#ranuin

Neither Salmar nor Ómar are prone to jealousy and will think nothing of your interactions with famous elves and Ainur greater than even them. Trust is an important quality to them, and they will show you that they trust you implicitly.

Salmar would seat you beneath the golden leaves of Laurelin and serenade you with a melody he composed himself. Or he would take you to the shores of Tol Eressëa, so the two of you could explore its beaches, keep a watch for the whales that pull Ulmo’s chariot to the surface, or sit still and listen to the sounds of the Ulumúri.

Ómar will often read to you or teach you a new language. To encourage you to learn more and for the both of you to enjoy the experience, he would arrange little scavenger hunt-type games all over his manse and the gardens where you have to interpret words and clues correctly in order to win the game.

Gifts from them usually come in the form of little music boxes that play sweet songs when you wind them or poetry and songs that have been composed in your honor.

Nielíquie | Silmo: Courtship with them is playful, light, and full of mischief. They would take you on long, leisurely walks all over the forest of Oromë or the Gardens of Lórien, or invite you to picnics beneath the canopy of a large tree, or, in Nielíquie’s case, tea in the tree-propped halls she calls home.

Silmo would bring you bouquets full of flowers found only in the Gardens, and prepare for you little treats using herbs and fruits found there. Other times, he would take you to search for rare moths and butterflies that call the Gardens their home. And other times, games of hide and seek beneath the stars.

Nielíquie would prepare for you meals from her father’s kitchens, and the two of you would play with the hunting dogs that often hang around the feasting hall. Sometimes she would invite you to climb onto the thick branches of the trees that grow in every hall, so that two of you could talk or silently watch the others as they went about their day. Other times, she would gift you rare feathers, shells, and bones for you to wear on your clothes or fix to your hair. If she gets in the mood for it, she will carve little trinkets for you out of wood.

Silmo and Nielíquie are two of the most affectionate Ainur, so expect lots of hugs, kisses, and cuddles, especially when you are least expecting it. Trust is just as important to them, but Silmo might become a bit playful about it and tease you about the elf or the ainu that tried to flirt with you.

Tevildo: Courtship with him almost always includes an elaborate feast, one that he prepared with his own hands. Tevildo knows how to set a tasty table, and the food and drink are both plentiful and to your liking.

He can be exceedingly generous if he likes you, often presenting you with gifts that he knows are suited to your interests. Sometimes these gifts are priceless jewels and trinkets that one would never see in one’s lifetime. Other times, he would command his thralls to wait on you, hand on foot, while he is away. And there are other times where he will craft little trinkets himself, usually jewel encrusted collars you could wear around your throat.

Tevildo prefers open and polyamorous relationships to monogamous ones, so you would have to be willing to accept such an arrangement if he pursues you. However, if you do capture his particular attention, he will become exceedingly jealous, openly declaring that you are one of his chosen companions and marking you as his so the others will know to leave you alone. He would even kill someone if they dared to show anything other than an innocent interest in you.

Makar| Meássë | Lúsion | Telimektar: These Ainur are not the most expressive when it comes to tender words, the giving of gifts, acts of service, or quality time itself, so they make up for the lack by being physical with hugs, hand holding, and acts of intimacy.

Courtship with them means outings to the arena to watch athletes spar against each other, or them, if they are challenged. Courtship with them also means dancing, play fighting or learning a new sport together. Lúsion and Telimektar are elegant dancers, while Makar and Meássë prefer sparring to gliding across a dance floor. Still, they would make the effort for your sake, and the night will either end up with you being left breathless and giddy (if you’re dancing with Lúsion and Telimektar) or reduced to fits of giggles along with your partner (if you’re dancing with Makar and Meássë).

Activities such as hiking, archery, and horseback riding will occupy the majority of their time with you. They will teach you if you are a beginner, or use the need to teach as an excuse to be near you.

Jealousy is a common trait for all of them. If they see someone besides them getting too close to you, they will walk up to you and your new acquaintance and introduce themselves. Given their reputation as fierce warriors, putting the fear of Eru into the mind of your new acquaintance and sending them running is nothing for them. What gifts they do give you are simple but well made. Leather bracelets, steel jewelry, and, if you have an interest in them, finely forged weapons.

Aluin | Nornorë | Fanuin | Ranuin | Danuin : These Ainur do not have much time for their partners or even themselves due to the duties they have been charged with, but they go over and beyond when they get the opportunity to do so. Courtship with them often means being whisked away to Ilmarin or the Timeless Halls themselves for these meetings.

Nornorë is often away due to his role as a herald for the Elder King, so when the chance to call on you presents itself, he prefers to take you to Ilmarin. There, the two of you could go to the highest window of the highest tower and watch the stars while clouds swirl beneath the gates of the lofty halls. He would lead you to a little room so the two of you could eat and spend time with each other, or he would stay with you at the base of Taniquetil, taking you around the city the Vanyar built for themselves. Other times, he would write beautiful letters and send them to you when duty keeps him away. His gifts are always uncommon things he finds when he has to travel all over Valinor and Middle-Earth to carry out his duties.

Aluin, Fanuin, Ranuin, and Danuin are, more often than not, away in the Timeless Halls. It is a place full of mystery and wonder, and you are the only outsider permitted to enter it. What free time they have would be devoted entirely to you. They would enchant their own chambers to mimic your favorite time of the day, the season, or the year. Their gifts vary, from bejeweled sun dials or sand clocks, silver stars or golden sun pendants, gems that look like leaves or snowflakes, to beautifully painted maps of Eä.

Jealousy is not always a problem with them, but they may take it into their head to remind you who you belong to if they find someone else trying to become too friendly with you.

Ilinsor: Before the destruction of the trees, Ilinsor would often call on you. After the Two Trees were destroyed and he was charged with guiding the moon, Ilinsor could no longer come to Valinor. It is as hard for him as it is for you, but he still finds a way to see you, often visiting you in your dreams by making the most out of Ósanwe. Through these means, he can recreate all sorts of wonderful scenes to spend time with you, whether it be a beach at twilight or forests bathed in bright sunlight.

He cannot send you gifts himself, so he often calls on Nornorë's aid for this purpose. Letters, poems, and bejeweled gifts are the order of the day, for he loves to spoil you. Ilinsor can become extremely jealous as well, for he is so far away from you. He would ask you to wear a special locket around your neck so that rivals for your affections would see it and look elsewhere for a companion.

“The ships that bear the new lights have now been bound by the everlasting fetters of time.” Fanuin stood beside his brethren and kept an unwavering eye on the dark sky. The white marble path was now full with a throng of Eldar and Gods alike, all eager to witness the first rising of the brilliant golden orb that would forever herald the arrival of daylight. “And Arda will be changed forever."

“Aye,” Danuin agreed. “And then we must set our eyes to the tasks Eru charged us with.”

A hushed murmur rippled through the large crowd. “There,” Danuin pointed to the horizon. “And just as we planned as well.”

A thin strip of golden-yellow light flashed above the water. It grew brighter and brighter as the vessel bearing the sun rose higher and higher, painting the skies around it in vivid hues of yellow and pink and orange and gold. The others could not see the mighty fetters that bound ship and light to time, but they did, and they admired the works of their hands in silence. 

“We have done well,” Fanuin declared, his entire being swelling with pride. “We have done very well, I think.”

The brothers exchanged glances and smiled at each other. Not another word was spoken as they all stood still and watched while the deep, dark curtain of night drew back when the sun first arose.

Then Ilúvatar arose and hearkened his words. “Perhaps that is so. Come. Let us take a journey, you and I.”

Then they journeyed, and Aluin watched, amazed, as his Lord and Creator led him to the Void and brought him before the Flame Imperishable. It blazed golden and green, full of life and spirit all of its own.

“With this,” he explained, reaching into the blazing flames, “all things are possible. Extend your hand, and what you seek will be made real.”

Aluin obeyed, his amazement rising in leaps and bounds when the flames flickered and danced over his palm. There was warmth in that sacred fire, but nothing that would cause harm to his being. Aluin turned to face his lord. Eru merely nodded and said, “You know the rest.”

He who was master of Time closed his eyes and wove a song that was mighty and wondrous to hear. Three themes he sang, and with each theme, he imbued a fragment of his own spirit. Eru perceived what was unfolding before his eyes and was glad.

“Here are your helpers, Aluin!” He declared. “Here are the ones that will aid you in your many works!”

Aluin opened his eyes and smiled. Before him stood three new lords. Brethren they were, their countenance was neither youthful nor ancient, their eyes holding the wisdom of the ages, their vigor great.

“This one I name Danuin.” Aluin stood before the smallest of them all. “He will be the Lord of Days.”

“This one,” Aluin stood before he who was of middling stature, “I dub Ranuin, Lord of Months."

“And this one?”

“This one, my lord,” Aluin came before the tallest amongst the three brethren, “I will call Fanuin, the Lord of Years. They will be my attendants, oh Creator of us all. They will be my children.”

And Eru said unto Aluin, “Then so it shall be.”