The Children of Aphelos: chapter 12 of The Story of Aphelos

 

The Golden Years of Aphelos had begun, and they continued for how long no man knows. Some say that a thousand years went by in the middle world, others reckon it a shorter time. But in Aphelos it was as a single summer. Ingos and his people rejoiced and made merry, and there came new animals into the land, and trees and flowers of rare beauty, and there came also more people.

It is not recorded how many were Ingos’s people in Aphelos. Some say, as few as twelve, but that would not be to reckon the later comers, or the children; others say, twenty-two, agreeing with the number of the robes that came from the two trees of the Cave; but others say that Ingos learnt the secret of the flowering of the silver trees, and got more robes for his people, who were accordingly as many as fifty or even more. Those who came into the land were received soon after the Lady and her kin, fugitives fleeing from the fall of Dúmiel. Queen Díamun and her brothers and sisters welcomed them with both joy and tears; and they all clothed themselves in blue robes; and so Dúmiel was born again in Aphelos. The newcomers were of every age, from youths to very old. 

After some time had passed, there were born children; they came without pain and grew to the full stature of women and men, and so they remained as young immortals. Before long Dóna and Tairis had a child, and then Beinun and Tháli; and there came several more. At the last were born to the Lord Ingos and the Lady Díamun a daughter, Dîamána the Fair, and a son, Usmun-ta Urnuï the Last-born, whom all called Usta. But Obrámus the Counsellor had no woman partner. He said that it was no part of his calling as a Wise-man to marry. But when others were to be married, it was he, the most venerable of all in Aphelos, who heard their plighted troth. For he ever followed the way of the Messenger, whom he called Master.

After long years in the middle world had passed, children came no more into Aphelos. No one lacking a child of their own body mourned it; all the children of Aphelos brought joy to all, and nothing allayed the rejoicing of the realm. But Ingos marked it, and pondered what it might portend.