Fëanor, The World's Worst Son-In-Law by Uvatha the Horseman

ATour of Aule's Forge

The next morning, Mahtan's grandsons assembled for the tour. Nerdanel had joined the group, too. Mahtan counted heads. Including Nerdanel, there were seven in all, three dark and four redheads.

"Where's the blond one?" Mahtan asked.

"Celegorm wanted a turn with the seeing stone," said Curufin.

Mahtan sighed. That only works until his father notices the seeing stone has gone missing again.

Mahtan assumed Fëanor would come want to come on the tour, too, but his son-in-law said, "I know what the Forge looks like. You took me there when you taught me how to make hardened edges."

Hardened edges were secret to making scythes and axes. It was the most advance skill of the smith's craft. Mahtan had learned if from Aulë and passed it on to with Fëanor.

There was nothing mysterious about blacksmithing. Iron was put in the fire to make it soft. When the piece was red-hot, it was as easy to shape as modeling clay.

But hardened edges were different. The metal itself had to be transformed into another substance entirely. It was done by adding a pinch of charcoal to the molten metal. The piece had to be quenched in oil rather than water and allowed to cool overnight in a bed of sand. Nothing about the process was intuitive, and unless it was done exactly right, the piece would bend the first time it was used, or shatter like glass.

It was the secret to making tools with hardened edges. Unfortunately, it was also the secret to making edged weapons. The first thing Fëanor did with his new knowledge was to make a blade and use it on Fingolfin, which was why he hadn't been invited to Fingolfin's house for the Festival this year.

Nerdanel and the boys followed Mahtan through the gates around the Mansions of Aulë and across the grounds to Aulë's Forge.

"I haven't been here in forever. It makes me feel young again," said Nerdanel.

Aulë greeted them at the entrance to the Forge. He was enormously tall, and his shoulders were correspondingly broad. His black hair was braided into half a dozen plaits, and his beard hung down over his leather apron. He held a hammer in his hand. Mahtan had rarely seen the master smith without one.

Mahtan made the introductions. "You know Nerdanel, of course, and these are her sons Maedhros, Maglor, Caranthir, Curufin, and Amrod and Amras." And please don't ask me which twin is which.

Aulë led them inside. The fires had already been built up, and it was warm inside

the Forge. Mahtan retreated to the side of the room to let the young people have all of Aulë's attention.

Curufin was the first to make something by himself. Aulë stood nearby and gave him one-on-one attention. When he was finished, Curufin held up a twist of iron with a delicate leaf at the end. For a beginner, it was excellent work.

"You have natural ability," said Aulë.

Maglor, another dark-haired boy, went next. He tried something more ambitious which involved heating a thick bar of iron yellow-orange. It was awkward and dangerous to lift with the tongs, and he was obviously struggling with it. Inspecting the finished piece, he muttered, "It didn't turn out so well. I could have done better."

"You've got that right. Whatever it was supposed to be, it isn't," said Caranthir.

Aulë picked up the piece Maglor had made. "You have a gift. You should nurture it."

Maedhros looked wistful. "He's the artist in the family. I'd give my right arm for talent like that."

One by one, each of the six boys made something by themselves. All of the boys showed a talent for the craft. Mahtan could tell, even from across the room, by the way they swung the hammer and how quickly the iron took shape beneath their hammers. Aulë must have thought so too, because he said, "Maybe you'll like to come here to study under me. But decide quickly, there are others who want the position."

Mahtan glanced at Nerdanel. She nodded, and the corners of her mouth lifted in a smile. Since their mother approved of the plan, it might really happen. In his head, he was already building an addition to the cottage to make room for them.

"That's a great honor. Aulë rarely invites students to apply here. There's fierce competition for the few places he makes available," said Curumo.

Mahtan jumped. He hadn't noticed Curumo enter the Forge. He hadn't seen him at all until the chief of Aulë's servants sidled up next to him.

Mahtan nodded. "Agreed. I hope the boys will take advantage of it." Mahtan wondered what it would be like to have his grandchildren living here. He smiled at the thought.

The ring of hammering on the anvil started up again. Sure that they wouldn't be overheard, Mahtan leaned over and asked Curumo, "Why didn't Fëanor ever study under Aulë? Surely he was good enough."

Curumo shrugged and looked away. "Fëanor learned Aulë's craft from you. It amounts to the same thing." Mahtan didn't believe him.

After they returned from the tour of the Forge, Mahtan helped his wife to prepare supper.

"Aulë invited the boys to stay here and study under him. They haven't decided to do it yet, and only Nerdanel's given permission so far, but what would you say to having them stay with us?" asked Mahtan.

He hoped she'd say yes. He'd already become attached to Maglor, who was artistic and kind, and to Curufin, who of all of them was the most mechanically inclined.

"It's the best possible news!" She smiled, and her eyes lit up. "I'd love to be able to spend more time with Celegorm. He loves animals. He helped to the chickens. You should see him with them. They eat right out of his hand."