Disclaimer – All of the characters and places are taken out of the books written by JRR Tolkien.
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"…and Lord Olwë of Alqualondë sends his apologies that he cannot come next evenfall at the festivities at Valmar and asks you tell Ingwë the same. I believe the Teleri are holding their own celebrations at their bays."
Finwë nodded and continued to scribble a quick note in reply to the one sent to him by Mahtan, an excellent smithy, whom he had hired to make a piece of jewellery for his wife.
"Is that all the news for today?" He asked looking up at the dark haired elf who had just spoken.
"Yes sire." The elf responded.
"Thankyou then for your news summary. That will be all for today." Finwë said smiling.
The elf bowed and left the Noldor King to himself.
Finwë sighed as he looked down at the note. He could not think of what he wanted Mahtan to make. He was indisputably wonderful at creating things of copper, hence the smiths nickname Urundil, but he wondered at if Míriel would appreciate a pendant of silver or gold, than copper.
A small smile formed over his lips at the thought of her. Although he had last seen her that very morn, he could not wait till he would next see her fair face.
Míriel was the fairest of all elf maidens Finwë had ever seen, Noldor, Vanyar or Teleri. To him no other woman is all of Aman could compare to her, and he could not imagine himself in love with any other than Míriel. Míriel was unique and irreplaceable and in all ways different to other elven maidens. No other could weave or embroid fine silks and linen with jewels like stars the way Míriel could. No other elven maid could make him feel as though he needed not the light of the Two Trees when she was around.
With a sigh Finwë stood up from his chair. The matter of jewellery could wait for a later date.
He walked out of his office and began to make for their chambers where he knew Míriel would be, in her chair working on some knew masterpiece.
Sure enough, when Finwë opened the doors carefully and walking into the room he saw Míriel doing exactly what he thought her to be doing. She sat at her chair, her back facing him and the door, with her head bent to her lap, her hands working away steadily with the needles and threads at her fingers. In the chair opposite her sat a girl who held the ends of the cloth which on which Míriel worked on, as it were too long for his wife to hold herself.
Finwё closed the door softly and motioned to the girl, who looked at him, to speak naught of his presence in the room, as Míriel had not realised herself that he had come.
He neared his wife, who still quietly worked away, occasionally looking to the floor where there lay a quick sketch by her hand. The picture was unmistakably the view of the bay of Eldamar looking down through Calacirya. He was now close enough to his wife that his shadow cast upon her back, though she still did not notice him being so enthralled. He looked over his wife's shoulder and sure enough she sewed what was on the paper, adding much more detail as she went along. She was nearly finished, evidently having started in the morn. There were bright threads of all colours, including gold for the buildings and silver for the waters. She now sewed small golden beads to where the lighted lamps of upon the ships and quays of where Alqualondë were, far off in the distance.
"You visited Olwё without me?" he asked his wife.
Míriel jumped from her needlework with fright at the sudden sound of his voice and the girl laughed, as did Finwё.
"Most well-mannered it is to sneak upon your wife whilst she sews Finwё of the Noldor. There is not a chance that she may very well drive the needle through her finger than her cloth." Míriel said jestingly as she turned around and looked at Finwё with a smile.
Míriel looked at the girl warmly and took the cloth out of her small hands.
"Thankyou for your assistances Alassё. You may return to your mother now. We shall finish this piece tomorrow morn."
The girl nodded and bowed before leaving them.
"At last the King of the Noldor has retired from his labours as king." She said standing up and looking at Finwё.
"Yea he has," Finwё replied as he helped Míriel fold the cloth, which she went and stored away in her chest. "Yea the king has retired from his office and has returned to his wife to be a simple man in the only company of only her this night."
Míriel turned around and smiled at Finwё, her Noldor grey eyes glinting brighter than the very heavens that night. She sat on the bed and rested a pillow at her lap and beckoned to Finwë to come.
"Then be a simple man and converse with your wife about your affairs this day." She said taking his hand as he walked to her and pulling him down on the bed. Finwё smiled and rested his head on the pillow on Míriel's lap.
"To answer your question before, I did not go to see dear Olwё." She said as she kissed his forehead and began to run her fingers through his raven hair. "I was walking and I saw the view and had the wont to capture it."
"'Tis looking beautiful, though unfinished." He said as his eyes closed, luxuriating in the massage the Míriel now gave him. "You are surely on your way to capturing it, my love. Perfectly."
Míriel awarded him another kiss upon his forehead for his complement and laughed as his nose furrowed when her hair brushed against it.
"How was your day?" she asked him.
"Good--tomorrow, should I forget, remind me to tell Ingwë of Olwё." Finwë said.
"What of Olwë?"
"He sends summons apologising for he cannot come tomorrow at the celebrations at Valimar."
"Yes, the Teleri hold festivals that night of their own for the birthing season of the swans." Míriel said.
Finwё nodded and opened his eyes looking up at Míriel who looked down at him with a smile which he was not sure of. It was secretive and mirthful and he could see it playing behind her eyes as she looked at him.
"Why have you that smile Sweet Serindё?" he asked her.
She simply shrugged, the stars in her eyes shining brighter with her lie.
"Do you braid my hair?" Finwё asked with a slight frown.
"Yes." Míriel answered.
"Why?"
"Because you interrupted me from my sewing whilst I was doing best and now my hands are restless." She said with a smile.
Finwё laughed as he sat up kissing both of Míriel's hands.
"Perhaps then after you tell me what you hide we can find a resolution to your hands restlessness." Finwё said with a smile.
"Walk with me so that I may think whether to tell you what it is I hide." Míriel said smiling.
"As you wish it." Finwё said and they stood up and walked out of their chambers and out of his halls.
Long they walked, hand in hand, in the waning light of Laurelin down different paths which led through the many gardens and grounds of Tirion. The great light upon Mindon shone brightly, with beams cast through the sky and upon them with bright colours against their raven hair as they spoke but Finwё noticed all the while, whilst Míriel spoke, the mirth and happiness which flickered to great extent in her grey Noldor eyes.
Many times he asked her to reveal what she hid but the crystal stars in her eyes only illuminated more and she smiled, telling him no more than she has the first time he asked her.
"Come," Míriel said leading Finwё down another path, "let us walk down the path where I saw the bay of Eldamar I saw this morning."
"Will you tell me?" Finwё asked.
Míriel turned her head to her husband with a smile and kissed his lips.
"In good time, my love. In good time." She said and laughed at the hopelessness she saw in Finwё's eyes, for he was normally able to somehow reveal what it was she kept shaded within her.
"Míriel-" Finwё started but was interrupted by Míriel.
"Wait till we reach the place of my inspiration, then I shall tell you." She said looking at him assuring.
He then walked along with her in silence his mind wondering the news which his wife kept from him.
"Is what you are yet to tell me good news?" he asked.
"Perhaps." She answered.
"It is, is it not? Why else would be smiling as such and leading me around Tirion in circles?"
"Here we are."
Finwё looked up from the path, from which he had been staring at and looked filled with awe at the sight before him. He understood now why Míriel had found such inspiration looking down here, for so did he.
They stood upon a path which was shadowed by the mound of Túna and the light of the trees were shadowed too. The stars of Varda though shone beautifully in the heavens above them and before them he could see straight through Calacirya, the Pass of Light, onto the bays of Eldamar and in the distance could be seen the graceful white lights of the swan haven of Alqualondё, where their kin, the Teleri resided.
Many fair plants and trees there grew in Calacirya and the greens upon it shone in the faint shadowed light of the Trees like emeralds, dim but rich.
The fair beaches of Elendё shone too with the many opals, diamonds, crystals and other fair jewels which the Noldor had given the wave-folk when they had first set foot upon the shores of Eldamar, after they had journeyed on fair swan driven boats from Tol Eressёa, The Lonely Isle, which was could be seen in the far distance across the glimmering water.
The fresh cool sea breeze swept past them with the feel of refreshment and ease and the cry of the white gulls could distantly be heard, echoing through, Calacirya
"'Tis beautiful, is it not?" he heard Míriel say at his side.
Finwё turned his head and looked to Míriel.
"Indeed it is and I see why you have brought me here to tell me whatever it is you must. Indeed your secret must be joyous and as beautiful as this grand view."
"It is as beautiful, if not more Finwё. Not only did I find my inspiration for a new piece of embroidery but it is here that I first felt the secret which I hold." She said with a small smile as she stared out over the Pass of Light.
She looked away from the scenery and turned to Finwё. He could see the stars in her eyes now, the glimmer in her eyes and the real reflection from the stars above, both dancing jovially to a song which played in her heart.
"I am with child Finwё."
Finwё looked at Míriel with an uncertain smile over his lips.
"You are with child?" he asked.
"Yes, I am with child." She repeated smiling.
"You are with child…that means you are…with child." Finwё said his smile growing slightly bigger.
He looked out over the pass of Calacirya and his gaze stretched further to the bays of Eldamar. A small laugh began to form in his throat at the thought of Míriel and the child within her womb and that very second, his child, his unborn child which would soon grown and fill Míriel's belly.
He looked at Míriel, who looked back at him with tears of joy in her eyes and her hands covered her mouth, but he could see the smile upon her face.
The small laugh within his throat grew from a small one to a loud one at the thought that Míriel was with child, she was carrying a child which was his.
Finwё knew not what had taken over him at that moment. Like one who had just seen for the first time, everything seemed so new and different to him. Everything seemed alive and wonderful. Míriel was with child, his child and soon enough this child would no longer be inside of Míriel but running about the halls and gardens of Tirion.
Laughing, Finwё seized Míriel by her shoulders.
"Never was I told that such joy could be found within Aman when I first came here!" he cried before kissing his wife's lips.
He let go of Míriel and the two stood laughing.
"Míriel, my love, we shall soon have a son, strong in arms, valiant in spirit, sharp in mind, skilled of hand and gentle of heart! We shall have a son who may one day take my place as king." He said happily.
"And what if the child is a girl?" Míriel asked laughing.
"Then she shall be the most fairest maidens any in Aman has ever seen, save her mother." Finwё replied smiling. "She shall be surnamed Serindё too for she shall have the hands of her mother and weave the finest tapestries which shall hang on the walls of the House of Finwё alongside that of Míriel Serindё."
Míriel's laughter echoed in Finwё's mind, only adding to his joy and excitement.
"Come!" he said taking Míriel's hand and running back towards the city of Tirion with Míriel close behind him.
"What are you going to do?" Míriel asked laughing.
"Let us awaken all of Tirion with song and laughter and tell them of our news!" Finwё said joyfully.
"Wait!" Míriel laughed trying to restrain her husband as he pulled her along after him.
"Behold! People of Tirion, soon you shall have a young princeling running about your streets, for Míriel Serindё, wife of the King is with child!" Finwё shouted as they entered the main city.
Many of the elves immerged from their houses to see who it was that was shouting and were at awe when they saw their king and his wife on the streets shouting aloud with laughter and joy. Then they heard and perceived what Finwё, the High King of the Noldor said and soon enough the city of Tirion upon Túna was filled with the sound of fair music and laughter which echoed through Calacirya and their songs were heard from the Vanyar at the foot of Taniquetil and the Teleri in Alqualondё and they wondered what it was the Noldor rejoiced for.
Again Finwё kissed Míriel Serindё.
"Soon you will not only be called the king of the Noldor but father." Míriel said laughing.
"Father?" Finwё repeated with a smile.
"Father!" she said again, her happiness shining forth from her and her eyes, glistening with tears and stars.
He looked at Míriel and saw those eyes of hers, those grey eyes, those grey Noldor eyes, grey and Noldor with glimmering stars amid them. Those eyes he saw into which saw him too, those which he loved and which he had fallen in love with. Those eyes which belonged to his wife and his queen, those eyes which belonged to Míriel Serindё, the woman he loved beyond extent, the woman who he could never replace, the woman who was now the mother of his child.
He saw in her grey Noldor eyes, all the joy in Aman that could ever be and that had ever existed, a mirror to the dazzling stars of Varda and a mirror to all of the love, joy, happiness and everything else he felt at that moment.
"Father!"
Finwё opened his eyes and he saw those grey eyes, those grey Noldor eyes of his son, those grey Noldor eyes with bright stars within them which belonged to his son's mother.
"She is with child?" his son asked him, his face and tone of voice clearly expressing horror, loath and disgust.
"Yes Fёanáro, Indis is with child. You will soon have either a brother or sister."
"Brother or sister?" Fёanáro said, his eyes narrowing. "Do you forget father that I am not the son of Indis of the Vanyar. Míriel Serindё, a Noldo with skill in embroider which is surpassed by none, save Vairё of the Valar, is my mother and none you marry shall ever replace her." He said coldly.
"I did not mean it that way my son. Never could any woman replace your mother to you or I."
"Really? Then who is Indis father? Who is this woman you have brought into your bed and wedded? Who is this woman who is now with child?"
"Fёanáro I have told you many a time that your insolence towards Indis will not bring Míriel back." Finwё said sternly looking down at his son. Although he was feeling powerless at that time to his son he could not let it be shown to him.
"Nay father it is because of Indis that Míriel cannot come back."
"She did not want to come back Fёanáro! 'Tis because Míriel did not want to come back that I married Indis. In her I found solace to my grieving, grieving for my lifeless wife which you did not see, so do not bother to tell me a tale I now well, a tale which you do not know to the full!" Finwё said loudly.
His son stared at him insolently. Finwё could see his own arrogance as well in his son's eyes, his own arrogance and her hurt. He could see Míriel in his son's eyes and he saw her every time he looked at Fёanáro."
"Solace." He said softly. "'Perhaps you have found solace father, but I have not and I now that neither has Míriel Serindё for this that you have done."
With that the first son of Finwё left him in his office and walked briskly out of the room.
Finwё sighed and looked at the door as it slammed shut.
The house remembers the builder, though others may dwell in it long after
Though she was not there, her shadow still had not departed from his house, nor his heart. Her shadow had not departed from Fёanáro's heart either.
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Not exactly too good, mainly because I struggle in writing 'happy' situations. In any case a review would be very nice!