67: Return to Tirion

Laurendil wasted no time in questioning Menelgileth and discovering who else was involved in the kidnapping. Within hours three other people, including the Master of the Smith’s Guild, were taken into custody by a contingent of guards sent by Calandil on Laurendil’s orders. It turned out that the ellon who had died had been the smith’s son and the elf was devastated when he learned what had happened. Laurendil delayed leaving Kortirion to allow the ellon to attend his son’s funeral.

All who were arrested, it turned out, were Sindar who had come to Tol Eressëa with the first wave of returnees. Netilmírë, when she heard that, thought it significant. When Laurendil questioned her, she told him what Gwilwileth had said. Laurendil and the other Amaneldi were shocked at the revelation.

"Whoever these elves from Aman were, they were intent on fomenting distrust between the Tol Eressëans and the Valar," Netilmírë concluded.

Laurendil nodded. "I noticed when I came here that there was a sense of unease whenever the Valar were mentioned, but I’m afraid my own distrust of them did not allow me to probe further into its cause."

Sador quickly recovered from his ordeal and was more upset over the loss of his braid than anything else. "I ought to just cut off the other one," he said to Laurendil and Netilmírë. "I look ridiculous with just one."

Laurendil, however, disagreed. "Your hair will grow back on that side eventually. In the meantime, you should consider it a badge of honor."

"I’m sure I can weave the braid back into your hair, inyo," Netilmírë said with a smile. "It won’t be quite the same but you won’t look so lopsided while your hair is growing back."

In the end, though, Sador decided not to bother. Netilmírë trimmed the area where the braid had been so it didn’t look so ragged and everyone agreed that the single braid made the ellon look quite dashing.

"You might start a new fashion trend among the warriors, youngling," Laurendil quipped. Haldir and Gilvagor sniggered. Sador muttered a single word in Sindarin that set the older elves laughing.

They left Kortirion two days after the rescue and were sailing within hours of arriving in Tavrobel. Besides the prisoners, Haldir and Gwilwileth decided to come as well.

"For there is a complaint against the Amaneldi I would have addressed," Haldir had said in explanation and Laurendil did not dispute him.

When Sador asked, Laurendil explained that upon arriving in Tirion he had found Olwë visiting Arafinwë. Once apprised of the situation the two kings combined their forces and Olwë offered his personal ship to transport Laurendil to Tol Eressëa.

Thus, it was not long before Sador was back in Tirion. Arafinwë took one look at his ward and hugged him tightly, refusing to let him go until he was assured that the ellon had suffered no real harm save for having one of his braids cut off. Arafinwë ordered a trial to be held in three days’ time.

"That will give me time to cool down so I can judge more fairly," he told Sador and Laurendil.

"But what about Glorfindel, Atar?" Sador asked, for Laurendil had told him the reason for his coming to fetch the younger ellon. "I have to go to Valmar. Finrod is waiting for me."

"I will send a message to your brother letting him know what has happened. As soon as the trial is over you and Laurendil will leave for Valmar. You cannot leave before that, yonya, as you are a key witness."

Sador reluctantly agreed, chafing at the delay as he worried about Glorfindel’s safety. No one had seen him or heard from whoever had taken him. The ellon fingered his remaining braid, hoping his gwador had not suffered maiming as he almost had.

In the meantime, Sador and Netilmírë confided to Arafinwë, Eärwen and Olwë their news about being related and the three royals rejoiced. "I am so glad you have found your anammë, yonya," Arafinwë said with a smile as he gave Sador a hug, "but I hope you will continue thinking of us as your family as well."

"Anammë and I talked it over and well...," Sador felt suddenly shy, and found he couldn’t continue. Netilmírë gave her great-grandson a fond smile.

"I think it best if our true relationship remains private for now, my lord," she told Arafinwë. "Sador will remain my apprentice, but otherwise, he should continue being your ward. He loves you too much, you see, and does not want to have to give you up."

"You cannot lose us, yonya," Arafinwë told Sador. "We, too, love you too much to let you go that easily. Rest assured that you will always be a part of this family. I doubt if Findaráto will have it any other way."

****

The trial was both impressive and very public. Olwë decided to delay his return to Alqualondë to attend. "The offenses were committed by my brother’s people," the Telerin king said, "and against one whom I consider family."

Thus, when the prisoners were brought forth, they were made to kneel before the Noldóran and the King of Alqualondë in all their terrible splendour. Gwilwileth looked upon the proceedings with interest. She had seen how Sador had been welcomed by the royal couple and by Arafinwë’s court. The Lady Amarië especially expressed shock and anger at Sador’s treatment and fussed over him, much to his embarrassment and everyone else’s amusement. She also saw how the prisoners were treated. She had feared that being Sindar the Noldor might be tempted to ill-use them, but she saw that they were treated with respect at all times, especially Menelgileth.

The testimony and questioning went on for some time and were most thorough. Netilmírë spoke of the failed mission of the guildmasters and Sador told of his own investigations. The attack on Sador and the events that followed were carefully examined. When Sador described the voice warning him to be ready to flee, all looked upon the Sinda with wonder.

"Clearly, the Valar are watching over you, yonya," Olwë said, his expression one of surprise. "Though I wonder that they did not stop the initial kidnapping to begin with."

Sador shook his head. "Lord Námo said that our affairs are our own to deal with, but I suspect that it is as I told Haldir and Gwilwileth. Lord Námo has a vested interest in his... er... charges. He doesn’t ever want to see us darken his doorstep again."

"We are thankful that the Valar saw fit to have one of their servants watch over you," Arafinwë said. "I do not wish to contemplate what might have happened to you otherwise."

The revelation that certain elves of Aman had spread vicious lies about the Valar and how the Dead were treated was also a shock to many and Arafinwë was most grieved by this. "I regret that any suffered for these lies. The Valar have never shown any vindictiveness towards those who fled. My own son stood before them in the Máhanaxar and he has told me what occurred there. It is probably not possible to find who among us spread such lies. The best we can do is speak the truth and let all know that no one has ever come to judgment chained."

"Certainly the testimony of the Reborn would go a long way towards dispelling such lies among the Tol Eressëans," Olwë commented.

Haldir stepped forward then. "But in fact, that has not happened, lord King, for as my Gwilwileth admitted to me just recently she was too afraid to ask me about my judgment, fearing what she might learn. I suspect many have felt reluctant to ask the Reborn such questions for that very reason. As one who has recently been Reborn, I did find it puzzling that whenever I mentioned any of the Valar, especially Lord Námo, those around me stiffened and looked wary."

Laurendil spoke up. "Then perhaps it is time for the questions to be asked and the stories of the Reborn to be told, so that all may learn the truth about the Valar and those whom they judged."

There was a thoughtful silence all around and then Arafinwë turned his attention to the prisoners and the question of higher prices. The prisoners attempted defiance, especially Mistress Menelgileth, but in spite of it, they all found themselves answering the kings’ questions. Arafinwë and Olwë were implacable in their interrogations. Both kings assured everyone that they had decreed that there would be no inflation of prices for goods sold to the Tol Eressëans.

"I have made it a point," Arafinwë said, "to ensure that my directives in this are being carried out. The people of Tol Eressëa are our kin and we should treat them as such."

Careful interrogation of the weaver and the smith revealed that they and other guildmasters had been responsible for setting higher prices within their own guilds and passing them on to the merchants who had no choice but to pay the price demanded. Arafinwë looked weary at this revelation.

"It seems that the initial lies of some of our own people led to great bitterness on the part of some of those living on Tol Eressëa, which led you to prey upon your own people’s resentments in the hope of... what?"

"In the hope that there would be a second rebellion," Olwë answered his son-in-law, his voice and expression cold and implacable as he stared at the prisoners. "Perhaps even another Kinslaying."

Sador shivered visibly at those words and Netilmírë put a comforting arm around his shoulders. "What would that accomplish?" he asked.

"The displeasure of the Valar if nothing else," Arafinwë answered, his eyes flashing darkly with suppressed fury.

Eventually it was determined that the weaver and the smith were the ringleaders of the plot and were thus held the most culpable. Appropriate punishment would be meted out at a future date.

"Though I cannot imagine a greater punishment than to lose your own son to your folly," Arafinwë told the smith, who wept at these words. "I should send you all to Valmar to be tried before the Valar, but I think we will not bother them with such trivialities as these. Instead, I will consult with my fellow rulers about how best to handle this, for never have we had such happenings in Aman in all the centuries I have held the crown of the Noldor. And, unfortunately, yours is not the only conspiracy that has been uncovered of late."

So the trial ended inconclusively, but no one really minded, for all understood the gravity of what had happened and praised Arafinwë for wanting to go carefully and make no hasty judgments.

****

The prisoners were finally removed to a lone tower and kept under constant guard until such time as Arafinwë was ready to proclaim his judgment upon them. Haldir and Gwilwileth, much to their surprise, were invited to stay at the palace and speak with Arafinwë and his court about conditions on Tol Eressëa.

"I understand your own family refuses to see you," Arafinwë said to Haldir, who acknowledged the truth of the king’s words. "I regret that you have suffered so. I know my own son feared for his welcome among us, to the point that he was willing never to leave Lórien but to take up service to Lord Irmo if his amillë and I refused him. I wonder how many of the Reborn have found themselves in similar straits?"

"I do not know, my lord," Haldir said. "But I suspect more than we suppose."

Arafinwë sighed. "Something else for us to think on."

****

Sador was packing within an hour of the trial, ready to leave as soon as possible. Arafinwë little liked it, but knew he could not stop his ward from riding off for Valmar. Instead, he decided to accompany Sador and Laurendil to the city of the Valar.

"I wish to consult with Ingwë and Valmar is on the way to Vanyamar," he told Sador. "Also, Glorfindel is my son as much as Findaráto or you are. I would like to be there when he is found."

Thus, the King of the Noldor was seen riding out of Tirion along the Eastern Road towards Valmar with a retinue that included his ward and Lord Laurendil and many marveled at the sight, for few had any memory of their king riding out in full battle dress with a fell light about him.