In Darkness Bound by Fiondil

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Chapter 24: A Conspiracy Is Formed

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24: A Conspiracy Is Formed

The weeks came and went and everything seemed to settle down. Ingoldo and Tinwetariel resumed their usual duties, though they kept mostly to themselves when propriety allowed. Ingwë kept a wary eye on them both but otherwise gave no indication that anything was amiss between himself and his brother, speaking to him civilly whenever they were together. The twins, Indil and Intarion continued along as they had before. Their duties were somewhat curtailed now that Ingwë and Elindis were back, but Valandur took the twins in hand, stating that he wished to teach them further the art of oration and rhetoric, asking Findaráto to help him.

"You are both princes of Eldamar and must act sometimes in your parents’ stead," the loremaster told them."Thus, it behooves you to know how to use persuasive speech to good effect. Findaráto has a natural bent for it and between us I’m sure we can hone your own abilities to the fullest. I have the feeling that the unrest that has surfaced since Fëanáro’s trial will only worsen unless we are able to calm it. Your atar cannot be everywhere at once, so you need to help him when you can, using effective arguments to still any disquiet that might arise among our people."

Ingwion was willing enough to learn from Valandur and Findaráto but Ingalaurë was more reluctant. "What could Findaráto, who is so much younger than the rest of us, teach Ingwi and me that we don’t already know?" he demanded.

Findaráto, who was in on the conversation, smirked. "I convinced you to keep me here for as long as I wished, did I not?"

Both twins gave him a puzzled look. "You said you would stay as long as we fed you," Ingalaurë said. "I don’t recall you having to convince us...."

"That’s the point, though," Findaráto said. "You asked me how long I intended to stay. I could have given you an actual date on which I would leave, say, the day after Intarion and Lirulin’s wedding, or a yén from now. Instead, I said, ‘for as long as you feed me’. Are you going to deny me sustenance?"

The twins shook their heads. "That’s silly," Ingwion said. "Why would we deny anyone food?"

"And therein lies the subtle beauty of my reply to your question of how long I intended to stay," Findaráto said. "You would not deny me food however much you might wish to do so just to get rid of me and as long as you fed me...." He gave them an elegant shrug and a merry smile.

Valandur laughed. "When I heard what you had told them upon your arrival I wondered how long it would take anyone to realize how clever your response was, Nephew."

Findaráto bowed; Ingwion and Ingalaurë exchanged rueful looks. "Ammë," they said almost as one. When Valandur gave them an enquiring look, Ingwion explained. "When Ammë returned she asked Findaráto the same question and received the same answer."

"And her response?" the loremaster asked.

"She just laughed and said something about informing the cooks to bar Findaráto from the kitchens as soon as we grew weary of his presence," Ingwion replied with a shrug.

Valandur smiled. "Your amillë is very clever and little gets by her," he said. Then his expression became more sober. "You see how your cousin was able to manipulate you without you even being aware of what he was doing?" The twins both nodded, Ingalaurë more reluctantly than Ingwion, giving Findaráto a glower, while Findaráto smiled amiably.

"Then I think you can agree that he will be helpful in teaching you the more subtle aspects of rhetoric and persuasive speech," Valandur continued. "Fëanáro is considered the most gifted in that regard, and I suspect that Findaráto learned from him."

Findaráto nodded. "Yes, I did, though there is little love between us," he said. "Still, I recognized his talents and studied them and adapted them to my own style. You know the Valar wish for me to speak out against the unrest among the Noldor when I return to Tirion. They recognize my own talents of persuasion."

"And will you do as they have asked?" Ingwion enquired.

Findaráto gave a shrug. "I have yet to decide either way and as I will not be returning to Tirion until after the wedding, I will not make a decision until then."

"In the meantime," Valandur said briskly, "why don’t we begin our lessons?" The others nodded. "Good. So let us begin by examining Findaráto’s answer to your question about how long he would be staying in Vanyamar. What was your immediate reaction to his words ‘for as long as you feed me’?"

Ingwion and Ingalaurë exchanged considering looks before Ingwion answered. "Well, I think my first reaction was ‘I had better check with the cooks to make sure we had enough provender to last for all the ages of Arda’."

Findaráto barked a laugh at that. "Just the reaction I was looking for," he said and soon the others were laughing as well.

****

A few days later, the children of Ingwë and Elindis, along with Findaráto, Intarion, Lirulin, Tamurilon and Amarië foregathered in the main sitting room of the royal apartments at the request of the High King. Amarië was somewhat reluctant to come when Findaráto told her, for she was still unsure of her feelings towards him or their relationship and sometimes felt like an outsider when with the others, but he convinced her that she should attend the meeting.

"It’s not really a summons," he said to her, "but neither is it simply an invitation, one that you can politely decline. Besides, I would like for you to be there."

"Do you know why the king wishes for me to be there?" she asked.

Findaráto shook his head. "Not just you, but all of us," he answered, naming the others who would be there. "I have my suspicions as to why he has called us all together," he said at the end, "but Il9;d rather let the High King speak for himself."

And so she accompanied him to the meeting, giving everyone a shy greeting. All welcomed her warmly, Lirulin and Indil especially, insisting she sit with them while Findaráto joined his cousins and Tamurilon. Neither Ingwë nor Elindis were there as yet and the younger Elves spoke quietly among themselves, wondering about the purpose of the summons, but none of them had an answer.

A few minutes after Findaráto and Amarië arrived, Ingwë and Elindis entered the room, followed by Valandur and Findis, which surprised them all. Ingwë gave them a smile as they all rose and gave him and Elindis their obeisance.

"Please be seated, children," he said as he and the others took their own seats.

"Why are we all here, Atar?" Ingwion asked. "Has something happened?"

Ingwë shook his head. "No, Ingwion, nothing has happened... yet." He paused, allowing the implication of his words to sink in. "I have decided to formally summon my... um... Secret Council."

All of them started at that. "How did....?" Indil started to ask.

The older Elves all laughed lightly at the stunned looks on their faces, though Findaráto’s expression was more bemused and Amarië’s was simply one of confusion. "You can blame Valandur," Ingwë said.

When the younger Elves gave the loremaster enquiring looks, he merely smiled. "Someone overheard you speaking in the knotwork garden some weeks ago before Findaráto arrived."

"Someone?" Ingwion asked. "Who?"

"Not important," Valandur replied. "When your atar made me his chief loremaster, I also became his spymaster."

There were stunned expressions on all their faces, though Findaráto only nodded, his expression more considering. "You’re spying on us?" Indil demanded and she was not the only one looking appalled and affronted.

"No, child," Ingwë assured her. "Valandur has a quirky sense of humor, I’m afraid." He gave the ellon a measuring look before turning his attention back to the others. "No one is spying on any of you, least of all Valandur."

"My task is to gather information about the realm, to gauge the temper of the people and to let the king know what he should know in order to rule more effectively," Valandur explained. "As such, it behooves me to cultivate the friendship of others and ask them to pass along any interesting tidbits they might come across in the course of their days. Such a person was in the garden, though you were unaware of them. They were not intentionally spying on you; they just happened to be there when you spoke about being the High King’s Secret Council. This person thought it important enough to tell me about it and I in turn told Ingwë when he returned from Tirion."

Ingwë smiled at them all. "I was rather amused when I was told," he said, "for, in truth, that is how I have always thought of you all."

"Well, you couldn’t think of me as part of your Secret Council, Uncle," Findaráto said with a wry smile, "or Amarië."

"I really shouldn’t be here," Amarië said, looking somewhat distressed, but Ingwë waved a hand in dismissal.

"Both of you are here because I wish you to be. I have great respect for Findaráto’s mind and Amarië, I know you and my great nephew have renewed your relationship and I would not wish to have something like this come between the two of you."

Amarië nodded, looking less distressed and Findaráto gave her a warm, encouraging smile.

"So, why have you summoned us, Atar?" Ingwion asked. "Do you wish for us to be your spies, as well?"

"No," Ingwë said decisively. "I want to discuss how we can allay the tensions that are cropping up here in Vanyamar. Valandur has noticed an increase in unrest among the populace since Fëanáro’s trial and I think we need to address it."

"At the trial," Intarion said, speaking slowly, as if to better marshal his thoughts in some coherent order, "it seemed to me as if the Valar were actually taken by surprise by Fëanáro’s accusations."

Findaráto nodded. "Odd that, considering that they seemed to be aware of the secret forges that have sprung up among the Noldor. Why were they surprised by the one but not the other?"

"You would think that with their Maiar walking unclad among us that they would be aware of all that went on in Eldamar," Intarion said.

"Yet, if you go by that assumption," Ingwë pointed out, "then Fëanáro’s accusations would have credence."

"What do you mean, Uncle?" Findis asked.

"He means that if the Valar truly had their Maiar spying on us then we would indeed be justified in believing ourselves their thralls," Valandur answered.

"Valandur is correct," Ingwë said with a nod.

"Yet, how do we know that is not the case?" Ingalaurë asked. "We would never know if any of the Maiar were lurking about, reporting our every move and word to the Valar." He cast a suspicious look about the room as if he were able to spy out any lurking Maiar. Some of the others were doing the same. The older Elves chuckled at their antics.

"Except, as Intarion pointed out, they were taken by surprise by Fëanáro’s accusations against them," Ingwë said. "That alone proves, to my mind, that they do not have their Maiar spying on us. Oh, I have no doubt that the Maiar, passing through Eldamar on business of their own, will notice things being done or said and will report such things to the Valar if they deem it important enough, but I do not think they are deliberately going around peeking into every corner and behind every closed door. Since we came here, the Valar have left us to ourselves, offering their counsel and aid whenever we have asked for it, but otherwise they have not interfered with our lives in any way."

The others sat in silence, mulling over Ingwë’s words for several moments. Then Elindis turned to her husband and spoke. "Perhaps, dear, you should tell them what we wish from them."

Ingwë nodded. "As I said, I wish to address the growing unrest among our people. Valandur pointed out to me that since my sister’s marriage to Finwë, there has been greater commerce between our two peoples, more so than when I first brought the Vanyar here below Taniquetil. That being said, it stands to reason that some of the Vanyar may well be sympathetic towards Fëanáro, or at any rate, towards the Noldor who are his followers. I told your uncle, Findaráto, that I am not sure that all those in sympathy with Fëanáro went into exile with him."

"You think some remained behind?" Findaráto asked, frowning in thought.

"Yes," Ingwë answered. "And I have reason to believe that they are in communication, not only with those in Formenos, but also with their sympathizers here in Vanyamar."

They all looked at him in surprise. "How can they be in communication with those in Formenos?" demanded Tamurilon. "Surely the Maiar who guard...."

"Ah... as to that, let me tell you what I discovered when I went there," Ingwë said. He quickly described what he had seen when he went to Formenos and the discussion he had had with Ramandur. "That was the flaw in the set-up there," he concluded. "I do not know if the Valar will correct the situation or even if they can. Certainly, it did not seem to have occurred to the Maia with whom I spoke that someone who wished to speak to anyone within the valley could do so without any of the Maiar being the wiser."

"You mentioned sympathizers in Vanyamar," Findaráto said, giving his uncle a shrewd look. "Do you have anyone specific in mind or are you just speaking in generalities?"

"For now, I prefer to speak in generalities," Ingwë said. "What suspicions I have are only that, suspicions. I have no proof that anyone in Vanyamar is involved, yet the unrest did not arise until after the trial. I think that there are some who felt the Valar’s judgment too harsh. Twelve years of exile is quite long, and with the Noldor divided between Tirion and Formenos, those twelve years may prove disastrous for any attempts at reconciliation between those who followed Finwë and Fëanáro into exile and those who have decided to remain in Tirion under Ñolofinwë’s regency."

Findaráto nodded. "So I have felt as well," he said, then sighed. "And knowing my Uncle Fëanáro as I do, I very much doubt these next twelve years will mellow him or make him any less haughty."

"It did not please many that he took with him the Silmarils, hiding them away," Valandur said. "Even those in sympathy with Fëanáro think he has become too possessive and the Silmarils should be enjoyed by all, not hidden away from all eyes but his."

"Certainly the Valar feel that way," Elindis said.

"Yet they do not demand that Fëanáro give over the Silmarils into their keeping," Amarië ventured.

"Which again speaks in their favor," Ingwë said, "and shows that Fëanáro’s accusations are baseless. If we were indeed their thralls than all that we have created for ourselves would rightly belong to them as our masters. Yet, this is patently untrue. The Valar will not interfere with our free will decisions, however wrong-headed they may think we are."

"So, what exactly do you want us to do?" Ingalaurë asked.

"Valandur and Findaráto tell me that you and Ingwion have been improving your oratory skills and your ability to argue effectively," Ingwë answered and the twins nodded. "And that’s all to the good, for I want you two in particular, but the rest of you generally, to begin, as you interact with others, to argue against any dissatisfaction and disaffection that may be uttered in your hearing."

"Assuming anyone will bother to speak their minds on the subject," Findaráto said. "Few, I imagine, will willingly speak their mind to those they perceive to be in authority or have the ear of those who are."

"Yet, all of you have friends and acquaintances," Elindis pointed out. "Lirulin and Amarië have their students and colleagues at the Academy and Intarion is already helping Lirulin’s parents with their winery. He is in contact with others who will pass the time of day speaking idly of this and that."

"And Tamurilon, even though he is a member of my Privy Council," Ingwë added, "is also friends with the sons of many of our nobles and I know he has cultivated those friendships in order to keep tabs on how our nobles feel about certain subjects." Tamurilon nodded. "I do not want any of you to do more than you already are in speaking with your friends or with people in general, but if the occasion arises that some speak their unrest, then you should counter them with words of calm and common sense. Go about your lives as you have, yet be more aware of what is going on around you. Report back to me or to Valandur anything of a disturbing nature and, when you can, be the voice of reason when others are speaking rashly."

The younger Elves looked at one another, each gauging the others’ reactions to the High King’s words. Finally, Ingwion turned to his atar. "I think we can do that," he said. "I also think it would be helpful if the others are given instruction in oratory and rhetoric. I know that I have learned much about how to speak persuasively from Valandur and Findaráto, and I think the others would benefit as well."

Ingwë gave Valandur and Findaráto a considering look. "What say you? Will you teach these others the fine art of debate?"

"Of course," Valandur said. "I would be happy to do so for anyone who wishes."

"As would I," Findaráto said. "In fact, I thought it rather odd that you only wanted the twins to hone this particular skill and not Indil or Intarion."

"I had my reasons for doing so," Ingwë replied, "but I have no objections to anyone else joining the classes."

"I know I would like to," Intarion said and Tamurilon nodded. The three ellith exchanged knowing looks.

"I don’t think we ellith need such lessons," Indil said with a slight smirk.

"Oh?" Ingalaurë asked, giving his sister a jaundiced look. "Why is that?"

"Because we already know how to convince others to think as we do," Lirulin replied with a laugh.

"Especially ellyn," Amarië added with a smile at Findaráto, who smiled back.

"They have a point, dear," Elindis said coyly.

Ingwë laughed. "In that case, perhaps I should have you three ellith conduct the classes instead," he said.

Indil wrinkled her nose. "I don’t think so, Atto." The other two ellith nodded in agreement and the younger ellyn breathed sighs of relief, which set the older Elves laughing.

The meeting ended not long after and the younger Elves gave the High King and Queen their fond farewells as they left. Valandur and Findis remained behind. For a while there was companionable silence between the four Elves as they sipped their wine, each lost in their own thoughts. Then, Valandur spoke. "We know that Ingoldo and Tinwetariel are part of the faction sowing unrest among the Vanyar," he said. "Why did you not mention them?"

"For Intarion’s sake," Ingwë said. "I did not wish to distress him with such news. He has enough to deal with as it is."

Valandur nodded. "It was a good idea to include Findaráto and Amarië in this little conspiracy of ours."

"Conspiracy?" Findis asked her husband, giving him a disbelieving look.

Valandur smiled. "We are conspiring to counteract the whisperings and innuendoes of those who would sow discord among us, so yes, we are a conspiracy, a conspiracy of right reason and common sense, a conspiracy of hope that the Valar’s Peace will prevail over all."

Ingwë nodded. "We are indeed a conspiracy, plotting ways to defeat the darkness that seems to have entered into our lives. Do not forget, we now know that Melkor is behind much of this unrest. We need to counteract his poison as best we may. Those youngsters who just left will be our secret weapon against Melkor’s lies."

"Findaráto worries me, though," Valandur said thoughtfully and the others gave him surprised looks.

"In what way?" Ingwë demanded. "Do you think his loyalties suspect?"

"No," Valandur answered. "At least not to you, but I have sensed an unease of his fëa, a certain amount of restlessness and discontent. I fear that some of Melkor’s words have found purchase within his young soul."

"Surely he does not believe us to be thralls of the Valar," Elindis exclaimed. "He has been quite respectful whenever we have visited the Valar. Indeed, I sensed no stiffness or disquiet when in their presence."

"No, you are correct there, Elindis," Valandur averred. "But he has been seen seeking out some of the oldest of us, those who remember the Great Migration, asking about details of what the Outer Lands are like."

Ingwë looked pensive. "When we were in Tirion, Arafinwë confided in me that Findaráto had actually wondered if the Valar had purposely brought us here so that the Secondborn could, and I quote, claim the lands that rightfully belong to us." There were several raised eyebrows at that and Ingwë nodded. "Arafinwë assured me that he corrected his son about this, pointing out that we willingly gave up all claims to the Outer Lands when we agreed to reside here in Aman."

"Do you think Findaráto has accepted my brother’s correction?" Findis asked with a frown.

"I do not know, dear," Ingwë said honestly enough. "I can only hope, for all our sakes, that he has dismissed Melkor’s lies, all of them."

"Yet, not all his words were lies," Valandur pointed out, "for the Valar did not deny the coming of these others, thus, it is conceivable that even someone like Findaráto may be deluded into thinking that there is some weight to Fëanáro’s words, however much he may dislike or even distrust his uncle personally."

There was a slight pause as the others thought about the implications of Valandur’s words, then Ingwë sighed. "It is too late to keep him out of our councils," he said, "nor do I truly wish to. He is a link to Tirion that may prove useful in the future. I trust in his loyalty to us as family, if nothing else. He may not actively engage in debate with others, but he has been willing to teach my sons, and now the others, how to counteract any voices of dissent with persuasive arguments for calm and right reason. That, for me, is a point in his favor."

"He’s very loyal to his cousins," Elindis said quietly. "He would do anything to help them, whatever his own feelings about certain matters may be."

"And there is Amarië to consider," Findis added. "She may be the key to assuaging his restlessness. If they were to become betrothed...."

She left the thought dangling in front of them and the others had thoughtful expressions on their faces. "Well," Ingwë said, "we can but hope that their relationship blossoms to the point where they declare themselves. It would be a good match."

"It would certainly make Almáriel happy," Findis said coyly, giving them a sly smile.

Ingwë laughed. "And when Almáriel is happy, we all are happy."

The others joined him in laughter and shortly thereafter Valandur and Findis gave the king and queen their wishes for a pleasant sleep before retiring themselves.