49: Plots and Counterplots

Vorondil was glad to see Ingwion and Glorfindel leave for Valmar. He had felt uncomfortable around the Reborn from the very beginning. Glorfindel’s presence unnerved him in a way he could not entirely understand. When the trip to Valmar had been proposed, he had declined to go and in truth he did not think the others minded him remaining in Vanyamar. It just made things easier all around.

The High King had asked Lord Valandur, Lady Findis’ husband, to act as Vorondil’s mentor, but the Noldo was not pleased with the arrangement. He found the Vanyarin lord to be rather dull and even a bit slow. He was certainly no warrior, being more of a scholar. Vorondil despised scholars. He had always regretted that he had not been born early enough to participate in the War of Wrath. The thought of wielding a sword and fighting set his blood pounding and he was hard-pressed to keep his emotions in check.

His own atar had fought in the War of Wrath long before he was born and he had listened eagerly to the stories when he was younger, little aware that what Aldundil had told him was a varnished version fit for elflings. Vorondil would never know or understand the true horror that his atar had witnessed and suffered. Not even Aldundil’s beloved wife knew the full story.

Thus, Vorondil lived in a fantasy world of great deeds and glorious battles and resented the Reborn in their midst. They did not deserve a second chance. They had forsaken Aman and the Valar, whom Vorondil respected, even feared. They should not have been allowed to be re-embodied. The fact that the Reborn he knew were warriors of great renown did not seem to matter. Vorondil both admired and hated them and his contradictory attitude caused him much emotional pain, though he rarely acknowledged it.

The warrior initiation ceremony he had witnessed had stirred his blood as nothing had in a long time and he resented the fact that that low-born potter had been recognized as a warrior by the Tol Eressëan elves. That was laughable. The idea of the stupid little Sinda being a warrior and being allowed to wear warrior braids had made Vorondil literally throw up when it was convenient to do so.

When Glorfindel and his friends had finally left Vanyamar, the first thing Vorondil did was to give himself warrior braids. He had purchased some colored beads and gemstones and did his best to copy the pattern Findaráto had used with Sador’s braids, but he was not always sure of the correct sequence of twists or the order in which the stones and beads were placed. Still, when he was done, he thought he had done a good job and felt a thrill of pleasure race through his fëa as he admired himself in the mirror.

He felt safe in wearing the braids here in Vanyamar for no one had remarked on the braids that Glorfindel sported and so he assumed that no one understood their significance and would not take him to task for wearing what he had not earned the right to wear.

Vorondil had found a kindred spirit in the Lady Tinwetariel, her antipathy towards the Reborn obvious, and when they had reached Vanyamar, he had met Lord Ingoldo, who also despised the Reborn. The ellon was often in their company, ostensibly to learn more of statecraft and trade, as Lady Tinwetariel, whatever her failings, was considered a shrewd bargainer and knew much about the ins and outs of trade and trade agreements.

The day Glorfindel left for Valmar Vorondil was sitting with Lord Ingoldo and Lady Tinwetariel in the parlor of their apartments, sipping a light wine and nibbling on cheese and fruit.

"So, what do you think of the recent events, young Vorondil?" Ingoldo asked, giving the younger elf a shrewd look. "How did you react to the Song?"

It was what everyone was calling the lullaby the Valar had sung to them. Vorondil gave a slight shiver. When the Valar had started singing, every nerve in his body had screamed, though he could not say why. The music had captured him and left him both replete and bereft at the same time. He did not like to think on it too often.

"I little liked waking to find myself with my face in my porridge," he said with a scowl. "And then, all that ruckus with Glorfindel and the High King refusing to see or speak to anyone for several days... I’m sure that damn Reborn Noldo was behind most of that. Nothing happened until he started singing that ridiculous lullaby and then Lord Manwë showed up."

He gave another shiver and took a swig of his wine, barely tasting it. It had been a shock to see Lord Manwë himself standing in the middle of the dining hall and Vorondil had felt a sense of guilt at the sight of the Elder King, though he could not recall why he should feel guilty about anything.

Ingoldo and Tinwetariel exchanged glances. Tinwetariel nodded slightly to her husband, then turned to Vorondil with a smile. "Yes, it was rather unsettling and I agree with you. I have no doubt that we can lay much of the trouble of the last few weeks squarely at Laurefindil’s feet."

She, for one, refused to sully her mouth with that ellon’s outlandish name and insisted on calling him by his Quenya name even in his presence. It amused her to see him struggling to control his wrath whenever they were in the same room together. It was Laurefindil who had humiliated her in front of her brother-in-law and his court and she would never forgive him for that. More than anything, she wanted revenge and she meant to get it.

Vorondil gave her a shrewd look of his own. "So what are you saying, my lady?"

Tinwetariel shrugged. "Why, nothing at all. I think, though, it would be best if Laurefindil never returned to Vanyamar, don’t you?"

Vorondil sucked in his breath at the implications. "You mean... he should not be able to return ever?"

Tinwetariel and her husband effected shocked looks. "Oh no!" Ingoldo exclaimed. "We do not mean to suggest any such thing. We merely think he should go back to Tirion... preferably in disgrace."

"If we can show how irresponsible the Reborn Noldor really are," Ingoldo added, "using Laurefindil as a prime example, then the Valar might reconsider their plans of releasing them from Mandos."

"While releasing the Vanyar dead instead," Vorondil added with a knowing grin. "Oh, mistake me not, my lady," he said when Tinwetariel looked to take umbrage at his words. "I entirely agree. None of the Exiles should be released from Mandos. It’s bad enough the survivors were permitted to return to Tol Eressëa, but at least they continue under the ban to some extent and will never enjoy full pardon by the Valar, and certainly not by the Amaneldi. No, the Etyangoldirin dead should remain that way. Let the Valar release those who were innocent of any wrongdoing, such as your own son, but let the Exiles remain as houseless fëar until Arda is Remade. It’s quite frankly more than they deserve anyway."

The two older elves looked at Vorondil in amazement, suddenly unsure in the face of the ellon’s bitterness, but they had already committed themselves and could not turn back.

"So, how best can we discredit the Reborn?" Ingoldo asked.

"Taniquetil," Tinwetariel said suddenly. "Do you not remember Ingwë warning us that the Noldo has been forbidden to step foot on Taniquetil?"

Ingoldo smiled in an unpleasant way. "Ah, yes. Now I remember, though I fail to see how that helps us."

Vorondil raised an eyebrow, a thought coming to him. "He’s been forbidden to ascend Taniquetil, you say? That must be why the meeting with the Elder King is taking place in Valmar." He went silent for a moment before continuing. "What if Laurefindil were found on the mountain where he doesn’t belong?"

"Can we do that?" Tinwetariel asked doubtfully.

Ingoldo nodded. "Yes, and it will be easier to accomplish when he is in Valmar."

"How so, my lord?" Vorondil asked.

"Laurefindil will not be as heavily guarded in Valmar as he would be here. It will be easier to get to him. I understand from overhearing something my nephew said to my brother that the Noldo will be sleeping in his own room at the inn where they are all staying. I do not know the reason for it, only that the request to give Laurefindil his own room came from Taniquetil."

Vorondil frowned. "Could there be any significance to such a request?"

Tinwetariel snorted. "Only that the Valar seek to keep their pet happy. Have you noticed how they practically fawn over him. I’m surprised they haven’t made him a collar with his name on it attached to a chain so they can lead him around like one does one’s favorite hound."

Ingoldo laughed and Vorondil smiled. The image of Glorfindel on all fours with a collar around his neck, leaning against Lord Námo like some dog begging for approval, while the said lord held his chain was too funny and Vorondil reveled in it with secret delight. Perhaps if they could get the Valar angry enough with Glorfindel, that would truly be his fate for all the ages of Arda.

"So, what do we do?" Vorondil asked nonchalantly, though neither of the older elves were fooled. They could see the depths of hatred the ellon held for Glorfindel and were pleased. It would make things easier.

"Perhaps you would like to help," Ingoldo said carefully. "I have people loyal to me in Eldamas who can aid you in removing Laurefindil from Valmar. After that, what you do to him is up to you, though I would caution you to refrain from killing him. There has not been any Kinslaying since Alqualondë and I don’t think you want to start now."

"But, how do I get there?" Vorondil exclaimed. "It would look odd if I suddenly changed my mind and decided I wanted to go to Valmar after all."

"What if you were given the opportunity to go hunting with me tomorrow?" Ingoldo replied with a sly smile. "I plan to visit the royal hunting lodge and will be gone for several days. It’s on the way to Valmar and once outside the city, no one will know that you are not with me. All who travel with me are loyal to me and will not betray me. You can continue on to Valmar with one of my own people who will contact my agents there while I take the Mall’ Etelerroron to the lodge."

Vorondil stared at his goblet of wine for a moment thinking through the implications of what Lord Ingoldo was saying and then looked up with a smile, raising his goblet in salute. "Sounds good to me, my lord. I think I will take you up on your kind offer to join you for a few days of hunting." Now he started laughing. "And who’s to say what game I might find?"

Now they were all laughing with Tinwetariel laughing the loudest and sounding the most cruel.

****

So it was arranged and the next day Vorondil left Vanyamar with Ingoldo and four others for a week of hunting. Vorondil made a point of seeking Lord Valandur’s permission, since technically speaking, he was still a minor and could not just leave of his own accord. Valandur gave the ellon a slow, shrewd look and Vorondil was hard-pressed to keep a neutral expression on his face. Finally, the Vanyarin lord nodded.

"I think some time away from the city will do you good," and Valandur said nothing more about it. Yet, as soon as Ingoldo and his party left the city, Valandur went to see Ingwë. What he said to the High King, no one ever learned, but within the hour, messengers were being sent to Taniquetil and Valmar under the High King’s seal.

****

"Here is where I leave you, youngling," Ingoldo said. "My road lies yonder." He pointed to a narrow track that led northward into the wilderness, then he pointed southwest. "Your route lies there. Tulcaner will escort you. You may stay at the Inn of the Evening Star. It’s not far from where you will find Laurefindil. I have sketched a layout of the inn. Tulcaner will ascertain which room is the Reborn’s for you. I know of only two single rooms in that inn and either one will be easily accessible to you from the outside."

Vorondil nodded, feeling excited and sick at the same time. Finally, he was going to be doing something heroic, to cleanse his beloved Aman of the filth that was the Reborn. "Good hunting, my lord," was all he said as he took the map Ingoldo held out to him.

Ingoldo smiled. "And good hunting to you, Vorondil. When you have done what you need to, Tulcaner will lead you to the lodge so it will appear as if you have been with me all this time. I’ll even hunt some extra game and declare them yours."

Vorondil nodded again, looked at Tulcaner, who grinned, then set off with the guard towards Valmar. Ingoldo sat there on his horse for several minutes watching the two wend their way down the road before giving the order to head north.

A quarter of an hour later a lone rider traveled down the road, stopping at the intersection of the two roads to look at the prints on the ground. It did not take long for him to catch up with the two elves heading for Valmar, though he hung back far enough that neither noticed him. Thus, it was that Vorondil was observed by at least one person from Ingwë’s court entering Eldamas. The traveler took note of where the two elves turned into the inn and then went on to Valmar to deliver his message to the Elder King.