My Brother's Keeper

Disclaimer: All characters and locations mentioned in this story belong to J.R.R. Tolkien. I own nothing.

Chapter One.

This is one of Elrond's earliest memories. He cannot be more than two years of age. A strong pair of arms lift him and his brother from their crib. He sees golden hair, azure blue eyes. He and Elros are embraced tightly, and he inhales the scent of seawater that clings to this person (Ada, as he has only recently learned to say). They each recieve a kiss upon the brow, then are passed into Nana's arms. The twins daydream while Ada speaks quietly to Nana, kisses her, and leaves. Elros looks up at his Nana, concerned.

"Nana thad?" the toddler lisps. She pulls him and Elrond closer, trying to compose herself. Elros hugs her to cheer her up- he doesn't like it when Nana's sad. Elrond stares in puzzlement in the direction his Ada went. He doesn't know what's going on.

"Ada back soon? Nana?" he asks. She doesn't answer.

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

"Found you!" Elros crowed as he pulled his brother out from his hiding place behind the curtains. He capered about, happily- he loved winning hide and seek.

"It's your turn to go hide now, Elros."

"I don't want to! It's boring!"

Elrond sighed. "Do you want to go play with Nana, then?"

"Yay!"

Elrond took that as a yes and took Elros by the hand, leading him to Nana's sitting room. He knew she'd be there. She would be answering letters or looking out at the sea. He knew she was waiting for Ada to come home, though he'd been gone a long time. Elros said he didn't know who Ada was, though Elrond had tried to remind him lots of times. Nana didn't look up from the letter she was reading when the twins came in. She looked very pale. Elros ran straight for the model ship that was kept on a low shelf- it had been a gift from Cirdan, and Elros loved playing with it. Elrond walked over to Nana, wondering if he could help with the letter. He was big enough now. He could read some things, and a few weeks ago, Nana had let him sign a 'thank-you' note to Lord Cirdan for his and Elros' fourth birthday presents!

"What's in that letter, Nana?" he asked excitedly "Can I help answer it? Please?" He was jumping up and down, trying to see what was written in the letter. Nana jumped when he spoke, and Elrond frowned. It was almost as if she hadn't noticed them come in!

"No, Elrond. This letter is for grown-ups to worry about." She smiled shakily, while quickly folding the letter in question, and placing it in a drawer, which she then locked. "Besides, I believe it's time for a certain pair of elflings to have lunch?"

"Yes!" Elros shouted, running towards her as fast as he could, then stretching his arms out so she could pick him up. "I'm sooo hungry!"

Nana laughed. "Come along then." she smiled, lifting Elros onto her hip. "Oh, you're getting heavy. I won't be able to carry you soon!". Elros nodded firmly. He couldn't wait to get bigger. His Nana carried him out of the room, down towards the dining room, with Elrond trailing along behind them, wondering why Nana needed to hide the letter. What in Arda could it be?

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

A few weeks later, just as the family were sitting down to dinner and watching the sunset, there was suddenly a lot of shouting outside in the street. The noise level increased as screams and the sound of swords clanging was added to the din. They looked at each other, then at their Nana curiously.

"What's goin' on?" Elros asked. He'd never heard this much noise! And it was only getting louder. The twins started to feel scared, then, suddenly, Nana stood up in a hurry as one of the guards rushed into the room. He made to speak, but checked himself when he saw the elflings. He spoke calmly:

"Lady Elwing, you and your sons need to get to safety. Sirion has been compromised."

Elwing went white. "Is this because of...the Nauglamir?" she asked faintly, unwilling to actually spell out the cause for the fighting in front of her precious sons. The guard nodded gravely.

"Nana, what's a nauglir?" Elros piped up. Both boys were looking at her, waiting for an answer. This at least meant they did not see the arrow flying through the air and piercing the guard's heart. As he collapsed on the floor, blood pooling around him, Elwing snatched up her sons and ran. Loud footsteps and shouting echoed in the passages behind them, and Elrond and Elros began wailing with fright.

Elwing thought desperately about what to do. She knew what the invaders wanted- she had had it in her posession since she fled Doriath. Now the same murderous family who had destroyed that realm had come here. She knew she had to keep it out of their grasp...but what then would become of her sons? She decided, for the time being, to hide her little ones in the hope that the Kinslayers would not discover them. She quickly opened the nearest door- it was a storage room, full of relics salvaged from Gondolin. She ushered Elrond and Elros in there hurriedly.

"Now, you two must stay here and look after each other until someone comes and gets you, do you understand? Stay very quiet, and don't seperate!" She tried to sound reassuring for their sakes.

"B-but where are you going?" Elrond sniffled. "Can't you hide with us?"

"Don't leave us on our own!" Elros wailed.

"Ssh, darling. Remember, you must stay quiet. Nana has to go and get something she doesn't want anyone to find, alright?" she kissed them both. "I love you both. You'll be alright!" she closed the door to the room quickly, wiping tears from her face, and turned and raced in the opposite direction, praying she got to the silmaril before the Feanorians did.

Elrond and Elros curled up on the dusty floor of the supply room, cuddling each other for comfort. They had no real idea of what was going on, they just knew they had to stay there til Nana came back.

"E-elrond?" Elros stammered. "Do you think it's orcs attacking?" They had both heard of orcs in their bedtime stories. Elros often pretended to be fighting the nasty creatures in their games- his wooden sword had slain many imaginary orcs, but he suddenly realised he didn't want to fight any real ones.

"No, it can't be," Elrond reassured him decisively. "Nana always said warriors can beat orcs, so they couldn't be here! Now ssh, Nana said be quiet, remember?" Elros nodded, and the twins huddled closer together. His brother's question had made him nervous, though, and Elrond began to feel scared. If it wasn't orcs, what was it?

Footsteps sounded in the hallway outside, and stopped right in front of the twins' hiding place. Elrond whimpered. The doorhandle moved slowly, and, creaking, the door opened.

"What in- who are you?!" a male voice asked. Elrond and Elros had been temporarily blinded when the door was thrown open and the room flooded with light. As their young eyes recovered, they stared in shock- the speaker was an Elf!

"Where's Nana?" Elros asked tremulously, thinking to himself that this must be one of the guards, because he was carrying a sword, although he'd never seen this Elf before.

"SSH!" his brother hissed. "No talking to strangers, remember?" The stranger smiled wryly at that, though Elrond didn't know why.

"Perhaps you little ones can help me," the Elf began. "My brother and I came here seeking the Lady Elwing. I don't suppose either of you know where I could find her?"

Elros and Elrond looked at each other. Elwing was Nana's name, they knew that, but should they tell this Elf?

"She's not here." Elros spoke up nervously.

"I realise that, elfling." the Elf said impatiently "but I need to know where she is!" He knelt down so he was nearer to the boys, and in the light of the sunset, Elrond noticed his hair was red. He'd never heard of an elf with hair that colour! Elros noticed something even stranger. One of the strange Elf's hands was holding a sword, but...

"Where's your other hand?" Elros blurted out, startled.

The elf shook his head. He was angry now. He had not come all this way to be gawked at by elflings! He sheathed his sword, then grabbed Elros by the front of his tunic.

"Where is Elwing, you snivelling brat?" he roared. Elrond ran forward, hitting the elf with his little fists.

"LET GO OF MY BROTHER!" he shrieked. The strange elf batted him away effortlessly, and he ended sprawled on top of someone's boots. He got up quickly, whirling round to see who else had come in.

"Brother." the new arrival said flatly. "Release the child." His voice was monotonous, without any expression. "Elwing is gone."

"What?!" the red-head snapped.

"Our people pursued her to the edge of the cliffs. She had the silmaril with her. She cast herself into the sea. We will gain nothing by remaining here, Maedhros."

The redheaded elf let out a roar of fury as he dropped a terrified Elros on the floor. Elrond rushed to his brother's side.

"Is what he said true, Elrond?" Elros asked tearfully. "Did Nana fall in the sea? And what's a silmaril?"

Maedhros and his brother turned to stare at Elros as he spoke.

"Elwing's sons..." Maedhros said broodingly. "If Elwing were to return, they could be of great value as hostages. We will bring them with us." he decided.

"Hostages?! For how long, brother?" the other Elf asked in disbelief. "And what becomes of them if neither Elwing or Earendil return? Will you leave them to the same fate as Elwing's brothers?"

Maedhros' face coloured with rage, and he seemed to be on the verge of striking his brother, but he closed his eyes for a few moments, calming himself.

"Consider yourself lucky that you are the only brother that remains, Maglor." he hissed, "else I would have disowned you for that!" Their two youngest brothers, Amrod and Amras, had died in the recent battle with Elwing's guards. Maglor winced at the reminder and bowed his head.

Without further ado, Maedhros caught Elros up in his arms roughly and strode out of the room with him. Maglor sighed, and knelt to lift the other child. Elrond was trembling, but he looked at Maglor nervously.

"Where are you taking us? Nana said we had to stay here." his small voice wobbled, and he began to cry.

"Your Naneth is not here at present." Maglor said slowly, trying to think of what to say to calm the elfling, "My brother and I are going to take you two somewhere safe. You cannot stay here alone."

"Your brother's mean." Elrond pouted. "I don't like him. He shouted at Elros!"

"Elros? Is that your brother's name?"

Elrond nodded. "You're called Maglor?"

"Yes, and my brother is named Maedhros. What is your name, tithen pen?"

"I'm Elrond. Can we come home when Nana comes back? Please?" he implored. Maglor nodded to placate him, though he doubted that Elwing still lived.

"Yes, and I promise I will take care of you and your brother. Come."

Elrond allowed Maglor to carry him outside, where Maedhros was waiting beside his horse, still gripping a squirming Elros. Maglor placed Elrond on horseback-he gasped at being so high up- then mounted behind him. He reached out to Maedhros, took Elros and placed him next to Elrond. Both twins relaxed at being re-united, and Elrond began to whisper in Elros' ear as they rode away.

"Don't worry, Elros, Maglor is nice, and he said he'd look after us, so we don't have to be scared. He won't let anyone be mean!"

Maglor watched them chattering away. They reminded him of his youngest brothers- they had been twins as well. He thought he might grow quite fond of them in time...

To be continued...

AN: Elvish Translation:

Naneth/Nana- Mother/Mama

Adar/Ada- Father/Papa

Tithen Pen- Little one