A/N: This is a tiny little piece I managed to write after a discussion with my friend about Maglor and what probably could have happened to him :'D This is my first attempt to write anything of Tolkien's works and actually publish it so I would love some constructive criticism.
I have no actual clue how fading works so I've used my and my friend's headcanons as a base for fading... If there's some kind of "official" material of what happens when an elf fades, I'd love to hear it.
I hope you'll enjoy reading this :D Reviews would be very appreciated. I'd also like to know whether I should continue this or leave this as a one-shot.
For Maglor, being dragged to Imladris by the silver lady herself wasn't actually that bad. The bad part, however, was trying to avoid his foster son – who happened to be the lord of Imladris – and not being seen by those who still saw him as a kinslayer. So when he stumbled upon two small elflings who looked so very much like young Elrond and Elros had looked, he felt terrified. Not because he felt like he had been taken back by millennia (which, of course, was terrifying already) but more so because he knew the elflings would drag him to their father and there was no way he'd be able to run away from that.
"He's tall, Ro", the elfling in red clothes whispered. "And he looks scary."
"But he looks nice, Dan", the identical elfling in blue answered.
"Let's take him to ada!" both exclaimed happily after looking at each other for some time.
"He must know this person", the one in blue said with a wide grin.
"He knows everything!" added the one in red with an identically wide grin.
Maglor couldn't help but let a tiny feeling of warmth wash over him. He would have known those grins everywhere and would have given everything he had ever had to get back the time he had had with Elrond and Elros. Thinking of the twins made his heart feel the same pain he felt every night when he tried to fall asleep on the ground or rocks he had found. Oh, how he wished he could sleep even a bit so that the horrible tiredness that had followed him ever since he cast the silmaril into the ocean would go away. What he'd do for a good sleep once in the cursed state he had been in for thousands of years…
"My name is Elladan!" the elfling in red declared. "Our ada founded this valley."
"I'm Elrohir", the elfling in blue said with a smile. "We're twins and Dan's the older. Who are you?"
"I used to be called Káno", Maglor answered after a long silence. "Though I used to have other names too."
"You have really light voice!" Elrohir exclaimed happily. "I thought you'd have lower voice since you look so old and a bit angry."
"Let's go to ada!" Elladan giggled and tried to tug Maglor's right arm to make him turn around. "You could stay here and ada would like to thank you for helping nana."
"Indeed I would, boys", an older male voice said behind Maglor. "But should you not be helping your mother who surely wants to rest as soon as she has unpacked her things?"
Can I run away? Was all Maglor could think.
"Ada!" the boys shrieked happily and ran to the lord of Imladris. Maglor turned his head and saw how the said elf-lord easily caught the boys and swung them once over his head, smiling a smile so happy Maglor would never have thought to see again on that face. The elf-lord placed the elflings on the ground and waved them off to see their mother. It was as if the elf-lord had never seen anything bad in his life. He turned to smile sadly at Maglor and to be honest, that was all that was needed to completely freeze Maglor.
"You're quite late, Maglor. I've waited for you for over an age."
Maglor hesitated for what seemed to be an eternity until walking to his foster-son. Then, without giving any warning, Elrond hugged Maglor and the two fell into an uncomfortable silence.
"I should have punched you before hugging you", Elrond huffed from the height of Maglor's neck. Maglor couldn't really protest so he hugged Elrond back and patted the top of Elrond's head. "I should have punched you and dragged you all the way to Lothlorien so lady Galadriel could have gotten angry at you by herself."
"So… Artanis is still alive and kicking?" Maglor asked hoarsely.
"Alive and kicking indeed", Elrond chuckled. "As of now she rules Lothlorien with her husband lord Celeborn… And I guess there is a lot to talk about for both of us."
"Talking?" Maglor asked and suddenly pushed himself away from Elrond. "No, I need to leave soon! I don't even know what I'm doing here… I can't let Elrond find me, I'd probably just cause pain to him…"
"Maglor, I'm right here", Elrond said, frowning and trying to reach Maglor's arm. That made Maglor jump further back and stare at Elrond like he had never seen an elf.
"Who are you?" Maglor asked with a voice so quiet that it almost faded under the sounds of the fountain and waterfalls. "I have seen you somewhere… Why cannot I remember?"
"Maglor, you are in Imladris", Elrond told with the most firm voice he could summon. "This is a safe haven to those who need a place to stay… You would be more than welcome to stay here."
"How do you know my name…?" Maglor asked softly. "Wait… You're Elrond, aren't you? It's been so long since we saw each other… Or was it just few years ago? No, it can't be, you're so much older… Or are you just a hallucination like the others?"
"Maglor, I am real", Elrond said, reaching out to Maglor's arm again. "Just see for yourself. I'm not leaving anywhere."
He must be fading… Elrond thought. Maglor seemingly struggled to decide whether he should believe Elrond and let himself be touched or to not believe Elrond and run away. In the end, he could not decide from the two and sat on the ground instead. He took out a broken instrument which looked very much like Maglor's old harp that always played the pretty melodies Elrond fell asleep to. Elrond sat next to Maglor and placed his hand on Maglor's slumped shoulder.
"I can't remember what broke it", Maglor whispered. "I can't remember when I last ate or slept… Everything's a blur. I don't even know how I am here… I just remember a beautiful lady talking to me and telling that I'd meet my son soon…"
So that's how Celebrían got him here! Elrond almost laughed aloud when he imagined Celebrían telling Maglor over and over again that his son was waiting for him.
"That must have been my wife", Elrond explained with a tender smile. "I can present you to her later."
"Wife?" Maglor asked and for a second Elrond could have sworn that there was a smile on Maglor's face. "My little Elrond has a wife? When did this happen? Ai, I should never have left, why was I such an idiot?"
"It's alright, Maglor, you can stay here and heal now", Elrond said and squeezed Maglor's hand.
"What do you mean?" Maglor frowned. "Why would I need to heal?"
"Maglor, you have been fading for an age, you can still heal", Elrond reasoned (or tried to). "I don't want you to be in pain anymore! I've been looking for you for way too long. Can I not have my foster-father back?"
Maglor looked at Elrond with immeasurable sea of sadness in his eyes. He shook his head miserably and leaned it on Elrond's shoulder. He was shuddering slightly in the wind, like a tall grass on the seashore.
"I cannot", Maglor whispered. "I simply cannot, what if Eärendil appears with the silmaril and the oath makes me do something stupid? What if the Valar decide to punish you for shielding me? What if…"
"Maglor", Elrond said with an amused tone, "my father has not come to me after Gil-Estel rose in the night sky, he will not suddenly decide to visit me. As for the Valar, they will not punish me for healing a broken elf."
Suddenly there was a soft sob and Elrond was drawn into an embrace and Maglor was pouring apologizes from his mouth. Elrond smiled and started rubbing circles on Maglor's back, hoping to soothe the taller elf even a bit.
"So am I allowed to interpret that so that you will be staying here?" Elrond grinned in his own childlike way after Maglor had calmed down and let go of the elf-lord.
"…for few years at least", Maglor whispered with an expression that looked weirdly like a pout.
"Now, we should probably get you a bath", Elrond said and stood up. "I really hope you have bathed at least few times while you've been wandering…"