20: Nordomas

Valandur watched as Finwë released Findis from his embrace and mounted, issuing orders. “Follow as quickly as you can. I am going ahead to see what the situation is.”

With that, the king rode off, joined by half of the guards and the standard bearer, the others remaining with Findis, who pulled herself together and also mounted. Without a word, she nodded to one of the guards, apparently the leader of their particular contingent, and everyone set off.

Intarion turned to Laurelindalë. “Are you sure you want to go on?”

“Of course,” she said, giving him a surprised look. “Do you think I would just turn around and walk back to Tirion on my own while everyone else went forward? What do you take me for… Your Highness?”

Intarion grinned. “I deserved that,” he said with equanimity. “Very well. Let’s all try to stay together. I would not like any of us to get separated.”

Everyone else agreed to that. Findis, meanwhile, had stepped up their pace, urging everyone to greater speed.

“But there’s no sense getting there all hot and bothered,” someone grumbled softly. “We’ll be that soon enough once we start fighting the fire.”

Still, they quickened their pace and soon they came to another village, this one somewhat larger than the last. Those who had come before them were still more or less congregated in groups, everyone standing quietly with little talking as they were gathered in a field just to the northwest of the village. Valandur could see Finwë standing under a wide nessamelda tree that overlooked the field. He was surrounded by the nobles who had led the other groups. Among them were Ingoldo and Fëanáro, both of them looking less than pristine, their faces and tunics smudged with ash, apparently giving the king a report of the situation. Findis dismounted and went to join them. Valandur wished he could as well, as much to be near her as to hear what was being said.

This much closer to the fires, the air was heavy with smoke and ash and several people were already pulling out kerchiefs or scarves and covering their faces. Valandur did the same, taking a moment to wet the cloth before tying it around his head. Breathing through the wet fabric helped ease the acrid sting in the back of his throat. A few minutes later, he saw the group around Finwë breaking up, though neither Fëanáro or Ingoldo moved. Findis, after a brief moment, came back their way and took to horse again, turning to address them.

“The fires have spread to the west and are also threatening Lord Oromë’s Forests,” she told them. “The king wishes us to head to the next village west of here and help with the firebreak.”

“What about the rest of the Fiefdoms?” someone asked.

“According to my brother, all the villages south of Carnilótsenan have been evacuated.”

Several people murmured at this. Valandur was not sure of its significance, not being familiar with the geography of the Fiefdoms, but he could tell that the news was not well received by the Noldor. He glanced at his friend, Amandil, who leaned over and whispered, “That means that nearly half the Fiefdoms are in danger of burning. Carnilótsenan is only six leagues from here, if I’m not mistaken.”

Valandur nodded, thanking him for the information, then turned his attention to what Findis was saying.

“…. our way west to the village of Nordomas where we will set up camp.” She gestured to the captain of her guards and they set off, crossing the fields until they came to a track that led southwest.

It took them the better part of two hours to reach Nordomas, a small hamlet of only a dozen or so houses surrounded by a stand of golden oaks, apparently an outlier of the great Forests that could be seen further to the west, perhaps two leagues away. They were directed to a field where others were already setting up camp. Valandur helped with the tents, competently giving directions to the other Vanyar, for it turned out that even Intarion had little first-hand knowledge of how to set up a tent. As they worked, Valandur, Minalcar, Calandil and the other Noldor with them who had made the Great Journey began to exchange reminiscences about the various types of tents and camps they had built as they crossed the breadth of Endórë, while the younger Elves listened eagerly to their tales.

Once the camp was set up, people began milling about, wondering what they were supposed to do next, but no orders were forthcoming. The smell of smoke lay heavily upon the air, though here at Nordomas, the sky was a pristine blue under the Light of the Trees. By now, Laurelin was reaching full bloom and soon she would begin to fade. To the south they could see a trail of smoke across most of the horizon and a few of the more sharp-sighted claimed that they could see flames under the clouds of ash and smoke.

“Intarion, let’s find Findis and see what’s going on,” Valandur suggested. “We should be heading for the firebreak and helping out instead of standing about looking like a bunch of lost Teleri wondering where their boat is.”

One or two, hearing Valandur, snickered at that. Intarion just nodded. “I think I saw her heading for the village itself. Come, you and I will go see what is going on, and perhaps some of you Noldor would like to join us.”

“Minalcar will represent us,” someone said and others nodded. Minalcar gave them a sardonic look but did not object and the three wended their way through the crowd toward the village square where a single large oak stood sentinel over the village well. Valandur saw Findis standing there, a mug of something in her hand, as she spoke to several people who must be villagers by their dress.

Three of Findis’ guards were also there, including the captain, who tried to stop Intarion from approaching. Intarion gave him a disbelieving look. “Wouldst forbid me from speaking to my cousin, sirrah?” he demanded. “Findis, tell this ellon to move aside. I wish to speak with you.”

“Intarion, can you not see I am busy?” Findis turned about, her expression one of annoyance, but when she saw them, or rather, when her gaze fell upon Valandur, her expression softened and Valandur swore she blushed, looking away. “Captain Ornendil, my cousin Prince Intarion is to be allowed access to me at all times, as is Loremaster Valandur.”

That surprised said loremaster, but he schooled his expression to one of cold indifference. Ornendil, for his part, gave them all a searching look, as if memorizing their faces, before stepping aside, giving them a brief bow. “Highness,” he said.

“Captain,” Intarion acknowledged with a gracious nod.

“So what brings you here, Cousin?” Findis demanded. “As you can see, I am rather busy.”

“I wished merely to ascertain the status of our situation, Findis,” Intarion replied. “As Valandur pointed out to me, we should be assisting at the firebreak instead of standing about like lost sheep.”

“Well, as I was atellin’ Her Highness, sir, we be knowin’ naught of any firebreaks hereabouts,” said one of the villagers, a smith by the looks of him.

“And as I was telling these fine people, this is where my atar, the king, sent us,” Findis said with a smile that never reached her eyes, stressing Finwë’s title. “I have yet to determine just how far away the fire really is, but it must be close enough to threaten Lord Oromë’s Forests, else Atar would never have sent me here.”

Valandur exchanged a knowing look with Intarion, suddenly realizing what Finwë had done, and one part of him applauded the Noldóran for executing such a ruse in an attempt to keep his daughter out of harm’s way, but another, larger, part felt nothing but anger, anger at Finwë for squandering a large number of helpers who could be of use in battling the fires and anger on Findis’ behalf, that Finwë would treat his daughter so shabbily.

“Why don’t we send out scouts to ascertain just how far the fire has gotten and see what can be done to keep the Forests safe?” Valandur suggested before anyone else could comment.

“That’s an excellent idea, Loremaster,” Intarion said. “What say you, Cousin? Should we send out scouts to see what is what?”

“And what if there is no real threat to the Forests?” Findis asked, looking troubled. “What if this is all a ruse to keep me out of the way?”

“Or me,” Intarion said and several eyebrows went up. He gave them a mirthless grin. “Don’t think you’re the only one who is to be kept safe, Findis. I have no doubt my atar is just as happy to have me out of harm’s way as is yours.”

“Foolishness, all of it!” Findis exclaimed in anger. “And in the meantime, these people who came to help are being punished because of us.”

“Well, just because we’ve been sent out of the path of the fire doesn’t mean we’re safe,” Minalcar said, speaking for the first time. “The wind can shift at any moment.”

“Even if your supposition is correct, my lady, all of the Fiefdoms are under siege by this fire,” Valandur said, nodding in agreement to Minalcar’s words. “As Minalcar reminds us, the winds can shift without warning and send sparks in a direction unforeseen. That is why the fire has spread so quickly from a single lightning-struck tree to vast tracts of land. You said yourself that all the villages south of Carnilostenan have been evacuated.”

“Be this true?” one of the villagers asked in dismay. “My sister and her family live in Tarwalalmeon. That be only a couple hours’ walk south of here.”

Findis gave the elleth a compassionate look. “So I was told, but fear not! I have heard no reports of injuries, so I am sure your sister and her family are well. But to get back to the matter at hand, you are correct that we should send out scouts to see what is happening.” She turned to the ellon with whom she had been speaking. “Can you spare someone to join the scouts? You know the countryside better than we and will know where best to go.”

The ellon nodded. “I will go myself.”

“Thank you,” Findis said sincerely. “So who else will go?”

“I think we three will be enough, assuming Valandur and Minalcar are willing,” Intarion said.

Valandur nodded as did Minalcar and the villager introduced himself. “I be Oromendur, the village smith.”

“Let us away, then,” Intarion said after he, Valandur and Minalcar introduced themselves. “Findis, perhaps you should tell the others where we’re going and have them organize themselves into teams. Even if the fire isn’t heading this way, I still think it wise to create a firebreak just in case.”

“Yes, I agree,” Findis said. “Thank you, all of you.”

They set off, heading directly south. “Just how much danger are the Forests in, do you think?” Intarion asked at one point as they crossed a small stone bridge that spanned a stream. They had been walking for almost an hour. To the southwest the land rose in gentle swells and the Forest beyond stood upon highlands overlooking the Fiefdoms, but as one traveled eastward the land fell again into plains. They could see the Forest extending along the horizon but the southern reaches of the Pelóri were too far away to be seen.

“Lord Oromë’s Forests extend along the southern border of the Fiefdoms, hard against the mountains,” Oromendur told them. “These woods here be an outlier of the Forest further south. When we first settled here, the woods were not here, but one of Lord Oromë’s Maiar came to us and said as we were not to farm any further than where we have. Over time, the trees have marched north.”

“So, if the Forests are in danger it will be to the south of us,” Valandur said. “Unless the Maiar are battling the flames on the other side, the Forests may well be doomed, for none can possibly reach them.”

“Unless we come at it from this end,” Minalcar said. “Look!” He pointed southeast to where the smoke seemed thickest. Valandur gazed in the direction indicated and saw with mounting horror a wall of flame sweeping across the fields consuming everything in its path. It was still many miles away but it was closer than they were expecting.

Oromendur pointed to his right. “See those hillocks? There be a vineyard there. It belongs to some Vanyarin lord. Makes good wine. Be a shame if it be destroyed.”

“Then let us form a break to the east of the vineyard,” Intarion suggested. “We also need to get further south and into the Forest and see how we can keep the fire from taking it. I do not understand how the fire could spread so quickly.”

“The land be dry,” Oromendur said. “The last rain was some time ago. This be the time when we would have harvested the wheat and the corn.” He shook his head sadly. “There will be little left.”

“Then let us save what we can,” Minalcar said. “Why don’t Oromendur and I return to the village and let the Lady Findis know what we need to do while you two continue scouting. Check the vineyard to see if anyone is there. They might have a better idea as to where we should start forming the break.”

Intarion nodded. “That sounds good. Have everyone come as soon as possible.”

Minalcar and Oromendur set off for the village while Valandur and Intarion continued toward the vineyard. They found a villa nestled on the southern side of the hills and several people milling about in the courtyard, looking east. Valandur saw that they were mostly Vanyar with one or two Noldor in the mix. Intarion hailed them.

“We’ve been sent by King Finwë to secure this part of the Fiefdoms,” he said by way of introduction. “There are many people now camped in Nordomas who will be here shortly to form a firebreak.”

“Best to speak with the mistress, then,” an ellon said, motioning them toward the house. He led them into a wide vestibule and asked them to wait. A few minutes later he returned with an ellith with the golden hair of the Vanyar and Valandur could not help noticing how Intarion’s eyes brightened at the sight of her. When she saw them, she dipped them a curtsey.

“Your Highness! Forgive me. Thúlimondil did not tell me who was here.”

Intarion gave the ellith a surprised look. “You know me, mistress?”

She gave them a coy smile. “Indeed, I do, Highness, though it is unlikely you know me, but I suspect you know my atar, Lord Nolondur. I am his daughter, Lirulin.”

“Nolondur! Yes, of course. He’s a member of Uncle’s Privy Council, and your amillë is Lady Yáviën, if I recall correctly.”

“Yes.”

“But what do you do here, lady, so far from home?” Intarion asked.

“I help oversee the vineyards for Atar,” she supplied. “Indeed, Atar is due to arrive soon to check the latest crops and then I will return to Vanyamar with him.” She gave them a frown. “But with this fire, I fear we will be hard put to save anything. Thúlimondil tells me the fire is only a few miles away.”

“Which is why we will be setting up a firebreak here,” Valandur said, speaking for the first time. “If your people can help us with that, some of us need to go further south to see if we can save anything of Lord Oromë’s Forests.”

Lirulin nodded. “Of course. Thúlimondil is my atar’s steward. He will coordinate everything with you. I had best start organizing the rest of the household. Cook will need to be informed. If you will excuse me, Highness.” She gave them another curtsey.

“Intarion, just Intarion,” the prince said, reaching down to lift her up. “There’s no need for formalities out here, lady.”

“Lirulin,” she said, giving him a shy look.

“A lovely name,” Intarion responded, smiling back.

“And you can gaze into each other’s eyes later,” Valandur said with a roll of his eyes. “We have a fire to fight.”

Intarion blinked and nodded, blushing slightly. “Yes, yes, of course… um… Thúlimondil, if you would show us the best place to start setting up the firebreak?”

“This way,” the steward said and the three of them exited the house. Thúlimondil led them out past the vineyards and an orchard to where a track led north and southeast. “This lane will take you back to Nordomas and continues on to several villages to the east. If we widen it enough it might keep the fire from spreading.”

“But only if sparks do not cross over,” Valandur said. “I do not understand why the Valar have not sent rain to put the fire out.”

“Or Maiar to help with battling the flames,” Intarion added with a shrug. “Perhaps it is as you told Findis. They do not stop those sea storms from battering Alqualondë, so why should they step in and stop the fire here? At any rate, this looks to be our best option. I will return to the villa with Thúlimondil. You want to stay here and figure out how wide we need to make this? As soon as people arrive, I will send them to you.”

“Good enough,” Valandur said, suspecting that Intarion was more interested in seeing Lirulin again.

While the two ellyn returned to the villa, Valandur eyed the lane. It was barely wide enough for a single cart. He wondered if it met up with the track they had used to reach Nordomas. If they were to keep the fires from going any further north, they would need to widen the lane more.

“Or back burn,” he said out loud to himself, and then paused, wondering where that idea had come from. Yet, the more he thought of it, the more sense it made. The effort to widen the lane would be strenuous, though it would not hurt to do so. Still, the amount of labor involved was more than they had even if they recruited every villager and all the workers at Lord Nolondur’s estate.

He gazed at the fire, which did not seem to have moved, and even looked to be dying down somewhat. Rewetting the scarf that he still held over his mouth and nose, he noticed that the wind, which had been more a gentle breeze and had come almost directly from the west, was picking up and now seemed to be shifting slightly so that it was coming more from the southwest. Even as he watched, the fire seemed to spring to new life and to his dismay he saw sparks flying northward to land in the grass, which began smoldering. Soon enough, small flames could be seen and now the fire was that much closer.

“This is impossible,” he muttered to himself. “We need rain and lots of it.” But the skies remained cloudless.

“Valandur!”

He turned to see Intarion running toward him, along with Thúlimondil.

“The fire has gotten closer,” he said to them.

“Minalcar is right behind me with our people,” Intarion said as he and the steward reached him.

“We need to back burn this field and all along this lane,” Valandur said, then turned to Thúlimondil. “Does this lane meet up with the one that goes east? There was another village about two hours walk from Nordomas.”

“Orvamas,” the steward said with a nod of his head. “It connects with the road leading to Tirion.

“And the villages south of here?” Valandur asked.

“The next village is Tarwalalmeon, about a half mile from here and then there’s Ando Tarassëo,” the steward said, “about seven miles further on. It sits on a small lake and a stream runs by it on the east heading south.”

“That could well stop the fire from getting any closer from that direction,” Valandur said, “but it could still continue northward. I was thinking of back burning along this lane rather than trying to widen it.”

“Back burn?” Intarion asked, looking confused.

“Yes,” Valandur said. “Even as I stood here watching the fire, the wind shifted enough that it sent sparks in this direction. Look! Already the fire has moved closer. This lane is too narrow. The fire, when it reaches here could easily jump the space and then we’ve lost these vineyards and orchards. But if we set fires all along this side of the lane from Nordomas to Ando Tarassëo there will be little material that can burn once the main fire reaches the burnt area.”

They gave him dubious looks. Thúlimondil shook his head. “It’s easily ten miles between Nordomas and Ando Tarassëo. That’s a lot of territory to cover. And what about the road between Nordomas and Orvamas?”

“We cannot worry about that,” Valandur said. “King Finwë sent us here to secure this area of the Fiefdoms. Others will have to look after the rest.” He forbore to say anything about their suspicions as to the true reason they had been sent to Nordomas.

There was a hail and they looked to see Findis leading the Noldor down the lane with Ornendil riding beside her. As they reached Valandur and the other ellyn, she dismounted and left the horse with the captain. “We came as quickly as we could,” she said without preamble. “Where do you want us to start?”

“That is what we are deciding,” Valandur said before Intarion could speak. “I was telling Intarion that we should back burn to keep the fires from reaching this far. This lane is too narrow to use as a firebreak. If we start a string of fires from where this lane meets the one that leads back to Orvamas down to Ando Tarassëo which sits on a small lake with a stream running south we can save these vineyards and Nordomas. It will be faster than trying to widen this road.”

Findis frowned, staring at the distant fire which had come closer and appeared to be spreading. “How far is this Ando Tarassëo from here?”

“About seven miles give or take,” Lirulin’s steward informed her. “You’re talking a stretch of almost ten miles between there and Nordomas. I doubt we have enough people to cover it.”

“If we recruit the people of Tarwalameon and Ando Tarassëo, they can deal with their part of the road,” Valandur suggested.

“Well, whatever we decide, we had better decide quickly,” Intarion said. “The wind is shifting again.”

It was true and they all took a moment to gauge it. “It’s coming from the west,” Minalcar said. “If we back burn now it will send the sparks eastward. That will make our work easier.”

“Even so, vigilance must be held to see that the fire does not somehow jump the break,” Findis reminded them. “The wind can shift again without warning.”

“That goes without saying,” Valandur said. “So shall we do it? I know the thought of deliberately starting a fire of this magnitude does not sit well with you, with any of us, but it may be our only chance of controlling the fires if the Valar have no intention of helping us.”

“But who is to say they are not?” Findis asked, giving him a shrewd look. “Where did you come up with the idea of back burning?”

Valandur blinked at the question. “In truth, I do not know. I was standing here watching the fire, wondering how effective we would be in stopping it if all we did was attempt to widen the road as a firebreak when the idea just sort of popped into my head. Yet, the more I thought about it the more sense it made.”

“It sounds as if you were inspired,” Intarion commented, giving him a somewhat suspicious look.

Valandur just shrugged.

“Well, while we’re standing about debating the issue, the fire is coming closer,” Findis said. “We need to alert the people at the other villages. Oromendur, would you coordinate your people, organize them into teams and have them be responsible for a particular stretch of the road?”

“Yes, Highness,” the Nordomas smith said. “How, though, should we be lighting the fields and should we all do it together or as the opportunity arises?”

“It would be impossible to coordinate it so that everyone sets fire to their part of the fields at the same time,” Findis replied. “Have them start as soon as they may. As for how to light it, you’re a smith, Master Oromendur. I’m sure you’ll think of something.” She turned away, effectively dismissing him. Valandur watched in amusement at the ellon standing there gaping at the princess. Oromendur caught Valandur’s eye and blushed, turning away to speak with the other villagers who began to disperse into small groups, most of them heading back up the road, while those from Tirion remained.

Findis, meanwhile was speaking to Intarion. “I will ride on to the next village and begin coordinating things there.”

“Take Valandur with you,” Intarion suggested, much to the loremaster’s surprise. “He is gifted in persuasion. I will stay here and coordinate with the Lady Lirulin, whose atar owns these vineyards.”

Valandur raised an eyebrow, amused by how Intarion did not quite meet Findis’ eyes as he mentioned the fair elleth’s name and trying not to sound too eager. Findis gave her cousin a shrewd look but did not comment.

“We’ll take half of our people,” Valandur said, “and station them along the way.”

Findis nodded, turning to the crowd waiting for orders. “We are going to back burn along this lane. Divide into groups of no more than five or six and spread yourselves out. Each group will be responsible for back burning a particular stretch of the road, but most of your attention should be focused on making sure that the fires do not jump the break. Stay vigilant. Half of you will follow me and station yourselves along the road. There should be at least one person in each group that has tinder and flint. Start the fire as soon as you are able, but keep watch on how the wind is blowing. If it shifts, you must take care.”

“Also, for safety’s sake, start the fire several feet away from the road,” Valandur added.

“What about the trees?” someone asked. “There’s that copse over there to the north and I see another stretch of woods further on.”

“We cannot concern ourselves with them,” Findis answered. “Ultimately, they are already doomed.”

Most of her listeners looked troubled at that thought, but no one offered any other protest. Findis turned to Captain Ornendil. “Captain, Loremaster Valandur needs a horse.”

“Telemnar, lend Loremaster Valandur your horse,” the captain called out to one of his men. “You will stay here and help Prince Intarion.”

“Sir,” the guard said, dismounting and leading his horse — a roan with a white blaze on its forehead — to Valandur, giving the loremaster a shy look. “He is called Lossenar.”

“A worthy name,” Valandur said. “Thank you.” He took a moment to speak to his friends before mounting. “Do you wish to follow us or remain here?”

“We’ll head south,” Minalcar answered for them all and the others nodded.

Valandur nodded. “Take care, all of you, and I will see you when I may.”

Intarion came over just then and pulled Valandur away to speak to him privately. “Keep an eye on Findis,” he whispered. “She can be somewhat impulsive and I think the thought that Finwë effectively banished her here for the duration still stings. She may do something rash just to prove to her atar that she’s not to be trifled with.”

“And you’re the second person to recruit me into keeping an eye on the princess,” Valandur said with a mirthless grin. He turned away, not giving Intarion a chance to retort, and mounted the borrowed horse, joining Findis and Ornendil as they headed south.

****

Nordomas: Oakton. [nordo ‘oak’ + -mas ‘-ton, -by’; nordo appears to be a later emendation by Tolkien of the earlier norno].

Carnilótsenan: Red-flower Valley. [carni- ‘red’ + lótsë ‘flower’ + nan ‘valley’]

Nessamelda: ‘Beloved of Nessa’, a type of tree (attested).

Tarwalameon: Garden of Elms. [tarwa ‘garden, enclosure’+ alamë ‘elm’ + -on ‘plural genitive suffix]

Orvamas: Appleton.

Ando Tarassëo: Hawthorn Gate [ando ‘gate’; tarassë ‘hawthorn/whitethorn’ + -o ‘genitive singular suffix’].

Lossenar: Snow-flame.