#arothir

"I never wanted this."  Artaher's soft voice rose in anger.  "Curse Thingol and his lust for jewels!"

"Ingoldo foresaw his doom," Tyelperinquar said.  "I cannot believe that he threw his life away for nothing."

"No," Artaher considered.  "He would not have."  He lowered his eyes.  "I should have followed him."

"You have a wife and children...Ingoldo would not have risked so much."

"Would that were true, but no.  I was too fearful."  He glanced up at Tyelperinquar, and then quickly looked away.  "Not all can be leaders, but I once had the courage to follow."

Tyelperinquar smiled without humour.  "Many times, I wished for the courage to fall away."

"But now, you have."

"Too late.  I am doomed as a Kinslayer.  I vowed that I would never again take up the sword, but the blood remains on my hands."

"We are all under the Doom," Artaher said morosely.  "Save, perhaps, our children."  A moment passed in silence.  Presently, Artaher straightened.

"Someone must speak for them."

"The children?"  Sometimes, Tyelperinquar found it hard to follow the Arafinwëans.  They perceived the thoughts of others easily, and so assumed that others would know their thoughts.  His own House, by nature and custom, was more wary of ósanwë-kenta and never used it among themselves.  Fëanáro's deepening paranoia kept his thoughts close, and he distrusted mind-speech as a trick of the Valar. (2)

"Sorry, no.  I spoke of the people of your House.  They will look to you as their representative.  And I would value your thoughts in council."

Tyelperinquar grimaced.  He loathed the infighting and manoeuvring;  worse, he had no patience for the fussy details of administration.  If he needed copper, he expected it to appear.  To see his request negotiated in council was similar to watching a sausage-maker at work:  some things, he would rather not know.  Still, Artaher spoke rightly;  if they had pledged fealty to him, they would nonetheless see Tyelperinquar as their lord.

"Duty, then."

"Yes, duty," Artaher sighed.  They locked eyes in shared misery.  "Aratamello tulë umbar túra.  Duty is laid upon us, whether we will it or no. "(3)

Notes:

(1) Therefore the hearts of the people of Nargothrond were released from their dominion, and turned again to the house of Finarfin... .

(The Silmarillion, 'Of Beren and Lúthien' p 174 pub Houghton Mifflin Kindle Edition)

(2)

The ability to communicate via mind-speech is stronger among those most closely affiliated, either by kinship or love, but it becomes more difficult if not practised.  We know that Galadriel was especially good at this, and Finrod's understanding of the Bëoreans indicates that he was also quite good at 'hearing' the thoughts of others. (Vinyar Tengwar No 39, 'Osanwe-kenta' pp 21-25)

(3) Aratamello tulë umbar túra. (Q)