Heart of Flame: A Tale Of Sauron

Dream of You

"... he appeared the other day from Tirion."

"Does he have kin among the Teleri?"

"Have you ever heard him speak of his parentage?"

A pause came in the conversation. Náretarnon let out a breathy laugh to smooth over the edge in Curvo's voice. "All we speak of is silver smithing, he has a passion for it. One doesn't simply ask a stranger where his people are from."

"Perhaps here in your city, but in Tirion things of that nature are important. Blood is important." The sheer ring of iron being sharpened seared the air. "But you believe the best of all folk. You are too good, Náretarnon."

"And you are too suspicious, cousin," Náretarnon replied brightly.

"These are suspicious times."

Náretarnon cleared his throat. "Sister? You can come out, I know you are there."

Luimëníssë cringed and stepped out from the doorway where she was hiding. She hadn't meant to eavesdrop, she had only been passing the alcove leading onto the balcony that overlooked the rose garden. She was due to meet Artanis to take her pearl diving for the first time. 

But their voices had stopped her cold in the corridor. A name caught on the salty breeze and left her breathless. Her brother had mentioned it. 

Rembano. She heard them say his name and, like a moth to the flame, she was drawn.

As she appeared, her brother wore an amused expression, an eyebrow quirked. Curvo didn't look up from the fine sword he was sharpening at the railing. Luimëníssë played with the sheer fabric of her light gown and gave a shrug.

"What were you doing out there lurking in the shadows like a child?"

Her face flamed at her brother's words, especially in front of Curvo. Though he had seemed less snappish of late, she was still hesitant around him. Moments like these in particular when a dark brooding shadowed his countenance. 

"I was curious about metal smithing," she blurted.

Náretarnon did not look convinced and Curvo scoffed, the deadly blade gleaming against his thigh. "You taking up an interest in metal working?"

"Well, rings perhaps."

"Rings..." Náretarnon crossed his thick forearms over his chest, his dark curls pulled high on his head in a mound to keep out of the way when he worked. "What kind of rings?"

Perhaps this was a moment to have a few questions of her own answered. Ever since the Feast of Pearls, when she wasn't in the sea, Luimëníssë had worn the pearl ring belonging to Rembano on a delicate chain around her neck. She produced it from under the neck of her gown.

"This kind of ring, perhaps," she said, approaching them. "It's too big. I was wondering if I could find another like it somewhere else or perhaps have the band made smaller?"

Náretarnon broad brow furrowed as he studied it. "I'm not sure. Jewelry isn't something I'm very proficient in yet, but Curvo here, he's a genius with anything he touches. Perhaps he may give you a better answer."

Curvo peered up at her, impatience humming in his earthen eyes. They flickered over the ring. His lips parted as he stared hard at the piece. Rising to his feet, he halted in front of her and lifted it in his hand. His silken black hair was looped in a series of braids away from his face, his scent sweet with sweat since they had recently returned from the forge in Alqualondë.

"Where did you get this?" he asked, running a thumb over the trio of pearls.

Luimëníssë hadn't held his attention this intensely even when she was rescuing him from drowning.