In An Age Before – Part 135
Chapter Ninety-one
Cardolan and Imladris – The Third Age of the Sun
The eve of 23 Ivanneth, T.A. 1461 was darkening as the two ellith again approached the bluff o'erlooking the falls of the Withywindle. 'Twas the same night of the year upon which they had lost and later liberated their friends in an Age before. Knowing no surer way, they had sought for the phantom house upon this night in each year since they'd taken their leave of Círdan in Mithlond in the autumn of 1448. That year they had run by sun and moon, crossing Arthedain at a desperate pace of 'nigh on thirteen leagues a day, only to stand in the light of a half-moon and see 'naught that could be deemed peculiar.
Now they looked down the westernmost scarp, and below them the steam led into the Old Forest, tucked into its crook of Baranduin south of the Great East Road, ere it crossed from Cardolan into Arthedain. 'Twas the drainage born whither solid rock underlay the chalk of the downs, and such rainfall as soaked into their slopes and scarps resurfaced at the meeting 'twixt those layers, low upon the westernmost face. Long familiar was the land, yet upon this night chills again crept up their spines, for upon this night, as had been when they had come hither with Tórferedir in S.A. 2994, the Old Forest looked flat, as if 'twas painted with skill upon some palace wall. Untwinkling and unfamiliar stars burned o'erly bright in a pitch-black sky above, and there was no moon. Before them 'neath the bluff sat the house of Iarwain Ben-adar, harshly focused and too sharply present to their eyes, with warm lights in the windows and a curl of smoke rising from the chimney. 'Twas a terrifying simulacrum of welcome.
The soft gurgle of the falls and stream were the only sounds to be heard…not an insect chirped, nor breeze fluttered the leaves of the forest trees. Behind them, sheets of pouring rain fell from a leaden sky upon the Downs 'nigh Cardol.
"As e'er, it looks too strange," Beinvír muttered, "hither, and yet not at the same time."
"'Tis a warning, I deem," Helluin replied, "for a place not of this world."
Despite their unease they quickly descended the scarp. Warily they crossed the pristine lawn and approached the steps, ascending to the porch, and finally, after taking several deep breaths, smote upon the door. Ere the echoes of their blows had died away the door whipped open and thither stood Iarwain, unchanged from their memories of him 1,900 years aforetime. Behind him Maldiaving peered through the door at them from 'cross the room and offered a smile of recognition. Helluin drew a breath to speak a greeting, but their host beat her to it, singing lines that left little doubt that they had been expected.
Hi-diddle, diddle, the cat he went piddle,
While the sow played a merry tune,
The rabbit he snorted for he deemed it no riddle,
Why my friends have returned here so soon.
Here he offered the two ellith a wide smile that froze their blood ere his belly shook from heartfelt laughter, and a spate of dance steps set the heels of his tall, yellow boots a-clatter on the porch. His long beard bobbed in counterpoint, as if waving a greeting of its own. Obviously he was happy to see them again.
"For some time we have sought thee in hope of learning the answer to a riddle of our own," the Noldo began. "Some years aforetime…"
With a smile and a nod, the Eldest completed her thought.
Plumpy-dumpy lost his meat,
He couldn't dodged the arrow fleet.
Thought himself well hid, he did,
But 'twas thou who found a meal and kid.
"'Twas just so, and the child amidst the slaughter of her family…"
Ere she could finish her sentence, Iarwain resumed, and after her initial annoyance at again being interrupted, the Noldo fell silent and harkened to him, recalling how much she'd learnt the last time he had spoken in the mode of quatrains, absent nonsense words.
The Atani of old Beleriand,
Nobly with Eldar went hand in hand.
From fallen realm I brought them here,
To pass at table through many a year.
The aged lady of an ancient house,
Bereft of manor and of spouse,
Lost to lore in her own time,
With her family the last of her noble line.
In Elder Days so long since past,
The heir of a lord sought his repast.
This son of Men who journeyed West,
As a friend too long remained a guest.
What should have been ne'er came to pass,
For past his time Balar raised his glass.
Whilst all his folk fell in the wars,
With Melkor and Sauron, and countless thralls.
Too late when he was freed at last,
His time for lordship had long since passed.
A flaw thus came into The Song,
And unfolding days unfolded wrong.
Remorse was felt for this great sin,
Against the One and the kindred of Men.
A restitution must needs be made,
To assuage the weight of the debt so laid.
From yesteryear a maid without a groom,
Her family saved from certain doom.
Was given a chance to better fare,
Birthed a girl with an ancient title to bear.
But she of whom the future had sprung,
Last cousin of a stolen son,
Aged neck wrung as by gallows rope,
Her distant daughter shalt bear them Hope.
Though years and grass grow very long,
And her people pass to weak from strong.
Ancestral lines must rejoin this Age,
Ere sword's reforged and crown's reclaimed.
Her future son shalt free the sons of all,
And stride to rule from a high stone hall.
A king born to redeem glory past,
And wed like Beren she who is last.
And so the debt shalt be repaid,
Fall of the Shadow, Dawn of an Age.
Last light of the Elder Days shalt shine,
And time unfold in its proper time.
Iarwain fell silent and looked deeply into Helluin's eyes. 'Twas not a shred of levity in him. Beside her Beinvír swallowed hard; after thirteen years they had their answer, and it had been o'er 5,000 years in the making.
"Guard her, young Helluin, and see to those who come after as thou can," he said. "As thou hast done for the House of Galdor, do thou now for the House of Baragund."
In the silence that followed his charge to her, Iarwain Ben-adar nodded once, his beard bobbing as if in farewell, and then he turned and reentered his hall. Helluin and Beinvír retreated down the steps from the porch and onto the lawn, and then, before their eyes, all began to change. The landscape seemed to shift; the strangely flattened planes of forest and sky throbbing as doth a rippled pond, but much more slowly. Finally the hall, barn, and all the trappings of the phantasm that was the House of Tom Bombadil shimmered, brightened, and finally faded. 'Twas soon no evidence that it had e'er existed at all.
About them the eerie silence had given way to the natural noises of the night…falling rain now somewhat reduced from its torrents aforetime, the wind amongst the branches of the trees, and returned to its normal level, the gush of the swollen falls of the Withywindle. They found their feet in mud up to their ankles.
So now they knew the babe they had found was no descendant of Captain Mórfang returned from Númenor, but rather her family was the ancestral source of his line. In the First Age, of Dúrrél had come a child or grandchild who had remained in Beleriand and survived to become one of the Dúnedain. Iarwain Ben-adar had taken only such as his restitution demanded; no more, and no less.
Three days later, that being 26 Ivanneth, (September 26th), T.A. 1461, Helluin and Beinvír met again with the Lord Húngan, Lady Eilianu, and Rochen, now in his twentieth year, grown handsome and masterful in the saddle and at his letters. Their old friend had brought them to his study whither they took counsel o'er refreshments; a good ale and a pan of corn bread rich with fresh churned butter.
"My lord, though years have passed, we have been successful in our quest at last," Helluin said, marking the unease of their hosts. They had long aforetime explained their past meetings with Iarwain Ben-adar, and the Lord of Cardolan had been understandably discomfited to have the unsuspected presence of one so powerful and unpredictable upon the border of his realm a scant hundred miles to his west.
"Then doubly glad am I to find ye safely returned," he said. Beside him, his wife nodded in agreement. Rochen hearkened to them in silence, closely observing all.
"'Twas the least unnatural of our meetings with him," Beinvír told them with a straight face.
"He seemed to know aforetime our purpose and proffered his tidings unprompted," Helluin said. "Indeed 'twas he who brought forth the slaughtered family for to make amends for some deviation he hath caused in the unfolding of events since the First Age."
"'Tis then little to be wondered at that the family sought secrecy after finding themselves hither," Eilianu said, shuddering as she imagined the family's confusion at being dropped into a strange land and time.
"I deem that but part of the cause for their secrecy, for they had been brought hence from desperate times. Many long years passed, I wager, since Lady Dúrrél left her family's home in Dorthonian for marriage, and those years encompassed two wars and the dark times that followed, when orcs roamed northern Beleriand. Easterlings too came to those lands, some faithful and some faithless. Born in F.A. 440, she would have been fifteen or sixteen at the Dagor Bragollach, and thirty-two at the Nirnaeth Arnoediad. Thereafter their plight grew e'er worse, and though we know not her age when Iarwain took her and her family from Beleriand, I deem she had lived to see the aftermath of those two wars. I doubt she lived to see the Goth Rúson¹ when the Host of Valinor came to visit justice upon Morgoth. In that war Beleriand was laid waste; rivers failed and mountains were leveled. She would hath been some 216 years of age at the start and 245 ere the final victory, but the Edain of Beleriand seldom reached the age of ninety." ¹(Goth Rúson, War of Wrath = goth(war) + rúth(anger) + -on(n. intensive suff., great anger, wrath) –th becomes –s at the partition of proper names Sindarin)
"We can only assume that she was taken by Iarwain long ere the Edain departed for Númenor," Beinvír said, "for Helluin saw no mention of her in their lore during any of her visits thither."
"And yet at least one descendant of hers took ship, for Captain Mórfang was a scion of her line," Helluin added, "and so I deem some child or grandchild of hers was left behind."
"So 'twas the grandam who was this Lady Dúrrél?" Húngan asked.
"Aye, 'twas she," Helluin said, "the aged lady with the broken neck. Iarwain said her granddaughter, the new mother we found, 'Birthed a girl with an ancient title to bear', and so t'would seem thy daughter is now Lady of the House of Baragund, and therefore a distant cousin of Elrond and the Kings of Númenor."
"He should know of this then," Eilianu said, "for I deem any newly discovered kin would be of interest to him. As a mother, I know t'would be so to me."
"The lore alone would be of interest to him," Beinvír said, "and perhaps we shalt take her to Imladris one day, for we have a charge as well."
"How so?" Húngan asked. "I thought your duty done when ye discovered the family's origins."
"Iarwain bid me safeguard her as I may," Helluin said, "and I doubt not his foresight. Of her and her descendants some great doom is expected. We should meet with her, at least to tell her of her lineage."
Rochen was on his feet, headed for the door, turning briefly as his father nodded to give him leave.
"Delight she takes in riding," Lady Eilianu said, "and Rochen shalt find her, for their horses art a mated pair."
Since the day that Helluin and Beinvír had brought her to the estate of their old friend Húngan, the mansion had been her home. Though the two ellith had not imposed upon the lord's family to raise her themselves, the Lady Eilianu had swiftly fallen for the babe, having longed for a daughter despite her love for her son. Fostering her, 'til such time as thy Elvish friends find her right family' had given the lady an excuse to keep her then, and as the years passed, the Lord Húngan, Lady Eilianu, and Rochen became the only family she had e'er known. Adoptive family and orphaned child, though no pretense stood 'twixt them once she had been old enough to understand what little of her origin they could offer, they could not have loved one another more.
Far must she hath ridden that day, for 'twas some three hours ere she and Rochen returned. The baby girl that Helluin and Beinvír had found was now thirteen years of age. Good food, and much activity outdoors had given her a constitution of youthful health. The legacy of her ancestry had given her vivid, pale-grey eyes and dark, flowing hair, so deep as to appear black, save in direct sunlight when a reddish tint was to be seen. And she had inherited, more directly and in greater measure than any other living in the Third Age, the traits of the First House of the Atani; eager of mind, cunning-handed, swift in understanding, long in memory, and as those who had come aforetime, moved sooner to pity than to laughter¹. In token of her unknown family affiliations, the lord and lady had given her the name Lainiel². ¹(The text in italics is verbatim from JRR Tolkien's description of the House of Bëor; Sil., OTCOMITW, pg 174) ²(Lainiel, Free Daughter = lain(free) + ield(daughter) The final –ld simplifies to –l in proper names. Sindarin)
Helluin and Beinvír had heard the hoof beats of the horses whilst they were still 'nigh a furlong distant, and they awaited their arrival with relief. Though she had been riding already half her life and enjoyed a gifted teacher, accidents were always possible. When Rochen and Lainiel entered the study, 'twas calmly walking, not in a headlong rush as 'twas sometimes the way of young teens meeting friends infrequently seen. Rather, she acknowledged first her parents, ere greeting their guests in Sindarin.
"Father, mother, I have come at last. Mae govannen, Helluin a Beinvír, annon an lín maeas.¹" ¹(Mae govannen, Helluin a Beinvír, annon an lín maeas, Well met, Helluin and Beinvír, I give thanks for your safety = mae(well) + govannen(met) + Helluin + a(and) + Beinvír + anno-(v. give) + -n(1st pers subj suff, I) + an(for) + lín(2nd pers pl pro suff, your) + mae(well…safe) + -as(n on adj suff, wellness, safety) Sindarin)
"A mín meren radad cin mae, Lainiel,¹" Beinvír said. ¹(A mín meren radad cin mae, Lainiel, And we are glad to find you well, Lainiel = a(and) + mín(1st pers pl subj pro, we) + meren(joyous, glad) + rado-(find) + -ad(inf v suff, to find) + cin(2nd pers sing dir obj pro, you) + mae(well) Sindarin)
"Tulat, hama minen, Mirimarel, me limbelma nyára.¹" Helluin said to test her progress in Quenya. ¹(Tulat hama minen, Mirimarel, me limbelma nyára, (You) come, sit with us, Mirimarel, we have much to tell = tula-(come) + -t(2nd pers subj suff, you) + hama-(sit) + me(1st pers pl obj pro, we, us) + -inen(instru pl n suff, with us…-e is elided) + Mirima(free, unbound) + rel(daughter) + me(1st pers subj pro, we) + limbe(much) + -lma(1st pers pl poss suff, our, we have…lit trans our much) + nyára(v inf, to tell) Quenya)
Lainiel thought for a moment ere answering, "tyáruvanye mo.¹" ¹(tyáruvanye mo, I will do that = tiara-(do) + -uva(fut v suff, will do) + -nye(1st pers sing subj suff, I…I will do) + mo(impers rel pro, that) Quenya)
She came and sat beside her parents, whilst Rochen also took a chair, and together they harkened to Helluin and Beinvír as they explained how Iarwain Ben-adar had long aforetime kept his friend Balar, eldest son of Bëor, for two Ages of the world, and the restitution he'd made to amend the events in Arda that had stemmed from his kidnapping of the right heir of the First House of the Atani. Long was that telling. Every verse they had heard was recited and explained, and then related to what the two ellith had found when they had discovered her as a babe. Anor fell from the afternoon sky and sank o'er the downs as they spoke, yet none moved from their seats and many tears were shed, so compelling was the tale.
"Baragund was by two years the elder brother of Belegund, and Dúrrél was his elder daughter," Húngan said, "and though thy title has no office now, in thy time thou were the last Lady of the House of Bëor, the First House of the Atani."
"If so, then what of the Lord Balar, father?" Lainiel asked, but the Lord Húngan had no answer.
"He was acclaimed King of the Men of Eriador three hundred years ere the Dúnedain founded Arnor," Beinvír told her. "We saw him last upon 16 Hithui, S.A. 2994, when the chieftains of the Men of Eriador pledged their fealty to Balar, son of Balan."
"'Twas 'nigh Nenuial, but thereafter we went to Khazad-dûm," Helluin recalled. "Then came the Fall of Númenor and the founding of the realms in exile. We were much preoccupied with Isildur and Anárion, for we had ties to the people and lands that became the earliest part of Gondor."
"We have heard 'naught of any such kingdom of Men in Eriador," Húngan said.
"Nor have we," Beinvír said, but we have not looked, she added silently to Helluin.
For some time all fell silent, pondering the possibility of a phantom realm…another phantom realm, for the realm of the Laiquendi was just such. Could a similar realm of Men exist, but with even greater secrecy? If any would know of it, t'would be the Green Elves, yet in all the years since their return from Gondor, of that kindred they had seen none. In the end, all realized that 'twas a question for another day. Finally the Noldo broke the silence.
"I know not for certain from what order Iarwain Ben-adar hails. I know only that he is far older and far more powerful than any Man or Elf, and so I take his charge as that of a Vala and I shalt execute his will as I have done twice aforetime for the Lord Ulmo," Helluin told the girl. "For howsoe'er long thou live, Lainiel, thou hast my protection."
"And mine as well," Beinvír added.
For the next seven years, Helluin and Beinvír spent well 'nigh all their time in Cardolan instructing Lainiel, and 'neath their tutelage she grew in knowledge and power to become one of the most formidable adaneth of her time. As her family had taught her the etiquette of the nobility, visits to the Court of King Araphor in Arthedain whilst accompanying her father's embassies to his o'erlord acquainted her with the politics of the regency. Of Helluin she learnt history, geography, the wielding of weapons, and the mental tactics that built upon her own deep-sighted nature. Of Beinvír she learnt the woodscraft and stealth of the Laiquendi such that not even her father's Rangers could mark her. Greater still she would become with age, yet already she recalled those ancestors most akin to, and most beloved by the Noldor. Despite her displacement 'cross so many years, she was but two generations the junior of Túrin and Tuor, one generation younger than Eärendil, and through his mortal lineage, the generational contemporary of the surviving Peredhel.
To be Continued