I enjoyed watching Olorin's fireworks. And I could tell he enjoyed them too. Amil had a hard time convincing me to keep still. "You'll soil your dress Little One." She exclaimed. "Amma, can I go meet with some friends?" she sighed. "No, Selde. You might get lost." But this was Valinor. Anyone would have friends to help them out.
I was barely out of my toddling stage. I was still a baby in everyone's eyes. It took a long while for everyone to let me go. But I managed to persuade my mother to let me go with Maltariel and we skipped off. I wanted to meet Olorin again. But I heard an argument.
"Feanaro, calm yourself." I heard my grandmother hiss. I turned, catching my gaze onto the copper hair we both shared. "It will not do to make a spectacle in front of the whole of Aman- and the Ainur." She warned. "Atar, listen to Amil." My father was with them. " You have to let it go, please just once." Uncle Macalaure and Atar had both taken grandmother's side. But grandfather, and Uncles Tyelcormo, Carnistir and Curvo scowled. Ambarussa was nowhere to be seen. Probably stealing food.
Grandfather snapped. "I don't care if we make a spectacle as they don't make me look like a fool!" He glared at the three. "What did they do?" Uncle Macalaure exclaimed. "They're just deciding to stand and present themselves together with you..." "In front of everyone!" Grandfather shouted. They whispered for quiet. "They wish to stand as a real family with me. Everyone looks at High Princes and Princesses and realise that I am left out! The children of Indis." He scowled. "And the sole son of Miriel and Finwe." The three sighed and groaned. This went on for a while until Atar and Uncle left. Amil and Auntie Vingarie greeted them.
We dashed off. "What was that about?" I couldn't very well tell Indis' kin. I winced. "Let's just find the maiar."
We did find them. But Mairon was still grumping. "....Spent so much time." He muttered. "Nothing was in order. All mumble-jumble. Wish I could kick their arses like Melkor would have. He was defeated, but he sure knew how to command an army of chaos. Orcs!" He snorted. "Well, there's nothing for it."
"Who's Melkor? And what's an orc?" I asked. Mairon jumped. Then he saw me, groaning. "Ah, the Noldorin Princess. And one of Ingwe's kin," he said eying Maltariel's golden hair.
"Will you please answer my questions? Or will I have to ask another Ainu?" He jumped. "No, no, no!" He exclaimed, alarmed. "Then, please tell." he scowled. "Noldorin royals." He snorted. "Alright but this can't go outside of this conversation, okay?" We nodded. "Melkor was a really big Baddie who ruined creation and toppled the Great Lamps used before the Two Trees were made. He was a Vala-" scowled "-King Manwe's brother until they kicked him out. He was jealous, see." He explained. "Built a fortress, kidnapped annoying little elves like you and turned them into orcs." He snorted. "Ugly-looking creatures who are dumb and evil. He was defeated when the Ainur went to war and got chained up in Mandos. The end." He scowled. "Any more stories?"
Blankly, we shook our heads. I never believed such a story existed. We had nothing to say.
Just then Olorin walked over. He was speaking to four people. One, I recognized as Arcalimar, my other grandfather. I raced to him.
Laughing, he embraced me. "How fares the Little One?" He teased. "I was shark-fishing when I found something. I immediately thought of you." He pulled out a gorgeous shell. Inside was a massive perfect pink pearl within mother-of-pearl. I gasped.
"Thank you," I exclaimed. Daro on the other side, laughed. "You spoil her, Uncle."
"Nonsense." Grandfather exclaimed. Artanis laughed at her brother. "You were always eager for new things, Daro. Where's your mother?" She asked. "She let me go with Maltariel and Atar was sorting out an argument Grandfather had." I said. They blinked. Just then my parents appeared.
"Arcalimar, Daro, Amarie and Artanis!" Atar exclaimed. "But where's Rato and Aikanar?"
They talked for a while. I hugged Atar. He kissed me. "I heard your parents are having an argument." Grandfather said. Atar winced. "Not to worry it has been resolved. As you probably have guessed, it was that subject." They grimaced. "Aunt Anaire and Findekano are with them. So is Irisse and Uncle." Grandfather sighed. "Sore spot? Wounds have never truly healed, but I can't judge. But where is Arafinwe and my sister?"
Arafinwe was grandfather Feanaro's brother. Aunt Earwen was Arcalimar's sister. So both my parents were cousins to Artanis and her brothers- Arafinwe and Earwen's children. Olorin smiled. "Look who comes." Aunt Anaire, Uncle Nolofinwe, and their children were heading this way.
I knew Findekano and Irisse, because Atar and his brothers like them. Uncle Nolofinwe looked unhappy. Aunt Anaire, strained. Atar sighed.
Telperion's light illuminated the unhappy-looking family. I knew grandfather never liked Nolofinwe as well as Indis, his mother. His two sisters and Arafinwe were tolerated. But Nolofinwe and the queen were his banes.
I pitied them and ran over. Findekano smiled. "Well, Little One, what do we have here?" "Grandfather gave me a shell!" I held it up proudly. "Well that is a pretty shell." I grinned, they smiled back. It made them feel better. Nolofinwe bowed. "Arcalimar." Grandfather greeted him the same way. "Is King Olwe here?"
I lost track of the conversation to tug on Olorin's sleeve. "Did you like the play?" I whispered. He winked at me. "I couldn't stop laughing."
I was about to ask him what Mairon's problem was, but remembered my promise. I thought about Melkor. Did such evil exist? I remembered something else.
I had a dream, once that made me wake, screaming. A dark and terrible, deep voice, as dark and cold as a cavern in Endore, spoke to me. Was that Melkor?
I dismissed the idea. Grandfather may have some problems, my parents will still see me as a baby, a few Maiar were discontent, but this was Valinor. On this continent, also called Aman the Blessed, we were safe and deeply happy underneath the guidance of the Valar and the Eye of Illuvatar.
***
(Third Person P.O.V)
Mairon sourly chewed a cracker. Curumo, the psycophant was gone at least. And Olorin, as well as the other two. But the question of the little copper-haired princess got him thinking. Who was Melkor? Why did he do those things? If he had won, could he have made a new and better order, where nothing was a mess? Where the strongest are able to survive?
No, Eru would have never allowed it. Mairon bit off half of another cracker. The cheese was tasty, but the cracker, bland. He threw the piece away. Can anything ever go right?
Mairon never knew that his desire for Order would bring about his fall from grace. Mairon would not yet know that some other Maiar were also discontent, thinking to "better' everything themselves. If I had been made a Vala....
Ah, but you could be. Or maybe something greater. Mairon nearly jumped out of his skin. He turned. There was no one. The voice, deep and resonating, came from within his head. Who are you?
Someone who would set a new order, where there is no chaos, no mayhem, when all is achieved, then everything would go right. We would clean up the mess, throw away the unworthy. The Strong will triumph and survive. The unworthy forgotten. And you, Mairon, will be at the height of your glory.
Mairon smiled. He picked up another cracker. This time, it tasted just right.
***
Translation: Atar/Atto -Father/Daddy Mairon- Sauron
Amil/Amma- Mother/Mummy Olorin- Gandalf
Endore- Middle-Earth Curumo- Saruman
melloneamin- My friends. Eru Illuvatar-All-Father- God.
Selde- Daughter.
Right:Illuin and Top:Ormal- the Great Lamps. Above and Bottom: The Ainur during creation. God is the centre-figure.
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