4: At the Rose and Crown

Valandur hesitated for a moment before stepping into the Rose and Crown. This had been a popular place for him and his friends to meet and talk and he wondered if any of them were there now. The thought both excited and frightened him and he wasn’t sure why. Squaring his shoulders and silently castigating himself for several kinds of fool, he opened the door and went in.

The inn was not as crowded as he thought it should be, but perhaps that was just as well, for he would not have to hunt for a place to sit. Instead, he found a small table by a window overlooking the street. He didn’t see anyone whom he recognized and was both disappointed and relieved. He scowled to himself. This ambivalence was getting him nowhere. He looked up as someone approached him. It was one of the serving ellith.

“And what is your pleasure, fair sir?” she asked.

“Do you still carry some Tirion white?” he asked politely.

The elleth nodded. “Indeed we do. Shall I get you some?”

Valandur nodded and she headed for the bar, returning a few minutes later with a bottle of wine and a clear crystal goblet. She poured a small measure of the wine into the goblet and he took a sip, declaring it acceptable. She smiled, poured some more into the goblet and left the bottle on the table. For some time he sat there, idly staring out the window, sipping his wine and watching the people moving up and down the street going about their business and only half listening to the quiet conversations around him. Then someone said something that caught his attention.

“... sure that this trade agreement will work.”

Valandur casually shifted his position so he was facing more toward the bar, stretching out his legs as if he were settling in for a while. He took a long sip of his wine, eyeing the rest of the room over the rim of his goblet. Yes, there, two tables away were three Noldor sitting together. Two of them looked to be of the older generation while the other might belong to the second generation of Elves, those born soon after the Eldar had come to Aman. Almost by default, anyone who had made the Great Journey was considered part of the first generation whatever their actual age. The Great Journey had proved to be a defining line between those who remembered the stars above Cuiviénen and those who knew only the Light of the Trees. One of the older ellyn seemed familiar to Valandur but he could put no name to him.

The younger ellyn spoke. “Why shouldn’t it work? Do you not think that trade between the two clans is a good thing?”

“I do not know,” one of the older ellyn said and Valandur recognized it as the first voice he had overheard. “I only know that there is still resentment among us for what the Vanyar did.”

“And what exactly did they do?” the younger ellon asked.

The two older ellyn gave him disbelieving looks. “No, I’m serious,” the younger ellon said. “What exactly did they do to warrant mistrust and resentment from you?”

The first ellon scowled. “Look around you, seldo. How many houses stand empty, their gardens untended, houses once lived in by the Vanyar, who up and left, deciding they wanted to be closer to the Valar?” He sneered at that.

The younger ellon shrugged. “And so? In time, those empty houses will be inhabited by the younger generations of Noldor and the gardens will bloom again. Indeed, I have several friends who have already taken over empty houses where they can raise their own families.”

“They abandoned us,” the second older ellon retorted with a growl.

The younger ellon shrugged again. “Or perhaps we abandoned them.”

The two others raised eyebrows at that outrageous statement and even Valandur couldn’t help wondering where the young ellon’s logic lay. The younger ellon smiled at the discomfiture of his elders. “At the last festival held by the Valar, I overheard some Vanyar speaking about how they could see the restlessness of our clan becoming more prominent, especially among the younger generations. One of them commented that it was a good thing Ingwë had convinced the Vanyar to move away from Tirion and the influence of the Noldor, for the High King was wary of that restlessness, feeling that we may regret it in some manner.” He paused and shrugged. “Well, that was what I overheard. I did not stay around to hear more, for what I heard upset me and I needed to go away and be alone to think about it.”

“And what did you conclude?” the first ellon asked.

“That perhaps the Vanyar were wise to leave Tirion when they did,” the younger ellon replied. “I have noticed the restlessness of spirit that seems to permeate our people. We are always searching for more, many of us making far journeys in search of the secrets of the land.”

“And is that a bad thing?” the second older ellon asked with a smile.

“No. Not necessarily,” the younger ellon answered. “But what happens when we have searched out every secret? What happens when we decide Valinor is not enough, that the land is too small to contain us? Where do we go then? What do we do? Nay. A time may come when our restlessness will prove our downfall and I doubt me that not even the Valar will be able to stop it from happening.”

The two older ellyn looked pensive. “So you think this trade agreement will do what exactly?”

“If nothing else, perhaps it will draw our two clans closer even as we have drawn close to the Teleri. Finwë’s marriage to Indis did not bring our two clans together as closely as they might have wished. I think the resentment of the older generation was too new and raw, but times change and now Ingwë is holding out the hand of reconciliation. It seems silly to me to ignore it.”

Silence settled between the three ellyn and Valandur contemplated all that he had heard, knowing that he would need to speak to Lord Ingoldo about it. He frowned slightly at that thought. Ingoldo did not strike him as someone who would listen sympathetically to anything he might say. He suspected that the prince had been against his inclusion in their delegation from the beginning. He wondered just how effective he could be in helping both parties to come to a mutual agreement. In the end, though, he knew that his ultimate purpose was to keep his eyes and ears open for Ingwë’s sake.

He was startled out of his reverie by the sound of the door opening and a familiar voice calling out. “So, here is where you are hiding.”

He looked up to see Aldamir and Sorondur standing over him, grinning at him. “You are in deep trouble, my friend,” Aldamir said in mock seriousness.

“Sit down,” Valandur ordered and he raised his hand to get the attention of the serving elleth who came over to enquire of his needs. “More wine for my friends,” he said.

“We don’t have time for this,” Sorondur said. “We were told to bring you back forthwith.”

“It can wait,” Valandur retorted. “Sit down,” and the tone of his voice was such that the two ellyn did just that. The serving elleth returned with two more goblets and another bottle of wine. Valandur poured for them. “I want you to listen to me very carefully,” he said in a low, conversational tone. “We may have a problem.”

“Besides the one sitting across from us?” Aldamir demanded before he took an appreciative sip of the wine.

Valandur sighed. “Will you just listen? How popular is this trade agreement among the Vanyar? Do you know?”

Both ellyn gave him a quizzical look. “What do you mean and why does it matter?” Aldamir asked. “I’m sure the merchants are behind it as it will only benefit them in the long run.”

“And the Noldor?” Valandur pressed. “How popular is it with them, do you know?”

“Why do you ask?” Sorondur demanded, looking confused. “If they didn’t want this agreement, they wouldn’t have asked us to come here, would they?”

“Finwë, perhaps, but I’m speaking of the common people. How much are they behind this agreement between our two peoples?”

“I would think the Noldorin merchants would welcome it,” Aldamir stated. “They would be fools not to. But why this sudden interest as to what the common people think? They do not create policy. Their opinions are not important.”

“If you believe that, Aldamir, then you are a fool,” Valandur said in a harsh voice.

The other two straightened in their chairs, scowling almost as one. “We should get back to the palace,” Aldamir said. “Prince Ingoldo was not pleased to know you had left the feast so precipitously. So finish up and let us be on our way. Because of you, we’re missing the music and the dancing.”

Valandur sighed but did not argue. Perhaps it was not important what the common people thought of it all, but the conversation he had overheard had disturbed him. He hoped that the views put forth by the younger ellon were prominent among the Noldor, but he very much doubted it. Taking a last sip of the wine, he nodded and stood, fishing some coins from a pouch and placing them on the table even as Aldamir and Sorondur were heading for the door. Valandur began to follow them but on a sudden impulse he made his way to the bar and spoke softly to the barkeep. “Who is the young ellon sitting over in that corner?”

The barkeep glanced idly to where Valandur was nodding. “And you wish to know this why?”

“He seems very familiar to me but I do not wish to introduce myself if it turns out that he and his companions are not who I think they are,” Valandur replied. “I would not wish to embarrass myself or them.”

The barkeep gave him a considering look and Valandur schooled his expression to one of polite interest. “The young ellon is Nambarauto Eldacánion,” he finally said. “That’s Eldacáno on his right and across from him is his anatar, Minalcar.”

“Hmm… No, those names are not familiar,” Valandur said nonchalantly, giving the barkeep a rueful look. “Apparently the ellon just looks like someone I once knew when I lived in Tirion. Well, thank you for your time, good sir. I see my friends are waiting impatiently for me.” He nodded to where Aldamir and Sorondur were standing just outside the door glaring at him.

The barkeep chuckled. “And a good day to you, sir,” he said.

Valandur joined the other two outside. “What was that all about?” Aldamir growled.

“I needed some information and barkeeps are a fountain of information,” Valandur replied calmly. Yet, inwardly, he was feeling elated. Minalcar! Of course. He should have remembered the older ellon who had traveled with him and his parents across the wilds of Endórë. He was not surprised that he did not recognize him immediately. It had been many yéni since he had last seen Minalcar and Eldacáno had not even been born. As he walked behind Aldamir and Sorondur, he realized he should have asked as to their professions and was tempted to go back to the inn for the information but knew how ludicrous that idea was. He knew their names; it would be easy enough to make enquiries about them. He would enjoy renewing his friendship with Minalcar and his indyo Nambarauto whose views intrigued him.

“Well, are you coming?” Aldamir demanded impatiently and Valandur realized he had slowed his pace as he reminisced about Minalcar.

Sorondur smiled wickedly. “No doubt he wishes to delay the inevitable.”

“And we are missing the dancing because of you,” Aldamir retorted with a scowl.

“Forgive me,” Valandur said with sincere contriteness. “I truly did not mean to cause trouble for anyone. I just needed to get away for a time.”

Aldamir just snorted and kept on walking. Sorondur gave him a sympathetic look but did not comment. Valandur resisted a sigh as he followed along, hoping Lord Ingoldo would not be too harsh with him.

They entered the palace grounds through the same side gate he had used to leave, making their way to the feast hall where the dancing was in full progress. Aldamir nodded to where Laurelindalë and Nolondilmë were standing. They both had wistful looks on their faces as they watched the couples passing them. “Sorondur and I have already done our duty to them,” he said. “I suggest you do the same.”

Valandur nodded and wended his way past others, keeping a wary look out for Lord Ingoldo and Prince Fëanáro. He was in no mood to confront either of them just yet. Laurelindalë looked up at his approach.

“I see they found you,” she said.

“Unfortunately,” Valandur replied somewhat stiffly. “I have been told in no uncertain terms that I am to do my duty to you both.”

“You needn’t sound so reluctant, Loremaster. I would be happy to take your place.”

Valandur turned to see a grinning Intarion who bowed to the ellith. “Your pardon, my ladies. I would have asked you both for a dance sooner but I was otherwise engaged. Loremaster, perhaps if you were to escort Lady Laurelindalë I will escort Lady Nolondilmë and then we can switch partners in the next set.”

“I would be honored,” Valandur said graciously, giving Laurelindalë a bow, extending his arm so she could take it. Then they were joining other couples for a pavane in which the couples moved up and down the line. The next dance was a double circle dance with the ellith on the inside and was much livelier. Valandur laughed with Nolondilmë as he swung her around before grabbing her by the waist and lifting her up so as to move her to his right to stand in front of Intarion while a Noldorin elleth he did not know took her place before him. Eventually, Nolondilmë returned to him after having gone all the way around and the music came to an end. They were all a bit breathless by then and they eagerly headed for a side table where drinks could be had.

“There now, that wasn’t so bad, was it?” Intarion asked Valandur, giving him an impish grin.

Valandur blushed, accepting the implied reprimand as he handed Nolondilmë some fruit punch. Intarion nodded, looking out across the hall. “Atar was rather upset when you failed to return. He was all set to introduce you to Finwë and his heir.”

“I have already met Prince Fëanáro,” Valandur replied, blushing slightly at the memory of his humiliation.

Intarion gave him a shrewd look. “The meeting did not go well, I take it.”

Valandur shook his head. “To say the least.”

“Well I can tell you that Atar is about ready to send you packing for embarrassing him as you did. Luckily, Finwë was not as upset though I did notice Fëanáro sneering, as if he knew something the others did not, and now I know why. My advice to you, Loremaster, is to tell my atar that you are unused to feasts of this nature and became overwhelmed. You stepped out for some fresh air and then decided to reacquaint yourself with the city and lost track of time… and I would say nothing about Fëanáro.”

Valandur gave the younger ellon an appreciative look. “Thank you for the advice, my lord. You are shrewder than first appearances might suggest.”

Intarion shrugged, giving him a shy look which made him seem even younger than he was. “Comes from growing up in the High King’s household. Now, I think you should make your apologies to my Atar and the Noldóran.” He nodded to where Ingoldo and Finwë were seated with their wives at the high table conversing.

Valandur resisted a sigh, drained his goblet and handed it to Intarion before making his way across the hall to the high table. Ingoldo looked up and scowled at him, but Valandur gave them all a proper bow and spoke before anyone else could.

“I pray pardon, Your Majesties, Your Highnesses, for leaving the feast as I did. I fear I am not used to such affairs and became overwhelmed.”

Ingoldo did not seem convinced but Finwë nodded graciously. “No harm done, Loremaster. I trust that you are done with being overwhelmed?”

Valandur forced himself not to cringe at the tone, recognizing what Finwë was truly saying. “Yes, Majesty. It will not happen again.”

“Good, good. Now that that has been settled you needn’t send Loremaster Valandur packing in disgrace as you had threatened to do, Brother.” Finwë cast an amused look at Ingoldo, who nodded, though he was obviously less than pleased with Valandur.

“Of course,” he said through tight lips. “All is forgiven.”

Forgiven, perhaps, Valandur thought to himself, but not forgotten. He would need to take care in the future not to do anything that would give Ingoldo the excuse he needed to send him back to Vanyamar. He bowed to the royals. “Thank you, Your Majesties, Your Highnesses.”

Finwë waved a hand in dismissal. “Go and enjoy the rest of the dancing, Loremaster.”

Valandur bowed again and as he straightened his eyes fell upon the Queen Indis who startled him with a wink. He kept his expression neutral, not wishing to give himself away, but he couldn’t help wondering what that wink meant as he left the high table to rejoin his friends.

****

Seldo: Boy.

Anatar: Grandfather.

Endórë: Middle-earth.

Indyo: (Vanyarin Quenya) In this context, ‘grandson’. The Noldorin form would be inyo.