Act I, Part VIII: The Darkening of Nan Elmoth
Though it did not appear so to Tinnurion, a shadow hung over the House of Eöl. Within the sanctuary of Nan Elmoth, Maeglin had by now learned all his father had to teach, and so he became restless and ill at ease, and nothing he desired more than to venture outside the borders of the gloomy forest, to the lands of his mother's kin. He confronted his father with it, but Eöl denied him, saying that he would not have his son deal with the slayers of their kin or the usurpers of their homes, and he threatened to set him in bonds should he feel that desire again.
From that day onwards Maeglin and Eöl no longer travelled together, and distrust ruled their minds. But Maeglin's desire could not be helped and one midsummer day, when his father attended the annual feast at Nogrod, he swayed his mother into leaving the woods. They came before Tinnurion and his fellow servants and told them that they would seek out the sons of Fëanor. Tinnurion beckoned them, for the law of Eöl was clear on that account, but though his voice was potent, it could not contend with Maeglin's. For in matters that touched him near Maeglin could not be overthrown, save by his father. Thus it happened that they took two swift horses and rode northward, and the last Tinnurion ever saw of them, were their cloaks catching wind as they rode out of sight.
Now Eöl returned sooner than expected, and Tinnurion was the one who told him of their departure. This angered Eöl gravely and the look upon his face was so terrible that Tinnurion was as one turned to stone, and from that stance he saw his master leave in a great hurry astride his steed, but through some sense of ill foreboding Tinnurion could still cry out after him, but neither servant or daylight could stay Eöl's wrath. And that was the last time he ever saw his master again.
It is said that Tinnurion stood there unmoving for a great length of time and did not stir till the sun passed beyond the horizon. Then as if waking from a terrible dream he flinched and all manner of dark thoughts turned to him, and he sat for many days waiting for his master to return along with Maeglin and the White Lady. But they did not return. Tinnurion then returned to his tasks, for he found solace in them, even if but a little.
Another week passed but they had not returned and the servants grew restless and some among them feared something had befallen them, for there were many dangers upon the road to account for that. Then one spoke and broke the ceaseless silence saying 'Surely the Noldor are to blame. Doubtless they have our lord bound in chains somewhere, or worse. Curse their wickedness!'. To which Tinnurion replied 'Why must you speak your thoughts? Silence serves us better in this dark hour'. Nothing further then was said of it, but in his heart Tinnurion feared the likelihood of his companion's words. And he too tired of the silence, so that when another week had passed without word, Tinnurion decided to head out on his own and look for Eöl, though many of his companions bade him not to.
That is how his search began.
