It's a sequel piece to Family reunions, as some people asked me for this and the idea kind of came.

Again, it was Levade who kind of prompted me, saying that Celebrian is going to have guests. Well, here they are.

Family reunions is here: s/12953900/1/Family-reunions

Promised visits

"It seems that we are going to have some guests," remarked Celebrian on a quiet sunny afternoon, as she looked through the window ending with an arch supported by flowery ornamented pillars.

"Are we?" Elrond glanced up from the book he was studying. Soon after he came to Valinor, he learned that his Quenya left much to be desired by the local standards and he lacked some knowledge about the form of the language that was being used at present. He could easily understand it, but his first visit at Finarfin's court left him somewhat embarrassed, hence the lore books Finarfin was kind enough to lend him.

"You certainly can't call them patient," observed Celebrian, watching the approaching riders. Three of them were chasing each other in a wild chase, while the other four followed them more slowly.

"I guess not." Elrond left his book and joined his wife. "You know I never met them."

"I have not had the pleasure either," said she. "There was a lot of rumour when they were to be released, but I tried to stay away from it. Grandfather didn't insist on my presence and I wasn't really interested at the time."

"Well, we are about to find out what kind of company Maedhros and Maglor bring us."

The racing riders stopped their horses right before the spacious porch. Two of them looked like each other's reflections, with red hair, now unruly from the hasty ride. They were wearing identical tunics and light cloaks, deep green with golden embroidery around the hoods.

Elrond and Celebrian exchanged amused glances. It seemed twins were never too old for this kind of demonstration. Especially around strangers they could confuse.

The third rider was taller and broader than the other two, though not as tall as Maedhros. He had two pheasants attached to his saddle, which he untied and held by the legs as he joined the twins.

"So you are that cousin our brothers can't stop talking about," he said matter-of-factly. "Celegorm Feanorion."

"Welcome." Elrond offered him a hand, which turned into an awkward gesture, as his guest was still holding his birds.

"Elrond Earendilion," he said instead, then introduced his wife. "Celebrian Celeborniel."

"Ach, a cousin as well. I do hope you are not as stiff as Artanis."

"Behave, Tyelko," laughed Maedhros behind him. He and the rest of his brothers joined them finally. "I apologise, Celebrian."

"And you chastise ME for speaking my mind," muttered one of the dark-haired elves dismounting next to Maedhros.

"Don't worry." Celebrian laughed merrily. "I'm used to the fact that most of our guests found my mother intimidating. Including my husband at a time."

"Intimidating is not the word I'd use," commented the same elf. "Anyway, I hope she's not here."

"Galadriel seems to share Maglor's reluctance," said Elrond, though that wasn't the best word either. "Don't worry."

"Good." The dark-haired elf that looked a lot like Celebrimbor nodded approvingly. Elrond ventured a guess that this was Curufin. He was proved right a moment later, when he introduced himself courtly.

"We are almost done," laughed Maedhros. "If you still remember our lessons, I bet you have probably figured out the rest of us. Caranthir," he pointed at the elf at his right side. "And our Ambarussa."

Elrond noticed that one of the twins was watching them with curiosity, but also with a bit of discomfort. He kept glancing at his brothers. as if unable to follow the conversation.

"Is something amiss?"asked Celebrian, apparently having noticed it as well.

"Oh." Realisation dawned on Maedhros and he seemed almost ashamed. "Ambarto doesn't speak Sindarin. He never had a chance to learn."

"And didn't bother later." One of the twins elbowed the other. "It's high time you learned. Otherwise they will tell us apart too easily," he added in Quenya.

"So you are Amras," said Elrond, changing the language as well. "Do you still use that name? Maglor always referred to you as Amras."

"I do," nodded the redhead. "And he goes for Ambarto. I guess it would be Amrod in your language."

"But Ambarussa works just fine for both of us," added Amrod, grinning.

Maedhros rolled his eyes at that.

"They keep doing that again, as if they were elflings," he sighed exasperatedly.

"No chances with us mistaking you two, I'm afraid," laughed Elrond. "We have twin sons, so we are probably familiar with whatever you might come up with to confuse the rest of the world."

"See? I told you there will be no messing with Elrond," said Maglor.

They all switched to Quenya. As they spoke, Elrond noticed that the way Amrod spoke was very different from the rest of his brothers, not to mention that his own Quenya seemed rather rusty when compared to theirs. However, they seemed not to care, except for Curufin, who winced at first.

The sons of Feanor were definitely a chatty company. Elrond caught himself being still surprised as he listened to their brotherly bickering. Only Maglor seemed quiet and distant, but then he was the only one who had lived the whole time, mostly alone, while his brothers dwelled in the Halls of Mandos.

Celegorm offered to prepare his pheasants and Amrod joined him eagerly, while Amras went to collect some wood. Celebrian mentioned that there was a perfectly suitable kitchen in the house, but the guests asked only for salt and some spices. They did not, as Amras said, leave the city to cook inside. Elrond and Celebrian soon found themselves sitting in the garden with the seven sons of Feanor, making a fire and preparing a meal. It seemed unreal. Apart from his recent journey from Imladris to the Grey Havens, Elrond had not been out camping for quite some time and he certainly didn't think that would be one of the first things he would do after coming to Valinor. Of course, he considered hosting Maglor if he had nowhere to go, but he never dreamed of seeing Maedhros again, let alone meeting all of his brothers. They seemed to be quite a pleasant company and certainly differed from how the history remembered them. Valinor was indeed a place of healing, if the Halls of Mandos managed to transform the grim and terrifying elf Maedhros had once been into the dashing and cheerful prince, who was now helping by the fire and jesting with Celegorm. Curufin remained more reserved, while Caranthir engaged himself in a fierce conversation with Celebrian and they both seemed to enjoy themselves.

Maglor kept his distance. He sat with them and chatted occasionally, but he seemed to be partly far away and lost in thoughts, much like he had been on the ship. His brothers acted as if they didn't find his behaviour odd. Only one of the twins, Amrod, stayed close to Maglor. There was some partly hidden concern visible in his actions, in small gestures. Celebrian wouldn't know that, but Ambarto's behaviour reminded Elrond of their sons and the way they acted around him after she departed. He easily recognised the subtle way in which the youngest brother was trying to show Maglor his love and care.

"If you find our company imposing, please do say so," said Maedhros suddenly and Elrond realised he had not been following the conversation for quite some time. "But if I may remind you, you did promise to visit us."

"Of course not," Elrond reassured him. "And since when are you so impatient? That is not how I remembered you."

"His patience grows thin once the children have grown," laughed Caranthir. "I guess he spared you more when you were little."

"Now that is not true," protested Maedhros. "With all of you around, one has to be eternally patient."

"True," agreed Caranthir. "How else would we be out of Mandos?"

"So you have actually managed to annoy Lord Namo enough to let you out?" snapped Maglor abruptly, startling his brothers.

Maedhros shook his head and replied.

"There is more to repent and repay here, among the living, than it was in the Halls of Mandos."

"And I have been alone long enough," added Amrod quietly. "But Nelyo is right, we are more useful here."

Elrond glanced at Celebrian, who moved closer and put her arm around him. It seemed that they had involuntarily brought up a subject that had not yet been discussed between the sons of Feanor. Perhaps Maglor was not yet ready to ask that question. Elrond knew he wouldn't dare, had he been given a chance to see Elros again. He also felt that he and Celebrian should not witness it.

"As for your question, Maedhros, we did intend to see you all," said Elrond, drawing attention to himself. "It's just that I brought quite a lot from Imladris and we spent most of the time trying to rearrange our library."

"And making shelves," added Celebrian. "Perhaps we should have invited you earlier and made you help us."

"You've brought books from Middle‑Earth?" asked Maedhros with visible interest. "Would you mind if I take a look?"

"Of course not."

"Just don't stay too long, our dinner is almost ready," said Celegorm.

As no one else wished to accompany them, Elrond led Maedhros to the house. He had arranged his library in a large room at the back. Its wide windows were facing the garden, green and peaceful, as the guests had chosen a spot farther away from home. A faint scent of red roses blossoming outside mingled with the familiar scent of old paper, leather and dust. The whole room would have smelled almost like Imladris, if not for the fresh wood of the new bookshelves.

"It is quite a treasure you've brought," remarked Maedhros as they went in. He picked a random book and flipped the pages briefly. "You could talk with Curufin. He's been working on some kind of machine that could make copying books much easier. I am sure our great libraries would be very interested in getting copies of all the books you've brought."

"I know," nodded Elrond. "King Finarfin mentioned that when Celebrian introduced me."

"Do you mind if I borrow that?" asked Maedhros, pointing at a huge volume. It was a brief record of the Second Age events.

"By all means, suit yourself," replied Elrond, a little surprised by his choice. "I don't recall you being overly interested in history, though."

Maedhros only snorted and gone was his earlier joy. Despite the fancy clothes and jewellery in his hair, he looked a lot more like the grim commander Elrond remembered.

"I was barely interested in anything that didn't directly concern our survival," he said bitterly. "There was not much time to spare."

"I'm glad it's over." Elrond looked at the shelves, searching for more recent history books. "To see you again and to see you like this... it gladdens me more than I can possibly express."

"It's good to be alive again," admitted Maedhros, flipping the pages and glancing at chapter titles.

"When were you released?" asked Elrond carefully. From the joy all the brothers took from simple activities he suspected it wasn't long time ago.

"The years of the sun pass quickly here, and there is no real need to count them," said Maedhros thoughtfully, apparently reading something at the same time. "But it's been one hundred and sixty three years since we've been released," he smiled. "That is, aside from Ambarto. Mother pleaded his release long time ago. He had far less to repent."

"He must have been happy to see you again."

"He was. It was good to have him around at first to... well, to adjust to being alive again. It was awkward at first. But with the Oath gone, it was much easier."

"So my heart has not been mistaken? Your Oath is truly gone?" Elrond found himself asking despite his earlier thoughts that it was none of his business.

"The Oath was partly fulfilled the moment we stole the Silmarils from Eonwe," explained the eldest son of Feanor in an emotionless voice. He was looking at the book, but no longer reading. "I wish I knew that at the time. The Silmarils rejected us, but we got them. And what is more important, by throwing them away we renounced any further claims. We were the last two alive and we acted in the name of our House."

That was indeed good news to hear, however Elrond remained vigilant. It was never a good idea to talk about the Silmarils.

"And what about the one my father carries on the sky?" He purposely didn't look at Maedhros, bending to take the book he was looking for.

"It's no longer an issue," replied Maedhros easily. "Father considered the Silmaril reclaimed from the Enemy and in safe possession of Earendil. He claimed he was fine with this safekeeping, as long as no one tries to destroy his creation. That was the condition of our release."

"That sounds clever."

"This and that he stays in Mandos," added Maedhros grimly. "We learned about it post factum. I still don't know if Curufin was more mad at Namo or at Feanaro for not telling us beforehand."

Elrond could see some reason there, but he could hardly say so.

"If anything else, I'm glad Maglor has you all around," he remarked instead.

Maedhros's mood lightened only a little.

"Kano needs time, I hope. He hasn't been very talkative for the past month. It's not like him."

"He had hardly any company for the past centuries," Elrond reminded him. "But believe me, he was quite fierce in our arguments."

"That sounds more like him," Maedhros smiled fondly. "I'll try to make him talk with me about history. That's why I want to borrow these."

"I think he stayed away from most of the events," Elrond warned him. "If not, then he has forgotten to mention his part in the history. But I guess we should be heading back to the rest, or your brothers won't wait for us."

"They wouldn't dare around your charming wife," Maedhros winked at him playfully.

"Leave the books here, I'll bring them to you later," suggested Elrond. "Now if you could give me a hand, we could take some wine and mugs."

Maedhros nodded and grinned in delight.

"I can give you even both!"

What do you think? Please let me know.