Above the World
Finduilas was the first to wake the next morning. The sun had not yet risen, and everything seemed dreary. However, there was a strange comfort issuing from the room. The walls, and especially the warm bedclothes, gave her a sense of security. They separated her from the harsh, cold world; she felt protected. As Finduilas blinked the rough, sandy feeling out of her eyes, she wrapped herself more tightly in the sheets. Though she and Inwë were in separate beds, she was relaxed and calm. Rolling over, she closed her eyes and dozed off again.
The sun rose, and Finduilas woke again. Inwë was sitting at a nearby dressing table, her face washed. She was slowly brushing her hair. Finduilas pushed the covers aside and approached her cousin, who returned her smile. Slowly, Finduilas began plaiting her cousin's hair, and had her own hair braided. After tying it off, she washed her own face and began to dress. Two more dresses, one of dark green silk for Finduilas and one of blue silk for Inwë, had been laid our earlier, before they woke. Matching décor for their hair was lying beside them. Both of them presentable, they slowly and cautiously slipped out of their room.
The night before, they had been led along the many staircases and corridors by Lady Finduilas. This time, they had no idea where to go. They were frightened, and didn't speak. Finally, they ran into Faramir - literally. He laughed heartily at their surprise, and at his own.
"Looking for breakfast?" He asked. His eyes were as kind as his brother's, but Faramir's seemed to have a spark and eagerness for fun.
"Yes… No one came for us so… we thought we would try to find our own way." Again, Inwë was the one who found her courage first. Both girls were surprised at themselves - Finduilas was usually the one who was the more outspoken.
"I was sent to find you, my mother went to your room, but you had left. My family is waiting for you." With a smile, he turned and began walking. Inwë matched his strides, walking beside him. Finduilas, awestruck by him, trotted behind. "Did you sleep alright?"
"Yes, thank you." Inwë replied. "We both fell asleep within minutes."
"Inwë snored." Finduilas spoke for the first time since they arrived. Faromir guffawed at her pertness.
"Finduilas, do you wish to humiliate me?" her cousin replied with an embarrassed smile. "Please, I would rather you remain silent." With a small smirk, Finduilas started to regain confidence. Within minutes they were outside the dining hall, with the doors thrown open. As they entered, those seated at the one table being used again stood.
"Good morning." Lord Denethor greeted them. His eyes sparkled, but the girls were still intimidated by the stern aura that surrounded him. They felt as though the had better not anger him. Both smiled shyly and returned his greeting. As Inwë sat down, her eyes met Boromir's. He winked as food was set before them. Little was said, and the meal was swift. Lady Finduilas soon left them to tend to some matters for her husband, who left the table soon after. However, he gave the boys orders to look after the girls, and gave the promise that his wife would be free to look after them that afternoon. With a smile, he disappeared.
With a sigh, Inwë turned her attention to her food. It was truly pleasant to have a meal prepared for you, and to have it ready, still piping hot, when you were ready for it. She wandered if the boys would take her and Finduilas into the city that day. She hoped not - she wan not ready to face the intimidating streets and people. She was worried that they would get separated and one of them would get lost. She was lost in her thoughts, but she could hear the boys joking with her cousin. Finduilas still was shy around Faramir but, with his brother beside her, she was starting to open up again. Still concentrating on her food, Inwë was startled when a hand appeared near her plate, placing beside it polished, opaque blue stone. It was small, no wider than her thumb and about half as long. It's dark, deep color reminded her of the color of the distant sky. She looked up and saw Boromir staring at her.
"This is beautiful, where did you find it?" she asked him. Picking it up, she fingered it gently. It felt like hard silk.
"There are many such stones on the banks of the rivers in Gondor. The smaller stones are often used for jewelry." She reached across the table to return the stone. "Keep it," Boromir told her. "I brought it for you." Slowly, Inwë withdrew her hand and, glancing again at the stone, she placed it in her pocket. Finduilas was enthralled by a fictional account of a number of dragon slayings, related by Faromir. She had not noticed the stone nor the exchange of words.
"What will we do today?" Inwë asked Boromir. Both their plates were nearly empty.
"What would you like to do? Explore the city?"
"No! Please no, not yet..." Inwë was startled. Her tone broke the course of Faromir's story, and both he and Finduilas turned their attention to her. Inwë's face turned red.
"Very well, we will stay far from it. Would you like to see it from above? Our father's study will not be occupied today and the balconies offer a view of most of the city." She started to relax again.
"One day soon I will be happy to go into the city… but not now. I am still too uncertain about it," she said.
"We would not have you leave your sense of comfort behind." Boromir was finishing off his plate. Those of his brother and of Finduilas were still half full, but neither of them seemed inclined to finish. They stood, leaving the dishes to be cleared by servants, and Boromir lead them towards Lord Denethor's study.
The palace seemed enormous at first, but the girls were starting to see that it was not as big as they first thought. They were now able to recognize some of the corridors they had passed along the night before, as well as earlier that morning. The palace was built in three levels, each slightly smaller than the one it rested on. The roof of the topmost level was flat with a low wall surrounding it, allowing people to walk on it safely.
The study was a moderately sized library, filled to the brim with books. They were arranged neatly and orderly for the most part, but those on Lord Denethor's desk were strewn about in a torrent of scrolls, pens, ink jars, maps, and so on. The books themselves were beautifully bound in leather, dyed in similar shades of deep blue, green and red. Each wall, excluding the one with the door leading to the hall outside, was fitted with a double door, stretching from floor to ceiling and fitted with panes of clear glass. At present, these were the only sources of light. Faromir pushed on of these doors open slowly, keeping the wind from disturbing the contents of his father's desk. He stepped out, followed closely by Finduilas. She was quickly becoming attached to him, and seemed to follow him like a dog. Inwë and Boromir followed slowly behind.
Minas Tirith stretched before them, standing proud amidst a sea of grassy plain. The walls, built from white iridescent stone, shimmered and sparkled in the strong morning sunlight. Though it was still early, the sun was hot. Standing at her cousin's side, Inwë leaned over the railing of the balcony. It was interesting to watch the people scurrying below them, tending to their business. Closer to the citadel directly below were soldiers in armor, some were standing guard, others hurrying on some errands, while others milled about lazily. Out the corner of her eye, Inwë saw a large pebble falling from the balcony paling. It narrowly missed one of the guards below. She shot a glance first at Finduilas, who looked sheepish, and Faramir, who looked amused, then at Boromir. He hadn't noticed; he was transfixed on one of the peasant girls walking through a market several streets away. Again out the corner of her eye, she saw another pebble fall from her cousin's hand.
"Finduilas!" she snapped as the guard below started in surprise. Filduilas was also startled. "That's enough." Boromir was pulled from his trance-like state and saw Faromir returning a handful of pebbles to his pocket.
"Father told you to behave." came the reprimand. Faromir smirked a little.
"It wasn't so serious, brother."
"He will hear of it nonetheless." He leaned again on the railing, but could not find the girl below. Instead, he turned his attention to Inwë, who had moved to the other side of the balcony.
"I don't think I should have such a hard time after all, finding my way around." She said as he approached her side. She could see that the streets were arranged in rings, each larger than the one above it, expanding outward. They were connected by stairways and slanted alleys. Ultimately, the lowest led to the outer gates and the highest lead to the citadel and palace.
"Then tomorrow perhaps were can get a closer look at the city." For nearly three hours, the group milled about, watching the people below. When it was nearly noon, Lady Finduilas entered the study to call them to dinner.
While they were eating, the boys were told that they were to spend their afternoon catching up in their studies. Faramir didn't seem to mind much, but Boromir seemed unhappy. He was not one to take to books easily; he would rather spend his day exploring. The girls, too, would begin learning. Being as old as they were, they should be able to sew and read by now. They would have much to catch up on. Though Finduilas was able to sew, her skills were crude and her products were not especially fit for her new station. Naturally, neither of them could read a word.
Inwë's stomach quivered as she thought of having to spend her day pricking her fingers and struggling with letters. The only comfort was the thought of having Lady Finduilas as a teacher.
After the meal, the group disbanded again. Denethor retreated to his study, where he remained until supper. Boromir and Faramir were called to one of the two common rooms, that on the second level, where their tutor awaited them. They, too, were not heard from until later that evening. Lady Finduilas and the girls, who chose to eat more slowly this time, were the last to leave. Finduilas was still stuck with a feeling of awe towards the woman, in spite of her kindness. Lady Finduilas was forever kind to them, and gently drew them out into the open. Slowly, she convinced them that it was safe for them to open up to her. Soon even Finduilas was giggling.
When they finished their meal, they were lead to the second common room, on the first floor. This was where Lady Finduilas received and entertained any guests or visitors who came for any reason, may it be simply to visit or to ask for help. She placed them together on a sofa, where, after slipping their shoes off, they drew their feet up under themselves. Adding to the air of ease, Lady Finduilas set herself on the floor near their feet, where she could monitor their progress while working on her own needlework. She set them to work first on sewing squares for a blanket. The first square for each would be plain, with no decoration. They would be about five inches on each side when they were finished, and would allow the girls to practice the most basic sewing stitch. This first square, they would only hem. Many times they were made to undo their stitches because they were not even or straight. In spite of her frustration, Inwë completed one side of her square within an hour. Finduilas, since she had more experience with sewing, was able to progress much more swiftly. The linen backing was soft in their hands, and the same soft colors of the satin tops seemed to contrast with the deeper colors they saw everywhere around them.
When the first squares were completed, with the stitches hidden inside them, they were set aside for another day. Though her first effort was not perfectly even, Inwë was pleased with the product. She was told that though the sides seemed uneven, that could be hidden when additional squares were sewn to it.
It was decided that they would focus on writing next. Lady Finduilas produced a tablet with the letters of the alphabet written neatly across it. Bringing them to a table with pens and ink she instructed them to practice writing out the letters, slowly sounding out the names of each. Like the squares they had sewn, the products were sloppy yet legible, and their efforts were promising. By the time they were called down to supper, they were able to remember the names of most of the letters and were able to write all of them out.
