A Different Kind of Heaven [ Silmarillion ] 1

Chapter 9: Learning Curve

Findekáno stepped back and watched as Eve got her bearings. He found himself pleasantly surprised at how quickly she did so. He could tell she had been quite familiar with horses in whatever her past life had been. He thanked Ilúvatar for that. It certainly made this easier.

The voice of Findaráto floated to them from the side of the house. "Are the two of you prepared?"

They turned to see him striding in atop a large black stallion. His golden hair had been pulled back out of his face and a simple, small circlet sat on his head.

"You're wearing your circlet today, cousin?" Findekáno asked.

Findo nodded with a small sigh. "My mother requests I do so when in Alqualondë."

"Alright." Finno nodded and then looked at Eve who had been walking Alassë around the yard in an effort to get used to bareback again. "Are you ready, Eve?"

"As I'll ever be," she told them, and Alassë took her back to where the princes stood. "You said horses respond to speech, right?"

"Yes." Findaráto nodded and watched her carefully maneuver to them by speaking to Alassë. "Like that!"

"Cool." She nodded. Eve continued to mutter to herself as she had Alassë walk towards them. "Cool, sweet. Yeah okay I can do this."

Findekáno nodded and led Turcanno over to a fence so he could mount up. "You are doing well, Eve."

She grinned at both her companions. "Like I said, I'm good with horses. And this is freaking amazing, having a horse literally understand me. I mean seriously, it's like talking to a phone but it's alive!" She paused at their blank expressions and sighed. "Sorry, I got excited."

Findaráto gave a single laugh. "Do not apologize. We are sorry to not understand your way of speaking. But come, it is time we left if we wish to reach Alqualondë by nightfall. Already Laurelin is reaching her height."

All three on horseback now, they left the same way Findo had come. It was a path that ran along the side of the house out into the streets of Tirion. They weren't far from the exit into the rest of Valinor, for all the largest houses with massive yards were at the foot of the massive sloping hill.

"And so we exit Tirion upon Túna, and head out to the docks of Eldamar," Finno told her. "It is an hour from here to the Noldorin docks, and then another eight to the Falmari at Alqualondë."

"You guys keep talking about Noldor and Falmari," Eve ventured. "What are they?"

Findaráto jumped in immediately. "There are three elven kindreds here. The Vanyar, the Noldor, and the Falmari. When the elves first awoke, there were three kindreds. They became the Vanyar, Noldor, and Teleri. The Falmari are a section of the Teleri."

"What's the difference between them?" asked Eve.

"Most obvious is hair and eye color." Findo gestured to his golden hair. "The Vanyar have golden hair, the Noldor typically have dark, and the Teleri silver."

"There are exceptions," Findekáno added, "Lady Nerdanel, her father Mahtan, and Nelyo and the twins, for example. Red hair very rarely appears in the Noldor. And one of Turukáno's companions, Laurefindil, has golden hair."

"Correct," Findaráto nodded immediately.

Eve nodded thoughtfully at Findo. "So how do you have golden hair?"

"I am part Vanya," he told her. "My sister has remarkable hair. She somehow has silver-golden hair, likely because of our Telerin ancestry as well."

"Artanis, right?" Eve asked him quickly, hoping she remember the name of the girl.

Findekáno answered for him. "Yes. She is a rascal."

With a laugh, Findaráto nodded alongside him. He turned to Finno. "I will not disagree with you."

They continued to speak off and on about the elven kindreds. Eve learn much from the cousins, learning the differences in appearance from the Vanyar, the Falmari, and the Noldor. They also told her of the differences in culture. She learned that the Noldor prized study and craftsmanship, the Vanyar took part in the arts and music, and the Teleri loved the ocean in all its forms.

Eve, remarkably surprised, realized that as Finno had told her, she did not feel tired from the work her legs had to do to keep her on Alassë's back. Instead, it came natural to her muscles. Another perk of being elvish, she realized. She wondered how much she could eat and not gain weight...

They wandered along a road which ran parallel to the coastline. Eve did not like the ocean, but here it seemed peaceful. She did not intend to set foot in the water though, no matter how much her companions would tease her. The golden light of Laurelin had faded and been replaced by Telperion when the they saw a grand city built into the mountains and a massive shipyard and haven. Alike and yet different from Tirion, Alqualondë's primary colors were white and grey, with blue accents.

The stars shined down above them, and the soft ambient silver light lit the area well enough. Eve heard flowing water, and the rush of waves hitting the wood of boats. It formed a music different from Tirion's, but no less touching. A wind from the sea whipped her red hair across her cheeks and threw salt into the air. She closed her eyes against the spray.

"Ossë must be in one of his moods tonight," Findaráto muttered. "Come on, let us dismount. My family's stables are nearby."

The two men dismounted first before Findekáno offered Eve a hand down. He smiled, no teasing in his expression when she hesitated. With a nod, she took his offer of help and swung herself down. He steadied her as she stumbled slightly.

He smiled at her. "How was the ride?"

She shrugged and patted her horse. "The company was alright. Alassë is great."

Findekáno's grin widened and he shook his head. "I am glad you found the company well enough. Hopefully we can do better later." He didn't miss her smirk.

Findaráto led them down a side street that wrapped into the city. There they found a massive stable building for the royal horses. They left their steeds with the workers and then made their way into Alqualondë proper.