Of Saeros
Disclaimer: These characters and this world is Tolkiens.
This is a tale about Saeros. I've often wondered about him and how he could have been so haughty with Turin. Well, this tale possibly explains it. I am presenting him as not very nice. But I think that's canon as he possibly wasn't. He also sounds the ambitious type. Anyway, I hope anyone that reads it enjoys the tale, please tell me what you think if you have time, thanks Ham
Of Saeros
It was night. But the weather was warm and the stars gleamed brightly in Doriath. This was the 2nd age of the Stars, the world was at peace. In the woods was a slender dark-haired Elf by the name of Saeros. He did not wish to be seen as he was playing a little game for himself. Through the trees he saw two other Elves were talking. Beleg and Mablung. Not about much. Not about anything, really just the wildfowl and patterns that they had seen. But Beleg thought he had heard something. He mentioned this to his friend, and they looked around. Saeros fell out of a tree.
Saeros had been eavesdropping. He was young, but he did have a habit of liking to know about other people's business, particularly if they did not know this. Everyone in Doriath at least. Those that he could. Beleg simply laughed. 'What were you doing up there, Saeros, I hope we didn't startle you! Our conversation been that fascinating!' he joked.
Saeros blushed. Mablung, however wasn't quite so forgiving. He glowered at Searos. 'All the same, you shouldn't be listening in on other peoples talk. There's no need for that, is there? There is such a thing as personal space and privacy. Go on, be off with you!' Mablung didn't give Searos much more consideration. But Saeros craved a little attention.
'Oh, please, sirs, if you don't mind, can I play something for you?' Saeros indicated his harp.
Beleg agreed and Saeros played some Elven music. To the untrained ear, this would have been lovely, soft, harp music to blend in with the night. However, the Sindar have a very high standard in their music and Saeros's audience was distinctly unimpressed. 'Youre no Daeron, are you? He could teach you a thing or two if you would listen! Some of those chords were distinctly out of tune!' Beleg laughed. With a wave of his hand he dismissed Saeros and he and Mablung walked of.
Saeros was very disappointed. He liked praise but he had little of it. He considered himself of no special talent. This wasn't particularly true, Saeros did have good all-round talent, but he was jealous of those better than him. He decided to show some of his poetry to people instead but this had only critical reviews or only reviews that had as much critic as praise. Saeros thought this very unfair. Most people he knew that tried poetry had great if brief praise was it only his work that people disliked?
So Saeros tried other craft. He build a magical toy that let loose steam and glowed in many colours. It was a fair glass and caught the light of the trees in Doriath. Unfortunately it was very fragile and toys that others created glowed with more lust and colour. Peoples reaction when he showed it to them was not that impressive. Saeros sighed and grew envious.
Time went on. One night, it was all starlight night at this age, Saeros noticed a great gathering of folk. More and more. Quite a crowd. Saeros was curious and followed swiftly and quietly climbing through the starlit trees, Some clad in armour and carrying spears. What was happening? It turned out that a great army of Orcs had broken through from the mountains and were attacking the country of Beleriand. Well, Saeros was confident in the ability of Doriath's people to deal with Orcs and he was right.
Saeros was in the battle under the stars, but had scarcely drawn sword. He had been right amongst the deepest guard of his lord, Thingol and in no danger whatsoever as the Orcs were slaughtered. But such a policy did cost him a little as he liked to have some influence and most of those that had in Doriath had taken a more active role.
Time moved on further. Morgoth took up his abode in Angband in the North. The Noldor's swords shone in the new Sun. The arrival of mortal Man drew nearer. Saeros became fustrated and more jealous. He thought he deserved a place in the King's council, but he was not considered of such worth by Thingol. But Searos had heard of strange thoughts by his lord in regard of Man. Why Saeros couldn't think they seemed of little worth to him, if the rumours he heard were true and the Girdle of Melian was strong. But he wondered...
One day Saeros was with Daeron. Daeron was playing a silver harp. The bushy trees of the forest of Doriath gleamed in the evening sun. The shadows were starting to grow long and the twilight chorus of birds were singing lustily. Daeron was playing beautiful music that no-one in Thingol's realm could possibly reproduce. Saeros was very impressed and let the sounds flow over him.
Dorian, stopped playing and looked at his companion, 'Well, what do you think?' he asked of Saeros.
Saeros sighed, throwing back his dark hair that grew slightly below his Elven ears. 'Good as always. I'm sure your bethroed, well your soon to be bethroed I should say will be impressed. I'm not sure why you ask me, however, everyone always likes your music!' As they did. Saeros had to admit to acknowledging Daeron's skill, but he remained a envious. Saeros wished that people would praise him for something in a similar manner.
He produced a small, box of twigs from his person the latest in his attempts to please and showed it to Daeron. Small birds did fly from it and the token did gleam in it's own way. Daeron looked at it but from his face, Saeros could see that he wasn't impressed. 'Interesting bird-box you have. Designed to help little birds in and out is it? There are much better ones, you know. Anyway, I should depart. Luthien is about I believe!' With that, Daeron waved a farewell and pulled himself through the trees.
Saeros sighed. He looked around and saw another Elf, a fairer one that he knew, and glasped the Elves hands. 'Greetings, Rothan, pleasant evening?' The Elf was a simple dweller in Doriath and was mostly beneath Saeros notice, Saeros had more powerful ambitions. But he hid this and convincingly shook Rothan's hand and patted his shoulder.
'Some strange tidings today. Rumours of mortal folk. Some are getting close to the woods border. Thingol is concerned!' That was interesting. Thingol was a reasonably wise ruler of Doriath, but he was known not to think too kindly of mortals, Men in particular. Now Saeros didn't really think that any mere mortal could be a threat to the Eldar, but Thingol was concerned by them. It was said that he had strange dreams regarding Man. Maybe Saeros could play on that fear somehow to gain influence in the Council. So far, Thingol hadn't really considered him for any position, but maybe! Saeros thanked Rothan and made his way quietly towards the woods border which wasn't far.
Saeros stayed, skillfully balancing his body in the trees when he saw what he was looking for. For many this was a long distance, but with Elf-eyes Saeros could see some people clearly. They weren't Grey-Elves that was for certain. Not Dwarves, a lack of beards. Even with his home-based viewpoint, Saeros knew about Dwarves. They were 3 male-figures, but what men!
They were so clumsy! The 3 struggled to cross a little stream, tangling themselves up in weeds that any Elf could have danced out of. One of them even fell in causing Saeros rather than having any sympathy as the 2 companions helped him out to laugh out loud at their efforts as the other two were also hindered by the water. This was almost unbelievable. The men were dressed in tunics that looked ill-fitting and easily spotted unlike the camouflaged and comfortable robes of Saeros's folk.
So these were mortal Man that Saeros had head about. Saeros found it had to imagine any folk could be so clumsy, uncouth and frankly dirty. As they were. Saeros like most of the Elven had heard strange rumours that maybe the Valar, the Gods of the world, found the Eldar too powerful and independent for their liking and so wanted to replace them with a weaker race which they would find easier to rule.
Was this true and was this them? If so, watching them, Saeros couldn't imagine anyone finding these people of any use. They were just so laughably weak. One of them had a deep cut on his knee and they didn't seem to have even the most basic of healing knowledge to bandage the cut or anything they had just let it bleed. Saeros rolled his head back and laughed scornfully again.
The men looked up, they had heard him. Saeros thought that for strangers hearing a cold, high laugh in the evening might be a little scary. But Searos had no sympathy. He was more thinking of how he could use this encounter for his own political advantage. Saeros was politically very ambitious but as of now, Thingol hadn't seen any talent in him to have him on the council Saeros was wondering how to change this. He thought he should have influence, perhaps on account of age as he was one of the Elder folk of Doriath.
Saeros was aware of the existence of the Dark Lord up north in Angband. But he was well kept in, firstly by the guard of Elves and also by the special Girdle of Melian around Doriath which Saeros knew that nothing of note could penetrate. But personally, secretly, he did not think Morgoth, the lord of Evil all bad. He even didn't rule out treating with him if Saeros had to. It wasn't Saeros that had sworn an Oath of hatred towards Morgoth after all. He liked to keep his options open.
He was also aware that Men had arrived in great number over the Eastern Mountains. He wasn't to troubled with the precise details, but he knew that they were weak compared to the Eldar. Yet, others of his kind, the Noldor at least had made allies of them. But Saeros considered these people too weak to be of worth. In fact, he considered Man to be little above beasts in the order of things, worse in a way, some creatures were better at some things than Man was said to be!
Saeros looked around. The twilight was turning to evening. The pale stars were just coming out. Saeros gave a call again at the men. Two of them saw him and panicked at seeing a Elf-lord, so it appeared to them, in wrath and fled. Only to the lower slopes of the mountains were Saeros knew that flesh-eating monstrous spiders dwelt. Not that Saeros cared about that. One was still trapped in the stream, the wounded one. Saeros drew his knife and made to slay the Man for daring to approach the woods of Droiath so boldly.
The man begged for his life in his own language, which Saeros didn't understand though he understood the meaning well enough. Should he perhaps show mercy? Saeros considered and almost felt pity for the wretched Man. But not enough pity. Saeros saw a cunning plan for his ambitions and slew the man whose body fell in the stream. Though before he died, the man did manage to surprise Saeros by cutting him on the arm, making him bleed. The scratch looked like it was last for a while initially to Saeros dismay, but later on he thought this could be to his advantage. Saeros made his way thoughtfully back to his home in the forest.
A few days later, the Elven-king of Doriath, the Lord Thingol and his powerful wife, Melian were at council. The greatand the good of Doriath were present and his ministers were sat in colourful garmants on the wooden table under the large trees with wine present. One of the matters for counsel were the issue of Mortal Man and their encroachment around Beleriand. As has been said, Thingol was concerned about mortal Man and what they might mean for him. So, at a point he summoned Saeros. 'Now, my fellow, you have news for me that I need to know. Speak!'
Saeros nervously stood up at the full court of Thingol. He swallowed a goblet of only water on this occasion, he needed to concentrate. Melian looked at him a little disapprovingly, Melian was not fond of him, Saeros knew, but some of her attention was taken up by other matters she was whispering to the lady Galadriel next to her. 'I report that some of mortal man are dangerously close to the border. We are lax in allowing them this near. You should increase the guard on our borders. Which will, sadly, require expense and work. You also need a General in charge of this guard, one that knows these mortals!'
Saeros was cleverly playing on Thingol fears to create a new post in the council. One of which there would be an obvious candidate for. Himself. However, Melian stepped in, 'My king, do not stress yourself too much with mortal Man. They are weak as Saeros himself as revealed. Armies of Orcs and the might of Morgoth cannot break through our Girdle. Indeed, you might find these mortals more trustworthy than some of the Noldor with there Oath will be!'
After speaking, Galadriel, another lady not that fond of Saeros whispered something to Melian. As a major power in Doriath and the only Maia in Beleriand at this time allied to the Eldar, she was very busy. Something required her attention so she made some apologies to Thingol and was forced to depart from the meeting, much to Saeros's joy.
Saeros didn't think much of Galadriel either. His face set in anger as he watched her depart. What right had she, a Noldorian lady had to have power over those in Doriath? He didn't understand how Thingol tolerated this. But he didn't like the Noldor in genral. Far too proud they were and looked down upon those that had not seen the light of the two trees of Aman. And just because of a greater skill in gems and bearing, they didn't take the Sindar seriously, Saeros thought. In their own country too! Though quite what Galadriel was really doing here, he wasn't sure of.
Saeros stood up and spoke again. 'Do not be too proud of this fact. Mortal man are untrustworthy. I'm not saying that they are yet under the Dark Lord's power, but they hold no allegiance to us. How many could be under his sway, none can tell. Yet I have encountered a band on our very border. Mere magic by itself cannot stop them, look!'
With a dramatic sweep, Saeros held up his injured arm. To his private delight blood was still flowing from it. He had personally picked the wound to make this happen the previous evening in fact. 'This is the wound, I a counsel of Thingol,' - Saeros wasn't quite accurate here, but he was hoping some might take the hint! 'have suffered at their hands. Do not think that illusions will keep your borders free. These Men could be dangerous!'
Beleg asked, 'Are you certain they weren't Orcs you encountered?' Saeros had yet to properly meet Orcs.
Thingol shook his head. 'If any Orcs had come so close, I would have known about it! Describe these people to me!' At Saeros's description Thingol agreed, 'Those were mortal Man.' Thingol looked at Saeros's arm, the blood still flowing from it. His fears were now increased doublefold. Now, Searos had been very clever up to now, but at this stage his plans almost were thrown into naught. Thingol stood up and announced, 'I agree, we need tighter security and a person to organise this, I therefore appoint...'
Saeros stood up smiling,
'Beleg Cuthalion to this post!' Thingol concluded.
Saeros almost gagged. Not Beleg! Possibly the worst opponent of his in Doriath. Saeros wouldn't have had much chance of influence with Beleg in charge of this. His throat was dry, he couldn't speak. But fortunately for him, Beleg replied, 'I am afraid not, my lord. I am of more use to you out in the trees and the streams. I am not good for long meetings and counsel. I am afraid I must refuse this post!'
Thingol didn't look happy, but there wasn't much he could do. He could scarcely reprimand Beleg! Beleg was one of his oldest, and wisests councellors. As he frowned, Saeros gave a little subtle nod to Rothan who had been summoned to appear at the councel. Rothan stood up, and said, 'If I might be excused, I suggest, Saeros is the obvious Elf for this position. He has already encountered and driven of Men after all!'
Thingol looked relieved and agreed. With a wave of his hand he said, 'Saeros, I appoint you as General in charge of border matters. I wish you luck with this post. Come, I will confirm this tomorrow, but take up your rightful place on my table!' Searos smiled and did so. He sat down, took a congratulatory glug of wine for himself and leaned back smiling more so. He was going to reward Rothan for his nomination as things were now going his way!
The End.
Footnote: I suppose it's possible that some of you think that Thingol as an Elven-lord was convinced by Saeros a bit too easily. Well, his attitude towards Mortal Man, at least at the start was a bit of a blind spot as far as Thingol was concerned, look at his attitude towards Beren for example. I think that maybe that was what Saeros used to gain influence.