In An Age Before - Part 134
Now Helluin and Beinvír took their leave of Húngan and his family and made their way north and west. Whilst still in Cardolan, they came upon some estates and hamlets and asked after the murdered family at each, but none had marked them in those lands. In Bree they found none, large or small, recalling the family's passage, and they came to suspect that the secrecy that had prompted them to camp off the road had been kept ere they crossed into Cardolan. Throughout the month of Gwirith they continued their search, criss-crossing fields and hills, asking their questions and showing their tokens at each settlement and estate they came to, yet they learnt 'naught.
Lothron opened as the two ellith made their way north towards Fornost. Again their way took a convoluted path, for they endeavored to ask at each homestead and village of Men in those lands.
"I find myself in sympathy with poor Elladan when he sought for us upon his father's errands," Beinvír said as they camped 'nigh the road to Fornost, "for e'er we seek and find 'naught."
Helluin groaned. The ellon had spent many months seeking the pair for to summon them to council with Elrond.
"And wither art thy kin, meldis nín?" She asked. "'Naught have we seen of them, yet if any know what passes in Eriador, t'would be they."
"I know not, melethril, though by now, I deem it most likely that they art aware of us."
"A plague rather than a babe we had found, one would think," Helluin muttered.
Their search continued fruitlessly up the length of the countryside 'nigh the road to Fornost Erain, which they reached upon 25 Lothron, (May 25th). After satisfying the sentries and being granted entrance to the fortress, the two ellith made their way to the Royal College of Heraldry, that definitive repository of the historical records of the noble devices of the North Kingdom. Thither they were interviewed by a wizened and scholarly man named Chwannbarv¹, a bit forgetful, somewhat hard of hearing and less than acute of eyesight, who examined any subject closer than arm's length through a large lens of ground and polished glass. With this he closely appraised the ring for some time and from all angles, finally setting it aside upon a small stage of carved wood. ¹(Chwannbarv, Booksponge = chwann(sponge) + parv(book) w/consonant change at partition in Sindarin names, –p to –b. Sindarin)
"And whence came thee into possession of this signet, my dear," he asked of Helluin, whom he saw only as a soft-edged figure of remarkable height.
"'Twas in the early morning hours of 30 Gwaeron that we…"
"Of this year?" He interrupted. "And pray speak up a bit. I am too old to mark well thy whispers."
"Aye…that being 'nigh on two months past now," she replied, a bit louder.
"I see."
I doubt it, the Noldo thought to herself uncharitably.
"So how came thee into its possession?"
"'Twas worn upon the finger of an adaneth whom we…" she began.
"Which finger?"
"'Twas worn upon the first finger of her left hand ere…"
"The usual place for such a ring to be worn amongst the Dúnedain," he said without missing a beat. When Helluin paused to swallow her annoyance at having been interrupted again, he prompted her with, "and know thou any further details, my dear? Come, I have not all day now."
Turning to Beinvír, Helluin said silently, eye to eye, pray clamp tight thy hand o'er his mouth, my dear, so I may complete my rede ere he interrupt again and I hew off his head for to assuage my annoyance.
The Green Elf choked lightly to suppress a guffaw ere asking, "learned sir, I beseech thee, pray hold thy queries 'til my partner completes her tale, for thereby shalt thou have such details smoothly narrated and in the least amount of time."
The scholar whipped his head 'round towards her voice, asking, "is someone thither?"
With a groan Helluin re-introduced them both, and thereafter with tribulation eventually completed her recounting of the finding of the slaughtered family and the ring, whilst enduring a plethora of interruptions, for Beinvír had declined to gag him with her hand. By then, a couple hours had passed and the scholar announced that 'twas time for the noon meal.
"Pray return to me upon the morrow and we shalt continue our investigation," he said. And with that he locked the ring in a strongbox, rose from his seat to don a shabby coat, and ushered the two ellith out of his office, locking the door behind them.
'Twas with irritation that Helluin and Beinvír took their leave of the Royal College of Heraldry and made their way through the streets of Fornost. A meal and then a room they found at an inn standing 'nigh. Thereafter they passed the day wandering the fortress, buying a few supplies for the road and drawing as little attention as could be contrived. Araphor was still King of Arthedain, but having bewitched him in 1409 to gain access to the Palantír of Elostirion, Helluin had no desire to meet with him now. A wide berth they gave the royal precinct, and they sought not the company of soldiers. They passed a rest-less night, willing Anor to rise the sooner, but their desire in that was not granted.
With the long awaited morn the two ellith broke their fast in the common room and made their way back to the Royal College, eager to hear whatsoe'er Chwannbarv had uncovered. Thither they found his chamber door open, and entering, found the old scholar apparently asleep o'er an open book upon his desk, magnifying lens clasped in one hand. The ring was again on the small, carved wooden stage before him. 'Twas some moments ere they discerned that he breathed not, and a touch upon his shoulder revealed a rigor of several hours stiffening his corpse.
Some time later, after having reported their dismaying find to the staff of the Royal College of Heraldry, and then having watched the removal of Chwannbarv's body, and finally, having answered many questions, Helluin and Beinvír were assigned a new scholar. This Man was indeed much newer, being but a few decades in age, and only lately come to his post as a researcher of designs. His name was Perned¹, which the two ellith at first considered inauspicious, yet unlike Chwannbarv, he listened more than he spoke. This they came to deem a blessing, as it allowed for a much more rapid reiteration of the information regarding their search. ¹(Perned, Halfcount = per(half) + ned(count) Sindarin)
"I know the passing of thy predecessor has been upsetting, yet I pray thee tell us what thou can of this ring," Helluin said.
"T'would seem Chwannbarv was thus engaged, for we found him collapsed o'er this book of designs," Beinvír added.
Perned nodded and took the dead man's seat, poring o'er the open pages for some moments. He leafed through those preceding and following, and then took up the ring, examining it closely and comparing it to the renderings upon the pages. Finally he lit a candle, and o'er it heated a stick of sealing wax, allowing this to drip upon a scrap of parchment 'til a small dollop was formed. Into this he firmly set the face of the ring, allowing it some moments to cool ere pulling it free.
"I have not the long practice of reading in reverse," he admitted, appearing somewhat self-conscious, ere he compared the seal to the designs in the book.
Helluin and Beinvír loomed o'er him, closely watching as he slid the seal past design after design. A few close matches they all marked, yet none were exact. Finally the differences became greater than the similarities.
"T'would seem this ring has no true match hither," Helluin said. "Have we missed something? Art there other such books that might be checked?"
"Nay," said Perned with certainty.
"Why not? Thou hast many books hither," Helluin said.
"Aye, but the designs in this book art very old. 'Tis rarely consulted. Indeed 'tis a wonder 'twas consulted at all."
"Whyfor?" Helluin asked.
"'Tis a book of extinct lineages," Perned said.
"Extinct lineages?" Beinvír asked.
"Aye. This ring is related to houses that were lost long ago."
"To whose houses?" Helluin asked, irritated by the need to coax forth information.
For some moments Perned said 'naught, as if he mistrusted what he had seen. He looked again to the wax seal as if willing it to change, yet it remained the same.
"'Tis most akin to the signets of the House of Bregolas and his son Baragund," Perned finally admitted, "but that line ended in the First Age with Túrin and his sister, Nienor."
For some time all were silent, but finally Helluin recovered the ring and they thanked Perned and took their leave of the Royal College of Heraldry. An hour later they were again on the road, but this time headed south.
"So the babe is heiress apparent to the long departed House of Baragund," Beinvír finally said.
"So t'would seem," Helluin replied, "yet we know that lineage failed not in the First Age, despite what lore tells, for we have met aforetime another scion of that house."
"Aye, we have," said the Green Elf, recalling a black-bearded sea captain of Númenor in the days of Ciryatur. Aboard his ship they had fulfilled the quest set before them by a Vala, to sail to Tol Morwen and recover the shards of Anglachél.
The truth had been revealed by the voice of Anguirél when Captain Mórfang had sought to stay her search of Túrin's grave.
"Stand ye fast! Thy death shalt surely find thee and soon, distant son of Dúrrél," Anguirél's icy voice warned. "Hinder thou not the search of a next of kin."
When questioned, the Dúnadan had supplied the lore of the forgotten Lady Dúrrél, sister of Morwen Eledhwen and aunt of Lalaith, Túrin, and Nienor.
"'Til this moment none knew for sure if indeed Lady Dúrrél had e'er lived," he said at last. "It hath been said that she was by three years the elder daughter of Baragund, and that she left Dorthonian for marriage still young, in the very year of the Dagor Bragollach. But the House of Bëor was all but destroyed in that war and much was forgotten, and Lady Dúrrél came not into the tales of those years."
"Who can tell when that line made their home again upon the Hither Shores," Helluin said.
"'Twas surely sometime 'twixt the War of the Elves and Sauron and the Whelming of Númenor, but that is the tale of many years," the Green Elf said.
"When we met Captain Mórfang he sailed from Rómenna," Helluin recalled, "and in the latter days of the Second Age, Ar-Gimilzôr compelled the Faithful to dwell thither. 'Twas the last home of the Lords of Andúnië ere the fall."
"I doubt that after what he witnessed with us, Captain Mórfang's descendants would have cleaved to the will of the kings o'er that of the West, whether numbered amongst the Faithful or not, yet that still offers no surety. His family may have come to Lindon at any time after we met him…even in one of the ships of Elendil."
"'Tis perhaps a point that shalt remain unclear," the Noldo said, "yet at least we have now a clue to the slaughtered family's lineage. Still, their tale remains unknown. Think thou that t'would be worthwhile to chance a trip west upon the road from Bree?"
"I suppose so," Beinvír said, "for we have found 'naught in Cardolan and Arthedain to the north and east."
"Perhaps too we shalt find some of thy folk thither, for I desire greatly to hear from them."
"As do I, meleth nín, and whither thou go, so shalt I."
Through the remaining days of Lothron, and the following months of Nórui and Cerveth, (June and July), Helluin and Beinvír explored the lands of southeastern Arthedain. West they had traveled upon the Great East Road 'til they came to Baranduin, and thither they turned south. Again they criss-crossed the land, asking after the family and hoping for recognition of the signet ring, yet they heard 'naught at the farms and hamlets and homesteads whither they stopped. Neither Men nor Halflings had 'aught to share, it seemed.
Upon 26 Nórui, (June 26th), the two ellith came to Sarn Ford, whither the North Road crossed from Arthedain into Cardolan ere making its long way past Tharbad upon Gwathló, and thence renamed the South Road, 'cross Dunland into Gondor. Knowing that Rangers of Cardolan watched the border crossing, Helluin and Beinvír forded Baranduin in the morn of the 27th and met with the company stationed thither.
"We pray thee send word to the Lord Húngan that we have found little regarding the orphaned babe and her slaughtered family since last we saw him, save that the ring signifies a relationship to the House of Baragund," Helluin told them.
"Our search continues," Beinvír added, "but the babe may be a scion of the Lady Dúrrél of Dorthonian, elder sister of Morwen Eledhwen."
"We shalt pass thy tidings shortly, for our duty rotates back to Cardol at month's end," the sergeant commanding the Ranger detail told them, "and unless thou deem thy words of greater urgency, they shalt come to our lord's ears some six days hence."
"Thou hast our thanks, good sergeant," Beinvír said.
"Say also that we continue our search through Arthedain, first to the south, and thence turning west to the Ered Luin, and finally north," Helluin said. "We shalt enquire too at the Havens in Mithlond, for perhaps some of Círdan's folk have 'aught to tell."
"I wish ye safe and well upon your journey then," the sergeant said, "and I hope ye find such tidings as ye seek."
After sharing the noon meal with the Rangers, the two ellith took their leave, and crossing back o'er Sarn Ford, returned to Arthedain to take up again their search. The month of Cerveth passed whilst they made their way down Baranduin to the sea. As they had aforetime, they asked after the slaughtered family at each farm and hamlet, yet the farmers and tradesmen and fisher folk 'nigh the river knew 'naught.
Standing upon the strand of the Bent Seas, both recalled their voyages upon the great ships of Númenor in days long past. For the Green Elf, memory birthed images of the beauty of Nisimaldar 'nigh Eldalondë, a meal shared with distant kin, and the words of the Teler, Luhtalle.
"Beinvír, if thou would have it so, thou may take ship with us and sail into the West, for the Nandor art in origin of the kindred of the Teleri, my people, and though sundered from us long ago, thy ancestors started upon the westward road. The Powers would allow thee to complete at last thy journey."
'Twas the chance to redress the choice of her ancestors, to turn aside from the Western Path, to tarry in Beleriand, for now she could sail to the Blessed Isle, thither to live fore'er in bliss. Helluin had bid her choose with her heart, and this she had done.
"Thou hast given me the world, Helluin, more so than even my king, and though we have faced dangers, with thee I feel safe. But more than this, in no other's company have I felt the fluttering of my heart nor the shivering amidst my spine as I do when I look into thy eyes, for in them I find myself lost, and in that loss I am found as ne'er I thought to be. I should not leave thee for the world, Helluin; why then for but an island, no matter how pretty?"
Standing beside her now, Helluin recalled a different memory from that same trip.
"And there too is thy star," Beinvír said, pointing to the blue fire of Helluin, (Sirius), that blazed from the heart of Ráca, "The Wolf", (Canis Major). "And it doth pale before thine eyes."
They had been lying together upon the high talon of the mainmast aboard the Queen's warship Valacirca, two days out from Rómenna.
"'Tis but one above and far," the Green Elf whispered, "and I am blessed with two close at hand. Dearer to me than Varda's own art thine, the work of Ilúvatar himself."
Helluin thought the words sweeter than any sung in any Age, but the Laiquendi had once filled Ossiriand with the fair music of their voices. And her Fair Treasure would have put them all to shame. She reached up and stroked Beinvír's cheek with gentle fingers that had slain hundreds, and then, slipping her hand into the Green Elf's dark hair, urged her down. Closer…closer…and her eyes slipped closed.
After what followed, they had ne'er been the same, bound 'til world's ending, fëa to fëa.
Helluin wrapped her arm 'round Beinvír's shoulders, pulling her close, and the Green Elf leaned into her, resting her head upon the Noldo's shoulder. Long they stood thus as the waves rolled upon the shore and a few gulls wheeled o'erhead, crying their lonely song. E'er the sea called with dreams and possibilities, and the promises of times to come, yet as they had aforetime, they made their peace with its call and turned back inland, taking their way north by west toward the eastern foothills of the Ered Luin.
Cerveth passed and then Urui and Ivanneth, (August and September). All the lands of southern Arthedain up to the Tower Hills they examined, yet ne'er did they find any who knew 'aught of the slaughtered family, or the descendants of the House of Baragund. A few days in mid-Ivanneth they spent at the Grey Havens in Mithlond, and thither took counsel with Círdan, but of the family, even the wise Sinda had 'naught to tell. Still, if less than welcome, his counsel proved worthy.
"Of the House of Baragund I have not heard tell in many long years," he said as they shared an evening meal before many-paned windows that looked out o'er the Havens, "and the last time was thy own tale after thy return with the sea captain of Númenor."
"That too was the last we had heard of this House of the Atani ere the tidings we garnered in Fornost of late," Helluin said.
"And ye art convinced that the babe ye found descends from the Lady Dúrrél?" He asked.
"T'would seem most likely," Beinvír said, "for the descendants of her sister Morwen perished long ago, and lore tells of no others who art known to descend from Baragund."
"Save for Captain Mórfang, who wore not the sigil of his house, indeed who knew not even of his own ancestral ties, and whose descendants may have perished in the Wreck of Númenor, ye have met in all your travels no others of that line?"
"Nay, we have not," the Noldo said.
"None we knew or suspected in all the time that has passed," the Green Elf agreed.
The Ship-Wright nodded and closed his eyes, deep in thought. Many Ages he had seen and many things he knew. Drawing forth the connections occupied his mind for long moments as the three sat in silence. At last he thought upon the tales of his friends, for many things they too had seen which no others knew save from their telling.
Finally, the Lord of the Sindar sighed and spoke, and his words shocked the two ellith.
"Ye have known aforetime one to whom the passage of time means 'naught, and for whom the passing of generations is as the passing of days. Those he fancies as friends disappear from all tales and knowledge, yet aforetime some have reappeared, and ye had a hand in just such a tale. Aye, there is one who may have for ye an answer."
At his words, Helluin groaned and Beinvír wrapped her arms about herself as if chilled. 'Twas absolutely the last idea they wished to entertain, and the last peril they wished to encounter again, and yet they knew there could be truth in Círdan's words. Outlandish as it seemed, 'twas a strong argument for turning their footsteps east; the placement of the house would explain the path of the doomed family, south of the road through Cardolan.
Oh joy, the Green Elf said silently to Helluin, eye to eye, art we to seek out the lord of clownish attire and vapid verse?
'Tis not a welcome choice, to see again that phantom house, or his lady's skin with her bunny slippers, and yet 'tis all too horridly fitting. Had I somehow escaped that house to be plunged thence from the First Age into the Third, I too would flee, engaging in whatsoe'er secrecy I might contrive.
As if reading their thought, the Ship-Wright said, "I understand your reluctance, for I too would be shy of such a meeting…if ye were even to find that house again, for as ye have said aforetime, 'twas less oft seen than unseen."
"Indeed, the appearance of that house was…unpredictable," Helluin agreed.
Beinvír added, "the babe could live out her life, age and die ere we see again the home of Iarwain Ben-adar."
To be Continued