The day comes that Tolmen arranges with Illuvarion Silwë to gift the heirlooms collected from the ruins of Ost-in-Edhil to Cirtamir.
Tolmen meets Silwë in the privacy of the Tham Gelair forges. Giving a nod in greeting Tolmen gives his usual grimace saying "Ai! well met cousin, Where is the lad?" Silwë gives a nod of his own " Aiya! In the gazebo surely, I was late but he never is."
Illuvarion gestures towards the gazebo, looking very official indeed in his now-ancient but impeccable grey and white robes.
Tolmen pats the box he is carrying "Then let us do this, for an age I have put this off but no longer.", and begins limping toward the Gazebo, Silwë walks to keep pace with Tolmen's limp. "Procrastinator." he says with a smile, Tolmen gives a rumbling chuckle but doesn't answer.
Cirtamir is found standing looking out over the peaceful sward, turning at the approach of the pair of old Noldo Cirtamir says, 'Master!, Father ?!'
Cirtamir bows deeply "I got your message, am I in trouble?" seeing his mentor in official robes and beginning to look worried.
Tolmen looks sternly at Cirtamir while Silwë gives a polite nod to his apprentice " Elen síla lúmenn’ omentielvo." He doesn't seem to be angry, but does seem very much acting in an official capacity at this time. Tolmen says "No lad, I have something for you" producing the carved box from behind his back and hands it over with a brusque "For you". Cirtamir takes the box with an "Oh" of surprise, Tolmen clears his throat a little
"Well...You know you are adopted..." Cirtamir nods unsure of where this conversation is headed, 'Ye.. Yes sir.' Tolmen ploughs on determined to get his explanation across, 'And you may not remember much of those times but your parents asked me to look after you'
Illuvarion looks over at Tolmen, and then at Cirtamir, anticipating potential upset. Tolmen continues, 'Well.. I've done as I saw fit and Hir Silwë is the best master anyone could wish for..' Cirtamir nods, 'He is, Father'
Cirtamir glances to Master Silwë, Illuvarion nods. "Well, thy choices are limited by my being the only one qualified to call himself so in these days."
Tolmen sighs "The contents of that box are what I could salvage from my recent sojourn to Eregion"
While Cirtamir examines the carvings on the box, Tolmen produces a battered old travelling harp much to the others surprise.
'I shall play the tune for you now that I played for your parents last time I saw them..'
Cirtamir looks at Tolmen in stunned silence.
Tolmen plucks several strings to test the tune then begins to sing, his harsh voice rumbling like stones down an avalanche.
'Namárië nildë, A hauta sinome Mauya nin avánie-yë tulta-tévië!, Nai lye radamina Mandostóke.'
'Hostuvanyë i quanda túrenya ar tulyuvanyë i lantenna núror Hendwa, Qui lá ecinyë sa, Mornië ar Mandë lerta mapatan.'
'Násië tenna fírienya var Ambar-metta!'
'Namárie nildë, A hauta sinome Mauya nin avánie-yë tulta-tévië!'
'Hostuvanyë i quanda túrenya ar tulyuvanyë i lantenna núror Hendwa, Qui lá ecinyë sa, Mornië ar Mandë lerta mapatan.'
'Násië tenna fírienya var Ambar-metta!'
Cirtamir falls to the floor before Tolmen.
Illuvarion briefly looks down, and clears his throat, presses the back of his sleeve to his eyes and looks up again.
Cirtamir says, 'What happened to them?'
Tolmen scrutinises Cirtamir "Are you sure you wish to know? it is not pleasant."
Illuvarion sighs as Cirtamir nods saying "I'm not a vinë!"
Tolmen nods, 'Very well.... They were surrounded by maybe a dozen Orqui...When I came upon them, both were severely wounded and the Orqui were toying with them..'
'Whenever they tried to escape the circle the Orqui would close the gap and stab or slash the pair..'
Cirtamir sheds a single tear.
'They didn't expect anyone to return there and I caught them unaware, needless to say those scum fell like grass from my ruivë.'
'Your parents were beyond any kind of healing I could administer, Those fiends had chopped their hands off !!!'
'They wanted to see their beloved Tham Mírdain one last time so I set them at the shore, Eru knows why, the place was well ablaze by then..'
'They bid I find their son, the Inya passed then, and after he'd given me a brief description her husband asked me to 'ease his passing'...'
Cirtamir sniffs
'They ended together on the shore, so I commited them into the care of Ulmo, watched their bodies sink under the water and began searching for their son.'
Cirtamir starts crying.
'You..' Tolmen draws Cirtamir up and gives him a big hug.
Cirtamir is solemn.
Illuvarion watches on with a practiced stoic expression that masks - somewhat - his emotions.
Tolmen looks at Silwë speaking over Cirtamir's shoulder
'He was hiding up a tree, He was reluctant to join me for the fire of battle was coursing within me, but join he did and we fled north along the Pend coming through the old valley to Imladris.'
Tolmen breaks the hug and pats Cirtamir on the head.
Illuvarion smiles. "Up a tree is the first place to look for elflings, I learned."
Cirtamir wipes his eyes with his sleeve and chuckles 'I remember that, Some other refugees were hiding in a cave.. you saved us all'
Tolmen gives a grunt of confirmation, 'The place was well overrun'
Illuvarion nods in agreement.
Cirtamir looks at the carved box in his hands, Tolmen says
"The few trinkets I could find of your parents boy.., Lore-master's book, a brooch, and a ring"
Cirtamir sniffs and nods not opening the box but hugging it to his body.
"I know it doesn't make up for for an age without your parents but you have us.' gesturing to Silwë.
Cirtamir nods, 'Thank-you Sir, I blocked those times out mostly'
Illuvarion tilts his head, thinking, then nods. "It is not meant a rebuke, cousin, but I respectfully disagree; He has had a father all the same."
'Yes you've done well by him cousin, I couldn't ask for a better mentor.'
Illuvarion shakes his head. "You, you idiot, not me."
Illuvarion shakes his head again. "I too raised an elfling alone in those years. I see it written upon thy fëa surely as if he were your blood."
Tolmen nods "You did cousin and a proud daughter you have.".
Cirtamir looks a little awestruck not knowing Silwë had a daughter.
Tolmen pulls from the fold of his cloak a diary, 'Oh.. you may as well have this too' setting it atop the carved box
Illuvarion looks at the book, and then at Tolmen. His expression softens. "And you have raised a good son, Hir Tolmen. Not just a good apprentice; he is an upstanding ellon and a talented smith."
Tolmen chuckles, 'Oh come cousin, you'll have me in tears next'
Illuvarion laughs. "Indeed."
Tolmen says, 'The fires of Fëanor are eternal, we may be ancient now but we can raise our children to great things!'
Illuvarion agrees. "Be it ever that way! The Valar surely know I did my best of it, but I knew nothing, she turned out surprisingly well, for how alike to myself she truly is."
Cirtamir bows to Tolmen not quite dropping his heirlooms.
Illuvarion seems to remember something and reaches into a pocket within his robes. "I nearly forgot, with all the sentiment and... "he offers, in his intense, noldorin way, a small pouch of black leather, perhaps the length of a hand and a half.
Cirtamir says, 'For me? Master, your tutelage is enough...'
Illuvarion says, 'This is my own. I brought it from Ost-in-Edhil in those days. Now it is yours.'
Cirtamir bows deeply before Illuvarion accepting the pouch with a bow.
Illuvarion hands the small pouch to Cirtamir without taking no for an answer. "It is a chisel. And a hammer. They are fine, for working with jewels. Not with ore."
Cirtamir opens the bag tie carefully peering inside, 'Very fine indeed Master Silwë'
Illuvarion says, 'It would have been more appropriate to take thy father or mother's tools, but my daughter did not follow my path and thou deserve them, with thy familial heirlooms."'
Cirtamir says, 'Thank-you master I'll treasure them and use them well!'
Illuvarion nods. "I shall ensure you do." and turns to Tolmen and laughs. "Perhaps he'll have that awful knife of yours one day cousin, at least to put an edge to it and clean it.'
Tolmen chuckles, 'I like it as it is... the point is sharp'
Cirtamir shivers thinking of Tolmen's 'party trick'.
Illuvarion says, 'It is no more sharp than a river rock! You manage to poke yourself with it out of sheer stubbornness!'
Tolmen caws a laugh, 'Oh very well, I Suppose your apprentice can put a decent edge on it.'
Silwë chuckles, 'Decent! He had better know how to put better than decent an edge on it.'
Tolmen hands the blade over with a hideous grin that the pair are well used to.
Illuvarion muses, 'Though... I confess that long have I loathed to sharpen knives, and I will forgive him if he has learned my aversion.'
Cirtamir says, 'Thank-you father, I can put an edge on that the healers would be envious of!'
Illuvarion says, 'Do not put your other eye out with it, cousin.'
Tolmen chuckles at Silwë, 'So long as you will be hands off'..
Illuvarion says, 'Indeed, I will - I have a difficult time grasping such things.'
Cirtamir rolls his eyes at the well worn rhetoric of injury jokes.
Tolmen says, 'At least you have a matching pair, son'
Cirtamir sighs as the old noldo chuckle between themselves.
Illuvarion says, 'Despite his overly-helpful ways, and his knack for cleanliness and oranization, I thnk he is more like you than you realise, cousin. Perhaps like the younger Tolmen of old...', 'Though shocked will I be when I return home to find Tolmen deep-cleaning *my house* after finishing the work I set him to in naught but the forge!'
Tolmen grimaces, 'You never know it might happen *muttering* 'in Valinor''
Illuvarion nods. "I will hold you to it." Tolmen grins "We'll see.".
Illuvarion says innocently, 'One would hope Cirtamir is well on his own way to becoming a master smith, so you will have plenty to clean.'
Tolmen snorts, 'Do i look like a housemaid?'
Illuvarion thinks. "Perhaps!" as he laughs out loud.
Cirtamir laughs a little nervously.
Tolmen turns to Cirtamir, 'You'd better take those things to your chambers before you scatter them across Imladris, and NO-ONE mentions that harp or song understood?!?'
Illuvarion smooths his formal robes, a nostalgic look on his face revealing obviously the way he feels to be the last to wear this uniform. "Indeed, guard them well, that thou bear them one day across the sea and return them to they who birthed thee, in greeting."
Cirtamir says, 'Ye.. Yes Master, Sir' before bowing deeply before Illuvarion and Tolmen and not quite runnning off at full pelt with his armload of treasures.
Illuvarion chuckles. "Do you feel better, cousin?"
Tolmen shrugs, 'Well that went better than I hoped, I've come to realise putting things off does no-one any good and it gives me hope for the future'
Illuvarion says, 'Does it?' looking thoughtful.
Tolmen nods 'You mention the straight road and with this it makes me think even I can return, but not yet!'
Illuvarion pauses. "What of your belongings *will* you give Cirtamir as an heirloom?"
Tolmen muses, 'He has my knife for a start' giving his usual grin.
Illuvarion chuckles. "I thought it would be that accursed knife. You jest but you are serious."
Tolmen shrugs, 'He can have that old harp'.
Illuvarion says, 'I did not know you played.'
Tolmen grunts, 'I'm not just a pretty face cousin'
Illuvarion laughs. "No, you're a pretty face and a false eye.
Tolmen laughs aloud, 'A prettier eye!' , 'He has the key to my estate so whatever is in there is his, though I don't intend to fall just yet'
Illuvarion says, 'And I ask only because he will want something that is "chosen" for him, special. He will in his grief not wish to sift your belongings and find meaning. SO prudent it is to make note of the thing you feel most important for your son to have.'
Silwë seemingly placid about the potential for death adds. "For his own sake."
Tolmen grumbles "Now you're making me think cousin!, I have little in the way of trinkets'
Illuvarion says, 'And now, the last of the Gwaith-i-Mírdain must rest, for he is ancient and tired, and borne over-much grief of his own.' chuckling a bit dryly.
Tolmen looks up at the darkening sky "Aye, my old bones could do with a rest, best we make a move those vintages won't drink themselves!"
Illuvarion nods. "Indeed, let us go elsewhere."
