Paradise Lost by Cirdan

Maedhros put on the ceremonial shirt without the help of his mother, who was dressing Maglor. He looked down at the bright emblem of the House of Finwe. The embroidery of the emblem was so finely stitched that the light seemed to leap off of the shirt. The colors were of surpassing brilliance, and the shirt was woven in strands of soft, white silk so fine that Maedhros could not see the seams. Golden patterns graced the shirt and led the eye ever back to the yellow and red "winged sun." Though no such thing existed, Maedhros believed that someday his father would created a rayed gem to be the symbol of the House of Finwe. Then, there would truly be a winged sun in the world. Maedhros counted each of the sixteen rays of the burst of light that touched the edges of the square and dreamt of the things that were to come.

Maedhros's father poked at the points on the emblem of his shirt and said, "Imin, Tata, and Enel." Maedhros giggled and swatted his father's hand away. He had long grown old enough to count without aid.

"Feanaro, stop playing with Maitimo and get ready." Nerdanel squeezed shoes onto a wriggling Maglor. Feanor winked at Maedhros. Maedhros knew that the games were not over yet. They were never over. His father was always playing, either with him or with his mother, and lately, Maglor had joined the games.

"I am always ready, most beloved." Feanor touched Nerdanel's hip and slid his hand towards her stomach. He kissed her quickly and then drew back before she could chide him. She tried to glare at him but her eyes brightened like stars when she saw that Feanor was, indeed, ready. He was dressed in his finery with every strand of raven black hair either neatly tucked into a small, tight braid or flowing loosely down his back. He'd chosen to wear a copper circlet, honoring the gift that Nerdanel's father had given him a year ago. Around his neck, he wore a clear gem on a thin cord of silver.

Feanor turned his attention back to Maedhros and presented to him a smooth wooden box with the images of the Two Trees engraved upon its top. The necklace within was formed of three chains, each link alternating between gold and copper. The links were so finely wrought and so skillful twisted that they reflected the light in the sky perfectly. The chains came together in the form of a sleeping fox, gilded all in copper, and hanging from the bottom of the fox's tail was a large ruby set in gold and copper. Maedhros looked at the ruby pendant in awe and immediately thought about the winged sun. "Would you like to wear this to the high feast, Nelyo?"

Maedhros nodded in wonder. "Did you make it for me?"

"Of course." Lately, he had been learning the craft of forging metals from Mahtan. In metalsmithing, as with all things, Feanor excelled. His works were now equal to any of the long-time students of Aule. Feanor carefully set the necklace about Maedhros's shoulder. Though the ruby was large and its setting just as grand, the entire piece felt no heavier than a leaf.

Maedhros squealed in delight and ran to the large mirror in the center of the room. He drew himself up tall and looked at himself in his finery. He began to wonder if perhaps he was not "well-formed" but rather "well-dressed." The raiment was such that anyone would look beautiful. His father had told him before that Miriel had woven the shirt for Feanor before he had even been born, but Feanor had quickly outgrown it. He treasured it as one of the rare, personal gifts from his mother. Now, Feanor had passed it on to his oldest son and heir. The likes of it was never to be seen again in Aman, for none rivaled Miriel's needlecraft. Likewise, none could cut gems like Feanor, and his work was so precise that every facet of the ruby seemed to hold a life of its own. The copper circlet atop his head was forged by Mahtan under the tutelage of Aule himself and complimented Maedhros's red hair and matched Feanor's. Maedhros was Prince of the Noldor, and he felt the part.

Maglor was normally not a fussy child, but he was entranced by the beauty of Maedhros's raiment and necklace, and when at last the spell of the deep red ruby left him, he began to cry. Maedhros had taken pride in his brother's envious stares, but now that his brother had begun to wail, he felt moved to pity rather than pride. Maedhros came to where his brother was sitting on a table. He tiptoed and kissed his brother's hand.

"Be at ease, Cano, for our father is generous, and for such an occasion, he has undoubtedly fashioned something for you too. But if, by chance, he has not, I would share this gift with you," Maedhros said. Though Maglor was still young, he understood words beyond his years and was often able to discern meaning of words from tone when knowledge failed him. Maedhros held up the pendant for his brother to see and continued with all the courteous speech that he had been taught. "Behold, this necklace is set as two. Though the necklace is too long for your neck, the pendant can be detached, and if you so desire it, I will bid our father to do so and place it on a smaller, golden chain. Then shall half of my gift be yours as well, and for this I would grudge you not, for I delight in sharing all things with you who are a wonderous new joy and addition unto our family."

Feanor and Nerdanel had been watching his speech with amusement, and this had only further goaded Maedhros to elaborate upon his pronouncement to his younger brother. He saw clearly the pride in their bright eyes, for though he was still young, he was taller than other elves of his age, and he'd learned much of his father's oratory skills. Though his voice was that of a child, the strength of his words was that of a high and mighty prince. Feanor had often told Maedhros that it was not necessary to be as accomplished or skilled as his father, for Feanor had no deceptions about the fire that burned within him and that its strength was unlike any other in all the Eldar. However, Maedhros was still able to please his father and exceed his parents' expectations.

Maglor stretched his hand out at the ruby pendant and cooed. Although he was too young to speak fluently, he never hesitated to make his mind known to those around him. In such circumstances, Maglor often turned to noises rather than the few words he knew to convey his sentiments.

"That's enough, Nelyo," said Feanor, though he did not sound stern. "Your brother does, indeed, have a gift ready for this high feast. Your necklace is made to match you, not him."

Feanor drew out a second box no less ornate than the first. This one was engraved with the image of a swan, the beloved bird of the Telerin elves of Alqualonde. Maedhros leaned forward eagerly. He had traveled to the Haven of the Swans only once, when Feanor had gone to help with the detailing of the coves. Maedhros had delighted in the many lamps that the Teleri set to supplement the faint light of the Two Trees. Though the Teleri and Noldor had long finished building Alqualonde, the Noldor often visited the Teleri and enhanced the buildings and coves of Alqualonde with new carvings or gems. Maglor's pendant was a nightingale with dark reddish- orange gold plumage and clear crystal eyes. It sat atop a round, creamy pearl. The necklace was composed of three braided golden cords.

"I do not yet understand why your mother has named you 'forging gold,' but perhaps it is a metaphor for the your sweet voice. Even when you cry, your voice is melodious, heart-wrenchingly alluring. You will wear this, Macalaure, to my father's house." Feanor locked the small necklace around Maglor, who looked down at the shining plumage of his nightingale. He smiled and started to hum to himself, apparently forgetting all about the high feast that was the reason for their new presents.

"Did you make that one too?" Maedhros asked.

"I crafted the songbird, but not the pearl. No, the pearl is one of many that the Teleri gave us, but the softer luminescence of pearl seems to suit your brother well," Feanor said.

Maedhros looked to his mother to see if she had also received a necklace. She was, indeed, wearing a new piece of jewelry. Hers was composed of ten small chains of gold and copper similar to Maedhros's, except that hers contained a gold-set diamond every few links like a field of stars. Each chain linked to a golden oval decorated with large rubies and smaller garnets and diamonds. It did not have an animal like Maedhros's and Maglor's, and because of that, Maedhros thought that his was more beautiful than even his mother's. Maedhros wondered if he too would someday be expected to craft such fine jewelry.

"If you're quite done with your trinkets, let's be on our way. We should not keep your father waiting," Nerdanel said.

"Of course." Feanor picked Maglor up from the tabletop and settled him in his right arm. He offered his left hand to Maedhros, but Maedhros shook his head. He was old enough now to follow without being led. Feanor shrugged and put his left hand loosely on Maglor to help balance the child. Feanor led the way to the great square beneath the Mindon Eldalieva.

---

Maedhros remembered visiting the Finwe's house only once before, just after his father had created the Luinsinda Mire, a blue-grey jewel of surpassing beauty. The jewel was brilliant and shone in hues that were reminiscent of Finwe's eyes. Feanor apparently crafted the jewel with Finwe's eyes in mind, and so he was exceedingly pleased with the jewel. He presented the Luinsinda Mire to King Finwe at a grand feast before most of Tirion. Maedhros was very young at the time, so he was later unable to remember details of the visit or the feast. But neither could he forget the moment when Feanor knelt and opened the finely wrought platinum box before his father and when Finwe held the Jewel of Finwe up for all to see. It was not the brilliant light of the jewel as it caught the silver light of Telperion that Maedhros remembered most vividly. Rather, it was the light in Feanor's face and the unbridled love for his father that had forever been imprinted in Maedhros's memories.

Time passed and Feanor did not visit his father again. In fact, in the days immediately following the Feast of the Jewel of Finwe, as it came to later be known, Feanor became moody and quick to anger. Maedhros was scared and tried to stay quiet and unnoticed when Feanor was not at work forging metals or cutting gems. When Feanor did snap at him, his wife was quick to intervene and become the subject of his displeasure. He never hit them, nor did he raise his voice when he spoke, but the dangerous glint in Feanor's eyes was enough.

"Do not fear your father." Nerdanel spoke softly to Maedhros and stroked his hair to calm him after one of Feanor's outbursts. "He will not hurt you, nor is he truly angry at you. The Mirefinwe, the Jewel of Finwe, which had brought him such happiness, has now become a reminder of his grief. The feast we attended is now known as the Feast of the Jewel of Finwe, and before her departure, Feanor's mother was also known as the Jewel of Finwe. Miriel means 'jewel-woman,' and in those days, she had the chief share of Finwe's heart. The new name of the jewel and its feast is a reminder of Miriel and of the fact that Finwe has taken a new wife, Indis the Fair, and this second marriage has never been pleasing to your father. Your father is saddened beyond words. Can you forgive him for his quick- temper when you know what is ailing him?"

Maedhros remembered the light in Feanor's face when he had presented the jewel to King Finwe. His eyes met Nerdanel's, and he was comforted. "Do you think Father loves me like that?"

Nerdanel smiled softly and hugged Maedhros lightly about the shoulders. "The love of a son for his father is different from that of a father to his son. Feanaro loves you in the manner of a father to his son, and that love is no less strong than that of a son's love for his father. Do you love your father as he does his father?"

Perhaps Nerdanel was only teasing and thought little of her question to her young son, but Maedhros thought about the question with all the seriousness of his few years and said, "I am afraid of him sometimes, Mother. Father's spirit burns very hot. Perhaps because of this, I cannot love him as he does King Finwe. But I will try to be braver so that I may come to understand and love him more." Maedhros's mother apparently had not expected an answer, except perhaps a simple 'yes' since Maedhros was still so young, but at his response, she smiled wide with pride.

"Yes, Maitimo," his mother said, "Try to understand minds, not master them. Even your own."

After that, Maedhros had looked at his father with new eyes. When Feanor became irritable, Maedhros recalled that moment between father and son at the Feast of the Jewel of Finwe and did not flinch from Feanor's sharp looks. Perhaps Feanor was able to read the thoughts of his son, for in that moment, the frustration and anger would drain from him, and he would again be himself. He would smile at Maedhros and suggest that they race in the fields or see who was stronger in a game of tug-of-war. Maedhros understood that these were like apologies, and he accepted them without hesitation. Thus, Maedhros's memory of their visit to the House of Finwe and the Feast of the Jewel of Finwe was a pleasant one, for he had learned something of his father's love and temperament and that had brought them closer together as father and son. Though Feanor had not visited Finwe's house for what seemed like long years to a young child, Maedhros never doubted that Feanor loved Finwe and thought about him regularly.

---

Feanor was announced first at the high feast, and he approached the King of the Noldor but then waited some distance from the king. Nerdanel was announced next, and she came to stand beside Feanor. Then Maedhros and Maglor were announced together, as Maedhros had requested. Normally, Nerdanel would have been the one to escort Maglor. Maglor did not seem to be afraid of the many eyes on them. He gripped Maedhros hand firmly, and together, they slowly walked to their parents. When the House of Feanor was complete, they closed the few steps to stand before the Throne and bowed as one.

Finwe smiled at the young children, and Maedhros was reminded of the last time that he'd seen his grandfather. Though Finwe was King of the Noldor, he was also Maedhros's grandfather. There was a closeness of kinship that was instantly felt.

Finwe turned to Feanor and said, "Curufinwe, I see now that the additions to your family have been growing beautifully."

"They possess your grace, my father." It was not mere rhetoric or polite compliments. Maedhros heard again that passion and unbridled love that he had remembered in vague memories from before.

"Though I have also had two children added unto me and Indis, I delight in your children as well, for they are of different temperament, and they are the children of my own beloved child." Finwe looked at Findis and Fingolfin and sighed. "The lives of the Eldalie are long, but the childhood of our young ones seems always too short."

"Nay, Father, sigh not!" Feanor cried. He knelt before the king. "The fault of your sadness is mine. I have been away from your House for too long and deprived you of your grandchildren. But in that time, I have learned the craft of Aule from Mahtan. Indeed, see now the skill of metalsmithing that I have gained. No longer will I smith gems alone."

At that, eight strong servants of the House of Feanor brought forth a large statue of an eagle. The eagle's head was of platinum, and its plumage was forged from gold. Its wings were extended, and the eagle seemed about to take flight from its copper mountain. Each feather was visible and detailed. The eagle shone brilliantly in the mixed light of Telperion and Laurelin, for the Grand Feast that Finwe had called was held in that hour when the soft glow of both trees mingled. The two simple, clear gems of its eyes flared to life as the gems caught the starlight. Because the mixed light of the Two Trees was soft, the golden fire of the eagle's eyes seemed all the brighter. It would later be known as the Laurethoron, the Golden Eagle, for the golden light of its eyes.

At that moment, the clear gem that Feanor wore on a simple silver cord about his neck also came to life, and it caught the light of the stars and gave forth rays of blue and filled all the air with color as radiant as the raiment of Manwe Sulimo. All the Noldor assembled at the Court of the King stood breathless as they viewed for the first time gems more brilliant than those of the earth. The blue of Feanor's gem seemed to be as the sky for the great eagle wrought of metal, and its eyes pierced the air like the unborn sun. It seemed to Maedhros that he was in a dream, but he knew that this was no dream, for never in all his thoughts could he imagine a thing of such majesty.

"Witness now, Father, the arts which I have learned while absent from your House." Feanor's voice was sharp and clear, but it seemed to come to the Noldor through the haze of light like the voice of a Vala. "This Eagle of Manwe shall protect the House of Finwe and be as a token of my love and devotion to you, Noldoran. For such knowledge of skill as can be seen in this gift, I have been away for too long. Those of my House and I will abide hereafter with my father in the House of Finwe as one under the Mindon Eldalieva. And the Eagle of Manwe shall sit atop the Mindon, looking down at all of Tirion as the symbol of the unity of the Noldor and rekindling weakened hearts, should there be any, with its strength and noble bearing."

Then Maedhros knew that the gentle counsels of Nerdanel the Wise had at last come to fruition. Feanor had no great love for Indis and her children, but Nerdanel knew that his love for his father could overcome his bitterness over his father's second marriage, and so she had long reminded Feanor of his loss at living apart from the House of Finwe. Now, with his words, Feanor had mended the breach in the House of Finwe. Maedhros looked over at Fingolfin, who sat beside his mother. Like Maedhros, Fingolfin was taller than Noldor of his age, and he was strong and fair. It seemed to Maedhros a pleasant thing to have a playmate of the same age.

"You bring me good tidings, Curufinwe," King Finwe said to Feanor. "Long have I desired to see you dwell under my roof, but I knew that your spirit could not be stayed and that there was much that you desired to accomplish elsewhere. I see now the fruits of your labor." Finwe nodded at the magnificent eagle. "You and your House are welcomed here, as you have always been, and you have my gratitude for the Golden Eagle."

Feanor, still kneeling, brought his head to the floor and kissed it. "It is I who am grateful to you, o Lord and King, for allowing me and my family to live in your blessed presence." Feanor's voice trembled with eagerness, for his desire to live with his father again was now so great that all assembled saw Feanor's love for his father as a great light, brighter than even that of the gem about his neck or the gems of the eagle's eyes. He stood at last and seemed to grow taller than those around him. Listening to Feanor was almost more pleasant than listening to the minstrels, and it was several moments before the strength of his voice and the light of his love faded in the air.

Maedhros felt inspired by his father. He stepped forth, with Maglor in hand, and said to Finwe, "Grandfather, I too am pleased beyond words to hear that we will be dwelling together hereafter. Although I cannot craft such gifts as that of my father's, please accept this instead as a token of my love to you and to your House."

Maedhros squeezed Maglor's hand. He began to sing a song in honor of the stars and the love of the Valar for the Children of Iluvatar. Maglor was still too young to know all of the words to the song, but he had heard the tune before and now he hummed along with his older brother as if he were a harp. The melody in their pure and young voices seemed perfect in its innocence. When they finished the song, Maedhros bowed before King Finwe, and Maglor followed his example. Finwe looked with great liking at both of his grandsons, and Feanor was no less proud, for he prized the boldness of his sons before so many strangers.

It was Indis the Fair, sitting beside Finwe, who finally spoke. "The two of you will be welcomed indeed, for the I am very fond of song and dance. The music of the House of Finwe will be richer and sweeter now that it is joined again in harmony with the House of Feanor."

---

The House of Feanor dwelt again in the House of Finwe, and there was much rejoicing among the Noldor at the healing of the rift in the House of Finwe. After the Day of Reunion of the House of Finwe, Maedhros's parents no longer called him Nelyafinwe or Nelyo. He did not ask why and simply accepted it, for he was happy enough with his mother name "Maitimo" and his epesse "Russandol." When he was older, Maedhros finally understood why they stopped called him him Nelyo. Though Fingolfin had been born to Indis before Maedhros, Maedhros had been conceived before Fingolfin. At the time, Feanor had not known about the birth of Indis' first son, and so he had named Maedhros "Nelyafinwe," or "third Finwe." This name was still true, Maedhros perceived through his father, for he would be the third Finwe to rule the Noldor. Out of respect for Indis and her oldest son though, Feanor withheld the time of Maedhros's conception and spoke only of his time of birth. By referring to Maedhros as Maitimo or Russandol, Feanor showed his dedication to the unity of the House of Finwe. Maedhros followed the example of his father, and when asked, he always referred to Fingolfin as the older of the two.

Maedhros had thought that he would play with Fingolfin now that their families were one since they were so similar in age, but this did not happen. Fingolfin was a steady child and, in his youth, did not delight in adventure like Maedhros. Fingolfin preferred to stay at home and sing and learn the runes of Rumil from his mother at a desk. Maedhros, on the other hand, often accompanied Feanor when he journeyed far throughout Valinor. Maedhros learned his runes and lore around the campfire, with dinner cooking slowly over the open fire. Feanor would carve the runes into the dirt with a stick instead of writing on a piece of paper, and this seemed more fun to Maedhros than book-learning alone. Sometimes when Feanor was teaching him Rumil's runes, Feanor would pause, dissatisfied with the runes, and take notes of his own in a small journal. Thus, Maedhros was the first to learn the runes of Feanor, the Tengwar runes, and was in later days second only to Maglor in his mastery of the Feanorian script.

Sometimes Nerdanel and Maglor also accompanied Feanor and Maedhros on their travels. However, Maglor was still young and preferred to sing with the children and servants of Indis and Nerdanel stayed behind with him. Though Feanor no longer begrudged the happiness of Indis and her children, still he did not love them as he did his father and his wife and children. When he was not pursuing his crafts and lore, he played primarily with his children and rarely with his half-siblings. Even when Fingolfin was older and more eager for adventure, Feanor did not invite him to travel with him and his sons. In later days, when Maglor was more willing to travel, he and Nerdanel also accompanied Feanor and Maedhros in their wanderings, and he brought with him his harp so that they had song at their campfire.

In time, Nerdanel was with child again, and thereafter, she traveled less with Feanor and his sons. After Celegorm grew old enough to travel, he too joined his father and brothers on adventures. Nerdanel did not join them, for then there was a fourth child. And then a fifth. Thus it was that the adventures of Feanor and his sons became known throughout Eldamar.

Chapter End Notes

The names most commonly used in the Silmarillion are the names that I used in the story. This is a Maedhros fic, but in order to portray what I want to portray, it is also a Feanor fic. At one point or another, Feanor was beloved to his people, and from his deeds came their greatest renown and their most grievous woe.

When they speak, though, they don't refer to each other by the common Sindarin names that we're familiar with. They usually use Quenya names. (See Names notes above.)

The symbol of the House of Finwe is, inexplicably, the "winged sun." The sun hadn't risen at that point in time, nor would it before Feanor's death even, but that's the emblem that Tolkien created for Finwe. Perhaps the concept of a sun or ball of light existed but not the sun as the main source of light for the lands? Anyway, for more information about the emblems, see . These are, indeed, from Tolkien's sketches, but I never bought the artbook that has his sketches in it.

I am basing this on the footnote that Feanor was born 1169 in the Year of the Trees, not 1179 (X. 92, 101). Finwe married Indis 1185 (X. 101). I am assuming that Feanor started traveling and married soon after Finwe's second marriage, especially since the Silmarillion states that "in his early youth he wedded Nerdanel (S. 64)." I take "early youth" to mean much earlier than 50. At which point Maedhros was born soon after Feanor's marriage. In this story, Maedhros and Fingolfin were both born in 1190 (X. 92).

My logic for the close ages of the sons of Feanor is this: If Finarfin can have 5 children in the span of 62 years (Finrod born 1300, Galadriel born 1362, about a decade between each child), then it is quite possible and very probable that Feanor's son were born in a relatively short span of time, with no more than a decade or two between each child. Fingolfin seems to be a bit slower about churning out children. By the way, saying Finarfin "had" 5 children isn't quite right either. I hear that elves do not "possess" children, thus the odd phrasing of children being added unto their family. For names of the sons of Feanor, see Peoples of Middle Earth (XII. 352-3).

Luinsinda Mire=Quenya for blue-grey jewel

Mirefinwe=Quenya for Jewel of Finwe

Mindon Eldalieva=The Tower of Ingwe, the tallest tower in Tirion

Laurethoron=Quenya for Golden Eagle, "laure" is used to refer to golden light, not golden metal, but in this case "golden" is referring to the light of the eagle's eyes, not the golden metal feathers.

Maedhros sat with his parents and six brothers around the campfire. They were camping just outside of Tuna this time, not very far at all. Amrod and Amras were not young, but they were not old enough to be comfortable traveling far from the city of Tirion. Here, Tirion was still visible on Tuna as they camped. They were not wandering. They were simply enjoying the lands of Valinor. The leaves of the trees were always green, and the flowers were plentiful and colorful. Amrod and Amras murmured to each other and pretended to be far away from home, searching out new and uncharted places of Valinor like their older brothers, but Maedhros was vaguely aware of the moments when their eyes would dart back to Tirion because they began to believe too strongly in their make-believe stories. Then, they'd both laugh softly and continue with their stories. They were not excluding their brethren. Each person around the campfire was engrossed in his own activity, most either reading or crafting. By being near their kin, they were sharing their company.

Feanor brought the unfinished wooden horse to his mouth and blew off the dust. When Nerdanel moved to put out the campfire, Feanor partially paused from his wood carving and wrapped his arm around her. He pulled her to him and turned to nuzzle her hair and kiss her behind the ear.

"Leave the fire a while longer, my dear," Feanor said. "I may need it if this horse is not to my liking." Nerdanel had begun to settle down again, but now she jabbed at his side. Though Feanor did leave many of his works unfinished, he was rarely so displeased with his crafts that he would destroy them.

"If you want me to honey-glaze more apple slices, just say so," she teased.

"No, my love." Feanor put aside his carving knife and horse and kissed Nerdanel on the cheek then kissed the corner of her smiling mouth. Feanor turned to face the campfire and said, "I've been thinking." The sons of Feanor looked up from their books and handiworks. The power of Feanor's voice was such that he needed only to change his tone by a nuance in order to draw their full attention to him. "Next year, the Noldor will have dwelt in Aman for one yen. This seems to me an important moment, one worthy of a celebration grander than any that have been held before. I do not know if the Vanyar at Taniquetil are planning anything, but surely something can be arranged."

"We could write new songs for the occasion," Maglor suggested. He played a few chords on his silver harp.

"And hunt the largest beasts for trophies and food," Celegorm added. He raised the arrow that he had been making.

"And craft such works of marvel that our old ones will seem plain in comparison," Curufin said.

"The Noldor will create works of such finery and surpassing beauty that the other kindred will look upon us with envy," Caranthir said.

"We shall invite the Valar, the Maiar, and the three kindreds of the Eldar, and the Celebration will be remembered until the end of time," Maedhros said.

Maedhros could imagine his father's idea taking form already, as if Feanor had brought the visions to life in his few words. The men would cut gems and create new jewelry, hunt the largest beasts, and record lore of the Valar's grace and wisdom. The women would sew raiments of surpassing finery, weave tapestries of the Great Journey in bright colors, and cook delicacies and gourmet courses. There would be song and dance before the Valar, as well as contests of skill in archery and strength. It would be unlike any other high feast, for it would be so grand that the memory of it would be worthy of its own songs. Maedhros looked at his brothers and saw similar visions of wonder in their bright eyes.

"But the Teleri came later to Aman, did they not?" Amrod said hesitantly.

"Arafinwe's betrothed would be disappointed if we didn't invite her kindred," Nerdanel said. "The celebration will be in honor of the one yen that the Vanyar and Noldor have lived in Aman, but that doesn't mean that others can't come to share in our joy. Perhaps we will make it the celebration of the arrival of the Eldalie to Aman and not just the Vanyar and Noldor. The Teleri arrived later, but are we not all one people?"

"We are indeed," Feanor said. "When we are finished here, we will return to Tirion and share our ideas with King Finwe."

The House of Feanor returned to Tirion shortly thereafter. Finwe was overjoyed with the idea. He decided that he and Indis would journey to Taniquetil to personally propose this idea to his friend Ingwe and to visit his wife's people. Finwe asked Feanor to relay the proposal to Olwe in Alqualonde. Maedhros knew that his father was reluctant to do so because, during their short journey from camp to Tirion, Feanor had already begun to conceive of great works to present at the Celebration of the Arrival of the Eldalie to Aman. Before Feanor could say yay or nay to Finwe, Maedhros stepped forth and begged to be given this task since he desired to look upon the lamplit haven again. Finwe agreed, and Feanor then announced that he would regrettably not join his oldest son since he had much to prepare for the Celebration.

Maedhros had thought that his brothers would straight away announce their intentions to go with him to Alqualonde, but none of them said a word, and after a moment, Maedhros realized that they also wanted to prepare for the Celebration. Maglor undoubtedly wanted to compose the finest song for the occasion. Celegorm and Caranthir would hunt for new trophies of which to boast. Curufin was of like mind as their father and wanted to demonstrate his craftiness. And Amrod and Amras were still too young for the journey. Maedhros did not mind traveling alone, for the lands were fair and peaceful, and he set his mind to it. Thus, when Finwe asked if any would accompany the oldest son of the House of Feanor, Maedhros was surprised to see Fingon, the only child of Fingolfin, step forward.

"I desire to travel with Maitimo, if he will have me," Fingon said before the assembled Noldor.

Although Maedhros saw Fingon often, he interacted with him little from day to day. Maedhros had six brothers after all, and when he was not spending time with one, some, or all of them, he was with his father. Fingon was only slightly younger than Curufin. Maedhros did not think that he was unready for such journeys. He simply found it unusual since Fingolfin and Finarfin had never expressed any similar interest in traveling with the Feanorians.

In his youth, Maedhros had thought that he and Fingolfin would be playmates since they were close in age, but that had not been the case. Now, as Maedhros looked upon Fingon's eager and bright face, Maedhros understood that he and Fingolfin were nephew and uncle and that certain boundaries of kinship could not be overcome. Fingon, on the other hand, was a cousin, an equal. Maedhros was not worried about their difference in age, for he had many younger brothers and got along with them with little difficulty. Maedhros grew to like the idea of Fingon traveling with him more and more as he thought about it. Although Feanor did not dislike the children of Indis, Feanor had been unable to treat Fingolfin and Finarfin as true blood brothers. The pain of losing Miriel was too strong for that. Perhaps the third generation of the House of Finwe could further close that gap.

"I gladly welcome the company of Findekano, and moreover, I will treat him as I do my own brothers, for he is also of your flesh and blood, o Noldoran," Maedhros said. Finwe's blue-grey eyes lit at Maedhros's words. The breach in the House of Finwe had been healed, but to have his grandchildren truly love each other as brothers was a very pleasing thought indeed. Thus none objected to Fingon accompanying Maedhros to Alqualonde, not even Fingon's mother Anaire, who disliked traveling and left Tirion only on days of festival to journey to Taniquetil.

---

Maedhros and Fingon set out the next day upon great white stallions. Fingon was a good rider, much better than what Maedhros would've expected from someone who had never before left Tuna. Fingon was also an excellent conversationalist. They talked about the history of the Eldar, the upcoming Celebration, and even the responsibilities and expectations of being the oldest son. When they stopped to break camp, Maedhros discovered that Fingon did not even know how to make a campfire.

"Even Ambarussa know how to make a campfire," Maedhros teased. He used Ambarussa to include both of his youngest brothers.

Fingon looked embarrassed but smiled good-naturedly. "I never had a need to learn how to make a campfire. Perhaps my father thought me too young to learn such skills."

Tirion was full of light, the light of the Two Trees, the light of lamps, and the light of the jewels that the jewelsmiths had long crafted to enhance the beauty of the city. There were also pivoting mirrors set behind lamps and lenses to be used as directional lighting or to be used when more light than that of the Two Trees was needed. Smaller versions of these devices were particularly useful to the jewelsmiths, who needed an abundance of light to see the delicate art they created. Feanor had developed these focused lamps in Alqualonde as the centerpiece of lighthouses so that ships always knew the location of the coast, but later, he had brought his inventions to Tirion. At first, the Noldor had been skeptical about the use of these focused lamps, for the light of the Two Trees seemed sufficient, but gradually, the Noldor came to find uses for the additional light. At times of festival, these devices were often used as spotlights for dance presentations. All this had been established before Caranthir was born. Fingon had grown up surrounded by light and devices that enhanced light. What use did he have for fire? The servants did the cooking. Fingon had never needed a fire other than the one at the end of a candle or oil lamp's wick and even then only rarely.

"I shouldn't have poked fun at you," Maedhros said. "I know that it's not common knowledge among the Noldor. My father is ever restless, and I have been traveling the width and breadth of Aman since I was young. To me, building a campfire is a basic skill."

"It should be indeed," Fingon agreed. He clenched his fist, and there was a fire kindled in his eyes. "My mother dislikes traveling, and my father is content with his dwellings. He delights in contests of strength and dexterity, and these he holds in Tirion or at least on Tuna. He has no dreams of far-off lands or riding with the wind in his hair until he reaches the very shores of Belegaer. Arafinwe is of like mind, and he would not even travel to Alqualonde had he not fallen in love with Earwen when Olwe visited Tirion. But when he does travel to Alqualonde, he is in the company of many servants and strays little from his path." Fingon trailed off and fell silent. His brow furrowed and his eyes were set, but he began to look guilty for speaking ill of Fingolfin and Finarfin.

"Do not think less of Nolofinwe and Arafinwe," Maedhros said, though he knew such admonishment was unnecessary. "Everyone has his own talent and his own ways. Although my father is a great jewelsmith, I lack such skill. Your father is unmatched in javelin throw, and I could never hope to match him in that either. One travels far and wide, and the other does not. There is nothing wrong with that. The minstrels exaggerate when they sing of the adventures of Feanaro and his sons. In truth, we do very little that is different from you and your father, we simply do it in different locations." Maedhros smiled wryly and looked around. They were in an open glade. A small stand of tree saplings scarcely taller than Maedhros was at the glade's edge. A squirrel halfway up one of the trees then stopped suddenly and turned around and ran back down the tree and into the woods. The birds were quiet, perhaps sleeping. All was peaceful, and Maedhros found himself yearning for one of Maglor's song to break the hush of the wild.

Maedhros gestured around them. "As you can see for yourself, there is little more to these adventures than what could be found on Tuna." Fingon was quiet and thoughtful.

Maedhros took the opportunity to begin their campfire. He set smaller twigs towards the center and larger ones around the edge. Fingon followed his lead without asking. Although he'd never built a campfire before, he was quick-witted and seemed to grasp the pattern and reasons for the arrangement of the tinder. When all was in readiness, Maedhros flicked flint to steel until a spark ignited the dry twigs in the center. Maedhros would let Fingon try to ignite the fire next time they set camp. The fire slowly grew until it was became a steady crackling of orange and yellow light. They actually didn't need to cook any food since they'd brought dried meat, bread, and fruits, but Maedhros liked having a campfire. The shifting flames were fascinating to behold.

"I heard that you and your brothers often play games while waiting for food to cook," Fingon said when the fire had built up to a steady height.

"Cooking fires are actually smaller than this. For this kind of a fire, you would use a spit and broil raw meat or whatever else held your fancy." Maedhros smiled and remembered other camping trips. Perhaps when Amrod and Amras were older, Nerdanel would be able to accompany them on their longer journeys again. "My mother would sometimes melt sugar into a fine caramel and dip fruit into it and let it cool. It's quite a treat, but I can't cook such simple delicacies." He shifted where he sat and stretched out his legs. Then he unrolled a piece of cloth with checkered black and white squares. "But for tonight, we have rations enough, and I'm too lazy to hunt for our food. My brothers and I don't play too many games around the campfire. Their mastery of strategy is not as strong as mine, and they grew tired of losing to me."

Maedhros opened a bag of coins and set it between himself and Fingon. Each coin was gold on one side and silver on the other. Maedhros chose the color gold, and Fingon silver. The first game they played was Six. The objective of the game was to get six coins of a kind in a row, and since each person took a turn putting down a coin with his chosen color up, the objective of the game was also to block the opponent from getting six coins in a row. Maedhros won, of course. It wasn't really fair since Fingon had never played Six before. By the end, it was taking longer for Maedhros to win though, and Fingon even managed a stalemate once. Eventually, they switched to a second game, Silver or Golden Light. The game started with two coins of each color placed diagonally from each other in the center of the checkered cloth. This game was a bit more difficult to explain than the first.

"The objective of the game is to trap one or more of my coins between two of your coins," Maedhros explained. He demonstrated by putting a golden coin down next to one of Fingon's silver ones. "The trapped coin then changes color to become your coin." Maedhros flipped the silver coin over so that the gold side was facing up. "We do this until the squares are all filled, and the winner is the one with the most coins. If you can't move, then I get to move again. The game is called Silver or Golden Light as an analogy for the waxing and waning of Telperion and Laurelin's light."

Fingon nodded and placed a silver coin next to one of Maedhros' golden ones and flipped over the golden coin. The game was afoot. Sometimes, Fingon would forget to flip all of the coins between two of his coins. He would concentrate on capturing a horizontal row of coins and not see that one of Maedhros's coins was diagonally trapped between two of the silver coins. Maedhros helped him when he could and pointed out unflipped coins that had been captured. Fingon was able to understand the rules, and he could see a pattern behind Maedhros's moves, but Fingon could not yet develop a strategy or counterstrategy of his own. Eventually, he surrendered.

"I think I need more time before I can become proficient in this game," Fingon said. "Six was easier to play, and I wasn't doing very well in that game either." He smiled hopelessly and shrugged his shoulders. "When I get home, though, I'm definitely going to get my own set of cloth and coins. I can see what you're doing, capturing the corners and edges, but I don't know how to counter your moves."

"I've been playing for much longer than you, and I've had to play against my father, so that was training enough for me. Maybe we'll try it again tomorrow." Maedhros put the coins and cloth away and checked the time. It was the 29 minutes before the twelfth hour of the day. That was perfect. They'd sleep for an hour and then wake up at the Opening Hour of Telperion and continue on their journey to Alqualonde.

"What is that?" Fingon asked. The curiosity in his voice was mixed with wonder and awe. Maedhros looked over and followed Fingon's gaze to the timepiece.

"This is one of Curufinwe's newest timepieces." Feanor had given it to Maedhros several years ago, so it had not occurred to Maedhros that this was something new to Fingon. By spending time with Fingon, Maedhros was beginning to realize exactly how slowly the inventions of Feanor were spreading in Tirion.

The timepiece was a golden circular shape, and the face of the timepiece was pearl. The numbers represented the hour of the day, and the 11 lines between each number represented what Feanor called "minutes." These numbers and lines were made of silver. A long, thin line of gold decorated with the smallest rubies pointed to the hour, and the shorter, thin line of silver decorated with sapphires pointed to the minute. Maedhros explained that there were two pieces of metal, silver and gold, wound up like a spring. As silver strip of metal unwinded, the golden strip of metal winded. Then the process was reversed. These springs were connected through gears to the hour and minute hands on the face of the timepiece.

In spite of his awe at the craftsmanship of the timepiece, Fingon couldn't help but to ask, "But what use is it?" It was what Maedhros expected of someone who didn't have a timepiece.

"It's very useful if you think further upon the matter," Maedhros assured him. "For example, if we both had timepieces, I could ask you to meet me in the fifth hour of the day, and you would know when to meet me. As it is now, the days are only marked by the two hours when the light of Telperion and Laurelin mingle. If I asked to meet you any time between those two hours, again, let's say the fifth hour, you would be hard pressed to estimate how long Telperion had been in bloom. The timepiece makes it easier to coordinate events." Maedhros handed the timepiece over to Fingon, who studied it with curiosity and fascination before returning it to Maedhros. "Of course, it wasn't invented for that reason. My father created it simply as a result of his never-ending quest for knowledge. Even Aule praised this creation, as he has of many of my father's crafts."

"How does Feanaro imagine such things?" Fingon murmured.

"I know not. The fire that Iluvatar set within him is great indeed." Maedhros fell silent. Spending time with Fingon was helping to put everything into perspective. Games of strategy that Maedhros had learned as a child were not as common as he'd thought. Inventions still too new for the craftsmen to have learned to reproduce with ease were unknown even to the Prince of the Noldor. "Have you seen the old timepieces?" Fingon shook his head. Maedhros drew out his old timepiece. He carried it out of habit because his brothers sometimes forgot theirs. Then Maedhros would give his to Caranthir and he and Celegorm would know when to return from their hunt for dinner.

The face of the timepiece was similar to the newer one. It consisted of numbers for the hour of the day and minute markers crafted of silver. There were no hour or minute hands on this timepiece though. The face of the timepiece was again fashioned from pearl, and a sapphire sat in the center of the timepiece. Two clear crystals rested at the top of the timepiece, just above the number 12, and a rounded mirror sat between the two crystals. Maedhros pointed the timepiece towards the Two Trees. The light of Laurelin came through the right crystal, and the crystal focused the light and redirected it as a thin, bright line at the mirror. The mirror cast the light at the sapphire in the center of the timepiece. A blue glow fell upon part of the face of the timepiece to reveal the time as 11:120, 24 minutes before the twelfth hour, when Laurelin would begin to sleep and Telperion to awaken.

"It is an excellent and beautiful device," Fingon said. "It surpasses even the beauty of the first one, though the first one is delightful as well because of its simplicity." This older timepiece looked more complicated than the first, but Maedhros knew that the small springs and gears and carefully calibrated mechanics hidden behind the face of the newer timepiece made it much more advanced.

"This one is effective here, but the light of the Two Trees is too dim at Alqualonde and the outer regions of Valinor that are rarely traveled by our people. Thus my father devised a way to tell the time even in those darker places," Maedhros said.

"There's so much that I have to learn. I know nothing of telling time except the opening of one tree and the closing of the other, and I've never journeyed to these dark lands. I understand now why my father thinks that I'm young. I don't feel young, but I suppose I am after all."

Maedhros looked at Fingon, whose hands were folded together and head resting upon those hands. The light of the campfire flickered in Fingon's dark grey eyes. Then it finally occurred to Maedhros that Fingon was lonely. Fingon did not seek adventure; he sought companionship. Maedhros and his brothers were relatively close in age. Findis and Fingolfin were also close in age, and it had not been long before Faniel, Irime, and Arafinwe were added to the House of Finwe as well. There would undoubtedly be more children added to the House of Fingolfin and when that happened, Fingon would undoubtedly be an excellent older brother to them. Until then, though, Fingon was alone, and the presence of the seven sons of Feanor and the five children of Finwe and Indis undoubtedly served as a reminder of that loneliness. Maedhros couldn't even relate through his father, for although Feanor was the only child of Miriel and distant from the children of Indis, he was driven by the fire of his own heart and always too preoccupied with his craft and ideas to feel any sense of loneliness. Besides, he had wedded Nerdanel early in his youth. Maedhros's heart swelled with sorrow and pity for Fingon. He resolved all the more to treat Fingon as a brother.

Maedhros put a hand on Fingon's shoulder. "Is that not why we are traveling to Alqualonde together? By doing so, you may see lands that you have not yet seen and learn from me. I too have learned much during our short time together, and I look forward to learning more from you."

"What can you learn from me?"

"I have always lived in the House of Feanaro, and my father's mind and hands are never at rest. By speaking with you tonight, I have gained perspective on the minds of our people and on what aspects of my life are unusual." Maedhros put aside the timepiece and took Fingon's hands. "Findekano, I have very much enjoyed this time that we have spent together and look forward to the rest of our journey. After we deliver this message to Olwe at Alqualonde, I foresee that we shall have many more adventures together." Maedhros took the spring-operated timepiece and placed it in both of Fingon's hands. "Please accept this timepiece as a gift to commemorate our first journey together and as proof of the close brotherhood between the House of Feanaro and the House of Nolofinwe."

"I cannot accept it," Fingon said softly. He did not draw his hands away from Maedhros's. "It is too great a gift for me."

"Remember, I have the older timepiece with me." Maedhros's eyes flickered over to the light-refracting timepiece. "And I can undoubtedly prevail upon my father to craft for me another timepiece like the one I wish to give to you. Please accept it so that you will know when to meet me when we prepare for our future adventures." Maedhros released his hands from around Fingon's so that Fingon was holding the timepiece. Fingon's grip tightened around the timepiece in his hands.

"Thank you, Maitimo. I will cherish your gift and keep it with me always."

"Call me Russandol," Maedhros said. "Are we not as brothers now? Indeed we are. And my brothers usually use my epesse."

"Very well then, Russandol."

"Do you have an epesse, Findekano?" Fingon shook his head. "Not even a shortened version of your name, Findo perhaps?" Fingon shook his head again. Maedhros wasn't surprised. After all, Fingon didn't have any siblings to give him a nickname, and Fingolfin was a serious person, one who was apparently formal even with his son. Feanor, on the other hand, was fond of wordplay and never hesitated to switch between his sons' various names to keep himself entertained. When Maedhros was still young and learning to speak, Feanor had called his "Maiamo," beautiful one, or "Minyamo," first one, instead of "Maitimo," well-shaped one, and one time when Maedhros had been crying in his mother's arms, Feanor had teased him, calling him "Rossendol," fine rain top.

"Then I will choose an epesse for you." After several moments, Maedhros said to Fingon, "I will call you Elen-nalta, Star of Radiance, for there is a glittering reflection in your eyes that is like the stars. What do you think of the name?"

"Elen-nalta seems too great a name for me at present, for I have done nothing so great that I should deserve such an exalted epesse. But I like it, and even if you are the only one to call me Elen-nalta, I will accept it as my name," Fingon said.

"On the contrary, I think it suits you well. You are brave and valiant, unafraid to admit that there is much for you to learn and eager to learn it and seek out new adventures in unfamiliar lands," Maedhros said. "But now it's almost the twelfth hour. Let's rest before we continue our journey to Alqualonde."

---

Maedhros and Fingon delivered their message to King Olwe of Alqualonde, who was much pleased by the proposal of the Celebration of the Arrival of the Eldalie to Aman. They stayed with Olwe for several days before taking their leave. Finarfin, who was spending time in Alqualonde with his betrothed Earwen, promised to return to the House of Finwe soon to help with the preparations for the Celebration. Privately, Maedhros rejoiced that Finarfin did not accompany them back to Tirion because he was an uncle, not a cousin.

Now that their errand was completed, Maedhros and Fingon returned leisurely to Tirion and even strayed from the straight path so that Fingon could see more of the glory and beauty of Valinor. He was able to hunt freely in the wide ranges instead of on Tuna for sport alone, and they cooked their food on spits while conversing or playing games. By the time they finally arrived at Tirion, Fingon had become much better at Six and had even won five times. He started to time the games with his timepiece, and thus he was able to see that Maedhros's victories were becoming harder and harder won. Fingon was undeterred by his losses in Silver or Golden Light and continued to play and learn the patterns of the game. In all manners, they became like brothers.

Thereafter, Fingon was often in the company of Maedhros and his brothers, unlike before when they had dwelt together but interacted little. As the oldest of the House of Feanor and the House of Fingolfin, they often worked together when organizing the logistics of the Celebration, and Fingon learned much about the managing of his people, the Noldor. And when Maedhros's brothers were unwilling to leave Tuna because of their personal preparations for the Celebration, Maedhros traveled instead with Fingon. This did not go unnoticed by the Noldor, and songs of praise were made of their close friendship and the unity of the House of Finwe. Finwe was glad, and the spirits of the Noldor high. The Days of Bliss of the Blessed Realm was approaching the zenith of its Noontide.

Chapter End Notes

One yen=144 years. This division of time makes more sense for the years of the sun, which are shorter than the years of the tree. 1 year of the trees=9.582 years of the sun. More time stuff in Morgoth's Ring (X. 59). This time difference will come into play later as well since I was using the Annals of Aman for my timepoints, which are measured in the years of the trees. That means the time between the death of the Two Trees (1495), the abandonment of Fingolfin at Araman (1497), and the arrival of Fingolfin in Middle Earth (1500) is not a total of 5 years but actually 48 years of the sun (X. 98-120).

I assumed that Fingolfin married Anaire when he was 50 (like Finarfin marrying Earwen at 50, X. 93) and that Fingon was born a decade or two after that.

Six, the first game that Maedhros and Fingon played with the gold and silver coins was Pente, except that they needed to line up six, not five, coins in a row. The second game is Othello. It must seem pretty lame and I think I explained the games poorly, but I needed to find some talents for Maedhros, and the only way to demonstrate that he was good at strategy was through strategy games since there are no wars or war games.

Yes, the timepiece is like a wind-up pocket watch. The face of the watch is like ours because I'm not as inventive as Feanor, but instead of 60 minutes to the hour, I figured that there would be 144 minutes in an hour. Elves tend to count multiples of 12 up to 144 since there were originally 144 elves that awoke at Cuivienen.

1 hour of the trees=144 minutes of the trees

1 hours of the sun=60 minutes of the sun

1 hour of the trees=7 hours of the sun

1 minute of the sun=2.92 minutes of the sun

I figured dividing their hour into 144 minutes would make it easier for me to keep track of their time versus ours. I didn't bother giving them a second hand. And I don't know the word for "minutes" in Quenya, if such a word does exist at all.

Elen-nalta is the closest I could come up with for the Quenya form of the Sindarin name Gil-galad. Gil-galad means "Star of Radiance." Star is "elen" in Quenya. Since "galad" is the same root as the one in Galadriel's name, the true Quenya form being "Naltariel," I chose to use "nalta" (radiance, glittering reflection from jewels, glass, polished metal, or water) over "silme" (starlight, the root in "silmaril"). I suppose I could've shortened it to Elnalta, but I wanted to preserve the hyphenated structure of Gil-galad's name. Undoubtedly, Fingon had this epesse in mind for his son Ereinion and had helm, mail, and shield overlaid with silver and set with a device of white stars fashioned for his son. Ok, I must confess, I don't know if this will ever come into play in the story.

Amrod and Amras met Maedhros and Fingon on the streets of Tirion as they returned from the House of Aule. Maedhros smiled and waved. The young twins dismounted simultaneously from their horses. Maedhros rode forward to meet them. Fingon kept back, as was his habit. He was never bitter or jealous about Maedhros's closeness to his brothers. Instead, Fingon seemed to vicariously share in Maedhros's joyful reunions. The youngest were especially dear to Maedhros because the three of them shared the rare red hair of their mother's family.

Maedhros dismounted and clasped Amrod's right arm with his left and Amras's left arm with his right. "Ambarussa." He squeezed their forearms.

"Russandol," they said as one voice. They held Maedhros's arms for a moment. Then one of them trembled slightly. The other felt it as well, and they both drew Maedhros close and hugged him tightly.

"Russandol, I'm glad you're back." Amrod's voice was unsteady. He buried his head into Maedhros's chest as he spoke, as did his brother.

"It's Father," Amras said. "He broke Cano's harp."

"Where's Mother?" Maedhros asked.

"She's at the House of Golden Flowers," said Amras.

"We heard you'd been sighted, so we came to you instead," said Amrod.

Maedhros nodded. "That's best. It wouldn't do to disturb the House of Golden Flowers with our problems." He gently moved away from the twins and put a hand to each of their cheeks. They were not crying, but their eyes were full of fear. He glanced back at Fingon, who nodded to him. The three sons of Finwe still lived in houses adjacent to their father's, thus Fingon would be traveling the same direction to return to the House of Fingolfin. "Come, before Feanaro breaks more than just a harp." Maedhros remounted and led the party of four toward the House of Finwe. "Was Cano there?"

Amrod nodded. "He was playing his harp when it happened." That was not a good sign.

"What about our brothers?" Maedhros asked.

"Turco and Moryo went out hunting this morning," said Amrod.

"And Curvo has been at the House of Mahtan for the last two days," finished Amras.

Maedhros urged his horse into a quick trot. The others followed. When he arrived home, servants were already outside waiting for them. Maedhros didn't even stop long enough to see who took his horse. He did not run into the house, but he walked briskly. Of the seven sons, Maglor was most unlike Feanor in personality. Maglor was gentle and slow to anger, but that only made him an easier target for Feanor. Maglor did not stand up to Feanor well. He often withdrew into himself and became despondent. At those times, Feanor would say that Maglor's songs were more akin to that of the Falmari than the Vanyar, for the Vanyar's songs lacked the sorrow of the Sea. Maedhros, on the other hand, never flinched from his father's anger. He had seen Feanor's love for Finwe and knew that Feanor treasured the bond between father and son. For this reason, Feanor was rarely able to stay angry when confronting Maedhros. Celegorm, Caranthir, and Curufin were hot-tempered and sometimes fought back with sharp words. Amrod and Amras were still young, usually protected from Feanor's wrath by either Nerdanel or Maedhros.

Maglor was sitting in the guest area. He gazed down at the harp cradled in his arms. The very frame of the silver harp was warped, as if it had been struck by a hammer. The strings were broken. Nearby, a great dent in the wall revealed part of the story of the harp's demise.

"Cano, are you okay?" Maedhros asked. He went to his brother and sat on the arm of the couch. He put his arm around his brother's shoulders. Fingon stayed with the twins, who were nervous and scared, as if they expected Feanor to show up any moment and wreck something else.

Maglor nodded. "Father says that he'll make me another one. It was my fault. My playing was disturbing him."

"That's not true. Your harping is excellent." Maedhros kissed his brother on the head. "I'm sure Father was upset at something else. He's been very stressed of late preparing for the Yen Celebration."

"Indis gave me this harp," Maglor said softly.

Maedhros squeezed his brother's shoulder. "I remember. Even if Father crafts for you another harp, it will not be the same." And yet Maedhros knew that Feanor's creation would be better than any harp that had ever been made. Whenever Feanor set his mind on creating something, he did so with his utmost skill. Before now, Feanor had never taken and interest in crafting musical instruments. Maedhros did not doubt that the harp would be a work of art and sound more beautiful than the greatest songbirds. In this way, Feanor's apologies were almost always effective. This was Maglor's favorite harp though. "I will speak to Father. What he breaks, he can remake."

Maedhros hugged his brother lightly once more before going to his father's workshop. Fingon came with him. Though Fingon was often in the company of Maedhros's brothers, he was close only with Maedhros. The others tolerated him for Maedhros's sake but did not think of him as a brother. Still, it was enough to please the Noldor and their king.

"I'll wait outside," Fingon said unnecessarily. He always knew when to leave the family of Feanor to their own devices.

Maedhros nodded. "Thank you, Elen-Nalta. Your support gives me strength."

Maedhros braced himself mentally and entered the workshop. Feanor's moods were unpredictable and volatile at times like these. Maedhros heard the single ring of a bell when he touched the handle of the door that led to the inner workshop. The two rubies on either side of the door flashed once and then dimmed. It meant that Feanor was not to be disturbed and alerted Feanor that he had visitors. He would be out soon if his project permitted interruptions. Maedhros made himself comfortable on the couch nearby and waited.

For the Celebration, Feanor had decided to craft something for each of the fourteen Valar, and he insisted that his gifts be the very picture of perfection. In fact, Maedhros had gone to the House of Aule with such crafts. One was a tree wrought of gold with leaves of emerald, the other was a silver tree with leaves of jade. The two were to be presented together to Yavanna. Maedhros had gone forth to seek Aule's opinion on the gift since Feanor was undecided as to whether he should give the gold and silver trees to Yavanna or if he should give her a necklace of bright jewels and precious metals crafted in the likeness of flowers and plants. Feanor had somehow captured the fragrance of the flowers within the jewels as well. Maedhros did not mind running such an errand. Fingon had never been to the House of a Vala and this had provided them with the perfect opportunity to visit one of the Great Rulers of Arda.

Aule had been impressed with the craftsmanship of the two trees and had commented that the Noldor's skill now exceeded that of their teachers. That high praise was sure to lift Feanor's spirits, so Maedhros was not too worried about his father's temper. Aule said that the trees would be a very fitting gift for the Lady who had brought life to the Two Trees. He suggested that the necklace be given to Vana the Ever-young. Personally, Maedhros wondered if perhaps Aule had suggested this to lessen Feanor's work, for as great as Feanor's skill had become, such works of beauty required much time and energy to bring into being.

The two rubies lighted again and then the door to the inner workshop opened. Feanor seemed preoccupied, but his face brightened as he greeted his oldest son, "Nelyafinwe!" Maedhros was taken aback. His father had not called him by that name for years. "I have created my gift for Manwe Sulimo. Come and see."

Maedhros wanted to talk about Maglor's harp, but he knew better than to disrupt his father's glee. They threaded their way through the workshop, which was filled with new wonders that Feanor had created since Maedhros had departed to visit the House of Aule. There were bright gems cut and unmounted, thin braids of gold, silver, and copper, and unfinished statues of white marble or bronze.

Feanor led the way to one of his many work surfaces and showed Maedhros a scepter wrought of sapphire. The sapphires were as blue as the eyes of Manwe. At the top of the scepter, stars were captured within the sapphires, and they shone with a light of their own. Maedhros gingerly held it and turned it around in his hands. It was light but strong. Maedhros thought he heard the beating of the wings of eagles when he held it, and it seemed as though all the sky was open to him. Is this how it feels to be a bird? Maedhros wondered as he saw in his mind visions of the earth from above.

"I will give this to Finwe, and he will present it to Manwe on behalf of all the Noldor," Feanor said. His voice seemed distant but sharp. Still holding the scepter, Maedhros discovered that he could see beyond Feanor's words. There was a vision of Finwe dressed for ceremony and holding the Scepter out to Manwe. Beside him was a silver-haired woman of surpassing beauty. Her features were distinct and noble, and her eyes were dark and gentle. One long, slender hand rested on Finwe's arm. Maedhros knew them to be husband and wife, and, as if his mind were unwilling to accept this truth, Maedhros slowly realized that the woman beside Finwe was Firiel, she who had died.

Maedhros shuddered and put the Scepter gently on the pillow upon which it had been resting before they had disturbed it. Feanor would undoubtedly craft a cushioned box for it later. The words of Aule came back to Maedhros, that the Noldor now surpassed the skills of their teachers, and Maedhros no longer doubted the sincerity and truth in Aule's words.

After a moment, Maedhros found voice for his thoughts and said, "Father, whom my Grandfather rightly named Curufinwe, when I visited the House of Aule recently, Aule said that the skills of the Noldor now surpassed that of their teachers. At the time, I thought that he was simply being generous in his praise, but now I no longer doubt that he meant what he said." Feanor's already bright eyes sparkled with joy like the twinkling of stars. "Even without asking the Lord of the Smith, I know in my heart that this Scepter is worthy of Manwe Sulimo, the High King of Arda, and so great is its power that the Scepter should indeed be given to the Lord of the Great Ones, for its existence is beyond that of the Eldalie."

"Thank you, Nelyo." Feanor's face was earnest, and he seemed more like a child than a father. Maedhros remembered again that vision of the milky-skinned woman and wondered how Feanor could have known his mother's face when Miriel had died soon after his birth. Feanor looked at wonder at his own creation and ran his fingertips along the Scepter. "Even I do not know how I was able to shape such power for the glory of Arda, but the fire that Iluvatar placed in me is great indeed, and I will labor with joy to discover my potential and to enrich our world."

The moment was such that Maedhros forgot utterly to mention Maglor's harp. Later though, after the awe of holding the Scepter of Manwe dimmed, Maedhros asked Feanor to repair Maglor's small silver harp, gifted to him from Indis when he was still young. This Feanor was quite willing to later do, but he also showed Maedhros a great golden harp which he had crafted for Maglor, one more befitting to his name "Forging gold." Maedhros ran his fingers along the strings, and the sweet notes that filled the air were sharper and more beautiful than any sound that he had ever heard, save the voices of the Valar. Maedhros understood then that Maglor's harping had, indeed, been lacking. With an inferior harp, Maglor would never be able to match the skills of Elemmire and Rumil. For this Celebration, everything had to be perfect.

Maedhros also returned the necklace of flowers and the two trees to Feanor and relayed Aule's advice. He then returned to Fingon, who had been patiently waiting outside the entire time. Feanor had not asked Maedhros to keep the Scepter secret until the appointed time to present it to Manwe, so Maedhros told Fingon about the Scepter and, after some hesitation, also spoke of the vision of Miriel that he had seen in Feanor's mind. Fingon was in awe of all that Maedhros described and agreed not to retell the story to any others.

---

Before the Celebration, Feanor created many other wonders. He also crafted jewelry for his wife and sons, as was his custom for feasts. He placed a bright star on a golden circlet and gave it to Maedhros to gift to Fingon, for although Fingon was not his son, he was Maedhros' brother. Feanor's great works did not daunt Curufin. Feanor gave Curufin the important task of forging jewelry and gifts for the other royal families of the Eldalie and helped him when necessary. Curufin's crafts did not disappoint anyone, and many wore their new gift to the Celebration. Word was abroad that Feanor did not personally undertake this task because he was creating something grander, and this proved true when the fourteen gifts for the Valar were presented at the Celebration. Many of the Maiar also received items crafted by Feanor and gifted on behalf of the Noldor. Although many other gifts were exchanged between friends and presented to the Rulers of Valinor, none matched the greatness of the gifts wrought by Feanor.

The Celebration of the Arrival of the Eldalie to Aman was greater than any feast that had ever been held before. There was song and dance, contests of strength and skill and words, and plenty of good food and wine. Maglor's new golden harp was so beautiful to the ear that even Elemmire and Rumil bowed to his skill and praised his song above their own. Feanor was pleased by the praise that Maglor won and showed it by softly singing along with Maglor's encore. All who heard Feanor's accompaniment marveled at his lovely voice, for Feanor rarely sang in public. His voice was perfectly pitched and subtly woven into Maglor's music such that the song was enhanced but not disrupted or outshone. Maglor noticed, of course, and his singing became stronger and more beautiful as he played off his father's singing and love.

The sons of Feanor won great repute. Maedhros was credited with the arrangements of the Celebration. Maglor's song was graven in the memory of the Eldar. Celegorm won the great chase for Orome's quick-footed rabbit, and was given a pup from Orome's brood of hunting hounds. Caranthir proved to be the second best wrestler and lost to Fingolfin in the end, but nevertheless, all the Eldar, especially the women, noticed Caranthir's strength. Curufin had already won great renown for his jewelry and crafts wrought for the other houses of the Eldar. And Amrod and Amras, though young, proved to be more skilled than other children their age at riding. Feanor and Nerdanel took pride in all that their sons accomplished on that day. And although Feanor's gifts to the Valar were the subject of much conversation, Feanor claimed that the gifts were from all the Noldor and spoke very little about how they'd been crafted. He preferred instead to talk about his sons, who were proving mighty among the Noldor despite their relatively young ages. This did not go unnoticed by his sons, and they always remembered that, at the most important high feast ever held, their father held them above his own works of skill.

---

One time, almost two decades after the Celebration, Maedhros shown up at Fingolfin's house early and was waiting for Fingon to prepare his things before they went on their journey when Fingolfin came to join him in the guest area.

"It heartens me to see the great friendship between you and Findekano," Fingolfin said. His mannerism was formal but friendly.

"I am indebt to you for allowing me to take your son from you time and time again." As was his nature, Maedhros matched Fingolfin's friendly but distant tone.

"May I speak candidly with you, Maitimo?"

"Of course." Maedhros was not the one who was establishing the lack of openness in their conversation, but he didn't say that. Maedhros's greatest gift was to know when to keep his mouth shut.

"Seeing your close friendship with your cousin Findekano has made me realize that the descendants of Finwe can, indeed, be brought together. My wife and I are thinking about bringing another child into the bliss of Aman. Arafinwe and his wife are also thinking about adding to their family. The close age should make it easier for them to befriend one another." Fingolfin's face was grave, and he made every word seem important. Maedhros had heard such talk of the unity of the Noldor before. Maedhros had long lived under the oratory powers of his father, and Fingolfin's deep conversation lacked the draw of Feanor's in this particular matter. Nevertheless, Maedhros listened to Fingolfin's words with all due seriousness. "Nerdanel has not given birth to any children for several years now, and judging by the years between your siblings, I suspect that another child will be added unto your family soon. Do you think Feanaro will let his child forge a bond similar to the one between you and Findekano?"

Maedhros looked into Fingolfin's gray eyes for several moments to try to decide if he was honestly so out of touch with reality. Fingolfin had his son's straightforward mannerism though, and Maedhros found that he couldn't fault Fingolfin for not understanding the complexities of Feanor's family. Although Fingolfin was fully matured, he still had much to learn about being the head of his own family and about being a father.

"I don't know why you think that my father would prevent us from befriending whomever we chose," Maedhros said at last. "Since our family's return to the House of Finwe, he has never tried to separate the families, and it was by ill chance that Findekano and I never truly interacted before the year of the Celebration of the Arrival of the Eldalie to Aman. My family travels a lot, and perhaps that is the cause of our infrequent interactions with your family and Arafinwe's family. But as to the friendship and birth of three children in the three Houses of Finwe, that will not be possible. My father has told me that my mother's bounty has been emptied. She has brought seven sons into the world, and adding another child into our family would greatly strain her."

"I see." Fingolfin's mind seemed to slowly process this information. Had he really thought that Feanor would continue bringing children into the world? "What about you then, Maitimo? You've long reached the age of marriage, and you are popular among the Noldorin women. Why don't you choose a wife and start your own family?" Maedhros forgave Fingolfin for his awkwardness in such a delicate subject. Nerdanel had often told Maedhros that the rest of the Noldor thought differently from Feanor and his family. Maedhros hadn't expected it to be so true of his own uncle.

"My Lord Nolofinwe, I would not presume to marry unless I found a woman whom I truly loved."

"I was not suggesting otherwise."

Maedhros waved his hand. "I was not saying that you were, but marriage is not such a simple matter. Although many women are attracted to me, they lack the heart that I am seeking. Iluvatar will bring my wife to me when the time is ready, but if it is not yet time, then there is nothing to be done about it."

"Of course."

"My brothers and I will befriend your children and the children of Arafinwe if fortune allows, but with seven of us, it is often difficult for us to spend time with others. Do not take offense to that."

"No, of course I wouldn't be offended if you and your brothers were busy amongst yourselves," Fingolfin said hastily.

"Our Houses are united, Nolofinwe. They always have been," Maedhros said. He knew that he had the offensive, and he felt the need to defend his family. "Feanaro's is the House of Fire; yours is the House of Earth; and Arafinwe's is the House of Water. Finwe's House of Air joins the three Houses of his children. Like Manwe, Finwe is the highest and most powerful, and he rules all to peace. This is the way Iluvatar intended it to be. My father is not close to you like Arafinwe, but that is because Earth and Water may meet in peace, but Fire burns all else that it touches, save only Air. Feanaro loves you, but he must do so from afar. If he does not, you would be burned."

"What about you then, Maitimo? Would Feanaro inadvertently burn you too? And Nerdanel the Wise?"

"My brothers and I are of his own flesh and blood. He would not hurt us. As for my mother, she has been wedded into the House of Fire."

"Are these the teachings of the Valar? I have never heard our family described in such a way," Fingolfin said.

"No, this is what my father has discovered in his research of the will of Iluvatar." Maedhros could hear Fingon's footsteps on the stairs. Maedhros was grateful for interruption. Fingon was still young, and Maedhros usually attributed most of his lacking to his youth. Fingolfin, however, was the same age as Maedhros and did not have the same excuse. Maedhros understood at last why Feanor said that Fingolfin was not the most wise. Fingolfin's wisdom was derived from the teachings of the Valar, but above the Valar, there was Iluvatar, and without understanding the One, the world could not be fully understood. Was Feanor the only one who sought such knowledge?

"I thank you for your converse," Fingolfin said as Fingon entered the room.

"It was my honor," Maedhros replied. The barriers were up again, and the polite distance was maintained in speech and manner. Fingon came to Maedhros and, after exchanging short greetings, they went to the stables. Maedhros watched the child of the House of Earth and thought that Fingon suited the role well. Fingon was a strong foundation and a steady friend, and his heart was like the jewels hidden in the depths of the earth. And Maedhros was very glad that he wasn't the head of the House of Fire.

Chapter End Notes

I had Amrod and Amras use the short form of their brothers' father-names because the names are short. I know they preferred their mother-names, but when trying to say the names quickly, I can see them falling back to the shortened father-names. I have a Chinese name (PhoungPing), an affectionate version of my Chinese name (PingPing), a shortened version of my Chinese name (Ping), an English version of my Chinese name (Homping), a shortened English version of my Chinese name (Homp), and an English name (Maria, which is sometimes changed by friends or acquaintances to Mari, Mari-chan, Marie, Mary, or Mariah). All the names get used at different times. I figured the sons of Feanor would be the same way.

Caranthir is the fourth son; Curufin is the fifth son. I want to stick to the Silmarillion set up when I can since I'll be bending it more than enough later.

Macalaure, Maglor's mother-name, means "forging gold." That's what Feanor's referring to when he talks about the golden harp.

The Silmarillion states that Manwe had a scepter of sapphire made for him by the Noldor. Although the Noldor as a group are cited, it seems obvious to me that the Noldo who made the scepter must have been Feanor. Of the crafts that Feanor might otherwise have created, only Manwe can imagine.

Miriel is also known as Firiel, which means "she who died" or "she who sighed" (X. 250). I'm going by the idea that Miriel died soon after Feanor's birth, not that she stayed alive long enough to raise him. However, her body was preserved in sleep in Lorien for a while after she died, and Finwe visited her. It seems reasonable to me that Feanor would have also visited with Finwe. Since Feanor has a good memory, it's no surprise that he'd remember how she looked. Miriel is supposed to have silver hair and dark eyes (X.185). At first I thought about keeping her a more conventional Noldor, with dark hair and dark eyes, because then questions of her kinship wouldn't come into play, but I've decided to just go with the silver hair after realizing that the wives were paralleling the Two Trees, with silver coming first and then gold blooming next. Maybe she will be related distantly to Thingol after all since silver/white hair seems to run in that family. Or maybe it won't come up at all.

Celegorm won Huan at the Celebration, and they'll ride together and follow Orome's horn for a while during the Days of Bliss.

The House of Feanor never wholly departed from the House of Finwe by the Mindon Eldalieva, but the busy heart of Tirion was simply too small for a family of nine. Feanor designed and built a second dwelling place, where he established a great palace in which his large family could comfortably live, a workplace which consisted of several workshops for gems, metals, and other crafts, a hall in which to display his crafts and those of his sons, a treasury for less impressive crafts that did not warrant display and had not been given away, gardens with glorious fountains of new design, and many other buildings besides those. Feanor and his family still came to their house in the heart of Tirion, adjacent to Finwe's own house, but they spent the majority of their time about in the world or at their second residence. At the time, this was not seen as unusual since Finarfin had long lived in both Tirion and Alqualonde. Feanor had reached his prime, and his sons were old enough to require their own space. If the sons of Feanor had wedded and established their own household, perhaps they would not have moved into a larger estate. However, the brothers still delighted in each other's company and all remained unwed.

The Feacoa, also known as the House of Feanor or House of Fire, was situated at the northern edge of Tirion. Feanor did not design the House of Fire alone. Nerdanel was a master of metal, but she set aside her normal delights to design the gardens and oversee the tapestries. Later, when she had more time, she created large bronze statues for the gardens. Maedhros raised the seven towers of the palace and creating the house for their living quarters and guest quarters. He coordinated the execution of the plans drafted by his parents and brothers and spent much of his time watching over the servants and assisting them with the interpretation of the master plans. Maglor arranged for the streams of carp fish with stone bridges, several large ponds, and many fountains of masterful design, some but not all of which were designed with the aid of Feanor. Celegorm entreated animals and birds to fill the gardens and the woods beyond the gardens and ensured that the stables were large and ample for their many fine horses. Caranthir spent most of his time creating courtyards where people could wander in pleasure, hold contests of strength, practice finer horseriding, or simply gather for parties. Curufin had a hand in the design of most of the buildings, especially the one that housed the workshops, and many of the decorations. He helped forge orbs of imperishable light for the hallways and corridors so that torches were unnecessary in those places that did not have enough windows, and gems were imbedded in many of the walls and around many doors and gates. Amrod and Amras raised the halls that would display the crafts and trophies and assisted Maedhros. Many of the Noldor thought that the House of Feanor was more glorious than even the House of Finwe, but the House of Finwe was lovely because of its traditional architecture and long history, and Feanor never set his own house before that of his father's.

When the House of Fire was completed in 1400 of the Years of the Trees, Feanor brought his seven sons to a chamber underneath the palace. There room was round and deep in the earth and, like the corridors, lighted only by Feanor's gems of light. There were seven elaborate chairs set in a ring, and before each chair was a deep black sphere of solid glass or crystal. Feanor said nothing to his sons, and each of them sat at one of the perfect spheres. When they were seated, Feanor spoke.

"Thus have your Fates been chosen." Feanor unveiled one last sphere, unmistakably the Master Stone. "These are the palantiri, and the one you have chosen, or perhaps the one that has chosen you, reflects your Fate." Maedhros looked inside his palantir and saw the world from above, as he had when he had held the Scepter of Manwe so many years ago, but the world changed and broke asunder even as he watched it. "The House of Fire is completed, and we are together as we have always been. But my heart forebodes that this will not be so forever. A dark evil is stirring. The palantiri will keep you together in days when you are apart."

"Will we return here again later to see more of our Fates?" Amras asked. Whatever he had seen must have gone dark, as it had in Maedhros's palantir.

"The palantiri are not to be disturbed again," Feanor said. "There is no reason to see so far in the Blessed Realm, but when the time comes, if it comes, then there will be need to communicate across great distances and each of you will take your palantir with you."

"What does it mean, Father?" Celegorm demanded. "For in the palantir, I beheld the beasts and birds in my woods, and I rode atop Nahar, the great horse of Orome. And by chance, I heard singing as clear as if it were in this chamber, and when I followed the singing, I found the Quendi by Cuivienen."

Curufin listened to Celegorm with interest. "I too perceived a burden most unusual, for I stood before the forge of Aule the Smith, and on my anvil were children, not children of the Eldar but creatures that were short and stocky, strong but unlovely."

"Enough." Feanor's voice was nothing more than a whisper in the quiet chamber, but its strength seemed so great that Maedhros felt as if his father was a Vala. The brightness in his eyes was fearsome to behold. "Some things cannot be explained, not even by me. We will not use the palantiri again until the time is right. In Valinor, the powers are too great, and the palantiri cannot be used safely."

"Then let us present them to the Valar," Maglor suggested. His eyes were fixed on the seeing stone before him as if he could still see something of his Fate.

Feanor shook his head. "The palantiri will protect the seven of you, and you will in turn protect each other. I will not relinquish them." Maedhros shuddered imperceptibly. He remembered the Scepter and its great power, power that seemed beyond the Eldar. Feanor had always given freely. Maedhros wondered what dark Fate could be so severe that such powers would be needed to keep the seven sons of Feanor together.

"What about Mother?" Amras asked. "You have the Master Stone, but she doesn't have a stone to pronounce her Fate."

"To keep her together with us when we are apart," Amrod said. His face was ashen, and his lower lip trembled. He looked drained and exhausted, but Maedhros knew he could not go to him until Feanor was finished with them.

"I will protect your mother when the time comes," Feanor said. "She and I are not accounted among the reflections of the seven Valar." Feanor covered the Master Stone with the heavy red cloth that he'd drawn aside. The chamber seemed to grow cold. "We will not return here for many years. Do not try to enter without me."

The seven sons of Feanor understood his tone to be dismissal. Maedhros led his brothers out, and when they saw the Light of the Two Trees, the warmth returned to them. They looked to and fro. Nothing had changed. Caranthir laughed and strode off to the main living quarters, and Celegorm and Curufin, still thoughtful, followed him. Maedhros went to Amrod's side. Amrod was well again and whatever shadow had been cast upon his heart seemed to have departed even in memory. The door to the tunnel that led to the Chamber of the Palantiri closed without a sound, and seven clear crystals lighted for a second and then dimmed. The door disappeared into the ground until even Maedhros couldn't see where it had once been. Feanor saw his gaze and smiled at his eldest son.

"What about Findekano, Father?" Maedhros asked quietly. "He is not of your seven sons, but he is my brother, and when my brothers and I are drawn apart, I do not wish to be parted from him."

"I will forge something more befitting the Son of the House of Earth," Feanor said. He put a reassuring hand on Maedhros's arm. "The memory lingers over you, my son. Go with Macalaure. Ride and forget this nonsense. Perhaps the foreboding in my heart is for naught."

Maedhros left with Maglor, who had remained silent throughout and did not speak of or perhaps did not remember the vision he had seen in the palantir.

---

Maedhros pretended not to notice his fourth brother's approach. He ejected Fingon's silver marble from the hexagonal board only to have one of his own golden marble pushed off by Fingon's sumito. It was a necessary sacrifice. Fingon's gaming prowess was such that Maedhros could never win without sacrificing his own pieces. Both of them had lost five marbles. Whoever ejected the next marble would be the winner.

"Russandol." Caranthir had called out once before, when he'd first entered the Fox Courtyard, so named because it was Maedhros's favorite courtyard and where he was often found with his cousin Fingon. Now that he was closer, Maedhros could no longer pretend to be too enraptured in the game to hear his brother.

"What is it?" Maedhros continued to survey the hexagon and moved his marbles accordingly. Fingon was quick to make his move, forcing Maedhros to respond while his attention was divided. Fingon never hesitated to use Maedhros's disrupting brothers to his own advantage and many games had been lost in this way. Unfortunately, now that Celegorm and Caranthir were interested in Fingon's sister Aredhel, they were more likely to talk to Maedhros when Fingon was present. They had even begun to call him by the epesse that Maedhros often used in public, "Finno."

"Did you hear the news about Father?"

"No, enlighten me." Maedhros pushed Fingon's two marbles, but Fingon pushed out the middle marble in Maedhros's sumito.

"He asked Artanis for three locks of her golden hair, but she wouldn't even give him one." Caranthir scarcely concealed his snicker. Both Maedhros and Fingon stopped their game.

"Let's not call it 'news.' There's been too much 'news' of late that has been founded on empty words," Maedhros said. For the last few years, scarcely a week passed without someone repeating to Maedhros an erroneous rumor. At first, Maedhros had passed this off as nothing more than misinformation, but two years ago, Feanor had asked Maedhros to actively dispel any false information that was being passed between Noldor. Since then, undoubtedly because he was actively seeking such stories, more and more rumors had found their ways to his ears. Maedhros knew that the Noldor did not lie, but the large number of mistruths disturbed him.

"News, rumors, whatever you choose to call it," Caranthir said with a shrug. "Do you think it's true? He has been speaking of capturing the Light of the Two Trees in gems of late, and many claim that the Light has been caught in Artanis's tresses."

"Have you heard anything of this?" Maedhros asked Fingon. Perhaps he should've known the answer from Fingon's sudden attentiveness to Caranthir's words.

"No. I'm sure Artanis would have told Irisse, unless this happened very recently," Fingon said thoughtfully. Because he was often present when Maedhros's brothers brought rumors to his ears, Fingon often helped Maedhros discern truth from misinformation. It was a game, but it was a more serious game than any other that they played.

"When did you see her last, Finno?" Caranthir asked.

"Ten days ago, before she left with Mother to visit the House of Fountains," Fingon said.

"Blood and darkness," Maedhros swore under his breath. The rumors were picking up in speed. They seemed to appear from nowhere and spread from friend to friend. Much that the Noldor spoke, particularly about each other, proved to be false indeed, but many believed the rumors to be fact.

"Aside from the seven brothers, I'm the only one who knows about your father's intention to house a part of the Light in jewels," Fingon said. "Surely this is not part of the rumor."

Caranthir shrugged. "I suppose not. I just heard that he asked for Artanis's hair."

"And immediately assumed it was true and made the connection between that and our father's newest proposed project?" Maedhros gave his fourth brother a stern look.

"Sorry. I guess I'm only making it worse." Caranthir's apology was casual. He was more interested in discovering if this was one of the truths amidst the rumors. Gossip about their father was always more interesting and colorful than other rumors.

"Father and Mother have been arguing of late, but it is not because his attentions are turning towards young beauties," Maedhros said aloud. He and Fingon often did so when trying to discover the basis of a rumor.

"Some seem to think so," Caranthir said. "Many say that Artanis is second only to Feanaro in greatness and power."

"Maybe in time, but she's still too young to tell."

"Not so. She's already been of age to wed for many years now." Caranthir was all too willing to point such details out because Galadriel and Aredhel were the same age. Maedhros did not need his brother's romantic intentions interrupting his work and almost sent him away to ponder the problem, but doing so wasn't necessary.

Fingon snapped his fingers. "This is the rumor: Curufinwe asked for three strands of golden hair from Artanis. Curufinwe."

"Curvo." Maedhros almost breathed a sigh of relief, but it caught midway when he realized the import of what they'd just discovered. Curufin did not take well to rejection. He would not have requested such a simple favor of Galadriel unless he thought that she would agree. Fingon spoke the words in Maedhros's mind.

"So the next step is to find out if your brother Curufinwe Atarinke did indeed make such a request of Artanis." Fingon back to their game as if the puzzle had been solved, but the rumor had unnerved him. Maedhros knew Fingon well enough to know that he couldn't even remember whose turn it was. Outwardly, his composure was calm, and a lesser acquaintance would have thought that the matter had passed from his mind.

Maedhros nodded to Caranthir, and with that, Caranthir did indeed consider the rumor settled. It would be easy enough to ask Curufin to verify if he'd asked for Galadriel's hair, and even if he had, they would squelch any rumors of the event by denying that Feanor had done such a thing. The sons of Feanor were learning how to manipulate the rumors and gossip in their attempts to stop them. Caranthir bowed slightly to both of them.

"Russandol, Finno." Fingon pushed one of Maedhros's silver marbles with three of his golden ones. He nodded absently in acknowledgement of Caranthir's bow. Caranthir was also more polite to Fingon now that Aradhel had caught his eye, and the reason for his changed behavior did not go unnoticed by Fingon. "I will take my leave then." He left the courtyard undoubtedly in search of Curufin. Maedhros would hear the truth of the matter later.

"Was it your turn or mine?" Fingon said once Caranthir was out of earshot. He sounded apologetic, but the undertone of worry for the situation in Tirion was far stronger than his concern for the game.

"Mine." Maedhros's answer hardly mattered. They'd already begun resetting the hexagonal board.

"What does it mean, Russandol?" The heaviness in Fingon's tone said that he already knew the answer to his own question. Maedhros looked at Fingon and then began packing the marbles away. Fingon was only too willing to conclude their gaming.

"I believe the rumors are finally taking direction."

"Against the Houses of Princes?" Maedhros nodded. Fingon sighed heavily. "Rumors about lands to the East and Aftercomers were ridiculous and easy enough to dissuade or ignore. These rumors about the House of Princes are much darker. How can malice have crept into the Blessed Realm?"

"I do not know," Maedhros said gravely as they returned to the main house. "Nor do I understand why the Valar do not act against such evil. Perhaps the Children of Iluvatar are being tested. As long as you are by my side, we will find a way to prevail."

Later, Maedhros learned that Curufin had indeed asked for some of Galadriel's hair and that she had denied his request. When his brothers sought to comfort him, he only smiled. Most of the brothers thought the matter more trivial than the rumor that it had been their father who had sought Galadriel's golden locks, but Maedhros knew from Curufin's childhood that he had a long memory for grudges. For the moment, nothing could be done to ease the sting to Curufin's pride.

---

Even Feanor's seven sons rarely saw him in those days. Feanor was gathering all of his might and lore to seek a way to preserve the Glory of the Blessed Realm, and for such a great task, his sons did not begrudge his absence. Nerdanel often acted as Feanor's messenger and delivered his new crafts to the noble houses of the Noldor, though she was just as often toiling in her workshop or visiting with her friends for months at a time. Maedhros saw his father so rarely that he took to telling his mother about the rumors pervading Eldamar, and although Feanor never sent any word in return, Maedhros knew that Feanor continued to expect such reports because he was never asked to stop. Sometimes, after she'd been speaking with Feanor, Nerdanel looked drained and saddened. Maedhros tried to comfort his mother, but at such times, she only smiled tiredly at him and asked him to look after his father.

Thus, Maedhros was surprised to some degree when his father summoned him, for it'd been several weeks since he'd seen his father and even longer since they'd conversed. Feanor was waiting in the Fox Courtyard, and Maedhros hurried there as soon as he received the message.

"Father," Maedhros said as he neared his father. He bowed, and his father nodded in response. "I hope that I have not kept you waiting long."

"No. Sit, Maitimo." Feanor drew out a crystal box and set it on the table. Within it was a brilliant green stone set in silver in the shape of an eagle with spread wings. A matching silver chain rested in a side compartment of the crystal box. Feanor opened the box so that Maedhros could examine it more closely. "Do you remember when I showed you the palantiri?" Maedhros nodded. That had been over four decades ago. "The shadow of foreboding has not departed from my heart. You said then that you did not wish to be separated from Findekano, son of Nolofinwe. I said that I would forge something more fitting for the Son of the House of Earth. The craft you hold in your hands now is the fulfillment of my promise on that day. It is the Elessar, the Star-stone."

"It is very beautiful," Maedhros said. "Much thought and work has gone into it if you have only now crafted the Star-stone for the House of Earth." Maedhros remembered Feanor's unwillingness to give the palantiri to the Valar. If the Elessar was as powerful as the palantiri, Maedhros wondered if Feanor was truly willing to relinquish it to Fingon. Feanor seemed to read his thoughts.

"Give it to Findekano," Feanor said. "As you said then, he is your brother. You should not be parted from him." Feanor drew out a second crystal box, and in it was a fiery red stone set in gold in the same likeness of an eagle with spread wings and a matching golden chain. The stones were practically identical except for the materials with which they were made. "This is the Elennar, the Star-fire. It is for you, Maitimo. You and Findekano will wear your stones about your necks, over your hearts, for fire and earth meet at the heart of the world."

Maedhros thanked his father, but Feanor's mind was already on other matters. Feanor returned to his workshop soon thereafter and did not stay for idle chitchat with his son. Maedhros presented the Elessar to Fingon later and showed him the matching Elennar that hung about his neck. They delighted in their matching pendants. From the moment that they both wore their pendants, Maedhros and Fingon became more acutely aware of each other's presence. Their thoughts were close as well, and sometimes, they scarcely needed to speak when they wished to communicate.

Fingon was not the only one who appreciated the Elessar. When Aredhel saw the brilliant green stone, she asked Maedhros for a gift as well.

"It's hardly fair that my brother is the only one to receive your good graces." Aredhel's white clothing and fair skin only enhanced the pouting of her pink lips.

"If you like, I can have Curvo create a necklace more beautiful than the Elessar for you," said Celegorm, who was ever present when Aredhel visited the House of Feanor. Caranthir had the misfortune of being out hunting with Amrod and Amras.

"No, I want something from Maitimo." Aredhel gazed at him with her deep gray eyes, and in spite of himself, Maedhros felt himself blushing under her piercing eyes.

"Don't be so rude," Fingon chided.

"It's okay, Finno," Maedhros said. He called a servant to bring forth a single row drop necklace of platinum and diamond from the treasury. When it arrived, he placed it around Aredhel's slender, fair neck. She flashed him a brilliant smile and kissed Maedhros on the cheek. Celegorm scowled but said nothing. He knew that Maedhros was not interested in her even though he humored her request, but Celegorm was still unable to wholly master his jealousy. Aredhel only laughed at Celegorm's dark demeanor and teased him as they went to the stables to get mounts for their afternoon ride.

Fingon apologized for his sister's behavior. It was unnecessary. She was Fingon's sister; that alone was reason enough to endure her games. Besides, Maedhros had six younger brothers. He was used to the wiles of younger siblings. It didn't matter that Maedhros had given Aredhel a beautiful necklace of platinum and diamond. Her necklace lacked the power of their pendants. Maedhros touched his hand to his chest, where the Elennar rested under his shirt. Fingon smiled and brought his hand to the Elessar, which he'd been wearing in plain sight for his sister to admire. They felt each other's presence strongly and knew that they were brothers inseparable. The Elessar and Elennar were signs of their ancient friendship in the Blessed Realm.

Chapter End Notes

In 1400 of the Years of the Trees, Melkor was released. He was free to roam Valinor in 1410 (X.93).

Descriptions of the palantiri are in Unfinished Tales. There's a footnote regarding a Master Stone.

Maedhros and Fingon are playing Abalone. Abalone is played on a hexagonal board. Each player has 14 marbles. The object of the game is to eject six of the opponent's marbles from the board. At his turn a player may move 1, 2 or 3 of his marbles in any of the six possible directions, provided there is an adjacent free space. Not more than three marbles of the same color may be moved in a single maneuver. A move may not be for more than one space at a time. When moving 2 or 3 marbles, they must all be moved into the same direction. In order to push your opponent's marbles, a sumito must be set up. This means that your marbles are numerical superior to your opponent's marbles. For example: 2 push 1 sumito, 3 push 2 sumito, 3 push 1 sumito. A marble is ejected when it's pushed off the board. If you eject six of the opponent's marbles, you win the game. More information is available here: .

Fingon has again been nicknamed by Maedhros. Finno is simply a shortening of Findekano. It also fits the format of the Quenya shortening of the names of the sons of Feanor. The rest of the cousins can probably be nicknames in the same way and still be differentiated, but I doubt it'll come up in this story.

Feanor is said to have asked for Galadriel's hair, but I find it ridiculous. He's not the type to ask anything of anyone, save Nerdanel alone. But I can see Curufin asking for strands of her golden hair. So I thought I'd take advantage of Father and Son sharing the same name, Curufinwe. Fingon uses Atarinke to make it clear that he's referring to the younger Curufinwe.

"Blood and darkness" is the curse that Maedhros used when the Silmarils were stolen and Finwe slain (X. 293-4).

Elessar is most commonly translated as "Elf-stone," but it also means "Star- stone" (Elen+sarn). Elves were people of the stars, Eldar, and so the word elf and star are often interchangeable. We also see this in names such as Elrond's. Elrond is translated as "Elf of the cave" or as "Vault of stars." The poetic "el" instead of "elen" is used to mean both elf and star (S. 449). "Sarn" is stone (S. 456), no interesting history to add to that. I've chosen the meaning of Elessar to be "Star-stone."

Feanor gave the elessar to Maedhros. Maedhros gave it to Fingon (XI.176- 7).

Elennar (Elen+nar) is then "Star-fire" and manages to preserve a similarity in spelling to the Elessar. "Nar" means "fire" or "flame" as in Narsil (S. 454).

Maedhros scarcely remembered when he'd first seen the Silmarils and yet he'd never forget it. The fire embodied in the jewels were as brilliant as the Two Trees, yet the Light of the Silmarils differed from that of the Two Trees in the same way that Father and Sons were similar but not identical. He stared at it with much wonder, and though he was lost in the Light, he was acutely aware of his six brothers' admiration of the jewels. Moreover, he was aware of the fact that his seventh brother was not and could not be present for the unveiling of this marvel.

The Silmarils, for all their complexity, reminded Maedhros of the first time that Curufin had been allowed into their father's workshop. From very early on, Curufin had shown himself to be like their father in face and skill. His dexterous fingers manipulated toys with ease, and he was able to hold a pen and write by the time he was one and a half. His painting of Feanor and Nerdanel was easily mistakable for one done by an adult. He helped Nerdanel with the cooking and could be trusted with the cutting of vegetables or carving of meat. When he was three, he begged Feanor to allow him into the workshop. Feanor was always careful with the safety of his sons, so Maedhros had been quite surprised when Feanor had agreed and Nerdanel had not objected.

Maedhros led Curufin by the hand into the workshop at the appointed time. Curufin stared at the gems around him with large, piercingly bright eyes. The workshop was neatly organized with various tools and worktables, but some new equipment had been added.

"Welcome to my workshop, Curvo," Feanor said. He picked Curufin up and placed him on the main workshop table. "Normally, Maitimo would be my assistant, but today, you can help me with the making of some jewels. How does that sound?" Curufin cried out with pleasure and hugged his father.

"Are you sure this is okay, Father?" Maedhros said.

Feanor winked to him. "Of course. You may stay as well. We have never created these particular gems together before."

Feanor showed Curufin a small pot of white sand that Maedhros recognized to be nothing more than sugar. Together, they lit a fire and melted the sugar into a liquid. They cleansed the liquid of imperfections. Curufin chose the colors red and purple for the jewels, and Feanor added the "essence" of the jewels into the two separate batches of sugar water. They poured the sugar water into various molds and let it cool. Then Feanor showed Curufin how to cut the gems and buff them to a clear shine. Maedhros worked with them to prepare the dozen gems. The beauty of these simple sugar crystals stunned Maedhros to the core though he had helped his father many times in the creation of other jewels. They outshone even the rubies and amethysts of some of the better jewelsmiths in Tirion.

Feanor placed the red and purple jewels in a glass jar and allowed Curufin to hold the treasure. Then Feanor took Curufin's hand, and the three of them went in search of Nerdanel. Curufin called out loudly for his mother when he saw her. He let go of Feanor's hand and ran to Nerdanel to show her the brilliant gems.

"They're just candy, aren't they?" Maedhros said uncertainly to Feanor as they slowly strolled to join Nerdanel and Curufin.

"Indeed. I'll let Curufin eat one later." Though he spoke of Curufin, Feanor's eyes were now for Nerdanel, not for his favorite son. Her smile was disarming, and her love for her youngest son, who bore a strong resemblance to Feanor, was apparent in her every move. She listened to his scattered explanations about the creation of the jewels and held him close. No Eldar had added more than five children to their family, but seeing his father's gentle gaze on his mother, Maedhros wondered if perhaps his parents would try for a sixth child.

Maedhros roused himself from the blissful scene of their family and returned to his query of the jewels. "How is it possible that mere sugar can be as beautiful as the gems of the earth? The candy jewels rival even those made by the jewelsmiths of the Noldor."

Feanor paused from his admiration of his wife to give his eldest son his undivided attention. "Maitimo, the beauty of the sugar candies that we've forged today is not of our creation. Remember that. Sugar is a crystalline substance. We simply brought forth its natural shape into a larger form. The brilliance of the sugar jewels is that of Ea and is the creation of Iluvatar. Such beauty can be found all around us if we only learn how to bring it forth for the glory of Arda."

Maedhros nodded, and Feanor was pleased by his son's understanding of the world that was. They joined Nerdanel and Curufin and delighted in the simple but brilliant sugar jewels. But even the jewels were second to the love that shone in Feanor's eyes for his wife and his eldest and youngest sons.

The Silmarils were unlike the candy jewels that they had made so many years ago, but Maedhros could not help but to think of them because of the beauty that Feanor had said was inherent in the creations of Iluvatar themselves. The Silmarils looked similar to the crystal of diamonds. The inner fire of the Silmarils shone with the blended light of the Trees of Valinor, and the Light was received and given back in hues more marvelous than before.

Maedhros did not know how long he'd been gazing at the Jewels of Feanor before Feanor spoke aloud, "Arda was created through the Music of the Ainur to be a dwelling place for the Children of Iluvatar, and the sons of Feanaro have been chosen to protect Arda." The vision that he had seen in the palantir came to Maedhros, but this time, the vision ended with the light of the three Silmarils. "The Fates of Arda-earth, sea, and air-lay locked within the Silmarilli. Do not fear your Doom. The deeds that you shall do shall be the matter of song until the last days of Arda, and the Music of the Eldalie shall be no less great than the Music of the Ainur."

---

The Silmarils were hidden in a crystal casket covered by a thick red velvet cloth that reminded Maedhros of the cloth that had covered the Master Stone in the Chamber of the Palantirs. Maedhros and Feanor waited in Finwe's personal study with the Silmarils for the King of the Noldor to appear. Feanor had requested a private meeting, but he had not told his father the purpose behind the meeting. Finwe came in his own time. Feanor stood and bowed low before his father. Maedhros did the same and then poured a glass of wine for Finwe. He remained standing in case either Finwe or Feanor required anything more.

"You have been very distant of late, Curufinwe," Finwe said. "Dare I hope that your labors are now at an end?"

"They are indeed, Father." Feanor's eyes lighted in the way it always did when he saw his father. He gestured to the cloth that covered the crystal case and invited Finwe to see for himself.

Finwe drew aside the cloth to reveal the great Light of the Silmarils. He drew in his breath sharply and stared transfixed at the three Silmarils. The blended Light of the Two Trees filled the study such that even the Light of Laurelin streaming through the study windows seemed dim. The Silmarils felt Laurelin's golden light, and they took the dim- seeming Light into themselves and gave forth a new blended Light with more gold and phosphorous like the sheen of pearls. Then they picked up the blue-gray light of Finwe's eyes, and the light scheme of the Silmarils was again changed so that it included the wonder of a father for his gifted son. Feanor opened the case so that his father could better view the mighty jewels. The Silmarils reacted to the presence of their creator. The room filled with Light like the fire of Feanor's heart, and Maedhros felt as if he were bathed in the brightness of Feanor's love for his father.

"These are the Silmarilli," Feanor said at last. "I would have shown them to you before any other, but you have been otherwise occupied of late. The fates of Arda lay locked within the Silmarilli, and only the Protectors of Arda have seen the Silmarilli."

"Do you plan to give the Silmarilli to the Valar," Finwe asked. His voice was distracted, and his eyes remained fixed on the three jewels.

"Nay, Father," said Feanor. "The Ainur are not of this world. The Silmarilli belong to the Vanyar, Elves of the Air; the Noldor, the Elves of the Earth; and the Teleri, the Elves of the Sea."

"Perhaps you perceive what I cannot," Finwe said. He tore his gaze from the Silmarils, and his blue-gray eyes were filled with admiration and pride for his son. "In the Light of the Silmarils, I feel the love between Father, Son, and Grandson."

"You are not mistaken," Feanor said. He gestured for Maedhros to step forward. "It is for that very reason that I have bid Nelyafinwe to be present for the unveiling of the Silmarilli before you. The love between Father, Son, and Grandson are but shadows of the Love of Iluvatar, the Ainur, and the Children of Iluvatar. The three of us must preserve this lest Ea be unmade. Our fates and-dare I say it?-our eventual demises are tied to the Silmarilli. This is our part in the Music of the Eldalie, though I apologize to Maedhros for the weight placed on his shoulders, for he must play the role of Grandson and Protector."

"I will not shrink from my role," Maedhros said. Before the Light of the Silmarils, he felt as if he could accomplish anything, even the impossible.

"Neither will I." Feanor rose from his seat and knelt before Finwe. "Too long have I been away at my workshop, using all of my lore and skill to craft the Silmarilli. Now that my Great Task in Arda is completed, I will attend my neglected duties and assist you in the governance of Tirion. I hope that you will forgive my tardiness to accept my duties."

"Such an apology is not necessary, Curufinwe," Finwe said to Feanor. "I have never felt that you neglected your role as Crown Prince, and I do not begrudge that you had other great works and purposes fated to you by Iluvatar. I will welcome your assistance in the years to come, but even if you were not so talented and helpful, I would consider myself blessed to have such a loving son."

Feanor took his father's hand in his left and took Maedhros's hand in his right. The Light of the Three Silmarils shone in his face as he said, "I too am blessed to have such a Father and Son." Maedhros remained silent, but he reached his hand out to Finwe as he had never done so before, and the three of them basked in the Glory of Arda and the Love of Iluvatar.

---

Feanor did not return to his workshop for several weeks. He helped Finwe with the expansion of Tirion and the day-to-day goings of the city that had been Fingolfin's and Maedhros's job in the past. Maedhros was surprised with his father's patience, for the work was not difficult and often boring but necessary. Since Feanor's time was drawn away from his jewelcraft, he often turned to the admiration of Curufin's works instead. He also spent time riding and hunting with his wife and seven sons. At night, after he'd spent the day on bureaucratic details and by the king's side, Feanor would come home and cook with Nerdanel. Their laughter filled the House of Fire, and Maedhros almost wondered if an eight child, perhaps a girl this time, would be added to their family.

One day, after they'd finished working on documents pertaining to the governance of Tirion, Feanor asked Maedhros to accompany him to his workshop. They passed by Curufin's workshops and went directly to Feanor's gem workshop. Feanor brought forth the Silmarils in their crystal casket.

"When the Silmarilli were unveiled before you, you felt that something was missing," Feanor said. Maedhros started to object but Feanor stopped him. "You don't have to pretend that all was well, Maitimo. I know that the Silmarilli are very great, but that does not mean that they are complete or perfect. They are not mere jewels, Maitimo. The crystal of the Silmarilli is like the body of the Eldar; it is simply a house for their inner fire. The Silmarilli are alive." Feanor opened the case and let the naked Light of the Silmarils blaze forth.

"They are beyond even creation by the Valar," Maedhros said. He remembered when Aule had first declared that the Noldor exceeded the skills of their teachers. "What could be missing in them? I do not remember sensing any such lack."

"The Silmarilli are like children right now," Feanor said. "They are still growing. Their bodies, the jewels of silima that surround their sacred fire, are not yet complete. I will be strengthening their diamond substance so that they cannot be marred or broken in the Kingdom of Arda, and then we will show them to the Valar. But before that, while still in their infancy, they need to see you and your brother-in-heart."

"My brother-in-heart?"

"Findekano of the House of Nolofinwe. For did you not think as you admired the Light of the Silmarilli that you wished to share the Light with Findekano?"

Maedhros touched the Elennar at his chest. "Yes, I remember that now."

"I do not wholly understand the closeness between you and Findekano, but I follow the will of Iluvatar," Feanor said. "There is a deeper purpose behind your brotherhood and strong friendship, one similar to your role as Protector of Arda. Bring him here. Together, look upon the naked Silmarilli. I cannot be present or I would disrupt the shared vision between you and him. When that is done, then I will seal the Silmarilli in jewels unbreakable to protect them until the End of Arda."

Maedhros remembered his father's talk of the Music of the Eldalie and the assigned responsibility of being both Grandson and Protector of Arda. Was there one other duty to be included in his Great Task? Maedhros did not know if he had the strength to face such a strange fate.

"I do not wish to burden him with the Fates of Arda," Maedhros confessed aloud.

"It is not for you to decide, Maitimo," Feanor said. "Your fates have already been decided by Iluvatar. I am merely showing you a glimpse of it in the same way that the Valar were allowed to see a part of Iluvatar's vision before it was taken away. Findekano is already coming. I have summoned him." Feanor then covered the Silmarils again and led Maedhros out of the workshop. Sure enough, Fingon was waiting outside. Seeing his cousin, Maedhros's doubts began to slip away. He wanted to show Fingon the impressive jewels that Feanor had created and the incredible Light that was housed within those jewels. "When you finish, call for me. I will be in my library," Feanor said before he left.

"Is your father being mysterious again?" Fingon asked.

"You know how he can be." As Maedhros led Fingon to the Silmarils, the jewels around their necks began to glow with a light of their own so that red light could be seen under Maedhros's shirt and green from Fingon's shirt. They shrugged and drew their pendants out. When Maedhros uncovered the Silmarils, the lights of the Elessar and Elennar shone brightly and were absorbed only to be given back in hues more wonderful and complex than before. The very workshop room seemed to sing with joy.

A vision of the skies of Arda came to Maedhros's mind, and in the dark skies, Maedhros saw Fingon amidst the stars. Fingon shone brighter than any of the other stars, and it was the brilliance of Fingon's light that was blended in the Light of the Silmarils. Maedhros wondered how a child of the House of Earth could shine with the radiance of the stars. Maedhros lost himself in Fingon's bright eyes and wondered what Fingon saw in his mind. They stood thus for many waxing and waning of the Two Trees. Finally, Maedhros roused himself from the vision.

"Come, Elen-Nalta, we have basked in the Light of the Silmarilli for too long," Maedhros said. Fingon looked at Maedhros in a peculiar way but said no word as they left the Fates of Arda in Feanor's keeping.

Chapter End Notes

Feanor and Curufin are making rock candy. The "essence" of the gems is nothing more than food coloring.

"Mandos foretold that the fates of Arda, earth, sea, and air, lay locked within them [the Silmarils]" (S. 73). I think Iluvatar said the same thing in the earlier versions of the Silmarillion. I'll have to check.

The Vanyar are also known as the Blessed Elves, the Spear-elves, the Elves of the Air, the friends of the Gods, the Holy Elves, the Immortal, the Children of Ingwe, the Fair Folk, and the White (X. 164).

The Noldor are also known as the Wise, the Golden, the Valiant, the Sword- elves, the Elves of the Earth, Foes of Melkor, Skilled of Hand, Jewel- wrights, Companions of Men, and Followers of Finwe (X. 164).

The Teleri are also known as the Foam-riders, Singers of the Shore, the Free, the Swift, the Arrow-elves, Elves of the Sea, the Ship-wrights, Swanherds, Gatherers of Pearl, Blue Elves, and the people of Olwe (X. 164).

From the Jewels of Feanor came the greatest renown of the Noldor. The creation of the Silmarils was so great that Feanor continued to serve his father in the ruling of Tirion rather than return to his workshop, for nothing that he crafted thereafter could have been as marvelous as the Silmarils. Also, unknown to any except his seven sons, Feanor was simply exhausted from his long year of laboring on the Silmarils and could not create another jewel without resting deeply.

At great feasts, Feanor wore the Silmarils blazing on his brow, but at other times, they were kept in Feanor's workshop in the House of Fire. The Silmarils were still young and did not have full control over their own powers. They lacked the wisdom to understand that not all the Eldar could equally comprehend parts of the design of Iluvatar for Arda. Feanor alone could stop them from teaching the many things that were not good for any but the great Valar to know, for being half-comprehended, such deep and hidden things slay happiness.

Before long, Maedhros heard the rumors about the Silmarils. The Silmarils were said to be closely guarded in Feanor's hoard in Tirion. Feanor was said to love the Silmarils with a greedy love and grudged the sight of them to all save to his father and his seven sons. Feanor was definitely displeased by the misinformation about his Silmarils, for he withheld them only because of their youth. Once they matured, he fully intended to share them like the stars of Varda or the Two Trees of Yavanna. Hoarding the Silmarils out of greed was ridiculous. Doing so would not have added to the Glory of Arda or the reputation of the Noldor as craftsmen. Feanor resolved to find the perpetrator of the rumors involving the Silmarils. He bade Maedhros to continue in his work with the dissolution of other mistruths in Tirion. Fingon, of course, aided Maedhros in all his work.

"I don't believe I've ever worked with your father so closely," Fingon said. "He's very intense." Fingon and Maedhros were riding to the foot of Taniquetil to deliver an important message from Finwe, High King of the Noldor, to Ingwe, High King of all the Eldar.

"What do you expect of the Spirit of Fire?" Maedhros said with a disarming smile. "I enjoy it. Since the days before the Silmarils were wrought, I had seen little of my father. Now, we are able to spend more time together. With his aid, our work is finished much faster, and we can use the free time to indulge ourselves."

"I enjoy it too, Russandol," Fingon said with an unexpected touch of gravity. "Your father finishes the matters of the city with such ease that we are free to adventure as we did in my youth. I still remember the first time we traveled together, when we went to Alqualonde."

"I remember. You had never even left Tuna before that."

"I marvel that he treats us as he does," Fingon said. "For example, the library. My father would not have left me with merely the location of the new library and vague instructions, yet lo and behold, we erected a beautiful new library and managed the logistics of moving the material from the old library. I think my father still has trouble accepting that I am no longer a child."

Maedhros laughed. "If it is of any consolation to you, he treats me the same way, though he and I are the same age."

"He does not."

"He does," Maedhros insisted. "Now that my father is the one assigning us our responsibilities, Nolofinwe's treatment of us as children in the past is even more obvious. But we live in a society in which a person is not considered an adult until he marries, and unfortunately, neither of us are married yet, and so we're viewed as free-roaming boys."

"So why is your father different then?" challenged Fingon.

"He saw me babysitting my younger brothers, and he himself has been competent in all things beyond most adults since he was a child. He also knows that I'm responsible because I used to handle the duties that were meant for the Crown Prince of Tirion back when my father was still delighting in crafts of his hands and when my mother was tending to young Macalaure."

"Speaking of my father, I have heard a very grievous mistruth among the Noldor." Fingon shifted uncomfortably atop his horse. "The rumor goes like this: 'Beware! Small love has the proud son of Miriel ever had for the children of Indis. Now has he become great, and he has his father in his hand. It will not be long before he drives you forth from Tuna!' I do not believe it myself, but my own father repeated the rumor to me."

"Then does he believe such nonsense?" Maedhros kept the incredulity from his voice.

"I don't think he does. He only told me because you and I are constantly combating erroneous news." Fingon fell silent, and Maedhros let him be. At last, Fingon spoke again, and this time Maedhros knew him to be speaking his mind, not just in defense of his father. "Feanaro has been helping King Finwe with the governance of Tirion lately, and he does so with great efficiency. My father may feel somewhat displaced since Feanaro had previously concentrated his energy in his crafts and not on matters of state. I do not believe that Feanaro is trying to drive out my family from Tuna. Nor do I believe that my father believes these evil rumors. But the rumors about the Houses of the Noldorin Princes are constructed such that they can seem true if one is not careful. I fear that my father will come to believe them in a moment of weakness. What's more, I fear that our people, the Noldor, believe these lies to some measure."

Maedhros nodded and touched the Elennar at his breast. "We are the strongest tie between the child of Miriel Therinde and the children of Indis the Fair. We will be vigilant against these smoldering lies. Evil whisperings have come to my father as well: 'Nolofinwe and his sons are plotting to usurp the leadership of the elder line of Feanaro and to supplant them by leave of the Valar.' This is nonsense since my father has never cared for the leadership of the Noldor, only the leadership of the jewelsmiths and loremasters. He would gladly pass the responsibility on to Nolofinwe or me in favor of his joyous labors in his workshops. But as you said, my father has been more active in Tirion's affairs of late, and I can see where some might believe such falsehoods."

Fingon looked at Maedhros oddly, as he had before the Light of the Silmarils. "You are the same age as my father. My father has difficulty accepting that I am no longer a child. Do you ever have such thoughts about me? I must confess that I do sometimes slip into the belief that Turukano is still the child who I'd taught to read and write though he is now fully matured and wedded to Elenwe."

"No, Finno, in my mind, you are always as you are now, not as you were in the past," Maedhros said. "I am not my father, and I did have trouble redefining my relationships with my younger brothers as they grew older, but Curvo in particular helped me to overcome that. He takes after my father, and even as a child, he was quicker in mind than me."

"Except in games of strategy," Fingon said with a smile.

Maedhros laughed. "Except in that."

"Of late, I've been riding with Angarato and Aikanaro," Fingon said. "I must confess, I do not feel the same malice directed at their House. Do you think that perhaps the Houses of Feanaro and Nolofinwe are somehow more corruptible than that of Arafinwe?"

"Perhaps not more corruptible but more important to corrupt," Maedhros said. "Arafinwe doesn't hold the same prominent position as Nolofinwe in Tirion and spends much of his time at Alqualonde among the Teleri."

"Or perhaps the Teleri are not being attacked in the same way as the Noldor. When I was last with the sons of Arafinwe at Alqualonde, I heard very few whispers concerning the Outer Lands, whereas in Tirion, King Finwe is constantly calming the discontents."

"As long as the Royal House continues to speak against the restlessness of the Noldor, I believe that the evil lies cannot bear fruit."

Fingon's eyes shone as he looked at Maedhros. "Before the Light of the Silmarils, I saw you as the splitting image of Manwe Sulimo. Your words bring me comfort, and with your guidance, I believe that the Noldor cannot falter."

Maedhros saw again the shining stars that he had when he and Fingon had been alone with the Silmarils. "I may be the one to lead the Noldor and protect them, but you and your family shall always be the light that brings hope to our people. I cannot do my duty alone, and I am glad to have you by my side." Perhaps it was the nearing of Taniquetil that brought such optimism to the princes, but in their hearts, they also said to one another that the Noldor would not fall prey to the encroaching shadow of evil as long as they remained true to their ancient friendship.

---

Maedhros led Ingwe and Olwe to the topmost chamber in the Mindon Eldalieva when they arrived. Once the three Kings of the Eldar were assembled, Maedhros brought them refreshments and retreated to his place behind Finwe. In the center of the table of white marble was a box covered by a burgundy cloth. Feanor did not sit with the Kings but stood to Maedhros's right.

"I have bidden the two of you to come to Tirion because of the growing unrest among the Noldor," Finwe said without too much preamble. The other two Kings had come in secret to the city of Tirion, save for an escort of their closest counselors, and the secrecy was so foreign that they all wished to dispense with business as soon as possible. "As I said in the letter delivered by Nelyafinwe and Findekano, the Noldor murmur about strange ambitions and visions. Many half-believe that the Valar keep the Eldar in Aman to use our skill and behold our beauty as adornment of their realms. It is said that Iluvatar designed for the Eldar the whole wide world to roam, with all its mysteries to explore and all its substances to be material of such mighty crafts as never can be realized in these narrow gardens penned by the mountains and hemmed in by the impassable sea. Many desire their inheritance, as they deem it, and only the glory of the Trees and the beauty of the gems hold the Noldor back, for many have forgotten the dark ways from Cuivienen."

"The Teleri were the last of the Three Kindreds to arrive in Aman, and so such words of wide realms beyond the shores do not easily sway my people," Olwe said. "However, dark lies have also probed my people from time to time. Harsh words were exchanged between my oldest sons some years ago when they grew jealous of each other's rights, but I calmed them and later Ulmo spoke to them. I do not know what was said. Indeed, I suspect that my sons barely know what the Lord of the Waters said to them. But thereafter, Lord Osse, Vassal of Ulmo and Lord of the Greater and Lesser Seas, and Lady Uinen, Lady of the Seas, have often visited the Teleri, both in forms like the Eldar and in forms unseen. I believe the Teleri dwell in the protection of Ulmo, Osse, and Uinen, and thus I have not seen the same discontent among my people."

"Perhaps the Vanyar are too few in number to be worthwhile for this assault of deceitful words," Ingwe said. "Once only have I heard my people whisper of the Outer Lands, but we dwell in the Light of the Two Trees at the foot of Taniquetil and are content."

"If this illness is truly only that of the Noldor alone, then I have failed as Lord of my people, and I must turn to you, o High King of the Eldar, for instruction," said Finwe to Ingwe.

"Nay, my friend and kinsman," Ingwe said. "I had heard something of this matter from Indis the Fair during her visits, and I know that you have often calmed the restlessness of your people."

"But for all that, my work is in vain, for the Noldor continue to listen to evil counsel and to be filled with pride." Finwe sipped on his wine to calm his growing frustrations. Maedhros quickly refilled Finwe's wineglass when he set it down. "Moreover, of late, there has been word of Men, a second race of Children created by Iluvatar, and many of the Noldor fear that this shorter-lived race will defraud the Elves of the inheritance of Iluvatar."

"I have heard nothing of these Aftercomers," Olwe said, "but I marvel that such blatantly false information could be passed from Noldo to Noldo. Elves remain still in the Outer Lands, for Elwe was lost before the Teleri were brought to Aman, and many who sought for him also remained behind. They are also accounted among the First Children of Iluvatar and have rights to the Outer Lands as much as any Aftercomers."

"Though I dwell at the foot of Taniquetil, close to Manwe, I also have heard nothing of the Second Children of Iluvatar," Ingwe said.

"That does not mean that there are no Aftercomers," Finwe said. "The trouble with these rumors is that there is always some half-truth in them. The Second Children of Iluvatar are real, but I doubt that they are usurpers of the Elder Race."

"You speak with surety," Olwe noted. "What proof do you have of the Younger Race?"

"I have seen them in the Silmarilli." Finwe drew aside the deep red cloth that covered the crystal casket that held the Silmarils. The Silmarils at once rejoiced at their unveiling and filled the High Chamber of the Mindon Eldalieva with Light more brilliant than the silver lamp atop the Tower. Feanor stepped forward and opened the crystal case. The Silmarils flared at his nearing, but he calmed them and drew them out. With the Three Silmarils in his arms, Feanor seemed to grow in stature until all within the chamber perceived the naked fire that Iluvatar had set within Feanor. Maedhros closed his eyes to shut out the majesty of that sight. He gripped the Elennar that hung openly about his neck and began to hum softly, and though his voice was not as great as Maglor's, it still held much power.

His wordless song spoke of the hierarchical structure that Finwe had seen in the Silmarils before, that of Father, Son, and Grandson. The Kings of the Three Kindred of the Eldar did not need to feel threatened by Feanor, for he was the Son of the King of the Noldor, and he would not allow himself to be placed before his Father. Ingwe was High King; Finwe and Olwe were Kings of their people; and Feanor was a servant to the Kings, a Crown Prince and nothing more. As leaders of their people, they were the rightful handlers of the Silmarils, for they were Kings of the Elves of the Air, Earth, and Sea. Feanor was only a jewelsmith, a worker of the will of Iluvatar. He nurtured the jewels, but the greatness within them was not founded in his inner fire. The Silmarils were the Jewels of Arda, and their being was as separate from Feanor as a father was from his son.

Maedhros opened his eyes and saw that the three Kings no longer watched Feanor as if he was a Vala. The Silmarils were also quieted, and their Light was great but not overwhelming. They were humbled for the time being.

Feanor placed one Silmaril before each King and then spoke. "The Silmarilli are not yet matured, but they will show you what you wish to see. The visions you see in your mind are the answers to your questions." He stepped back and whispered a word to the Silmarils. They flared to life again, but this time, their Light was bright but more controlled.

"So there is a Younger Race," Olwe said in awe. "They are not as fair of face or as graceful as the Eldar, but they are nonetheless beautiful to behold."

Maedhros could not see the visions that they saw, for Feanor had instructed the Silmarils to form a bond between the King of the Elves of Air, Earth, and Sea. He tried to keep his mind from wondering what wonders were being viewed by the Kings, for the Silmarils were easy to distract. Instead, Maedhros held fast to the Elennar and withdrew his thoughts into the stone as red as blood. Far below the Mindon, Fingon played on his harp and sang a song of Valinor with his brothers, the sons of Fingolfin, and his cousins, the sons of Finarfin.

"The Outer Lands have become beautiful in our absence," Ingwe said. "We have left it behind in our coming to Aman, and I would not leave our home of Valinor, but I am glad that the remaining Quendi and the Aftercomers can enjoy and explore its width and breadth."

"And the perpetrator of these half-truths about the Noldor is Melkor," Finwe said. "He is a Vala and mightier than any Eldar. What can be done against him?"

"We must go before Manwe and speak of Melkor's actions against the Eldar," Ingwe said. "Let us go as three together before the Throne of the High King of Arda and state our case."

Shortly after their council in the High Chamber of the Mindon Eldalieva, the Kings of the Three Kindreds journeyed to Taniquetil to speak before Manwe Sulimo. But Melkor knew of this and went first before Manwe and bowed very low. He said the Noldor dared murmur to his ears against Manwe's leadership. Manwe's heart was heavy at these words, for he had feared long that that great amity of the Valar and Eldar would be broken and knew that the Elves were Children of the world and must one day return to her bosom. When the Elven Kings arrived, Melkor was already present before Manwe, and by reason of the presence of Melkor, they spoke somewhat less skillfully in their own cause than they might otherwise have done. Perhaps even the heart of Manwe Sulimo was tainted with the poison of Melkor's words, for that venom of Melkor's malice is very strong and subtle indeed.

Uncertainty entered the heart of the Kings, and the fullness of Melkor's lies went unsaid before his dark eyes. The chief blame seemed to rest on the Noldor. Ingwe and Olwe returned to their people thinking the Noldor at fault for their growing pride and loftiness, especially after the accomplishment of the creation of the Silmarils. Finwe returned with heavy heart to Tirion, for he now perceived that it was Feanor who desired most to leave for the Outer Lands and tempted others with the power and visions of his Silmarils. At this time, Finwe said nothing of Feanor's growing ambition to Manwe.

---

Some years passed before Feanor called his seven sons to him in secret. This was the second secret meeting of the Eldar to Maedhros's knowledge, for even the viewing of the palantirs had not been secret, merely unknown by others. For Maedhros's six brothers, this was the first secret meeting ever held. It was held in a secret forge deep underneath the ground that none had known existed, save Feanor. Around the forge, they saw armor and helmets with bright red plumage. There were also shields with the emblem of their House, as they'd seen on the streets of Tirion. Though the King and Princes of the Noldor sought to dissuade their people from holding such devices, many continued to declare their allegiance for either Feanor or Fingolfin with shields that were innocently proclaimed to be metal standards. Most prominently, before each of the sons of Feanor on the large table was an ornate length of metal with a handle.

"This will be the third and final time that I call my seven sons to me in this fashion," Feanor said. "The first time, you witnessed your Fates in the palantiri. The second time, you witnessed the Fates of Arda in the Silmarilli, and I pronounced your Dooms as the Protectors of Arda. This third and last time, I shall give you the means by which to protect Arda."

Feanor went to each of them and drew the sword that had been hidden in its decorative scabbard. As he did so, he named each of the swords before his son. Maedhros received Alcarinque; Maglor received Nenar; Celegorm received Tancol; Caranthir received Carnil; Curufin received Elemmire; and Amrod and Amras received Luinil and Lumbar. They had never seen swords before, but Maedhros had at least heard rumors of such weapons being forged among the Noldor. He shuddered to think that Feanor was now forging such weapons, for he knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that these swords were more finely crafted than any others.

"Manwe is free from evil and cannot comprehend it, and so the Eldar must defend themselves against their Black Foe," Feanor said. He did not name Melkor for doing so might draw the attention of the Fallen Vala, but the seven sons had come to know to whom he referred. "These seven swords were forged with steel harder than any on Arda, and the very power of the stars are caught in their bright blades. Two others have I forged besides your seven, and in the forging of these last two, I have put forth all my skill and lore. They are as hard as the Silmarils, and nothing in Arda can break them." Feanor revealed the twin swords and laid them on the table for his sons to admire. They glowed with light of their own so that they seemed more like blade-shaped jewels than swords of metal. Indeed, Maedhros wondered if they were made of metal at all since Feanor had compared them to the Silmarils. He wielded the flaming red sword with ease, as he did all things, and swung it in an arc. The sword hissed through the air like hot metal doused in water. "This is Helcar, and it shall be my blade." He placed Helcar next to its sheath and raised the second sword of blue and white light. It cut through the air with a clear and sharp swish. "And this is Ringil. It will be the Sword of the King of the Noldor, my father's to wield in battle."

"King Finwe will refuse to wield such a deadly weapon," Maedhros said at last.

Feanor looked at him with his piercing eyes. "Yes, Maitimo, you are correct. He will not unless great need drives him to do so. I will not give it to him until such urgent times demand it, for I know he will not touch it or train with it. But I will keep Ringil for the King until that time comes. These swords that I have forged here are only for me, my father, and my sons." Maedhros turned from his father's gaze. In it, he had seen the refusal to his unsaid request.

"What of us, Father?" Curufin asked. "Do we wait until evil times come before we take up our blades? Or will we learn to use our swords now?"

"You will learn to use your swords now." Feanor carefully sheathed Ringil, and then took up Helcar. He made several passes in the air in demonstration to his sons. "I will teach you how."

Chapter End Notes

The names of the swords are taken from the names given to various planets/stars. See X. 385, 435. Helcar and Ringil are taken from the original names for the Lamps of Light.

Most of the material for this chapter comes from the Silmarillion (Chapter 7: Of the Silmarils and the Unrest of the Noldor) and the Book of Lost Tales 1 (I. 141-2).

Feanor's mother's name is given as Míriel Þerindë. Therinde is the phonetic equivalent of the shibboleth of Feanor (XII. 331-40). The actual symbol is the Latin capital letter thorn, Þ, but I used "th" instead because I don't want uploading font problems. I'm sure you've noticed I drop most of the fanciness to my letters, including diaresis, acute, and circumflex accents. No apologies, I prefer it to strange squares and gibberish when I transfer my story to other formats like ASCII.

Maedhros was able to pass the first door to the forge by deactivating the two rubies that guarded it with his Elennar. The crystals of the second door unlocked when he identified himself as a Finwe. But the riddle of the third door prevented Maedhros from passing into the depths of the hidden forge. After pondering the riddle without much success, Maedhros exited the corridor that led to the forge and sought Fingon. They'd agreed to meet at 6:30, when the Light of the Two Trees would be equally blended before the golden light began to shine brighter than silver. The very thought of the blended light did little to lighten Meadhros's growing frustration. He'd had very specific plans for the day, for Feanor had traveled to the House of Aule and would not return for two days.

Fingon was humming to himself as he waited in the guest area of Maedhros's quarters. His face brightened when he saw Maedhros. "You're late. It's 6:37." He stood, and they clasped forearms in greeting.

"Sorry, Finno. I've been stuck on a riddle, and unless I figure it out, my plans for us today will have to be postponed."

"That was very subtle, Russandol," Fingon teased. "What is this riddle? Two heads are better than one."

Maedhros recited the inscription that he'd seen on the plaque of the third door:

"More precious than silver, more brilliant than gold

Shines the light of this tree for me to behold."

"The riddle is of my father's making," Maedhros said. "I suspect that it is not decipherable without that piece of information. It must be a play on words, for there are but Two Trees in Valinor."

"I'd wager that it's a love poem of some sort for your mother," Fingon said.

"It sounds like it, but that alone doesn't solve the riddle."

"Copper is valued above gold and silver by your mother's family."

"It is indeed. So then, what would be a Tree of Copper?" Maedhros said. He'd tried many combinations of words to try to win entrance into the forge, but nothing had worked.

"Urundaldar? Or perhaps some variation of that? Uraldar?" Fingon suggested.

"No good." Maedhros began leading Fingon to the forge. Even if they figured out the right answer, Maedhros wouldn't know it unless it unlocked the third door. They'd try this for a little while, at least, and if they couldn't figure out the answer to the riddle, perhaps they'd go riding or take a walk in the gardens. "I even tried variations of my mother's name, for I know that he holds her dear."

"Urundel," Fingon said. "Copper-lady. Not a tree, a person, his wife, as you suggested."

Maedhros had not yet unlocked the first and second doors. The ground trembled at Fingon's words, and a second corridor appeared to the right of the first door. Maedhros didn't remember any such security the first time he'd entered his father's forge, but he had no doubt it was the right way to go. The doors themselves had been safeguards, Maedhros realized. The entrance had never been at the end of the third door.

"You're brilliant," Maedhros said.

"The riddle wasn't that difficult in light of the riddler," Fingon said. "Surely you'd tried 'Urundel.'"

"I did, but I was at the wrong place. Besides, the riddle is meant to keep out someone more sinister than us, and he would not so readily know so much about my father's mind, especially in matters of love." Maedhros led the way down the corridor to the secret forge deep in the earth.

"I don't think I've been to this part of the Feacoa before." Maedhros knew that Fingon was speaking only to fill the silence in the air, which seemed to be a tangible, smothering thing. The line of opals along either wall sparkled oddly as Fingon spoke. His words did not echo as they should have. Fingon's eyes flickered to the opals then to Maedhros's face. Maedhros shrugged, for he too did not know what to make of these devices, which he'd not noticed before. He wondered if perhaps Feanor had hidden the security gems from their sights last time. They continued in silence until they arrived at the forge.

Earlier, Maedhros had wrapped Alcarinque with silken cloth so that none would know that it was a sword. Now, Maedhros unwrapped the cloth to reveal the sword and drew the blade from its scabbard.

Fingon's voice caught. "A sword!"

"My sword. Its name is Alcarinque, the Glorious." Maedhros placed the sword on the table for Fingon to examine. "We've long heard that the Noldor that follow our two Houses are forging such weapons in secret. My father has decided to do the same in this secret forge. He says that the well intentions of the Princes will do little good if their people do not believe their desire for peace. He bade us to prepare in the event that darker times befall us."

"This is madness." Fingon's voice rang coldly in the forge. He looked around, as if the forge somehow had powers of its own to corrupt, and spoke more softly. "Russandol, your father should not be crafting such weapons. Neither should you be wielding such a deadly blade. We cannot fight this evil by ourselves taking up arms, as his wicked whisperings would have us do. Surely your father sees the folly in following the advise of the lies about Tirion."

"No, you are right." Maedhros sheathed the cold red blade. In its scabbard, Alcarinque seemed deceptively harmless, another jeweled ornament to be worn for decorative purposes. "We cannot win in this way, but we cannot win at all if we are slain. You know precisely how many of the Noldor believe the rumors of the tension between the Houses of our fathers. We have tried to calm such rumors, as have our fathers, but if battle erupts on the streets between our followers, we will have no way of stopping it unless we are armed. We need not use our weapons for evil, only as signs of authority, like a scepter or a circlet." Fingon's eyes searched Maedhros's, and Maedhros found that he could not endure his cousin's gaze.

"No, I didn't think you believed what you'd just said to me," Fingon said.

Maedhros met Fingon's eyes, this time without flinching. "My father said to us, 'Manwe is free from evil and cannot comprehend it, and so the Eldar must defend themselves against their Black Foe.' I do not wholly agree with his decision to forge swords, but he has already done this deed, and what's more, he has told my brothers that this will be the means by which we protect Arda. He has invented the art of swordplay, and he has taught it to my brothers and me. I have no doubt that we wield the swords more masterfully than others." He drew the Elennar out from underneath his shirt. "You have always been by my side, Elen-Nalta. I will not have you left out of this. My father has chosen not to forge a sword for you. I will forge one then, but my hands are not as dexterous as his, and so I need your assistance if I am to capture the light of Helluin in its steel blade."

"Perhaps Turukano. He is more skilled at such metalcraft." Fingon backed away with a look of fear in his eyes.

For a moment, Maedhros wondered what it was that scared Fingon so, for they had known each other for many years and never seen his cousin look at him in such a way. Maedhros remembered how he had feared his father's rage when he was younger, before he understood the love that Feanor felt for him, before he knew that Feanor would never hurt him. Likewise, he would never hurt Fingon.

"Listen to yourself, Findekano," Maedhros said in his most seductive voice. "You know that I am not seeking to create this craft as a labor of joy. I do it because I deem it necessary. It is for you, not for any others, that I turn to works of my hand, though I am less skilled than my father or fifth brother." Maedhros placed a reassuring hand on Fingon's shoulder and drew the Elessar forth from where it lay hidden. In Maedhros's hand, the Elessar flared to life and bathed their faces in green light.

"I will let you persuade me, Russandol, but it is against my better judgment." Fingon placed his hand over the Elessar, hiding the brilliant green fire. His bright eyes fixed on Maedhros's face, and they stood thus for many moments. "If Manwe is free from evil, then I do not doubt that you are also free from evil, Maitimo. But Manwe has done nothing to aid us, and so perhaps he is already poisoned by the cunning designs of the Black Foe. Regardless, I will follow you down this path to its bitter end, if bitter it must be. But I will not speak of the protection of Arda and the lofty and high goals that your father speaks of. Instead, understand that I do this for love of you and for our ancient friendship."

"I hear you, and I will not forget your words."

Together, Maedhros and Fingon forged Helluin. Fingon was an excellent assistant metalsmith, though he was not too experienced in the task. He had always instead preferred the contests and of strength and displays of physical prowess that Fingolfin held. Many times, Fingon was surprised by the technique of working with metals that Maedhros possessed despite his infrequent crafting. Maedhros only laughed when Fingon complimented his skill, for Maedhros was equally awed by Fingon's talents, especially by his great strength and dexterity. They captured the light of the star Helluin in a crystal and broke it carefully over the smoldering hot steel blade before cooling it in a bath of water mixed with the phosphorous of pearls. After the deadly sword was forged, they relaxed and crafted an elaborate scabbard for it. Once sheathed, the fruit of their works of labor did not seem so sinister. They were even able to laugh as they cleaned the forge and left it as it had been before they'd entered.

---

Maedhros could not train Fingon in swordplay in the open courtyards, so he had one of the rooms in his quarters partially emptied to be a sparring area. Once Fingon overcame his anxieties, he threw himself into their lessons. The swordplay became just another activity, like horseback riding or archery. Both of them remained cautious and vigilant. They always covered their swords with cloth, and they did not speak about their sword practice openly. Rumors were about. They did not wish to add fuel to the fire.

One day, when they were returning to the Feacoa after riding about Tuna, Helluin began to glow a bright blue and white through its cloth cover. Fingon had brought it because they were planning to practice afterwards. Fingon had not dared to bring attention to the sword, but Maedhros had felt Fingon's panic as a jumpstart through the Elennar. He guided his horse to Fingon's left, to shield the sight of the glowing sword and to get a better look at what had so surprised his cousin. Fingon looked to Maedhros for answers, but Maedhros shook his head. He'd never seen any of the swords forged by Feanor flare to life after its fire had been sealed within the metal blade. Helluin was wrapped close and bound in many thongs and was sheathed in its scabbard, but light still seeped through the silken cloth. They looked around, but nothing seemed to be amiss in Tirion.

Maedhros stopped his horse when he saw an old friend on the streets. "Glorfindel!" He dismounted to greet the Head of the House of Golden Flowers properly. "It has been ages since I last saw you." Fingon dismounted and greeted Glorfindel as well. Maedhros continued to exchange words with Glorfindel while Fingon rearranged the light burdens strapped to his horse to further conceal the sword. Once the sword was better concealed, Maedhros and Fingon finished their pleasantries and disentangled themselves with Glorfindel, an easy task since he had been on his way to meet Ecthelion.

After they were in the privacy of Maedhros's quarters, Fingon said, "While you were speaking with Glorfindel, I listened to some of the conversations about the streets of Tirion. It seems the newest rumor is that your father is speaking of leaving Valinor and journeying to the Outer Lands."

"Talk of the East is not new, but to blame my father for such thoughts is ridiculous. He couldn't care less where he is as long as he has his workshops." As Maedhros spoke, he began to doubt himself. Feanor had been spending less time in his workshops after creating the Silmarils. Now that he had turned his attentions to Tirion, would he wish to expand the city to encompass more lands? He would not wish to extend the rule of Finwe to the Outer Lands, but perhaps he would design new cities to fill the empty lands in Eldamar just as he'd designed the palace of Feacoa. Designing new cities, building tall towers of stone, adding statues and fountains and prisms, that Maedhros could see his father doing. Feanor had occasionally complained about the ill planning of Tirion. The main roads were not aligned to the incoming Light of the Two Trees, and so some of the buildings near the center of the city or under the Mindon were not as well illuminated as they could've otherwise been. He'd also commented on the inefficient use of space, which resulted in larger structures like the Feacoa being built at the edge of Tirion rather than at its center.

"The more serious evil that I heard while you spoke to Lord of the Golden Flowers was that my father seeks to displace yours in Finwe's heart. Everyone knows that the King loves his eldest son. To compete for more affection seems a sinister thing," Fingon said.

"It is indeed, and even my brothers and I never sought to compete for our father's love. Curvo is loved best by my father, but we have never grudged him that."

"What do we do of the persistent rumors of the Outer Lands?" Fingon asked.

"King Finwe had called all the Noldorin lords together for council in three days time. He will dissolve these rumors so that the higher lords will unquestionably know his stance on this matter. Then, hopefully, word will trickle down to the rest of the Noldor that the dreams of the lands beyond Aman are false." Maedhros remembered the meeting of Ingwe, Finwe, and Olwe and wondered if anything would truly come of the council. The Three Kings had brought the problem to Taniquetil itself and yet the Noldor received no aid against the evil whisperings of the Black Foe.

"What is it, Russandol?"

"The Black Foe. We know that he is the source of these evil rumors. Helluin must have felt the Foe's presence." Maedhros remembered the words that they'd spoken when breaking the crystal that contained the light of Helluin upon Fingon's steel sword during its forging. They'd followed Feanor's notes with great care, but Maedhros had almost forgotten the purpose of the swords in the casual practice sessions with his cousin.

Fingon spoke the words that echoed in both their thoughts. "May starlight protect the Eldar from he who sang of Arda Marred."

---

Maedhros waited on King Finwe on the day of the council. All of Finwe's lords had been summoned to discuss the obvious and growing unrest in Tirion in the Great Hall in the Mindon Eldalieva. Maedhros led each elf- lord to his appointed seat as they arrived and then returned to stand behind Finwe. Other servants poured the wine and played soft music in the background before the start of the council. A slow dread crept over Maedhros's mind despite the calming music. Fingolfin usually arrived early to such councils, but this time, he arrived just before the appointed time, when everyone was assembled save Feanor and Finarfin. Maedhros's eyes flickered to Fingon, who had been arguing with his father mid-sentence before they'd arrived at Finwe's hall. Fingon quickly shut his mouth and looked to Maedhros for consolation but found none. He did not move to follow his father to the center of the hall.

Fingolfin stood before Finwe and said, "King and Father, will you not restrain the pride of our brother, Curufinwe, who is called the Spirit of Fire, all too truly? By what right does he speak for all our people, as if he were King? It was you who long ago spoke before the Quendi, bidding them accept the summons of the Valar to Aman. It was you who led the Noldor upon the long road through the perils of Middle Earth to the light of Eldamar. If you do not now repent of it, two sons at least you have to honor your words."

Finwe stood then, and as he rose, he seemed to grow greater in stature than all the assembled Noldor. Before he could chastise his son for speaking out of turn, Feanor burst into the halls, and he was fully armed with high helm atop his head and mighty sword by his side.

"So it is, even as I guessed." Maedhros knew that light in Feanor's eyes, had seen it many times since that first time when Feanor had visited Finwe and presented him with the Jewel of Finwe. It was the unbridled love that Feanor felt for his father, but now it was tainted by possessiveness and jealousy. "My half-brother would be before me with my father, in this as in all other matters." He turned to Fingolfin and drew his sword. Helcar's bright red flame illuminated Feanor's eyes. "Get thee gone, and take thy due place!"

Fingolfin bowed before Finwe and went from the hall without a word or glace to Feanor. Fingon glanced at Maedhros then followed after his father. The elf-lords of Tirion sat stunned. The very rumors that they had come to dispel now seemed true. The sons of Finwe were proud and jealous of each other's rights and possessions.

Finwe had stood to chastise Fingolfin, but now his fury turned to Feanor, and Maedhros and all the Noldor witnessed the great fire and powerful will that had moved their people to leave their familiar homes by Cuivienen and ruled them peacefully for Three Ages of the Trees. "Curufinwe Fayanaro, if your brother is not to be here for the council, then neither are you welcomed here. Go now! For my heart is hot within me."

Father and Son looked to each other, and the very air seemed to fill with lightning and thunder. Never had Maedhros seen such a strong resemblance between Finwe and Feanor. But Feanor's anger was not directed at his father. He bowed low before Finwe and left the halls.

Maedhros had learned not to fear his father's anger. Now, he did not shy from his grandfather's temper. Once Finwe was seated again, Maedhros moved to the center of the Great Hall and bowed low. He knelt and said, "Noldoran, I am unworthy of waiting on you. I beg that you relieve me of my duties."

Finwe nodded curtly. "You are excused."

Maedhros rose and bowed low once more before the King of the Noldor. He walked with careful posture to the egress of the hall, for he knew that every elf-lord in Tirion was watching his departure. Once he had left Finwe's halls, Maedhros began to run with all his strength in search of his father. Feanor wasn't difficult to find. He had followed Fingolfin and stayed him before the door of the House of the King. Maedhros arrived in time to see but not to stop Feanor from setting the point of his bright sword to Fingolfin's breast. Indeed, Maedhros did not know if he could have stopped his father.

"See, half-brother!" Feanor said. "This is sharper than thy tongue. Try but once more to usurp my place and the love of my father, and maybe it will rid the Noldor of one who seeks to be the master of thralls."

Fingolfin made no answer and left in search of his brother Finarfin. He passed where Maedhros was standing, and Fingon exchanged looks with Maedhros but followed after Fingolfin in silence. Feanor sheathed his sword and beckoned to Maedhros. Together, Father and Son returned to the House of Fire.

Chapter End Notes

All the copper references are to Nerdanel's father, Mahtan. He was also known as Urundil, "copper-lover," because he loved copper and set it above gold.

"For Manwe was free from evil and could not comprehend it, and he knew that in the beginning, in the thought of Iluvatar, Melkor had been even as he; and he saw not to the depths of Melkor's heard, and did not perceive that all love had departed from him for ever" (S. 70).

Sorry Glorfindel had no lines. I knew it to be a problem but I did it consciously because I knew I'd write too much about Glorfindel if given a chance.

Yup, their swords glow in the presence of evil creatures, i.e. Morgoth. See Sting and Glamdring and Anduril.

Fingolfin and Feanor's words before the council of Finwe's lords are taken from Silmarillion, p. 75-76. I did modify them slightly to read easier.

After the incident in the Square of the King, Maedhros desired greatly to speak to Fingon. Unfortunately, the opportunity never arose. On that very day, Feanor was summoned to the gates of Valmar to answer for all his deeds and words, and his seven sons journeyed with him to Valmar. Feanor spoke before the Valar with eloquence and withheld nothing of the happenings in Eldamar. He spoke of the dark rumors and reminded the Valar that, before, the Three Kings of the Eldar had come to them about his very matter.

Feanor repeated the words spoken by Fingolfin, or who he had thought to be Fingolfin but now believed to be a play-acting spy. In that conversation by the eastern edge of Tirion, before the incident in the Hall of the King, Fingolfin had made lofty claims of being the true son and heir of Finwe, and he had threatened to displace Feanor with the aid of the Valar even as Miriel had been replaced in Finwe's heart.

Fingolfin, who had also been summoned, denied that he had spoken such words as reported by Feanor. Instead, he told the Valar of a different conversation with Feanor in his very house, in which Feanor announced with no uncertainty his plans to drive the children of Indis from Tuna and to extend his dominance from Tirion to the lands that lay beyond Aman.

For several moments, the Valar in the Ring of Doom remained bewildered and doubtful, for they did not know which of the Noldorin princes to believe. It was Feanor himself who revealed the root of the problem. He drew the Three Silmarils out from their crystal casket, and all those assembled saw in their minds the incident of which Feanor had spoken, the incident of which Fingolfin had spoken, and a third, simultaneous image of Melkor controlling from afar his dark servants in the guise of the Noldorin princes.

"This is the truth of the matter, for, as the Valar well know, the Light of the Silmarils is that of the Two Trees and is pure and cannot lie. Long have I believed that Melkor planted malice in the hearts of the Noldor, but he was pardoned by Manwe Sulimo, and so, since the Kings of the Eldar first spoke of the marring of the Noldor and were turned away, I knew that I could say nothing of this again until I had solid evidence of Melkor's evil designs. But now, his malice has been revealed in my very actions, for I drew a blade upon my own brother and threatened him. I have now a quarrel of my own with this Master of Lies, which will last to my life's end."

At this, Tulkas left the council to lay hands upon Melkor and bring him to judgment. The Valar discussed in silence amongst themselves the matter of the Noldor, and, at last, Mandos declared the Doom of the Valar: Feanor, who was not held guiltless, would be banished from Tirion for 12 years, during which time he would take counsel with himself. "But after that time," said Mandos, "this matter shall be set in peace and held redressed, if others will release thee."

"I will release my brother," Fingolfin said immediately.

But Feanor spoke no word in answer and stood silent before the Valar. Perhaps he was conversing with them in the mind as was their wont. Then Feanor turned and left the council and departed from Valmar.

---

Soon after the exile of Feanor, Maedhros came to the House of Earth. Fingolfin greeted him personally and led him to his study. Fingolfin's blue and silver raiment was as neat as ever, but there were a few stray strands in the thick brown braid that fell over his right shoulder. His eyes seemed shadowed, as if he'd endured many sleepless nights.

"I have heard that Feanaro will go into exile with his sons and his people," Fingolfin said with little preamble. "I did not wish for things to come to this."

"I know," Maedhros said. "I was there. I heard your words. But my father will not go into exile alone. He does not do this to further divide the Noldor. If he should leave even one of his followers in Tirion during his absence, he fears that violence will occur."

Fingolfin slammed his fist into his palm. "How did this come to pass? Are we such bad princes?"

"Nay, my Lord. It is the work of Morgoth, the Black Foe. Do not blame yourself needlessly. He is a Vala. Even the lesser Valar cannot hope to face him alone."

"You did not come here simply to console me, I trust."

"Nay, my Lord."

"Listen to me for a moment longer," Fingolfin said. "I do not know whom else I can turn to at this moment. Findis spends most of her time among the Vanyar, and Arafinwe is more often found in Alqualonde than Tirion. Irime is ever by my side, but she needs not face the hardships of princedom."

"Speak your mind, Arakano." Maedhros used Fingolfin's mother-name to create a sense of closeness between them. Unlike the sons of Feanor, Fingolfin rarely used aught but his father-name.

Fingolfin seemed surprised by Maedhros's choice of address but also seemed relieved. "When we were eleven, all the Vanyar came to Tirion to visit after having departed from our city for three coraldur. Before the Great Feast, we dined with High King Ingwe Ingweron and his family."

Though the Vanyar had chosen to return to a simpler life upon the plains and in the woods of Valinor, they had appeared to be very great, almost as legends to a young Maedhros. Ingwe dwelt at the foot of Taniquetil itself, and there was a great light in his face that was only enhanced by his golden hair and tall stature. His white raiment was adorn with crystal dust that shimmered like stars. About his left wrist had been thin bracelets of the purest gold. A golden circlet was set upon his noble brow, whereas Finwe wore a circlet of silver. Ingwe ascended the crystal stairs of Tirion with his wife by his side like a king returning to take his kingship. At the time, Maedhros had been in awe of the royal procession.

"I remember," Maedhros said at last.

"They are my mother's kin, and I am related to them by blood," Fingolfin said. "Yet, even when Ingwe called me sister-son, I did not feel the part. Findis the White has the golden hair of the Vanyar, but I have Finwe's brown hair, and, because of that, I felt that I did not belong to the Holy Elves." Maedhros smiled wryly at that, for his red hair was rare among all three kindreds of Elves, but, in his youth, he had desired the raven-dark hair of his father or at least the inconspicuous dark brown of Fingolfin. "When I was with Ingil, Ingwiel, and Ingwion, I felt small and out of place. I wished that you could've been with me, for at least then I would not be alone in my difference. Fortunately, Arafinwe was not yet born or I might have felt even more awkward than I already did. I was grateful when Feanaro came with you to put me to bed." There was a touch of sorrow in Fingolfin's smile. "Isn't that a horrible thing to say? They are my cousins, yet I did not want to spend one second more with them."

"I believe it is a natural feeling," Maedhros said. "Children wish to feel as if they belong, and Ingwe's sons are much older than you and had already long reached their maturity by then."

"Indeed they had." Fingolfin's eyes softened. "You held Feanaro's left hand, and I held his right. We walked together to our quarters in the House of Finwe, and Feanaro tucked me into bed and kissed me on the forehead before he and you left me."

"Afterwards, he took me to my room and did the same," Maedhros said. "I asked him where Mother was, and he told me that she was still busy with the Ladies of Ingwe's court. He bade me to sleep and took up a tray of fine crystal sculptures that he'd left in my room. I asked him if he intended to give them to the sons of Ingwe. He said yes. I begged him to let me keep one, and so he let me choose one. I chose the peacock, for I loved the play of lights in the crystalline tail feathers. He left, and, moments later, I heard the shattering of glass."

"I don't know if you saw me, but I saw you peering out of your door," Fingolfin said.

"I didn't notice," Maedhros said. "I was trying to keep the door from opening too widely."

"He stood there in shock, and I remember that he looked to his hands with surprise. I don't think he meant to drop the tray."

"No, I don't believe so either."

"He blinked back the tears several times, but, at last, the tears escaped down his fair cheek. He crouched by his broken crafts and cried like a boy." Fingolfin paused a moment to compose himself. "At that moment, I remember thinking, he's only 32. He's not even an adult yet."

Maedhros had begun to understand his uncle's point before he'd even finished the story, for though he had not thought about that incident for years, that memory was ever etched in his mind. Feanor had been fair of face and noble in bearing. To see that masterful image of his father crying, with beautiful raven forelocks becoming disheveled as his hands covered his face or wiped at his eyes, was a shock. It was something that he would have done, not Feanor. Feanor had always been the kind to drink his wine so carefully that it did not stain his lips or to face the breeze and turn such that his hair never flew into his face. Maedhros looked at Fingolfin with a new perspective. They had not played together much as children, but there were some experiences that they shared because of their age alone that Maedhros could not share with his brothers.

"He's only 21 years older than us, isn't he?" said Maedhros. Fingolfin was older than Finarfin by 40 years, and Maedhros was older than all but Maglor by more than 21 years. Fingolfin nodded and seemed unsurprised that Maedhros was so quick to comprehend the situation. "That time, I think he must have been envious of the sons of Ingwe."

"Do you?" said Fingolfin. "His fire is greater than theirs combined, and he was as tall as them though he had not yet reached full maturity of body. They had nothing for him to envy, whereas I felt still small in their company."

"They had and still have a complete and seemingly blissful family, whereas his birth lay such a weariness upon his mother that she desired life no longer" Maedhros said.

"I see. I had thought that he'd found his creations imperfect, yet what child of 32 could have crafted such lovely crystal sculptures?"

"Perhaps that also played a part in his sorrow," Maedhros said.

"What ever became of the crystal peacock?"

"The next morning, I told my father that I didn't want it anymore. I think he might have given it to Ingil."

Fingolfin shook his head. "I should have been more aware. If I felt awkward about my mother's kin, I can only imagine how he must have felt in the company of the children of his father's second wife. Perhaps a part of me was aware of such things, for I was all too ready to believe the lies of Mel-"

"Morgoth," Maedhros interrupted. "Do not speak the name of the Dark Lord. He is a Vala and can come among us unseen."

"Very well." Fingolfin began anew. "I did not think that I believed the evil whisperings that Morgoth had planted among the Noldor, but as soon as Feanaro, or the fell servant in the semblance of Feanaro, came to me and declared that he had little love for the children of Indis, I believed him all too readily. I do not believe that I am any less marred than Feanaro. I see the evil that is within myself and understand all too well why he drew his sword on me. If things had been but a little different, I might have done the same.

"Morgoth has spent much of his energies corrupting my brother and me. I do not believe the same is true for you. When and if more dire times come, neither Feanaro nor I should be trusted to be fair-minded. You and I are the same age, but you are less marred than I. Though neither Feanaro nor I may be willing, at such a dark time, you must be the one to lead the Noldor. Do you understand?"

Maedhros took his uncle's hand and kissed it. "I hear you, Nolofinwe, and I will obey your wish. My father has expressed these same sentiments. I pray that I will have the strength to lead our people if such dire circumstances arise."

"When they arise," Fingolfin amended. "But you did not come to listen to me talk to you as if I were far older and wiser. Let me have Findekano called."

"Nay, my Lord, I did not come to see him," Maedhros said. "I came on an errand for my father. He wishes to speak to all the children of Finwe and their children as well."

---

The children of Finwe and their children rarely traveled together. They did so only for great festivals held at Taniquetil. Maedhros had delivered Feanor's message to Findis, Fingolfin, Irime, and Finarfin, and all the children of Indis had chosen to hear what the child of Miriel had to say. When they and their children came to the House of Fire, sure- footed horses had been readied, and Feanor had led them and his seven sons deep into the Pelori Mountains by winding paths. Then Feanor ordered the torches extinguished.

All about them was darkness, for here even the Light of the Two Trees did not shine. The night sky was clear, yet there were no stars to be seen. The air seemed too thin to breathe, and though it was not cold, Maedhros felt himself shudder. Feanor had before spoken to his sons of Darkness that was not the mere lack of Light, Darkness that was born of malice with the ability to strangle the very will. This was not it, yet Maedhros and his brothers had been warned that, one day, they would face such Darkness. This lightlessness was kind in comparison.

After a moment, Feanor's clear voice came out of the stillness. "Do you ever wonder, children of Finwe, why you were born?" From the very intonation of his words, Maedhros knew that his father was speaking to the children of Indis and their children. "If I'd truly wanted, I could have prevented my father's second marriage," and though there was no malice in his voice, the darkness made Feanor's words seem eerie. "Many believe that I paid no heed to the debate that took place among the Valar because I did not attend, but that is not true." He did not speak many moments, and Maedhros found himself wishing for the eerie sound of Feanor's voice, for they were compelled to stay silent in the darkness until the Spirit of Fire had finished his say. "I was 15 and at the time yet unwed. Yay, if I'd so desired it, Finwe would not have married Indis, and you would not have been born. Can any father deny a motherless child when he has not yet reached maturity? But one night, I told my father that I wished for him to wed Indis, for I knew that he desired yet more children. I had heard the words of Namo, Lord of Mandos, ere he passed judgment upon my mother, and I told Finwe that I would not disapprove if the Valar allowed him to remarry."

Maedhros heard Feanor draw out the strange, imperfect sphere that he'd packed earlier. A trinket from childhood, Feanor had said as his hands had moved without thought to where the crystal was imperfect. It flashed for a brief moment so that the ghostly face of Feanor was lit by its soft glow but quickly plunged them into darkness once more.

A voice, deep and terrible, filled the air. "Aule named Feanor the greatest of the Eldar, and in potency that is true. But I say unto you that the children of Indis shall be great, and the Tale of Arda more glorious because of their coming. And from them shall spring things so fair that no tears shall dim their beauty; in those being the Valar, and the Kindreds both of Elves and of Men that are to come shall all have part, and in those deeds they shall rejoice. So that long hence when all that here is, and seemeth yet fair and impregnable, shall nonetheless have faded and passed away, the Light of Aman shall not wholly cease among the free peoples of Arda until the End. When he that shall be called Earendil setteth foot upon the shores of Aman, ye shall remember my words. In that hour ye will not say that the Statute of Justice hath borne fruit only in death; and the griefs that shall come ye shall weigh in balance, and they shall not seem too heavy compared with the rising of the light when Valinor groweth dim."

When the recorded voice of Namo had delivered his final judgment, Feanor drew out the Three Silmarils, and their Light brought hope and courage to those assembled. He looked to Findis, Fingolfin, Irime, and Finarfin each in turn. "Did you know that our father also had a father, and that our grandfather's name was Maidros?" At that, Maedhros remembered, for a brief moment, being a mere baby and looking up to his father and mother as they sought for a name to suit him. He'd heard that name, Maidros, but his parents had rejected it. "And our father had a brother named Bruithwir. But when I question any of the elders concerning the arising of the Elves and their journeys, I am told, 'A darkness lies behind us, and we have turned our backs upon it, and we do not desire to return thither even in thought.' That is why you have heard nothing of our family history, though Finwe is not of the Unbegotten, and it was with much effort that I discovered what little I have.

"Before the Eldar reached Aman, the world was not safe for them. It was dark and dangerous, and, as you have yourselves seen, at times, even the stars did not shine. I am not so foresighted as some would believe, but the words of Namo, Lord of Mandos, have never left me since I first heard them. He said the Light of Valinor would dim. Did he mean this metaphorically or literally? I do not know. Already, we have seen the first darkening of Eldamar, and it was of my doing, for, provoked by Morgoth's sinister whispers, I drew my sword upon my own brother. Mandos spoke of the Tale of Arda, not of Aman alone, and if the Valar will now chase the Black Foe from Valinor, what will become of the lands without, where Finwe was born, where the Light of the Two Trees does not shine?

"Forty years ago, I made the Silmarils with the hope of someday aiding our kin in the Outer Lands. My dream still holds true, now more than ever as I quake at the thought of the evil that Morgoth may do upon those who are unprotected by the Valar. The Silmarils are still too young though and are unready to take their place in the History of Arda. We are not so young. I have long told my sons that they will protect Arda, but now I know that my family cannot do this alone. I have been banished for 12 years, and rightly so for the wrong that I have done to my brother Nolofinwe, but I do not regret it. I was angered beyond reason by the lies of the Morgoth, and now his malice has been revealed. Tulkas has been sent to capture him, and the Noldor are at last free from the thralldom of the Master of Lies. It was of that thralldom that I spoke when I stood before the Valar, and I was most strongly marred by the designs of the Dark Lord; my actions have proved it to be so.

"But he is gone now. Let the breach in the Noldor at last be healed. I will go north into exile with my sons and will cure my people of the dark thoughts planted in them, and I beg that the children of Indis do the same during our leave. Once we are again united, then will the Noldor take their place beside the Valar and march with Tulkas to the aid of our long sundered kin in Middle-earth."

Fingolfin spoke then, "I hear you, Feanaro, Spirit of Fire, and at last I understand your mind. My siblings and I and our children will do our part to heal the marring of Arda so that the words of Mandos will be proven true, that the children of Indis shall also be great and the Tale of Arda more glorious because of our coming. And when the time of your exile comes to an end, then I will hold the matter between us fully redressed and will gladly release you, my brother."

"Arakano speaks for us all," said Findis. "Your absence and that of your sons will seem too long, but when you return, Tirion will be more glorious than before."

"Thank you." Feanor looked to each of the childrend of Indis and to each of their children in turn. "I am proud to be part of such a family. Finwe was not mistaken in wedding Indis as his second wife. The deeds that we shall together do shall be the matter of song until the last days of Arda."

Chapter End Notes

The incidents with the play-acting spies are at last revealed. They are modeled off the incident with Amlach, who had seemed to speak before Men in favor of leaving Beleriand but then later had claimed to have not been present at the debate. (S. 173-174)

"I have now a quarrel of my own with this Master of Lies, which will last to my life's end" (S. 174). This is a straight quote from Amlach, who entered the service of Maedhros after repenting. Yes, I chose him in particular because of his later service to the son of Feanor.

The judgment of Mandos and Fingolfin's "I will release my brother" are rehashed from the Silmarillion (S. 77).

Coraldu=tree-round=12 years. They can't have coranar ("sun-round") since the sun hasn't arisen yet, but even if I wanted to use that, I'd say one year. I'm not looking for an Elven long-year (yen) either. Really, what I'm looking for is something that means "12-years" because Tolkien said that Elves prefer to count in sixes and twelves. Well, I decided I'd just make a word up for this. 1 coraldu=12 years. Plural form being coraldur. Aldu refers to the Two Trees. Cor means ring or round.

Ingwe Ingweron is Ingwe's full name (XII. 340). His sons from eldest to youngest are Ingil (I. 284), Ingwiel (IV. 443), and Ingwion (XII. 450). In fact, they're all the same son of Ingwe, but in this story, I've used the multiple incarnations of their name as names for the younger sons of Ingwe.

Feanor is only 21 years older than Fingolfin and Maedhros? Well, yes, back to the earlier notes, Feanor was born in 1169, and Fingolfin and Maedhros were both born in 1190. See Chapter 1 notes.

"Aule named Feanor the greatest of the Eldar, and in potency that is true.. and the griefs that shall come ye shall weigh in balance, and they shall not seem too heavy compared with the rising of the light when Valinor groweth dim." (X.247)

"A darkness lies behind us, and we have turned our backs upon it, and we do not desire to return thither even in thought." (S. 169)

The House of Fire that Feanor and his family had established at the northern edge of Tirion had long been praised before even the Mindon Eldalieva as the height of Elven architecture. Thus, although Melkor had not been captured and Feanor's banishment was lamentable, all of Valinor eagerly anticipated the dwelling that Feanor would create for himself. Feanor did not disappoint. He alone designed all of Formenos, the Northern Fortress, but once planned, all the Noldor took part in its building. Indeed, even those that followed Fingolfin came from Tirion and aided in the raising of Formenos, for the shadow of Melkor's lies had temporarily departed and, even if it had not been so, the laboring with stone for such a great city was a challenge and delight that inspired all the Noldor. Aule and his people also lent aid to the Noldor in this endeavor.

Formenos was entirely different from Tirion. Before coming to Valinor, the Eldar had rarely lived in large dwellings, and so Tirion had been modeled off of Valmar, the city of the Valar. This was the first mistake in the layout of Tirion, for the Valar and the Maiar did not need to conduct everyday life and business like the Eldar. Also, Tirion had begun as a relatively small city, larger than any that had previously been built by the Eldar but still small compared to its present size. Thus, as the Eldar had become more numerous, the city had simply expanded in a circular, sprawling pattern. Formenos made none of these same mistakes.

Feanor designed Formenos as a big city, with wide streets for carts and horses and several smaller marketplaces in addition to the Main Market. Each house was unique in appearance yet added to the overall harmony and beauty of the city. And, of course, there were workshops aplenty. The gardens seemed as natural and peaceful as those of Lorien, and there were ponds with small waterfalls that were reminiscent of Cuivienen. Formenos was primarily constructed of stone, unlike the crystal stairs of Tirion and the golden streets of Valmar, but that did not diminish its beauty in the least. Feanorian lamps of imperishable light hung along the streets like constellations, yet some areas of the city remained unlit by these lamps so that the stars would be visible. Like the House of Fire, there were seven towers, but each of these towers was as tall and great as the Mindon in Tirion. Connecting the towers was a great wall, yet even this wall did not mar the beauty of Formenos, for the wall was decorated with elaborate carvings and fine tapestries.

Feanor personally wrought each of the seven gates that allowed entrance to the city: the Wooden Gate, the Stone Gate, the Bronze Gate, the Iron Gate, the Silver Gate, the Golden Gate, and the Steel Gate. No gate was mightier than the other, for Feanor enhanced the strength of each of the gates with gems of power.

The exile of Feanor and the unrest of the Noldor were almost forgotten in the excitement of the new Elven city. Business flourished between Tirion and Formenos. Even the Teleri of Alqualonde traded with Formenos with the aid of merchants in Tirion. Also, because of its ideal location farther north than Tuna, Formenos provided the free-roaming Vanyar with excellent opportunities for trade and converse with the Noldor.

Finwe had at first entered exile with his eldest son in hopes of cooling the dispute between his sons and healing the breach in the Noldorin people. Both reasons soon proved to be inapplicable. Still, Finwe stayed in Formenos because he had grown tired of ruling Tirion and because his wife, Indis the Fair, and his eldest daughter, Findis, had chosen to dwell among the Vanyar for a time. With Formenos situated closer to the Vanyar, Finwe was able to frequently visit Indis and his friend Ingwe, but he was also able to visit Fingolfin, Irime, and Finarfin in Tirion.

Nerdanel the Wise did not enter into exile with Feanor in order to aid Fingolfin in the stewardship of Tirion and in the healing of the hearts of the Noldor. She dwelt in her father Mahtan's house, for the House of Fire seemed too empty without her husband and seven rowdy sons. She visited Formenos often and aided in the establishment of trade between Tirion and Formenos.

In these joyous times, Curufin wedded Volaurel and begot a child by her. Curufin named his son Nelyacurufinwe, for he was the third of the skilled Finwes and a rival for even Maedhros in shapely form. But his mother named him Feanarince, for his fire was greatest of all the Eldar save Feanor alone.

---

"Thank you once more for agreeing to take care of Narin," Volaurel said to Feanor. "Curvo and I will pick him up before Telperion sleeps."

"It is I who should thank you. What grandfather would not wish to spend more time with his grandson?" Feanor said. "Enjoy yourselves this evening, and should you decide to beget another marvelous baby, I would hardly object!"

Volaurel whacked Feanor on the shoulder, but she couldn't help but to giggle at the suggestion. "It's much too early for another child. Curvo and I have hardly had time to enjoy being newlyweds."

"Or perhaps the two of you have been enjoying yourselves too much."

"Father!" She hit Feanor again. "You must stop suggesting such things."

"But my dear, Atarince is my son and like me in skill and in heart. I do not doubt his prowess or his eagerness to express his love for you."

Volaurel blushed and apparently decided that she could not win in a match of words with her father-in-law so instead turned her attention to Celebrimbor. "Feanarince, be good while you're with your grandfather."

"Yes, Mother." Celebrimbor raised his hand to take Feanor's, but Feanor picked him up and cradled him in one arm. "Grandfather, I can walk."

"Indeed you can, and very slowly at that." Celebrimbor sulked at that, and Feanor only smiled. Volaurel bade them farewell before leaving to meet with Curufin. "Well, then, Nelcurvo, it seems it's just the two of us," Feanor said cheerily. "I have set aside my duties for today, so we will do whatever you wish. If you have no preference, we'll just play in my quarters."

Celebrimbor tilted his small head to look up to his grandfather and assumed a look of childish craftiness. "Whatever I wish?" he asked.

"There are limitations, of course."

"Oh." Though he was undoubtedly truly disappointed, Celebrimbor's expression was one of exaggerated sadness, for he'd already learned the power of being an adorable little child. Feanor laughed.

"Tell me what you have in mind, and I'll try not to refuse you," Feanor said. He ruffled the child's hair as he walked through the elaborate gardens back toward the North Wing.

The palace was composed of four different houses, and in the center of the court was Thiliperion, the White Tree of Formenos that was born from the fruit of Galathilion, the White Tree of Tirion. Curufin had chosen to move to new quarters in the West Wing after his marriage. His brothers had tried to persuade him to remain with them in the North Wing and had promise to give him ample privacy, but Curufin had insisted on moving and Celebrimbor's birth had illustrated well why he had desired to live apart from his brothers. Of course, it meant that teasing Curufin had become a new hobby among the sons of Feanor.

"I heard that my father aided you in the forge when he was but three," Celebrimbor said. "I want to go too and see what you do there."

"Ambitious, aren't you?" Feanor said with great liking. "But you are not even two yet. Perhaps you should wait still longer."

Celebrimbor pouted. "Please, Grandfather! I'll be careful. I won't touch anything I'm not supposed to."

Feanor looked at his grandson thoughtfully and saw through his striking blue eyes to the very fire that was within him. "Very well, Nelcurvo." Feanor turned from his path home and headed toward the forge. Celebrimbor hugged him, and, though the show of joy and affection was genuine, Feanor also knew that a part of the child was using his charm to get his way. Not that Feanor minded. He fully intended to be the doting grandfather. "Well, you can't help me with my normal projects, but perhaps we can craft something else together. Would you like to make something for your father and mother?"

"Okay!" Celebrimbor's arms were still about Feanor's neck when he looked up with bright eyes and said, "And I don't want to make candy either. I want to make something for real."

"Candy?" Feanor said innocently.

"I heard about your trick," Celebrimbor said with a serious look on his soft round face. "You took Father to your forge but made rock candy gems instead of real gems. Father says they were tasty and bright but didn't last more than a day."

"Because Curvo was good enough to share with his brothers. If I remember correctly, he liked his gems just fine at the time."

"Well, I don't want my craft eaten! I want it to last longer than that." Celebrimbor nodded with that stern look of seriousness still about his baby features. Feanor couldn't help but to laugh.

"Okay, okay, we'll make something else, something 'real,'" Feanor promised.

Feanor went to one of his emptier workshops after giving Celebrimbor a tour of the other workshops, which were filled with gems, jewelry, lamps, and other such crafts. Other Noldorin craftsmen imitated most of the things that he designed, but Feanor had long stopped worrying about the mimicry of his works. He cared only that the Noldor as a whole improved their skill.

The project that they did that day was simple. Celebrimbor put his palms into a tray of warm wax-like gel. After the gel cooled, the imprints of his hands were retained in the mold. Celebrimbor then sat behind a clear shield to watch as Feanor poured liquid silver into the mold. The precaution was hardly necessary since Feanor never missed or spilled when he poured molten metal, but it was best to teach the child safety at a young age. Once the silver cooled, they had a rectangular plaque of silver of Celebrimbor's two small hands. Even Celebrimbor's fingerprints and the lines of his palms were visible in the fine silver, which contained no bubbles or cracks. After all, this was a rudimentary technique, one that was hardly difficult for Feanor. But Feanor found reward in Celebrimbor's delightful laughter as he held his hands to the two silver hands. Celebrimbor's eyes shone with a hint of the great fire within him.

"Let's do it again!" Celebrimbor begged.

Feanor smiled. "Okay."

This time when Feanor prepared the gel, Celebrimbor demanded, "Put more in. I want to make a statue of my fist this time."

"Ah, but Narindo, how will you take your fist out without ruining the mold?" Feanor said.

"You'll see." Once Feanor had prepared a small cube of warm gel, Celebrimbor plunged his small right fist into it. He was patient and already understood how the gel functioned from their first project. With his left finger, he touched the top of the gel tentatively when it felt cool to him, but his fingerprint appeared on the surface, so he did not move his fist. He tested the gel again, and this time it was cool enough.

"And now you're trapped!" Feanor said. He tickled the boy. "You'll never go home to your parents now. You'll have to spend the rest of your life in my workshop!" Celebrimbor laughed and laughed until, at last, Feanor stopped tickling and teasing his grandson. "All right, what will you do now, silly little boy?"

"I'll cut the mold in half," Celebrimbor said. He tried to reach for one of the sharp cutting tools but was too far and was held in place by the gel block. "Can you get that for me?"

"Don't be silly. You'll cut your hand," Feanor chided. "We'll rewarm the gel, and you can pull your hand out."

"I know where my hand is, Grandfather. I won't cut myself." Celebrimbor waved his left hand at the blades.

Feanor looked at his grandson thoughtfully. Curufin had been cutting vegetables with Nerdanel in the kitchen since he was two. If Celebrimbor hurt himself, Feanor would take him to the healers straightaway, and the cut would be healed with Curufin and Volaurel none the wiser. It was almost cruel to allow a child to hurt himself, but Feanor was curious to see if Celebrimbor could cut the gel without hurting himself. After all, even as a one-year-old, Feanor had been able to do much with his skilled hands. He eased the cube out of its container and gave one of the duller blades to Celebrimbor.

"No, no, this one won't work," Celebrimbor objected. He held it up to Feanor. "See, it's not sharp enough. The cut won't be as neat." He waved his hand at the blades again. "I want the left one. No, the second left one."

Feanor gave him the thin, sharp cutting tool and watched as Celebrimbor slowly and carefully cut the cube in half. He was less skilled with his left hand than his right, so he took his time, or perhaps he didn't realize how much time passed as he moved himself around the gel cube. When he was done, he looked to Feanor expectantly. The gel was not heavy, not without the steel container that had given it its cubical shape, but Celebrimbor seemed to know that he couldn't separate the halves with only one hand free. Feanor picked up the top half of the gel cube. It came away easily. Celebrimbor pulled his right hand free from bottom half of the gel.

"Now you can just make two halves like before, and we'll put it together," Celebrimbor said.

"Hm." Feanor studied the top half of the mold briefly. There was no loose bit of gel that had been pulled from the bottom half of the mold. The cut was precise and smooth. He put the two halves together. The incision line was hardly visible. "No, let's not do it like before," Feanor said.

Instead, Feanor simply put the two molds back into the original steel container and filled the mold from the top, where Celebrimbor's arm had been. Once the liquid metal cooled, Feanor pulled the molds from the hand statue and showed Celebrimbor how to sand down the extra bits of silver that had formed along the cut of the molds. They polished the silver fist after sanding it and smoothed the bottom. When they finished, Celebrimbor held his own fist next to that of the statue and smiled with great satisfaction at his work. Feanor was also pleased, and when Celebrimbor tried to take the silver fist into his palm, Feanor covered both the statue and his grandson's hand with his own. They smiled at each other and laughed.

Perhaps they would have begun another craft, but at that moment, Feanor perceived that a guest of great power had come to Formenos. He used his Ring to see far within his realm. Lord Aule was before the Gate of Gold.

"Ah, Nelcurvo, I'm afraid our fun must be delayed until later. Lord Aule has come to visit," said Feanor. Celebrimbor didn't mind. He admired the silver plaque of his palms and the silver fist while Feanor carried him to the Golden Gate.

Feanor bowed to Aule, but a sense of discomfort gnawed at Feanor's heart. "I heard no news that you would be coming today. What brings you to Fair Formenos, Lord Smith?" asked Feanor before the doors.

"Before the Valar, I spoke in your favor, but Manwe would not listen, and now thou art banished unjustly," said Aule. "But if the heart of Feanaro is yet free and bold as were his words in Tirion, then I will aid him, and bring him far from this narrow land. For am I not Vala also? Yea, and more than those who sit in pride in Valimar; and I have ever been a friend to the Noldor, most skilled and most valiant of the people of Arda."

Feanor looked to Aule with surprise, for, though Aule did believe Feanor to be wrongly judged, he had never before spoken of ill of the other Valar or of leaving Valinor. Feanor reached out with his mind but could read nothing from the Vala. He searched Formenos with his mind. Amrod and Amras were close by. Feanor summoned them silently with his Ring.

"Lord Aule, I have indeed considered going to Middle-earth, the birthland of the Eldar, but I do not believe this to be an appropriate time," Feanor said with his smooth tongue. "I have been banished for 12 years. If I do not endure my punishment for the duration of that time, the Noldor will think that I am weak, and the Valar will believe that I have not taken true counsel with myself and considered who and what I am."

Amrod and Amras arrived at that moment and bowed before Aule. "Lord Smith."

"Ambarussa!" Feanor shouted. He used his false anger to hide the fear that brought goosebumps to his arms. "Can you not see that I am conducting business with Lord Aule? Get thee gone, and take Nelyacurufinwe with you."

"We're sorry, Father," Amras said hastily. Amrod and Amras looked hurt and confused, for their father had summoned them and now drove them away, but Amrod took Celebrimbor from Feanor's arms as commanded.

"Go!" Frightened by Feanor's outburst, the twins retreated quickly with Celebrimbor. Feanor then turned back to Aule. The dread in his mind was stronger than before. He bowed to Aule. "My apologies, Great Lord. My youngest sons can be most troublesome. But as to your proposition, I must confess that I am frightened of the Outer Lands. Here, I have build a strong fortress, but, in Middle-earth, surely dark creatures still roam the lands."

"Here is a strong place, and well guarded," said Aule, "but think not that the Silmarils will lie safe in any treasury within the realm of the Valar."

His words touched Feanor deeply, and the great fire that Iluvatar had set within him flared more strongly than what should have been possible for an Elda. Feanor looked upon Aule with eyes that burned through his fair semblance and pierced the cloaks of his mind, perceiving there a fierce lust for the Silmarils. At last, Feanor understood that this was not Aule, who admired but did not covet the Silmarils. This was Melkor, Master of Lies.

Feanor stepped back further into his realm of Formenos. The jewels about the Gate of Gold flared to life, casting a red glow upon the false form of Aule. Feanor felt a push in his mind, a darkness that sought to suppress his will. He clenched his fist and used the Ring to strengthen the defenses of Formenos. The gems along the outer wall of Formenos lit up one after another until the entire city glowed bright red. Telperion was waning, and the silver light in Valinor was not so bright that it obscured the glow of Formenos. Even the Noldor of Tirion should've been able to see the strange red light from the Northern Fortress. Still, the darkness sought to seduce Feanor, told him to turn off the defenses of the city. Feanor did not listen. The fear he'd felt was now replaced with anger. Within Formenos was young Celebrimbor, and Feanor would not allow any harm to come to the babe. He pushed back against the force upon his mind.

Feanor looked at Melkor with sharp eyes and said, "Get thee gone from my gate!"

With a command to his Ring, the Gates of Gold slammed shut. Feanor felt a great weight pressing him to his knees, but he did not falter. From afar came the cries of the eagles of Manwe. They had seen the red lights of Formenos and sought to investigate on swift wings. Melkor heard them also and cursed Feanor's name. Then Melkor departed quickly, for he was himself in peril. Once the presence of the Dark Lord was gone, Feanor exhaled long and leaned against the wall. There was a sharp pain in his abdomen, and when he looked down, Feanor saw blood staining his shirt. He called his sons to him and let himself slide down the wall to sit in waiting at its base.

Thorondor, King of Eagles, appeared a moment later with his brethren. He perched on the top of the Tower of Gold while the other eagles circled in the skies above. "Curufinwe, what is the meaning of this? Do you seek to make Formenos shine with light greater than even that of the Two Trees?" asked Thorondor.

Feanor smiled wryly at this, for he was still held in suspicion because of the breaking of the peace of Valinor two years ago. "Nay, Lord Eagle. I only sought to repel Melkor from the gate of Formenos."

"Melkor?" Thorondor repeated. "He has not been seen in Valinor for years."

"Indeed he has not," said Feanor. "But he came today to my very door, and he sought to corrupt me in the form of Aule the Smith."

The sons of Feanor arrived then. "Father!" Maedhros called out. Feanor smiled wanly and closed his eyes. His sons were here now. He need not worry. They would handle the rest.

"Father!" Celegorm shook him gently. Feanor eyes fluttered open briefly, and he nodded to his third son. Celegorm understood and began to dress his father's wound.

Distantly, Feanor heard Finwe conversing with Thorondor. Maedhros and Curufin left on the backs of the eagles to report all that had happened to Manwe in Valmar. Though Feanor rested in bed, Maedhros and Curufin heard his words spoken to them through his Ring, and they reported the words and actions of Melkor before the Gate of Formenos. At once, Orome and Tulkas sprang up in pursuit of Melkor, but Melkor had departed Valinor as a thundercloud. Still, Formenos was safe, and the Valar had been alerted to his evil stirrings. Once Feanor was certain that these important matters had been attended to, he let his mind rest, for that had been where the struggle with Melkor had been greatest.

By his bedside, Celebrimbor cried for his grandfather and begged him to be strong, for he feared that Feanor would become as weary as Miriel and would not return to play with him again.

---

When the time of festival came, Feanor alone came to Taniquetil, for he had been commanded to do so by Manwe Sulimo. His father and his sons did not come forth from Formenos, for a dark foreboding was over Feanor, and he had bidden his family and his people to stay where he believed to be safe. In hindsight, he realized that he should have left the Ring with Maedhros, for the defense mechanisms built into the very stones of Formenos would not be as efficient without it. It mattered not though. Maedhros had his own Ring, albeit a lesser Ring of Power. Besides, Feanor purposed to leave the festival as soon as possible on his swift steed. Manwe had ordered him to come; he had not ordered him to stay for the entirety of the celebration.

Despite the growing dread in his mind, Feanor was overjoyed to see his wife. She had visited him in Formenos, but it was different seeing her radiant in the Light of Aman, for the Two Trees shone strongly on the slopes of Taniquetil.

"My dear, my beloved..." Feanor said, and though he was known for his oratory abilities, he found himself at a loss for words to express how sorely he had missed her in these last five years. Nerdanel put a finger to his lips. Then she kissed him and sent him forward to the throne of Manwe. The festival was for the reconciliation of the Noldor, not for the reunion of husband and wife. Feanor understood all too well Nerdanel's intentions. He swallowed the growing emotions that had threatened to overwhelm him and met Fingolfin before the King of Arda.

Fingolfin held out his hand and said, "As I promised, I do now. I release thee and remember no grievance."

Feanor took his hand, yet words failed him. It was not the welling emotions that he'd felt at the sight of his wife. Nor was he reluctant or ashamed to be accepting this pardon from his younger brother. Instead, the foreboding that had been lingering in his mind was at last taking shape, and the words of Mandos, ere the passing of the Statute of Finwe and Miriel, came to Feanor as the ringing of death tolls. They were so close to the Two Trees, so close... Feanor looked to that Light, and it seemed to him that a shadow passed over the pure Light that he had known since birth.

When Feanor did not speak, Fingolfin added, "Half-brother in blood, full brother in heart will I be. Thou shalt lead and I shall follow." Fingolfin's brow furrowed. Feanor's hand was clammy, and, though he did not mean to, the touching of flesh at such a vulnerable time allowed Fingolfin to see some part of the dread that was growing in Feanor's mind. The echo of the words of Mandos, spoken before Fingolfin's birth, resonated between the brothers. Fingolfin tried to shake off this feeling, for he knew that this moment of reconciliation was very important to the Noldor. "Let no new grief divide us."

Feanor searched his brother's blue-grey eyes intently. "I hear thee," Feanor said. He squeezed Fingolfin's hand, letting his younger brother know that that was not the reason for his silence. Fingolfin heard his words repeated clearly in his mind, placed in there by Feanor. "Let no new grief divide us." It was a prayer, but it was an empty one, for even as Feanor thought it, he knew it would not be true.

The words of Mandos that had been but a faint echo suddenly became clear in Fingolfin's mind, as sharp as those spoken by Feanor yet deeper and more terrible: "The griefs that shall come ye shall weigh in the balance, and they shall not seem too heavy compared with the rising of the light when Valinor groweth dim."

Horror overcame Fingolfin, and he looked in desperation to the Two Trees, both of which were in bloom, their Lights shining and blending with unsurpassed beauty.

"So be it," Feanor said, echoing the very words that Manwe had spoken at the utterance of the Prophecy of Mandos. At that very moment, at the very utterance of Feanor's words, the radiance of silver and gold failed. Valinor was plunged into darkness. The Two Trees were slain.

Is this the price of my birth? Fingolfin wondered. Or would this have happened regardless? But Feanor held his hand tightly and did not let him slip into the despair that was brought upon by the dark cloud. His thoughts were open to Feanor, and the sheer will of the Spirit of Fire prevented him from falling to his knees in the lightlessness in which none would see his weakness.

"We defy you," Feanor said, and yet there was no voice to his words, for choking black vapors were all about them. Fingolfin's knees stopped quaking, and he stood hand-in-hand beside his brother, strong and valiant, so that the Dark Lord would look into the dark clouds and see that his vengeance was not wholly achieved. It was not the presence of the Valar or the Maiar that brought comfort to the grieved and terrified Eldar. When the winds of Manwe at last drove away the vapors of death and rolled back the Seas, the assembled Eldar first beheld the striking image of the Princes of the Noldor, still standing together, bathed in the radiance of starlight, and hope was rekindled in their hearts.

Chapter End Notes

Not the conventional image of Formenos, but there's not enough said about Formenos so I was free to be inventive.

Curufin's wife is Volaurel. Her father is one of the sons of Olwe, and her mother is the daughter of Ingwe. I figured there'd be plenty of inbreeding among the royalty of the Eldar. "Vola" means "rolling wave" in Telerin, and Olwe himself is sometimes known as "Volwe," a pun. "Laure" means "golden light" and refers to her Vanyarin ancestry. And the "el" is just an ending for her name, meaning "elf." Together, her name refers to the golden light of Laurelin upon the waves of the Sea. Maybe I'll write the story of her and Curufin. She didn't inherit the golden-hair of the Vanyar but instead has the silver-hair of the Teleri. They married shortly after the banishment, early in 1490. Celebrimbor was born a year later, which is quite remarkable since the Eldar usually wait longer before having children.

Celebrimbor becomes a difficult one. His father name is Nelyacurufinwe, meaning Third Curufinwe, shortened to Nelcurvo. His mother name is Feanarince, meaning Little Feanor or Little Spirit of Fire, shortened to Narin. As you can see, neither of his names can be adapted suitably in Beleriand, so he'll eventually end up adopting the nickname Celebrimbor. Feanor also punned his name Narin. He called Celebrimbor Narindo, "indo" meaning "heart," so essentially called him "Heart of Fire" when he was pleased with what he saw in his grandson. It shouldn't be a surprise. Feanor's fond of wordplay.

Melkor comes to Feanor at Formenos in 1492 (X.97).

Some of the dialogue between Melkor and Feanor is taken from the Silmarillion (S. 78-79).

Fingolfin and Feanor's words at the festival are also taken from the Silmarillion (S.83).

On the day of the festival, the dark foreboding that had hung over Feanor spread to his father and sons. The sons of Feanor were restless and rode northward. They would not attend the festival at Taniquetil, but they did not want to stay idle in Formenos. Contrary to popular belief, they did not ride in a single file in order of birth. Instead, they rode in a loose circle so that they could chat as their horses trotted.

"I still can't believe that Carnistir mixed us up yesterday!" Amras complained loudly.

"We never mix him up with Tyelcormo," Amrod said.

"It's not hard to tell us apart: Tyelcormo the Fair, Carnistir the Dark," Celegorm said.

"Besides, everyone makes that mistake, Pityo, Telvo," Curufin said, nodding first at the one on the left then the one on the right.

"Wrong!" the twins chimed together. They truly were alike in mood and face.

"Sorry," Curufin said. "Telvo, Pityo." The twins laughed.

"Stop that, Ambarussa," Caranthir said sharply. They didn't.

"Pityafinwe, Telufinwe," Maedhros said as he gestured to the left one then the right. "You were right the first time, Curvo. Don't let them confuse you."

"At least Nelro can tell us apart," Amrod said with approval.

"Even our mother can't tell the two of you apart sometimes," Maglor said.

"Yes, she can," Amras said.

"Only because you let her," Celegorm rebutted. "Even when she's wrong, you pretend she's right."

"I'm glad my child's not a brat," said Curufin, obviously still miffed that the twins had tricked him.

"Whoever said that these 'twin saplings' were a blessing didn't know what he was talking about," Caranthir said.

"It was Aule," Amrod said in a challenging tone.

"Yeah, well, he didn't know what he was talking about," Caranthir said regardless of the mild slander to the Vala. "May I never be 'blessed' with 'twin saplings.'"

Maedhros only half-listened as his brothers continued to banter. He was uneasy. Before departing, Feanor had kissed Maedhros on the cheek to bid him goodbye and whispered, "Remember the words of Mandos: 'All that here is, and seemeth yet fair and impregnable, shall nonetheless have faded and passed away.' Beware." Aman itself was fair and impregnable, yet Morgoth had broken the peace and poisoned the minds of the Noldor. He had not been seen since his visit to Formenos a little more than two years ago, but Maedhros did not doubt Feanor's foresight. Morgoth would show himself again.

"Maitimo." Maglor rode up next to his eldest brother. "Over there." He pointed to a dark cloud that sped over the plains. Celegorm saw Maglor point and looked as well. He came up to his two older brothers.

"Osse again?" Celegorm speculated. At times, Osse's storms caused great mists and darkness to waft inland from the Seas, though in this he met the anger of both Ulmo and of Manwe. Then Manwe would blow the sea- humors back eastward over the waters. But Manwe was otherwise occupied with the festival at Taniquetil, and no wind came to drive the dark cloud back.

A slow dread crept over Maedhros's spine.

"I didn't make him do it," Curufin was saying. "My wife and I finally decided to let Nelcurvo choose for himself, and he decided that he'd rather stay at Formenos. I think the rascal has plans to use his charm against our grandfather, though what it is he wants this time is beyond me."

"Maybe he plans to sneak a look at the Silmarils while Feanaro is away," Caranthir suggested.

"Oh, please," Amras said.

"Father himself already showed him the Jewels," Amrod said.

"Yes, but did he let him play with them?" Caranthir challenged.

"Yes," Amras said.

Caranthir scowled. "Father lets that boy get away with too much."

"I'm sure he'll do the same when you add a grandchild to the House of Feanaro," Curufin said.

"I don't trust this." Maedhros remembered Morgoth's appearance at Formenos, how he had taken the form of Aule. "Macalaure, take Tyelcormo, Carnistir, and Atarince back to Formenos. Hurry. Ambarussa and I will follow the dark cloud."

"Follow it where?" Celegorm asked.

"I don't know where. Wherever it may lead us. It seems to be heading north, so we should be safe enough. The Valar are still gathered at Taniquetil and will be nearer to us. But I fear this is a ruse and that the cloud is meant to distract us from the south, from Formenos, where the Silmarils lie."

"Then shouldn't you be the one returning to Formenos?" Celegorm asked.

"No. Even if the cloud proves harmless, I will go to Taniquetil and report to the Valar that something sinister is amiss."

Maglor nodded in understanding. He raised his voice and said, "Carnistir, Atarince, you're with me. We're going back to Formenos."

"What about our brothers?" Caranthir asked. Maedhros shook his head. His face contorted with worry, and seeing their eldest brother so made the other sons of Feanor somber and similarly concerned.

"Let's go." Maglor urged his horse into a gallop, and Celegorm, Caranthir, and Curufin followed. Once Maedhros saw them on their way southward, he led Amrod and Amras to the north.

"Where are we going?" Amrod shouted as his horse galloped at full speed.

"After that cloud," Maedhros said.

"Cloud watching is easier than cloud chasing, you know," Amras said. Then he took a look at the dark cloud to which Maedhros had pointed and became uneasy.

Amrod's face paled, and he spoke for his brother: "It is an ill omen."

Something in Amrod's face made Maedhros worry for the worst. "Faster, Carnahar," he begged. He urged his horse into an exhausting gallop toward Ezellohar.

Maedhros found himself recalling Amrod's ashen face in the Chamber of the Palantiri. When had their father brought them there? Was it not the very year that Melkor was released? It had been many years since Maedhros had thought about that time, when he had seen his Fate in the palantir and watched the world from above as if he were an eagle. He remembered seeing the world change and break asunder. He remembered wanting to protect the world from such a fate. He would not shrink from this responsibility now as he faced this foul thing of Morgoth.

Maedhros looked again at Amrod and then at Amras. What was it that the twins had seen in the palantirs?

Without warning, the three horses threw their riders and fled southward. Amrod and Amras landed in a crouch position, but Maedhros had been too deep in thought to twist himself like a cat and land on his feet. He was at least able to roll with the fall and then stand. Amrod and Amras, on the other hand, remained crouched, almost balled, and trembled.

"Nelro," they whimpered in one voice.

Maedhros looked to the dark cloud. It had stopped at Ezellohar and seemed to dim the very Light of the Blessed Realm with its shadow. They were so close to the Two Trees, so close... Maedhros felt himself choked with a growing dread.

"...shall nonetheless have faded and passed away." Maedhros seemed to hear the very same death tolls that rang in his father's mind. Or perhaps Feanor was somehow projecting such thoughts to his sons from afar.

Though his legs felt like lead, Maedhros forced himself to sprint to Ezellohar. He did not know what he would do once he arrived, but he could not allow himself to obey the will of Morgoth, to simply fall to his knees and wait for the horror to pass. I have seen the world through the eyes of the eagles not once but twice, Maedhros thought to himself. I have seen and held the Silmarilli, in which lay locked the Fates of Arda-earth, sea, and air. The deeds that I shall do shall be the matter of song until the last days of Arda, and the Music of the Eldalie shall be no less great than the Music of the Ainur. Maedhros repeated these things to himself to spur himself onward, toward the darkness.

The love between Father, Son, and Grandson are but shadows of the Love of Iluvatar, the Ainur, and the Children of Iluvatar. The three of us must preserve this lest Ea be unmade. Finwe is with our people at Formenos, Feanaro is with the remainder of the Noldor upon Taniquetil, and I must do my part. I am Grandson and Protector. But even as Maedhros recited these roles to himself, the fear clutched his heart like a great hand and squeezed until he felt as if he could not breathe. What does it all mean? To be the Grandson. To be the Protector. This is a mistake. Let me be away from here!

But Maedhros did not flee away from the darkness. For all his doubt, he pushed on towards it until he felt as if he would burst for lack of breath. If only Findekano was by my side! At the thought of his friend, Maedhros remembered the words that Fingon had long ago spoken to him: "Before the Light of the Silmarils, I saw you as the splitting image of Manwe Sulimo." I cannot fail him. I cannot fail my people. Maedhros found new air and flew across the green plain to Ezellohar as if he were riding upon the very wind. Yet there was no wind, only a dreadful, unpleasant stillness.

Once he passed under the dark cloud, the air became heavy and thick, wholly unlike the moist mists of Osse's sea-humors. He saw through the darkness only because of the Light that fought to pierce its heavy cloak. The Green Mound usually resonated with the music of the Trees, but the ground was still. Here, the Light of the Two Trees fought with the Darkness and Unlight. What Maedhros saw that day he would never forget.

Upon Ezellohar, before the Two Trees, were Melkor and a giant spider more dark and terrible than the night beyond the Pelori Mountains. Melkor summoned his might but did not become bright in the manner of the Valar; rather, he seemed as a source of unlight. Maedhros cried out even as Melkor thrust his sword into the stock of Laurelin, and the fiery radiance that spouted forth as blood was immediately sucked up by the fearsome spider. The golden light was extinguished in that very hour that it should blend with the silver light. The spider belched forth evil fumes of the night that flowed like rivers of blackness forth in place of the streaming of the golden light of Laurelin.

Maedhros had left his sword unsheathed so as to not hinder his running, but in that moment when the spider spouted her dark fumes, Maedhros drew Alcarinque quicker than lightning and hewed at the leg of the cursed creature. Black gore stained the bright red blade, and the light from Alcarinque became quenched by the poison. The spider's shriek was ghastly and high-pitched, and for a moment, it seemed as if her very voice would quell the music of the Light of Telperion. Maedhros swung at another leg of the spider writhing upon the ground. He hit his mark, but at that moment, dark threads shot forth from between the spider's legs and trapped him in their cold, sticky tendrils. Maedhros fell to the ground, unable to move.

Melkor's eyes flashed with recognition at the Son of Feanor. Though Maedhros was helpless, Melkor stabbed him in the belly with a knife and then wrested the now darkened sword from his grasp. Maedhros watched with horror beyond even nightmares as Melkor thrust Alcarinque deep into Telperion's trunk. The spider's black poison upon that blade dried the very sap and essence of the silver tree, and its light died suddenly to a dismal glow. Then the light failed entirely, and the Blessed Realm was lost in impenetrable night.

---

When Maedhros began to run toward Ezellohar, Amrod and Amras, afraid to be left alone, forced themselves to rise from their balled position and follow. They did not sprint with all their might, for they did not particularly wish to reach the dark and ominous cloud, but they kept Maedhros in sight and put one foot in front of the other. Thus, though they were yet some distance from Ezellohar, they witnessed the slaying of the Two Trees and Maedhros's defeat. When Telperion's light failed and Aman became dark, the twins panicked, thinking that Melkor and the spider would kill them next. They turned and ran blindly into the darkness.

Amras tripped. He felt his heart sink. What hope was there in running? There was no Light in Aman. He curled up where he was and whimpered.

"Ambarussa?" Amrod said, the first word that he'd spoken since the Music of the Two Trees had been silenced. Though he longed to keep running, Amrod could not abandon his other half. He fell on hands and knees and searched for Amras. He found his brother relatively easily, for their spirits had been joined since before birth.

"Ambarussa," Amras said in a quaking voice. He hugged his brother. "It's happening. Your nightmares are coming true. I'm scared."

"I'm scared too," Amrod confessed, for Amras had only been voicing that which Amrod had also felt. Amrod held his brother and began to cry. The darkness seemed easier to endure once they'd admitted their fear aloud.

The black vapors were blown away from the skies by the winds of Manwe, and the twins gradually became aware of the distant stars that shed scant light upon the Blessed Realm. The Sickle of the Valar was visible in the night sky, and it brought strength back to Amrod and Amras.

"Maitimo," they said as one voice. They whistled loudly. Their horses came to them. They mounted quickly and rode hard back to where Light and hope had failed.

Chapter End Notes

"Fair and dark" is like saying "white and black.

Nelro=Nelyanostaro=Nostar. Nelya meaning third, nostar/nostaro meaning parent. Amrod and Amras occasionally call Maedhros this because he's like a third parent to them. The structure is meant to mimic Nelyo, which they don't use in deference to Fingolfin.

For more on Osse's storms, see Book of Lost Tales, pp. 152-153.

Carnahar=Red Nahar.

The battle before the slaying of the Two Trees can be found in Book of Lost Tales, pp. 152-153. This role was originally assigned to Feanor. Feanor's name was then replaced by Daurin. I've used Maedhros instead.

In the starlight, color faded into the shadows, but Feanor remained a striking figure: black-haired and fair-faced. He turned to Fingolfin, and the fainter light accentuated his high cheekbones and thin face. "The Valar request my presence at Ezellohar," he said.

"I will come with you," Fingolfin said. "Remember: Thou shalt lead and I shall follow."

Feanor shook his head. "No. I alone am commanded to go to Ezellohar." The stars were bright but far away; Feanor's eyes seemed brighter than they. "If you leave the Noldor, who will lead them? The Eldar are afraid of this new darkness and seek reassurance from their leaders. You shall lead them, and they shall follow you. Stay here upon Taniquetil, where they may feel safe." Fingolfin agreed reluctantly. Feanor turned to Nerdanel. His brow furrowed as he sought for words of comfort.

Nerdanel shook her head. "You need not say anything, my Lord. These are dark days for all of us. I will also stay with the Noldor." Feanor nodded and kissed his wife. "Do not tarry here any longer."

Feanor looked to Indis, standing among the Vanyar, then to Irime and Finarfin. The children of Indis shall be great, and the Tale of Arda more glorious because of their coming. Feanor turned last to Fingolfin, who stood tall and unafraid in the darkness. Fingolfin nodded to his brother. Feanor smiled lightly. The Noldor would be safe in their care.

Feanor traveled straightaway to Ezellohar with the Valar and the most powerful of the Maiar. Many of the bravest of the Eldar followed more slowly. The Valar and the Maiar went first to the Trees to see if they could yet be saved, but Feanor the Elda went first to his son.

"Maitimo! How come you here?" Feanor put his ear to his eldest son's chest. He heard the heart beating. Maedhros was not yet lost.

Though Aule was deeply grieved by his wife's distress, he did not forget Feanor's presence. Aule put a hand on Feanor's shoulder. "I grieve with thee, Curufinwe."

"He is not yet dead, Lord Aule," Feanor said. He drew the knife from Maedhros and then leaned down as if to kiss the wound. He drank from that wound even as Ungoliant had drank from the wound of Laurelin, and then he spat out the tainted blood that burned his mouth.

Aule frowned, and his brow furrowed. "Yavanna and Nienna are tending to the Two Trees, but mayhaps Este can aid your son."

"I thank you, my Lord, but I think this is in part the reason I was summoned to Ezellohar." Feanor sucked out more venom from the wound and spat it out. "He is my son, Lord Aule. I gave him life. I believe I can save him. Your place is by Yavanna's side as she seeks to save the Two Trees, and I will not fault you for leaving me to be with her." After a moment of hesitation and when he realized that he could do nothing to help Feanor, Aule went to join the Valar.

It was fortunate that Melkor had stabbed Maedhros with a knife rather than a sword. A sword would undoubtedly have killed Maedhros, but the knife had been stabbed in haste and had missed all of his vital organs. Also, the knife's venom was less deadly than that of Melkor's sword or Ungoliant's blood. Once Feanor had drawn out as much of the venom as possible, he pressed his hand firmly over the open wound. He closed his eyes and concentrated his inner fire into his hand. It was a part of the Sacred Fire that Melkor could not find and thus could not mar. Feanor willed his fire to enter the body of his son. He felt the same ecstasy that he had when he had first given life to Maedhros from within Nerdanel's body. The blood clotted beneath his hand.

"Russandol!" Amrod and Amras cried out as the rode up. Some of the Maiar glanced over, but the Valar did not seemed to notice the intrusion.

"Ambarussa," Feanor said. He could not help but to feel relieved to see his youngest sons alive and unharmed. "What are you doing here? What happened?"

"We were nearby when the Light of Aman failed," Amrod said. "We went riding towards the Green Hills. Our faces were northward, but suddenly we were aware that all was growing dim. The Light was failing."

"We followed the dark cloud that shadowed even the Light of the Two Trees," Amras retold. "Melkor was there in the shroud of Darkness, we do not doubt. But not he alone!" Melkor's name drew the attention of several of the Maiar, and they moved closer to hear this tale. "Some other power was with him, some huge evil: even as it passed it robbed us of all wit and will."

"When we dared to go no further, Russandol ran ahead without us," Amrod said.

"Russandol!" Amras cried when his eldest brother's eyes fluttered open.

"Maitimo." Feanor blinked back tears of joy, for Maedhros's eyes were clear and bright.

"Father?" Maedhros's gaze moved to his brothers. "Ambarussa." His eyes widened from haunted memories. "The Trees..."

"The Valar are seeing to the Two Trees." Feanor moved his hand from the wound. It had closed but was not entirely healed. Feanor undid his sash and folded it into a square. He placed it over the knife wound and then readjusted Maedhros's belt so that it held the bandage in place. "Do not move too quickly or your wound may reopen." Feanor glanced at the mounts. Carnahar had followed Amrod and Amras. "Excellent. Maitimo, go back to Formenos with Ambarussa. Ride with all swiftness and bring back to me the Silmarilli."

"The Silmarilli?" Amrod said, but Maedhros seemed to understand immediately. He stood with Feanor's help. When the twins saw Maedhros mount Carnahar, they mounted their horses as well.

"I will not fail you, Father," Maedhros said.

"You have already done more than I expected," Feanor said. He patted Maedhros's hand and then let his sons set off. Then he joined the Maiar and the Valar in their vigilance before the Trees.

---

When they were but halfway to Formenos, Maedhros and the twins met Maglor and Celegorm riding northward.

"Russandol, thank goodness you're here," Maglor shouted. They brought their horses to a stop. "We must go to see Lord Manwe."

"You go on without us," Maedhros said. "I must return to Formenos. Father bade me to retrieve the Silmarilli."

"Finwe the king is slain, and the Silmarilli are taken!" Celegorm shouted.

"What?"

Maglor did not waste time with words. He launched into song. Maedhros beheld his brothers nearing Formenos when the Light of Aman failed. Great shadows rose up and passed them, and a thick blackness surrounded the center of Formenos. They urged on their horses, but the horses reared and cast them to the ground and fled away wild. Like Amrod and Amras, Maglor and his brothers had found themselves sapped of their strength and unable to move. They heard the sound of great blows struck. Then, a sudden flame of fire shot out of the cloud like lightning, and there was a piercing cry. At that sound, the sons of Feanor found the will to move despite the fear in their hearts. They came to the House of Feanor, and there they found the king slain at the door. Maedhros blanched at the image of the slain king, sharp and clear as if he were seeing the gruesome sight with his own eyes. Finwe's head was crushed as with a great mace of iron, and his sword lay beside him, twisted and untempered. There was none other about: all had fled and he had stood alone, defiant. All the house was broken and ravaged, and the treasuries were empty.

Maedhros felt tears welling in his eyes, but then he realized that he could not yet afford to grieve. Too much remained to be done, and it seemed that every second counted at this fell time.

"Where is Moryo and Curvo?" he asked.

"They are trying to keep order in Formenos," Celegorm said.

"Good. Turco, take Pityo and Telvo back to Formenos." The twins were sobbing uncontrollably, and Maedhros knew that they had reached the limit of their strength. "Cano and I will return to the Ring of Doom."

---

The Valar stretched their thoughts beyond Ea and forth to the End, yet neither power nor wisdom assuaged their grief and the knowing of evil in the hour of its being. From time to time, their silent council turned to Feanor.

"Still I hold that the Children should with their gifts of skill order all the lands and heal their hurts," Ulmo said voicelessly into the minds of the Valar and Feanor.

"Can the Eldar heal what the Valar cannot?" said Lorien.

"The Children are both strong and without might. The fire of each of the Children hath the strength of its singleness impregnable, which cometh to it from Eru as to us all," said Nienna. "By Eru's design, the Children arose from Arda and are a part of it whereas we are not. It may well be that they can heal within the realm of Arda what we cannot."

The voices of the Valar became quiet in Feanor's mind once more, but he did not doubt that they continued their council. As the Valar sat as motionless as figures carved in stone, a great concourse gathered about the Ring of Doom. Ingil, eldest son of Ingwe, had led a great host of the Eldar from Taniquetil, and now, as the Valar sat silent, the Eldar lifted their voices in lamentation. After a time, the Maiar, who were apparently not a part of the Valar's debate, joined their voices to that of the Eldar.

Feanor did not add his voice to that music. Though the Light of Aman was no more, the land was still warm, yet Feanor felt chilled. It was as if all that was living and green had become covered in frost more dreadful than the snow upon the white peak of Taniquetil. The cold nipped at his fingers and toes and slowly crept over him until goosebumps arose on his skin.

The silent council of the Valar ended, and Yavanna spoke aloud before the many people gathered at the Ring of Doom, "The Light of the Trees has passed away and lives now only in the Silmarilli of Feanaro. Foresighted was he!" Feanor crossed his arms to try to warm himself, but his body began to shiver. "Even for those who are mightiest under Iluvatar there is some work that they can accomplish once, and once only," Yavanna continued. "The Light of the Trees I brought into being, and within Ea I can do so never again."

---

Feanor heard voices singing lightly and the rhythmic heaves of his mother. He hesitated to leave the warmth and familiarity of the darkness, but he felt himself drawn by the music that promised to him the beauty and bliss of Valinor. Miriel urged him on, coaxing him to seek the unknown. At last, Feanor allowed himself to be persuaded. He left the warm and loving darkness.

Though the curtains were drawn close, the shutters had been left open so that some light entered the room. The silver light of Telperion and golden light of Laurelin were dim, but the Light seemed too bright to Feanor. The airs of the Lord of the Breath of Arda seemed too dry and cool in comparison to the embrace of the wet darkness.

Miriel gasped and held her breath, and Feanor immediately recognized the sound of her voice though it seemed now more distant. He cried out for her.

Hands other than those of his mother handled him, washing him with water of awakening. Beyond the room, the minstrels sang more eagerly. Feanor was wrapped in a clean white silken sheet, and at last he beheld his mother's face as Elerondo the Healer handed him to her.

"Congratulations, Miriel," said Elerondo. "It's a boy."

Feanor's cries subsided now that he had been rejoined with his mother. He looked at her with piercingly bright eyes. A tear fell from Miriel's eye. It glittered in the blended light, and Feanor caught it in his small hands as it slipped from her chin.

"Never again shall I bear child; for strength that would have nourished the life of many has gone forth into Minyon." Miriel kissed her son's forehead.

"Lady Miriel?" the Healer said delicately.

"For the less even as for the greater there is some deed that she may accomplish but once only, and in that deed her heart shall rest," Miriel said. Her gaze rested fondly on her newborn babe. "Call for my Lord Finwe so that he may meet his son."

After a time, Finwe entered the room eagerly. Thus, Feanor beheld for the first time his father. Miriel held Feanor out to greet his father.

"My Lord Finwe, rejoice at the birth of your son, Minyon First- begotten, eldest of the second generation of the Eldar."

Finwe cradled Feanor to his breast, and though Feanor recognized the voice of his father, he cried for his mother, whom he knew more intimately. Finwe hushed the babe, returned him to his mother, and kissed Miriel's pale cheek.

"Thank you, my love," Finwe said to her. "He is beautiful."

Miriel only smiled wearily at him as he took her hand in both of his. In her other arm, Feanor curled up against her with her tear still in his small fist.

---

"Speak, o Noldo, yea or nay!" cried Tulkas, waking Feanor from his thoughts. "But who shall deny Yavanna? And did not the light of the Silmarilli come from her work in the beginning?"

"Be not hasty!" Aule said in Feanor's defense. "We ask a greater thing than thou knowest. Let him have peace a while."

"For the less even as for the greater there is some deed that he may accomplish but once only; and in that deed his heart shall rest," Feanor said slowly as if in dream.

The chill that had been creeping upon him now seized Feanor like a black fist squeezing his heart. Feanor clutched at his chest. He felt as if his sacred fire had been extinguished, yet when he sought for it, he found it still there. His body shook violently. He broke into a cold sweat. He fought to regain control of his labored breath. His heart was beating wildly, and he felt a sharp pain in it, yet it felt empty at the same time. It seemed odd that his body would only now react to the Death of the Two Trees when before it had stood strong and defiant against the evil of Melkor.

At length, Feanor regained some measure of mastery over himself and answered the Valar. "In your grief for the Two Trees, you forget that the Silmarilli are indeed living things. They shine like stars and appear as jewels, but that crystal is to the Silmarilli but as is the body of the Children of Iluvatar: the house of its inner fire, that is within it and yet in all parts of it, and is its life. Yavanna asks for but a little of that light so that she may recall life to the Trees ere their roots decay. It may be that I can unlock my jewels, but never again shall I make their like." Feanor glanced at Aule then hung his head. "It is true that the Light of the Silmarilli came from the Two Trees in the beginning, but the Life of the Silmarilli came from me. If I must break them, I shall break my heart, and I shall be slain, first of all the Eldar in Aman."

"Not the first," said Mandos, but none could understand his words.

After a time of silence, Feanor spoke again, "I cannot make this decision for the Silmarilli, nor would I. It is a heavy burden, so heavy that none can lay it upon another. Yet if the Silmarilli choose to accept this task of their own will, then I will say that their decision is right."

Then Mandos said, "Thou hast spoken."

At that moment, the two elder sons of Feanor rode up to the Ring of Doom. Maedhros began to speak before he had fully dismounted and properly bowed before the Valar.

"Blood and darkness!" Maedhros cursed. "Finwe the king is slain, and the Silmarilli are gone!"

At these new tidings of evil, Feanor fell onto his face and lay still as if one dead. He listened half-heartedly to this new tale of woe that told of what had transpired at Formenos. But all that Feanor needed to hear had already been said: Finwe the king is slain.

---

Tears ran unchecked down Finwe's face as he sat by the bedside of his wife and held her hand. Miriel languished still and slept. Rarely did she awaken from her dreadful slumber, and never had she arisen since Feanor's birth.

"Surely there is healing in Aman?" Finwe cried. "Here all weariness can find rest." But Miriel gave no answer.

"I will heal Aman," Feanor offered, but he could not yet speak in words and so instead put his small hand over Finwe's and Miriel's. If they understood, they gave no sign. Miriel still slept, and Finwe still wept.

Chapter End Notes

Maglor's account of the events at Formenos is based off Maedhros's account in X. 293-294.

"The Valar stretched their thoughts beyond Ea and forth to the End, yet neither power nor wisdom assuaged their grief and the knowing of evil in the hour of its being." (S. 112)

"With their gifts of skill order all the lands and heal their hurts." (X. 162)

"The Children are both strong and without might. [The fire of each of] the Children... hath the strength of its singleness impregnable, which cometh to it from Eru as to us [all]." (X. 241-242)

The discussion of the Valar with Feanor with regards to the Silmarils and the recalling of life to the Trees is taken from S. 86-87. This includes quotes and paraphrases of lines from Yavanna, Tulkas, Aule, and Feanor.

"Never again shall I bear child; for strength that would have nourished the life of many has gone forth into Feanor." (S. 68)

"For the less even as for the greater there is some deed that [she] may accomplish but once only, and in that deed [her] heart shall rest." (S. 87) Feanor uses this quote again later, and it rightly belongs to him.

Elerondo is Quenya for Elrond. I'm just reusing names as Tolkien often did.

Minyon First-begotten, eldest of all the second generation of the Eldar. (X. 87) In other words, Feanor is the first child born to the Eldar in Aman. When Miriel says he is of the second generation, she does not mean that he is the second generation since their awakening at Cuivienen. Instead, I chose to use this term the way issei, nisei, and sansei would be used with regards to immigrants; that is to say, the first generation includes any immigrants to the new land, and the second generation includes the descendants of the first generation of immigrants. This means anyone older than Feanor was born in Middle-earth. For example, Ingwe's sons were all born in Middle-earth. Why didn't the Eldar have children before that? I surmise that the Eldar were busy building Tirion, adjusting to a new life, and enjoying the beauty and splendor of Aman. Only 36 years pass between the arrival of the Vanyar and the Noldor to Aman (Year 1133, X. 84) and Feanor's birth (Year 1169 in this story, X. 101).

Feanor's speech about the heavy burden is a paraphrase from memory of what Elrond said to Frodo with regards to the task of destroying the One Ring. (Fellowship of the Ring)

"Blood and darkness! Finwe the king is slain, and the [Silmarili] are gone!" (X. 293)

"Surely there is healing in Aman? Here all weariness can find rest." (S. 68)

Feanor imagined himself crying uncontrollably and banging his head to the ground until his forehead bled like his father's crushed skull. The blood would be cleaned, the wound bound with cloth, but would Finwe's skull still be sickeningly depressed where the mace had struck? Feanor imagined his spirit fleeing to the Halls of Mandos and his own empty shell of a body being put to rest next to his mother's and his father's.

---

Feanor could see in his mind his father walking down the hallway towards his room. The servants were at the festival outside, and Feanor would have risen to open the door for his father if his hands weren't busy. It wasn't particularly difficult to sew a yellow cross onto a red square, but the flag was to be a gift to King Olwe and the utmost care was necessary to produce a flag of the highest quality.

"Father, this is an unexpected surprise," Feanor said without looking up, though he did nod his head in the direction of his father. "What brings you here at this time?"

"Feanaro, it's already the third day of the Spring Festival," Finwe said as he sat across from his son. "The cherry trees are in bloom, and the wisteria are flowering. Why don't you come out to enjoy the song and dance?"

"I will, Father, after I've finished."

"What are these for anyway?" Finwe held up a simple white flag with a blue square in the center. Feanor glanced up.

"That's the letter thule." Feanor turned back to his work. "Think of it as an alphabet in which each flag represents a written letter."

"You're developing yet another alphabet? Why?"

"Olwe mentioned on the first day that, even with the telescopes I'd gifted him, messages could not be easily conveyed between ships. I realized that it would be easier to read such flags from afar than any script."

Finwe sighed. "I suppose you won't stop until you've finished this first set of flags. I grow weary of inviting Olwe to my festivals. Each time I do, he robs you of your time to sing and dance by presenting you with a new dilemma, and most the time, I scarcely realize when the problem is presented."

"But I enjoy the challenge."

"And I enjoy seeing you at the festivals," Finwe countered. "You're not even 100 yet. Sometimes, I wish you would just come out and play and leave behind this work."

"This work is like play for me, Father," Feanor said.

"This can wait," Finwe said. "Arafinwe will be harping soon. Won't you pause in your work for even a short time and listen to your younger brother's music?"

Feanor shook his head. "Olwe comes to these festivals expecting me to meet his challenge before the festival's end, and all the Noldor and Teleri rejoice when I do. The fulfillment of these challenges is good for the strengthening of the friendship between our peoples."

"Yes, yes." Finwe rose to return to the festivities in the Great Square just outside. "And what will you do when Olwe complains that these flags cannot be read when Osse's storms darken the skies? Will you then make an alphabet that can glow in the dark? Or will you finally admit defeat and realize that not all problems have solutions?"

"An alphabet to be read in darkness," Feanor said thoughtfully. It would require a series of colored lamps, each combination of three colored lamps would indicate a different letter. No, but the color of the lamps might be difficult to read at great distances. Ah, but a single blinking light might work, with long or short blinks in combinations of three being used to represent a different letter. "Perhaps I will develop an alphabet to be read in darkness."

Finwe only shook his head and sighed. "I'll see you on the last day of the festival then."

Just as Finwe was leaving, Feanor called out to him, "Father." Finwe paused. "Thank you for indulging me."

"No father would suppress a child of your talent," Finwe said.

"That's not true. A father other than you would not understand."

---

Maedhros's voice seemed to come as if from a great distance. "Naught is left. The treasuries are empty. The chamber of iron is torn apart. The Silmarilli are taken!"

Without the Silmarils, the Two Trees would wither and die. It is indeed unhappy, Feanor thought, and I would weep, if I were not so weary. He felt his spirit yearning to depart from his body. Finwe was dearer to Feanor than the Light of Valinor or the peerless works of his hands, and he desired only to join his father.

Then Feanor heard the voice of his mother in memory as she spoke with Mandos in a dream from his youth: "My life is gone out into Feanaro, my son. This gift I have given to him whom I love, and I can give no more. Beyond Arda there may be healing, but not within it."

He remembered that his father had then appeared in the dream and wept beside Miriel by the calm waters of Lake Lorellin. "Surely there is healing in Aman?" Finwe had cried. And Feanor, at last old enough to speak in the dream, had answered his plea.

Slowly, Feanor lifted his head from where he had lay motionless while Maedhros had retold the tale of the disaster at Formenos to the Valar. Miriel had given him life, and he could not reject his mother's gift of love. His spirit yearned to seek rest indeed, but he restrained it, barely. His body, which he refused to leave, trapped the wild fire that sought to escape, and rather than an eager flame, his spirit now felt as a burning Lake.

His mother's voice still resonated in his mind: "Beyond Arda there may be healing, but not within it."

And silently, Feanor promised her, "I will heal Arda."

Feanor rose, and if there were any tears, they had been dried by the spreading fire that seared his heart. "Moringotho, Black Foe of the World, it was me you sought to slay, not Finwe, but in his death, you have succeeded beyond your expectations. I curse the day you were conceived in the mind of Iluvatar, and I curse the day I obeyed the summons of Manwe."

---

Maedhros started, for he had not known that Feanor was present. With a cry, Feanor ran from the Ring of Doom and fled into the night. Maedhros would have followed after him, but a hand gripped his arm firmly.

"Let him go," advised Ingil. Maedhros was about to yell at him and break free, but then he saw the anguish in Ingil's eyes. "Feanaro was the first child born in a land unmarred, eldest of the second generation of the Eldar, yet the Marrer touched his life and stole from him his mother. Still, we had hope, for Minyon Unmarred was made the mightiest in all parts of body and mind, in valour, in endurance, in beauty, in understanding, in skill, in strength and in subtlety alike. Never before had such an Elda been born. His birth, his life, and his great skill were the very reflection of the bliss of Aman. Now the Light of Aman is no more, and the Marrer has slain Feanaro's father as well. Give him time alone. You can speak no comfort to him. There is no comfort for such pain within the circles of the world. But know that all the Eldar grieve with him, and we mourn the marring of Feanaro no less than the loss of the Trees."

Maedhros looked after where Feanor had fled and hesitated. It was true that Feanor would be in no mood to listen to vain words of comfort from his sons, but Maedhros could not simply leave his father alone. "I fear that he will slay himself."

"Then I will come with you," Ingil said. "We will follow him, but we must not disturb him unless he endangers himself. Feanaro is as one who walks in his sleep, and the shock of awakening may be too much for him."

---

Feanor came riding from the darkness like a star streaking through the sky. Formenos lay in ruins. The gems of the walls had either been torn from their stone settings or destroyed, and even the Feanorian lamps that had lit the streets were broken and dark. A heavy gloom seemed to linger overhead though the dark cloud was gone. His five youngest sons were quick to greet him at the gate.

Feanor did not wait for them to speak first. "Where is my grandson?"

"Nelcurvo is nowhere to be found." As he spoke, Curufin's composure cracked; his brow furrowed, and his lips trembled. "We have searched all of Formenos."

"Many fled Formenos to Tirion," said Celegorm. "It is our hopes that someone has taken him there. We can only await further news."

Feanor nodded. Much of the Great House was broken and ravaged. When Formenos had been laid to waste, quakes had apparently damaged the living quarters, but at least they still stood most of the roof in place. Feanor proceeded briskly to Finwe's quarters. His sons looked one to the other and then followed him.

"Father, wait," Curufin cried out.

Feanor easily dodged his son's hand and entered the chamber. A thick stench hung in the air. Feanor gagged but moved forward regardless to the bedside of his father. A royal blue blanket of silk was draped over his body, and upon that cloth was the red and gold emblem of the winged sun. Feanor had not yet created a jewel of light and fire suitable to be named the winged sun, and so the emblem remained an image of myth only. Now, even if he crafted a sun as glorious as the Silmarils, Finwe would never see it.

Celegorm caught Feanor's hand as he reached out to draw back the blanket. "Father, don't," he said firmly. Feanor turned to Celegorm and looked at him with piercingly bright eyes. He faltered, and the hand holding Feanor's wrist released him; Celegorm's other hand covered his nose and mouth. Feanor looked to each of his sons in turn, and each averted his gaze. Caranthir not only turned away but also left the room, taking Amrod and Amras with him.

Feanor drew back the cloth to behold the corpse of his father. Even in death, Miriel had seemed as if she merely slept. Her body had remained warm though spiritless, and her face had been serene. That was not so for Finwe. The muscles of his face were tensed as if he were still in pain. The larger part of his left skull was still crushed inward, and though the wound had been cleaned, the damage was still apparent. His mouth could not shut because of the deformation of his head, and he seemed trapped in the middle of a silent scream. Feanor took his father's hand, now stiff and cold. Parts of Finwe seemed oddly swollen, and his skin was blotchy in some places, a ghastly bluish hue in other places. Feanor knelt beside his father and kissed the cold hand. He leaned his forehead to his father's hand and closed his eyes.

Feanor saw himself lying flat on his face and as if chained to the burning Lake that sought to engulf him. It was his spirit; he was its body. The spires of billowing flames danced around him upon the surface of the Lake of Fire. The secret fire kindled within him had been unleashed. He raised his head as he had after hearing that the king had been slain. Forthwith upright he reared from off the Pool his mighty stature. He knew then that the imperishable flame of his spirit would soon consume him such that not even his body would remain. Before that time came, there was much for him to do.

---

Maedhros, Maglor, and Ingil arrived at Formenos shortly after Feanor. None greeted them at the gate.

"We lay Finwe to rest in his bedroom," Maglor said.

"This is a matter for family," Ingil said. "I will look to the Noldor." The Noldor were his people too, for his father Ingwe was King of all the Eldar. Ingil embraced Maedhros briefly. "I'm sorry for your loss, Maitimo. I know that you and your family did much for the glory of Formenos."

"Thank you for your assistance at this troubled time. I will see you again shortly." With that, Maedhros hurried home. They met Caranthir, Amrod, and Amras outside Finwe's chambers. Even Caranthir, normally red- faced, was pale. He barred their entry.

"Take this," Caranthir said as he handed them each a damp handkerchief. "The smell of the body has become very strong."

Maglor took the handkerchief and bound it over his nose and mouth, and though Maedhros did not fully understand, he did likewise. Once they entered, the need for such measures became immediately apparent. Even with the cloth, the putrid odor was strong in the stale air of the room. Maedhros went to Feanor's side and beheld Finwe's corpse for the first time. It was not at all like the image that Maglor had summoned in song. The body was more grotesque and barely resembled Finwe as he had been in life. Silently, Maglor handed handkerchiefs to Celegorm and Curufin.

"A darkness lies behind us, and we have turned our backs upon it, and we do not desire to return thither even in thought." Feanor's voice was scarcely a whisper.

"Father?" Maedhros ventured.

"Nelyafinwe, call your brothers in here," Feanor said. His tone was sorrowful, but he no longer spoke softly. Maedhros did as he was told. Feanor lined them before Finwe's bed from eldest to youngest.

"Say goodbye to Grandfather," Feanor said. He bowed to the body thrice, and his children followed his example and understood that this was how they would pay their last respects. Perhaps this was what had been done in the lands beyond Aman. Maedhros had no way of knowing, but he knew that his father had before sought such knowledge. Feanor covered the body with the silken cloth embroidered with the winged sun. Then he led his sons out and shut the door to Finwe's room.

"His body is marred," Feanor said. "No one should see it hereafter. We will bury it and raise a high cairn over it. I will make the arrangements."

---

Feanor strolled through the streets of Formenos and surveyed the city. "I'm pleased to see that much of the damage has been cleaned from the walls and the debris cleared. Many will now be afraid to return to Formenos. We will assist those who wish to move back to Tirion. Those who stay will aid in the rebuilding of our fair home." All this he said calmly and then assigned specific tasks to each of his sons. Ingil soon joined them and reported that Fingon was coming forth from Tirion with a host of people to aid in the restoration of Formenos. Feanor nodded and continued his planning. The Noldor saw the Princes of the Eldar setting things aright and walking without fear, and their hope was kindled as well.

They passed a well, and suddenly Feanor glanced back and cried out without warning. He sprinted off, and after a moment of surprise, his sons and Ingil followed. Feanor was pulling a collapsed wall from the well. Ingil and Maedhros quickly moved to help him. The wall had stayed in one piece, and once it was removed, the well's hole lay exposed and uncollapsed.

"Huan, fetch rope," Feanor commanded. He leaned over the edge of the well, and his mood seemed to change all at once. "Greetings, Grandson! Fancy finding you in a place like this. Are you enjoying the waters of Ulmo down there?"

"Grandfather!" came the echo of Celebrimbor's voice from the bottom of the well. The sons of Feanor crowded the well.

"Nelcurvo!" Curufin cried in wonder and joy.

"Father!" Celebrimbor was no less happy to see his father. Huan returned shortly with rope, and Celebrimbor was soon pulled up from the bottom of the well.

"What were you doing down a well?" Curufin wondered.

"Great-grandfather said that he didn't have time to explain. He put me in the bucket, lowered me down, and then all became dark," Celebrimbor said.

"The damage to the well was not of Morgoth's doing," Feanor said. "It was too purposeful, too careful. King Finwe must have seen the dark cloud's approach. He was uneasy, and rather than take any chances, he hid our most precious treasure."

"But what if we hadn't found him? He might've starved down there," Caranthir said.

"Lord Ulmo would have informed us of Nelcurvo's whereabouts." Feanor embraced both Curufin and Celebrimbor since Curufin seemed unwilling to let his son leave his arms.

Celebrimbor looked around at the ruins of Formenos then became solemn. "Where is Great-grandfather?"

"The treasuries are empty; the Silmarilli are taken; and the King is slain."

Feanor's sons were surprised at his brutal honesty. Celebrimbor was keen-minded for a 5-year-old, but he was still far too young to be dealing with such horror. He hung his head, and though his soft face was that of a child's, he remained silent with all the seriousness of an adult. Maedhros felt his heart stir for his nephew, for Celebrimbor was a child still and the burden of memory should have been light upon him. When Celebrimbor reached out from Curufin's arms and touched Feanor's cheek, he seemed to understand to some extent the depth of Feanor's loss. And that understanding in one so young made the moment all the more sorrowful.

"At last Finwe and Miriel shall be reunited." Celebrimbor sighed heavily and fell silent again. Then he drew forth from his pocket a crystal tear. "This is for you, Grandfather. King Finwe was showing it to me before the Shadow came. He said that this was the sole tear that Miriel shed for you ere she left this world. I have kept it safe for you."

Feanor took the jewel but shook his head. "Silly boy." He kissed Celebrimbor's forehead. "Your safety is more important to me than the safety of any jewel."

"So then are you now King of the Noldor?" Celebrimbor asked with boldness that came from innocence. "And what will you do now?"

Feanor's look was distant as he said, "I can imagine none but my father bearing the name Noldoran and will hear no more of the kingship now. As for what we shall do henceforth, Manwe will advise us to rebuild our lives and our city and to again craft jewels to replace those that were taken or destroyed. His herald Eonwe is coming now."

"Finwe the King is dead, and my heart also," Celebrimbor burst out unexpectedly. Tears began to flow down his round cheeks. "Who shall give us back the joyous heart without which works of loveliness and magic cannot be?" All were silent, and Curufin gently rocked Celebrimbor in his arms.

Feanor kissed Celebrimbor on the forehead once more and dabbed at his tears with the end of his sleeve. "Iluvatar will."

"Thus shall beauty not before conceived be brought into Ea, and evil yet be good to have been?" Celebrimbor stuttered amidst his sobs, repeating lessons that he had been taught despite his youth.

Feanor nodded. "And yet remain evil. But amid weeping there is joy, and under the shadow of death there is light that endures." His eyes shone like the eyes of the Valar, and it would not be until much later that Maedhros would remember the flame imperishable in those eyes and realize what words Feanor had left unsaid.

Chapter End Notes

The flags are the nautical alphabet. The Noldor did not consider sewing an unmanly habit. In fact, Tuor is said to have learned "crafts of weaving and spinning, broidure and painting" in addition to "building with stone, of masonry, the hewing of rock and marble" (II. 165). Feanor was no less talented, and though he might not have been renowned for his sewing skills, I'm sure he possessed such skills. When Finwe came in, Feanor was sewing the flag for r or ore (heart or inner mind). The flag that Finwe picks up is s or sule (wind), but Feanor pronounces it as th or thule (spirit). See the Shibboleth of Feanor (XII. 331-366) for more details.

Feanor improved upon the letters of Rumil in 1250. This scene takes place about 18 years later, after the Elves have had a chance to learn the letters of Feanor and discovered their uses and drawbacks. Feanor is actually 99 years old, just 1 year shy of 100, but that doesn't stop Finwe from saying he's "not even 100 yet."

The blinking light alphabet is, of course, Morse code.

"The Silmarilli are taken!" (X. 293)

"It is indeed unhappy, and I would weep, if I were not so weary." (S. 88)

"My life is gone out into Feanaro, my son. This gift I have given to him whom I love, and I can give no more. Beyond Arda [there] may be healing, but not within it." (X. 237)

"For Feanor was made the mightiest in all parts of body and mind, in valour, in endurance, in beauty, in understanding, in skill, in strength and in subtlety alike." (S. 112)

Moringotho is the more ancient form of Morgoth, and Feanor uses it just to be dramatic. (X. 294)

"Though the death of severance may find out the Eldar in thy realm, yet one thing cometh not to it, and shall not: and that is deforming and decay." (X. 247) Thus, Miriel's body remained fresh even after her spirit had not inhabited it for years. "The body of Finwe, slain by Melkor, was withered and passed into dust, even as the Trees themselves had withered." (X. 247) Unlike Miriel, Finwe's body does decay, and because of the warm weather of Aman, it's already in the stage of putrefaction when Feanor finally sees him. Also, Finwe should decay faster than a normal body since 1 year of the trees=9.582 years of the sun.

"Finwe the King is slain, and my heart also. Who will give us back the joyous heart with which such beauty is created?" Celebrimbor paraphrases what Feanor said in the Book of Lost Tales I.

"Amid weeping there is joy and under the shadow of death [there is] light that endures." (S. 195)

"Thus...shall beauty not before conceived be brought into Ea, and evil yet be good to have been." (S. 112-113)

"And yet remain evil." (S. 113) The unsaid words are, of course, Feanor's version of Mandos's second sentence: "To me shall Feanor come soon."

Without the Two Trees, it seemed impossible to tell the passage of time, but Maedhros knew that seven days passed before all was in readiness in Formenos. The Mindon Elenath, the Tower of the Stars, was personally completed by Feanor, and he refused the aid of any, for he had purposed to name it also the Finwemindon, the Tower of Finwe, and so the final work on the tower was a matter close to his heart. The Tower of Finwe, previously clear as crystal and shimmering silver or gold from the Light of the Two Trees, was now as black as the perpetual night that had fallen. Atop the Mindon Elenath was a golden lamp that shone a clear yellow light that seemed pale in the darkness, but that light did not illuminate the black obelisk.

Before the Tower of Finwe, Feanor erected in that short time a high cairn for the keeping of his father's body. After it had been completed, all the Eldar and Maiar assembled there for the Ceremony of Rest, a ceremony that Maedhros had not even known existed. Feanor had also wrought for his father a sarcophagus of solid stone such that no hint of Finwe's decaying body could be detected. The carven image of Finwe in sleep upon that sarcophagus bore an eerie resemblance to the King of the Noldor as he had been in life.

At the start of the Ceremony of Rest, Feanor lit a large stick of incense and then knelt down. His half-brothers, half-sisters, and stepmother then came forth and knelt beside him. Six of the oldest Elves came forward then to the side of the sarcophagus and chanted in ancient Quenya while those assembled sat in silence and recalled their memories of the King of the Noldor. At last, when the incense burned out, Feanor rose, bowed thrice, and took a seat in the empty chair in front of Maedhros. Fingolfin, Finarfin, Findis, Irime, and Indis then did the same, each in turn.

When they were all seated, Ingwe, High King of all the Eldar, rose and spoke before the Eldar and Maiar of his dearest friend. Maedhros knew that he should pay closer attention to Ingwe's speech, but the entire ceremony felt so unreal that Maedhros found it difficult to focus. When it was over, Ingwe bade the immediate family of Finwe to rise and pay their final respects to the dead. Maedhros started. No one had told him that he would be participating in this ceremony. Ingwe caught his eye and nodded.

Feanor stepped up first, and Ingwe handed to him a small cup of water. Feanor bowed thrice with the cup in hand and then poured the water over the sarcophagus. He handed the empty cup to Ingwe then returned to his seat. Though he should have been thinking about his grandfather, Maedhros couldn't help but to wonder if his father had received instructions earlier detailing what was expected of him or if he had already known what was to be done after his years of research on the history of the Quendi.

After the children and wife of Finwe had similarly paid their final respects, the sons of Feanor did the same, followed by the children of Findis, Fingolfin, and Finarfin. Last of all were the great grandchildren of Finwe. Idril was not even a year old yet, and she had not stopped crying since the beginning of the ceremony. Maedhros thought at first that Celebrimbor would be the same, but the boy dried his tears with the back of his hands and slid off his seat.

Rather than go directly to the sarcophagus, Celebrimbor went to Idril and took her hand. He looked to Turgon, who nodded in silent approval. Idril quieted then, for there was a shared language between children that was beyond even the greatest loremasters. As Celebrimbor led Idril to Finwe, Maedhros was reminded of the Reunion of the House of Finwe, when he'd similarly led Maglor by hand to meet Finwe for the first time. Indeed, it occurred to Maedhros then that Finwe might never have met Idril before his untimely death, for she was but recently born and had dwelt in Tirion rather than Formenos.

After Celebrimbor and Idril had paid their final respects to Finwe, Ingwe bade the sons of Finwe and their eldest sons to come forth. It quickly became apparent what was expected of them. Elemmire of the Vanyar began to sing his newest song, the Lament for the Two Trees, as the six of them bore the sarcophagus to its resting place in the cairn. The sarcophagus was lowered into the hole that had been prepared for it, and then the three sons and three grandsons of Finwe took up shovels and buried their King with the dirt set aside for this very task. As they did this, the voices of the Eldar and the Maiar wailed in lament for the first blood spilt in Aman.

"The ceremony is completed. Finwe Noldoran will rest in peace now," said Ingwe. "There is, however, one more matter that must be addressed. Curufinwe Feanaro, come forth once more." Feanor went before the King of all the Eldar and knelt before him. "Not only are you the first begotten son of Finwe but you are the eldest of the second generation of the Eldar in Aman. Though I know you loathe to do so, you must now take up the Kingship of the Noldor." Ingwe drew forth the Silver Circlet and placed it atop Feanor's head. "I name you now Curufinwe Feanaro Noldoran, King of the Noldor."

"Thank you, King Ingwe Ingweron," Feanor said, "but I beg for your permission to surrender for a time the crown to my half-brother, Nolofinwe Arakano. The majority of the Noldor dwell still in Tirion, and I was banned from that city for twelve years for my past transgressions. Seven years remain before I may take up the Kingship in Tirion."

"Finwe is dead, and you are King of the Noldor now. Should your eldest son not be the one to be Steward of Tirion in your absence?" said Ingwe. Maedhros froze. He had never considered that this might happen, that he might be put in such a position of power so soon.

"In the future, this may be so," Feanor agreed. "However, before his passing, my father left Nolofinwe to rule the Noldor in Tirion, and I would honor the command of my father to the end of the twelve years."

"Let it be so then."

Fingolfin came forth and received a white rod from Feanor that he had apparently prepared for the occasion. Feanor then removed the Silver Circlet from his head, placed it in a casket, and surrendered it to Fingolfin for keeping.

Just as Ingwe appointed Fingolfin as Steward of Tirion, Celebrimbor cried softly to his father, "Look!" His whisper was heard by many sitting closest to him, including Ingwe. "There's snow at the top of the Tower of Finwe."

The golden lamp had not been extinguished, but frost now capped the top of the tower. At first, Maedhros thought that the Tower of Finwe must've been taller than even the Tower of Ingwe if it caught frost from the higher airs of Manwe. Then he remembered that Feanor had been careful to build the Tower of Finwe the same height as the Tower of Ingwe so as to not offend the King of all the Eldar. He realized that frost formed quicker in Formenos than Tirion, for Formenos was closer to the ice in the north. Maedhros shuddered. It seemed to him an ill omen that frost should come just as the Kingship of the Noldor was settled.

Feanor did not share his foreboding. "It is a sign from Iluvatar. Is it not said in the Ainulindale that, though Melkor made war upon the province of Ulmo, Water became fairer than his heart imagined? 'Neither had my secret thought conceived the snowflake, nor in all my music was contained the falling of the rain.' No theme may be played that has not its uttermost source in Eru. Finwe's death, then, must also be but Iluvatar's instrument in the devising of things more wonderful."

But Feanor's words to Celebrimbor went unheard by many save those gathered closest to them, for the voices of the Noldor had been raised in cheer at the coronation of Fingolfin as Steward.

---

In the following weeks, the sons of Feanor were kept busy by the large number of Noldor who wished to return to Tirion. After all who wished to depart had done so, very few were left dwelling in Formenos. In these matters, Feanor did little to stop the flight of his followers. Indeed, even Maedhros saw little of Feanor, and it was rumored among his brothers that their father sought day and night to make jewels like the Silmarils.

When Maedhros did see Feanor for the first time since the Ceremony of Rest, it was under the worst possible circumstances. A crystal vase shattered next to Maglor, and all the brothers turned to see their father at the top of the staircase.

"How long must I listen to that infernal song?" Feanor demanded. Maglor had been playing the Lament for the Two Trees again. "One would think that you had no talent of your own. I should never have made that damned harp for you." Maglor flinched visibly. The small golden harp was his favorite, prized above even the silver one gifted to him by Indis in his youth. Feanor had wrought the golden harp for Maglor as a wedding gift, and though he might at times be parted from his spouse, Maglor was never parted from his harp.

Maedhros was about to defend his brother when another spoke: "Feanaro! Do not vent your frustrations out on your son." Feanor and his sons turned to find Nerdanel at the door. The twins sprinted to their mother and embraced her.

"Nerdanel." Feanor's anger had evaporated faster than steam from a doused campfire. "What brings you to Formenos? I should think that Tirion would be in great need of you."

"Tirion is in need of you, Feanaro Noldoran," Nerdanel said bluntly. "Nolofinwe asked me to come here to beg you to return to Tirion. Most of the Noldor of Formenos have left. What use is there in your staying here? Your people need you!"

"My term of punishment is not yet over."

"Then ask the Valar to rescind your ban," Nerdanel said. "I do not think they will refuse your request."

"Perhaps your right." Feanor descended the stairs to meet his wife. "Perhaps I need to speak to the Valar."

---

Maedhros did not know what else was spoken between Feanor and Nerdanel in privacy, but the next morning, Feanor asked his eldest son to travel with him to see Lord Aule. When Maedhros protested, saying that he should at least stay to watch over Formenos, Feanor said, "Your mother will see to the safety of Formenos. I want you to hear what is said, for if I should leave for the Halls of Mandos, you will need all the wisdom you can muster to lead the Noldor."

They rode of swift horses to the Halls of Aule, and they were greeted by none other than Mahtan, Nerdanel's father. They dismounted and left their horses to the care of the servants.

"Aulendil," Feanor said with a bow. Maedhros did likewise.

Mahtan nodded and said, "We have been expecting you." He led them to a room where they might speak in private.

"I need to speak with Lord Aule," Feanor said.

"He is here," Mahtan said simply. "Speak your mind."

"I wish to lead the Noldor forth from Valinor," Feanor said. "I wish to lead them back to Endor, the birthland of the Elves. Can the Valar aid me in this?"

Maedhros gasped. His mind reeled. How could his father suggest such a thing? Was this related to the Noldor that fled Formenos for Tirion. And why would anyone leave Tirion for dark lands threatened by Morgoth?

"As you came here freely, freely shall you depart," said Aule through the mouth of Mahtan. "But no aid can the Valar lend you, for all our strength is needed now to mend the hurts inflicted by Melkor unto the world."

"The Maiar are not involved in the designs of those who sit in the Ring of Doom. Can you not ask Osse to lend us an isle as he did years ago to ferry us across the Great Sea?"

"The isles cannot be so easily moved," answered Aule. "The Ferry Isle that is now Tol Eressea was not simply rent from its place in order to transport the Eldar to Valinor. Its stone base was loosened by the Battle of the Powers that was waged against Melkor after Orome first discovered the Quendi. Not unless there is again such tumult in the world can the lands be so drastically changed."

"I see." Feanor nodded thoughtfully. "Then I will find another way to Endor."

"The Lord of the Smith advises you against such folly," said Mahtan. "This path can only lead to sorrow."

Feanor shook his head. "I thank you for the advice, Lord Aule, but though in the coming days of this darkness I will seem to oppose the will of the Lords of the West, that is my part among them, to which I was appointed ere the making of the World."

"So be it. I know little of this part of the music from the visions that I saw before I entered this world."

"One more thing I must ask of the Valar."

"Say on."

"I am still banned from Tirion," Feanor said. "I beg that you ask Lord Manwe to lessen my sentence of twelve years."

There was not even a pause before Mahtan gave his answer. "It is done. I have spoken to Manwe, and he gives you leave to return to Tirion to do what must be done."

"Thank you, Lord Aule," Feanor said reverently. "Thank you and all the Valar for all that you have done for the Quendi. I do not think we will meet again until the end of Arda. Farewell!"

---

Maedhros was surprised that Maglor rode out to meet them on the road, and Feanor seemed no less surprised, for he greeted his second son awkwardly. "Macalaure, about earlier, I meant no offense to your playing of the Aldudenie. We each grieve in our own way, and I'm afraid my way can be temperamental in nature." Maglor wordlessly handed his father a scroll. Feanor unrolled it then held it up. "What is this?" Feanor asked. Maedhros reined his horse in next to Feanor's. Feanor handed the scroll to Maedhros. The scroll was nothing more than a series of lines and circles with flags.

"The Lament for the Two Trees." Maglor then drew out a second scroll and handed it to his father. Maedhros leaned over and saw that he second scroll was similar to the first, but the placement of the circles with flags differed.

"And what is this?" Feanor asked.

"The Lament for the King of the Noldor."

Feanor was quicker than Maedhros to understand. "You've made your own musical alphabet."

Maglor nodded. "A simple alphabet of only seven notes, but it is sufficient for my purposes. Do you like it?"

Feanor took the scroll of the Lament for the Two Trees and in his mind matched the notes to the song. He then looked back to the second scroll. Maedhros knew that Feanor must've already learned to read the notes, for he hummed aloud the tune for the Lament for the King of the Noldor. It was masterful and very poignant, and though Feanor was not trying, Maedhros saw glimpses of visions of Finwe before his eyes.

"It's magnificent. I like it very much," Feanor said, and there was a bright light in his eyes. Maglor smiled slightly, almost shyly. "I think, though, that many will not be able to easily understand your alphabet. Perhaps you should create a scroll that demonstrates the notes as they would be represented in a scale exercise."

Maglor nodded. "A good idea. I'd been trying to figure out a way to explain my notes to other musicians."

Feanor began humming again the Lament for the King of the Noldor and was obviously pleased beyond what he could say in words. Maedhros wondered if it was an ancient way of the Quendi that they should be able to express themselves more clearly and with more depth in song than in speech. When Feanor had finished the first stanza, he said, "Excellent. In this way, the songs of the Noldor will be preserved after our departure."

"Departure?" Maglor echoed.

Feanor nodded. "We will be leaving Formenos and departing to Tirion."

"Why?"

"As your mother said, the Noldor need me, and I, for my part, have need to speak with them as well." Feanor laughed and shook his head. "Fair shall the end be, though long and hard shall the road be. But the deeds that we shall do shall be the matter of song until the last days of Arda."

Chapter End Notes

The Mindon Elenath, the Tower of the Stars, is meant to match the Mindon Eldalieva, the Tower of the Eldalie. Here, the Mindon Eldalieva is also known as the Tower of Ingwe (X. 176), so Feanor thought it would be fitting if the Mindon Elenath was also named the Tower of Finwe, obviously in honor of his father.

There's a silver lamp atop the Mindon Eldalieva (S. 62). It's only natural, then, to give the Mindon Elenath a gold lamp. These mirror the Two Lamps of Aule except that Illuin the Silver Lamp was in the north, and Ormal the Gold Lamp was in the south. In this case, Formenos, in the north, has the gold lamp and Tirion, in the south, has the silver lamp. It should come as no surprise to people who have read the Silmarillion that everything is about to be turned upside down.

Somewhere in the HoMEs, it's said that Ingwe wears a golden circlet and Finwe a silver circlet as crowns. Noldoran was Finwe's title and means King of the Noldor.

The white rod of the Steward is, of course, an echo of the white rod that Faramir tries to surrender to Aragorn (RotK 302).

Oiolosse is an alternate name for Taniquetil, but it is also cited as being the uttermost tower of Taniquetil (S. 19).

The effect of Melkor's bitter cold and fire without restraint upon the Waters of Ulmo are snow and clouds. "Then Ulmo answered: 'Truly, Water is become now faierer than my heart imagined, neither had my secret thought conceived the snowflake, nor in all my music was contained the falling of the rain.'" (S. 9) How would Feanor know this? I am working with the assumption that this is part of the Ainulindale, the account of Creation said to have been composed by Rumil (S. 390).

Feanor's attempt to make jewels like the Silmarils is from the Book of Lost Tales I (I. 149).

When Feanor says that Maedhros will need all the wisdom he can muster to lead the Noldor, he uses the word "wisdom," he actually means "knowledge" to some degree. "Nolo was the stem of words referring to wisdom" (XII. 344). "Wisdom-but not in the sense 'sagacity, sound judgement (founded on experience and sufficient knowledge)'; 'Knowledge' would be nearer, or 'Philosophy' in its older applications which included Science." (XII. 359- 360)

"As ye came hither freely, freely shall ye depart" (S. 95).

In talking about the Ferry Isle, Aule inadvertently foreshadows Andor, the land that Osse raises out of the depths of the Great Water after the War of Wrath at the end of the First Age. (S. 321)

Feanor echoes Ulmo, who says to Tuor: "Therefore, though in the days of this darkness I seem to oppose the will of my brethren, the Lords of the West, that is my part among them, to which I was appointed ere the making of the World." (UT 16).

"Fair shall the end be, though long and hard shall the road be." (S. 92)

"The deeds that we shall do shall be the matter of song until the last days of Arda." (S. 99)