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Chapter Seven – A Simple Question

A faint, festive reel with deep drums and whistling pipes abruptly started up and gaily danced over the far wall into the bare prison yard, adding absurd punctuation to Celeborn’s drawn-out pause.  From his mulling expression, Hrassa thought that his prince was unsuccessfully seeking a kind way to confirm his fear that the Children of Elmo were faltering and his dismay only grew as he anticipated what Celeborn would say once he did begin to speak.

For Hrassa already knew that Ennor would become the land of the Hildor and that this particular fate was in place for fulfillment.  It was a disappointing doom for Arda, but as inevitable as the End.  Eventually, like a weighty heirloom handed from parent to child, this new city in which he was captive, and those in older lands too, would become the legacy of humans.  Mankind would slowly take possession of Middle-earth.  They would settle in the same forests where now dwelt only the elves and overwhelm all other races besides.  Hrassa just wished that it might not have happened while he yet lived.  The Edain, the greatest and best of Men, had gone off and he had not seen enough evidence that those Firimar left behind would ever properly care for their inheritance.  Not even if the Númenoreans did come back to lord over them.

How disheartening to discover – and through his own órë at that! – the transition would start when the Lindarin princes lost distinction among their own people.  If their decline had begun, Celeborn would know.  And by the strange power of words, he would speak it aloud and make it so.

Staring down at the ground, Hrassa took a deep breath and slowly let it go, endeavoring to find some sort of acceptance or resignation.  His initial reaction to the nothrim’s demise was done; the alarm raised by his instinctual wisdom explained.  Both emotions had caught him embarrassingly unprepared, but he could prepare himself for the next disappointment.

“Hrassa...” said his prince.

He was able to raise a stalwart face to Celeborn, who upon seeing his bowman’s resolution to bear up softly... smiled.  Hrassa’s back stiffened when a sharp gleam flashed in Celeborn’s eyes and he took on an odd insouciance as if the frivolous music, which was slowly growing louder, had taken hold of him.  In a decidedly offhanded manner, Celeborn did exactly what Hrassa had done earlier and took on a courtly, straight-shouldered stance, hands held behind his back.  Perhaps he meant merely to lighten and not to make light of, but his mimicry only darkened Hrassa’s defeated spirit.

“If you please,” his prince nonchalantly instructed, “be patient and listen while I lay out the situation for your clearer understanding.”

You mean to lecture me?!  He would have protested, but Celeborn would simply have pointed out that he had not known about Celebrian, had he?  And rightly say there might be other things he had missed over the last half-millennia.  So although peeved, Hrassa did not speak, but also did not hide his annoyance.  Oh, I see!  You think to mete out a punishment for my running off.  Withholding my freedom is not enough for you?  Turning severe as swiftly as he had mirthful, the Lord fixed Hrassa’s in a cautioning stare that warned he had best do as asked.  A warning his bowman strongly resented.  However, Hrassa maintained a tight-lipped response and Celeborn reverted back to imitating his bowman’s prior formality.  Still not finding the mockery all that amusing, Hrassa noisily shifted his feet over the gritty ground.

“I am at your disposal,” he said with a subtle derision that any other would not have caught.  The Lord tilted his head back, putting on a show of haughty perseverance.  His expression was quite condescending, which further soured Hrassa’s mood.

“Your time in the wilderlands has not entirely worn away the polish you acquired in courts long past,” Celeborn replied with purring sarcasm, a weak smirk pulling at a corner of his mouth.  He paused; one eyebrow rose in challenge, daring Hrassa to say more. 

But, he chose silence – mostly because someone was coming up behind him and not bothering to be quiet about it.  It was to be expected.  His attitude had plainly shifted away from congenial.  Any conscientious guard would assuredly move to stand by closer than the gate.

With measured steps, a grey warrior similarly uniformed to the brown keepers in the gaol slowly walked up without asking leave or offering a salute.  He stopped close in, taking up an advantageous position flanking both Hrassa and Celeborm where, if need be, he could quickly leap in-between the two of them.  Hrassa assumed him to be Galadhrim.  For the imposing fellow did not have his nor Celeborn’s leanness and bore a mixture of Noldor and Sindar features; his resolute expression tautly held in place by a decidedly Silvan attitude.  Interestingly, he was armed with a pair of long knives.  Certainly not someone to be disregarded.

Hands deceptively loose at his sides, the warrior locked eyes with Hrassa, conveying how supremely disposed he was to stop whatever Hrassa might think to do next.  So, Hrassa relaxed his body, dropping his head slightly, to let the guard know that the prisoner had been properly put in his place and was no threat.  Having pegged him, the guard glanced at the Lord, looking for permission to do more.  The fellow obviously thought Hrassa belonged back in his cell.

Because he acted so familiarly, Hrassa assumed him to be the Lord’s personal guard.  He fully expected Celeborn to make introductions and alleviate the tension.  Instead, he waved off his bodyguard with an icy look and an almost imperceptible jerk of his head.  To the fellow’s credit, he hesitated and decided for himself that it was all right to obey.  He left them unhurriedly, letting Hrassa know with his own cold stare that he was quite ready and capable of taking down any green-elf.  In all, a very different kind of conduct than when Hrassa was himself charged with watching over important persons.

He had always been more companion then servant and was expected to act accordingly.  Politeness had been a requirement and he had always been treated politely, never excluded or ignored as was this guard.  No, not quite true, he corrected himself.  Golodhrim always tried to put him out of their notice, even after having been introduced.  Except for Galadriel.  But, he knew that was because she had liked him at first sight.  It suddenly occurred to him that maybe her daughter had reacted to him in much the same way.  Maybe there was more of the Lady in the little princess then could be seen in the child’s face and coloring.

After the guard’s ordered retreat, Celeborn relaxed back into his almost capricious semblance and again over-elaborately prepared to speak – straightening up, taking a deep breath, clearing his throat – being intentionally irritating.  Did you order this wretched music?  Nienna weeps!  Let’s just get this torture over with!  Wearing the self-satisfied visage of a smug tutor, Celeborn finally began Hrassa’s unwanted lesson.

“Elros, who was Thingol’s heir and Elmo’s heir too, chose mortality with the Second-born.  Sovereignty of Ennor has passed onto the Edain and they to Númenor.”  He paused to see if Hrassa accepted what he clearly meant to be a foundation for his following statements.

As if there’s any way to deny it.  Elros was Elwing’s eldest, who was Dior and Nimloth’s surviving eldest.  Both slain parents were the only child and heir to their own parents.  But, it does not mean that Númenorean kings should rule over quendi!  Celeborn’s eyebrows quirked for a quick second before he proceeded.

“If there was to be an elven-king for those not departed after the War, it had to be Gil-galad.  He is royal, Noldor and Teleri both, and of the noblest-born Sindar.”

So, as with his tendency for mockery and sarcasm, here was another way his prince had not changed.  He continued to avoid saying outright that Erienion’s mother had been Elmoi.  Like Galadriel, the lady had left her kin in the north to be joined to her husband’s people and Celeborn honored that choice.  He supported their princely descent but never implied that, as chieftain of the nothrim, he had any lordship over Orodreth’s children.  Only once had Gil-galad tried to do that to Galadriel.  Only once.

“Erienion watched over the people that fled to Arvernien and was the leader of our alliance during the War.  He was rightfully made King of Lindon, its cities and territories.”

Whether the High King of the Noldor had been the leader of the entire alliance, which included the hosts of Ossiriand and Eriador, was arguable as far as Hrassa was concerned.  That young Elwing and Cirdan had deferred both leadership and rule to Erienion was true.  However, the Laegrim would have not have allowed Gil-galad command even in battle and certainly not the Doriathrim, if not for Celeborn and Galadriel saying that they must.  Also, he considered Lindon to be two realms – Forlindon and Harlindon – united into one for the same reason.

“Although you personally – and I admit I too – want to include Elrond with us all, your ‘true princes’, we cannot.  Not anymore than we can include Olwë and by your own judgment.  Elrond severed his ties when he chose to stay with Gil-galad and continue to follow Amanyar ways.  Subsequently, the people of Harlindon rejected him as an heir of Elwing.  Else he would have become their prince just as planned and my lady and I could have remained at Nenuial.”

Hrassa was not surprised by the hint of bitterness in Celeborn’s voice while saying these last words.  The Lord and Lady had intended to keep their realm in Eriador.  Glad to return to the first place they had ruled together and where they had earned their anessi.  Leaving that idyllic home and taking over the rebellious southern realm was not what they ever wanted to do.  More, Celeborn had seen Elrond’s unanimous appointment as an important step towards keeping the kindreds united, the final objective of the last council of the alliance.  His prince had greatly believed in that goal.  However, now as in the past, if Celeborn harbored any real anger over the subsequent civil crisis and being forced to leave Eriador without a lord to watch over it, he kept it hidden.  Unlike Oropher, who had never restrained his resentment over the decisions of the King’s Council.

The Council’s disdain for Oropher as an alternative to Elrond had been especially galling for that proud prince.  He had been the de facto lord of the Doriathrim – comparatively few had gone to Sirion to be with Elwing – and he had been preferred by the Nandorin populace.  So much more preferred that many had openly pledged their allegiance to him.  Fortunately, Oropher never resented Celeborn and Galadriel being made the rulers of Harlindon.  By that time, he was more than ready to leave things in their hands and to take his set-aside ambitions into his own.  He had left Lindon promising never to return.  Now, he was lord over all the Silvan of the vast Eryn Galen – which had to gall every Noldor member of the Council.

A long time prior to Celeborn and Galadriel’s removal to Lindorínand, Hrassa had walked away thinking he too would never return.  When Oropher and his host departed east, he had not let Celeborn send him along with them.  And later, he would not allow his service to be given away to anyone else.  But, never was the peace imposed by the Lord and Lady one he could unquestioningly defend.  Rather then let mounting disagreement destroy his loyalty, he had left.  Deciding that if he could not well-serve them, he would serve no other.  If he had known that they also would eventually leave Lindon, maybe he would have stayed.  Held on somehow.

“Happily, the need for my lady and I to keep the peace passed,” Celeborn explained.  “We... ah, I suppose correctly, I... chose to quit Lindon and seek a place with Amdir.”  The reason why had piqued Hrassa’s curiosity ever since he had first heard word of it. 

As part of the compromise to keep Lindon whole and balanced, Celeborn had given his word to Erienion that as long as there was no Amanyar lord in Eriador, there would be no Úmanyar.  Since they could not go back, why had the Lord and Lady not once again gone forward and built a new home in the open lands?  They better than any could establish a new realm from practically nothing.  This colony, saved from ruin, was proof of their even greater skills.  Eregion might have been theirs and theirs alone.  Ost-in-Edhil could have been a Sindarin city.

So then why did they go to Lorínand?  What had Malgalad – no, he must remember to say Amdir.  No one, especially that Galadhrim guard, would appreciate a lowly archer using their ruler’s childhood name whether he knew him then or not.  What had Amdir offered them that Gil-galad had not?  Celeborn and Galadriel had given up a large kingdom for a small principality.  Was being landholders for their beloved foster-son that much better than being the most powerful vassals of the King?  Was there reason to create the Golden Wood beyond beauty for its own sake?  Or had they sacrificed all their wealth, power, and influence simply to have Celebrian?

Celeborn was watching him closely as he pondered.  Suddenly uncertain where he was being lead, Hrassa pulled back his thoughts to focus on what had actually been said and not his own fanciful conjecture.  What had these past moves to do with the Elmoi princes today?  That Elrond was the only one left in the west, but he could not be counted anymore?  That the Children of Elmo had abandoned the Eldar and had submerged into the Silvan?  Then, what were the Lord and Lady doing in Eregion with Celebrimbor?

He noted his prince’s now glittering eyes – another warning sign.  But, one could never say whether it meant a mood fair or foul, only that it would be fierce.  Of course, now when Hrassa was wanting to hear more, Celeborn did not elaborate further.

“My first point...” said the Lord in a tight voice.  Hrassa suddenly realized he had spoiled Celeborn’s conclusion by having interjected it earlier.  Thereby, irritating the Lord as much as if he had actually interrupted.

“Our true King is gone,” Celeborn stated absolutely.  “His heirs have gone.  Elros and Elrond are no longer part of the Lindar.  No King of the Edain can be our king.  Gil-galad was the only one left that could rule the Eldar.”  The warning sign was true; Hrassa could see something was brewing behind the Lord’s seemingly calm front.  But, he was still unsure what it was.  “However, for the surviving Doriathrim and remaining Falathrim living under the rule of the High King and his Council, there will not be another Aran.  There will not be another Rîn or Târ for the lingering Laegrim.  More importantly, neither Amdir nor Oropher acknowledge Gil-galad as their lord or ally.”  His prince became adamant.  “There is no king in Ennor for any of us all to serve.”

“So what?” Hrassa burst out, speaking louder than he intended.  Fanuilos!  I will not let you dismiss yourselves as purposeless!  “The Children of Elmo live and your people need you all!”  He meant to say more, but Celeborn halted him by swiftly bringing around his hand and holding it flat up to Hrassa’s face, silencing him.  And also – Hrassa sensed behind him – halting the guard from joining them again as well.

“No!” Celeborn commanded with force.  “Listen as I have asked.  I have a second point... ” He stepped towards Hrassa, crowding him and holding him motionless with a powerful stare.  In the imposed stillness, the delicate, sly smile he had started out with returned.  As the incongruous carnival music suddenly became contemptuously louder, the Lord leaned in even closer to place that smile next to his cogndîr’s ear and softly said, “... who said we all must remain princes?”

TBC

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Author’s Notes:

All elvish is in Sindarin unless otherwise indicated and underlined means I put it together myself – corrections and comments are welcome!

Aran – the king of Doriath and the Sindar, essentially the high king of the Lindarin and Ennor

Târ/Rîn – high chieftain/chieftainess of the Laegrim

nothrim – members of a household or clan (a nos)

órë – spirit (heart, inner mind) one’s innate nature

cogndîr – bowman Nandorin

quendi – the elves’ name for their race before Oromë called them Eldar

anessi – a given or added names Quenya – plural of anessë - I do not know if there is a Sindarin equivalent of this word

Hildor – Aftercomers, Men

Firimar – Mortals, Humans

According to Unfinished Tales, Oropher and Amdir were Sindarin princes from the First Age.  As such, both could have Elmo as a forefather and be kin to Celeborn.  I place them among the grandchildren of the younger brothers and sisters of Galadhon, eldest son of Elmo and father of Galathil and Celeborn.  I think it likely that the other side of Celeborn’s, Oropher’s, and Amdir’s parentage came from the nobility of Lenwe’s and Denethor’s Nandor.  Thus, Oropher and Celeborn would be welcomed by the Laegrim.  Amdir was obviously welcomed by Lenwë’s Nandor.  I think Amdir was already established in Lorien before Oropher left Lindon. 

The “War” referred to here is the War of Wrath waged by the Valar and their Host against Morgoth which preceded the inundation of Beleriand.  Eldar who wished to remain in Ennor migrated to Lindon, which is what the Noldor called Ossiriand, the homeland of the Laiquendi.   Harlindon was already occupied by the native Laegrim and other Sindarin refugees including Doriathrim.  The Noldor emigrants would have settled in Forlindon, lands previously occupied in part by Caranthir.  Mithlond, the havens of the Falathrim is on the bay of the gulf that separates the north and south lands.  Further inland is Eriador and the hill country surrounding the lake, Nenuial, where later Numenorean refugees would establish their own kingdom.  Something that might have been difficult to do if there were an established elven realm there already.

“lordship over Orodreth’s children” – Gil-galad has two family origins.  In the version most people know because it is in the Simarillion, he is the son of Fingon and cousin to Orodeth, Finrod, Angrod, and Galadriel who are the children of Finarfin, son of Finwe, and Earwen, daughter of Olwe.  In the other version in The Peoples of Middle-earth, he is the son of Orodeth, who is the son of Angrod.  I go with the latter for the reasons stated there and it makes a lot more sense.  If sent away for safety as an elfling, Ereinion would certainly go to Cirdan, the neighbor and ally of Finrod, King of Nargothrond, the kingdom bestowed by Thingol.  Orodeth inherited Nargothrond from his childless uncle because Angrod had died at Tol Sirion.  Turgon, Fingon’s younger brother, inherited the high crown after him instead of any son because there was none.  Gil-galad became High King after Turgon died in the destruction of Gondolin and because Turgon had only a daughter, Idril the mother of Earendil.  The title had passed through Feanor’s line (actually turned over) to Fingolfin’s line and then to Finarfin’s line.

Unlike with the Noldor, it appears that among the Umanyar, rulership can be pass through the eldest offspring whether male or female. 

“chieftain of the nothrim” – just to be clear about how I see the matter: Celeborn was appointed to this position over his elder brother Galathil by Elmo.  This did not change the line of inheritance.  The responsibilities as head of the clan would revert back to Nimloth’s children if Celeborn did not name a successor.

Malgalad – Most accept this as another, but discarded, name for Amdir, the first King of Lorien and Amroth’s father.  The name means ‘gold tree’ ie Mallorn. (In this case, ‘galad’ is the older spelling of ‘galadh’).  With this ‘tree’ name, he fits right in as a kinsman of Celeborn, Nimloth, Galathil, and Galadhon.  And Oropher, too.  Like Erienion who was fostered by Cirdan in relative safety by the sea, I have Malgalad fostered by Celeborn and Galadriel in relative safety across the mountains at Nenuial.