Chapter the Sixteenth:

In Which Sador Arrives and a Dream is Revealed

The next morning, as was Arafinwë’s custom on the fourth Anarya of the month, the King was breaking his fast with those nobles who sat on the Privy Council, along with their families. Herendil and Vandacalimë were there with Vondo and Vorondil, Aldundil was still in the healing wing and the family had visited him before joining the royal family for breakfast. Vorondil and Vondo were naturally upset to learn they hadn’t been invited to the picnic, but Herendil pointed out that no one else had been invited either.

"It was just Findaráto and his parents and Glorfindel. Not even Ingwion and Ingalaurë went."

"I slept most of the day," Ingalaurë said then, giving a huff of disgust as he toyed with his food.

"And with Intarion still in the healing wing, I had a very restful day myself," Ingwion said with a grin. Some of the listeners chuckled.

Intarion, who had been released from the healers’ care that morning, was quietly sitting between Ingwion and Finrod, not looking at anyone, but at Ingwion’s quip he started sniffing, trying to fight back tears. Finrod put an arm around his shoulders. "Now, no tears, Cousin. No one is blaming you for what happened. It was just an unfortunate accident."

But Intarion was not so easily consoled and he started weeping harder. Both Finrod and Ingwion tried to comfort him, but to no avail. Then, Eärwen stood up and went to them, gently pulling Intarion into her embrace and rocking him. "We’re all very proud of you, did you know that?"

"Why?" Intarion asked between sniffles, "I was bad."

"No, Intarion, you were not bad. You were very brave, coming to Findaráto’s defense. We’re just sorry you got hurt." She kissed him on the brow and wiped the tears from his eyes with a linen cloth, smiling encouragingly at him. "Now, why don’t you finish your breakfast and perhaps Marilla will let you and your cousins bake some ginger biscuits later on."

"We were going to make a special dinner for Vondo and Vorondil," Intarion said. "I’m helping Glorfindel with the soup," he added somewhat shyly.

"It was supposed to be a surprise," Ingalaurë said with a scowl. "Now you’ve ruined it."

Intarion looked as if he would start crying again, but Eärwen just gave him another hug. "I think you should all make the dinner together," she suggested, giving Finrod a significant look over Intarion’s shoulder, which he returned with a nod, "and Vondo and Vorondil can entertain you with tales of their adventures while camping."

"Oh yes," Vorondil said excitedly. "For once it didn’t rain or snow or anything. Come on, Inti, hurry up and finish eating so we can go make ginger biscuits."

Eärwen released the ellon and he resumed his seat and began eating while she returned to her own seat. One of the ladies of the court who acted as a lady-in-waiting for the Queen, spoke then. "You are quite adept, my lady, at handling the emotions of Reborn. I hope I can be as understanding when my brother is finally released from Mandos."

"It takes much patience," Eärwen replied with a nod, "and it helps to keep a sense of humor."

"And several bottles of wine on hand," Arafinwë added with a straight face. Every Reborn in the room stuck their tongue out at the King at almost the same time, causing a great deal of laughter on the part of the others.

****

Marilla refused to allow anyone in the kitchen until after the noon meal, saying there were too many cooks as it was, so Finrod suggested that they spend the morning in quiet pursuits. Intarion was still feeling a bit shaky and even Vondo and Vorondil were feeling lazy, so they mostly spent the time either reading or visiting with Aldundil. Finrod, in fact, spent a little time with Eärwen going over the wedding preparations, with the Queen explaining what had been decided and what was still not settled.

"I’ve received a few letters from Almáriel but none so far from Amárië," she told him.

"I’m not surprised," Finrod said with a sigh. "Ingwion had to bring a missive from her addressed to me in response to my own letter that I wrote her rather than trust it to the regular courier."

Eärwen gave him a disbelieving look. "You actually wrote your betrothed a letter? Without prompting?"

Finrod laughed. "Yes, Ammë. I wrote a letter to my beloved without anyone standing over me making sure that I did."

Eärwen smirked. "Tell me how you would like to see the wedding ceremony go," she said.

Finrod shrugged. "In truth, I’ve not really given it any real thought and I have no idea what Amarië would like. I think it’s important that this not be a strictly Noldorin affair. Not that I expect to share snails with Amarië," he added hastily, giving his ammë an impish grin which caused her to chuckle, "but certainly the Vanyar have slightly different customs than we do and we need to keep in mind all those who will be attending."

"Surely you don’t intend to cater to everyone who will be attending?" his ammë demanded.

"Oh no! And it would be almost impossible to do so," Finrod agreed. "Still, I noticed that you’ve made no provisions for the fact that, by Vanyarin custom, the bride’s family is to present the groom’s family with their copy of the marriage contract and that the particulars of the contract are to be read aloud and agreed upon by all assembled prior to the giving of vows.

"It’s a small thing, I know," he continued when Eärwen frowned, "and we Noldor have dispensed with that aspect entirely, merely amending the contract with details of the wedding ceremony and who acted as witnesses after the fact, but the Vanyar are a bit more conservative than we in such matters. It was Intarion who actually pointed out the fact that most of us think of Amarië as being a Noldo because she dwelt among you for so long while I was... um... elsewhere, but she’s not a Noldo, except perhaps in spirit, and her parents are definitely not Noldor. I think even Uncle Ingwë would like to see some of the Vanyarin customs observed, though he would be the least offended if they are not."

Eärwen sighed. "I really hadn’t thought about any of that," she admitted. "You are correct that your atar and I long ago thought of Amarië as our daughter." She gave him a slightly wicked smile. "It caused quite the scandal when she adamantly refused to return to Vanyamar after your atar’s coronation. Almáriel was quite beside herself, though Castamir merely shrugged and said she was an elleth grown and was quite capable of making up her own mind about such matters, but it was a long while before the furor died down."

"She stayed because of me," Finrod said a bit sadly. "She stayed because she still had hope, however bitter it might be."

"She stayed because she loved you and us," Eärwen said gently, giving her son a light kiss on the forehead. "And in truth, we welcomed her because she was a small reminder of you. I’d sometimes wondered what would have happened if you’d married before the Trees were darkened."

Finrod shrugged, clearly uncomfortable with the idea. "We’ll never know, will we? It didn’t happen that way and so we are left with the consequences."

"Well, I long accepted that," Eärwen said, "but I still can’t help wondering from time to time." She paused and gave him a gentle smile. "So, we will incorporate the reading of the contract into the ceremony. I’m assuming you have no objections to the feast following the giving of vows?"

"No. We did the same when Intarion and Lirulin were married, as I recall, though not a few of the older Elves complained about ‘newfangled customs’." He gave her a knowing grin and she laughed.

"Let’s see? What else?" she said, taking a glance at her list. "What about decorations....?"

****

The rest of the week went by with few upsets. By Valanya, Aldundil was allowed to leave the healing wing and return to his atar’s estate, though his leg would be in a splint for another week according to Vardamir. When Finrod and Glorfindel, along with Ingwion, Ingalaurë and Intarion, attended Lady Vandacalimë’s garden party, Nornoros accompanied them, taking on the guise of a palace guard. If there were other Maiar present, no one knew it, but luckily, the affair ran smoothly and everyone, even Vorondil, was on their best behavior.

During the week, Glorfindel and Ingwion kept the three younger Reborn and Vorondil occupied with workouts in the salle or riding in the park where they were allowed to go hawking and have their own picnic, for, as Finrod had predicted, with the arrival of the Vanyarin cousins, Arafinwë had lifted the house arrest against him and Glorfindel. Plans were even being made for them to take a brief hunting trip into the Royal Reserve, though the actual day had not been decided upon. Finrod, besides consulting with Eärwen and Mistress Terendulë on the wedding preparations, spent a great deal of time with Arafinwë in governing the realm, for though he now lived mostly in Lórien, he was still haryon to the Noldóran and would take up such duties as were required of him whenever he visited Tirion.

Thus, Lotessë was coming to a close and Nárië was nigh when a messenger came from Tol Eressëa letting Arafinwë know that Cáno Sador Bronwegion would be arriving in two days’ time. Everyone perked up at that and there was much excitement and discussion about why Sador was arriving at least a week earlier than anticipated.

"Did he give you any indication that he would be coming here so early?" Arafinwë asked Ingwion as they were finishing with lunch. "My last missive from him said he and Netilmírë would be here on the eighth so Netilmírë could attend the breakfast I have scheduled with the guildmasters the next day."

Ingwion shook his head. "When I left he said much the same. Apparently something happened to change his mind." He gave his cousin a sly grin. "I would think you would be pleased to see more of him before the wedding."

"It’s not that," Arafinwë said with a disdainful sniff. "I’m just hoping that my other sons don’t corrupt him with their foolishness. Sador has matured quite nicely in the last ten years since becoming Cáno and acts far more responsibly than even Findaráto, I deem."

Finrod looked affronted at that but Ingwion just laughed. "Then you don’t know Sador as well as you think you do, Arafinwë. The stories I could tell of some of his escapades on Tol Eressëa."

"Oh?"

Ingwion smirked. "Sador is indeed very responsible for one so young, but he is still little more than a child, even if you count the yéni he spent in Mandos, and sometimes...." he shrugged. "Well, let’s just say that he has a streak of mischief that keeps us oldsters on our toes and highly entertained. Even Morcocáno and Galadhwen enjoy his antics... usually."

"Well, you will have to regale us with some of his more memorable escapades later," Arafinwë said. "In the meantime, the government doesn’t run itself, unfortunately." He rose, as did all who were there, and left with others of the court following him, including Finrod, and Ingwion and Glorfindel, for Arafinwë had scheduled a meeting to discuss certain topics relating to Aewellond and Glorfindel was acting as Eärendil’s representative.

****

Sador’s arrival had something of a festive air to it. Arafinwë had ordered banners to be flown and garlands to be hung and when the Cáno’s party was sighted by sharp-eyed guards, silver trumpets were blown, welcoming the travelers. People gathered along the route that Sador’s party would take, cheering and waving and throwing pink and white mayflower petals in welcome. The royal family, along with the Vanyarin cousins and most of the court stood before the doors of the palace waiting for Sador’s party to approach.

Everyone was dressed in brightly colored garb, suitably crowned with coronets (the ellyn) and flower wreaths (the ellith). Vorondil was smartly dressed in a squire’s tabard showing Finrod’s device, looking both proud and scared at the same time, for Arafinwë (with Finrod’s permission) had granted him the honor of attending to Sador during his stay. This was the first time he was being allowed to act as a squire in full rather than sporadically whenever Finrod had a need for one.

Finrod gave the ellon a warm smile, noticing his nervousness, and gave him a hug. "You’ll be just fine."

"It’s just that I don’t want to embarrass myself, or you," Vorondil whispered.

"You cannot," Finrod said firmly. "And, besides, this is Sador. You know how much he loves you."

Vorondil nodded and started to speak but then stopped to listen, raising an eyebrow at Finrod. "That’s Sindarin," he said.

And it was. Even before Sador’s party reached the plaza they could hear voices raised in song. Finrod and Glorfindel exchanged smiles and suddenly began singing as well having recognized the tune, a song that was first sung among the Exiles at the time of the Mereth Aderthad and swiftly became popular as a song of welcoming. Arafinwë and a few others understood the words, though they did not join in. The song was joyous and even those who knew nothing of the language smiled at the loveliness of the tune. Soon the song grew louder as Sador’s party entered the plaza, the song coming neatly to an end even as Sador brought his horse to a stop. There were glad cries and greetings as the Noldor recognized friends among the Tol Eressëans. Arafinwë and Eärwen came forward to properly greet Sador as Cáno, their words formal but obviously full of love for their other ‘heart-son’. Sador, for his part, merely laughed and raised his hands.

"Please, Atto, Ammë, save the speeches for Morcocáno and Galadhwen. I’m just glad to be home again."

Then there was much hugging and kissing as everyone tried to greet the young Sinda at once. Eventually, the horses were led away and the rest of Sador’s party dispersed to the homes of friends and family, leaving just him and the royal family.

"Where are your grandparents and great-grandparents?" Eärwen asked. "Are they not coming?"

"Oh yes," Sador answered as they all made their way along the lower gallery that led towards the royal family’s wing. "They will be coming on the eighth as planned."

"Which begs the question as to what you are doing here so early," Arafinwë said. "Not that we are not glad to see you, yonya, but you have us all wondering."

Sador gave them a mischievous smile. "Well, you can blame Glorfindel."

"What!" Glorfindel exclaimed in surprise, coming to a halt, looking both angry and affronted. "I didn’t do anything! Why does everyone blame me for everything?"

The others looked at the ellon in shock, not expecting such an outburst. Sador immediately hugged him. "Hush, hanno. I was merely jesting." He stepped back to give his brother a smile. "But you are the reason I’ve come earlier than planned."

"Why?" Glorfindel asked, still scowling.

"I will tell you but only after I’ve washed the dust of travel off me and have had something to eat."

"I’ve given Vorondil leave to act as your squire during your time here, at least until the wedding when Findaráto will need him," Arafinwë said. "He’ll see you lack for nothing."

Sador gave the younger ellon a friendly smile. "You’ll be doing a lot of sitting around banging your heels, my friend. I’m not one to have others do for me what I can do for myself."

"Well, I can always fold your tunics, my lord," Vorondil retorted with a smirk. "I’m an old hand at that," and everyone, even Glorfindel, laughed.

"Why don’t you take Sador to his rooms, then, Vorondil, and the rest of us will meet you in the dining room after you’ve freshened up," Arafinwë suggested and Sador agreed to the plan, putting an arm around Vorondil and asking him about his studies.

About a half an hour later they were all congregated in the dining room, enjoying a clear-broth soup and a collation of cold meats and cheeses and freshly baked bread, sipping on a light yellow wine. Glorfindel, sitting on Sador’s left, gave him a cold look. "So how is it you being here is my fault?"

Sador sipped his wine and slowly put the glass down, not at all upset by Glorfindel’s belligerence. "Only indirectly," he said. "It was perhaps a week or so ago. I had a terrible time sleeping one night and I desperately needed real sleep, for I had been stinting myself lately, trying to wrap up some last minute business before coming here. Well, on that particular night I tossed and turned and did a lot of sighing but towards morning I finally did fall into a deep sleep and then... and then I dreamed."

And the way he said it, his listeners knew that this was not an ordinary dream. No one spoke, all waited for the Sinda to continue, which he did after a moment.

"I’ve never had such a dream before," he finally said. "Even now, I can hardly understand its significance, if indeed it has any, and if it had only been the dream and not what followed, I would have dismissed it."

"What happened?" Glorfindel asked.

"I found myself in a market square here in Tirion, the one where the fishmongers sell their wares," Sador answered. It did not escape his notice that his listeners suddenly looked wary. "Ah, so that means something to you," he said.

Finrod nodded, glancing briefly at Glorfindel. "Perhaps. Tell us your dream, hanno."

"Well, as I was saying, I found myself in the market square and there was Glorfindel but no one else. Glorfindel was standing before the fountain, you know, the one with the seamaid blowing a conch." Everyone nodded. "He was just standing there, and then all of a sudden, the water in the fountain began to bubble and boil and it was as if a storm were brewing on its surface and then... then Lord Ulmo rose out of the fountain and with him came every kind of fish imaginable leaping out of the fountain and quickly filling the square until Glorfindel and I were practically standing knee deep in them."

"Well, that’s almost what happened," Glorfindel muttered and Sador raised an eyebrow but Finrod asked him what happened next and he obliged. "Once the fish stopped leaping around, Lord Ulmo looked at Glorfindel and said, ‘Is that enough?’. Glorfindel nodded, saying nothing and then Lord Ulmo turned to me and said, ‘Stop fishing for compliments, child,’ and then he disappeared into the fountain and that’s when I woke up."

There was a long moment of silence as people digested Sador’s words. Sador turned to Glorfindel. "What did you mean that that’s what almost happened?"

Glorfindel sighed and proceeded to explain. Sador’s eyes widened as he listened. When Glorfindel was done, Sador nodded. "Well that makes what happened afterwards make more sense, I suppose."

"Wait," Ingwion said. "What’s this about fishing for compliments?"

Sador reddened and started hemming and hawing. "Nothing really. I was feeling a bit insecure and just needed some reassurance."

The older Elves gave each other knowing smiles. "So, just what happened afterwards?" Glorfindel asked.

"As I said, I would have dismissed it as just a strange dream brought on by anxiety and wishing to be with all of you and missing Ingwion, but then later that morning I found Anatto kneeling beside the fountain in the courtyard talking to someone even though he was alone....

****

"Anatto, what are you doing?" Sador asked, speaking quietly so as not to upset the ellon. Mallor, once of Doriath, now recently Reborn, tended to become vexed when he thought someone was disapproving of him and Sador was careful not to give that impression.

Mallor looked up with a smile. "I’m talking to the fish."

"Excuse me?"

Mallor nodded and pointed. "He’s very big."

Sador took a few steps towards the fountain and peered in. How on Arda had a fish gotten in the fountain, he wondered. Yet, there it was — a large golden carp happily swimming in the fountain’s shallow pool. "How did he get there do you suppose?" he asked, being very careful not to sound accusatory.

His Anatto, like many a Reborn, had an innocence about him that manifested itself in surprising ways, including playing practical jokes. Only a few short weeks ago, Sador had woken one morning to find the potter’s shed where he and the rest of his family worked on their pottery projects painted a bright red, courtesy of Mallor, aided and abetted by Voronwë, Netilmírë’s Reborn husband, the two of them declaring that they were tired of white (and where they found the paint was anyone’s guess for the ellyn refused to say). Netilmírë had been ready to throttle both her husband and son-in-law and was practically screaming at them for being so foolish, but Sador, himself a Reborn, and much wiser about such things, simply declared that he would have painted it blue with sunflowers and left it at that. He wasn’t at all surprised when a week later he discovered his grandparents, along with Netilmírë and Voronwë, repainting the shed blue.

Mallor looked up at his grandson and shrugged. "I don’t know. I came out here to greet Anor and there was the fish swimming around. It saw me and poked its head out of the water and greeted me."

"Greeted you?" Sador asked in disbelief. "Anatto, fish don’t talk."

"This one does. Here, I’ll show you." Mallor leaned over the fountain a bit. "Master Fish, here is my grandson. Would you like to say hello to him?"

Sador watched in amusement as the fish swam around, apparently ignoring them, wondering how it got there and could he safely have it removed to a nearby pond where it would be better off when the fish swam closer to them and poked its head above the water. "Mae govannen, Sador."

Sador leapt to his feet in shock, for the voice that had issued from the carp’s mouth had sounded very much like Lord Ulmo’s from the dream. He just stared at the fish that he was beginning to realize was not a fish at all. The carp seemed to be laughing at him. "Go to Tirion, child. Your brothers have need of you," it said and then it took a leap into the air before plunging back into the water and disappearing entirely.

Mallor sighed, trailing a finger in the water. "And we were having a lovely conversation, too."

Sador came out of his shock long enough to recognize his anatar’s mood, which was unpredictable at the best of times. "Perhaps he’ll come and visit again," he said, amazed that his voice actually sounded reasonable when his knees were shaking and he had a desire to faint.

Mallor perked up at that. "That would be nice," he said with a smile and stood up. "I’m going fishing," he declared and set off, leaving Sador standing in the courtyard trying to understand what had just happened....

****

Everyone stared at the young ellon as he finished his tale.

"Well, that beats my fish story all hollow," Glorfindel said at last and Sador started to laugh and soon everyone else joined him.

"Netilmírë, when I told her, simply threw her hands up in the air and said, ‘Why not?’ She’s still not used to being surrounded by Reborn and having the Valar drop in for a visit."

They laughed again. When they were calmer, Arafinwë said, "Well, regardless, we are glad you are here. Perhaps between you and Ingwion you can keep your brothers in line. They’ve been up to their own brand of mischief and have been driving us all to distraction."

Sador raised an eyebrow. "You keep forgetting I’m a Reborn, too, Atar. I think you’re just jealous because you don’t get to join in on the fun."

"Does he even know how to have fun?" Ingwion asked, seemingly in all seriousness.

"Atto is a lot of fun," Ingalaurë said. "I don’t remember him being so fun... before." He frowned slightly, as if trying to capture an elusive memory.

"Well, just to show you," Arafinwë said with a huff, "I can be as fun as Ingwë." He stood up suddenly, his eyes bright with mischief. "Last one swinging in a tree is an orc," he declared and before anyone could grasp his meaning, he was running out of the room laughing merrily, his robes flapping behind him.

Finrod was the first to move. "Yes!" he shouted and leapt up, laughing, and soon all the ellyn were scampering after him, whooping and hollering as they ran down the hall towards the gardens, leaving Eärwen still sitting there alone.

"Ellyn," she said with a shake of her head, smiling fondly, and poured herself another cup of tea.

****

Nárië: (Quenya) June-July in the Gregorian calendar.

Mereth Aderthad: (Sindarin) Feast of Reuniting.

Note: In the Language of Flowers, the mayflower, or trailing arbutus, means ‘welcome’.