The Marring of Bliss

DISCLAIMER: This is a work of Fan Fiction. I will not be receiving any payment of any kind for this fiction. The characters and settings are the property of the estate of J.R.R. Tolkien and possibly New Line Cinema. I am just borrowing them for a little while.

THE THREE ADVENTURERS

Raucous laughter broke the silence of the early morning; three different sounds of laughter, as three young people spilled noisily out of the door and into the mingling light of the Trees. In the summertime the air was gentle with the scent of many new tree blossoms to tickle and tempt the senses. Dew was still wet on the grass and the youngsters left footprints as they ran across it.

“Shhh! Turko! Keep your voice down!” cried the younger of the two boys, tossing his mane of rich dark hair over his shoulders as he fumbled with the door latch, trying to close it without waking his parents or anyone else in the house. “You are so loud, Turko!” he called out, forgetting to be quiet himself as he saw his fair-haired brother and their cousin far ahead of him, running along the pebbled laneway toward the stables.

Curufin, the fifth son of Fëanor, chased after his brother and Aredhel, and though he was swift, as he had inherited the long legs and lithe grace of his father, he was not as quick as his older brother, who was the most athletic of the Fëanorion boys. Their half-cousin Aredhel, daughter of Fëanor’s stepbrother Fingolfin, was of equal spirit to these two lads who were her favourite cousins. Although she was not yet fully grown, this being her 40th year, while Curufin was 43 and Celegorm had just turned 73, she had a love of horses and riding and possessed an independence of spirit that the boys admired. She may have been young and she may have been a girl, but she was brave and most important, she was more loyal to them at that time than was their own brother Caranthir, who was but 15 years older than Curufin.

Curufin remembered a time in the not so distant past when he, Celegorm and Aredhel had gone out exploring in the woods, had wandered too deeply into them, and since they were on foot and not riding as they usually did; they became lost and as a result, stayed out all night trying to find their way home. The boys’ parents had been worried and searched for them through the long, dark hours. Aredhel was at the time a guest in their house and Fëanor and Nerdanel felt that they had betrayed Fingolfin’s trust in letting his daughter wander astray. Fëanor in particular did not wish in any way to feel any sense of shame in front of his half-brother.

Nerdanel had been badly upset and had had to take to her bed, worn out by the exhaustion that had become her natural state during her childbearing years and the extra weariness that had come upon her as a result of worrying and searching for the lost children. Fëanor was livid and kept the two boys prisoners in the house for a week and made them do all of the menial chores, even those of their brothers. Caranthir had laughed and sneered at them and Celegorm had punched him in the nose for that. Later, when Fëanor asked him why his nose was bloody, Caranthir told him without hesitation: “Turko did it. He said he hates me”. The last part of that statement was a lie, and so both Celegorm and Curufin decided that they could not trust their brother anymore. When they grew older Caranthir became closer to them, but at this point, whether it was because of jealousy of the friendship that Celegorm and Curufin shared, or for some other reason, Caranthir was prone to display resentment and dislike for the two.

Celegorm had told Curufin that Fëanor had then taken him out for a ride around the training paddock, during which time he had a talk with him; not only on the subjects of responsibility and family love, but also about the sorts of things that people would think if they found out the boys had been out all night in the forest with their female cousin.

“But Ada, she is just a child”, Celegorm had blurted out, horribly embarrassed, his face flushed as red as a tomato. “And Kurvo and I would never let anything bad happen to Aredhel! We love her. But not in any way that is not proper, Ada!” He added the last part emphatically and with such unaccustomed piety that Fëanor could not help but drop his stern expression on the spot and burst into laughter. He reached out and tousled Celegorm’s thick blond hair.

“I know you are a good boy, Tyelkormo”, said Fëanor, “but tongues will wag among the Noldor and the Vanyar – especially the Vanyar – if they were aware that you boys had Fingolfin’s daughter out with you through the night. ‘How is it that they became lost when they know their way about the lands so well?’” He asked in a mincing tone as an example of what some of the Vanyar might ask.

“We did not have the horses that day, Ada. Do you not remember? It was punishment for having gone hunting the week before and losing your best bow”.

Fëanor passed his hand over his eyes, squeezing them shut as if to ward off the memory. “Yes, yes, I remember, Turko”, he replied. “Never mind that now. I want to remind you as the oldest of the three of you companions, and with your coming of age, that you have certain responsibilities toward maidens now and must conduct yourself in an appropriate manner. While I trust you, and know that Aredhel’s father trusts you as well, you cannot take this knowledge and assume that because you have our trust that you can then go off and do whatever you wish, and in as wild and thoughtless a manner as possible. Do you understand me, Turko?”

Celegorm met his father’s piercing gaze with all of the seriousness that he could muster, though his mind was on a planned upcoming hunting trip and not on what his father had just been telling him. “Yes, I do, Ada. Truly I do. I shall go now with your leave, and apologize to Uncle Nolofinwë for treating his daughter improperly”.

“You will do no such thing”, said Fëanor. “No son of mine will go nancing up to my half-brother like some pantywaist and have those pompous twits of his wife’s family that he surrounds himself with looking down their noses at any members of my family! It is sufficient that you know what you did wrong and say that you will not do it again. I shall smooth things over with Fingolfin in my own way”.

“I promise I will not let it happen again”, said Celegorm, itching to get away.

“Fine”, said Fëanor, squinting with suspicion as he looked carefully at his third oldest son. “See that you don’t. Now be gone with you. I can tell that you are restless and wish to be elsewhere”. With that, Fëanor moved to the paddock gate, dismounted, and opened it so that Celegorm could ride through. With a wave and a broad grin for his father, Celegorm was off to rendezvous with his brother and cousin at a pre-appointed spot. Fëanor watched his son ride away as he closed the gate with a like smile on his face. As the gate squeaked shut, the sound was accompanied by the thudding of the horse’s hooves on the road, sending up a trail of dust clouds where Celegorm’s horse had been. Fëanor watched his son ride away, an expression on his face of loving admiration for Celegorm’s riding skill and speed.

~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~

Curufin, his brother and Aredhel quickly picked out the horses they would ride that day. Aredhel chose an appaloosa mare, while Curufin picked a palomino stallion and Celegorm his father’s favourite pure white stallion.

“You cannot take that horse of Ada’s, Turko!” cried Curufin as Celegorm hastily saddled the spirited horse. He threw his hesitant brother a look of impish arrogance.

“Why ever not?” he asked with a twinkle of mischief in his eyes. “Ada won’t mind, really. And this horse looks as if it needs a good run. Look at the excitement he is showing!” The fair-haired youth sprung up into the saddle, as he had finished preparing the stallion for riding well ahead of Curufin and Aredhel. Curufin gave an exasperated snort, shook his head and said nothing as he finished strapping on his own horse’s saddle. Aredhel slid over to him, leading her horse by the reins, and laid a soft hand upon Curufin’s tanned, hard-muscled arm.

“Don’t be worried, Kurvo”, she whispered, tilting her head sideways so she could peer into his downturned face. “Turko is a good rider. He will not let anything happen to Calimo”.

Curufin lifted up his head and looked at her. His cheeks were flushed and he gave her a sudden brilliant smile. “You are right, Nell!” he exclaimed, using the nickname he had given her. “I want nothing to mar this glorious day! Come, let us be after him!”

Aredhel and Curufin then leapt up onto their horses and galloped after Celegorm, who was well ahead of them again. They exchanged glances and burst out laughing as they rode, their dark hair streaming behind them. Most observers of this threesome naturally assumed that Celegorm may have taken more than a cousinly interest in Aredhel and she in him. Aredhel’s womanliness was just beginning to emerge. Her hair was chestnut brown and fell in luxuriant waves to the small of her back. Its colour was of rich wood, and her eyes twinkled with the bright grey colour of her father’s. She was pretty and pleasant of face, and already her figure showed signs of burgeoning womanhood.

Celegorm was tall, blond and handsome with a strong masculinity about him. His arms and chest were well-muscled and he bore the strength and grace of an athlete. Many maidens of Tirion admired him and commented to each other almost as often as they did about his oldest brother Maedhros about what a great catch he would make.

Curufin, except for some facial resemblance to Celegorm, was quite different otherwise. He was quieter in nature and less prone to smiling. His hair and eyes were dark; in fact, Curufin was the most of Fëanor’s sons to look like his father. He would be even taller than Celegorm when fully matured, but leaner and longer of limb. Curufin’s greatest strengths were in crafting and forge work, as were his father’s. Already his arms, shoulders and chest were strong and hard-muscled from all the hammering and heavy lifting that his craft required.

In truth, if Aredhel had a preference for one brother over the other, it would be Curufin, although she did not yet realize it, as she loved them both dearly and the same. As for Curufin, he was beginning to feel something more for her than mere friendship. When she had placed her hand on his arm in the stables and looked into his eyes, he had felt a strange tingle stir inside him, but had dismissed it straight away, not fully understanding what it meant. He watched her now in silence as she rode and for a much longer time than he ever had before.