The Line of Kings by Michiru

The Hand of Fate

Aegnor and Orodreth discuss the Men of Doriath and Angrod. Finduilas meets a woman and introduces Aegnor to her.

First Age Year 383

"Uncle 'Nor! Uncle 'Nor!" Finduilas' voice squealed, though they couldn't see her from the simple cabin. Aegnor smiled tolerantly in his direction, even as they both winced at the girl's high-pitched calls.

"She's adorable," his uncle said; Orodreth grinned.

"Good thing." Aegnor laughed, though his hands remained steady as he splinted the Man's ankle. His uncle had been talking freely with his patient when he arrived, but Orodreth's presence seemed to have stilled the Man's tongue, and his eyes were dropped firmly to the floor.

"Uncle 'Nor, quick!"

"Coming," Aegnor called as he finished, shaking his head fondly. To the Man he added, "You ought to rest easy for a few days; I'll be back to look at it again then." The Man nodded, a shy smile darting across his lips before he saw Orodreth watching and went stoic again.

"Strange fellow," Orodreth murmured to his uncle when they had left the Man's home.

"You intimidate them," Aegnor chided. "You and your father both watch them like you want to pounce."

"I expect my father does," Orodreth said wryly. Aegnor grimaced, all the confirmation Orodreth needed. "I didn't expect Uncle Finrod's decision to teach them Sindarin would go over well."

"No," Aegnor agreed. "Even less when Angaráto found the lesson plans he'd drawn up to teach them Quenya were for naught."

"Is he still —"

"Hasn't sent Ingoldo so much as a post-script since." Orodreth shook his head. He remembered his conversation with Finrod, so many years ago. It seemed his father was determined to burn yet more bridges.

"I worry for him," he said softly, frowning now. "We visited him briefly along the way here — there's hardly any light left in his eyes." A glance up at Aegnor showed his uncle nodding in solemn agreement.

"You father has always struggled to hold joy in his heart. Even in Aman. But here, with the Enemy so close… " Aegnor shook his head as Orodreth wondered — even in Aman? In the Blessed Realm his father had been unhappy? "This isolation does him no good. I wish —"

Finduilas raced up around a hill, braids half-undone and face red from running. "Uncle 'Nor," she admonished, skidding to a halt before them and seeing no reason for their delay. At once Aegnor's countenance changed, though he laid a hand briefly on Orodreth's shoulder in apology for the abrupt end to their conversation.

"Many apologies, Princess," he teased, bending down to sweep the child into his arms. "What is so urgent?"

"Over there!" Finduilas pointed back the way she had come. "There's a lady!"

"You don't say," Aegnor gasped, raising his eyebrows over Finduilas' head at Orodreth, who shrugged, nonplussed. "And what is so remarkable about this lady?"

"Her head is broken," Finduilas dutifully reported, her golden eyebrows knit together. "You can fix her, can't you?" Orodreth blinked, exchanged a look with his uncle. Already, Aegnor was moving, offering Finduilas to her father, asking the girl where this lady might be found. Orodreth was struck once again by his uncle's care for the Edain of Dorthonion.

They rounded the corner Finduilas had come from, Orodreth struggling to keep up with Aegnor's long strides, and the Tarn Aeluin lay spread out before them. By the water's edge a dark haired woman was scrubbing clothes. At the sound of their approach she looked up, her reflection shimmering across the water, quick as a startled bird. Her eyes fell immediately on Aegnor, who froze where he stood, as though turned to stone.

Chapter End Notes

I realized while writing this that Andreth and Finduilas ended up being the same age based on my timeline. Of course, at 22 Andreth is a young woman and Finduilas is still a young child. Might this be a factor in Aegnor's future avoidance of Andreth?

Finduilas thinks there must be something wrong with Andreth's head because she insists (despite clearly being an adult) that they are the same age.

Aegnor the healer. Fun fact: I originally envisaged Telufinwë Ambarussa as a healer as well. Maybe he and Aikanáro studied together?

The language of the Edain: The Silmarillion tells us that Finrod took it upon himself to teach them Sindarin. Angaráto resented both the Edain and Finrod when the House of Bëor settled in Dorthonion, as it forced his people, who had primarily spoken Quenya within their borders, to speak Sindarin in their dealings with the Edain. It also caused friction between Aikanáro and Angaráto, who grows very fond of them even outside his doomed love of Andreth.

I'm currently stuck in the terrible predicament of wanting this story to begin differently than it does but not knowing if it will confuse things if I alter it. The first chapter/drabble/part currently would fit much better in a piece revolving around Angaráto and Eldalôtë, and a much better way to open this story would be focused on Angaráto and Artaher. Thoughts on the matter would be appreciated.