10: At the Coppersmith’s

They strolled through the park while Valandur related to Findis his earliest memories of Valinor and the building of Tirion. Findis proved an interested and attentive listener, encouraging him to speak further with insightful questions when he faltered in the telling. After a while, he felt less awkward and tense and began to relax, enjoying the closeness of the elleth on his arm. When he had run out of things to say, they continued walking in companionable silence for a time, stopping once in a while to admire a certain flower or to speak to someone whom they met along the way.

They were coming to a hedgerow that formed an arch over part of the path, creating a leafy tunnel when there came a screech from some young elleth’s throat and then they heard, “Calilassë! You come back here!”

Valandur and Findis stopped and gave each other knowing grins and Valandur noticed that the ellith and the guards trailing them also were grinning. Then they saw an elfling who appeared old enough to have seen at least a full Valian year running pell-mell down the tunnel straight toward them. The child was too bent on escaping his minder to pay attention to where he was going and only noticed them at the very last minute. Giving a squawk of protest, he tried to elude them but Valandur was too quick, having anticipated his move. He grabbed the elfling and wrapped one arm around him as if he were carrying a parcel.

“Whoa, youngster!” he laughed as the child squirmed in his hold, attempting to get loose.

Then they saw an elleth running awkwardly toward them, her wet skirts clinging to her legs and even from a distance they could hear her muttering maledictions, describing in detail what she planned to do with the culprit when she caught up with him. The culprit in question had since gone very still in Valandur’s hold.

“Yours, I take it,” he said amiably as the elleth approached, holding the elfling out to her.

The elleth blew a wet strand of hair out of her eyes and glared at the child. She was much older, perhaps a yén, but not much more than that by Valandur’s estimation, and given the close resemblance between the elleth and the child, he suspected they were siblings.

“Unfortunately,” the elleth said in exasperation, and then, looking down at her wet and soiled clothes, she started weeping. “My new dress. It’s ruined and it’s all your fault, you little monster.”

“Now, now, child, I don’t think it’s as bad as all that,” Findis said sympathetically, taking the elleth by the shoulders. “Where are your parents?”

“They’re visiting with… with friends,” the elleth said between sniffles. “I’m supposed to… to be minding Cali. Ammë’s going to be so angry when she sees my dress.” Now she was crying in earnest.

“What’s your name, dear?” Findis asked, holding out a piece of linen which the elleth took.

“Mel…Melulissë,” she stuttered, attempting to dry her tears.

“A lovely name,” Findis said. “Come. Let us see if we cannot dry you off and rescue your lovely gown. Did your ammë make it for you?”

Melulissë nodded. “It… it was my begetting day gift from her and Atto.”

Findis nodded, then turned to one of her ladies. “Olórëa, hie you hence to the palace and bring back a change of clothing for our young friend while we take her to the pavilion to dry off. See if you can’t find Mistress Silmerossiën and ask her to attend us. We will see what we can do to salvage this lovely dress.”

“Should I take the street or the tunnel back, my lady?” Olórëa asked.

“Hmm… the tunnel will be faster. Here, Thúlindë, take Melulissë to the pavilion while I open the tunnel for Olórëa.”

“And what should I do with young Master Cali?” Valandur asked with a smile, looking down at the elfling, who was starting to squirm again.

“Drown him,” Melulissë muttered angrily, glaring at her brother.

Findis shook the elleth lightly. “Now, hina, that’s not nice and I’m sure you were no better at his age. Now, go with my ladies. Valandur, perhaps you could entertain this rascal in the meantime?”

“Of course, Highness,” Valandur said with a smile. “I’ll take him back to the lake and we’ll watch the swans and see how Aldamir is coming along with his painting.”

“Good. We’ll catch up with you later.” Findis gestured for Olórëa and the guards to follow her and the other ladies, with Melulissë in their midst, headed to where the royal pavilion had been set up. Valandur glanced down at the child he was still holding.

“I’m going to put you down and don’t even think about running away,” he said sternly, and the child gulped and nodded as Valandur released him and stood him upright. “Good. Now take my hand and we’ll go see the swans. Whatever possessed you to do such a naughty thing, hina?”

“Melu was being boring,” the ellon muttered, then looked up at Valandur with a worried look. “Am I in trouble?”

“What do you think?” Valandur asked, shaking his head.

“I guess,” Calilassë replied with a heavy sigh.

Valandur forced himself not to smile at the child’s demeanor. “Well, I think you were very naughty. Your sister may be boring but she didn’t deserve what you did to her. Your parents will have every right to be angry with you for ruining Melulissë’s pretty gown.”

“Is it pretty?” the ellon asked in confusion.

“Very pretty. I suggest you think about what you did and how you can make it up to your sister. What punishment your parents will exact is up to them. Now, here we are and I see Aldamir has moved once again.”

They came to the lake and Valandur saw Aldamir now sitting under one of the willows he’d been painting earlier, idly watching the swans, ducks and geese floating on the water. He looked up as Valandur approached, giving him a smile.

“Who’s your friend?” he asked.

“His name is Calilassë, brother of Melulissë, who is even now at the royal pavilion where the princess and her ladies are attempting to dry her off and rescue the elleth’s dress. Seems young Master Cali here thought his sister needed another bath.”

Aldamir raised an eyebrow at Valandur’s dry tone, then gave the elfling a considering look. “I see. And you have been relegated to the role of nanny in the meantime. Your prospects are improving.”

Valandur snorted in amusement at Aldamir’s drollness as he settled himself down beside his fellow Vanya. “So, becoming a nanny is a step up from being a loremaster?”

“Not just any nanny, but a royally appointed nanny,” Aldamir retorted in mock seriousness.

Valandur chuckled and turned to Calilassë. “Take off your shoes and socks and roll up your leggings and go play in the water but you are not to let the water get any higher than here on you,” and he tapped one of the child’s legs just above the ankle. Calilassë nodded and soon he was happily wading in the water looking for interesting stones. Valandur opened up his satchel and pulled out the bottle of cider and the goblet. “We can share if you like.”

“I’ve brought my own goblet,” Aldamir said, reaching into his own satchel while Valandur uncorked the bottle and poured. They toasted one another and drank.

“So how did the painting go?” Valandur asked while keeping an eagle eye on the elfling now crouched down for a better view of something he’d found of interest in the water.

“I made a fair start, getting some sketches in,” Aldamir answered. “I need to come here around Second Mingling a few times to study the fall of light on the trees and the water before I do any actual painting.”

Valandur nodded and they lapsed into companionable silence, watching Calilassë play in the water. Eventually, though, Valandur called the child back and had him sit between them, letting his feet dry before putting his socks and shoes back on. Valandur allowed him a little sip of the cider when he complained of being thirsty and then he promptly fell asleep, much to their amusement. It was close to Second Mingling when one of the guards came looking for them, assuring them that the royals had returned from their hunt and a picnic supper was being laid out.

“Princess Findis says for you to come and bring the child with you,” the guard said. “She was able to locate the parents and they wish to collect their son.” He gave them a wry smile which they returned.

“Were they able to salvage the elleth’s dress?” Valandur asked as he gently lifted the still sleeping elfling into his arms.

The guard nodded as they headed for the pavilion. “Mistress Silmerossiën came and assured the poor dear that the dress was not completely ruined. She promised to have it returned to her in a day or two.”

When they reached the pavilion, they found it crowded with the returned hunters. Valandur and Aldamir were introduced to the parents of Calilassë and Melulissë, now dressed in a borrowed gown. The father took the still sleeping ellon from Valandur, the two of them sharing a smile, while the mother apparently was trying to apologize to Findis for all the trouble her children had put her through. Findis merely waved a hand in dismissal.

“It was my pleasure,” she said, “and a lesson learned.”

When they gave her puzzled looks, she chuckled. “I’ll remember to stay well away from fountains whenever my little brother is around.”

Everyone but an embarrassed-looking Melulissë laughed and Findis gave her a hug, whispering something in her ear which seemed to mollify the young elleth, for her expression became less tearful. Eventually the little family went on their way while everyone else gathered around the buffet. Valandur found himself standing between Findis and Sorondur as they made their selections from the several dishes laid out. “So, all is well that ends well, hmm?” he asked.

“Yes, though I have no doubt that little rascal will not think so after his parents are through with him,” she replied with a sly grin.

Valandur chuckled. “No, I doubt it, too.” Then he turned to Sorondur and asked him how his day had been and the ellon gladly described the hunt and what came of it.

****

It wasn’t until the following Aldúya that Valandur had an opportunity to get away from his scribal duties early, for the delegations encountered an impasse when Ingoldo refused to consider the suggestion put forth by one of the Noldor that the road toll between Valmar and Vanyamar be eliminated. Ingoldo insisted that he had no authority to consider the matter, though Valandur had his doubts about that. The toll had been instituted by the Vanyar as a means of providing income to maintain the road and the fee was nominal. The Noldor, however, thought it was an economic imposition on the rest of Eldamar, for there was no toll between Tirion and Valmar; the maintenance expenses came out of the Noldorin royal treasury.

The discussion became somewhat heated on both sides and finally Findis suggested that they take a break and reconvene on the following Elenya.

“That will give us all time to cool off and rethink our positions,” she said, giving them a haughty glare. “I am sure we can come up with an equitable solution if we maintain calm.”

Valandur silently agreed, though the expressions on both sides seemed to tell a different tale. Only Findis and Herencáno among the Noldor and Intarion, and Aldamir among the Vanyar, appeared unaffected by the acrimonious discussion and, indeed, neither Intarion nor Aldamir had contributed to it. Valandur, of course, had remained silent, though once or twice he had been tempted to add a biting comment after someone had made a rather vacuous remark. He had refrained himself, but only just. At one point he caught Findis’ eye and she gave him a brittle smile. Herencáno actually appeared bored, his eyes half-closed as if he were sleeping, ignoring everyone, though Valandur suspected that this particular Elda was not at all inattentive. Herencáno was perhaps one of the most intelligent Elves Valandur had ever met and he highly respected him.

Ingoldo, for his part, took Findis’ suggestion, which was actually an order and they all knew it, with ill grace, but a whispered word from Tinwetariel calmed him down enough and he agreed. “Until Elenya,” was all he said as he stood, giving them a bow that bordered on the insulting in its brevity and stalked out of the room with Tinwetariel following him, looking less than pleased by her husband’s attitude. Most of the Vanyar joined the exodus, though giving more proper bows and, with a nod from Findis, the Noldor followed suit. Valandur remained in his chair, as did Findis and Herencáno, who opened his eyes only when the door to the chamber closed.

“Are they finally gone?” he asked, giving them a sly grin.

Findis gave him a disbelieving look. “You faker,” she exclaimed, hitting him lightly on the arm. “I thought you’d fallen asleep for real.”

Herencáno laughed joyously and Valandur smiled. “I assure you, my dear, I was quite wide awake,” the Noldo said. “I was attempting to hear what wasn’t being said underneath all that verbiage and rhetoric being bandied about on both sides. As Ingoldo said, the toll is nominal and since most of those using the road are Vanyar, who do not seem to mind paying the toll, then there should be no real complaint from those few Noldor who bother to travel it.”

“Still, I wonder why Uncle Ingwë instituted the toll when Atar just takes the maintenance fee from the royal treasury?”

“And where do you think some of that money comes from, your Highness?” Herencáno asked. “Those fees are generated by taxes, which we all pay to the Crown. Ingwë’s system only importunes those people who actually use the road, no one else.”

“But surely, if that is the case, what income is generated from the tolls cannot cover all the expenses for maintaining the road?” Findis objected.

Valandur shook his head. “It does not and Ingwë makes up the difference from income garnered from the royal farms in the Southern Fiefdoms. Ingoldo may be correct that he has no authority to consider dropping the tolls. The road between Valmar and Vanyamar is considered to belong to the High King and only he can decide how the moneys needed to maintain it will be collected. On the other hand, he does have the authority to contemplate alternatives which he can present to Ingwë. Remember, ultimately, Ingwë has to ratify whatever agreement we devise here, even as the Noldóran must.”

The two Noldor nodded. Findis rose with Herencáno and Valandur following suit. “Well, perhaps this cooling off period will help,” she said.

“One can only hope,” Valandur retorted with a sigh. “And now, if you will excuse me, I needs must help Aldamir with today’s notes.” He gave them a bow and left, making his way to the north wing, stopping first at his suite to draft a short note for Calandil and Aldarion, giving it to one of the pages running errands before heading for a sitting room on the second floor that had been put aside for his and Aldamir’s use. He found the ellon already working when he entered.

“I wondered if I was going to have to do this alone,” Aldamir said, looking up at Valandur with a frown.

“I would never leave you to deal with this on your own, Aldamir,” Valandur replied as he joined the ellon at the table. “I was speaking with Princess Findis and Lord Herencáno. They wanted some clarification about the road tolls that Ingwë instituted without everyone shouting at everyone else.”

“I see.” Aldamir gave him a considering look then shook his head, as if to clear it of whatever thoughts he might have had on the subject. “Well, we don’t have much to collate this time,” he said, shoving several sheaves of foolscap his way. “So, let’s get this out of the way and then we have two whole days free. I want to go back to the park and do some more sketches, maybe even get started on painting. What about you?”

“I promised some friends I would get together with them when I was next free to do so. In fact, that is what delayed me. I stopped to write a letter to let them know I was free to meet with them tomorrow.”

Aldamir nodded, then gave him a sly grin. “Do you think two days is long enough for everyone to calm down?”

Valandur chuckled. “We’ll just have to wait and see.”

****

A message came to Valandur later as he was on his way to join the others for the daymeal. It was from Calandil stating that he and Aldarion would meet him at the Golden Hare two hours past First Mingling. Thus, the next day, he came to the inn to find his two friends standing outside waiting for him. They greeted one another warmly and then Aldarion led the way.

“Eldacáno’s shop is in the Paca Aulendurion,” he said, naming a square where many of the various smiths had their shops. Valandur was familiar with the place from when he’d once lived in the city. It was one of the larger squares lined with shops belonging to those who worked in gold, silver or jewels. A peculiarity of the square’s architecture was that the most prestigious shops were not at street level, but situated below the street and one reached them by stairs at each corner of the square. The ‘street’ that was thus formed was about six feet wide, providing plenty of room for pedestrians to walk in either direction. Those shops whose entrances were at street level were reached by short spans of pavement linking the door of a shop to the square, thus forming a semi-covered arcade for those walking below.

It turned out that Eldacáno’s shop was on the opposite side of the square from where they had entered it and was below the street level. Aldarion led them to one corner where they descended and walked two-thirds around the square to where the coppersmith’s shop was. Valandur saw a small copper kettle hanging outside the shop entrance, thus alerting passersby as to what type of shop it was. Like all the shops they had passed, this one had its door open and the three ellyn entered.

Inside, Valandur saw that the shop extended back some way, so in spite of its narrowness, it was much larger than it appeared from the outside. The front part of the shop consisted of low shelves along the walls on which were placed the wares to be sold, pots and trays and the like, as well as some less utilitarian items, such as cleverly sculpted windchimes which hung from the low rafters. Further back was a long table that spanned most of the shop’s width. It was partly made of nessamelda wood but one end had a glass top that took up a third of the table’s surface and beneath it lay a shelf on which were displayed smaller items, such as brooches and rings.

Looking about, Valandur recognized young Nambarauto arranging some items on a shelf to their left. Of his atar, there was no sign, but they could hear voices coming from behind a curtained area on the other side of the display table, their words low and indistinct. At their entrance, Nambarauto looked up and smiled.

“Aldarion, it’s good to see you, meldonya.” He came over and the two hugged each other in greeting. “I do not think I’ve seen you since my sister’s begetting day party.”

“I know,” Aldarion said, “and I apologize. I’ve been busier than usual lately. I’ve brought some friends to meet you and your atar. This is Calandil. I think you’ve heard me speak of him and this is our otorno, Valandur, who is a loremaster from Vanyamar.”

Nambarauto smiled at Calandil. “Greetings. Aldarion has told me much about you and your other friends. I am glad to finally get to meet one of them. For some reason Aldarion has been rather shy about bringing any of you around.”

Valandur watched in amusement as Aldarion blushed while Calandil simply gave his friend a shrewd look before speaking to Nambarauto. “I am assuming it’s because he does not wish to share you with us… or perhaps your sister?”

Nambarauto laughed, clapping his hands. “Ah, you are most perceptive, Master Calandil. Aldarion has been, shall we say, courting Merilindë for some time now.”

“That would explain the times when he would mysteriously not be able to join me and our friends for our usual foregatherings. Mysteriously, because he would offer no explanation for his absence other than he was too busy at that time to meet with us, though we knew full well that that was not the case. And now, the mystery is solved.”

Aldarion continued to stand there blushing, saying nothing in his defense, while Calandil and Nambarauto traded knowing smirks. Then Nambarauto turned to Valandur, giving him a bow. “And I welcome you to Tirion, Loremaster. Are you part of the trade delegation? I believe I saw you some time ago at the Rose and Crown.”

Valandur gave him a surprised look. “I was there. I did not think you had noticed me.”

“Only when you left with your two friends. Seeing three of the Vanyar together is very unusual here in Tirion,” came the explanation. “So you know Aldarion as well?”

“Yes. We all made the journey to Valinor, though I do not think I knew Aldarion until after we arrived.”

“That’s right,” Calandil said. “It was Ferenion who knew Aldarion before the rest of us and we all knew your anatar Minalcar, Master Nambarauto. It is why we are here, to renew old acquaintances.”

Nambarauto raised an eyebrow. “If you know my anatar, why did you not greet him when you were at the inn?” he asked Valandur.

“That is what I would like to know,” came a voice from behind them. They all turned to see Minalcar and Eldacáno stepping from behind the curtain, the older ellon frowning. “Art thou too ashamed to acknowledge past friendships with the Noldor, Quisero?” Minalcar demanded.

“Quisero!” Calandil exclaimed with a laugh. “Valar! I’d forgotten that was your original name, Valandur. How ironic, seeing as how you are now a loremaster.”

Valandur scowled at his friend. “Enough, Tyulinhilmo.” He had the satisfaction of seeing Calandil cringe while everyone else grinned. Then he turned to Minalcar. “You are mistaken, Aikaldamor. I have never been ashamed of my friendship with the Noldor.”

“Your name was originally Aikaldamor, Anatto?” Nambarauto asked in disbelief.

“How… descriptive,” Eldacáno chimed in with a sly grin.

“Enough,” Minalcar growled, not looking at his son or grandson, both of whom started laughing.

“And what was your original name, Aldarion?” Nambarauto asked. “Enquiring minds want to know.”

“Well you can continue in ignorance, seldo, because I will never tell, and don’t you two go blabbing it to all and sundry either,” Aldarion growled.

Both Calandil and Valandur stuck their tongues out at Aldarion at the same time. Minalcar and his son and grandson laughed and soon the others were joining them.

“So, my friend, what brings you here?” Minalcar asked Valandur when they had all calmed down. “It has been long and long since I last saw you and are you truly a loremaster now? That is hard to believe, considering what a wretched student you were.”

Valandur blushed, unable to deny the truth of the ellon’s words.

“Well, let us not stand about yapping at one another,” Eldacáno said smoothly. “Why don’t we close up shop and hie ourselves to the Lark and Swallow where we can visit in comfort.”

To that, they all agreed, and in minutes they were leaving the shop and heading for the tavern.

****

Yén: An Elven century of 144 solar years.

Hina: Vocative form of hína: child; generally used for a very young child, so Findis is speaking to Melulissë as if she were her brother Calilassë’s age.

Paca Aulendurion: Court of the Servants of Aulë: Aulendur: ‘Servant of Aulë’, applied especially to those persons, or families, among the Noldor who actually entered Aulë's service and in return received instruction from him. This is an attested word.

Nessamelda: ‘Nessa-beloved’, a type of tree that grows in Valinor; an attested word.

Notes:

1. The elfling, Calilassë, having seen one Valian year, would be the equivalent of a 4-year-old. Attentive readers may recognize the name as the Quenya version of the character better known as Lasgalad, whom we meet in Elf, Interrupted: Book Two, chapter 75. The characters are one and the same.

2. The following names are derived from Qenya [Parma Eldalamberon 12: ‘The Qenya Lexicon’]:

Quisero: Whisperer, from quis- ‘to whisper’ [originally written as qise-] + -(e)ro ‘masculine agental suffix’. Tolkien later changed the verb form to hlussa- (Exilic Quenya: lussa-), h/lussë ‘a whispering sound’. Since the Noldor were known for their linguistic inventiveness, one could postulate that the earlier form was dropped for the later as being more melodious in sound, hence the different verbal forms.

Tyulinhilmo: Tall-son.

Aikaldamor: Broad-shoulder; an attested name, originally given in its Noldorin (pre-Sindarin) form Egalmoth, ‘a hero of Gondolin, Lord of the House of the Heavenly Arch, one of the survivors, later slain at the Havens of Sirion’; Egalmoth did not survive into the published Silmarillion [Parma Eldalamberon 15 ‘Sí Qente Feanor and other Elvish Writings: Name List to The Fall of Gondolin’].