Chapter Text
The winters of Valinor were not at all as I had grown used to them being. Here the snow is soft, harmless and innocent, and if anything, kids around Töl Eressëa seem to be rather eager to see it every year. Lucky summer children. I’m glad they’ll never had to endure the things Annaro, Finno and even tiny Iltarië, had to so many thousand of years ago on the freezing Helcaraxë. It is not yet the peak of the season, however the cold is already showing. I feel it sinking in my bones, the phantom of its former lack forgiveness lurking on the back of my mind at all times, as it has for many years now. Not all is lost for me, however; there is still warmth and gladness among the cold streets. More precisely, thanks to the idle arm wrapped around mine, gentle as always and as everything Findis always does.
Other things also bring joy to what would otherwise be a very boring and mundane day- mainly the fact that ahead of us is the palace of the Noldorin island- and within it, Fingolfin and Anairë, who await us for what might just be one of the most promising tea times of the yén.
“You are tense." Findis commented, her head resting against my shoulder on a way that I can see naught but her golden hair locks. "She’s your sister, not Morgoth or Gorthaur, it’s not going to be as bad as you think." She assured. Easy for her to say, her relationship with her brother has never deteriorated, even after Nolofinwë had gone and forsakened her. Anairë and I, however, are a different story. We never got along, and it did not get better after I followed most of our kin.
"I’d rather spend another two decades in the Helcaraxë than to spend two minutes with that witch" I mutter quietly under my breath, my eyes narrowing to the point where I can barely see. That’s how much the thought of spending time with dearest Anairë makes me want to cry. The comment earned me a slap on the arm from my beloved, who looked up at me with nothing but disapproval and scolding.
"You talk about her as if she’s Thurigwethil returned. Anairë is a loving soul, just as yours, and yet you insist on demonizing her. At least some things never really do change." She murmured, her head shaking in fake amusement. Findis was never one known for openly sharing her opinions, however when it came to me, she never held anything back. If that was for actual concern over me or for the chance of criticizing me is debatable.
‘That’s exactly what she wants you to think! The woman may as well be one possessed by The Dark Hunter." I scoffed in disbelief. After all, did not all demons try to seem approachable before they sank their fangs in? She’s just another like those.
Findis shook her head in dismissal. I am a stubborn mule, she knows my opinion won’t change easily, nor does she have the patience to keep pressing on the matter at the moment. We carried on our way silently after that, and the walk to the High King’s residence seemed to take twice as long than I remembered it to take. Not that I had walked in enough times to be completely certain.
At the front gate of the enormous palace stood two guards, their shoulders board and heads tilted as high as they were proud. One of them, which I did not recognize, was a very young ellon, certainly not yet even a yén old, and even though he tried to look as though he was unfazed, it was quite clear he was quite put off by our presence. The other guard however, was one I’ve know for almost as long as I’ve lived, his golden locks unmistakable, even under the copper colored helm. Herenyo’s melodious chuckle rings through the thin air, his hand leaving the spear which he rested against the marble wall as he makes his way to us.
"Glad to see you around today, my dear friend. I had put my bets with a certain red haired tailor. He was very convinced you would not show up." He teases in delight as we clasp our arms together in a firm handshake. I scoff, rolling my eyes in a way that seems everything but offended.
"After all my deeds would you really think me a deserter in the face of danger? I thought you’d know better by now, dear kinsman." I murmur. Herenyo then pulls away from my grasp, his attention now turning to Findis. He bows before her, and she returns the gesture.
"It’s a pleasure to see you once more, dear cousin. A herald was previously sent to notify your brother of your arrival, and me and Eludril were sent to escort you inside." He smiled. A genuine smile. Something that was very hard to see on Herenyo Ingwërilion as of lately. Findis smiles back at him with as much honesty, before she moved back to wrap one of her arms around mine once again.
"Likewise, Hîr-Herenyo" she briefly replies, giving him a small nod and motioning us to start moving. Promptly, we do start walking, making our way through the gardens. They are so well maintained that it almost makes the bushes and red roses look fake. The walk through the peak of Töl Eressëa is almost as long as the whole trail from the docks down bellow to the main gate. The stone paths prolong and wrap around the palace in circles, something clearly made so that people would want to get lost in them along the way. But I’m not having that. Against all protests from my wife and advises from my childhood friend, I take shortcuts to reach the residence’s main entrance, passing between trees and thorns, which leave small gaps in my traveling cloak, however I’m too eager to see this done to bring myself to care. The quicker this is over, the quicker this whole ordeal will end, and the quicker we’ll be back home and away from my bloody sister.
In the end however, it does not benefit me much, as only a few meters away from where I parted ways with my company layed the staircase that lead to the home’s front door, and by the time I got to the top, both Herenyo and Findis were looking down at me, their faces a mixture between pity and genuine amusement. For the sake of my own pride, I do not even look at them until I catch up to them, and when I do, it’s simply to offer the princess my arm once more. She does accept it, wrapping her thinner one in mine before Herenyo pushes open the beautifully crafted double doors and allows us to step inside.
As we make our way inside, my eyes don’t know where to look first. Everything is overwhelmingly decorated, from the rare Avarin carpets which are laid on the floor to the chandelier of Noldorin craft which hangs from the high ceiling. Even the ceiling itself is a work of art, painted with frescos I can clearly recognize as being the work of a painter I once knew back in Gondolin, which trail downwards, blending in with the polished limestone pillars on a very skilled and subtle manner. The windows are of a thin glass, but look elegantly bulkier, thanks to the detailed accents composed of gold leaves around the edges, but the main window, is the taller one, which is scarcely made of blue and yellow stained glasses. It’s a window that sands out among all others, not only be a of it’s size and coloration, but also because it’s the one at the end of the first flight of stairs, standing between where two paths form to reach the different wings of the palace. It’s not the window that particularly catches my attention though, but the couple who make their way down the steps in front of it.
Walking down to the ground floor were my kinsmen; Fingolfin, one of my best friends and brother-in-law, and Anairë, my eldest sister. They are not as closely together as me and Findis, however I do notice my sister’s hand, which is resting against Nolofinwë’s shoulder as she looks down at me with as much disregard as she did last time we saw each other, over six thousand years ago in Alqualondë. As if in response, my arms’ muscles tense up to a point where they almost ache. Me and Anairë stare at each other. We are still, but glare at each other in a trance like the one of a prey who is about to be attacked by a snake. And this is one dangerous, venomous snake. The staring does not stop until I’m snapped out of it by my wife, who lays one of her warm hands on my bicep to soothe a temper that, unbeknownst to me, was in fact starting to grow on it’s own within me.
Time passes by alarmingly quickly from then on. We make our way into a room simply decorated and then, into yet another division. This one is a dome, completely made of glass. I note it’s full of plants and flowers, most brought from all corners of Endorë, some from places so exotic I don’t even recognize, and as soon as the four of us sit down, it’s all I focus on in hopes of avoiding my older sibling. I do, of course, reply when I’m addressed, however my words are dry, and soon enough, Anairë stops trying to talk to me at all. Things only became slightly more interesting as Nolofinwë’s children arrive, and my own shortly after them. The ones who do seek us first are Findekáno and Irissë, who greet me and my beloved with notable cheer, specially Finno once he hugs me tightly. I, for my own credit, hug him back with just as much strength, even though I can barely look at his face without wanting to weep, remembering the battle we both perished in so long ago. Guilt threatens to overwhelm me, but it fades away as soon as we actually pull away and I see my nephew’s bright smile. Fingon leaves us once more shortly after that, after learning that Russandol too has arrived and excusing himself from us to greet him by the entrance. Turukáno eventually appeared as well, sitting by our side with Irissë for a while to keep us company. Turgon talks a lot when he’s among people regarded as highly as him, and seems to enjoy spending time with his breached out family a lot. Irissë however, looks much more bored, she’s only there for a while, and the whole time she seats, she looks impatient. As soon as my sons arrive, she leaves with them, getting ready to leave for yet another hunt whilst they wait for Tyeklo to come as well. I do notice though, that Findion is not with his siblings and cousin. In fact, I only remember seeing him briefly, as he vanished almost as soon as he got to the residence.
Without bothering with any formal excuses, I get up from my seat at the tea table, and walk back through the hallway from whence we came before. I almost get lost in one of the all too similar corridors, but then I hear the soft, tender ringing that is my youngest son’s laugher, accompanied by one which is just as harmonious, but much, much more sad and melancholic. I almost make my presence known, however stop myself upon actually seeing Fino and his mysterious companion. Findion is like a warm ray of sunshine, with his bright golden tresses, slightly tanned skin and piercing green eyes; but the ellon beside him, however, is like the polar opposite of him. His back is partially turned to me, thus I cannot see his face, but his hair is of a raven black, so deep that it does not even seem like it radiates any light at all- instead looking as if it absorbs it instead, while his skin is pale. Too pale, in fact. It takes a color that makes him look almost sickly. His clothes are no lighter either, tinted in a grey almost as dark as his hair locks, and the only part that is not the same color is the silver linen that composes the embroidery that adorns this strange young man’s sleeves, as well as the hem of his robes. He has no glow to him, and thus it easy to assume he’s one of the Moriquendi. My son is a ray sunshine, but this man is a beam of twilight.
I cannot tell who he is, but my son and him act as if they have known each other for three ages of the world and more. Unfortunately, before I can see more, voices are heard at the end of one of the adjacent hallways, and the dark ellon suddenly freezes up like a deer caught in a hunter’s snare. He whispers something in Findion’s ear, and I let myself get distracted, looking in the direction the voices came from, and when I look back, the dark haired man is gone. Not only that, but my son is now standing a mere rangá away from me.
"Father.-" He greets briefly, something rather uncommon and dry for him "- I thought you’d be with uncle Nolyo and aunt Anairë" he admitted. He did not have to say more, for immediately it’s clear that what he means to ask with it is ‘What are you doing here, and not with them?’
"Aye, I was." I confirm. I look around, as if expecting to see the other ellon lurking somewhere, but before I can do so, Findion catches my attention once more with the skeptic look on his face. He looks up at me, as if waiting to get an explanation. "I was wondering where you’d gone off to. Argon had asked for you later, but could not find you." I half lie. My son raises an eyebrow, only looking more like he’s not buying what I’m saying.
"Arakáno left an hour ago. I bid him goodbye at the door myself." He pointed out blankly. Fuck. I try to think of a witty way to reply, but alas, as Findis says, I am a bad liar, and nothing comes to mind. Luckily, I do not have to actually respond, as footfalls are heard, and soon enough I am unceremoniously dragged away by said elleth. I give my love a curious glance, but upon seeing the stern look on her face, I already know that what awaits me is no good news. I eye my lover cautiously once we come to a stop, but before I can ask what has happened, Findis presses her index finger to my lips to silence me.
"Melmenya, I know how hard it is for you to say here, but I have something to ask of you." She starts off with a sigh, bringing her hands down to hold my own as I give her a nod to carry on. "Nolyo has just informed me that the last ships from the havens will be arriving very soon -within a few days- and in them will be coming Aratanis and the Peredhel.." by the tone of the conversation, I already know where this is going, so I simply nod in agreement at her, switching our positions so I’m the one holding her hands instead. I take them up and kiss her knuckles, breathing out a long sigh.
"I can stand my ineffable sister for a few weeks." I assure her. Truth be told, I too am curious to meet this new side of the family I am yet to see, and it’s not Anairë’s presence that will keep me from doing so.
I hope.