The torches flickered in the darkness. As she stood there, contemplating his words, Eve watched Fëanáro growing more and more agitated. The crowd copied him. She squeezed Elenwë's hand.

"Fair shall the end be," Fëanáro cried, "though long and hard shall be the road! Say farewell to bondage! But say farewell also to ease! Say farewell to the weak! Say farewell to your treasures! More still shall we make. Journey light: but bring with you your swords! For we will go further than Oromë, endure longer than Tulkas: we will never turn back from pursuit. After Morgoth to the ends of the Earth! War shall he have and hatred undying. But when we have conquered and have regained the Silmarils, then we and we alone shall be lords of the unsullied Light, and masters of the bliss and beauty of Arda. No other race shall oust us!"

Finno who stood beside her seemed to struggle as well. Eve knew he hated Fëanáro, though his father had forgiven the elder half brother. And yet what Fëanáro said made sense. The Valar were Morgoth's kin, and had given up much too easily. They sat in mourning, sitting idly by while Morgoth fled to hiding. Finwë needed to be avenged. And Findekáno found himself longing to see the wide lands across the sea, to look upon the waters of Cuivienen and stand beneath the trees of foreign lands.

The ever expanding fire behind Fëanáro's gaze, reflected in the thousands of flaming torches around them, frightened Eve most of all. Fëanáro became dangerous when angry. And the fury in the faces of her brothers scared her also. Curvo, eyes shining as he watched his father hungrily, seemed more devious than ever. Moryo's face flushed red in the firelight, and he gripped his hands so tight in two fists that his hands appeared white as snow. Tyelko's face had scrunched up in furious anger, and he nodded along with everything his father said, while Huan lay low to the ground beside him.

Pityo and Telvo stood directly before Fëanáro, their backs to Eve. But based on their body language, they were as eager as the others for vengeance. Even Káno, arms folded, had a gaze dark with anger.

Everything fell quiet as Fëanáro halted his speech. It appeared that he made up his mind and he drew the sword that hung from his belt. "Harken to my words, children of the light! For I shall swear to you an oath that I shall keep until even my last days." Holding his sword up above his head, the flames reflecting in the shining blade, he began the oath. "Be he foe or friend, be he foul or clean, brood of Morgoth or bright Vala, Elda or Maia or Aftercomer, Man yet unborn upon Middle-earth."

Curvo, Tyelko, and Moryo didn't even hesitate. Eve frowned as their swords joined their father's.

"Neither law, nor love, nor league of swords, dread nor danger, not Doom itself, shall defend him from Fëanáro, and Fëanaro's kin."

Káno, Pityo, and Telvo drew their swords next. Eve gasped as the first did so, finding herself tearing up.

"No," Finno murmured. "No, no, no."

"Whoso hideth or hoardeth, or in hand taketh, finding keepeth or afar casteth a Silmaril."

Nelyo drew his blade, and to Finno and Eve it seemed to happen in slow motion. He placed his sword blade across his father and brothers'. His beautiful face, counted handsome even among the beautiful Eldar, appeared terrible and cold. Fury coursed through his veins. Finno covered his mouth in shock.

"This swear we all: death we will deal him ere Day's ending, woe unto world's end! Our word hear thou, Eru Allfather!"

The crowd became silent. At the name of their creator, they shook were they stood. But neither Fëanáro nor his sons paused. He continued.

"To the everlasting darkness doom us if our deed faileth. On the holy mountain hear in witness and our vow remember, Manwë and Varda!"

Eve grabbed Findekáno's hand. They stood silent amidst the cheers and shouts of the mob-like crowd around them as Fëanáro's oath ended. Suddenly a shout went up and all stopped.

"Fëanáro, this is madness," Nolofinwë cautioned quickly, making his way forward to where Fëanáro and his sons stood atop some stairs. "You speak of things we do not know! You call curses upon us!"

"Craven is what you are, Nolofinwë," Fëanáro growled hotly. "Was it not you who swore to follow me, to be brothers until the end, and I the elder!" He turned to the crowd and spoke loudly. "He renounces his promises even in the moment of needed unity."

But Turvo stood beside his father and glared at his half-uncle. "We renounce you now because of your folly."

Curvo's jaw set. He took his sword out once more and walked towards Turvo. "Careful how you speak to your king, Turukáno. You border on treasonous."

"Peace, Curvo," came Arafinwë's soft voice. He stepped between the quarreling cousins and half-brothers. He held up his hands to either side. "Let us pause in our discourse, consider our actions."

But then a woman's voice rose high above the rest. Her shining golden-silver hair fell about her shoulders gracefully, ever one of the most beautiful of the Noldor. Artanis stalked forward, pushing through the crowd to stand alone to the other side of the family of Fëanáro.

"There are great lands to be seen, beauty to be beheld," argued Artanis. She gestured with her hands around them. "We have sat in comfort, wasting time on pointless pursuits. Now we have a chance to rule our own fates, to seek adventure and glory in the wide lands of our birth!"

Arafinwë frowned at his daughter, but now it became Findaráto's time to speak. "We are a loyal people. Why should we turn our backs on the Valar now?"

Tyelko scoffed. "They have been loyal to you, the family of usurpers. They cast away the rightful heir, despite knowing it to be Morgoth who inspired the debate upon Tirion." He turned back to his father. "Though it seems perhaps the enemy revealed truth to us on accident. For you continue to sew fear and hatred towards our house, the Elder house."

Finno and Eve stood quietly still. Eve could tell Findekáno wished to join in, for he ever enjoyed speaking his mind. And indeed, he held back for his wife's sake, for her kinship with those of Fëanáro's house ran deep. But she felt him tensing. He held no love for Fëanáro himself, only for a few of his sons. Finally he could contain himself no longer. He and Eve moved forward, though she paused at the edge of the crowd and did not speak.

Findekáno raised his head high, the golden ribbon in his braid shining in the torchlight. "Artanis spoke truly." All eyes turned to him as he ascended the steps. Aiko and Ango stood a bit behind him to the left. He turned to his father and the crowd, glancing but once at Fëanáro, and locking eyes with Nelyo briefly.

"There are wide lands, told to us of Valinor since our childhoods. Why should we not return? I do not take the oath that these here swore, but we may take this opportunity to escape this land of darkness!" He glanced back at the tower of Tirion upon Túna. Then he returned his gaze to the crowd. "In Middle Earth we may find glorious victories, valiant acts we could not do here. The Valar wait in their mourning, but it is possible for us to act now. To avenge the King."

At Findekáno's words, much of the house of Nolofinwë stirred. Finno, respected by nearly all, spoke truly they decided. But Turvo shot his brother a glare, mixed with poorly hidden astonishment. When Finno looked behind Turvo, though, he found the eagerness of his own heart mirrored in his youngest sibling. Arakáno nodded. A few more words were exchanged between the cousins and half-brothers until heated debate arose again.

Arafinwë counseled them again. "Peace I say once more. We must consider our actions-"

"Nay!" The crowd shouted angrily. "Let's us be gone!"

Fëanáro nodded and a small smile played at his lips, one less of happiness and more of determination. "Take only what you need. But swords and bows must come. Each of my sons shall lead a section-"

As protests immediately went up, Fëanáro walked down from his place and snarled as he heard the dissention amidst his people. But Eve stopped looking at him when she caught a glimpse of Nerdanel atop a roof nearby. Their gazes met and each frowned at the other. Eve could see Nerdanel crying, and suddenly she felt like she'd been punched in the gut. These past sixty years she'd been trying so hard to keep Finwë's families together. And she had failed most the one person who had cared for her since the beginning. Neither woman wanted to break their stares. But when Finno took her hand, Eve looked his way. By the time she looked back up for Nerdanel, her foster mother had already faded back into the crowd.

Nolofinwë called Findekáno over to where he stood arguing with Fëanáro. He shot Eve a smile of encouragement before he joined his father. Eve instead sought out her brothers. She found Káno first. He stood alone when she joined him.

"What you swore..." she paused, lowering her voice. "You're crazy."

Káno half frowned. "I intend to fulfill it. It is not foolish if it is fulfilled."

"You swore to your creator," Eve reminded him. "Back on Earth, it used to be really bad to take God's name in vain. It's gotten less taboo, but still. It shouldn't be lightly sworn with."

Nelyo walked up to her, a perpetual cross expression on his face that she'd grown used to these days. "We have not sworn lightly, Eve. The fact you think this reflects poorly on you."

She paused in surprise and narrowed her eyes. "I try very hard to put up with the crap between you guys and my husband's house. Really I do. But you've changed, all of you, and not for the better. Ask your mother."

At that, both elves lowered their eyes. Neither spoke and Eve nodded slightly in approval. That had done exactly what she intended.

"Our mother does not understand," Nelyo finally replied. "Morgoth's actions have lit a fire in our people, and with this fire we will exact our revenge."

Eve sighed. "Hey, listen, I understand wanting revenge. But what is being proposed is huge. I don't blame Arafinwë for trying to slow everyone down." She shrugged. "Personally I'm sort of excited to see Beleriand. Findo has told me all about it in our lessons."

A small whine broke all three out of their thoughts. Eve turned when a large furry animal rubbed against her chest. "Hey Huan. Where's Tyelko?" She smiled and rubbed behind his ears.

Huan turned his nose towards a commotion. Eve sighed. Tyelko and Moryo argued vehemently with Aikanáro and Angaráto. She turned back to Huan. "You know how he gets," she whispered to him. "It'll be fine."

After another few minutes of loud discourse among most of the house of Nolofinwë and the house of Fëanáro, the host split. About a quarter of the Noldor insisted on taking Fëanáro as their leader and High King. With these went his seven sons. Nelyo asked her to come with them.

"For you are a daughter of Fëanáro as much as we be sons of his," he reminded her, holding out his hand.

But Finno stood beside her, glaring in anger at the host of Fëanáro, including Nelyo his greatest friend of old. The two had gotten into a heated debate about their fathers. Eve frowned, glancing between Nelyo and Finno. In the end she shook her head.

"No, Nelyo. I will always be your sister, always. But I'm going to travel with Finno." She gestured to her husband and Turvo and Elenwë and Itarillë who stood not far away, the girl trembling in fear. "My niece will need as much support as can be offered. She's probably terrified. You can take care of yourselves."

Nelyo frowned but nodded and turned away. He quickly caught up to their brothers, leave Eve with Finno. She turned to him and offered a small smile. "Don't worry. Everything is going to be-"

A great booming and a trumpet blast was heard across Tirion and everyone halted, falling quiet. They recognized the trumpet as Fëanáro's, but the booming was like thunder, but not thunder. A herald, clothed pale in whites and greys, with a hood far over his face to conceal it, float above the ground before the host. All heard then what he spoke.

"Against the folly of Fëanáro shall be set my counsel only. Go not forth! For the hour is evil, and your road leads to sorrow that ye do not foresee. No aid will the Valar lend you in this quest; but neither will they hinder you; for this ye shall know: as ye came hither freely, freely shall ye depart. But thou Fëanáro Finwë's son, by thine oath art exiled. The lies of Melkor thou shalt unlearn in bitterness."

Finno's breath hitched. He took Eve's hand. Her other hand was grabbed by a small figure, coming to half her height only, golden haired like Laurelin. Itarillë. To Itaril's left came Artaresto. Eve pitied the children, as even she felt frightened by the herald of the Valar.

"Vala he is, thou sayest. Then thou hast sworn in vain, for none of the Valar canst thou overcome now or ever within the Halls of Eä, not though Eru whom thou namest had made thee thrice greater than thou art."

All then heard Fëanáro laugh. Eve felt chills creep up her spine at the sound. The man she knew and respected seemed distant from the hollow shell of vengeance that remained. Nevertheless, his response came swiftly and proudly.

"Then will this valiant people send forth the heir of their King alone into banishment with his sons only, and return to their bondage? But if any will come with me, I say to them: Is sorrow foreboded to you? But in Aman we have seen it. In Aman we have come through bliss to woe. The other now we will try: through sorrow to find joy: or freedom, at the least." He smiled, and Eve saw him not too far ahead near the gate, standing upon a great statue.

"Through sorrow to find joy," Eve whispered his words again, a small smile beginning to play on her lips too. "Or freedom at least."

Fëanáro turned back to the herald. "Say this to Manwë Sulimo, High King of Arda: if Fëanáro cannot overthrow Morgoth, at least he delays not to assail him, and sits not idle in grief. And it may be that Eru has set in me a fire greater than thou knowest. Such hurt at the least will I do to the Foe of the Valar that even the mighty in the Ring of Doom shall wonder to hear it. Yea, in the end they shall follow me! Farewell!"

Even Finno smiled when the host saw the herald bow to Fëanáro and depart without question. Eve and Finno exchanged a look of excitement.

"Come, we must go to the front with my father," Finno told her as Turvo came and retrieved the children. "My host is to follow most closely Fëanáro's."

"Cool," Eve nodded with a smile.

Though saddened to be leaving Tirion, her home for so long since arriving in this world, she also looked forward to seeing new lands far and wide and open. These new lands would harbor no reminders. And so, following back several thousand paces from Fëanáro's host so as to avoid conflict, the host of Nolofinwë began their journey. Tirion they left behind, forever, Fëanáro's words echoing in her mind.

The End.

Author's Note:

Well, that was a whirlwind of emotions. I'm sure you all will go cry yourselves to sleep now. But if you don't want to do that, get ready for A Different Kind of Hell!

She didn't take the oath. But is that good or bad? Because if she gets in their way...

And she's decided to travel with Finno. We all know how THAT goes.

A huge thank you to all my readers, voters, comment-ers, and ghosts. You all are fan-feanor-tastic. And I adore you.

When this goes live, so will Chapter One of ADKoHL. So get ready, fam. Winter is Coming.

er. wrong fandom.

Beleriand is Coming.