The Book of Short Tales by Lyra

B2MeM '13 - March 19 - Inheritance

Begun for B2MeM '12's B6 (Fëanatics: Daddy Issues); continued and finished for B2MeM '13's prompt for March 19, O (Fëanorians exploring all of Valinor up to the Outer Sea).

Fëanor makes plans for his sons' inheritance. Unfortunately, few things go according to plan. - A quintuple drabble (according to OOW).

Inheritance

Finwë rejoiced when he learned that Nerdanel was pregnant again.
Of course, he was delighted that his son's union should be so blessed, and that he would have a second grandchild. But most of all, he rejoiced because surely Fëanáro would now understand that having two children did not mean loving one less than the other; that a father's love was not divided, but increased with each new child. Surely, now Fëanáro could forget his animosity, and embrace Nolofinwë and Arafinwë as a brother should. Surely, his sons would now be reconciled. The new baby would make sure of it.

But it turned out that Fëanáro could be a doting father of two, or even three, four, five, seven sons, and yet remain a hating brother to the sons of Indis. No subtle hints of Finwë could change his mind; not even Nerdanel, whose wisdom was the only counsel Fëanáro accepted, could move him. He would not forgive. There was no parallel in the mind of Fëanáro between himself and his half-brothers, and Maitimo and his many brothers, who grew strong and proud and happy in the certainty of their father's immovable love and their own love for each other.

But as his sons grew, Fëanáro's mind was troubled; for if his half-brothers begrudged him his birthright, however feeble their own claims, might not his younger sons also begrudge Maitimo his crown, in those far-off days in which he, Fëanáro, might tire of the throne?
His nimble mind soon thought of a solution. The problem was, of course, that there was only one realm of the Noldor, one crown, one throne; the obvious way out was to create further kingdoms, so that each brother could be a king in his own right, and none would be servant to another.

The foundations for his bold dream of a Noldorin – nay, Fëanárian – empire had to be laid betimes, while Finwë was still reigning upon Túna and Fëanáro was free to explore: Thus he, his wife and their household – sons, apprentices, servants, admirers and all – were always travelling the confines of Aman, from end to end, ocean to ocean – searching, measuring, mapping. Officially, this was done so they could better appreciate the magnitude and beauty of Valinor; but on his private map, which was not to be published, Fëanáro noted down things like Rich woodlands; for Turko?

But Fëanáro had forgotten that in his absence, his half-brothers would become the young faces of the House of Finwë, the heirs of the king that all of Tirion knew. Fëanáro returned a stranger – stranger to the people, and to their latest customs and fashions.
Only one of the planned settlements was ever realised – in Formenos.
Much later, far away, the map of Fëanáro's secret ambition lay upon King Nolofinwë's council table. Maitimo's single hand smoothed the ancient parchment, and he read a scribbled note in the margin: What of Endorë?
Indeed, Father, Maitimo thought: What of Endorë?