Fan art by fanfiction.net user Unicadia
With the waxing of Laurelin in the morning, Eve, Findaráto, and Findekáno left Alqualondë. Findo assured Eve it would not be the only trip there when she admitted to regretting spending so much time asleep. He reminded her that Alqualondë was but a day's ride away, and that his family would always welcome her visit.
It remained an uneventful ride home the entire time. Eve stayed relatively quiet, seemingly content to take in the world around her. The cousins spoke to each other about various matters concerning a "Lady Amarië" and Lady Elenwë. Eve didn't pay much attention, but based on the blushing face of Findaráto, Amarië was someone special. She nearly laughed once or twice at how Findekáno teased him.
They reached the Noldorin docks at Eldamar when the first stars began poking through the cloud cover. Then on to Tirion they went. Findekáno and Findaráto took Eve to the house of Lord Fëanáro and found it busier than usual. Nerdanel sat outside in the grass with her two eldest and two youngest sons. The twins threw a ball to each other under a giant oak tree while Nelyo sat beside his mother. They sat in silence as Káno played his lyre for them. Findekáno dismounted and helped Eve down from Alassë. Upon seeing them, a new voice announced her arrival.
"Eve is back," Moryo said, appearing from the doorway of their giant house. He walked forward, down the path and into the massive yard. Joining his mother and older brothers, he reclined on the grass.
Nerdanel, Nelyafinwë, and Kánafinwë looked over quickly, and shot smiles in her direction. Findaráto continued on home, leaving Findekáno to say hello. As the stars shined far above, he and Eve approached leading their horses behind then.
"Finno." Nerdanel smiled. "Eve! I am glad you are home. How did you enjoy Alqualondë?"
"It was super cool. The entire place is amazing," Eve told them. She turned to Alassë and ordered her to follow Findekáno before continuing. "The beaches have gems! How cool is that."
Findekáno jumped in. "Cool apparently has many meanings. Good and interesting are two." His eyes sparkled with mirth.
She rolled her eyes at him before nodding. "Sorry. I forget you guys speak all properly and everything." As Nerdanel stood, Eve walked over and joined her. "Thank you for helping me out so much, and letting me go."
But Nerdanel merely laughed. "Do not worry, child. You are free to do what you wish here. I will merely guide you."
"You're like my new mom," Eve only half joked. "I think I'd be pretty lost without you."
The smile that settled on Nerdanel's face was filled with warmth and happiness. She reached out and embraced the shorter woman. "I am glad to be your mother here."
By now, the twins had stopped their game and come over. Telvo and Pityo watched their embrace with skepticism and teasing. But Nelyo and Káno had genuine smiles. Both knew that though Nerdanel loved her seven sons with all her heart, she had always wished for a daughter.
"I will leave her with you," Findekáno said a few moments later. He bowed to the family. "Alassë and Turcanno need to be stabled."
Eve turned and smiled at Findekáno. "I owe you a lot of thanks too. I'll make it up to you somehow, I promise!"
"Seeing you happy is reward enough," Findekáno assured her with a chuckle. He didn't miss the look of surprise Nelyo shot him, though he chose to ignore it. "Farewell, my friends."
The cousins all waved goodbye, Telvo and Pityo shouting goodbyes after him. Nerdanel bowed to Findekáno as he left, leading the grey and black horses down the road to his own house. When he left their sight, Nerdanel took Eve by the hand and led her to where Káno, Nelyo, and Moryo now lounged on the paradisiacal lawn. Nerdanel gestured for her to sit down as the twins picked up their ball game again.
"Káno was serenading us with a new song of his," Nerdanel explained. "Sit!"
Eve shrugged and did as she said. "I play piano. And sing a little." She settled herself on the grass in the silver of darkness.
"A musician then?" Káno asked happily.
"I wouldn't go quite that far," Eve amended. "I can't read sheet music. I just have a good ear."
Moryo let out laugh. "Aren't you just full of surprises."
She smirked right back at him. "Many surprises, sir."
But the elf merely rolled his eyes and lay back in the grass to count the stars above them. Káno began his tune. It lilted happily, with each string pluck painting a better mental image of the paradise Eve now called home. He did not sing, instead letting his fingers tell the story through the music they played. Eve couldn't interrupt.
But evidently the Ambarussa could.
"Ouch!" Pityo shouted in anger.
The five elves turned their attention to the twins. Pityo held his arm to his side, wincing in pain. But Telvo folded his own arms together in defiance.
"You idiot!" screamed Pityo. "You did that on purpose!"
"Did not," Telvo bit back angrily. He clenched his fists. "It is only a ball. Do not whine like a child."
Nerdanel sighed and stood, walking over between the red headed twins. "Calm yourselves. Telvo, apologize to your brother." She stood between them and ordered them to face one another. When Telvo did not do as instructed, she narrowed her eyes. "Now, or I shall tell your father what happened when he returns from the forge."
Telvo narrowed his eyes but muttered something unintelligible. When he realized that was not enough for his mother, he repeated his apology. "I am sorry."
"Now, you have not rested since Eve left. Head inside and go to your bedrooms," she ordered them. "Clean yourselves up first."
Grumbling, the twins did as their mother ordered. Nerdanel shot her older sons a tired glance, bidding them goodnight.
"If you are still out here once I have gotten the twins to sleep, I will come back out," she assured them. "If not, I will see you soon I am sure."
They each bid her goodnight. Eve decided to stay outside with them. She, for the first time since arriving in Valinor, did not feel exhausted. The peaceful night air invigorated her more than anything. Especially now that Káno nonchalantly plucked at his lyre, Eve smiled.
"What did you do in your home, Eve?" Nelyo asked her, twirling a blade of grass with his fingers.
"I studied." She made an ugly face. "It was boring."
Nelyo chuckled softly, looking around before glancing back at her. "Surely something about your life was interesting?"
It was her turn to laugh. "Not much. I went to school with a major in art and a minor in business. It wasn't exactly party central. I mean, I occasionally would have people over for paint get togethers."
Káno smiled at her and shook his head. He still plucked at his lyre but slowed as he spoke. "Painting, you say? The Valar picked well to place you among our people. For though the Vanyar are renowned for their sculptors and artists, the Noldor pursue art and drawing more."
"You should paint something," Moryo said suddenly, causing Eve to glance his way in surprise.
"I forgot you were here," she admitted sheepishly as she saw the rise and fall of his chest beneath dark clothing. He still lay staring up at the stars. "Sorry!"
Moryo rolled his eyes and deadpanned, "Thank you."
"But like you said, I wouldn't mind trying to paint here. At first when Findekáno brought it up, I wasn't sure." She shrugged. "Everything is just so beautiful here. It's intimidating. I mean, it's like... Everything is perfect. The land, the sky, the sea, the people!"
"People were not like us?" asked Nelyo curiously.
Eve laughed then. "Oh no. Definitely not."
"Well, it is good you are here then. You fit right in." Káno chuckled as he replied to her. "Our mother has always wanted a daughter, and you have the appearance to match her."
Eve said, "Yeah, well, I didn't always look like this. I had brownish amber eyes, not blue grey. It's crazy to look at myself in the mirror and see a more beautiful me. Like, Eve 2.0 or something."
For a few minutes, they fell into silence. Káno picked up a new tune, this one soft and mellow as the night they currently experienced. The breeze was slight, but every once in a while it would blow Eve's hair into her face enough to disrupt her thoughts.
At last Nelyo spoke again, looking over at Káno as he spoke. "So, Eve, what do you think of the cousins you have met so far?"
"They're funny," she said with a big smile. "Findaráto is very gracious and was a great host. Turukáno was nice enough. He showed me a baby portrait of Finno!" She grinned at the memory of it. "He was so cute as a baby!"
"What of Finno?" Nelyo looked at her now, a question in his mind that he would not voice.
"He helped a lot," she murmured now, thinking of her breakdown at Alqualondë. "And he's been super sweet- ah, nice." Eve turned and smiled back at Nelyo. "Definitely a good cousin to have. And friend."
"He's alright," Moryo chipped in.
Nelyo, Káno, and Eve all rolled their eyes in response, making faces at Moryo in the dark. None of them responded vocally, but the expressions on their faces spoke to how much they agreed with the unspoken truth behind Moryo's statement: pretty much everyone liked Findekáno.
Eve went to bid them goodnight after another ten minutes. She wanted desperately to bathe, and stood to do so when a figure came striding up the walkway past them. Fëanáro stopped in front of the little group.
"Ah, Eve, welcome back." He nodded to her. A look of annoyance adorned his face but it didn't seem directed at her. "My father informed me that Findaráto will be overseeing your studies. A room will be provided at the Tower for this."
"Thanks!" Eve smiled and nodded. "I can't wait to start."
Fëanáro nodded. "Good."
Eve bid them goodnight quickly and ducked into the house. She left Fëanáro in the yard. The elf spoke with his sons as she left, and soon Eve found herself taking a wonderful bath and falling into a sweet slumber upon a bed that felt like a cloud.