In Darkness Bound by Fiondil

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Chapter 25: Consultations

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25: Consultations

Over the following weeks Ingwë kept a close eye on Ingoldo, or rather, he had Valandur do so. The loremaster was very discreet but also very thorough, yet in the end, there was no proof that anyone could find that suggested that Ingoldo might be in sympathy with the Exiles. Nor was there any evidence that he was in communication with those in Formenos.

"The absence of proof does not mean there isn’t any," Valandur told the High King after giving him his weekly report on the state of the kingdom. "Ingoldo is no fool and if he suspects that you are looking more closely into his affairs, he will make sure there is nothing to find."

Ingwë nodded, looking frustrated. "No doubt you are correct," he averred. "Yet, when I saw how Formenos was set up and realized the flaw in the Valar’s security measures, I just knew that Ingoldo was taking advantage of the situation for his own purposes."

"What would you do if you did have such proof?" Valandur asked, more out of curiosity than anything. He had no love for Ingoldo, but understood the conflicting dynamics which existed between the two brothers. If Ingwë had a blind spot, it was Ingoldo and his belief that his brother was not intent on taking the throne from him. Valandur was not so sure that Ingoldo did not have such designs.

Ingwë shrugged, looking a bit rueful. "To tell you the truth, I do not know. All I do know is that the Valar made a serious mistake permitting Finwë to accompany his son to Formenos. Indeed, I would go so far as to say that even Fëanáro’s sons should not have been allowed to accompany him. Exile is, after all, exile. Allowing all those people to go to Formenos has merely turned it into another Noldorin enclave. I dread to think what will become of the Noldor as a people after twelve years divided."

"A weighty thought," Valandur said. "and then there is the question of what effect this will have on the rest of us, for surely we cannot simply ignore what has happened and hope that Fëanáro will actually come to his senses and be reformed. We must plan for the possibility that he will be just as rebellious as ever and possibly drag the rest of us into his madness if we are not careful."

"Ñolofinwë is the one I feel sorriest for," Ingwë said. "He has been placed in an untenable position and I do not think he will weather the storm that may come."

"He may surprise you," Valandur said. "He is, after all, Indis’ son." He gave Ingwë a knowing grin and the High King chuckled in acknowledgment.

"He is that," Ingwë averred and then the subject of Fëanáro and the Noldor was put aside for the moment to discuss other more important matters concerning the well-being of the Vanyar.

*****

As the wedding day came ever closer there was a flurry of activity as the preparations went apace. The royal family split into two groups, those not directly involved with the planning and those who were. Those not involved did their level best to stay out of the way of those who were, and the sense of relief was mutual for both groups. Findaráto was one of those not directly involved with the wedding plans and spent much of his time at his studies when he was not with Amarië, though those times were becoming rarer as she became more involved with the wedding plans herself. A number of times he traveled to Valmar to consult with Aulë, who welcomed him warmly.

"And how are your studies in crystallography coming along?" the Vala asked when Findaráto visited him some time after Ingwë’s return from Tirion.

"Well enough," Findaráto replied, "though I am somewhat frustrated."

"Tell me," Aulë said solicitously as he led the ellon from the antechamber where he had met him and took him to an inner courtyard where they sat under an elm tree. Aulë offered Findaráto some wine which the ellon accepted.

"I am convinced that certain gemstones contain an inner fire which, if it can be harnessed, could be used as energy sources."

"Any gems in particular?" Aulë asked.

Findaráto nodded. "Diamonds possibly and rubies. I have been examining the structure of different gems, whether found in the earth or created by us, and for some reason I keep returning to rubies, yet I cannot see the reason."

Aulë sat in contemplation for a moment or two, stroking his golden-red beard. "While the Noldor have been very good in creating certain kinds of gems — your Uncle Fëanáro excels in that art — not all of the gems and minerals were created by you. Rubies and diamonds are two that were created by us, or more specifically, by me."

"Do you know why I feel so drawn to studying rubies?" Findaráto asked respectfully.

"Possibly," Aulë admitted. "While diamonds are perhaps the hardest of the gemstones, rubies are by far the most powerful."

"How....?"

Aulë shook his head. "That is for you to discover, if you can," the Vala replied. "All I will say is that for any gem to be used as a power source it cannot be combined with other gems."

"So whatever energy is created would be monochromatic," Findaráto said with a nod.

"More than that, the energy must be tapped in such a way that the light which emanates from the gem is also coherent."

"Coherent? How do you mean?" Findaráto gave the Vala a puzzled look.

"Ah... now that would be telling, wouldn’t it?" Aulë answered with a laugh and refused to say anything more about it. "So, how are the wedding plans coming along?" he asked, changing the subject.

Findaráto grinned. "I only know that I am not involved and I have learned not to ask."

Aulë laughed again. "It is probably just as well. We Valar are a little less formal about such things," he added, "but we have enjoyed watching the Eldar develop their own ceremonies and traditions, though admittedly, some of them seem a bit convoluted."

"You must find us rather... young," Findaráto said somewhat shyly.

"And you are, in comparison to us," Aulë said solemnly. "You cannot comprehend the ages uncounted and forgotten that passed from the time we entered Eä until Arda itself was formed and then the long ages after before the Elves awoke at Cuiviénen. Although it has been many yéni since, you are still young in many ways and we delight in watching you discover the world around you."

"Which is why you won’t tell me what you mean by ‘coherent light’, isn’t it?" Findaráto asked with a wry smile.

"Exactly," Aulë replied with a wide grin. "It is better if you find the answers yourself rather than expecting us to give them to you."

For a moment or two silence fell between them as Findaráto contemplated the Vala’s words. Aulë, for his part, gave the ellon a shrewd look. "Have you thought more of what was discussed with Lord Manwë?"

Findaráto shook his head. "Not really. I promised myself that I would consider his request after the wedding. My family will be attending and I plan to discuss it with them and get their opinions. Frankly, though, I really do not know what Lord Manwë expects from me. Whatever my powers of persuasion, I am the least of the House of Finwë. I have no official standing either in my anatar’s court or in my uncle’s. I have no real authority. People are not going to listen to me."

"You underestimate yourself, child," Aulë said quietly. "You have a charm and charisma that is second to none, save perhaps Fëanáro. Your approach is less argumentative and more conciliatory, and so people are not immediately put on their guard around you. That is one of your strengths, whether you are aware of it or not."

"Still... I’m only one ellon," Findaráto protested.

"So is Fëanáro," Aulë pointed out and left it at that. "At any rate, continue your studies. I will be interested to see what you come up with." And then the meeting was over and Findaráto made his obeisance, allowing himself to be escorted from the mansion by Aulë’s Chief Maia, Auros.

He made his way onto the Landamallë Valion and on an impulse, turned right to walk down the avenue until he reached the Mindon Nyellion. The bells were softly ringing, but it was nearing the hour of the Second Mingling and Findaráto stood before the fountain in which the tower stood and watched in wonder as the bells all went silent, leaving just the music of the waters to be heard. Only when the bells resumed their play as the light of Laurelin continued to wax and Telperion’s light began to wane, did he resume his walk. He passed the mansion of Lord Námo and Lady Vairë, hardly giving it a glance, continuing on towards the western gate of silver and emerald that led to the Ezellohar and, beyond that, the Máhanaxar. He paused in awe at the sight of the Two Trees, staying well away from the mound and the vast pools of liquid light that surrounded it. They never ceased to amaze him and the story of their creation had been one of his favorites as an elfling. He remembered with a chuckle how he had constantly begged his parents to tell it to him again and again.

After a few moments in contemplation, he gave the Trees a deep reverence and then continued on to the Máhanaxar. He was not sure what drew him to the place. Until his Uncle Fëanáro’s trial he had only been there once before as an elfling. His parents had brought him there to formally present their first-born and heir to the Valar as was the custom among the royal families of the Noldor and Vanyar. Normally, such presentation took place at the mansion of the Elder King and the Elentári in Valmar, but for some reason, he had been brought to the Ring of Doom instead. Apparently, the Valar were meeting that particular day in Council and so he stood before the throne of Lord Manwë surrounded by the other Valar and their Maiar attendants. It had been an unnerving experience for the young ellon and he remembered with chagrin how he had cried, overwhelmed by it all. Lord Manwë had smiled gently at him and before he knew it he was sitting on the Elder King’s knees playing with a ruby pendant which Lord Manwë had been wearing. He remembered how fascinated he had been by the play of light, happily ignoring the adults around him, unaware of the indulgent smiles of the Valar and Maiar.

He grinned as he saw himself in his mind’s eye as an elfling refusing to let go of the pendant once the audience was over. His atto and ammë had been mortified, but Lord Manwë had merely laughed and allowed him to keep it. He still had the pendant, for when his parents had attempted to return it to the Elder King sometime later, they were assured that it was a gift to their son, a gift that, as he grew older and understood the significance of who the gift-giver was, he had come to cherish more and more.

Now he stood between the thrones of the Elder King and his Spouse and gazed across the circle at Lord Námo’s throne, wondering at the strange emblem carved on the back of it. Then his eyes wandered around the circle until his gaze fell upon the throne of Lord Aulë. He sighed, turning his head to once again look upon the Elder King’s throne.

"What do you want of me?" he asked in a whisper, almost pleadingly, but no answer was forthcoming and after a while he turned and went back through the west gate, making his way to Eldamas and the inn where he would spend the night before returning to Vanyamar.

He never knew that all the while he was being watched.

****

"Do you think he will do as we have asked him?" Námo asked Aulë as the two incarnated, each standing by their thrones, watching the retreating figure of the first-born son of Arafinwë.

Aulë’s eyes narrowed. "Hard to tell," he answered. "He feels inadequate to the task, I deem. At least, that is the impression I got from listening to his protests."

"He’s the best of them, though," Námo said. "The sons of Ñolofinwë, while personable in their own ways, are not as adept in the art of debate as Findaráto. Certainly his two brothers are not and Artanis is too froward in her manner."

Aulë grinned. "She is a little spitfire, isn’t she?"

Námo shrugged. "Her amillë named her well, I deem."

The Worldsmith nodded. "Her need to constantly compete against her older brothers and cousins has made her brash and somewhat haughty, though admittedly, she does have reason to be. Surrounded as she is by her brothers and cousins, she feels she needs to be as good or better than they in all things. I understand Artanis has even taken up the art of forging swords." His expression became darker as he contemplated the thought of any elleth forging weapons of destruction.

"At any rate," Námo said, "Findaráto is probably the only one who can successfully convince his people to turn aside from their discontent."

"Yet, while speaking with him," Aulë said, "I detected a whisper of discontent in his fëa as well, though it is still inchoate and hidden from him. We need first to still the disquiet in his own fëa before we can convince him to do the same for others."

"Yet how?" Námo demanded. "He will not be convinced by any arguments put forth by us."

"True," Aulë conceded. "We need to encourage others to do so, people whose good opinion of him matters and whom he respects."

Námo gave Aulë a searching look. "Anyone in particular you have in mind?"

"He is very close to the twins, I noticed, Ingwion especially, for all that they are several yéni older than he," Aulë said. "They are already learning from him the fine art of rhetoric. Perhaps it is time for our young prince to have a lesson of his own."

"We cannot interfere...." Námo started to say, but Aulë just flashed him a grin.

"We are already interfering, asking Findaráto to be our messenger to his people," his brother Vala stated. "What I have in mind is not so much interference as guidance. As I told Findaráto, the Eldar are still very young and the young are always in need of guidance, are they not?"

Námo stared at Aulë for some minutes before nodding. "Why don’t we speak with Manwë about this? I am sure he must have ideas of his own."

Aulë nodded. "I was planning to."

"What exactly is the lesson you are thinking to give our young prince?" Námo asked out of curiosity.

Aulë laughed and gave his fellow Vala a wink. "Now that would be telling, Little Brother."

Námo rolled his eyes and shook his head even as the two of them thought themselves to where Manwë was.

****

They found the Elder King with Oromë and Tulkas, sitting by a mountain tarn whose dark waters reflected the stars. It lay north of Taniquetil and was totally inaccessible to any mirroanwë. The three looked up as Námo and Aulë made their presence known. Manwë smiled at them. "I was about to send for you but you anticipated me."

"What is the matter?" Aulë asked.

"Tulkas was just telling us that, according to his Maiar, Ingwë went to Formenos."

"Ingwë!" Námo exclaimed. "Why did he do that?"

"To speak with Finwë, apparently," Tulkas answered, "though my Maiar politely made themselves scarce and gave them their privacy, so I have no idea of what they spoke."

"We know that Ingwë is not happy with our decision to allow Finwë and any Noldor who wished to follow Fëanáro into exile," Oromë said.

Tulkas gave them a wry look."Ingwë told Cassantur and Ramandur, and I quote: ‘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.’"

"Hmmm... well, that is a logical reason for him wanting to consult with Finwë," Námo said.

"Well, that is not the only thing that came to light from Ingwë’s meeting with Finwë," Manwë said. "It appears that Ingwë found a possible flaw in our security measures for Formenos." Aulë and Námo gave Manwë looks of surprise, but it was Tulkas who described the conversation that had occurred between Ramandur and Ingwë.

"We never thought that someone would actually attempt to communicate with those in Formenos," Námo averred. "That barrier is more for the sake of the elflings, to prevent them from wandering away and getting lost in the surrounding wilderness."

"Is there any proof, though, that such has actually happened?" Aulë asked.

"None," Manwë answered, "merely suspicions on Ingwë’s part. I believe that he thinks that his brother, Ingoldo, may be in communication with someone at Formenos."

Several eyebrows went up. "Ingoldo has always resented not being chosen as ambassador for the Vanyar," Oromë said.

"Was there any particular reason why you chose Ingwë over Ingoldo?" Námo asked. "In truth, I cannot imagine anyone leading the Vanyar other than Ingwë."

Oromë shrugged. "At the time, I followed the urging of my heart. There were several of the Children in each of the clans that I could have chosen, yet in the end I chose as I did."

"Or as Atar willed," Manwë added.

Oromë shrugged again. "It comes down to the same thing, as far as I am concerned."

"On the off chance that what Ingwë suspects is true," Námo said, "what should we do about it?"

"If such has happened, the damage is already done," Tulkas pointed out.

"Yet, it might be wise to make sure that it does not happen again," Námo insisted.

Manwë nodded. "Have your Maiar take shifts standing guard at Formenos itself, with the watches coinciding with the Minglings of the Trees. Make sure they remain unclad. Let us see what transpires."

They all nodded in agreement and Oromë said he would have his Maiar take the first two watches. Then Manwë turned to Aulë and Námo.

"You did not seek me out to discuss this particular matter," he said and the two Valar shook their heads.

"Actually, we came to discuss a matter concerning Findaráto," Námo explained.

"And what matter is that?" Manwë enquired mildly.

"Aulë thinks our princeling needs a lesson," Námo replied.

"Oh?" Manwë said. "Any lesson in particular?"

"I wouldn’t know," Námo said with a shrug. Then he turned to Aulë. "So, are you going to tell us or do we have to guess?"

Aulë barked a laugh and playfully swatted at Námo, who ducked, giving him a grin. Then the Smith of Arda proceeded to tell them his idea.

****

Mirroanwë: An incarnate as opposed to the Ainur who are spiritual creations.

Note: For those who may be scientifically-challenged, Aulë and Findaráto are discussing the properties of what we would call a laser, the earliest of which were powered by rubies, and which is defined as ‘a device that produces a nearly parallel, nearly monochromatic, and coherent beam of light by exciting atoms to a higher energy level and causing them to radiate their energy in phase’. The ruby is traditionally considered to be the most powerful gem in the universe.