The Redemption of the Noldor by Cirdan

Chapter 10 (Version 2)

Cirdan was bereft of Finrod's friendship in all his days in Middle Earth thereafter. At the end of the First Age, the hosts of the Valar made war on Angband and defeated Morgoth. Eonwe called all the Elves of Middle Earth to Valinor, but Cirdan did not depart with them. He did indeed desire to be reunited with his kin at Alqualonde, but he loathed to depart from the lands where he'd met Finrod Felagund. Besides, his heart told him that his purpose in Middle Earth had not yet ended. Beleriand was destroyed in the War of Wrath, but Lindon, where Finrod had first met Mortal Men and thus learned to love, remained. Cirdan dwelt in Mithlond between Forlindon and Harlindon. In the Second Age, Cirdan saw the rise and fall of Numenor. He fought with Gil-galad against Sauron, who had slain Finrod. In the Last Alliance of Elves and Men, Cirdan saw the fall of the last High King of the Noldor. In the Third Age, Men were tested and taught, and Aragorn, the descendant of Earendil the Blessed, reclaimed his kingship. Sauron was defeated. When the Bearers of the Three Elven Rings and the Bearer of the One Ring came to Mithlond, Cirdan felt that his time on Middle Earth had come to an end. He set sail for the West and at last came to the Blessed Realm.

On the shores of Eldamar, the ships of Cirdan were greeted with trumpets and cheers. The arch of living stone over the entrance of Alqualonde was decorated with flowers. The lamplit havens were new to Cirdan, yet they seemed familiar to him. At last, after countless years, he was home. As the ship docked, Cirdan searched the crowds and found who he did not expect but had hoped to find.

Finrod stood by the pier among the House of Olwe. The sun had set, but here in the Blessed Realm, that was the time of greatest light. Finrod's golden hair caught the light of the sun that streamed between the mountains. Strings of pearls decorated his braids, and a circlet of silver and diamonds graced his brow. His raiment of gold and green were bejeweled and more splendid than any finery that Cirdan had seen on Middle Earth. Most beautiful of all were Finrod's eyes, which shone like Gil-Estel, the Star of Hope.

The cry for Galadriel stirred Cirdan from his daydreaming. Beside Finrod were Orodreth, Angrod, and Aegnor. When the ship was near enough to shore, the Teleri cast flower petals up into the air. Galadriel's four brothers cheered for her return. Though sundered from her husband Celeborn, the sight of her brothers overcame her melancholy, and Galadriel smiled and held her hand up in greeting.

"Look at all those Elves," Frodo said to no one in particular. The Elves of Middle Earth had dwindled over time and were seen only rarely, for they moved like shadows. Here in the Blessed Realm though, the Elves lined the shores and were arrayed in all their past glory. Even Cirdan, who had seen the Elves of Valinor during the War of Wrath, was in awe, for the elves were dressed in fine and bright raiments for peace and festival, not for war.

Cirdan looked out at the many faces of the Elves who awaited them ashore, and some he recognized. Even the Vanyar and Noldor had come to the Swanhavens for these last ships from Middle Earth. Cirdan's gaze returned to Finrod, who smiled like the sun, and this time, he noticed the beautiful, golden-haired Vanya standing beside him. There was no mistaking her, for Cirdan had seen visions of her when Finrod had spoken with him. She was Amarie of the Vanyar, beloved of Finrod Felagund, House of Finarfin.

Cirdan's heart softened at the sight of her beside Finrod. The Shipwright had often tried to ease the loneliness and yearning in Finrod's heart for the woman he loved, but even the coming of Men had nto fully filled Finrod's seemingly infinite capacity for love. Now, on the shores of Eldamar, Finrod seemed joyful and wholly healed. Even a song of Sauron could not fell the beautiful and strong prince now. The sight of Amarie beside him explained Finrod's shining face and unsurpassable loveliness. Cirdan's heart swelled with love for Amarie, whom he did not know personally, for he was grateful for the healing that she had brought to Finrod and pleased by the union that had waited many long years and was at last fulfilled.

Cirdan spent the night with his kinsman Olwe. Olwe spoke to him of the Two Trees, evoking such visions that Cirdan longed to behold in truth and not in seeming. Olwe told Cirdan of the voyages of the swanships of Alqualonde, his descendants, and many fair things beside. Like the lands around the Isle of Balar, the Havens of the Swan were filled with pearls to be gathered, and perhaps because of the coming of the rest of the Eldar to the Blessed Realms there had been greater numbers of pearls to be found of late. All this Cirdan listened to, and when Olwe finished, Cirdan spoke of the War of the Ring in brief, for he knew that there would be much song about it later, and the voyage across the Sundering Sea. They spoke in Olwe's chambers, at the dining hall, and on the shores of Eldamar. And when at last they trailed off to see the setting of the bright sun in Valinor once again, Cirdan found his heart's desire to again see his kin at last fulfilled.

"You haven't even been back for more than a day, yet already you wish to leave us?" Olwe said. "Stay, Cirdan. Settle down among the kin from whom you've long been sundered."

"Nay, my Lord, for mines is the choice of Miriel's." Cirdan stroked his long silver beard, the mark of Ulmo. "Many years ago, when I saw the glimmer of Tol Eressea in the West, I chose not to follow my kin and to follow instead the horns of Ulmo, the Ulumuri. Now that my great task in Middle Earth is complete, I desire to dwell in Ulmonan, the Halls of Ulmo, and serve the Lord of Waters. My visit to Alqualonde was the end of my great task, for I brought with me the last of the Wise of Middle Earth and the Ringbearers."

Olwe offered to hold a feast for his departure, but Cirdan declined. Cirdan left for Vai, the Outer Sea, and was not seen again among his people until the end.

At the End of the World, Tulkas, Eonwe, and Turin defeated Morgoth in the Dagor Dagorath, the Last Battle. The world was wrenched apart. The Silmarils were recovered from the depths of the earth and sea, and Earendil yielded his Silmaril of the sky. Feanor broke open the three Silmarils, and their Light filled all of Arda. The world was built anew. The dead of the Eldar arose, and the Valar and Eldar were made young again. It was in this Light, after the End of the World, that Cirdan and Finrod at last met again.

Finrod embraced Cirdan and said, "Too long have you been away from your kin. Truly, the spouses of mariners are few, and I understand fully why that is so." Both Elves were young and refreshed from the renewal of Arda.

Cirdan smiled lightly. "A man may not have two spouses, and I belonged to Lady Uinen of the Sea."

"No, you belonged to Ulmo, the King of the Sea and the Lord of Waters," Finrod said. "But surely your great task is finally ended, for the world has ended and been reborn. Will you return among the Elves now?"

"I will."

Finrod smiled brightly, and that smile was very great in the new Light of the world. "A spouse must share a man with his vocation or make him something unlovable. I have waited many years for your work with Ulmo to end. Now, at last, I may steal you from the Lord of the Waters. Cirdan, if you still love me as you did before, will you marry me?"

Cirdan started. "What of Amarie?"

"She is wedded to Olwe's youngest son, not to me."

"That day when I returned from Middle Earth, I saw you beside her, and I was glad for your union."

"And now you know that there was no union between her and me." Finrod touched his palm to Cirdan's smooth cheek. "Perhaps your misunderstanding was Fate, for you were needed by Ulmo's side. I know I was free to choose another, but Cirdan, my love remains for you still. Again, will you marry me?"

"If the Valar will permit it, then I will gladly lay my hand in yours," Cirdan said. He kissed Finrod and discovered exactly how lacking Elven memory could be. Though he had cherished and remembered their kiss on the Cape of Balar, its memory was but a shadow compared a real kiss. Now that the world was remade, there were no shadows. Only the Light of their lips in the present remained.

Later, Cirdan and Finrod were joined in marriage. Their love had begun with the love that the Valar bore for the Eldar, and it was fulfilled when Finrod learned to love Mortal Men. The union of two men at the dawn of the world became the symbol of pure and unselfish love in New Arda. Thus, the breach of love between kinsmen at the Fall and the past sins of the Noldor were fully redressed, and the history of Old Arda would have been lessened if the Fall had not happened. Thus, the Fall of the Noldor was known as the Fortunate Fall, and Finrod--Lover of Mortal Men, Elves, and Valar--was attributed with the Redemption of the Noldor.