Prologue
He paced, back and forth; forth and back. He had already counted the tiles on the ceiling and the tiles on the floor of the great hallway. So he commenced to pace, back and forth; forth and back. A groan came from the corner.
" Desist, Fingon or my head will never stop pounding from your footsteps."
Fingon gave a small sigh, running a hand over the back of his neck. He then sharply turned his eyes to the Elf.
" What else am I to do?"
" Sit!"
Fingon collapsed in the chair besides the brown haired Elf.
" Atar-"
Fingolfin sent his son a weary look.
" If I had known you would be so exasperating, I would have never suggested you marry."
Fingon chuckled a bit before his eyes returned again to the closed door in front of them. Fingolfin leaned back against the wall.
" Rest while you may, Fingon. I can predict you will not be sleeping much after the babe is born."
Fingon leaned forward, his hands fidgeting nervously.
" Artanis was in a bloody mood this morning."
Fingolfin chuckled.
" She is the only healer about as of now."
Fingon's head perched itself between his hands with a woeful look.
" I know and I am scared for both my wife and child."
~*~
Artanis exited later that evening with a sad smile. Fingon rose, taking her hands as he searched her eyes quickly. Artanis looked down.
" You have a son."
Fingon's smile grew and then faded, seeing Artanis' somber disposition.
" What? What is it, Artanis?"
Artanis motioned her uncle over.
" Inwinórë died, Fingon. I am sorry."
Fingon put a fist to his mouth, a sigh racking his body. He looked up.
" What?"
Fingolfin's hand fell around his son's shoulders. He glanced at Artanis.
" What happened?"
Artanis ran a hand over her own neck, rolling it to relieve the kinks.
" The bleeding would not stop. She was far too frail to have given birth."
Fingon ran a hand over his face, looking up and away.
" You are sure?"
Artanis nodded.
" You have a son." She offered as comfort.
Fingon turned into the room, bending beside the bed and his dead wife.
" I guess I shall see the boy," Fingolfin said gently.
Artanis led Fingolfin inside. She shook her head.
" Everyone knew she was far too frail and unsuited to bear a child, yet she still wanted one, just like her cousin, Míriel. She brought her own death upon herself." Artanis said softly, casting a glance at the mourning Fingon.
Fingolfin shook his head, thinking of his father's first wife.
" I know."
Artanis threw her outer tunic that protected the summer dress she wore underneath harshly at the wall.
" Such a waste of life."
" May I see my grandson, or do I have to listen to your ranting beforehand?" Fingolfin asked lightly.
Artanis sent him a laugh. She gently took at bundle of cloths from a nursemaid. Fingolfin was content to look over her shoulder, his hands empty. Artanis looked up innocently.
" Do you want to hold him, Daeradar (Grandfather)?"
Fingolfin began to protest, but found the child thrust into his arms. He quickly found a seat and sat down, watching the child closely. Two eyes fluttered open, staring unseeingly up at him. Fingolfin's face softened. Artanis knelt beside him.
" He is going to be quite a charmer."
" Artanis?" came a broken voice.
The two looked up to see Fingon. Fingolfin stood.
" Would you like to see him?"
Fingon nodded, taking the newborn. His face softened, as he pushed the blanket away so he could see more of child's face. Artanis took a hold of his elbow as he covered his face with a hand. She swiftly took the child, allowing for Fingolfin to comfort his son. Artanis shook her head, looking down at the child.
*You best be all the trouble you have caused.
She glanced at the somber room and could only shake her head again.
*All this just for an heir…
~*~
Fingolfin found his son kneeling by the new grave.
" You do know that you have sorely neglected your new son."
Fingon shook his head.
" I cannot bear to look at him. He reminds me of her."
Fingolfin shook his head.
" Come on, Son. Get out of this slump. She is dead, but life goes on. Do you remember your grandfather?" Fingolfin knelt by his son. " Do you remember seeing him laying there, dead? This is but a small part of what I felt."
Fingon shook his head.
" You cannot know."
Fingolfin stood.
" Artanis came up with a brilliant name for your son."
Fingon looked up slightly. Fingolfin stuffed his hands into his pockets.
" Ereinion. She said he may have to do a little growing to fit into it, but it would fit him fine one day."
Fingon gave a shrug.
" Do as you see fit. I do not care."
Fingolfin watched his son walk away. He sighed.
*The sad thing is that that is true. He does not care.
Fingolfin turned towards the large fortress.
*Fëanor grew up with no mother. I dread to think of this one growing up with neither a mother nor loving father.
Fingolfin grimaced and then chuckled.
*A babe in diapers going up against Morgoth.
Fingolfin continued on his way with a chuckle, enjoying the mental picture of the Vala being beaten by a rattler.
~*~
Fingolfin passed the nursery late one night. He heard the humming and could not help but peek in. He smiled. Artanis had named herself Ereinion's caretaker for the time being. She had argued that she had nothing better to do since she was kept in this marble cage. Fingolfin had chuckled at her statement. There was no way to restrain her once she decided to do something. Now she was cradling the whimpering year old no doubt because of the erupting mountains in the distance. He cleared his throat.
Artanis' head shot up, her hair flying back and casting a shimmer over the room. Her sleepy eyes tried to focus on her uncle.
" I am sorry if Ereinion woke you, Uncle."
Fingolfin waved a hand dismissively.
" I was already awake."
Artanis yawned, glancing down cautiously and trying to see over the boy's dark head.
" Is he asleep yet?"
As if he knew he was being talked about, the boy looked up at her with a laughing smile and babbled softly. Artanis sent her uncle a frustrated look.
" We have been up since I tried to put him down to bed."
Fingolfin ruffled the growing glossy curls.
" Give him to me, Artanis. Go get some sleep."
Artanis easily released the child. She heard his whimper and turned around with a smile.
" Be good for your Daeradar, Ereinion."
Ereinion grinned up at Fingolfin with a mischievous glint in his sparkling eyes.
" Dardar!"
Fingolfin chuckled.
" Close enough."
Artanis disappeared from the room, causing it to darken a bit.
Fingolfin moved towards the window. He heard Ereinion's soft squeal when the toddler found the silver necklace around Fingolfin's neck. Fingolfin gently pulled it from his grasp, seeing the slobber beginning to encase it. The necklace had been his father's. Fingolfin gently began to sing an old lullaby of Valinor that he remembered. Ereinion's gray eyes darted up to his grandfather's light eyes and then the stars above. The boy lifted a hand as if trying to pull down one of the sparkles from the sky to play with. Fingolfin gave a small sigh.
" You are going to be my only weakness, Ereinion, I can see that now." Fingolfin smiled down at him.
Ereinion reached again for the necklace, pulling it up for his grandfather's observation with a grin.
" Dardar!"
Fingolfin sat down in a chair.
*I am sure Morgoth would love to know about this.
~*~
Fingolfin frowned a bit, his gaze fixed upon his precious grandson in the square below. Artanis handed the giggling boy to her brother, Orodreth, allowing the Elf to murmur something that made Ereinion laugh even more. Fingolfin's face softened and he began down the stairs to join them. He noted that Artanis hovered a bit, sending Orodreth's sons warning glances. The youngest ignored her, wrinkling his nose and pushing at the boy held before him as if to cast it to the ground.
Fingolfin's breath caught in his throat, as Orodreth's hands were empty for a split second. Fingolfin broke out of his daze and sprinted down the stairs. Orodreth, though pale, held the young prince only by the grace of his quick elven reflexes. Ereinion's bottom lip puckered before he caught sight of Fingolfin and reached out his arms with a whimper.
" Dardar." The wail came at full blast.
Fingolfin snatched Ereinion away, pulling the boy close to him. Ereinion buried his tiny face in Fingolfin's shoulder. Orodreth bent before his son.
" Orodlin, what were you thinking?"
The caramel haired boy dug his toe into the ground, looking amazingly innocent. Orodreth's face softened and he ruffled his son's hair.
" It was an accident, Ada." The boy said.
Orodreth lifted up the boy with a small smile.
" Do not do it again."
Artanis shook her head.
" Discipline him, Orodreth." She prodded.
Orodreth shrugged.
" He did no harm, Sister."
The golden haired boy smiled smugly at Artanis from his father's arms as Orodreth began to move away. Artanis glanced at her uncle with a sad look.
" Already there is little love between our Houses, between the heirs."
Fingolfin shook his head, placing Ereinion on his shoulders.
" Morgoth's darkness lies upon us all now. I can only hope he sees better times than I when he takes the throne."
AN: Some translations and other stuff…Inwinórë- it means fairy. This is not the canon name of Fingon's wife. Her name is never mentioned.
Finwë is the father of Fëanor, Fingolfin and Finarfin and was killed by Morgoth in Aman.