This is the third instalment of the Mornel chronicles and sequel to Return of the Prince. It is rated M for a reason, although the first few chapters are a T at most.
Also posted on AO3.
1. A Sail from the East
A shining white bird, a white sail… A brilliant light…
It was the same dream again. What do you want of me? Mornel screamed silently at the shadowy figures at the bow of the approaching ship. Yet she knew she was not who they sought.
Mornel started into wakefulness as the vision melted away. She was lying in a guest chamber in King Ingwe's palace. The High King had finally relented and allowed Mornel to enter his city for the upcoming celebrations at Taniquetil. All the nobles of the Noldor and Vanyar were invited to attend, and it would be remiss of Ingwe to deny Lady Mornel, a Noldorin princess and leader of the prospering city of Formenos, a place under his roof. Tirion would be near-empty, Helwien had informed her. The common folk would also make their way to the festival, whether as part of some lord's escort or for the festival fair. Both Mahtan and Helwien had carts outside the city walls selling their wares. There the twins had purchased a candlestick styled as a bird and a bolt of shimmery blue silk for their parents.
King Arafinwe and his queen had been granted the use of High King's guesthouse which they shared with their son and law-daughters, Eldalote and Amarie. Aunt Anaire was staying with a cousin outside the palace. Aunt Findis was sharing Grandmother Indis' rooms in the palace, which were specially set aside for her use during her many visits to her maiden home. Lesser nobles like Mornel were regaled to the pokey guest chambers under the eaves but Ingwion's twins were more than happy to share her company. Mornel glanced over to her companions – Ingwion's twins, Lomire and Isilmire. The sisters were still sleeping on the cots set up for them. As disciples of Este, they had forgone the privileges of their birth as Aunt Findis did. It was only at their amme's behest that they had returned to Valmar for the festivities.
For a dreadful moment, the twins' red and white coverlets gleamed in the moonlight like blood on snow to Mornel's still bleary sight. She stifled the urge to scream and shake the pair. Instead she waited until the red and white patterns took on the likeness of red poppies on a white background. Elsornie had near worked her fingers to the bone stitching her daughters' coverlets. She would not appreciate her lovely flowers being mistaken for blood splatters.
Something was coming and Mornel could sense it in the wind and the rising sun.
She did not know then that in far-off Alqualonde, King Olwe and his court were cautiously inspecting a strange vessel which had landed some miles outside their city the night before. The occupants of the craft held great interest for them too, for they were elves from beyond the girdle of enchanted isles fencing Valinor from the outside.
"Where is he?" Elwing fretted. Her husband had gone on without her or his crew, ordering them to remain on board and thus avoid the penalty for setting foot on Aman. The elves of Alqualonde had been kind, offering provisions by means of gestures and a tongue not too dissimilar from theirs. Earendil had struck out for Tirion, whose gleaming white spire they could espy even from the beach, well before dawn. His progress did not go unnoticed by the mighty Eagles which soared high above the pass.
Lord Manwe considered the reports his sharp-eyed Eagles brought up to his throne on Taniquetil. He had sensed the Silmarili's approach. All his comrades had sensed it too - the Light of the Trees returning to Valinor. Yet he knew it would not be theirs to hold. Too much blood had been shed already. Too many tormented elves filled the Halls of Mandos.
Finally, he called for his herald and commanded Eonwe to be there in Tirion to greet the sailor. He was to bring him to the Mahanaxar to face judgement for daring to defy the Ban.
"Something is happening, I do not know what," Prince Ingwion reported when Arafinwe inquired as to why the procession had come to a sudden halt. The gifts and offerings to the Valar had to be presented before the official celebration started in the Vanyar court.
The High King had been more than a little perturbed when his entourage of nobles arrived at the foot of Taniquetil for the ceremony and was curtly informed by Lord Manwe's attendant Maiar that their Lord had gone to the Ring of Doom. The last time the Valar had convened in the Ring, as the Eldar knew, was during the Darkening. Such meetings were not taken lightly. This was a most inauspicious start to the week-long Festival of the Trees, the nobles grumbled with unease. The festival had started as a solemn rite to honour the last fruit and flower of the Trees. It had since morphed into a big event for the Vanyar and Noldor every two yeni or so.
"Perhaps Lord Manwe is tired of hearing the same peon of thanksgiving from grandfather every time," Isilmire whispered. Her sister giggled and the pair received a warning glare from their grandmother. Grumbling under their breaths, the procession returned to the palace to await any news from the Valar. As Mornel trailed behind the main body of the procession, she felt a growing unease in her heart as she gazed upon the backs of her uncle Arafinwe and Ingwion's twins as they chatted about the fair.
"Cousin," Finrod slowed his pace to walk alongside Mornel. "Do you feel it? The time is nearing." He was alone. Amarie had gone on ahead with Earwen.
"Aye," Mornel nodded. Above their heads, a lone eagle soared against the sky and screamed. The cousins walked closer together on the path, both thinking how the scream sounded like a battle cry.
It would be many tense hours, almost two days, before the Valar finally summoned the kings of the Eldar to the Ring of Doom. Queen Earwen was summoned there in her father's stead, for there was little time for Olwe to embark on the journey from Alqualonde. However, a Maia was sent to Alqualonde to inform King Olwe of a task he and his son were required to undertake at Lord Ulmo's behest.
To pass the time, Finrod took up his harp. He entertained his wife and cousins in his grandmother's chambers with melodies. Mornel was glad to see how the joy of music had returned to her cousin's songs. Amarie accompanied him on her lute. The twins sang soft Vanyarin ballads to the pair's music. Mornel declined to sing, discreetly explaining that most Formenean ballads were far fruitier and might cause offence to polite company. Finrod jokingly reminded Amarie of a certain ditty about an elf selling plums. His wife flushed crimson at the memory.
It was late into the night when Arafinwe and Earwen returned with King Ingwe. Ingwe immediately summoned his son and councillors to the Council Hall despite the hour. Arafinwe sent out messengers to the Noldor nobles in Valmar for an urgent meeting in the morning before heading for Lady Indis' rooms. Ingwion's daughters had retired for the night by then but Finrod, Amarie, and Mornel were still bidding their goodnights to Lady Indis. It was the Vanyar's practice to retire early on most nights and rise with the dawn, though exceptions were made for certain celebrations.
"Amme," Arafinwe kissed his mother on the cheek. "Apologies for the disturbance, but I would speak with everyone." Taking his mother's hand in his right, he reached out to grasp his wife's hand with his left. Earwen nodded reassuringly. Sensing the tension, Amarie reached for Finrod's hand. Finrod stood frozen and ramrod straight although he did grasp her hand in his tight enough to cause her to wince visibly. He murmured an apology. Mornel stood alone, her hands clutching her harp so tightly her knuckles showed white.
"The Valar has given orders that the Eldar make ready for war against the Dark Lord, both Vanyar and Noldor alike."
"What of the Teleri?" Indis gasped.
"I know my people as well as my atar. They will not set foot on the Hither Shores nor fight alongside the Noldor," Earwen answered with her eyes downcast. Despite the reaffirmation of cordial ties between the Noldor and Teleri, the memories of the Kinslaying were too deep to be forgotten easily. Many might be wary of fighting on the same battlefield as the Noldor.
"And who could blame them?" Finrod sighed. "However, we sorely need their skill lest we need to cross the Ice …" The losses of the Noldor during the crossing had been horrendous. Even grown warriors had succumbed to the biting cold and despair as well as the treacherous ice which would give way without warning under their feet.
"My son, I will hasten to Alqualonde upon the morn, perhaps they could be persuaded still…" Vessels would be needed to ferry their forces for the coming war. There was one other task Earwen knew she had to carry out. "I will travel with Lady Anaire. There is need of her presence in Alqualonde."
"My dear, you have a long day ahead. I have already sent a message to Lady Anaire to meet you at the East Gate at dawn. Horses will be readied for you both. Go rest now," Arafinwe urged. "May your journey be fruitful." With lingering look, Earwen let go of her husband's hand and bade them a goodnight before leaving the room.
Arafinwe then turned his attention to his son and niece. "Findarato, Mornel, we have need of you to attend to our visitor – he hails from Beleriand… He has come to seek the Valar's aid for the peoples of the Hither Shores, both First and Second-born. The havens of the Eldar have been all but overrun by the forces of Shadow… "
Finrod gave a strangled cry and swayed slightly on his feet at his father's words. Mornel nodded grimly and silently urged her uncle continue.
"The Valar have decided to grant him their aid," Arafinwe confirmed. "He is of the lineage of my brother Nolofinwe. His grandfather is Turukano through his daughter Itarille. His father is of the Second-born…"
"How could this be?" Indis exclaimed. "Itarille would never wed a mere Man!" To have a half-elven descendant was beyond her comprehension.
"Who's not to say this is the will of Iluvatar, grandmother?" Finrod spoke with a small smile. "After all, Elwe wedded a Maia as his queen and sired the half-Maia Luthien…"
"His name is Earendil. With him sailed his wife, Elwing, the granddaughter of Luthien and the Man Beren… The Valar have forgiven their defiance of the Ban, on the condition that they and their elven crew remain in Aman, never more to set foot on the Hither Shores. In addition for their selfless reasons for their quest for Valinor, the half-elven Earendil and Elwing have been given a choice of cleaving to their elven kindred or taking the path of their mortal kin. As yet, Earendil has declined to make the choice pending his wife's decision," Arafinwe concluded.
"Were there any elflings with them?" Mornel blurted out suddenly. Arafinwe stared at his niece.
"Nay, they sailed with a crew of grown elves. We understand from Earendil that there had been an attack on their homes in which his twin sons were believed to be slain," the Noldoran paused for a few moments. "The attack was led by your brothers, Mornel, for the Silmaril which was then in Elwing's possession and now sits guarded in the Ring of Doom. It was the light of the Silmaril which had guided Earendil's vessel to Valinor."
Indis gave a horrified cry at the thought of elves turning on elves once more.
"It would seem the accursed Oath drives my cousins into madness as we speak…" Finrod commented grimly.
"Lord Eonwe would meet you in the morning and bring you to Earendil. Now, to bed. There is much to be done tomorrow," Arafinwe declared. Obediently, the younger elves filed out in silence.
"My son, you will lead the armies of the Noldor, wouldn't you?" Indis asked. "And Ingwion those of the Vanyar? I know my brother too well for him to uproot himself from this blessed realm," Indis rose from her armchair and took hold of Arafinwe's sleeve.
"Aye, amme…"
"You have my blessings as well as the Valar's, my son. Do be careful…" Indis added as she stroked Arafinwe's hair. Standing on her tiptoes, she kissed her son on the brow for her youngest had long outgrown her in height.
Author's Notes:
It took a while for me to come up with a reasonable narrative for Earendil's arrival to Valinor and his journey to Tirion during a time of festival when all the Noldor were away for the festival. I imagine that it was a huge festival lasting several days but the Teleri did not celebrate the festival. It would take some time for him to make his way from the beach near Alqualonde to Tirion.
Lomire – dusk-jewel
Isilmire – moon-jewel
