1489

Years of the Trees

When Eve got word that Elenwë had given birth, she dropped the wine glass she'd been holding in her hurry to get her boots on. She didn't know where Finno had run off to. With her gift in hand, a small painting of a sunrise over Valmar, Elenwë's home, she hurried off towards the house of her best friend.

This of course wasn't the first baby born in the House of Finwë since she'd arrived. Angaráto and Eldalótë bore their son Artaresto two summers ago. But Eve had never been very close to them. With Elenwë, it was different.

Eve hurried down the road, not even stopping to enjoy the spring flowers that cropped up along the sides. Her own periwinkle dress dragged ever so slightly, gathering bits of dirt. She didn't care.

At last Turvo and Elenwë's house came into view. Amarië and Findo had clearly just arrived as well, walking their horses around to the backyard. Eve hurried forward and ran to the open front door. She grinned as she saw Finno there, and gave him a quick kiss.

"Girl or boy?" she asked her husband immediately.

"Girl," he replied with a smirk.

Eve pouted. "I owe you a dinner, then."

"Yes, yes you do."
Pushing past her husband, she went inside the house further and found Nolofinwë, Anairë, and Elenwë's parents there as well. In the middle upon a couch sat Elenwë and next to her, Turvo. In Turvo's arms lay a little baby girl.

"Her name is Itarillë," Finno whispered to her, grabbing her hand. "It is a good name. Her eyes sparkle already."

Eve grinned, hanging back. Amarië soon came and joined her, catching her first glimpse of the child and hugging Eve out of pure joy. Findo stood next to Finno in the doorway.

"What's her name?" Amarië asked Eve quietly.

"Itarillë."

Amarië grinned. "Beautiful."

Elenwë caught sight of them and gestured for them to come over as the parents left the room to give the cousins and friends space. Amarië hurried to her best friend's side and sat down next to her. Following right behind, Eve sat on the short table before them while Finno and Findo stood near Turvo.

"She's gorgeous," Eve said, her breath catching in her throat. This was her niece. She had a niece. She couldn't believe it. "Golden haired, just like her mother."

Small bits of blonde hair lay on the girl's head. Eve marveled that Itarille didn't cry or fuss. She merely stared up into Turvo's eyes and watched him carefully. Elenwë smiled at the baby and then at her husband.

"I think Turvo's a little disappointed it isn't a boy," Elenwë joked.

But he objected immediately. "No. Not at all. She's perfect."

A small smile formed on Eve's face as she watched Turvo with Itarillë. He was so clearly enamoured of the little person laying in his arms, cradling the child as if she was going to disappear at any moment.

"Careful Elenwë," teased Finno, "I think my brother might have just fallen in love with something more than you."

They all laughed except Turvo who tried to protest. He handed Itarillë over to his wife who caressed the baby's cheek. "She is perfect, isn't she."

"Absolutely," Amarië murmured, taking the baby's hand. "She's just like her mother. Beautiful, with a warm smile."

"Let's hope she gets some of her mother's sass too," joked Eve.

Finno laughed. With a nod, he placed a hand on Turvo's shoulder and patted him. "Don't worry little brother. You've managed to handle one Elenwë. A mini Elenwë shouldn't be too much trouble."

A crash sounded from the hallway. Everyone turned to see who it was. Aro bounded in, nearly hitting his head on the doorframe. But he slid to a halt when he saw the child. He smiled. "Well, its a girl!"

"Did you have something riding on that fact, Aro?" Turvo quizzed him good naturedly. "I heard rumors of some betting going around."

"Ah no, not me," replied Aro. "That would be Finno and Eve."

Elenwe and Turvo both turned to them. Eve blushed. But Elenwë looked at her, a serious expression on her face. "Well. Who won?"

Finno grinned. "I did."

"Eve! Next time you better win," Elenwë teased her. "What did you promise Finno?"

Eve sighed. "I have to make him a nice dinner."

"Yes. Which is not easy for her," laughed Finno. "After all, I am infinitely better at cooking than she is."

"Oh please." Eve objected immediately. "You are not. I showed you pizza, didn't I?"

"I'll admit, the use of a brick stove for the creation of that dish is intriguing," admitted Finno. "But still, I am a superior cook."

Turvo rolled his eyes. "You're only superior at it because you had to compete with me."

"Hey!" Aro chimed in. "I'm also a good cook."

Elenwë rocked the baby carefully as she started making small cries. She glared at Aro, Finno, and Turvo. "Keep your voices down."

"Yes, my lady," Finno mocked, bowing to her.

"Watch it, Finno," countered Eve. "I may be your wife, but I will support Elenwë in everything she does, including scolding you!"

He looked at her, rolling his eyes. "But we're a team."

"Yes, but Elenwë has a baby. She takes priority," said Eve.

They all quieted down as the baby sniffled. Once it was clear that Elenwë and Turvo both wanted rest, the other withdrew from the house. Finno, Eve, Findo, and Amarië split from Aro and the parents. The four of them decided to go visit the house of Arafinwë.

Eldalótë and Ango lounged on the lawn in front of their house accompanied by Aiko who sat playing with baby Artaresto, or as everyone else called him, Arto. The blonde baby, who walked wobbling on his stubby legs, ran between his mother and his uncle Aiko. When the four newcomers came into view, Eldalótë waved.

"The newest member of the House of Finwë has just come into this world," announced Findo to his siblings. "Itarillë, daughter of Turukáno and Elenwë."

Everyone grinned. Ango gestured to his son. "Good! Artaresto will have a playmate soon enough."

With a laugh, Eve shook her head. "I don't know, I think Aiko is pretty good with him."

They all looked to see Arto playing with Aiko's cape. He trampled all over the emblem of the House of Arafinwë, trying to pull the cape of his uncle's back while simultaneously standing on it. Eve laughed.

"Don' laugh a' me," shouted Arto with a glare.

Ango shook his head smiling. "Arto, step off the cape. Then pull."

Aiko objected immediately. But the boy stood still for a moment, staring at the cape, clearly trying to decide what to do next. He bumbled off it before taking the cape in his small hands and pulling as hard as he could. Aiko fell backwards, pretending the boy had pulled him over.

"You are so strong," Eldalótë said to him with a smile.

Arto nodded. "Course I am. I am Ar'finwë's grandson."

Everyone started laugh, including Eve. She adjusted her own cape, one with the heraldry of the House of Finwë. Unlike the others, she refused to wear one with Fëanáro or Nolofinwë's colors. Instead she insisted she wear the unified house emblem. Nerdanel alone praised her choice.

"Have any of you seen Irissë or Artanis," Finno asked a few moments later. "We should let them know about Itarillë."

"Irissë went riding not long ago with Artanis," explained Aiko. "They passed by on their way out of Tirion."

Finno shook his head with a smirk. "Trust those two to leave as soon as they're wanted."

They watched as Arto meandered around the yard. Laurelin shined at her brightest and a warm spring breeze ruffled the leaves of a nearby tree. The toddler fell into his mother's arms dramatically, causing Eldalótë to laugh.

"What do you want, Arto?" She kissed his cheek.

"I want food." He turned from his mother and ran straight to Findo. "Do you 'ave food?"

Findo knelt down and shook his head, hugging his nephew. He didn't mind as the boy grabbed his hair and made a pretend beard out of it. The boy laughed about how he looked like Lord Mahtan. Findo smiled. "Yes you do. But more pressing, I think we should indeed find some food."

"Yes," agreed Eldalótë. "Do the rest of you have plans for lunch? I thought perhaps to make food for Elenwë and Turvo."

They all thought that to be a wonderful idea. Eve, Finno, and Findo offered to go to the market and find some fresh bread and meat. Amarië stayed with Ango and Eldalótë, watching Artaresto.

When the trio arrived at the market, they found it bustling with elves. Vendors hawked their wares, buyers wandered the stalls. Eve found a stall that sold Nerdanel's small carvings. As the two men focused on food, she decided to look for a floral stall. She found one deeper inside the market.

The stall owner, a young elf maiden, barely older than a girl, with brown hair and freckles, bowed to Eve as she approached. "My lady, how may I assist you today?"

"I'm looking for a gift for a friend of mine who recently had a baby," said Eve with a smile. "Anything with white and pink blooms would be wonderful."

"How about an arrangement with pink and white roses? I would add in peonies as well," the maiden suggested, guiding Eve to where she kept the lighter flowers. "And a spray of these small white blooms for decoration."

Eve nodded with a smile. "I think that sounds wonderful. And do you have a blown glass vase that would go with them?"

"Of course!" The maiden pulled down a wavy, tall vase of magenta, blush, and red. She began to grab the flowers they'd decided on and arranged them.

Eve and the maiden decided on a price. She handed over several golden coins. With a bow and thanks, she turned away back to the other stalls to find Finno and Findo. They weren't hard to locate. She could see their capes with their house heraldry a long way away. Finno's cape had been dyed navy and Findo's had been dyed light blue.

While making her way towards them, she saw a familiar shop. Here, a maiden sold plush toys for children. Eve had bought her stuffed cat Spencer here many years ago. She smiled and stopped in front of the stall.

"Lady Elmendë," bowed the woman quickly. "You honor me by stopping here."

Eve chuckled. "You're stuffed animals are the best I know of. I was hoping to purchase two from you today."

"What would you like?"

Eve looked at the stock closely. Her eyes fell on two animals in particular. One, about six inches in length, was a pink fluffy pig with black button eyes. She pointed to it for Itarillë, and to another. A little black dog became her second choice, this one for Artaresto.

"Wonderful choices," said the maiden. She put them in a sack that Eve handed her.

Once they were paid for, Eve took them with her vase of flowers. She caught up with Finno and Findo. Soon they found themselves back at Angaráto's house. Artaresto excitedly took the black dog plushie from Eve and showed his mom while they got to making the food.

A few hours later, Eve and the others arrived at Elenwë and Turvo's house. The new parents gratefully accepted the food. Amarië enjoyed a chance to hold Itarillë as they ate.

"Look what I got for her," Eve said with a grin, sitting next to Amarië and looking into Itarillë's happy face. She raised the pig plushie and made funny noises with it. She put it down next to Amarie and rejoined the others.

"Have Nelyo or Káno stopped by yet?" she asked quickly.

Turvo shook his head. "No." He paused. "I don't know if they've been told."

"Oh," she said quietly. "Sorry, nevermind."

Elenwë smiled sadly as she took a bite of her salad. "Do not be. I shall tell them myself."

The men in the room looked ready to object, but both Elenwë and Eve stared them down and they stayed silent. It especially hurt Eve to see Finno so ready to object. The sweet moment Finno and Nelyo had shared at their wedding had been one of the last nice moments between the two in recent years. They remained cordial, but hardly as close as they once were.

Nelyo and Káno stayed away from everyone more and more, never leaving each other's sides. Even their own house didn't see much of them as they travelled, seemingly trying to forget about the tenseness of Tirion. Eve, however, sought them out as much as she could. It made Eve glad that Elenwë intended to celebrate Itarillë's birth with them. Because without something to bring the houses together, Eve genuinely feared that soon words would be exchanged by both sides that could not be unsaid.

Author's Note:

BABIESSSSSSS

Yay!

But also look at that year...

We be getting close close, Fam.

After all... 1490 is when it all goes to hell.

Who's ready?