DISCLAIMER: I do not own the Silmarillion or its characters. Rights to J.R.R. Tolkien.
Chapter One: Maitimo
There was a brief flash of a coppery hair disappearing behind a wall, and silent footsteps from behind it, and a shadow flashing across an open area.
Maitimo was running as fast as he could. He glanced over his shoulder time and again, and each time he had to run faster. He was panting for breath by the time he ducked behind a doorway, and the sound of feet going past him.
He sighed in relief and relaxed, stepping out from his hiding place. But he moved too soon. As soon as he had, he caught a flash of movement in his peripheral vision and jumped to his feet, but not quickly enough.
The next thing he knew, he was on the ground on his back with a mouthful of grass. The smaller Elf sitting on his stomach was laughing, and Maitimo scowled as he spit the grass out in his cousin's face.
Findekano's laughter turned into a shriek.
"What did you do that for?" he cried, digging his knee purposefully into Maitimo's stomach as he climbed off.
Maitimo yelped a little. "Same reason you just attempted to disembowel me with your knee," he said, rolling over and getting on his knees. He ran his fingers through his now tangled and grassy copper hair. Findekano had evidently stuffed grass all into it.
"You know this will take an hour to get out," he complained.
Findekano grinned slyly. "Of course I do," he said.
Maitimo gave him a look. "Of course you do," he repeated, then grinned. "I remember when it was always you who ended up with the grass in your hair."
Findekano flicked a gold-entwined plait behind him. "Yes," he snorted, "And I can tell you that mine took much longer to fix."
"At least yours is straight!" Maitimo exclaimed as he tugged on his own copper hair. "Mine will stick out in every direction!" Findekano shrugged, as if saying 'true enough.' The two were getting to their feet when a voice from behind startled them.
"There you are! Fin, you know that Atar wouldn't want you two to be rolling around and stuffing grass in one another's hair," Turukano crossed his arms, tapping his foot impatiently.
Findekano raised an eyebrow as he bundled up another ball behind his back. "And why not?"
"Because, you're supposed to be a prince, not a ragamuf—" Turukano didn't get to finish as Findekano's grass ball hit him in the face.
The eldest sons of Feanaro and Nolofinwe both started laughing at Turukano's flustered expression.
Turukano wiped his face off.
"Anyway, you two had better come to the feast tonight."
Maitimo straightened his tunic, glancing up slightly at his younger cousin. He still remembered when Turukano's head only came up to his knees, but now he was several inches taller.
"Of course we'll come," he said.
"Mai. We've never missed a feast before," Findekano agreed.
Turukano nodded. "I know. I just wanted to make sure, since neither of you have been seen much this whole visit."
Maitimo shrugged his shoulders. "True enough," he said. "We've had a lot of things to catch up on, since we haven't seen each other for... what, ten yéni?"
Nolofinwe had invited his half-brother and his sons to a feast that week, but only Maitimo, Tyelkormo, and Makalaure had come. Maitimo and Tyelkormo alone among the sons of Feanaro were close to their half-cousins, and Makalaure and Maitimo were nearly as inseparable as their twin brothers, the Ambarussa. Besides, Makalaure and Findarato, son of Arafinwe, were both musicians, and Makalaure enjoyed having someone to play with. That was actually where Maitimo and Findekano had left him.
The two cousins had spent the past few days riding all over Tirion, and Maitimo had thoroughly enjoyed himself. They had just completed one of their famous grassball fights, which usually ended up causing hours of working on their hair. And it would be no different this time, Maitimo thought ruefully as he tugged a brush through it. No matter how many times he did it, there was still some little piece of grass sticking out.
He yanked it through again, then stopped, knowing that he'd heard something behind him.
"Don't you dare, Tyelko!" he shouted, diving sideways as a handful of mud hit the mirror. He landed awkwardly, pinning his arm beneath him, the brush poking into his back.
Explosive laughter came from his fair-haired brother as he wiped his hand off on a rag, bending over.
Maitimo stood up, jaw set.
"Tyelko..." he began, voice low and threatening. "I am going to..."
Tyelkormo straightened. "You're going to what?" he asked, suddenly dead serious.
Maitimo's shoulders relaxed. "Nothing," he said. "Why in all of Arda did you do that?"
Tyelkormo shrugged. "I don't know. Why not? I mean, I'm your little brother..."
"... and all little brothers were ordained to be scourges to their older brothers," Maitimo finished, fluffing Tyelkormo's hair with a smirk, earning an exasperated look from Tyelkormo as he wrinkled his nose.
"I think that goes two ways," he muttered. "Anyway, what's taking so long? Kano and Findarato have finished their music already, and you're still up here."
Maitimo sighed and tugged on a lock of his curly hair. It bounced right back, annoyingly fluffy.
"Grass fight," he explained, "With Findekano. Summertime. You know."
Tyelkormo nodded with a smirk. "Yeah. That's no fun. I mean, the weather here is great and all, but for some reason your hair never liked it."
Maitimo frowned at his brother's smirk. "Hantanyel, háno." he said, sarcastically.
Tyelkormo mock bowed. "You are always welcome."
0o0o0
To Be Continued
A/N:
Thalion Estelsuggested that I reference the alternate names I use. I always think of the Finwions using their Quenya names, so I never thought much of it. But thank you for pointing that out!
Anyway, here's the glossary. There will be quite a bit of Quenya used in this story, considering it's the language they actually are speaking the majority of the time. At the end of each chapter will be a glossary of each term and name I use.
NAME GLOSSARY
Maitimo = Maedhros, his amilesse (mother name)
Findekano = Fingon, his amilesse
Fin = shortened version of Findekano, used as a nickname in this story
Turukano = Turgon, his amilesse
Feanaro = Feanor, his amilesse
Nolofinwe = Fingolfin, his ataresse (father name)
Makalaure = Maglor, his amilesse
Tyelkormo = Celegorm, his amilesse
Ambarussa = Amrod and Amras, their amilesse (used to refer to both)
Findarato = Finrod, his amilesse
Arafinwe = Finarfin, his ataresse
Tyelko = Celegorm, shortened form of 'Tyelkormo', used as nickname in this story
Kano = Maglor, shortened form of ataresse 'Kanafinwe', used as nickname in this story
QUENYA GLOSSARY
Atar = Father
yéni (sing. yén) = long years
Hantanyel = Thank you
Háno = Brother
REVIEW RESPONSES
DeLacus- Thank you for your review! I hope it's satisfactory
Thalion Estel- Again, thank you for the suggestion. Unfortunately, the bunnies seem to be somewhat under the weather lately. I've been trying to cure them, but they aren't getting better right yet.
Eruanne-Aredhel- Thanks! Wish is granted.
Namarie!
~Turefinwe Narusse Talinte Mistare Nairenis :)
