Work Text:
Indis‘ heart sang with joy when she laid eyes on her husband. Arda was remade and she felt young and reborn. All around her were reunions and she looked forward to her own with Finwë. How she had missed him all those ages they had been apart! This time, no Dark Vala will come between them. Indis started running towards her oblivious husband, who still hasn’t spotted her and was staring into the distance. She opened her mouth to call out to Finwë, when he suddenly moved away from her, eyes fixed on something. Indis followed his gaze and her heart shattered into thousands of fragments.
While no Dark Vala could come between them, someone else could.
Too familiar was the silver-haired woman, her shadows having always lingered in the High King’s castle. How often has Indis stood before her image, wondering why she had left behind such a wonderful elf as Finwë, wondering if she could compare to the first High Queen of the Noldor.
Míriel was even more beautiful in reality and Indis wondered how Finwë could love her – for love her he did, or had – when she was a mere shadow compared to Míriel. Tearful eyes watched the joy on their faces, the way Finwë lovingly cradled her cheek. Indis turned and walked away. Apparently, her place wasn’t beside Finwë in this new Arda. Míriel was his first and true spouse, not Indis. That hadn’t changed, no matter how much she wished for it. Her place was as it had been once: A woman loving her king from afar.
~~~
“You can be quite elusive if you want to, Indis.“
She started and dropped the flower crown she thoughtlessly had begun weaving. She bowed.
“Your Highness.“
Míriel was looking at her with an unreadable expression. The fire Indis has seen in Fëanáro shone in her eyes and it surprised her just how much Fëanáro had inherited his mother’s spirit. “Why are you bowing? As far as I am aware, you are married to Finwë as well, are you not?“
Indis did not like the blankness of her tone. Was she angry? Disappointed? Indis inhaled. “That was in Arda Marred, my lady, and only because of the grace of the Valar.“
Míriel lifted an unimpressed eyebrow. “Is that so? I do not recall the prophecy stating anywhere that marriage bonds are dissolved after the Second Music. Even if marriage bonds are dissolved, the ones connecting us to Finwë are still very much intact. You are still married to him…as am I. It seems we are in a predicament, for there has never been an elf with two spouses.“
The Vanya lowered her head in shame. “Forgive me. I never meant to come between the two of you.“
“Do you not love him then? Did you only desire the crown?“, Míriel sternly asked.
"Of course I love him!“
"Then why did you not come and greet him? Finwë has been looking for you, you fool.“
Indis finally had enough. “What is it you want from me, Míriel? Speak plainly!“
Míriel looked surprised before she laughed and sat down at the base of the tree. “And here I was wondering why Finwë settled for a woman so unlike me. Apparently, you do have some fire, it just takes a while to set it free.“
“You’ve been playing with me.“
"Partially. Finwë truly is looking for you, though“, Míriel sighed. “He can be a bit short-sighted. After all, I found you before him and I was barely looking.“
"What do you want from me?“, Indis echoed her earlier question, this time in confusion.
"Since you wished for plain speech: Come with me. Be Finwë’s wife.“
"You are his wife!“
"As are you. I told you the marriage bonds are still intact. Everyone’s is.“
Indis was flabbergasted. She could not believe her ears. Was Míriel suggesting what she barely dared to think? “But you yourself said there has never been an elf with more than one spouse. Elves are monogamous. “
Míriel hummed non-commitically and straightened a strand of her silver hair. “Indis, if you haven’t noticed yet, we aren’t exactly conventional elves. After all, Finwë is the only elf to ever remarry.“
“You want me to live with you and Finwë as…spouses?“ Indis felt dizzy. Was this even allowed? Míriel observed her with an impatient look.
“Are you perhaps slow of thought? Yes, that is what I am saying. Finwë and I have discussed this these past few days and I do not mind. So, what do you say?“
“But we don’t even know each other!“
Míriel snorted. “Believe me, Finwë has told me so much about you I feel like I have known you my entire life. However, your point is a valid one, which is why I propose the following: You and I, dearest Indis, will take a small trip. After all, there is much to see in this new world. Then, you decide.“
Indis looked relieved. “That…sounds good.“
“Great.“ Míriel got up and grinned. “Now follow me and help me ease Finwë’s mind. He can be a worrywart.“
Indis giggled and followed the Noldo. Her heart felt much lighter. Although Míriel seemed the opposite of her, Indis had the feeling that she will like the woman. When the palace came in sight, Indis halted and Míriel turned towards her.
“What is it?“
“What about Fëanáro? I am less worried about how my children will take the new development, but he has never liked me.“
Míriel laid her hand on Indis’ shoulder and smiled. “Don’t worry about him. I know how to handle the boy.“ Her smile faded. „Fëanáro has been unkind to you and your family, seeing you as a my replacement. I do not begrudge Finwë marrying you, Indis, for I left him when our kind was still young and new. It gladdens my heart that he has been granted a new chance, for I would not have seen him suffer loneliness for ages.“
Indis wept at the words and Míriel handed her a handkerchief. „Dry your tears and come. We have news to tell Finwë.“
~~~
“Indis!“, Finwë called in relief when he spotted the two women and crushed Indis in a hug, startling the woman. The Vanya was surprised she even had tears left to spill when her eyes welled up at the familiar scent that was Finwë. She buried her face into his shoulder and felt her own being damped by his tears.
Míriel watched them with a small smile. She hadn’t lied when she said she didn’t begrudge him finding a new spouse, but there was a difference in saying and seeing it. Míriel did not know how it was possible, but Finwë loved Indis as he loved her, with the same strength and honesty.
Finwë suddenly seemed to remember that Míriel was here as well and he seemed lost.
“Míriel…I..”, he stammered. While they had discussed the future of their relationship, it must be a strange sight to see your husband embrace another woman so lovingly.
She rolled her eyes in fondness and stepped towards them. “I guess your display of relief may have erased any doubts Indis may have had.”
Finwë looked at Indis with a frown. “Doubts? Did you think I loved you no longer now that the world is remade?”
“How was I supposed to know? You seemed so happy seeing Míriel, I did not wish to interfere.”, Indis softly said and Finwë made her look at him.
“Of course, I was happy seeing Míriel. It has been ages and even in Mandos I didn’t find her.”, he said, lovingly cupping Míriel’s cheek, “So when I saw her standing there, alive, I scarcely dared believe my eyes. But it pains me to think you imagining that I forgot you as if you meant nothing to me.”
“I did not mean to insult you.”, Indis said and Finwë shook his head.
“You only insulted yourself by undermining your worth. But, let the past be past. The three of us are here now, alive and healthy.”
Míriel snapped her fingers. “That is actually why we’re here. Since Indis will be part of our marriage, we have decided to go on a trip. I want to see for myself what Indis is like, since your opinion”, she poked Finwë’s chest, “is incredibly biased.”
Finwë looked at his wife with glassy eyes. “Míriel, you are a blessing.”
She shook her head. “This wouldn’t have worked in Arda Marred. The only reason why it works now is because all our marriage bonds are still present. It must be Eru’s will that we three stay together and frankly, I don’t believe Indis’ and my personality will clash.”
Then Finwë laughed with joy and hugged both his wives. “You are blessings, both of you!”
Míriel merely met Indis’ eyes and rolled hers, making Indis chuckle quietly. In her heart, Míriel knew they will be alright. They will turn eyes, certainly, but what will it matter when they were happy?