1430

Years of the Trees

Eve could hear the laughter outside her window before she even realized Finno and Artanis were at her and Amarië's door. She continued to scamper about, pulling a few dresses into two saddle bags and her paints and favorite brushes. Findo had assured her that there would be canvas provided. Alqualondë! She couldn't wait to get back there.

The last time Eve had witnessed the mingling of Laurelin and Telperion had been two years prior. It wasn't as if she hadn't wanted to get back, but other trips kept taking priority. A trip to the Trees, a trip to the Mansions of Aulë, a trip to Formenos, a trip to Nienna's Halls, a trip to Estë's Pools. All of them had left her without time to spare for Alqualondë.

As she listened to the laughter below she heard a new voice join in as Amarië greeted them. Eve closed her window, pulled on her olive riding outfit. She ran down the stairs. Along the way, a dozen of her favorite paintings reminded her how eager she was to depict Alqualondë again.

"I'll go get her," she heard Amarië say.

Eve laughed, bouncing down the hall and out the door. "No need! I'm here!"

With a chuckle and quick roll of her eyes Artanis gestured behind them. "Come, then. It is time we bring you around more civilized people."

"What, you prefer your Falmari kin to us," Finno gasped in mock surprise. "Really now, Artanis."

"They certainly have more manners than you at the least," replied Artanis quickly. Then she winked at Eve. "Come. Get your horse. We should be setting off before Laurelin waxes any further."

"Aiko and Findo, are they still going to be at Alqualondë with us," Eve asked them. They nodded, and she walked around the back of the house to the yard where her and Amarië's horses were stabled. There she found her grey dappled mare. "Fintalë!"

The horse raised her head and meandered over to the small group. Amarië's pale cream horse, Mánië, followed suit. The riders went to them. Eve heaved herself onto Fintalë before following Mánië out of the yard. Both Artanis and Finno had mounted up already. They were ready to leave.

Through Tirion to the Noldorin docks they went, reaching the docks as Laurelin's golden rays finally overtook Telperion. The light glinted powerfully off the water's surface in the Sea of Alatairë, blinding them momentarily as they looked out over the waves.

Eve, for that brief moment, felt her heart soar. She couldn't see the other lands, but recently talk of the old lands had been circling amongst the Noldor. Wonder, awe. That is all she felt looking across the vast expanse of Alatairë. What lay beyond the waves? What other mountains and lakes and rivers could she paint if she were there? What other peoples-

"Eve!" Artanis's voice ripped her from her ruminations. "Come on. We want to reach Alqualondë by nightfall!"

She huffed goodnaturedly. Urging Fintalë forward with a gentle command, Eve rejoined the three others down the road. When she reached them, Artanis turned to her again.

"What were you watching?"

Eve chuckled. Then she grew serious. "Have you ever wondered what lies beyond the Sea of Alatairë? What mysteries and wonders?" She laughed again. "You probably think I'm crazy."

"No." Artanis shook her head, staring off into the ocean as well. "My parents don't let me partake in matters of the court," she added, "because Findo, Aiko, and Ango all have their duties and there are none left to me. But I would love to rule a wide land somewhere, someday."

Finno grew serious. He sighed. "I do not enjoy my stately duties as the eldest of the second house. Nelyo performs some, but Lord Fëanáro avoids his duties whenever possible. Probably because it involves interacting with Queen Indis." He shook his head. "Enjoy your freedom, Artanis. I do not envy our parents, nor our grandparents."

"I understand why Lord Fëanáro doesn't like interacting with Indis," Eve responded quietly.

Artanis rolled her eyes. "Fëanáro's opinion of our grandmother hardly gives him the right to treat her as he does."

"No," agreed Eve, "but it does explain it. The Noldor are a proud people, yes? Proud of all you've accomplished?"

"Of course!" Finno replied.

Eve nodded. "Then why are you surprised that the proudest of you all would resent having a Vanya as queen - no offense Amarië - especially when that Vanya replaced your dead mother?"

No one spoke for several moments. The clip clop of the horse hooves on the grey cobble road resounded in the midst of their silence. A steady crash of waves against the rocky shore to their right droned on. Finally Amarië replied to her.

"I do understand Lord Fëanáro, to some degree," said Amarie quietly. "None but he and King Finwë comprehend loss like they've experienced."

"I have," Eve responded immediately. "Nelyo has told me a lot about what happened with Míriel, Finwë, and Indis. Míriel's decision to die influenced everything in the Noldorin people, more than I think anyone can understand. But I'm not truly Noldorin." She held up her hand as Finno went to object. "Not like the rest of you. I have experience with death, and I'm not involved in the politics of the Eldar. Losing someone close to you... it changes everything. You don't move on. You may cover it up, try to repair the hole left by the loss. But when someone dies, leaving your life, you never move on. It's always there, influencing your thoughts, your actions. Every choice is colored by it."

Artanis sighed. "There is a darkness in Fëanáro, like no other Elda I have met. A shadow falls on his heart. Perhaps it is loss, as you say."

"Loss and bitterness," Eve agreed immediately. "But there's good too. He loves King Finwë more than anything. I think even you all can see that."

Finno muttered, "That alone he loves. His immediate family. And those Silmarils."

"They are quite pretty," agreed Eve.

Artanis huffed, moving a few locks of her golden-silver hair out of her eyes. "He thinks too much of them. They are but jewels."

"But jewels?" Amarië laughed. "Come, Artanis. You should be able to see they are much more than that. Queen Varda herself hallowed them. They are peerless."

She shrugged. The group continued on their way without off and on conversation. Finno stayed quiet most of the time, deep in thought. He knew enough to trust Eve's interpretation when it came to matters of grief and loss. He knew no one else who understood darkness like she did. But that didn't mean he could erase all his bitterness towards Lord Fëanáro right away.

These days even the lord's sons seemed to harbor anger towards the second and third houses. Tyelko kept to himself. Curvo's disdain, once thinly veiled, now was openly demonstrated. Pityo and Telvo seemed to get uncomfortable around the other houses if their brothers were nearby. With Moryo, his irritability clashed especially with Arafinwë's children. Only Nelyo and Káno remained fast friends with the other houses. But really, Nelyo had changed too. Not to Finno, but towards Ango, Aiko, Artanis... even Findo to some extent. Perhaps he only felt close kinship with the House of Nolofinwë now. And Káno stayed quiet.

When they arrived at the great city of Alqualondë, Telperion shined brightly with the stars to accompany his light. A gentle spring rain had begun, but the travelers enjoyed it. They left their horses in the area Artanis and her brothers used before following her in her bright white riding outfit up the many stairs into the palace.

Because of the rain, most Falmari remained in doors. A few adventurous children ran around the pearlescent streets. They jumped in puddles and danced in the rain. A group of three watched the travellers in awe, stopping their games to watch them go past.

When they finally reached the top where the palace entrance stood, and heard the roaring waterfalls of elven make nearby, they found Telepso and Nendil, the sons of Olwë, waiting outside for them. Telepso with his platinum, shoulder length hair spoke quietly with Nendil. The darker haired Falmar listened intently as they both looked out over the city from their great, front precipice-like balcony. When they caught sight of Artanis and the others, they smiled.

"Nis gets here at last," Nendil teased his neice, walking over and giving her a hug. "And the others come following after. Hello Finno, Amarië, Eve!"

Amarië laughed as Nendil took her hand and bowed. She had always held Nendil as her favorite of the House of Olwë. When she had been young, and first befriended Findo, Nendil had predicted that they would court. She teased him to no end that it still had yet to happen; everyone else said he had been correct.

"Lord Nendil," Finno replied with a smile and a quick bow. "Lord Telepso."

"Welcome back, Prince Findekáno," Telepso said with a smile. "And you, Lady Eve Elmendë. It is good to see you back after a few years."

Eve nodded eagerly. "It is an honor to be back here, lord. I've missed Alqualondë. I hope to do several paintings while I'm here."

Nendil ushered them inside as he replied to her. "And we hope to see several paintings! Your work has inspired several in our city to attempt a style like yours. But none quite grasp it as you do."

Unseen workers heaved open the doors for them. They hurried out of the spring rain and into the palace. Telepso instructed them to follow his brother for lodging. He had other matters to attend to.

Nendil showed Eve to a large guest suite. He left her there to change, taking the others to their bedrooms. Artanis hurried off to her permanent room in the palace.

Eve unpacked her two duffle-like bags. She pulled out a satin white and silver dress and changed into it quickly. A towel nearby let her dry her hair as best she could before she brushed it, attempting to get the waviness back under control. When at last she felt presentable, she walked back into the hall and towards where she knew the private balcony to be.

When she got there, she found Aiko and Findo joking around with Finno as they lounged on sofas. Findo grinned when Eve walked in, the only one facing her. He waved her over.

"Welcome back!" said Findo quickly, gesturing around himself. "These couches have missed you.

Eve laughed. She walked over to the couch where Finno sat and joined him. "Hey guys."

"I don't know what you see in him," Aiko told her with a smirk. "Finno is by far the most boring of us all."

"Hey!"

"What, I should've gone for you, mister crazy hair?" mocked Eve goodnaturedly, gesturing to his incredible curly hair that almost resembled a fire on his head. "At least Finno doesn't look like he just got out of bed."

Aiko smirked and shook his head. "My hair is magnificent. You are merely jealous."

They heard a feminine laugh from the entrance to the balcony. Artanis' voice floated in. "Please, brother. We all know your hair can't even begin to compete with mine." She posed, winking at her closest sibling.

"Agreed!" Eve then leaned into Finno and whispered to him. "But none of them can compare to the rarity and beauty of redheads, am I right?" Then she smirked. "There is a right answer."

He cackled and stared at her mischievous expression. "Correct." Then he sent a sly smile back her way. "After all, none can compete with Nelyo."

"Hey!" Eve smacked him across the chest, sitting up away from him. "I have infinitely better hair than he does."

Findo's snickering caused them both to turn towards him. The eldest of the House of Arafinwë shook his head. "Sorry. I'm just imagining what Nelyo would say to that."

"Oh please," protested Eve, "He certainly doesn't care."

"How has he been," Findo asked a moment later. "We don't see much of him any more."

Eve hesitated. "He's good. He's been busy with Káno lately. They travel a lot together. And with the Ambarussa."

"That is good," replied Findo with a smile and a small nod.

They fell into quiet conversation, but Eve stayed out of it. She leaned against Finno and became lost in her own thoughts. She missed the group traveling they all used to do; Findo would always join them with Amarië, and with Turvo, Nelyo, Finno, Káno, and Elenwë they would scour Aman for new adventures. That never happened now. Turvo and Elenwë had settled in Tirion, but split their time with Valimar also. Findo and Amarië seemed to spend more and more time with the House of Arafinwë and not the others. Only Finno and Aro actively spent time with any of Feanaro's house.

And that, above all else, made her sad amidst paradise.

Author's Note:

NANO HAS BEGUN

Our first NaNoWriMo chapter is here, dear readers.

Also, kudo points to anyone who understands the reference the title of the chapter is making. Seriously. I'll give you a sneak peak during my next chapter.

Brought to you by a caramel-mocha frappe, Barnes and Noble WiFi, and Silz's early wake up.

Looks like there's trouble in paradise.