addressing him as Vanyaran, merely acknowledges Ingwë as King of the Vanyar only. This is not actually a slight, since Ingwë had said earlier that he wished to consult with his fellow ruler, thus Ingwë is not necessarily acting as High King in this instance.

Meldonya: My (male) friend.

Note: Tolkien gave Finwë three daughters by his second wife, Indis, besides his two sons, Ñolofinwë and Arafinwë. They were thus named Findis, Finvain, and Faniel [See ‘The Earliest Version of the Story of Finwë and Míriel’ and ‘Later Versions of the Story of Finwë and Míriel’, War of the Jewels, HoME X]. None of them made it into the Silmarillion as published. In my version of events, Findis is married to Ingwë’s chief loremaster, Valandur, while Faniel is married to Olwë’s youngest son, Salmar. Finvain’s name has been Quenyanized to Finwaina. In PoME her mother-name is given as Lalwendë, which I use here. In the same source it is said that ‘[s]he went into exile with her brother Fingolfin, who was most dear to her of all her kin....’ [See ‘The Shibboleth of Fëanor’, in particular the section entitled‘The names of Finwë’s descendants’, Peoples of Middle-earth, HoME XII].