Things Left Unsaid by Grundy  

Indis did not ask right away.

The household had been all a-flutter before Míriel returned; now they were not only a less than a week from a royal wedding but also easing the former Queen of the Noldor back into life in a very different city than the one she’d left.

Besides, Indis knew that look. Whatever it was Míriel had not told them of what was passing in Beleriand was clearly troubling her.

She waited until after the wedding, when Findë and Elemmírë were enjoying a quiet honeymoon in their own rooms and the solemn promise of no one disturbing them for several weeks, Ara and Eärwen had taken themselves to Alqualondë, and Anairë and Nerdanel gone off to Formenos for a few weeks. (Or at least, Anairë intended a few weeks. The last time Nerdanel had said ‘a few weeks in Formenos’, she hadn’t been seen for a long-year. They had checked on her regularly, just to be sure.)

The fuss outside the King’s House hadn’t lessened in the least, of course. But the city at large would just have to content itself with the glimpse of the Queens Mother they’d gotten at the wedding. Indis had no intention of leaving the grounds unless she had to go retrieve one of her children or their mates. And she knew Míriel would deeply enjoy letting the rumors come to a rolling boil before tantalizing the city with another look at her.

She waited until it was just the two of them in their sitting room.

“When you were telling us of the grandchildren, you held something back.”

Míriel was not good at looking innocent, so she did the next best thing and tried for non-committal.

“I don’t know if I should… they’re trying so very hard to keep it a secret. Vairë only found out by worming it out of Ulmo.”

Indis raised her eyes. Keeping knowledge from most of the Valar took doing.

“Who?”

Míriel hesitated before answering, as though even that might give too much away.

Curufinwë and Artanis, she said finally, intertwining their hands.

Indis raised an eyebrow. Míri was taking such care not to be overheard.

“Well that covers a lot of ground,” Indis sighed. The two cleverest plotters working together? I’m now mildly surprised Ulmo managed to find out something they intended to keep hidden.

They did a bit more than just work together, Míriel said reluctantly.

Indis was confused. In two unrelated people, she would take a very different meaning from that. Or even if it had been Tyelko and Irissë, or Finno and Maitimo. But Curvo and Artë were practically siblings to each other.

No, you had the right meaning, Míriel sighed. If it helps, I do not believe it was their idea. We both know the Hunter could twist things to look very different…

Indis was properly horrified.

She knew both still lived, so clearly neither had fled to Mandos over it. But she couldn’t imagine either had dealt with it well.

There is a child, Míriel added softly.

Indis wasn’t sure whether to laugh, cry, or vomit. All seemed equally possible, and equally reasonable.

And she could now see all too well why both still lived and had doubtless gone to their utmost to protect their mutual secret.

“No wonder you held back in front of the children,” she whispered.

I had no desire to tell Ara, much less Nerdanel, Míriel replied.

Indis could only agree – especially Nerdanel. It might well drive her to seek Mandos, if only to vent her feelings at Naro.

I rather doubt Eärwen would take it much better, Míriel snorted. And I rather imagine Artanis dreads any of her elders finding out.

She married! Indis exclaimed, suddenly struck by that. Her husband – what if he finds out?

“He knows,” Míriel murmured. “He is the only other one who does.”

“Besides you and I, you mean,” Indis corrected. “And-“

And anyone who’s seen Vairë’s blasted tapestries!

“That one is not for general viewing, thankfully. Though I suppose she shared it with Namo. But at least he can hold his tongue.”

Indis sniffed. In her opinion, he’d done a bit too much of that. They could all have done with a bit more warning, or even just a statement of intent, in the immediate aftermath of the Darkening.

He had better keep his silence on this!

Míriel laughed mirthlessly.

“I fancy he will. They may have walled their blessed land, but I don’t think they trust Morgoth doesn’t have his ways of hearing what goes on within their walls.”

And Vairë seems to think the child may be of some importance in years to come. Ingo is raising him.

Indis sighed.

Of course he was. Who better for Artë and Curvo to use to firm up a cover story? She’d watched both of them separately pull that trick. With them working together, Ingo didn’t stand a chance. He’d believe anything they told him, and everyone else would believe it because he believed it.

I suppose the only surprise is that Artë could part with her child.

“I believe it took great persuasion.”

Not to mention utter determination to keep him safe.

No doubt. Curvo had been fierce in defense of his own here. She could easily imagine that escalating to ruthless in the danger on the far side of the Sea. Artanis would come second only to his own offspring in that drive to protect.

“Well,” Indis sighed. “It will come out eventually. They’ll return, one way or another.”

“It may be a long wait, my love. The Valar won’t relent anytime soon.”

And yet I don’t doubt they will be brought to do so. Not least because two of our cleverest grandchildren now have a goal other than regaining a Silmaril or showing everyone.

Míriel blinked.

“Showing everyone?”

Artanis did not go to Beleriand for Silmarils, and only partly for any notion of vengeance for Finwë.

“She sounds delightful," Míriel smiled. “I'm impatient to meet her.”

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