Chapter Text
The embarrassment of being unmarried was the reason he existed. He was the youngest of four. Well, five if he counted his half-brother Curufinwë.
But now that embarrassment of being an unmarried elf was being pressed upon him. Curufinwë and Ñolofinwë were married. They even had off-spring. Three sons between them. Arafinwë suspected Curufinwë's second son was born so soon, because Ñolofinwë's oldest was born a few weeks before Nelyafinwë.
He, himself, was still single. An increasing embarrassment, according to his father.
“An elf cannot remain unmarried!” Finwë had boomed, completely ignoring Arafinwë's sisters.
He had then continued the rant. Arafinwë understood the message. Without children, he was nothing in his father's eyes. The last child born from a marriage that was convenient for his father and heartbreaking for his mother, Indis. She had a different view.
“Marry for love Ingoldo. Love her fiercely. Make certain she loves you back. Forever is a long time without love.”
Arafinwë, called Ingoldo by his mother, had told her how much he loved her. She'd hugged him and revealed that it was the love of her children that kept her going.
Arafinwë had endured the rest of the time with his family. His older brothers were consistently bickering. His sisters had disappeared with their mother the first chance they got. He sometimes wished he could join them. It was made clear, by his father, that he was expected to be with his brothers.
His escape had come in the form of a diplomatic mission to Alqualondë. They required seafood for an upcoming feast. Arafinwë had volunteered to entreat with the Teleri, just to escape the embarrassment of still being unmarried.
It was how Arafinwë came to be wandering the shoreline, staring at the endless sea. He had never seen it before and found it mesmerising. The sound filled his mind and soul with a peace he never knew in his father’s halls. The discoveries filled him with a curiousity he had not felt since he was an elfling. The shells and things washed up were all new and strange to him. He found long, flat plants leaves and clear rocks, that actually jiggled when poked.
One thing that truly fascinated him was the pile of rounded rocks. They felt like shells, on both sides. He wanted to know what purpose they had in piling together. He turned one over and over, considering the possibilities and purpose of the pile.
Before Arafinwë knew what was happening, he felt a strong, muscular arm wrap around his neck and cut off his breathing.
“Put down my harvest you little clam thief!” a feminine voice demanded.
Arafinwë quickly dropped the curious object. The arm relaxed around his neck and he could breathe again.
“I am no thief.” He defended and turned to face his assailant. Any further defence died as he spied her.
She was tall; very tall and graceful. Her hair flowed down her back in starlike silver, almost reminding him of the colour of a swan’s wing. She also looked like she could kill him, just like a swan would.
She snorted. “No thief! I caught you picking up my harvest. What else could you be?”
This beautiful, graceful maiden would definitely chase him off the beach. She would possibly bite him and take a chunk of flesh while she was at it.
“Curious at the oddity.” he admitted.
She glared at him, disbelief written upon her face. Then her mouth quirked into a suppressed laugh.
“Next you’ll be telling me you’ve never seen a clam before!” Despite her serious tone, she was trying not to laugh.
“I haven’t. This is my first time seeing the sea.” Arafinwë rushed to defend himself.
She was so tall! She was so incredibly beautiful! She moved toward him with a swan’s grace.
Lost, Arafinwë did the only thing he could think of. He bowed, introducing himself and hoped she would see the truth in his tale.
She swept past him and knelt to put the clams into a woven basket.
“I needed another. My basket washed away. And I come back to find a little clam thief!” She looked up at him then.
“Well, are you going to help me, Arafinwë clam thief?” She sounded like she was teasing him.
He inhaled and knelt next to her, helping put the clams in the basket.
-=-
He was supposed to be entreating for seafood. Instead he was hoping for a glimpse of the swan-maiden. He delayed his visit for days longer than needed, just in hope.
With time against him, he reconciled that he would not see her again this trip. Or perhaps ever. That seemed like a dark thought. He finally understood why his mother had moved, just to be closer to his father. Even the small hope of seeing someone again, was enough to face the day.
He returned to the shore one last time. To say goodbye to the sea, and his hope. The wet seaweed slapping him in the face was a surprise. He looked around to see the swan-maiden laughing at him as she emerged from the water.
“I have no clams today.” she greeted, still laughing.
“You have something I’d like though.”
She rolled her eyes as she came close to him.
“And what would that be?” she demanded.
“Your name?” he asked softly.
“Is my name so important to you?” she was no longer laughing, but the mirth was still on her face.
“As important as the sea is to you.”
She grew serious at his words.
“Eärwen, swan-maiden of Alqualondë.” She laughed again. “I heard what you were calling me!”
“I did not know your name! Others seemed unwilling to tell me!”
“And why would you want my name?” she demanded.
“To ask if you are free...”
She blinked, waiting for him to continue.
“To be courted.” He had to spell it out, it seemed.
“Why, so you can present your pretty swan-maiden for the approval of the most venerable Finwë?” Sarcasm dripped from the title she gave his father.
“My Father would hate you.” Arafinwë surmised.
Eärwen snorted derisively.
“As if I care what he would think!”
“Do you care what I may think?” Arafinwë asked quietly.
She eyed him shrewdly. Then she laughed and kissed him before he recovered from the shock of her laughter.
“I do not care what your father thinks of me. And you should not either. Now are you proposing just to defy him? Because that I do care about.”
Arafinwë pulled in his lips, to savour the touch that may be his last from her. He mulled over his words before proceeding.
“I ask, because I cannot imagine my life without you. I do not care what my father would think. I only care that my life without you seems colourless and grey.”
Eärwen grinned at him. “Go on, little clam thief.”
“I love you Eärwen. More than I thought possible. From the moment you touched—”
“Put you in a headlock.”
“—Put me in a headlock, I loved you. I am hoping that you return this and if so, you will consent for me to be your adoring husband.”
She caught his chin and grinned down at him. “You stole much more than my clams that day. My heart was stolen too. And I shall marry you, if only to keep an eye on it.”
She kissed him again, and they revelled in their new promised union.