Estarfin closed his eyes for a moment, then looked up at the sky again. “As she always has. She has never forgotten us.” Then he looked at me, and began reciting …
'Ai! laurië lantar lassi súrinen, yéni únótimë ve rámar aldaron! Yéni ve lintë yuldar avánier mi oromardi lisse-miruvóreva Andúnë pella, Vardo tellumar nu luini yassen tintilar i eleni ómaryo airetári-lírinen. Sí man i yulma nin enquantuva?' (1)
He smiled yet again, while I was taken up by the beauty of the words. In my mind I could almost hear Parnard saying ‘Me. I will refill your cup.” But for once our friend was silent.
I thought then, he knows I shall do all I can to replace what the ages have stolen from him. And I think he intends to do the same for me? We had both lost so much from our lives, neither of us seeking a life with any other than the one who first moved our heart. Whether our remaining time was short or not, we would refill our joy for life as much as possible.
“No matter what lies before us, wherever our path leads, she watches over us. This place has always been beautiful, it becomes even more so now.” I said.
As I looked upon him it seemed he was bathed in a silvered light, as he stood below the full moon and stars combined, and he appeared as one of our Princes of old, tall and strong and stern, yet with a bright flame in him that would not be quenched. This was how he should have been I thought then, had Morgoth’s plans not intervened. Nay, this was how he yet would be, despite his dislike of titles.
Estarfin took off his gauntlets and hung them over his belt. I nodded to him. I was ready. He smiled.
Parnard called out, “The stars are blazing brighter.” He shifted his wine skin around.
I looked at my ‘cousin for a moment, and gave a nod. Then I turned to keep my eyes on Estarfin alone.
“This is not quite the mountains of home, yet it feels like home to me now. You are my home, 'meldo'.”
Then he began. “It has been a long road, but we are finally here.”
I inclined my head, “Indeed, you speak true. Glad am I of this.”
He nodded slowly. “Then we are of one mind in this, and one heart?”
“We are. We are agreed on the path ahead, even as our families were in times past.”
“They cannot be here with us,” he continued, “But we have Tintalle, our dearest friend, and Lord Erestor.”
“Such also is truth,” I said. “You are here; I am here. We need naught else.”
Estarfin took something from his pocket. “I offer this to you freely then.”
My eyes were fixed upon his that I accepted his gift without a glance. He seemed so….pleased...happy. Then I looked down.
“And freely do I accept,” I managed to say. I gasped aloud. Rarely had I seen anything nigh as beautiful as the silver ring that lay in my hand. I, a trained Mirdan, knew I could not better it. Who had he found to make such a thing, I wondered? And then I knew, as I looked further at the detail and the energy of the ring let itself be known.
“Estarfin, it is so beautiful.” I exclaimed. I turned the ring in my hand a few times. The craftsmanship was beyond excellent, the details exquisite. I looked back at him, and I knew.
“You are an armour and weapon-smith, not trained to such fine detail as a gem smith. But you made this. I can see your hand in it, I can sense your touch upon the working of metal and gem.”
“The metal was willing,” he replied, and smiled slightly.
“Metal, yes, but it is the hand and vision of the smith that sees to the final outcome. I would struggle hard to better it.” I gazed at him with eyes full of love.
“You made this for me!”
“Of course,” he replied.
Parnard edged forward a little, craning his neck to better see the ring. He gasped with amazement. “What a ring!”
I looked at the seven diamonds setting, then held the ring up to the moonlight, to better read the inscriptions. There was the Star of Feanor, and the emblem of the House of Mahtan. Also an emblem I did not recognise. “You family House?” I asked softly, ashamed I did not know. He nodded. And there was a word, Racarne.
“Red Wolf,” I stated, smiling at the imagery it gave me. Yes, I suppose I do hunt rather like a wolf, and I am most loyal to my pack, and to my mate.”
Estarfin smiled broadly, and pointed out the smaller diamonds.
“And what are these?” I asked, struggling to focus due to the tears in my eyes.
“The Valacirca, to watch over us always,” he said softly.
“Yes…yes. I can see that now.” I inclined my head to him, with respect for such exceptional craftsmanship. “You honour me greatly.”
“No more than what is deserved,” he replied.
I passed the ring back to Estarfin, and held out my right hand to him, so he could place it on my index finger.
“I am overawed,” I said. “My lack of words is not due to a lack of joy.”
He nodded, then placed the ring carefully on my finger. He smiled again.
Composing myself as best I could, I reached into my pocket and drew out my gift for him.
Parnard looked back over his shoulder to the figure now seated by a lit lantern. He called out, “Now it is Estarfin’s turn, Erestor.” There was a vague mumbling that I took as Erestor’s ascent. Parnard seemed to be having a hard time containing his excitement.
I smiled at that, and at the thought that the nigh silent Erestor had remained, to also be a witness.
Then I handed the ring I had made to Estarfin. “I offer this to you freely, as a sign of my intent.”
He accepted it with a bow of his head,then held it up to carefully examine in the starlight. He looked pleased.
“Mithril and silver he said,” with a nod to me.
“The bottom of the ring is a little thicker than the top, so that I could engrave the mountain skyline from Lake Helevorn,” I explained.
He gave a gentle smile. He knew. “And the small diamonds are the stars over Thargelion.”
“It is beautifully made. Such care has gone into it.” He looked lost in his examination.
To the side, Parnard was nodding and nodding. Of course he had already seen that ring close up, having spent time with me while I worked upon it.
“The diamond shards are from the sands around what is left of Mount Rerir,” I said. “I did not tell you we ventured there before, I wanted this piece of home to be a surprise.”
Estarfin nodded in silence.
“We travelled there by boat, in secret,” Parnard added merrily. He grinned at me, having also kept the surprise well.
Out of habit, Estarfin tested the hardness of the metal against a steel stud on his hauberk, nodding in satisfaction.
‘Mithril’ I thought. It will withstand any test. I looked again at his ring on my finger, and thought then that, though silver, he had alloyed it with something rare. Neither would that ‘steel’ give way under pressure.
“You did this for me?”
“Of course.” We echoed each other’s earlier words.
He looked me in the eyes, seeming taken aback by the care shown
“Inside the ring, the inscriptions are of the Feanorian star, my House, and the personal crest of Prince Caranthir. I can add your House when we return home. There is also an epesse I have long held in my heart. Artanaro…for you always endeavor to be a noble flame. Much of the time you succeed. For that and more, you have my greatest respect. It has been my honour and joy to make this for you.”
He nodded, passed the ring back to me, and held out his right hand.
“This memory of Thargelion is for the happy times of the past. Now we look to happy times in the present and future.” I said. And I took my ring and carefully placed it on his index finger.
He took my hands in his. “It is done,” he said.
Parnard was calling to Erestor, “She has put the ring on his finger.” There was another muffled acknowledgment.
“We shall wed in a year’s time, or shortly thereafter. Such is both our intent.” I said softly, feeling the warmth from his hands sweep over mine. “Freely do I choose you, now until the end of time.”
“So be it,” he replied.
“So that’s how it is done! One year from today,” Parnard called out. “Erestor, what day is it?”
I struggled to take my eyes away from Estarfin, but turned to face the vale and the stars above it. I made a curtsy.
“Lady of the Stars, we thank thee.”
For the briefest of moments I felt as if we were taken up into the stars, and Parnard had been replaced by the most beautiful Lady I had ever seen. Dark of hair, and garbed in light. She smiled.
And I was back in Orladion again, with Parnard shouting to the Vale below “Estarfin and Danel are betrothed on this day!”
Estarfin looked at me a little curiously, and helped me to my feet. I decided I would tell him later.
“All is well, meldo,” I said. “I could not be happier.”
Estarfin smiled at me. He was happy too.
I turned to Parnard, who was smiling with joy himself. “Now we must celebrate,” he said, taking up Estarfin’s glass from the floor and offering it to him with a bow.
Estarfin seemed reluctant to take his eyes from me, or let go of my hand, but he accepted the wine with a nod of thanks. I hugged him carefully. Then I stepped over to hug Parnard, and wave to Erestor. Erestor waved back.
“The clouds have passed, and the stars shine bright,” said the Wood Elf. “Tintalle smiles upon this union.”
Estarfin was certainly still smiling. He took a sip of the wine, then held his glass out to me,
I chuckled at the gesture, but bowed in all seriousness. I reached out to take the glass.
“To you, my lord and my love,” I made toast. I knew what he would be thinking.
I sipped the wine and passed it back, noticing Parnard nodding over his shoulder to Erestor.
Estarfin smiled, then laughed gently.
“I know, I know. Just Estarfin, no title.”
“ None is needed between us,” he answered.
I understood that, but to me he would always be those things.
“It is a glorious evening to see my two dearest friends plight their troth, “ Parnard said, grinning as if his heart would burst with happiness.
“It is a blessed night. Thank you for being here, Parnard…and you, Erestor”
Erestor finally stood and walked a little closer. He bowed his head. “Congratulations on your betrothal. I had not thought this evening would be brightened by such an event.” Then with a sweep of his long robes, he returned to the path down to the Last Homely House.
I reached out for Estarfin’s hand again. He took it with a smile.
“A betrothal should be made public. I trust Erestor will inform Lord Elrond and certain others. And you shouted loudly enough to wake the sleeping, cousin. There is only one other person to tell to ensure all in the Valley know. You are free to tell Sogadan.”
~ ~ ~
Much later that night it was that I spoke with Estarfin about the epesse. “Red Wolf you name me. I understand the red, and that I can sometimes fight like a ..”
He held up a hand. “Not Red wolf….Scarlet wolf,” he said with a broad smile.
It was as I expected. Oh, we would be arguing for yeni.
I laughed.
- Ah! like gold fall the leaves in the wind, long years numberless as the wings of trees! The years have passed like swift draughts of the sweet mead in lofty halls beyond the West, beneath the blue vaults of Varda wherein the stars tremble in the song of her voice, holy and queenly. Who now shall refill the cup for me?
For the Red / Scarlet argument see: Seeing Red Already
