1425
Years of the Trees
Tyelko always loved the month of Narquelië, watching the leaves change and air grow crisper. The time he spent in Oromë's forests during the autumnal season, after the Festival of Yavannie, remained his favorite time of every year in Valinor. This year, he, Rusco, and Hrávien had decided to go camping to the South in the Pelori Mountains.
As he sat in the dark beneath the trees, stoking the fire, he listened contentedly to the hooting of a distant owl. Hrávien and Rusco lay resting across from him. But he couldn't sleep. All he could think about were the words that Melkor had spoken to him but a month ago during the Yavannië festival.
"Your friends trust me. I ask, I beg of you, lend me your ear. Let me help you. I can assure you, there are dark times ahead, and I have seen the way the House of Nolofinwe looks at you of the elder house. Jealousy, rage, distrust... When was the last time a member of that house asked an opinion of you or your brothers."
Tyelko tensed at the memory. He started fiddling with his hunting knife, whittling an arrow absentmindedly. But Melkor's words wouldn't leave him. Especially the words he had spoken next.
"Your mother is treated second rate to the wives of Nolofinwë and Arafinwë. Don't pretend you haven't seen the way she frowns when in their company with Lord Fëanáro. Lady Nerdanel does not deserve scorn for being the wife of the greatest of the Noldor."
Huan's small whine as he approached him made Tyelko glance away from the dancing flames before him. His dog came over and laid his head down on Tyelko's leg. The elf smiled. Petting the wolfhound, he settled more comfortably into the tree trunk he sat against. He closed his eyes.
"I know your father distrusts me," Melkor had said as well, "but your Hunters like Rusco, they know I mean you no harm. I alone of the Valar will always be honest with you. I have shown Rusco things that would be useful to you as well. Ask him yourself if you won't listen to me."
And ask Rusco he had. The Hunter had shown him designs for a new weapon, for a sword. He had heard of such weapons from Eonwë, the herald of Manwë, in the legends of the War for the Sake of the Elves. But he had never seen the specs for such a weapon, nor been shown how to use one.
For the past three weeks, Rusco had been teaching Tyelko and Hrávien all he knew of the blade. He had even given Tyelko the basic designs for crafting one. And Tyelko knew just who to give it to.
Curvo would love to get his hands on the designs. If he could create a sword and show their father, perhaps their father would finally have something to be proud of since the Silmarils' creation. Even the Palantiri with their many uses could not satisfy Lord Fëanáro any longer.
"Careful Tyelko, keep thinking this hard and you might hurt yourself," Rusco muttered to him as he rose with the waxing of Laurelin.
A snickering laugh from Hrávien revealed that she had gotten up as well. "I would be more worried about you hurting yourself, Rusco."
"Is that so?" Rusco shook his head. "Well since we're rejoining the others today, I'll do my best to keep in good health between now and then."
Tyelko smirked and shook his head, putting out the campfire. "I will not be joining you."
Hrávien, hands on her hips, faced him quickly. "And why not, princeling?"
"Do not call me that," Tyelko groaned.
She picked up a steel sword that Rusco had brought for them to use. While the other elf started getting out food for them, she turned to Tyelko. "Make me!"
"Oh I will," he growled, narrowing his eyes. Walking over to her, he dodged a blow and grabbed the hilt of her sword. He smirked down at the shorter Falmari maiden. He leaned down and kissed her, she returning it with a smile.
Rusco sighed loudly. "Would you two not."
Hrávien winked at the auburn haired elf, leaning past Tyelko to look at him. "You're just jealous that you haven't found anyone despite being a hundred and fifty years old."
With a scoff, Rusco shook his head. He handed both Hrávien and Tyelko a plate of dried meat and fruit. Then he settled down with his own food beneath the trees. The light of Laurelin fell in dappled rays to the forest floor.
Tyelko turned as Huan barked his way and chuckled. "What do you want?" He walked over to the dog and hugged him, only bending down a bit to wrap his arms around the hound's neck.
After they ate, Tyelko bid farewell to Hrávien with a quick kiss and tossed his sword back to Rusco. He headed due north while they went west. By nightfall, he and his black stallion had left the Forest of Oromë and headed north through Yavanna's plains towards Tirion.
He rode on for days. Resting his horse at the end of everyday, Tyelko enjoyed his time camping under the stars. By avoiding the major roads he hoped to limit contact with elves. Instead he enjoyed speaking to the birds and wild horses he came across.
As he led his horse into Tirion, Laurelin glowed at it height. He passed many elves coming and going out the Great Gate as he went down the lane towards the house he shared with Curvo. He hoped his brother would be there went he got home.
Tyelko walked his horse around the back of the house to their stable. He grinned when he saw Curvo's grey mare wandering about. Leaving his own stallion to do the same, Tyelko went in their back door.
"Curvo," he called through the house. Tyelko turned left into their sitting room and lit the fireplace with his flint.
The elf in question walked down the stairs dressed in a loose, off white shirt and black pants. He looked at his blonde brother in surprise. "You're home!"
"Enjoy your time in the wild," Curvo teased him, tossing an apple his way from their table.
Tyelko smirked. "Yes I did."
"Enjoy your time with Hrávien?" Curvo added. Huan barked twice, causing him to snicker.
The other elf plopped down on a couch and rolled his eyes. "No more than you enjoy fawning over Nixiel."
"Nixiel and I also pursue academic interests together. What do you two do? Roll around in the dirt?"
Tyelko cackled and shook his head, taking his hair out of its ponytail. With a shake of his head he finally dignified Curvo's gibe with a response. "We do more than that. In fact, I have a surprise for you that I brought back from Rusco and Hrávien."
That peaked Curvo's interest. He wandered over to Tyelko at the couch and watched as he pulled several scrolls of paper out of his pack. He placed them on the small table between the chair and couch.
"What is it?" asked Curvo.
Tyelko smiled. "It's called a sword."
"Like the ancient weapons from the legends?" His eyes widened. Then he grinned, leafing through the various papers. "There are sketches and diagrams all here, and metal compounds." Curvo sat down on the floor to look at them further. "This is phenomenal. I'm sure I could improve upon his techniques though."
As Curvo trailed off, Tyelko watched him humorously. Huan tried to lick his brother's face but Curvo ducked away after the first bit of slobber. Tyelko called him off. The hound pranced around the house and ran somewhere else, leaving the two elves to themselves.
"Has anyone stopped by while I was in the South?" Tyelko asked after a few minutes of silence.
Curvo shook his head. "Not really. The Ambarussa stopped by two weeks ago before they headed north to Formenos to visit. Nelyo and Káno are traveling to Lady Nienna's halls. I don't know where Moryo's been. And father is always busy in the forge."
"And Eve?"
He rolled his eyes. "She gets friendlier and friendlier with the other half of this family with each passing year."
"She is courting Findekáno," reminded Tyelko quickly.
Curvo snorted. "Yes. I am well aware."
"At least it's Findekáno and not one of the house of Arafinwë!" Tyelko shook his head. "I have lost my patience with them."
"Artanis most of all," Curvo muttered. "She is unbearable."
Tyelko chuckled. He shook his head and went to grab another fruit. From the other room he shouted back. "And here I thought Angaráto was the worst."
"Angaráto I can just tune out. Artanis never knows when she's speaking out of turn. They say she's wise." Curvo snorted. "She knows a lot, but she hasn't learned respect for her betters." He stood from his spot on the floor and gathered up the papers. "I'm going to start on this sword tonight. I have all the materials."
"Good luck," Tyelko replied as he watched Curvo heading down into their basement forge. "Don't set anything on fire."
Curvo stopped and turned around to stare at him in annoyance. Without a single word, he turned back and kept walking down. Tyelko just laughed to himself and went to bathe. After weeks in the wilds of Aman he certainly needed it.
When he came back into their main room two hours later, Tyelko didn't expect a knock at the door to jerk him from his book. He went to the door and opened it. Eve stood there.
"Eve!" Tyelko look down at her in surprise. "What are you doing here?"
"I decided I wanted to welcome you back to Tirion!" She smiled lightly.
He let her inside. "How did you know I came back?"
"Moryo."
Tyelko nodded. "Were you there when I talked to him through the Palantiri then?"
With a smile, she confirmed it, sitting down on the couch while he fetched her a cup of tea. "Yes. Finno's busy with the king and Nolofinwë, so I've been bothering Moryo." She thanked him as he handed her a cup. "How was your trip?"
"Absolutely fantastic," replied Tyelko with a deep smile. "I haven't had such a good time in far too long."
"And how's Hrávien?"
Tyelko blushed slightly and chuckled. "She is well. I assume everyone knows then, if you're aware?"
"That you two are courting?" She giggled. "Of course." Then she amended her statement. "Our family, I mean. Not Finno's or Findo's."
He nodded. "That's good. They have no need to know."
She shrugged. After taking a sip of tea, she gasped and shook her head. "I forgot something out with my horse. Let me go grab it for you!"
He watched her hurry out their back door and into the yard where the horses were kept. Tyelko shook his head. A few minutes later she came back in carrying a large sack that held something rectangular. He watched her bustling about in excitement as she tried to get the burlap sack off.
"Close your eyes, Tyelko!" she ordered quickly, though he could already see that she held a canvas.
He obeyed. Something rustled as she turned the canvas around and he waited patiently to open his eyes. Finally she told him he could. When he opened them, his mouth fell open in shock. He'd been correct; she held a painting. The main part of the painting was his black stallion. He stood in a forest meadow, surrounded by autumnal trees and berry bushes. Laruelin's light fell about the horse and he spotted Huan in the trees. He started laughing, his eyes sparkling in mirth. He looked at Eve and walked over to her.
"It is incredible!" He took it and looked at it more closely. Then he set it down and hugged her. "Thank you!"
She laughed, a couple tears on her cheeks. "Yay! Glad you like it."
"Why are you crying?"
She shook her head. "It's nothing. I've just missed you, I guess. You spend so much time training with the Hunters these days."
"Oh," murmured Tyelko. "I apologize. We've been... busy."
"I know, I know." She laughed through her tears. "I apologize. I shouldn't act like this!"
Tyelko laughed as well. He shook his head as Huan came bounding into the room and tackled her. "Watch it, Huan!"
After gathering her up off the floor, Eve stayed and chatted for a while. She told Tyelko all about her planned trip to the Two Trees with Nelyo, Finno, and Káno. The last wanted to go see Elemmírë. But it would have to wait for the other two brothers to return from the Far West.
Eventually Eve bid him farewell, reminding him to show his face more often. As she wandered down the streets of Tirion by the light of the silver tree, she couldn't help but feel off. She could almost sense that Tyelko felt more troubled than in a long time... but also he felt peace? It confused her. She had told herself many years ago that she would never use the telepathy she knew she was capable of, seeing it as a betrayal of privacy. But there were times she wanted to. And now was one of those.
A gentle breeze blew both her yellow dress and auburn hair as she led her horse behind her. Silver light bathed the streets. The grey cobblestones almost glowed beneath Telperion's ambiance. At least the world was still at peace.