Finrod travels to Formenos to learn what his cousin has achieved. His decision does not go unremarked upon.
7. Finrod in Formenos
"Formenos?" the Noldoran tried to keep the disappointment from his voice but failed. He had been so looking forward to meeting his son. Earwen patted her husband's hand. She had returned from Lorien to Tirion with her mother. Eldalote had returned to Tirion to spend a season with her parents before returning to Formenos once the weather there turned mild.
"Yes, he is not quite ready to face the court yet. Moreover, he is eager to meet any reborn Moriquendi at Formenos."
"But Formenos is so far and in this coming season cold… And what of the language? I understand the Moriquendi have their own tongue." Formenos was so very different from Tirion. Rank and family ties counted for little there. Many social conventions and norms were ignored.
"Aye, Lord Manwe might send them snow again, but Mornel assured us they are well-prepared to deal with it. Findarato has picked up the tongue of the Moriquendi and is quite fluent in it…" Earwen reassured her husband.
"What of Amarie? Does she go with him?"
"She has returned to her parents in Valmar as they wished," Earwen shrugged. She had been rooting for Amarie to disobey her parents' summons and travel to Formenos to be with Findarato. Arafinwe rang for his chamberlain.
"Send to Lady Anaire at the Library of Tirion. We would like any books pertaining to Sindarin and the ways of the Moriquendi." If Findarato or Finrod preferred Sindarin now, why should he be forced to use a tongue he was ill at ease with? Arafinwe knew his son had changed due to his experiences over the sea and he was going to do the best he could to set him at ease.
Lord Manwe sent the first snap of frost as they arrived in Formenos. Wearing the crudely-trimmed hide of a bison, a grumbling Tatie greeted Mornel with a peck on the cheek at the gate. The apples had been harvested just in time. Sadly, the grapes had frozen on the vine, but no worries. Some ellon hit on the idea of making wine from the frozen grapes. It would take a few years to savour the fruits of his labour.
"Who's this fine ellon then?" Tatie exclaimed as Finrod removed his hood. If he was surprised by her tattoos and outlandish garb, he did not show it.
"My cousin Finrod. He has been re-embodied recently," Mornel replied. She was glad none of the Noldor elves originally from Tirion were about to see him. Everyone was busy saving their crops and livestock from the frost. An Avarin shepherdess herded a flock of sheep and goats through the gate on the way to their pens. She shouted at the trio to get out of their way.
Tatie replied with a choice curse. Finrod only laughed and picked up a small goat, a late-born kid, and praised the softness of its wool. The shepherdess' manner softened at his compliment. Mornel inquired if there has been sufficient feed for the goats in the keep. The shepherdess replied that all was in order for winter and promised a wheel of her finest goat cheese for the lady's guest.
At his request, Mornel showed Finrod about some of the workshops and forges, narrowly avoiding being mobbed by curious Noldor craftsmen. Finrod was friendly and chatted readily with the craftspeople. However, the effort soon proved too much for him after the rigours of their journey. Mornel helped him to his room before giving orders for a wash-tub of warm water to be sent up to him. There would be no banquet for Finrod, not yet at least. The kitchens would be busy storing the produce for the winter ahead to prepare a proper banquet for her guest, even if Finrod were up to sitting through a trying dinner with the Council. They would celebrate the Harvest Fest once the harvest was finished with for the season. There would be a feast then.
"Mornel, are there none of the Moriquendi re-embodied who have been there when the Noldor arrived in Beleriand?" Finrod asked. He had been curious if any of the Sindar and Nandor he knew from Beleriand had been re-embodied. The cousins had met in the parlour for a private dinner after they had both washed away the grime and dust of the journey. Mornel had brushed and stabled her steed herself before washing herself with cold water in the common baths. Someone had allowed the bath furnace to go out again and the servants had just relit it. Mornel did not wish to wait for the water to warm up and be late for dinner.
"Alas, not that I am aware of. Most of the elves of Tatie's people were from Cuivienien and never wandered far from its shores ere they perished. Some fell behind during the Great Journey in the mighty forests of Arda. Moreover, many of the Silvans are a nomadic and secretive people and they prefer roaming the wilds or living in seclusion in the forests," Mornel explained as she poured out some miruvor for her cousin. She was pleased to note that he had lost that gauntness and cleaned his plate.
"I see… I was hoping some of my acquaintances who fell in Beleriand have had the blessing of walking in Aman," Finrod replied sombrely.
"We could send word to the Silvans through Tatie…"
"No, leave them to their peace. They deserve it after Morgoth's blighting of Beleriand."
"You speak his name freely, and with less dread than one would expect of one who has seen his power close at hand."
"Uncle Nolo challenged him to single combat and wounded him, although he perished in the duel. He held your brother prisoner but Maedhros did not yield to him even under torture. It is rather, his advisor Sauron we should beware…" A shadow passed over Finrod's face.
Mornel nodded. She had already learnt of the new Sindarin names her Exiled kin had adopted. Poor Maitimo had been scarred and came dangerously close to losing his mind completely before being rescued by Fingon at the cost of his right hand. He was still as fearsome a warrior as ever, Finrod said. Times were dark in Beleriand. The isolated Silvan hamlets were often subject to attacks by marauding orcs and other creatures of the Shadow. Even the lands held by the Noldor with their superior arms were constantly alert for attacks from Angband.
Perhaps it would be wise to record this for the Ages to come, Mornel mused. Her family had fought and created mighty realms against Morgoth. They had stood up fearlessly to him and she could not fault them for that. She would persuade Finrod to help her draw up maps and record the epic tales of Nargothrond, Mithrim, Doriath, and the myriad Elven realms. Of course, she would have to be careful not to badger him too hard or too soon or risk a relapse. Thankfully, Finrod seemed to be more than happy to share his stories with her, save for the deeds of her brothers Celegorm and Curufin, and the circumstances of his death.
"Cousin, I could not help but notice during my walk earlier that you have shut away a large part of the keep."
"Those rooms belonged to my atto and brothers. I have cleared out grandfather's rooms and forwarded his belongings here to Uncle Ara but… We have no need for the use of those rooms yet."
"Do you believe they will return someday?"
"There is always hope," Mornel took a sip of her drink as her heart twisted. "I cannot sense my brothers across the sea or in the Halls."
"I felt them die," Finrod said suddenly, looking into the flames of the hearth. "My brothers Angrod and Aegnor… Our realms were far but we kept in touch through osanwe. I was riding to their aid during the Battle of Sudden Flame when the dragon got to them. I felt their pain as they burned and I was utterly helpless to do anything. Afterwards I could not bear to use osanwe, even with Galadriel. There was this painful silence where they should be."
"Surely they would be re-embodied…"
"Angrod perhaps, with Eru's mercy. Aegnor? I fear he may choose to remain within Mandos over his lost love. Naro surprised us all by loving so deeply." His youngest brother had a bit of a reputation as a lady's man in Tirion and later Beleriand. Handsome and noble, he was exceptionally kind to all the nissi and he broke many hearts without even realising it.
"Who is this elleth? Does she still live in Beleriand?"
"Andreth was no elf, but a mortal maid of the Second-born Children. She has long passed where no elf may follow. He came to me and sought my permission to wed. I told him it was not in Noldor custom to wed in times of war. I thought his passion was a passing fever. Alas, it was not. For fifty cycles of the Sun, they loved each other but were never able to consummate that love before they died… It's not fair. I have Amarie while Naro has to wait until Arda breaks to…"
Finrod winced and rubbed his cheek where Mornel had slapped him.
"I admit you might have made a bad judgement. However, is it any fairer to Amarie that you hurt her in the course of punishing yourself? I doubt your brother would want that. Go write to Amarie, seek her forgiveness and that of her parents. Send her the ring and reaffirm your betrothal. Goodnight, cousin, I trust you know the way back to your rooms," Mornel excused herself before she broke any more rules of being a gracious hostess to her cousin.
"Sire, you let Prince Findarato go to Formenos with Mornel Feanariel?"
"Yes, we did," Earwen replied on her husband's behalf. "It would be good for him…"
"But the elves there are wild and debauched in their ways! And the climate! Would it not be better if he were to spend his time of convalescence in Valmar with Amarie or perhaps in Alqualonde?"
Lady Anaire had brought the precious few books as requested. Master Rumil had compiled a dictionary of archaic Quenya and its related dialects. It was a pity that shut up in the palace archives of Tirion, Master Rumil had little opportunity to meet with elves of actual Avarin or Nandorin descent. He did not have the stomach for riding through the wilds as Feanaro did. Feanaro had been in the midst of compiling a dictionary of dialects of the re-embodied Moriquendi before his obsession with the Silmarilli's creation overtook him. There were a few old scrolls on the customs of Cuivienen, recorded in the old runes.
"Mornel is a sensible nis and Findarato is in good hands."
"But they say the elves of Formenos dance naked under the moon and…"
"Anaire, we have been through this before. Those rumours of naked dancing are only that – idle gossip. Eldalote has reassured me the dancers do wear loin clothes and…"
"But they say the Moriquendi would wed their cousins…"
"As did the Three Kindred before the Great Journey," Arafinwe snapped. "If I recall correctly, there were a few instances of sibling marriages on the shores of Cuivienen. If there is nothing else, you are dismissed." His patience was wearing thin. Lady Anaire and several other members of the court were a trial in how they felt that the re-embodied Moriquendi should be excluded from Amanyaran society completely. They were almost as bad as Uncle Ingwe and his courtiers. Anaire hesitated and her eyes alit on Earwen.
"Earwen, has he any news of my husband and children?" Lady Anaire asked hopefully.
"Anaire, Nolofinwe died a hero," Earwen smiled sadly. Finrod had already told his amme of his uncle's death.
"What of my children?"
"Arakano was among the first to fall in Beleriand… The others I know not their fate," Earwen confessed. With her, Finrod had been guarded in his words. He did mention Turukano founding a city and haven for his people. However, he also mentioned that all the elven realms had fallen save for a small camp along the shore and another on an isle under Lord Cirdan. Queen Falmiril had been overjoyed to learn her cousin Nowe, whom she had thought lost, had not only survived but was now a leader of their people on the Hither Shores.
Lady Anaire wept and Earwen placed an arm around her. Arafinwe muttered some excuse about studying the scrolls in private and excused himself, leaving the nissi alone.
Author's Notes:
Finrod has some sense knocked into him by Mornel. Racism does exist even among the Eldar, with many feeling the Calaquendi are above the Moriquendi.
I picture Formenos as one of the most northern of the elven settlements and with a temperate climate (including frosts and winters with likelihood of snow). Compared to Tirion and other cities, the climate is harsher and the elves take preparations for winter seriously.