A/N: I wanted to hold this from you guys... But I couldn't wait any longer.

1440

Years of the Trees

The stars seemed particularly bright from their vantage point on the western slope of the Pelori Mountains near Taniquetil. Káno had decided they should take a page out of Tyelko's book and go on a camping trip for the first day of the new year, what Eve knew by now was called Vinyarië. For the past forty years, the members of the house of Finwë had agreed to celebrate Vinyarië as Eve's begetting day.

Eve sat on a large, fallen tree trunk with a bit of snow dappling the ground around her. Nelyo joined her, coming up from where they had made camp about two minutes away. He followed Eve's gaze up into the sky where she stared intently at the constellation Menelmacar.

"Elenwë was wondering where you went off to," he told her quietly, sitting down to her right. He huffed and gave a quick smile. "I told her you probably got tired of watching her and Turvo together."

Eve chuckled, breaking her concentrated gaze at the sky. She turned to him. "That's not true!"

Her objection caused him to snicker. "Fair. You and Finno are hardly better together."

"Hey." She swatted him on the arm.

After a moment, he looked back up at the dark, shimmering sky. He watched Menelmacar closely. "What were you looking at?"

"The stars," she told him simply. After a moment's pause, she continued with a small, melancholy smile. "You know how I've told you guys about that old story I used to...listen to? Star Trek?"

"Ah yes, the one with the ships that fly between stars?"

She nodded. "Yes, that one."

"You were thinking about this story then?"

With a nod, she replied, "Yes. Specifically the tale of the ship Voyager."

"That is the one where they cannot find a way home, correct?" he clarified.

Eve turned back to the stars. The constellation Menelmacar, Orion as she had once known it, had always been her favorite. In fact it had been one of the only constellations she could find without fail in the night sky. She wasn't entirely sure why thoughts of Voyager had come back into her mind. "Yes, that's the one."

Nelyo shrugged. "Perhaps you should speak to Queen Varda. Maybe she could let you travel the stars?"

But Eve merely laughed. "No, no. I'll stay here on the ground with you fools, thanks. After all, who would keep you and our siblings in line?"

With a chuckle, he shook his head. "I think Finno and Turvo need to be kept in line as much as any of us do."

"Don't tell me you believe the rumors." She frowned. "Nelyo! It's Finno, and Turvo. They aren't planning a coup!"

"Coup?"

"Like... a rebellion."

"Oh."

Eve watched him snapping a skinny twig into many pieces. His red hair hung loose and obscured her view of his face but she could tell by his body language just how tense this line of questioning made him. "Nelyo. Finno's your best friend." She spoke softly.

He sighed, sitting straighter. "Yes. But his family has changed. I never liked Nolofinwë, you know that. Nor Arafinwë."

"I know, I know." She frowned, picking up a large stick and poking the snow dusted ground with it. The mountain wind blew through her hair. With her free hand she readjusted it. "Your mother is going to be sad she missed this."

"Yes." He nodded. "But you two are well above the age of needing permission for this, and neither father would be happy to agree."

Eve knew what he said to be true. Still, she wanted some time alone to do something she hadn't in some time. But before making the decision she was about to make, she decided it was necessary. She wanted to pray.

"Nelyo, I need some time alone," she told him with a small smile. "Just for a few minutes. I'm going to take a walk."

He nodded, standing up with a stretch. "There are many hours before dawn. Vinyarië doesn't start until then. But don't get lost. You aren't exactly stellar at navigating."

"Very funny," replied Eve, sticking her tongue out at the other elf. "Don't worry about me."

He snorted. "Easier said than done." Bidding her farewell, he picked his way between trees, rocks, and shrubbery back to their campsite, leaving Eve by herself.

When he had left, she closed her eyes a took in a massive breath through her nose of cold, winter air. She could smell the evergreens around her, and beyond that, a simple stillness between wind gusts. She smiled.

She went about ten minutes through the forest, picking her way over boulders and down a trail that must've belonged to some sort of large animal. Based on the hoof prints, she guessed a herd of deer. At last she came to a spot where a wide but short waterfall had frozen over, leaving a large pool at its base glittering with a layer of ice. She sat on a rock beside the falls.

Above her, Menelmacar still shined visible. A prayer that she'd learned as a child in her Catholic school came to mind. She began slowly, speaking it aloud.

"Seek Him Who made the Pleiades and Orion, and turns deep darkness into the morning, and darkens the day into night; Who calls for the waters of the sea and pours them out upon the surface of the earth: The Lord is His Name. Amen."

When her voice faltered at the end of her prayer, all she could think of were the first words. "Seek him who had made the Pleiades and Orion..." Here the stars seemed the same as her own, previous reality. Why?

She had heard Lord Melkor speaking in the Great Square not long before, telling of how Eru Iluvatar had changed his ways, shown him purpose above all else. That he, Melkor, was meant to aid the Eldar. That he was meant to show them truths they couldn't even imagine. To bring them gifts like no other.

Then what was her purpose?

"Seek him who had made Orion..." But here, Orion wasn't Orion. It was Menelmacar. Here, what had once been perfection now seemed tainted with bitterness. She wasn't sure she wanted to be here anymore. She wanted her Heaven, with her mother and Sophia and Christopher.

And yet, as she looked at Menelmacar, at Orion the hunter, she realized that maybe Iluvatar and her God she knew from childhood were one in the same. She had toyed with similarities to the idea of Aslan being God from the Chronicles of Narnia books she'd read as a child. But she couldn't understand why that would've been the case in real life. Why couldn't she have gone to normal heaven?

But then... Finno was here. Cute, loveable, dorky, rash Findekáno of the house of Finwë. He meant more to her than anyone ever had in her previous life, except for her family. And yet here, she had a new family also. The House of Fëanáro didn't replace her old family, but Nerdanel had been a wonderful surrogate mother, Fëanáro a steadfast rock, and the brothers... well they meant almost as much to her as Finno himself.

Eve stood from her rocky seat and shook her head. No matter what trials this new world put her through, she would stick with her family here. She couldn't do anything to go back to her old life. Her old life had died all those many years before. She decided she needed to take full advantage of this new one.

Finally satisfied that she had made the right decision to proceed without Nerdanel and Fëanáro's blessing, she returned to camp. The walk back took longer than intended; Nelyo had been correct in saying she was terrible at directions. But once she did get back, and found Finno, Turvo, Nelyo, Káno, and Elenwë sitting in a circle around a large blazing fire, she smiled.

"The traveller returns," Finno told her with a quick wink. He scooted over on the log he had positioned, letting her sit next to him. As Nelyo rolled his eyes, he gave her a kiss. Then he laughed, breaking apart. "I am sorry, Nelyo, but it is too easy to annoy you like this."

Eve cracked up, snuggling against Finno for extra warmth despite the fact that the cold didn't really bother her. It seemed more psychological really. With snow everywhere and a quick wind, she couldn't comprehend not needing warmth. "Just wait till Káno and Elemmírë start officially courting!"

Turvo smirked. "Oh come now, Eve, you know that Nelyo will never succeed in achieving that level of admittance."

"You say that now," countered Nelyo. "Just wait."

Throughout their teasing, Káno merely rolled his eyes and shook his head. "We are great admirers of-"

"Each other," quipped Elenwë.

"Each other's work," corrected Káno immediately. No one missed the slight flush in his cheeks.

Eve shook her head. "Come on, Káno. You two would be even cuter than those two." She gestured to Turvo and Elenwë. "And talk about a power couple. The greatest wordsmith and the greatest musician this land has ever or will ever see?"

"Agreed." Turvo nodded, pointing to a bag that contained Káno's harp. "And speaking of music, I haven't heard your harp in far too long."

"Yes! Play it!" Eve agreed immediately. "Elenwë, did you bring your flutes?"

She grinned. "Of course, my dear." Elenwë fished them out of her pack and took two small silver flutes out, giving one to Eve and keeping one for herself.

As Káno dug his own instrument out, he smiled to himself. He settled his harp in the correct position and plucked a few strings experimentally. At last he seemed satisfied and turned to them. "What shall we play?"

"Perhaps Elenyalírë?" Elenwe looked at the stars and back to Káno. "That is my favorite of your compositions that I have had the privilege of being a part of."

"It was my honor to have the two of you, and Elemmírë as well," agreed Káno instantly. "Elenyalírë it is."

Eve loved the Elenyalírë as well. The Celestial Song, as it would've been called in her previous, English speaking life, featured three flutes, a harp, and percussion bell type instrument, plus Elemmírë's vocals. Still, she knew it would be beautiful without the three other parts.

They began to play. Eve allowed herself to fall in to the rising and falling, the fluttering and rhythm of her flute playing. The notes danced off their instruments, creating melodies smooth and lively all at the same time.

The others nearly became entranced. In some regard, they were. Káno's music always held a degree of power. Even without words, his music could become spellbinding. Finno, Nelyo, and Turvo closed their eyes.

They continued for nearly an hour. When Elenyalírë came to a close, no one spoke, and Káno almost immediately began plucking carefully at his harp. It fell into the background. The music became an integral, necessary, organic part of the winter mountain forest.

With the fire dying down, Turvo and Nelyo volunteered to go find more good firewood, untouched by the dusting of snow that had fallen recently. The others lay down to rest. But Eve couldn't settle.

Hours later, after Nelyo and Turvo had returned and lay down for the night, Eve tossed where she lay. Finno joined her after a while. He bent down and gestured for her to be quiet before hoisting her up and leading her away so they would not wake the others. He handed her her velvet navy cloak and he hooked on his own grey one.

They didn't go far. A large rock outcropping that reached to the tops of the evergreen trees became their hideout. Finno and Eve scaled it effortlessly. Once at the top, sitting where they could watch the distant Trees and their hue change, they rested.

"Tell me about your old life," Finno began quietly. "You don't speak of it much. But I'd like to know more. If that is okay with you?" He glanced at her hesitantly.

She shrugged, her shoulder against his own. "What did you want to know?"

"Tell me more about the sky ships?"

"Star ships," she corrected with a tiny smile. "We had some, you know. Real ones."

Finno looked at her wide eyed. "You flew between the stars? But I thought you said they were merely from stories!"

She chuckled and rested her head on his shoulder. "Well, sort of. The ones I've mentioned are from stories."

"Like the Voyager, and the Defiant?"

"Yeah."

He nodded. "Then what were the real ones?" -

"We called the real ones... well space shuttles was one example. Some people called them rocket ships. They didn't travel between the stars, just between our home and," she paused, not knowing how to explain a space station. "One went to our Moon."

"What is a moon?" he asked curiously, turning to face her with a small smile. "Sorry."

She chuckled warmly and shook her head. "It's fine. A moon is like a big silver glowing rock thing in the sky. It marks our night time, kind of like Telperion marks night here."

"A massive glowing rock that shines at night?" He scoffed. "The ways of the Secondborn are odd. And you were confused by our glowing trees!"

She shook her head and laughed again, laying back into Finno comfortably. She could feel his heartbeat. Somehow that comforted her more than any of the familiar stars above could. Just knowing he sat beside her, that was all the assurance she needed.

"I wish to travel between the stars," he said a few moments later, staring up at Menelmacar and then finding Wilwarin the Butterfly as well. "It would be magnificent."

Smiling, Eve closed her eyes again. "I wish it too." After a moment, she began to hum an old tune about the first star in the sky, and making a wish upon it. Soon she added lyrics. "I wish I may, I wish I might. Have this wish I wish tonight. Make a wish and do as dreamers do. And all our wishes will come true."

She felt Finno chuckling quietly. After that she didn't remember much, not even what came of her dreaming. All she knew is she woke up the next morning against him on the rocky platform and together they made their way back to camp as Laurelin began to shine through the winter forest.

A few minutes after their return, the others roused. Immediately attention turned to Eve. For they could now celebrate her Begetting Day.

"In your old home, you celebrated your begetting Day on the last of your year," Nelyo reminded her as he always did. "But we choose to celebrate it on the first of our year, as you began a new life with us just as the world does today." He handed everyone a travel skin of wine. "And so we thank Iluvatar for bringing you to us."

Eve blushed and raised her wine skin. "And I thank Iluvatar for bringing me to you."

Several cheers went up as the drank their wine and ate. Eve had found out long ago that Begetting Days meant less partying and more close companionship, so she found this camping trip perfect.

"And now, if you two are sure," Elenwë began about ten minutes later, "we can proceed with why we are really here."

Eve and Finno looked at each other in hesitation and excitement. Finno held at his hand and she took it immediately. They didn't miss Elenwë's gleeful grin at their silent answer. Everyone stood as they moved into a more open area away from the fire.

Retrieving a small velvet bag from his pack, Nelyo handed it to Eve. Turvo did the same with his brother. Eve glanced at Káno who nodded in encouragement.

Káno stood between them, with Nelyo to Eve's right and Turvo to Finno's left. The couple faced each other, and Elenwe watched beside her husband.

Kano began the betrothal ceremony. "Findekáno, son of Nolofinwë, do you pledge to enter unto the period of betrothal with Eve Elmendë?"

"I do."

"Eve, called Elmendë," he continued, "do you pledge to enter unto the period of betrothal with Findekáno?"

"I do."

Káno grinned widely and nodded at them. He gestured to both. "Then you may exchange the rings."

Eve fished the ring for Finno out of her small velvet bag. Nelyo had fashioned it. Crafted of moonstone and sapphires, with vines and leaves around it, the ring spoke of just how much mastery the eldest son of Fëanáro still held over the forge. She slid it on to Finno's finger.

He took his ring for eve from Turvo. Finno had asked Nelyo to make his as well, though none knew this. As he drew the ring for Eve out of the red velvet bag, she gasped. Crafted of a golden band with three sculpted gold flowers, the band itself was only outdone by the tiny, dazzlingly cut rubies in the center of each.

When at last the rings were exchanged, they kissed, and Eve started tearing up with joy. Suddenly all the troubles of the House of Finwë melted away. They seemed unimportant. What mattered was right in front of her: Findekáno, her future husband, and her best friends Nelyafinwë, Elenwë, Kánafinwë, and Turukáno. Life was good.

Author's Note: 

YAYYYYYYYYY

Victory for Evedekáno! At least a preliminary victory.

They're adorable. I think. I hope.

Until next time, lovelies.