105: A Gathering of Heroes

The snows of Nénimë gave way to the rains of Súlimë and many feared the upcoming tournament would be cancelled, but by mid-month the rains came to an end and everything dried out. Soon a tent city was rising on the plain before Vanyamar by order of the High King. Excitement ran high as the New Year approached.

A cavalcade from Tirion made its slow way towards Valmar a week before the New Year, led by Arafinwë and Olwë. Only a few Teleri accompanied their king, for none wished to join in the tournament, but the King of Alqualondë always made the journey to Vanyamar at the New Year to consult with his fellow kings and those Teleri who came now were accustomed to escorting their king to Vanyamar. From the Noldóran’s household only Sador accompanied Arafinwë, for Eärwen and Amarië would join them later in the week, along with Olwë's queen, Lirillë. The ranks of the Amaneldi were swelled by a contingent of Tol Eressëans led by Lord Gilvagor and Lady Arodeth.

For many Noldor, this was their first real glimpse of the Sindar and Nandor who were making the journey. For many of the Tol Eressëan Noldor, this was their first opportunity to meet with long separated family and friends. There were several reconciliations, Arafinwë was pleased to see, but not all were welcomed by their Amaneldi kin, which saddened him. Haldir and Gwilwileth rode in the Noldóran’s company and Arafinwë was pleased that Haldir’s amillë, Lady Lossellë, rode beside her son. Haldir’s atar, Lord Pelendur, unfortunately, would not return from his exile for another week and Arafinwë had already left instructions that he was to wait on the Noldóran’s pleasure when he returned to Tirion.

In Valmar there was a further reunion with Findaráto, who awaited them along with Laurendil, Manwen, Vorondil, and Alassiel. There was also a Sinda, Mithlas, in their company, whom Finrod introduced to Sador. Ingwion, Finrod told his atar, was still at Lady Nienna’s.

"Though I was told by Lord Irmo that he will be returning to Vanyamar before the New Year," Finrod assured Arafinwë, as they set up camp in the fields north of Eldamas. It had been decided they would spend the night there before continuing on to Vanyamar.

The next day they reached Vanyamar a couple of hours past noon and all were amazed to see the encampment that had risen in the plain before the gates of the city. Pennants flew from tent tops and Finrod pointed out one to Vorondil that showed his own emblem of harp and torch. "When we reach the encampment," he told the ellon, "take everything to that tent. That will be where we will be staying during the duration of the tournament."

Vorondil nodded, his eyes wide with wonder at the sight before him. Finrod cast him a fond smile and shook his head in amusement. The ellon’s own parents were among those accompanying Arafinwë. Their reunion with their son had been awkward at first, for they were embarrassed for themselves and their son in the presence of their peers who stared at Vorondil in morbid curiosity. Vorondil’s own exuberance and obvious delight at seeing his parents again had broken through their reticence, however, and with some gentle encouragement from Finrod, Aldundil and Calalindalë began to ignore the stares and enjoy being in their son’s company. They expressed surprise and delight at learning that Vorondil had been accepted as an apprentice Lóriennildo by Lord Irmo and thanked Finrod for treating their son so gently.

"The Valar decreed that Vorondil should be my thrall," Finrod told them, "but it is for me to decide how to define the terms of his thralldom and I prefer to treat him as my student rather than as my slave."

Now, they were coming to the entrance of the tent city where they were being greeted by several Vanyar guarding the main gate. Finrod frowned as he surveyed the area. "Where are the perimeter guards?" he asked.

"I told Ingwë there should be perimeter guards, but he ignored my suggestion."

Finrod turned to see Glorfindel riding up, and the two dismounted and ran to one another, giving each other a hug and a kinsman’s kiss. "Then Ingwë is a fool," Finrod said, shaking his head, when he stepped out of Glorfindel’s embrace to let Sador have his turn at greeting their brother. He turned back to the crowd of people milling about, some of them still on horseback.

"Gilvagor!" he shouted and motioned for that ellon to approach him, which the elf did with an enquiring look. "We need perimeter guards and I want double patrols at night. See to it."

Gilvagor gave Finrod a salute along with a smile. "At once, aranya," he said, then turned and began issuing his own orders to the Tol Eressëan warriors who obeyed him without question.

Finrod then scanned the crowd, looking for someone. "Mithlas, where are you?" he shouted and soon the Sinda was standing before him. Finrod smiled and embraced the ellon, giving him a kiss on the cheek. "Tell the Nandor, mellon nîn, that I want every tree between here and the city accounted for."

"Be beth lîn, aran nîn," Mithlas said with a smile, then he ran off, presumably to carry out Finrod’s orders.

Arafinwë and Olwë exchanged bemused looks and the Noldóran noticed the stormy expressions of the Vanyar who must have felt that Findaráto was overreaching his authority. Glorfindel, on the other hand, was smiling hugely.

"Ah, I’m so glad Lord Námo released at least one of you kings of Endórë from Mandos," Glorfindel said, throwing an arm around Finrod. "I am just a lowly lord of the House of the Golden Flower, so nobody listens to me."

Finrod laughed. "The last I heard, you were a thrall, hánonya. Did you enjoy sweeping floors?"

"And scrubbing them," Glorfindel said with a rueful chuckle.

Finrod nodded and gave Glorfindel a hug. "Well, now you and Vorondil have something in common."

Vorondil, hearing his name, gave Glorfindel an impish grin. "Did they make you fold clothes, too? Master has me folding clothes night and day. I think I even dream about folding clothes."

Glorfindel gave the ellon a startled look and then laughed. "No clothes folding, I’m afraid, but I’m still pulling wool out of my hair from spending four days carding it."

Vorondil snickered at that and Finrod laughed. The Vanyar scowled and the Amanian Noldor watched in bemusement as the Tol Eressëans scurried about, the Noldor and Sindar drawing swords and taking up positions around the edge of the tent city while Nandor grabbed their bows and quivers and silently disappeared into the nearby trees. Arafinwë noticed that his son was not even bothering to check to see if his orders were being carried out and that amazed him.

"What is the meaning of this, Etyangol?" a Vanyarin lord demanded as he approached them. Arafinwë bristled at the insult and was dismounting with the intention of wiping the ground with the insolent elf, but Finrod forestalled him with a smile before turning to the irate lord.

"The meaning, my lord," Finrod said with an imperious tone that none of the Amaneldi had ever heard from him before, though Laurendil and several Tol Eressëans recognized it, "is that the High King has failed to understand the dynamics of a tournament of this size and nature. I am merely rectifying his omission."

The Vanyarin lord sneered at Finrod. "You presume much, Etyangol. Do you fear an attack from orcs, then?"

"From orcs?" Finrod echoed, looking surprised, and shook his head. "No. Not from orcs." He turned away then, dismissing the Vanya from his mind. Arafinwë saw the Vanyarin lord redden in anger and embarrassment and start to grab Finrod’s arm. Several things happened at once.

Finrod spun around with a knife in his hand, aimed directly at the lord’s throat. Haldir and several other Tol Eressëan Noldor had their swords drawn almost at the same time, while a number of wood elves had strung their bows faster than the eye could see and were calmly aiming arrows at the hapless Vanya. Vorondil gave a cry of alarm and tackled the lord, forcing him to the ground, then began beating on him, yelling, "Don’t you hurt my master! Don’t you hurt my master!"

Finrod gave the screaming ellon a surprised look, rolled his eyes and sighed. He sheathed his knife, grabbed Vorondil by the scruff of his tunic and hauled him off the Vanya, giving him a shake to stop him from thrashing about.

Glorfindel gave Finrod a questioning look. "Is he always like that?"

Finrod merely snorted. "Give our Vanyarin lord a hand up, will you, brother?" Glorfindel complied, though the lord in question was loath to accept help from him.

Meanwhile, Finrod was having a difficult time trying not to laugh at the chagrined expression on his thrall’s face. "We’ll discuss suitable punishment later, Vorondil," he said finally as he set the ellon down on the ground.

"Yes, Master," Vorondil said with a sigh. "Sorry, Master." Finrod nodded, gave the ellon a brief smile and said, "Go with Alassiel and see that everything is set up at our tent, then start dinner preparations." Vorondil nodded and meekly gathered his master’s things with Alassiel’s help and the two set off for the tent that had been assigned to Finrod.

"And Alassiel," Finrod called out. Alassiel stopped and gave her cousin an enquiring look. "When you’ve finished giving Vorondil a hand I suggest you go find your amillë and apologize to her."

All there who did not know what had happened between the two cousins were amazed to see the elleth, whom they knew to be a member of the Vanyarin royal family, give Finrod a proper curtsey. "Yes, my lord," she said quietly, then continued on her way, ignoring the stares.

Finrod then turned to the Vanyarin lord who was futilely brushing the dirt from his silk tunic and scowling. "You’ll have to forgive Vorondil, my lord," Finrod said somewhat coolly. "He’s quite young and tends to get a bit excited." Glorfindel and Laurendil both snorted at that. Sador merely grinned.

"Just who are you, sir, to be issuing orders around here?" the Vanya demanded.

"Well, besides being my nephew, Lassezel," came a droll voice, "he’s the former King of Nargothrond and haryon to the Noldóran."

All turned to see Ingwë striding towards them, casting appraising glances at the assembled elves. There was a stir as people bowed or curtsied, with swords and bows being hastily put away in the High King’s presence. Finrod merely stood there smiling. Ingwë gave him a penetrating look. "What’s this about calling me a fool, Nephew?"

"Ignoring Glorfindel’s advice about setting up perimeter guards is as foolish as I’ve ever seen you, Uncle," Finrod said in a tone that Laurendil, at least, recognized as his "kingly" voice. He had seen strong warriors cringe at the sound of it. Ingwë, Laurendil noticed, looked a bit nonplused himself.

"I see," Ingwë said. "And the elves in the trees?"

Finrod now smiled. "Those trees are very good locations for ambushes. The Nandor will make sure nothing hides in them that shouldn’t be there."

"May I remind you, Nephew, that this is not Endórë?"

"And may I remind you, Uncle, that we just had several people break the Sérë Valaron, including your own brother," Finrod countered coldly, "and not all the malcontents have been accounted for."

There was an uncomfortable silence as Ingwë and Finrod stared at one another. Surprisingly, it was Ingwë who broke eye contact first, giving a glance at Arafinwë and Olwë. The two kings had stood beside Finrod but had not interfered with the exchange. "Arafinwë, Olwë," Ingwë said with a slight bow of his head, "have you nothing to say?"

Olwë stole a glance at his grandson. "What’s a double patrol?"

Finrod raised an eyebrow at that. "One patrol moves sunwise, the other in the opposite direction, ensuring that all parts of the perimeter are under guard at the same time."

"It was a typical tactic, my lord," Laurendil supplied, "when we didn’t know from which direction Melkor would send his minions against us."

The silence after that revelation was even longer and more uncomfortable than the previous one. Ingwë finally gave Finrod an appraising look, then nodded. "You have done well, Nephew. I bow to your superior knowledge of these matters. I will have my own people join with yours in patrolling the perimeter, if that meets with your approval."

Finrod nodded. "An excellent idea, Uncle. Lord Gilvagor will help coordinate the watches with your captains."

"Good," Ingwë replied, then turned to Lord Lassezel, who had stood there glowering all the while. "Lassezel, I think you owe my nephew an apology."

The Vanyarin lord paled at the reprimand, but gave Finrod and the High King a bow and uttered an apology which Finrod graciously accepted. "I see your tunic is ruined, my lord," Finrod said. "For that I apologize on behalf of my... er.... thrall. Pray allow me to recompense you for it."

Lassezel nodded and bowed again to Finrod before begging Ingwë’s leave to depart, which the High King granted. Then, Ingwë turned to Arafinwë and Olwë and, with a sly smile, gestured to them. "Let us go, my lords, and leave the children to fend for themselves for a while."

Arafinwë and Olwë both chuckled at that even as Finrod, Glorfindel and Sador all stuck their tongues out at the three kings of Eldamar. Ingwë merely laughed as he and his fellow rulers walked away. Everyone then either went through the gates of the encampment in search of their tents or they followed the three kings to the city in search of relatives or friends with whom they would be staying. Glorfindel and Sador joined Finrod, Laurendil and Manwen as the three made their way through the encampment, catching up on all that had happened to them since they had last seen each other three months before.

****

Nénimë: February-March.

Súlimë: March-April.

Be beth lîn, aran nîn: (Sindarin) "According to your word, my king".