Chapter Nine: How to Upset Every Elvish King in Valinor

I was talking to Earwen when I felt something go wrong. She felt it too; she stopped talking and went rather pale. I tried to place what was wrong, then somehow I knew. "Something has happened to Findarato!" I cried. I grabbed her hand, "We need to find him. Earwen, can you see where he is? I think he's hurt." She closed her eyes, and I did likewise, trying to pull as much information as possible from that sudden knowledge. I tried mindspeaking him, but I recieved no response.

"I can't see," said Earwen. "I think he was outside somewhere. I wonder what can have happened?"

"Perhaps he tried to climb a tree and fell, or was running and tripped. The gardens, perhaps?" I said.

"That's probably the best place to start," Earwen agreed. We headed for the garden gate at a near run, accompanied by as many of our household as we could find in the immediate vicinity. The guard's eyes widened when he saw us. "What is the matter, Sire?" He asked. "Can I help you?"

"Have you seen prince Findarato?" I demanded. "He's outside somewhere and hurt."

"He went into the gardens half an hour ago, and he has not come back yet," the guard replied, frowning.

I started out into the gardens, but Earwen held me back. "I think more people searching would be a good idea," she said. She called to one of the servants, asking him to get some of the guards. Not that they were anything other than ceremonial, but they could still help us search. Then she came back, and we went out to look for our son.

We split up into groups, Earwen with one and me with the other. My group began by looking in the areas nearest the palace. Soon others came out. One of them was King Ingwe, with five of his household. "Your son is hurt?" he asked, frowning.

"Yes," I said shortly. "And I can't find him! He went into the gardens half an hour ago, but I have not been able to find him anywhere." We continued searching.

We searched the entire gardens, but he was not there. Night fell, and he was still nowhere to be found. It was completely dark when King Olwe came up to me, holding a lantern in one hand and looking tired. "Between us we have searched the entire gardens multiple times," he said. "He is not here. How badly is he hurt? Can you tell?"

"Not really," I said. "He is alive - I can sense him, I have tried to mindspeak him, but I haven't gotten anything coherent. What I do get is pain and fear. That could just be because I'm too upset, I don't know."

"He may have made his way back to the palace," said Olwe. "Or he may have gone off somewhere to nurse his injuries without people staring at him. Are you sure his pride isn't hurt more than his hroa? Some of the things people were saying earlier were nasty, and I know he was upset."

"I know the difference between upset and injured. He has been really clumsy since he came back from Mandos. I think he had an accident - but if that is the case why isn't he here?"

"We won't find him by stumbling around in the dark in an area we have already searched," Olwe told me firmly. "I am going back to the palace, and I will send out people to search the surrounding area in case he left the gardens other than by one of the gates. You are overwrought, and I think you should come back with me. When he is found, we will let you know immediately."

"I will come," I said. "But he really is hurt otherwise he would have heard and answered by now. His mindspeech is stronger than mine. He should have heard me by now. And I think he's afraid. I don't think he left by himself. He is afraid of someone."

"What are you saying?" Olwe asked, frowning. "You are not accusing any of my people of harming him, are you? None of us would do that!"

I rubbed my forehead, hoping to ease my growing headache. "I'm not accusing anyone of anything," I said. "I just want my son back in one piece. I've lost him once already..."

Olwe's expression softened and he put his arm around my shoulder. "Forget what you I said. You aren't the only one who's overwrought with today's events. Let's go back, and I will put in place those other measures I promised." Together, we went back to the palace.

Neither Earwen nor I slept that night, and still there was no word of our son.

Word came in the morning, in the form of a letter. A letter addressed to me. The words read:

To Arafinwe, High King of the Noldor, greetings.

We have your son, Prince Findarato Ingoldo of the Noldor. He is unharmed, nor do we wish to harm him. However, we are most displeased by your demand that we give our ships and our mariners to rescue those who slew our kin. Nor do we trust in your good faith. Renounce all claim upon our ships and leave our city. High King Ingwe may stay if he wishes, but he must also renounce any and all claims on our ships and our lives. Then, and only then, will we return your son.

The People of Alqualonde

In the envelope with the letter was a lock of Findarato's hair.

Wordlessly, I passed the letter to Ingwe, holding Findarato's hair clutched in my hand. Beside me, Earwen had also read the letter's contents and sat there white and shaking. But not with fear. With fury.

"How dare they! How dare they presume to speak for all the people of Alqualonde, thereby turning all of us into kidnappers by association, using our concern for my son to force us to continue this endless cycle of hate!"

Everyone stared at her. Earwen is normally a fairly quiet soul, but when she is angry, beware.

"They will not succeed." She suddenly noticed that everyone was staring at her, and met their gaze defiantly.

"I think we'd better have that letter read out," Lord Carnear commented from across the table.

Ingwe read out the letter. Olwe groaned, and buried his face in his hands. "Of all the idiotic, shameful things to do..." He turned to me. "Arafinwe, I apologize for what I said last night. Apparently some of my people would do that."

"Never mind who said what. What are we going to do about it, Father?"

said Earwen. "We cannot give in to them, not with the Sindar, the Exiled Noldor, and the Hildor depending on our help, but," and here she wavered a second, "I do not trust them not to harm my son."

"Nor do I," said Elwing. "People will do terrible things for hate and fear, and terrible deeds are not unique to the Noldor. Some of those who followed Feanor in the attack on the Havens were Sindar."

Olwe removed his face from his hands and stared at her in shock. "They did what!?" he said.

She shook her head slowly. "Some of their followers were Sindar. It is a long story, and I do not think it need be told now, except to remind us that the Noldor have no monopoly on violence." She sighed in disgust. "They have the wrong elf, too. The most Finrod ever did was remain silent for fear of inspiring more strife."

"Certainly we cannot let them get away with this outrage," said Ingwe. "The real question is how do we find and rescue him." Nods all round. He turned to me. "Arafinwe, Earwen, what can you sense from your son? That lock of hair should give you a link to him."

"I cannot sense anything clear," I said. "Either he is too far away, or he is unable to answer. I was getting an impression of fear and pain earlier, but I am not sensing anything much it all at the moment, even through the hair. He's either asleep, unconscious, or very distant in space." I passed the lock of hair to Earwen. She frowned thoughtfully.

"He is not far away," said Earwen. "He is definitely within Alqualonde, and probably in the old segment of the city. He is indoors, in a room, lying on a bed. I can't see it clearly, but..." She opened her eyes in angry shock. "They have bound him with cords, and he's blindfolded. He's very still. I think he was injured when they took him."

"Do you think they hurt him?" asked Olwe, looking sick.

I traded a look with Earwen. We both nodded.

"So he's in Alqualonde, and probably the nearer half of it, but he will not be able to help with his own rescue," Ingwe commented. "Olwe, this is your city. Why don't you send search parties throughout the city to look for him, and ask your citizens if they have seen anything amiss?"

"I will," said Olwe. "He is my grandson also, you know. I merely did not want to believe my people capable of such a thing."

"It could be worse Olwe," I reminded him. "At least your people have never defied the Valar and murdered those who stood in their path."

"True," replied Olwe. "I had better go and organize the search parties." He got up and left the room.

Olwe sent out search parties throughout the city, while Earwen and I concentrated on trying to pick up more information using our bond of blood with Findarato, and the lock of hair the kidnapper had so foolishly provided.