In Darkness Bound by Fiondil

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Chapter 9: The Twins at Ilmarin

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9: The Twins at Ilmarin

"Well, they’re settled," Manwë said with a sigh to the other Valar as they met in council in Ilmarin. "Fionwë reports that Formenos," — here he cast them all a wry grin which was greeted with sighs and much rolling of eyes among them — "is being quickly built. He suspects it should be habitable in a few months."

"What of those who followed Finwë?" Aulë asked, still displeased with the Noldóran. He had banned most of the Noldor from his forges, especially those known to be in sympathy with Fëanáro.

"They are presently living in tents," Manwë told them, "though most will no doubt live within Formenos once it’s finished. Already some of them are working the land in small plots or tending to sheep."

"Fëanáro and his sons are going to find their new lives somewhat straitened," Námo remarked with a wry smile. "Ever have they roamed Valinor, never staying long in any one spot, searching out new places. Twelve years in a single valley will most likely drive them to distraction."

Oromë sighed a bit. "I miss Turcafinwë already," he said. "I tried to convince him to travel with me to my Forest, rather than to Formenos, and continue to learn the tongues of birds and beasts. I was just about to teach him the language of the nermir...." He gave Námo a somewhat sad smile.

"I think the Eldar call them wilwarindi these days," Námo said, his expression more amused than anything.

"Whatever," Oromë said dismissively. "The point is, this entire episode with Fëanáro has disrupted many lives, including some of ours, I might add, and I suspect it will not get any better."

Many of them nodded in agreement. Manwë sighed. "I fear you may be correct, Oromë. Yet what other alternative was there? Fëanáro did violence against his own brother..."

"Half-brother," Námo muttered slyly, thoroughly enjoying himself. Vairë gave him a warning glare and several of the others just rolled their eyes at their brother’s pedantic manner.

Manwë scowled, in no mood for Námo’s levity. "Half-brother or not, Fëanáro committed a violent act and disrupted our Peace."

"Perhaps we should have given him a ship and sent him on his merry way to Endórë," Námo suggested, his tone completely serious. "He accuses us of keeping him here against his will. We should have allowed him to leave, to prove that neither he nor any of the Firstborn suffer thralldom at our hands."

"And what would that have accomplished?" Ulmo asked. "Heceldamar is ruled by Elwë and Melyanna. He would find no welcome there, I deem."

"Heceldamar is not the only place in Endórë where he could have gone," Tulkas pointed out.

"Well, it matters not," Manwë said. "Condemning him to permanent exile from Aman would not have solved the underlying issue, that the Noldor are suffering from unrest, a malaise of the spirit that was inculcated through Melkor’s malice. We need to repair the damage that’s been done."

"Yet how?" Varda asked. "I deem it would have been better if none of the other Noldor had been given leave to follow Fëanáro into exile, not even his sons or Finwë."

"I allowed it for I foresaw that Finwë would not be swayed from his course," Manwë answered. "Finwë is the most stubborn of the Eldarani and I deemed it the lesser evil to permit this. Had we insisted that Finwë and the Noldor who left with him remain in Tirion, I think there would have been further disruptions of our Peace."

"Most of those who went into exile," Námo pointed out, "are already Fëanáro’s followers and would have resented being ruled by Ñolofinwë."

"Ingwë going to Tirion to help Ñolofinwë may prove counterproductive in the long run," Vairë said. "His presence there may do more harm than good."

"Perhaps," Manwe averred, "I did not forbid him when he told me of his intentions, though, for I deemed it wiser to let him go."

"And how are his sons handling the task of being their atar’s regents?" Yavanna asked with a faint smile. "I noticed they have not kept to the custom of attending to us on Valanya since Ingwë left for Tirion. I have missed their merry presence and that of their sister."

The Elder King nodded. "I sent word that they were not required to do so until they felt more at ease in their new roles. Ever have they come to us in the company of their parents. They may feel intimidated coming here on their own."

"Still, I think we should encourage them to come next Valanya," Varda suggested. "I am sure they have many questions and they will get no help from Ingoldo."

"Ingwë told me he had asked Valandur and Findis to watch over his sons," Manwë said, "but I think you are correct, beloved. I, too, miss their presence. The children of Ingwë have always been a delight. Very well, we will issue the invitation for Ingwion and Ingalaurë to attend us next Valanya."

"Invitation?" Ulmo asked, his sea-green eyes glittering with amusement. "Not command?"

Manwë gave him a smile. "An invitation, though I will word it so that there is no doubt in their minds that we won’t take ‘no’ for an answer."

"Why only the twins, though?" Nessa asked. "Why not Indil as well?"

Manwë gave her a knowing smile. "I suspect that the twins will want Indil to remain behind to keep an eye on Ingoldo while they are visiting us."

The other Valar chuckled, all of them looking forward to seeing the twins once again.

****

"Are you sure we can’t just say ‘no’?" Ingalaurë asked petulantly. "It’s not even a summons, just an invitation."

Ingwion scowled at the piece of vellum that had been handed to them by no less a personage than Eönwë himself. He turned to Valandur, whom they had summoned as soon as the missive was given to them, handing it to him. "What do you think, Valandur? Can we politely decline?"

Valandur took the letter and read it carefully, finally shaking his head and giving the twins a sympathetic look. "I am sorry, Ingwi," he said, using the family’s pet name for him, "though this is worded as an invitation, there is no doubt that the Valar expect the both of you to appear before them next Valanya, as was your atar’s custom."

"But...." Ingalaurë started to protest, but Valandur cut him off.

"And the fact that the Elder King’s Herald did not wait for an answer leads me to the conclusion that a reply was neither needed nor expected, so I would say this is definitely a command, very politely worded, but a command nonetheless."

The twins sighed almost as one and Valandur hid a smile. "It’s not as if you’ve never stood before them, Ingwi, Ingil. This will be no different."

"I suppose," Ingalaurë admitted reluctantly.

"We were just hoping to avoid having to go," Ingwion added. "I don’t feel comfortable leaving Vanyamar right now. Uncle Ingoldo will insist that in our absence he should be left in charge."

"Ah," the loremaster said, suddenly divining the reason for their reluctance to attend the Elder King. "You could appoint Indil," he suggested. "Your sister would be happy enough to take charge just for the few hours you were gone."

"Hmm...." Ingwion said, "We never thought of that. Indil has shown no inclination to even want to help us before this."

"But she would not be happy seeing Uncle Ingoldo be in charge even for one day," Ingalaurë pointed out. "I’m sure she’ll agree."

Ingwion gave Valandur a quizzical look. "Can we do that? Appoint Indil, I mean."

"She is acting as chatelaine in the queen’s place," Valandur pointed out, "so it would be logical for her to take over the reins of government much as your ammë would whenever the High King had to consult with the Valar."

Both twins breathed sighs of relief, glad that a solution had been found. "So now all we have to worry about is facing the Elder King alone and hope we don’t mess up on protocol," Ingwion said with a rueful grin and Ingalaurë chuckled in sympathy.

"Would you like Findis and me to accompany you?" Valandur asked gently.

Both ellyn looked somewhat mortified at that suggestion. "We’re not elflings!" Ingalaurë nearly shouted. Ingwion put a calming hand on his twin but he looked no more pleased by the loremaster’s suggestion than his brother.

"I never said that, Ingil," Valandur replied calmly. "As it turns out, I have been meaning to journey to Ilmarin myself as I wish to consult with Lord Manwë on a particular matter, so we can go together."

"What matter is that?" Ingwion asked in surprise; Ingalaurë’s expression mirrored his brother’s.

Valandur raised an amused eyebrow at their obvious curiosity. "A matter that is private to me," he rejoined somewhat cooly and both twins blushed.

"Sorry," Ingwion said, chastened, and Ingalaurë nodded, looking equally chagrined.

"Apology accepted, my princes," Valandur said equably. "So, shall we plan to go to Ilmarin next Valanya together?" he asked, his tone warmer than it had been.

Both twins looked up with grateful smiles and nodded.

****

Valanya saw the twins making their way up the mountain in the company of Valandur and Findis as well as the ubiquitous guards. The road was actually a series of broad stone steps with occasional flat areas of paving. It was lined with trees, mostly firs, which provided pleasant shade along the route. At one point in its gradual climb the road passed over a gorge where a waterfall fell from dizzying heights into a ravine. The bridge across was known as the Rainbow Bridge for the multitude of rainbows that graced it. As the road climbed higher into the mountain, it narrowed at times and the steps became steeper but for the most part it was a gentle climb and the Elves arrived as fresh as they had been when they set out an hour or so before.

Out of habit, they all stopped before the gates to stare in wonder at the giant eagle statues gracing the pillars with their wings spread, forming an arch under which they must go. And then there was the statue of Varda with a miniature star pulsing between her outstretched hands. The sight never ceased to awe them.

When they passed the gates, they were met by Eönwë, who gave them all a bow and a smile. "My lords, my lady, welcome to Ilmarin. Your escort will be seen to." He gave a nod and several Maiar wearing the sky-blue tabards with the embroidered eagle of the Elder King on them appeared and directed the guards towards a side wing of the mansion where they would be given food and drink while they waited to escort their charges back to Vanyamar. In the meantime, Eönwë gestured for the others to follow him.

"Lord Manwë sends his greetings," he told them as he led them through the main doors. "He and the other Valar have some pressing business to attend to so they will not be able to receive you immediately. In the meantime, I’ve been asked to take you to one of the receiving rooms where you may have some refreshments while you wait."

"Will they be long?" Ingwion asked, feeling even more nervous than before. He really just wanted to get this over with and go back to Vanyamar and knew his twin felt the same way.

Eönwë, divining the ellon’s thoughts just from Ingwion’s expression, gave them a sympathetic smile. "They will be as long as they need to be and no longer, child." He stopped suddenly, forcing the others to stop as well and looked gravely at the twins, who tried not to squirm too much. Valandur and Findis he ignored, for both were experienced enough in the ways of things not to be unduly upset by the change in the schedule. The twins, for all that they were millennia old and were in fact older than their Noldorin cousin, if not the loremaster, had had fewer experiences, being sheltered by their parents far longer than perhaps had been wise. It did not matter to the Maia, for it was not his call. Still, he had watched these particular Children grow and mature over the years and felt somewhat proprietary towards them.

"Lord Manwë and the other Valar are the same people you have always known. There is no reason for fear or nervousness," the Maia said gently.

Ingwion nodded. "I know that. We know that," he said, nodding towards his brother, "but this time it’s different somehow." He grimaced, not sure how to express what he was feeling. "We’ve never done this on our own before."

"Ah..." was the Maia’s only reply as he glanced at Valandur and Findis standing there with the same indulgent smiles on their faces and suddenly understood why they were there when the ‘invitation’ had been for the twins alone.

"May I offer you some advice, my princes?" Eönwë asked.

The twins glanced up at him in surprise and nodded almost as one.

For a long moment, the Maia just looked at them and then smiled. "Just be yourselves. The Valar have known you since you were born and you have known them for all your lives. Nothing has really changed between you. And if you have any questions concerning your new roles, feel free to ask them of Lord Manwë. He has been the Elder King since we entered Eä and has had much experience in the ways of ruling. He will teach you much if you let him."

The two young ellyn looked at each other and some kind of communication passed between them for they both nodded once and as one turned to the Maia. "Thank you, my lord," Ingwion said, speaking for them both.

Eönwë nodded and they resumed their walk and soon found themselves in a small antechamber, comfortably appointed, where a light collation and some raspberry wine awaited them. Valandur poured the wine into four cut-crystal goblets and handed them to everyone, cautioning the twins to sip theirs slowly and not gulp it down in their nervousness.

"We don’t want you two approaching the Elder King drunk," he said with a wink and a smirk. The two ellyn rolled their eyes but did as they were told. In truth, they were both far too nervous to enjoy the wine, and food at this moment was beyond them. After a few sips, though, they both started to feel calmer.

The weekly meetings between Ingwë and the Valar never took place in the throne room, but in a smaller, more intimate anteroom and Ingwion assumed such would be the case today. He remembered the way the Valar looked at the Máhanaxar and the thought of meeting them today as they sat on their thrones....

Suppressing a shiver he stared into his goblet, wondering how long they would have to wait. In all the years that they had come to Ilmarin, he could not recall them ever having to wait for their audience with the Elder King and the other Valar and wondered why this time was different. He was saved from further ruminations by the appearance of Eönwë who announced that the Elder King would see them now. Putting their goblets down the four Elves stood and followed the Maia to another room further down the hall.

This was the same antechamber the twins knew from previous visits and they both visibly relaxed at seeing a familiar place. The Valar were all there, either seated or standing about in an informal manner. Only Manwë and Varda were seated on thrones, but they were more like overly ornate chairs and thus not as imposing as their thrones at the Máhanaxar.

Eönwë announced them. "Prince Ingwion and Prince Ingalaurë, Loremaster Valandur and Lady Findis."

Manwë smiled at them as they made their obeisance and gestured them forward. "Welcome, my children. We have missed your presence these last few weeks. Come and join us."

There were four empty chairs before the throne dais and the twins instinctively took the middle chairs while Findis sat on Ingalaurë’s left and Valandur sat on Ingwion’s right. Varda smiled knowingly and spoke, not to the twins, but to Valandur.

"I understand, Lord Valandur, that you have a question for us."

Valandur nodded. "Indeed, lady. Yet, I deem this is not the appropriate venue for it. My lady wife and I accompanied Ingwion and Ingalaurë so they would not feel... outnumbered." He said this with a wry grin and the twins both blushed.

There were many smiles and Tulkas’ booming laugh filled the chamber. "But you are outnumbered, for there are only four of you and fourteen of us."

"Fifteen, if you count Eönwë," Námo said with a sly smile, giving a nod to the Maia who would stand attendance upon them all as was customary. Eönwë gave the Lord of Mandos a smile in return.

"Perhaps I should have said ‘less outnumbered’," Valandur quipped and the Valar all laughed.

Manwë gave the twins a sympathetic look. "I know you are both feeling a bit lost at the moment, having these sudden responsibilities thrust upon you. We," and here he gestured to his fellow Valar, "are concerned that you are handling your duties well and are here to offer you our support."

"Thank you, my lord," Ingwion said, always the spokesman for them both.

"How have you been doing so far?" Varda asked them, giving them an almost motherly look.

The twins glanced at each other and then, surprisingly, it was Ingalaurë who answered. "Well... at first, it was... overwhelming," he said somewhat quietly, not really looking at anyone or anything in particular. "It’s not that we didn’t know what to do, it’s just that... that..."

Ingwion grimaced. "It’s Uncle Ingoldo..."

"And Aunt Tinwetariel," his twin added with a nod.

"And what exactly is the problem with them?" Varda asked, her eyes narrowing.

But neither twin felt inclined to speak, not sure if they weren’t being disloyal to the family. It was Valandur who supplied the answer, his expression cool and disapproving.

"Ingoldo has begun questioning every decision, judicial or administrative, that is being made by the twins."

"And Tinwetariel is nearly as bad," Findis said, giving a huff of displeasure as she spoke. "She’s decided to take Elindis’ place and is constantly mothering them."

"More like smothering," Ingwion muttered. Then his expression changed along with his voice and they realized he was imitating the formidable Tinwetariel. "‘Now dears, I don’t think those are appropriate tunics for the courts. Whatever was your ammë thinking when she ordered them?’"

Ingalaurë picked up the litany. "‘You really should let your uncle give you advice, dears. He is, after all, much older than that half-baked loremaster and his half-breed wife.’" The younger ellon gave his cousin and her husband an apologetic look but neither Findis nor Valandur appeared upset.

Valandur, in fact, gave them a wry smile. "I’ve been called worse by better, my princes, so you need not apologize for your aunt’s vindictiveness."

"And as for being a half-breed," Findis said with a sniff, "better half-breeding than no breeding, as my ammë says."

That set the Valar laughing. "Well said, daughter," Aulë remarked with a wink at the elleth and the twins had the pleasure of seeing their usually unflappable cousin blush like an elfling.

"Ingoldo has always been ambitious," Manwë told them. "If I didn’t know better, I would think he were more Noldorin than Vanyarin."

"Certainly in temperament than in blood," Oromë said.

"He thinks Fëanáro was ill-treated by you," Ingalaurë said, then ducked his head, wishing he had not said anything, as every Vala gave him their full attention.

"Perhaps you should explain," Manwë said softly, and Ingalaurë wanted to refuse, but there was a tone of command in the Elder King’s voice that brooked no refusal, so he repeated the conversation he had had with Ingoldo. Ingwion stared at his twin in surprise, for Ingalaurë had never mentioned the encounter to him.

"Then I told Valandur, but not Atar," he ended and was relieved when the attention of the Valar shifted to the loremaster, who seemed less intimidated by them.

"It is, in fact, one of the topics about which I had hoped to consult with you, my Lord Manwë," he said, "and now that Ingil has brought it up...."

"Hmm... yes," Manwë said, looking thoughtful. Making a decision, he gave the twins a warm smile. "Thank you for telling us these things, my children. We will think on them, for there are many undercurrents among the Eldar about which we are ignorant. I wish to speak with Lord Valandur further. Perhaps you and Lady Findis would care to wander through the conservatory in the meantime."

"I will escort them," Námo said and the twins looked suddenly distraught, wishing one of the other Valar or a Maia would accompany them.

Vairë came beside her spouse. "Actually, I think Findis and I will chat awhile," she said.

"Very well," Manwë said. "I will call you when we are done here."

Findis stood and with a prod of her foot she made Ingalaurë stand, which forced Ingwion to rise as well. The three gave the Elder King their obeisance and then Vairë hooked her arm in Findis’ and led her away, chatting brightly about threads and looms or some such. The twins weren’t really paying attention, for Námo was beckoning them to him. The Vala took them by their arms with Ingalaurë on his left and Ingwion on his right, steering them towards another door. Both ellyn sighed almost as one, looking as if they were going to their own executions, neither seeing the amused expressions on the faces of the other Valar as Námo led them away.

****

Turcafinwë: Third son of Fëanáro and Nerdanel, known as Celegorm in Beleriand. In the Silmarillion it is said that, while his brothers were often guests in the halls of Aulë, he often went to the house of Oromë where the Vala taught him the tongues of birds and beasts.

Nermir/Wilwarindi: Butterflies. The first word, literally meaning ‘field-fay’, was used by the Valar before the coming of the Firstborn (see Wars of the Valar).

Eldarani: Kings of the Eldar [Elda + arani; cf. Ingaran (Inga + aran)].