44: The Spiral Maze

Glorfindel was surprised to learn that the meeting with the Valar had only taken an hour. None of his companions questioned him about it but Ingwion gave him a strange look when Glorfindel told him about the meeting set for the next morning.

"And Lord Námo specifically stated that I was to accompany you?" Ingwion asked and Glorfindel nodded.

The Vanya looked troubled but when Glorfindel inquired, Ingwion merely shook his head and claimed it was nothing. Glorfindel could tell Ingwion was not willing to say more so he let it go. Instead, he took the time as they returned to the inn to study his surroundings, for in his anxiety earlier he had not noticed anything about Eldamas or Valmar. Now, however, he was relaxed enough to look about and take an interest in what he saw.

This time, there was no Maia escort, so Ingwion’s guards felt less superfluous than they had earlier. Even so, Ingwion planned to have them sent back to Vanyamar in the morning until he and his companions were ready to return to the High King’s court.

By the time they reached the inn, Glorfindel could feel himself flagging and within a few minutes of returning he was fast asleep, unaware that surrounding his bed were three warrior Maiar, while a fourth stood watch by the door.

Next morning found him and Ingwion standing in the inn courtyard surrounded by fourteen Maiar, all of them dressed in different colored surcoats with the insignia of the Valar embroidered upon them. Glorfindel looked suddenly ill and Ingwion was not amused. He glowered at Maranwë whom they recognized from the previous evening.

"Are the Valar so afraid of us that they need to send fourteen of you to fetch us hence?" the prince demanded angrily. He had always had the deepest respect for the Valar but recent events had begun to seriously erode that respect and he no longer cared how his words sounded or who they offended.

"I-I think they’re meant for me, Ingwion," Glorfindel said softly. "They want to make sure I don’t run away again." He looked at Ingwion wryly. "I recognize some of them. The last time we met... it was in the ruins of Gondolin and I... I’m afraid I wasn’t on my best behavior."

"Actually," Maranwë said blandly, "you were downright rude, but we forgive you." The other Maiar laughed lightly when Glorfindel ducked his head in embarrassment. Then Maranwë turned his gaze upon Ingwion, his mien suddenly grave. "You are mistaken, Prince Ingwion. Our Masters sent us as an honor guard out of respect for you and Lord Glorfindel. Come, the third hour approaches and they are waiting."

Ingwion glanced at Glorfindel who shrugged. "I did agree to this."

The prince sighed and nodded. "Lead us then."

All fourteen Maiar bowed respectfully to the two Eldar and soon Glorfindel and Ingwion found themselves in their midst as they walked down the street towards the Landamallë Valion, the people of Eldamas staring at them in open-mouthed wonder.

When they reached the Landamallë Valion, Glorfindel was surprised to see the Maiar turning right rather than left, so that they were all walking down the avenue. The Landamallë, Glorfindel could see was perhaps thirty feet wide and made of flagstones of various colors, mostly emerald green and garnet red with here and there a pleasing citrine yellow or a sapphire blue as well as pearl white, in a pattern that was too intricate to discern from the ground. The distance between one end of the avenue and the other was easily a quarter of a mile.

"Are we not going to Lord Manwë’s mansion?" Glorfindel asked the Maia walking next to him, a female with flowing silver hair who wore a deep purple surcoat with the harp of Estë embroidered upon it.

"Nay, child," the Maia said with a gentle smile, "we go to the mansion of my Lord Námo." Her voice was as musical as the nightingale and Glorfindel thrilled at the sound of it.

Surprisingly, it was Ingwion who suddenly stopped, looking, not fearful, but certainly uneasy. The Maiar stopped as well and Maranwë, who was at the head of the escort frowned and started back towards where Glorfindel and Ingwion stood. Glorfindel held up his hand and Maranwë stopped, an inscrutable look on his face. Glorfindel, however, ceased to pay any attention to the Maiar surrounding them, his eyes on Ingwion only, a look of concern and understanding on his face. He put a hand out and rubbed the prince’s arm.

"It’s all right, Ingwion. There’s nothing to fear. Lord Námo’s bark is worse than his bite, as the saying goes."

*I heard that!* came the surprising words that echoed through their minds. Ingwion gave a start, but Glorfindel just looked in the general direction of Námo’s mansion and stuck out his tongue, making a rude noise. The Maiar all rolled their eyes and everyone heard Námo’s laughter.

Glorfindel turned back to Ingwion with a wicked grin. "You see? Nothing to worry about. Come on. We don’t want to keep Them waiting. That would be rude," he remarked, evincing a virtuous air.

That set the Maiar laughing and even Ingwion gave Glorfindel a weak grin and allowed the ellon to take his hand and lead him. As they continued down the avenue Glorfindel looked about with interest. The Maia of Estë who said her name was Morilindë pointed out the various mansions, naming the Valar to whom they belonged and describing the gardens and other features that could be seen between the stand of malinorni that lined the street.

Half way down the avenue where stood the mansions of Tulkas and Nessa on their right and Oromë and Vána on their left was a fountain. It took up nearly a third of the space. In the center of the fountain rose a tower of deep green anarnasar, perhaps forty feet high. At the top of the tower were a number of bells of different sizes and they rang with just the slightest of breezes. This was the Mindon Nyellion, the Tower of Bells, that had once gone silent at the Mingling of the Lights during the Age of the Trees. Water rose up the central core of the tower and spilled out of spouts situated just below the belfry, cascading down into the fountain. The toll of the bells and the music of the fountain mingled together into a pleasing symphony that left the hearers with a lighter heart. Ingwion even laughed, though he knew not the reason for his sudden joy.

Soon they were walking through the carnelian gates leading to the mansion belonging to Námo and Vairë. Glorfindel saw an edifice whose walls were made mostly of rainbow obsidian, its black surface glinting with green and purple fire as sunlight reflected off it. Towers of amber rose above the main walls and the roof had the sheen of moonstones about it. For all its ominous look there was a sense of peace and serenity to the place that seemed to embrace all who entered it.

There was no sense of threat here. Námo might be the Doomsman of Arda, the Guardian of the Dead, and the Ordainer of Fates, yet he was also a Healer of Fëar and Comforter to those who mourned, whether they mourned the death of a loved one or the death of a relationship or even the ending of one phase of a life before the beginning of another. Most of the Eldar called him Mandos, the Dread Imprisoner, while some called him Námo, the Judge. Few, if any, called him Tiutalero, the Comforter, yet it was this role that Námo loved best of all those that were his to play.

The fourteen Maiar stopped at the bottom of the steps leading to the front portico. Maranwë turned and gazed at the two elves. "Here we leave you. Our Masters await you within. Eru’s grace go with you." He bowed, as did the other Maiar. Glorfindel gave Ingwion a quick smile and led them up the steps. As they approached the mithril doors, they opened silently to admit them.

Inside they found themselves in a softly lit chamber lined with tapestries of brilliant hues depicting scenes out of Arda’s history, many of them from before the time the Eldar awoke at Cuiviénen. The ellyn gazed around in wonder, for Ingwion admitted to Glorfindel that he had never been inside Námo’s mansion before. The hall was not large, perhaps twenty feet square. In the center of the floor was a spiral maze made of a mosaic of purple amethyst, pink tourmaline, marilla and meneluissar in a pleasing pattern that was soothing to both eye and spirit. The spiral began just where one entered the hall from the outside. There were no other doors.

The mithril doors closed silently behind the ellyn. Glorfindel looked at Ingwion with a frown. "I thought we were expected."

*You are, child,* came Námo’s words in their minds. *Walk the spiral and meet us in the center.*

Glorfindel stared at the mosaic lying before him, feeling bemused, then glanced at Ingwion whose expression was equally pensive. "So who goes first?"

Ingwion snorted at that and said, "I’m not the one they’re interested in. You may have that honor."

"But you’re older and haryon to the High Kingship, so you should go first."

"Ah, and as your prince, I hereby order you to go first." Ingwion was practically smirking.

Before Glorfindel could give a suitable retort, Námo intervened, his thought sounding more amused than angry. *All right you two. Don’t make me come over there.*

They both went white and started mumbling apologies like errant elflings. *That’s better. Glorfindel will walk the spiral first, then Ingwion may begin after Glorfindel has passed the first curve. Take your time, there’s no rush.*

Glorfindel swallowed nervously and stepped upon the spiral. At once a sense of calm permeated him. He could almost feel the flow of energy coming from the spiral as he stepped along it and hope was renewed within him. He found that he did not want to walk quickly, but set a deliberate pace that allowed his mind to go quiet. As he came to the first curve he could see Ingwion stepping onto the spiral, but then all else faded from his vision and he found himself alone.

"Ingwion!" he screamed and would have left the spiral altogether had not Námo’s voice sounded loud within him.

*Á PUSTA!*

Fear took him as he stopped cold, then Námo’s thoughts echoed in his mind again but now they were calm and soothing. *Fear not, my Balrog-slayer. Stay on the path. All who walk the spiral walk it alone though a hundred people be there beside you. Continue as you have. You and Ingwion will meet in the center. I give you my word.*

With that Glorfindel had to be content. As he continued to walk the spiral the sense of calm and serenity he had felt earlier returned and his heartbeat and breathing slowed, his mind quieted until he was nearly sleepwalking. How long he walked the spiral he never really knew, but at last he reached the center and as he did he found himself standing in another room, almost identical to the one he had just left save that when he looked down there was no spiral on the floor.

"Welcome, my best beloved."

Glorfindel turned around to find himself staring into the amused faces of Námo and Manwë. It had been Námo who had spoken.

"Welcome to my home."

Glorfindel started to bow but never completed it, for the room decided at the moment to start spinning and now he traveled a different spiral, one that led down to darkness.

He never felt Námo catching him before he crashed to the floor.

****

Anarnasar: Most Royal Stone; what we would call jade. While jade comes in a variety of colors, from white to violet, the deep green variety, which is the most prized, is known as Imperial jade, hence the name I have given it here. [an- "intensive adjectival affix" + arna "royal" + sar "stone"].

Carnelian: an orange-red gemstone. Symbolic of the power to ease the fears about rebirth (for the Eldar) and death (for the Atani).

Obsidian: Associated in our world with the Greek god of the Underworld, so an appropriate stone for the Lord of Mandos. A symbol of transmutation of negative energy to positive energy and transition from one state of being to another.

Amber: Symbolic of courage, protection on a journey (physical or spiritual) and the presence of Eru Ilúvatar.

Tiutalero: Comforter; from tiutalë "comfort" + -ro (agental suffix), literally, "the one who comforts".

Amethyst: A purple gemstone. A symbol of protection and the power to overcome difficulty.

Pink Tourmaline: A symbol of hope.

Marilla: Pearl. A symbol of purity and innocence.

Meneluissar: Sky-blue stone; what we would call lapis lazuli, with the same meaning [meneluin "sky-blue" + sar "stone", with assimilation]. A symbol of truth.

Haryon: Prince and heir to a throne.

Á pusta!: Stop, cease! (intransitive verb).

Note: The colors and insignia of the Valar, which are worn on the surcoats of their Maiar servants, are as follows. The colors and insignia, of course, come from my own imagination.

Manwë — sky blue: eagle

Varda — indigo: eight-rayed star

Aulë — golden-yellow: anvil and hammer

Yavanna — spring green: cornucopia

Ulmo — sea-green: trident

Nienna — dark grey: fountain (of Pity)

Námo — black: sun-in-eclipse (This insignia existed as Námo’s emblem long before the destruction of the Two Trees and the creation of Isil and Anar, though none recognized its significance until then. It is an example of Námo’s prescience.)

Vairë — silver-grey: loom

Irmo — white: rainbow

Estë — purple: harp

Oromë — forest green: oak tree

Vána Everyoung — blue-green: elanor and niphredil entwined

Tulkas Astaldo — blood-red: sword

Nessa — yellow: deer