A/N I had this completed for months. LadyLindariel were discussing Maeglin's character a little bit, and I decided to post the second chapter to show how I see him.

When did it all go wrong?

Why did he open his mouth?

Well, he said nothing since being taken, chained and gagged and left in a barred cell. Forgotten. The solitude and silence was nerve racking. What was worse is that these fiends had done absolutely nothing to him.

Oh, not yet, not yet…he knew. They were planning something.

That was when he started to become afraid, knowing very well what becomes of elves who were not killed instantly.

And then, when the vulnerability was detected, he came.

No one can resist that evil, not without aid from the higher.

"The little elf is afraid of what is to come…" the voice said in a drawl. "Perhaps ones who have experienced what he shall can relieve his worries."

Maeglin did not look. He refused to look at the demon. But he could not escape. The door was opened, and he heard many footsteps. But not orcs.

He cracked an eye open, and he about died from the dread instilled in his heart.

It had been years since he last saw them, but he certainly knew one face.

Berthedir, a handmaid he used to know, and the guard with the scarred eye. The first of the three looked angry, in a controlled way, while the other two just looked sad.

Maeglin did not want to see them. Did not want to commune with them. They looked betrayed, so disappointed…the demon had left them alone.

Berthedir stared hotly at Maeglin. But it surprised Maeglin to hear the maiden speak.

"Why did you leave us?" She whispered, her voice already cracking. "Why did you all abandon us?"

Maeglin shook his head, not that it would do any good.

"What did we do to you to deserve abandonment? What wrong have we did to our master, for him to not come back…?"

Berthedir was the one who spoke next. "They found us...they took us back…" Maeglin could not believe the darkness radiating from the elf. It was not just a hopeless despair like in the forest. This…

Oh stars, they did abandon them. And when they did not come back…they had nowhere else to go. No one among their kindred would accept them like his father did. They only had…the enemy.

Maeglin felt a guilt unlike any other.

"…rewarded us…"

Rewarded?

"…he wanted your whereabouts…" the guard spoke.

Maeglin now felt betrayed by this admission. Were they sent to find Eöl, himself even, just to be taken to Angband to just become like them?

What kind of…

"But we are together again…" The maid murmured, "…we can have it the way it was before…master's son is here. He will lead us."

Maeglin blanched. He would not be a master over thralls!

Oh, stars, he was going to suffer like them…become one of them…

The once-servants silently left the cell. Maeglin curled in on himself and trembled. The demon came back…

Morgoth promised many things…Gondolin (that was his adopted father's: Turgon realm, not his), Turgon's daughter (Maeglin would love to slap the living hell out of whoever came up with that rumor. He was not THAT perverse, for stars' sake! He had suffered much discrimination in Gondolin…which is what brought him to going beyond his uncle's law, to just get away from it all. So much for noble minded Noldor).

Freedom.

His own freedom. Maeglin never seemed to have real freedom. Not in Nan Elmoth, very little in Gondolin…and now here? What kind of freedom is that? And what with the immense guilt he would feel in betraying Turgon, the only father he really had, the only person who truly understood him. Put up with his insecurities…even knew Maeglin was not seeking his daughter in that way.

The mistrust was still there. He would never escape this rough life.

But he could try and help the others.

I am so sorry, my father and king…

The gag was removed, and the demon spoke. "What say you, Lómion? Surely there is nothing else you could want in this world…"

"Free them…" Maeglin said hoarsely.

There was a blink.

"What?"

"Free them…" Maeglin looked in the direction of where the once-servants disappeared to. "…free those whom are familiar with me, and a few others from your domain."

There was a scoff. "And why, would I do that, pray tell? They have no purpose being outside my fortress…Ah, my dear Lómion, you are the only thrall that is of use to me."

Maeglin hated being called a thrall, but he had to ignore the sinking feeling in his heart, knowing that if he wanted to continue down this path, he was still going to be a thrall regardless.

He put on one of his cheeky smiles, though it tremored. He was still very much afraid, and was throwing his life to the birds. "Then you have not much choice but to go through with…your former plans…if bribes do not work…Have you not already many at your whim…what is a few out of your legions? What would you do when I simply give up on life without telling you anything?"

There was a crack of the whip, and Maeglin cowed.

"I have enough experience with the Avari to know they are very stubborn, no matter how much they try to conceal themselves, and to be brave." Morgoth drawled, and he scowled. "It would not be so difficult with you." The demon turned to leave. "But, unfortunately, I cannot have you be gone for too long, else all this will be naught." He narrowed his eyes. "Your "friends" will be freed, but you cannot accompany them where they please. You will return to the Hidden City." The demon smirked. "Oh, and thank you for showing me this weakness: you die here, then many more shall follow you to your grave. Quite the loss really…"

Maeglin discerned the unspoken threat…under pain of death, if he did not cooperate. And the death of the others…it would not be so simple, for him to be freed and never return. Or to die now, or then. The thralls would die too.

The elf yelped at the lash that struck his back, "Ai! AI! I accept!"

Morgoth smiled dangerously, "Then speak."

So much for going unscathed. Maeglin of course would never immediately reveal the secrets of the Hidden City…he only gave the simple things. Things that any elf could figure out. But Morgoth wanted more.

And more.

And more…

And that was when the pain started, and it did not stop until Maeglin had spoken all he knew about Gondolin.

But Morgoth had, oddly, kept his word. Berthedir, the maid, and the guard were free, and only one other who was unfamiliar to them all. Maeglin had hoped there would be more…but alas, he expected too much of a master of lies.

Maeglin was not thinking straight, hurting too much, and was basically being dragged by the guard and the unfamiliar elf. Berthedir had kept his distance, obviously, the feelings of betrayal were still strong.

"S-stop…p-please stop." Maeglin begged.

He was basically dropped face first into the gravel, and he laid there. After the elf gained himself, he looked up. The four were staring at him expectantly.

…a master of thralls…

Maeglin took in a breath, "You must…you must go…away from here, anywhere. But I cannot go with you."

"Why did you do this? Why after your abandoning that we should receive your help?"

Maeglin blinked.

Berthedir frowned, "…why do you think we would be better off free? None will accept us…we would be better off dead…"

"Nowhere…"

"Then find your way…back to Nan Elmoth." Maeglin said through gritted teeth. He was becoming angry with the situation already. "You have dominion over the halls, whatever is left of it."

The thralls looked uncertain.

"Go!" Maeglin said, getting to his feet. "I renounce my inheritance of my father's wealth. I will not see it again in my lifetime." The half-avar spoke quickly. "I will not see anything fair again, before the end."

The tone of his voice unsettled all of them…three of them fled, the unfamiliar one quicker than the other two, having not had freedom for many years. It was the maid that remained. She stood, watching, as her master's son slowly fell apart where he stood.

She could not recall her name…it had been a long time since it was uttered, but she could see the sorrow Maeglin was expressing. The rough time he must have endured, in his so called "freedom". He was in bondage to something, it did not matter if it was to the dark-lord.

Everyone is a prisoner, a thrall, to something.

Maeglin was on his knees, hunched over; the guilt overwhelming him. Oh, he wanted to die there and now…but he could not. Could not. The others would be dead if he did…

Life has been so cruel…

He stiffened as he felt gentle fingers run through his hair and scalp. Oh stars, it has been so long since he felt anything akin to a mother's touch, it just made him hurt even more, as he devoured this touch, and willingly leant into the embrace of the elleth.

Kneeling in the gravel, clothes torn, skin dirtied. Emaciated and hurt.

"Why are you still here?" Maeglin finally asked.

The she-elf removed her arms, but gently grasped the other's hand. She looked at him, wearily. She was spent, but she seemed grateful, "…We go home."

Maeglin frowned at her, "…You cannot be seen with me…"

She simply smiled, albeit a sad one. "…Let me walk with you, a ways…I…can do that much."

Maeglin considered this, bowing his head. He stood up, shaken from his wounds, and helped the lady up. She trembled also. He felt her spirit waning.

As they walked and stumbled, Maeglin welcomed the maiden's company, as short as it was. Though as he thought further, bitterness towards those in the Hidden City became more prominent. They knew nothing of what happens outside their walls. While it was a blessing of itself, they have become proud. Too proud. They needed to see the truth of it all. What happens…oh, they had better show some kindness to him now.

Maeglin felt the guilt weigh him down again, and his eyes glistened. He felt poor by betraying his uncle. Oh, he felt poorly about this all, now…

Whatever good he hoped to come out of it, he realized, there was none.

Except the freed souls…

…and him, in a house of thralls.