Betas: Many Extra special thanks to Fiondil for all of his wonderful help! Thanks also to Moreth and Istarnie for their comments and suggestions.

Disclaimer: Playing in Tolkien’s sandbox and making no money from it.

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When everyone was sufficiently healed, the small band from Valinor found themselves inside an elaborately-carved wooden hall. Tapestries depicting scenes from the forest and Cuiviénen alternated with windows lining either side of the long walk to the throne. A large crowd of well-dressed elves filled the hall, obviously the lords and ladies of the Tatyar. The expressions on their fair faces suggested curiosity more than contempt.

In spite of the seemingly welcoming air of the hall, Arafinwë’s unarmed warriors surrounded him, with Huoro walking a few steps ahead just behind the armed guards who led the way. When the guards parted at the front of the hall to take their places in easy call of the king and queen, Arafinwë and his retinue halted as much out of courtesy to their hosts as out of shock at what they now saw. For it seemed to the elves of Valinor as if King Finwë miraculously had returned from the grave! Tall and broad of shoulder, King Sulwë bore flowing raven-dark hair, a high and thoughtful brow, and startling blue-grey eyes (though less bright) – all just like Finwë’s. His nose and chin seemed smaller and more rounded than Finwë’s though, spoiling the likeness.

Arrayed about the thrones stood several tall, dark-haired neri sporting warrior braids secured with ornate circlets of silver, clearly all closely akin to the king and queen who stood in greeting. At the king’s right hand was the healer Curumaitë smiling brightly and adorned in finery as the others though his circlet was larger and more ornate. With the exception of Curumaitë and a few others who bore strong likeness to the queen, the rest of the neri could easily have been sons of Fëanáro or Nolofinwë.

Staring in dismay, those accompanying Arafinwë instinctively took a step closer to him, forming a protective circle though none dared speak. Huoro made a graceful courteous bow with the others a little more hesitantly and stiffly following suit.

The king nodded his acknowledgment, then he and the queen took their seats.

“Welcome to our lands,” he said cordially in a voice which closely echoed that of Nolofinwë. “I am King Sulwë and this is my wife Queen Liniel. These,” he gestured to the neri surrounding him, “are my sons and the sons of my sons. You have already met my heir Prince Curumaitë who saw to your wounds.”

Curumaitë inclined his head at the introduction, still smiling broadly.

“Lord Huoro and Lord Ingoldo,” the king said, “Long has it been since last I looked upon sons of the Minyai, though I understand that Lord Ingoldo is only half of that lineage. I hear that the Minyai now dwell at the feet of the Belain in Valinor. Have the Belain  condoned the participation of the Minyai in the Noldor’s war against Morgoth?”

Huoro replied, ”The Val–…the Belain were the ones who called the Minyai and the remaining Noldor in Aman to arms in this war we now wage against Morgoth. They have also sent Maiar warriors to aid us and Eonwë herald of Manwë to lead our hosts.”

“I had heard rumor that there were Maiar among you, though none of us have seen them.” The king considered the group for a few moments then asked, “I trust that you have found your stay here pleasant and that your wounds trouble you little now?”

“Yes,” Huoro responded graciously. “We have received excellent care. Your healers are most skilled and Prince Curumaitë’s abilities rival those of the great healers of Valinor trained in the gardens of Lorien by the Belain.”

The king beamed proudly. “Forgive me for drawing comparisons between the Noldor and the Tatyai –I understand that you have heard many since your arrival and few of them favorable to the Noldor. I must ask you: would a high prince of the Noldor ever deign to serve strangers in need as my son has? I have heard little to suggest that any but perhaps one or two of the sons of Finwë would ever have considered such a thing.”

“There are many forms of hospitality which one can show to strangers,” Arafinwë carefully replied. “And there are many ways in which one can render aid to those in need of assistance. None of us know of all circumstances and events which have transpired here in Ennorath. I think that the true test of one’s character cannot be made until situations present themselves. I also have noted that the pride of the Noldor is something of which the Tatyai have not yet cleansed themselves. Perhaps in many ways, we are not so different after all.”

Sulwë smiled in concession. “Very true and well said, Lord Ingoldo. I see your tongue is of the Noldor even if your appearance is not.

“In Ennorath, it is necessary for all to work together to see to the survival of all our race. This does not appear to be the case in Valinor where the Minyai, the Noldor, and the Nelyai live in separate realms and in opposition to each other. At least the Noldor are in opposition to the others, being not of devout spirit like the Minyai. How many betrayals have the Noldor committed since they have been in Ennorath? And they were also disdainful toward the Nelyai whom they slew in order to steal from them. The sons of Finwë have exemplified this self-serving haughtiness since their arrival here with their further division of the Noldor by establishing independent realms, and their failure to help each other in need. Some stayed in hidden cities, only coming forth when it pleased them and others slew fellow elves trying to acquire ridiculous jewels – the works of Curufinwë’s hands! Obviously living in Valinor with the Belain has done the Noldor little good!”

Sulwë paused, glaring scornfully while Arafinwë and his people remained stonily silent. After a moment, he continued.

“The elves who stayed behind in Ennorath learned very quickly that all we know and all that we are must work to serve all our kind and not just individuals and not just the Tatyai. Perhaps if proud Finwë had learned this selflessness, he might have passed some measure of it on to his sons and to his people. Apparently that did not happen.”

Self-righteous smiles, scattered snickers, and comments of agreement spread throughout the hall. Even Sulwë’s sons looked on with triumphant expressions which matched his.

Arafinwë met the king’s eyes with his own unhumbled gaze. “Much of what you say is true. However, do not forget that when the Minyai, the Noldor, and the Nelyai, whom we call the Teleri, left Ennorath, it was in the hopes of finding a safer place to dwell and raise their children. They all learned much to their benefit and rose to greatness under the tutelage of the Belain which they would not have achieved here. Unfortuantely, Morgoth is of the Belain as well, and in the beginning he seemed fair and knowledgeable to those who eagerly wished to learn. It took a long time for any of us in Valinor – the Belain included– to see the subtle evil hidden in all that Morgoth did. He stirred up pride and distrust among our peoples without our realizing what was happening.”

Sighing, Arafinwë looked away for a few moments, then locked gazes with the king once again. “I do not deny that King Finwë let his focus slip away from his people in favor of his eldest son. If he had not done so, then many of the horrors the Noldor have seen and caused might never have come to pass. But then, Morgoth knew that King Finwë was all that held the Noldor together and slew him personally.

“Amidst our sorrow and our endeavors to understand the past and rebuild our society, those of us who remained behind in Valinor have reasoned through many possibilities and looked for many different places to lay blame –in addition to blaming ourselves for our own naivety, blindness, and gullibility. What if the Valar had stopped or even prevented the kinslaying at Alqualondë? What if King Ingwë and King Olwë had gone to King Finwë and tried to help him settle the disquiet arising among the Noldor? What if the Belain had understood the evil of Morgoth sooner and silenced it? What if Queen Miriel had chosen to live and not abandoned King Finwë to raise Fëanáro alone?”

Arafinwë paused, his gaze sweeping the neri surrounding the throne before settling on their king once again. In a softer voice which still carried throughout the utter stillness of the room, he added.

“What if King Finwë’s younger brother who understood the minds and hearts of the clan so well had remained by his older brother’s side to offer the support of his wise counsel and gifted speech, rather than instigating and leading the first division among the Tatyai?”

Even Arafinwë’s entourage looked at him wonderingly in the silence that followed.

King Sulwë regarded him shrewdly. “I did know our people well and I warned Finwë of what could befall our people leaving the home Eru made for us in favor of the home that the Belain made for us. For years I tried to tell him, but he would hear none of it. So, I used my knowledge of our people’s minds and hearts to persuade and save those I could and provide them a home here. Finwë as eldest disregarded me as he did his own younger sons in favor of his own eldest. Perhaps he had sympathy for the plight of the eldest over the annoyance of wiser younger brothers?”

Mumers of support for the Tatyai king arose from the crowd amidst derogatory comments about Lord Ingoldo and his ungrateful group. Sulwë raised his hand, quelling the crowd. When they were silent once again, he admonished Arafinwë.

“You venture much in your words, Lord Ingoldo. But then, much can be read into what is not said as it can into what is said. I have noticed here how none of your comrades in arms gainsay you – even the eloquent Lord Huoro. I noticed how they place themselves between you and everyone else in this hall as if unarmed they could defend you from us if we chose to attack. Curumaitë told me of their unusual concern for you, risking their lives to bear you from battle on the orders of Prince Ingil, staying by your side from the first moment that the border guards found you. I have to wonder why a Noldorin lord matters so much to the High Prince of the Minyai. Some of your comrades even chose to endure their injuries without relief from pain in order for one of them to remain awake or on guard near you at all times. Perhaps the most loyal and the best of the Noldor, the ones most like the Tatyai were the ones who stayed behind in Valinor and only now have returned to Ennorath?”

Arafinwë’s group stood their ground carefully impassive, their expressions neutral and unreadable, though their bodies remained taught and ready to strike if the need arose.

“Almost would I have believed the story your warriors told of loyal friendship and duty to kin – almost - had I not received a messenger this morning and that which accompanied him which still remains outside my gates even as we speak.” 

The elves of Valinor looked about, shifting nervously, wary of this new development. Guilin and Sanarondo moved to take up closer defensive positions on either side of their liege.

The Tatyai king smiled knowingly at the uncertain expressions on his guests’ faces. “It would seem, Lord Ingoldo, that the Noldorin army from Valinor is missing its king. Apparently he was badly injured in a great battle eight days ago. The remnants of his personal guard: Lord Guilin, Lord Sanarondo, Lieutenant Séro, and guardsmen Ortírion and Calmon under the leadership of Ingil’s captain Lord Huoro were ordered to remove him to safety. When the battle ended – a decisive victory for the armies of Valinor, by the way – it was discovered that the king’s guard never made it back to camp. Apparently hundreds of the injured and battle weary volunteered to go in search of the Noldorin king, including many warriors of the Minyai. Thus Prince Ingil was forced to hand-pick the search parties in order to see that the injured actually stayed behind and saw to their wounds. The search at first proved fruitless, though those hunting were attacked frequently by fleeing bands of orcs, leading many to fear that the king had been taken by Morgoth. Now that the forest is sufficiently cleared of orcs and no king has been found, a small army numbering more than two hundred and fifty Noldor and Minyai finds itself camped outside my gates waiting for me to confirm the names of those warriors in my care.

“It would seem that while they are not missing a Lord Ingoldo, they are indeed missing one King Arafinwë.” Sulwë leaned forward in his throne, his right elbow propped on the arm, his chin resting on his raised fist. ”What shall I tell them?”

Arafinwë smiled warmly, sighing in great relief. “Tell them…tell them that King Arafinwë was enjoying the hospitality of his esteemed uncle, and, under the expert care of his cousin, expects to make a full recovery.”

Huoro added, “Perhaps you had better clarify things a bit for as far as they know, King Ingwë of the Vanyar is your uncle and Prince Ingil your cousin.”

“For that matter,” Sanarondo added matter-of-factly, “King Olwë of the Teleri is his father-in-law and all of Olwë’s sons are his brothers-in-law.”

“And it seems that all of these interesting relationships have managed at some point to put me in challenging circumstances which I have had to talk my way through with great difficulty and discomfort,” Arafinwë sighed long-sufferingly. “Thank your both for reminding me. I believe that King Sulwë’s messenger can explain any missing relationship information without my having to clarify it for him.”

Sulwë sat up straight, smiling. “In the interest of future politics, I am rather glad that we were good to you while you were here in our care. Perhaps you can take my greetings to King Ingwë and King Olwë whose folk we greatly miss, and put in a good word for the Tatyai?”

“My lord,” Arafinwë humbly replied. “I think that your people’s actions in caring for strangers from Valinor who were in desperate need speaks more on your behalf than anything I could say. However, I will gladly bear your greetings and say what I can in your favor. I sincerely hope that one day you and the Tatyai here will come to Valinor and join your kin across the sea. There is plenty of room for a realm of your own, if you do not wish to reunite with the Noldor under one king, though we would gladly welcome you and your wise counsel in Tirion.”

“King Arafinwë, I intentionally tried to rouse your anger and pride to see what kind of lord you are. I find that you are more like to a son of mine than a son of Finwë’s. It truly is a pity that your adar never lived to see the respect, loyalty, and love you command of the Noldor, the Minyai, and of other kings as well.” Then Sulwë smiled slyly. “I think he would have been proud of his son and rather irritated that a younger brother commanded what the favored eldest brother did not.”

Arafinwë only smiled in reply.

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Terms:

Minya/Minyar/Minyai - singular and plural and archaic plural of the “first” clan of elves which later became the Vanyar.

Tatya/Tatyar/Tatyai- singular and plural and archaic plural of the “second” clan of the elves, a large segment of which later became the Noldor.

Nelyai – archaic term for the “third” clan of elves part of which divided into the Teleri, the Sindar, etc.

Belain – (S) the Valar