A Different Kind of Purgatory [ Silmarillion ] 2

Chapter 13: Revelations

1475

Years of the Trees

Waiting on the front porch of Eve and Amarië’s house shouldn’t have been as stressful as it seemed to be that day. But as Finno waited for his betrothed to return from a multi month maidens’ trip across Valinor, he couldn’t help but be shaking a little. He knew they had planned on returning today. He just hoped the women stuck to their plan.

After sitting on the step for several hours with a small bouquet of white roses, he finally caught sight of several horses coming down the lane. He saw Amarië and Elenwë, he saw youthful Marillië, and finally he saw Eve.

Elenwë laughed at him when Eve and Amarië dismounted at their house. She looked at Finno and shook her head. “And you used to say that Turvo and I were hopelessly romantic.”

He rolled his eyes and kissed Eve in front of the others with a smirk. Then he handed her the flowers. When he turned back to Elenwë, he quipped, “Turvo wanted to be here but he decided that rest was more important.”

Laughing, Eve blushed at the flowers. “Finno be nice.”

Marillië smiled from atop her white horse. “Come on, let’s leave these two.”

They did so, Elenwë and Marillië heading further into Tirion. Amarië went inside after stabling her horse in their yard, leaving Finno and Eve alone.

“Let me go put these in water,” Eve said as she and Finno went inside. “And then I’m free!”

Finno chuckled. “Good. Because I’ve got something to show you.”

Eve pulled a ceramic blue vase down from where it had been stared and pumped water into it from their well water faucet. Once she had done so, and decided the roses looked nice, she turned back to Finno who had thus far remained silent.

“What?” asked Eve.

He smirked. “Nothing. I was just busy watching you.”

With a dramatic roll of her eyes, she shook her head. “There has got to be something more worthwhile than watching me cut and arrange flowers.”

“No,” he replied. “There’s not.”

Eve laughed and joined him where he stood. “You said there was something you wanted to show me?”

Finno nodded. “It’s at my house. Come on.”

He took her hand and they walked out into the lane. It took about twenty minutes to reach Finno and Aro’s house together. They went inside.

“Now what I’m about to show you doesn’t go beyond us, alright?” he said quickly, closing the door to their house and rushing ahead of her. “It’s a secret.”

“Sure.” She nodded. “Lay it on me.”

He took a wrapped package from behind a couch and when she saw the size, her heart dropped. She knew what it was. But she had to pretend she didn’t.

“This is a sword,” Finno told her, unwrapping the silk cloth and unsheathing the blunted blade. It had been crafted of steel, and on the hilt sat a blue spinel crystal. He offered it to her. “Take it!”

She forced a smile and took hold of it. The steel made the blade heavier than her advanced tindalta sword from her brothers. With a twirl, Eve examined it. But that must’ve confused her betrothed.

“You’ve held one before, then?” asked Finno quickly. Her hesitation made him even more suspicious. “Recently, by the looks of it.”

“Finno-”