Toward Beleriand by Aprilertuile

land at last

When finally they reached land, Tyelkormo left the ship with Huan at his side and promised himself to never again put a foot on one of those vessels.

They had lost several ships on the way there and Tyelkormo had lost sight of which held his siblings and which didn’t, and that alone had been a terrifying experience until one of them, he didn’t know who, probably Makalaurë, started to reach out through Osanwë.

“Who ever thought it’d be a good idea to travel by ship?”

“Dad.” Carnistir said simply, walking next to him and… Acting as if he was still feeling like he was on the ship.

“Valar be damned, who the fuck invented waves?!”

“Ulmo I’d think, if anyone consciously did?” Tyelkormo said snickering.

He at least was being spared that specific hassle, thought he could see many people who walked like their bodies still thought they were on a ship in the middle of a storm.

It was beautifully hilarious to see in his brothers, and if his laughter had an edge of hysteria to it, no one commented on it.

Fëanáro gathered called everyone to him and started to organise so people could make a camp. Tyelkormo offered to go scouting with a group of his people and Huan.

“Are you sure…”

“It’s a better idea than to settle here and not know the surrounding area, yes, I’m very sure.” Tyelkormo cut in answer.

“Turkafinwë is right. Someone will need to check the area.”

Tyelkormo grimaced. His father was the only one who used that name and it was grating that his father just conveniently ignored what he didn’t like. Namely that of his seven children, only Curufinwë chose to accept his father name.

He loved his father, truly, he did, but if he could stop ignoring all he didn’t like only to focus on what he did like…

Though that would probably mean that his father would pay more attention to him as a result and that would not end well very probably, more so since his father was in a fey mood since his built his Silmarils.

No, really the last thing he wanted was to get on Fëanáro’s bad side right now.

However, before he could go, Maitimo approached their father:

“Now, what ships and rowers will you spare to return, and whom shall they bear hither first?” He asked.

Tyelkormo grimaced.

It was just like Nelyo to ask that, and actually want to honour his friendship with their cousin, but…

With their father’s fey mood and general paranoia? The ships were staying right there in their possession. Besides they could always dismantle the things to use the material later so…

“None and none! What I have left behind I count now no loss; needless baggage on the road it has proved. Let those that cursed my name, curse me still, and whine their way back to the cages of the Valar! Let the ships burn!”

Tyelkormo’s eyes widened at that.

That was harsh. Burning the ships? Straight up burning them? They just arrived, they knew nothing of the lay of the land. They knew nothing of… anything around really, and their father wanted to burn the ships?

A look at his father had Tyelkormo revaluate the situation: now was really, really not the time to get on Fëanáro’s bad side. No, really not.

Even as their father laughed, a dark unhinged sound, Tyelkormo, like everyone else who heard, took a torch and went to throw it at a ship.

He was quietly grateful he didn’t leave his dog or anything he held precious onto one of the ships for Fëanáro’s voice had sent everyone scrambling to burn the ships, and anything left in there was lost.

Maitimo alone stood aside, and Tyelkormo was almost envious at his elder brother’s apparent ease in defying their father.

Not that Tyelkormo was afraid of their father, saying so would be ridiculous but there were reasons to stay careful around the elf. He hadn’t been himself in years. Since he created the damn Silmarils.

They would just have to hope that they would have no need for ships or for Fingolfin and his people.

Once he was done, Huan loyally at his side, thought the poor dog had to wonder at the general sanity of their recent actions by now, Tyelkormo went back toward his father and brother who were looking at each other with equal stubbornness, and their other brothers joined, Makalaurë first, who was looking at Maitimo anxiously, then Curufinwë, Carnistir and last, the twins.

Even from where they stood on the beach, the flames were hot, and bright.

Tyelkormo was pretty convinced that in the dark as they were, the light of the flames would be highly visible from afar.

Just for safety’s sake, he would have to pass the message to his people to keep their weapons at hand. Just in case.

He was half afraid he was acting as paranoid as his father had but his instinct had never failed him on hunts before and if this wasn’t a hunt, it still couldn’t hurt to stay alert, careful and to not act like untrained baby hunters on their first hunting trip.

Who knew what danger awaited them in those lands?