First Gifts

First Gifts

Posted: August 31, 2007
Title: First Gifts
Author: Amber
Type: FCGen
Characters: Celebrimbor, and extended family.
Rating: G
Disclaimer: I only borrow Tolkien’s characters. I make no money from this.
Timeline: Pre-First Age, before the rebellion.
Beta: Oli
Author's Note: The names are a mix of Sindarin and Quentin for two reasons-so you can understand who is who and because I could not find both versions for some.

Summary: First gifts age given by the Vala and Celebrimbor to Finwe’s descendants.

*****

Celebrimbor peaked over the balcony from his room to see several carriages ride up to the front entrance. He became dismayed at seeing who was arriving. It seemed that his grandfather was going to use his return from his apprenticeship with the Vala Aulë to rub his superiority over his brothers in. If only his grandfather knew the truth; that he hadn’t done the apprenticeship for the house of Fëanor, but for love. Then he lost all breath as he saw the wild beauty of the one his heart clamored for, his cousin Artanis.

“Come away from the balcony, it isn’t fitting for you to be seen worrying over who is coming,” his father told him as he came to collect him several minutes later. “It is time to go down and have something to drink before dinner. Do you have your gifts ready?”

“Yes father, I placed them on a cart outside the dining room myself,” Celebrimbor said as he sullenly followed his father into the study. He really did not want to witness the way his grandfather would be gloating over his accomplishments. He would much rather see peace between everyone so that he could visit his Artanis whenever he liked.

As they arrived in the study his father and grandfather made a great fuss over him just long enough to irritate his great uncle Ñolofinwë, and then left him to his own devices. His uncle Maglor smiled gently at him as he handed him a drink and pushed him towards the patio. There at least was one who understood how a true artisan felt and did not like his talents being used for ill purposes. As he walked out the patio door, he breathed a sigh of relief as he saw his younger cousins Artanis, Erestor, and Glorfindel. He went over to join then.

“Your mother said dinner won’t be seated for another half hour so we thought we would hide out here,” Artanis said in greeting.

“That explains why Maglor pushed me out the door,” he responded.

“He is the decent one of the bunch who understands,” Glorfindel said. “I would hate to be in there with all of their bickering. I thought that since my mother and aunts would be here it would lessen tensions but it just seems to have increased then.”

Everyone nodded their heads in agreement as they considered the situations within their expanded family. Though all descended from King Finwë, his grandfather acted as if no one else had a right to such a claim. Fëanor still refused to accept his father’s remarriage and made everyone’s lives miserable sometimes. They, the youngest of the descendants, didn’t have any trouble getting along and rather liked being in each other’s company. They looked up as his youngest uncles, the twins, joined them and pounced on Glorfindel.

“Hey, watch it,” Glorfindel yelled. “My father is just looking for an excuse to ground me from the summer tournament. My being the slightest bit rumpled at this dinner would be all the excuse he needs.”

“Sorry, we forget how it is for you sometimes since you don’t live here,” Amras said in apology. “We don’t want to jeopardize the chance to pound you into the ground come summer.”

“You can dream all you want; it will be you eating dust. Glorfindel is taking lessons from Eonwe now,” Erestor told them smugly.

“How did you manage that?” Celebrimbor asked in surprise. “I thought Artanis and I were the only ones who had to put up with special lessons.”

“It is really just a way to keep me occupied and out of trouble while I have to wait at the palace on my father,” Glorfindel explained at their inquiring looks. “Adar has decided that I spend too much time rough housing with the boys and not enough time learning to follow in his footstep, as if I would. He leaves me sitting on a bench in the hallways while he is behind closed counsel doors for hours. Eonwe took pity on me after several weeks and now takes me into the gardens on the other side of the building. At first we just walked but then he began teaching me how to use weapons. He says that my Noldor blood runs true for I fight very well.”

“It is almost as if the younger members of the family have been singled out for special attention. Have the three of you received training as well?” Artanis asked the others.

“Neither of us has,” answered Amras as his quieter twin shook his head. Erestor was quiet for a minute before he answered.

“When I was in the library last week I was approached by Irime. She asked me questions about my schooling and offered to enhance my education any way she could. She then suggested that I read several books on the customs of non-Noldorin Elves. I took the books and when I returned home found two others among them on the customs of the Avari,” Erestor finally answered.

“You may be right Artanis, think about the order of help offered. They seem to have picked the youngest, you, for training first then moved upwards in age. My offer only came after Glorfindel’s training seemed to be progressing well. If this is true, the twins will be approached next in about a year. I wonder what type of training you will be offered.” Erestor asked the twins hoping for some insight.

“Well, it won’t be like Celebrimbor’s. Father taught us the basics of forging but then decided that we lacked talent and all but forgot about us. It is Maedhros who sees to the rest of our education, much like he did our older brother’s,” Amras told them. “But there is one exception to consider in your line of thinking. Maglor was trained in music by Lórien when he showed promise and father refused to help him.”

“Maybe it isn’t necessarily the youngest being singled out but those who stand away from the family squabbles. I would think this scenario fits better,” Glorfindel said to the surprise of the others. He was not exactly known for deep thinking so his putting forth such an idea set them wondering. “If this is true, then the twins would still be next for some type of training.”

“But why us? What are we being prepared for? I don’t like not knowing,” Artanis said as they were called by their aunt for dinner. They all went to dinner wondering about the answer to that question.

Dinner progressed through the multiple courses smoothly. As desert was served, Fëanor signaled Celebrimbor to retrieve his gifts. Before he pushed the cart into the room he added one last present to the bottom of the pile. He hoped it was liked. He also hoped that it did not cause trouble when given.

“Ah, here we are,” Fëanor said as Celebrimbor placed the cart beside his seat as the servants finished clearing the table. It was clear that he was gloating about this. “Well, let us see how much you have learned, son.”

“My first gift is to you, Great-grandfather. I hope you like it. Glorfindel, Erestor, Maedhros, help me lift this for it is heavy,” Celebrimbor said. As they placed the large cloth wrapped square on the table, Maglor brought over more light so that it could be seen clearly. Surprised by the size and weight, King Finwë was curious to see what he had received. Unwrapping it slowly after the children had cleared away, he lost his breath as tears began to gather in his eyes. Looking at Celebrimbor, he asked one question.

“How?”

“Lord Oromë paid a visit while I was there. He saw me working on the drawing of Lake Cuiviénen one afternoon and asked who it was for. When I told him it was for you, he took the drawing and added the people. Then he supplied the materials for the mosaic so I could make it as life like as possible.” Celebrimbor explain. “Grandfather, who are they?”

“Boys, lift the mosaic up so everyone can see it,” Finwë said to the others as he moved around to the side of it. When it was in position, he explained.

“This mosaic shows the Waters of Wakening as I first remember them. The people Lord Oromë added are some of the first lost to the darkness, including my younger brother and sister,” he told them quietly.

“You have never mentioned having a brother and sister before, father,” Fëanor said quietly as he looked around the table at the others.

“It still hurts to think of them after all of these years. I was the older, I was suppose to protect them but couldn’t. They were children, just short of their majority, when we found their bodies. Their deaths led to the fading of my mother and ultimately my father,” Finwë said. Turning to look at his great-grandson, he said, “The memories of their faces have haunted me for years and I have not the skills to create drawings of them. With the help of the Vala, you have given me a great gift. I shall always be thankful child.”

Celebrimbor gave his great-grandfather a few minutes to compose himself as the mosaic was wrapped and put away. Receiving a nod from his grandfather to continue, he placed packages in front of his great aunts and uncles. Upon opening, they revealed elaborate chains woven to represent their individual houses. He gave Indis matching chains for her neck, wrists, ankles, and ears. To his grandfather, he gave two chains interwoven with the crests of Finwë and Fëanor. He continued his gift giving with fine blades of various sizes for his uncles, aunts, and cousins. Each was design to represent some aspect that was personal to each and the gifts were greatly admired for their beauty, and the skill shown in their making. Finally there was only one present left on the cart.

“Ah, I see you have made an extra gift for someone, child,” Fëanor said bringing attention to the package. “It must be something special according to the way it is wrapped. All your gifts so far have been exemplary for one so young. Come now; let us all see what else you have made.”

Celebrimbor felt uncomfortable as all eyes turned to him in curiosity for indeed the present was different. All the others had been wrapped in pieces of plain colored fine silk but this one was wrapped in a shimmering white with gem bits sprinkled around the edges. He picked up the package and blushed as he set in on the table in front of his cousin Artanis. Then he quickly sat in his seat and looked down.

Glancing out of the corner of his eyes, he watched as she slowly unwrapped the silk to reveal a finely carved and polished ebony box. He watched as she lifted the lid and stared. Exclamations of wonder came from those sitting closest as they peered into the box. Slowly Artanis raised her eyes to his in question.

“Show us what he has given you, my dear. Not all of us can see,” said Fëanor, who was sitting at the end of the table.

Artanis placed the box in her lap and cleared the table around her. She then placed a necklace on the table. The chain was made of finely woven gold threaded through with pink mother of pearl. At the end was a charm in the shape of a stately Mallorn tree. The trunk was made of a deep amber colored diamond while the leaves were made of jade and opals intertwined. In the leaves of the tree sat little miniature birds made completely of sapphires and rubies. Beside this, she placed a bracelet of sapphire and lapis running together with splashes of white pearl to symbolize water running over rocks. And lastly she pulled from the box a set of earrings, made of the deepest emeralds in the shape of hearts.

By the time she had placed the earrings on the table, all talk had died out. The workmanship of the jewelry was perfect in every way and none could complain about the pieces. Now all waited to see what the reaction to them would be.

It was Finafarin who spoke first.

“No matter how perfect the gift may be child, it is inappropriate,” he said as he glared at Celebrimbor.

“For once, I agree with my brother. What were you thinking?” Fëanor asked hotly. All knew of his interest in his niece and now clearly he had a rival.

Seeing trouble coming between his sons over this gift, Finwë stepped in.

“Celebrimbor, please child, explain your gifts for us,” the King said gently to his great-grandchild.

“Giving her a blade did not seem right to me. She is a girl and they are supposed to like jewelry, so I made her some. She is always so calm like flowing water so made a bracelet to represent that. Whenever I think of her, it is always around Mallorn for some reason so the tree represents that,” he said in defense.

“And the earrings?” asked Fëanor with a strange tone to his voice that warned all of trouble.

“The emeralds were left over pieces and Aulë said I shouldn’t waste anything so I just made them. I wanted to show her how much I like her,” he said weakly.

Finwë nodded his head gently as Indis laid a gentle hand on his arm.

“I think perhaps you do not totally understand the meaning of these things but that you meant no harm,” he said as he looked pointedly at his sons to forestall any arguments. “Perhaps if you should take the earrings back and hold them for a different time and place in the future. I see nothing wrong with Artanis keeping the necklace and bracelet, for I too think of these things when I see her although my interpretation of the water flow is a little different. The earrings though are too personal child..”

The laughter from his grandsons at that last statement helped to relieve the tension in the room. He called for everyone to retire to their respective drawing rooms and watched as they drifted from the room. Coming up behind Celebrimbor, he tried to offer support as he gently gave him a hug from behind.

“Your gifts were perfect little one, have heart. You and she both are too young to be thinking in that direction. Take this time to explore and enjoy life. If it is meant for you two to come together, it will happen with time. Do not try to rush anything, you will only make others who are unsure of themselves angry,” he said. “I have been blessed by the Vala in that they have singled out some of my grandchildren to receive special gifts. I am sure that Artanis, in time, will feel blessed to receive special gifts too.”
Looking out the dining room window they could hear Glorfindel chanting ‘Celebrimbor and Artanis sitting in a tree…” as Artanis chased him around the courtyard with a big stick in her hands. Looking at each other they began to laugh.

“Go rescue him before she catches him, or his father finds out. It wouldn’t do to have Eönwë’s and my favorite little warrior in trouble again.”

*****

THE END

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