Ost-in-Edhil, SA 1600s

As the years after the forging of the One Ring stretched out, Eregion began to turn inward and decline. The laughter and cheer that had once been the very music of the land were now stifled and muffled. Travel and trade fell off sharply, with any unexpected strangers subject to interrogation at the borders. The prosperity that had been enjoyed for so long began to run thin. The celebrations at high days that had been legendary ceased and observances became small, quiet matters mainly kept at one's own hearth.

Many rings that had been fashioned with Sauron's counsel had been gathered and destroyed, but comfort and ease was not so readily won back. Just because the rings were gone didn't mean the land was safe – it was generally believed to be only a matter of time until Sauron gathered a force to challenge Eregion. After all, they knew his secrets just as he knew theirs.

And so Celebrimbor established outposts to keep watch for any suspicious movements in nearby lands. He also spent years fortifying Ost-in-Edhil so that if there was an attack, they could pull as many of their people as possible into the city. Armies were increased such that had once been mostly a matter of technicality, there only for ceremonial purposes. Nearly all the smithies of the Mírdain were converted to weapons and armour forges. Things of pure beauty and ornament were luxuries not to be concerned with anymore. Bit by bit, even gardens fell into neglect and started to become overrun with weeds.

Celebrimbor abandoned his forge, no longer taking joy in the crafting of metal and jewels, and began spending more time behind his desk. He convinced himself that he was needed there to oversee defense strategies and renegotiate trade policies. All he was really doing was taking up space, spending long hours scrutinizing maps and the histories of old wars and battles, and questioning everything several times over. Many were the times Erestor had to insist that Celebrimbor leave him to his work and go aid the building of the outer defenses or some such.

It was difficult to watch as Celebrimbor waxed grim, but Erestor knew that his own moods were running impatient and snappish in those days, too. It was only with one another that they found an ease of their cares and concerns, but with all joy and merriment being so muted in those days, they agreed to wait until such as time as the threat in the east had been dispelled before making their union official and known to all.


Ost-in-Edhil, SA 1693

"Celeb… come and take your rest, please?" Erestor said, stepping out onto the balcony where his lover stood in the middle of the night, gazing southward.

"I will have no rest, Eres," Celebrimbor sighed wearily. "It is close. I can feel it. It won't be long."

"All the more reason to rest now," Erestor said, his hand on Celebrimbor's arm.

Celebrimbor shifted to wrap his arm around Erestor and pull him close. He stroked fingers down Erestor's arm, clad in a sleeping tunic of fine sapphire silk. Celebrimbor himself stood in just his leather leggings. He had spent the day in the smithies for the first time in years, helping to forge swords with no cunning magic but the old methods and traditions that smiths had used since Aulë first sang the craft into being.

"You hold me and I have rest sufficient," Celebrimbor murmured, burying his face against Erestor's neck.

"Then grant me my rest and come lie with me?" Erestor asked, kissing Celebrimbor's ear-point.

"I can refuse you nothing," Celebrimbor said, looking up and framing Erestor's face in his hands for a long kiss.

Three days later, a communiqué arrived from one of Eregion's scouts, telling Celebrimbor of vast armies of orcs in a far eastern wasteland beyond the Ephel Dúath and he knew he could delay no longer in his plan.

"Erestor, I need you, quickly," he said, looking into the planning chamber where Erestor was working with several associates on a treaty revision.

Celebrimbor didn't wait, but hurried away immediately, leaving Erestor to sigh and shake his head and instruct his colleagues to continue on.

"Celeb, what can be so pressing?" Erestor asked, catching Celebrimbor up near his private quarters.

Celebrimbor didn't answer, but held out his arm and ushered Erestor into the bedchamber, where travelling garments were already laid out.

"Please speak to me, mela. What is this, where are we going?" Erestor said after a moment.

Celebrimbor took even longer to respond. He looked torn and doubtful. "You remember I told you about the three rings I made, alone?" he said eventually, his voice low.

"Yes," Erestor said concernedly. Celebrimbor had not spoken of anything to do with any of those things in years.

"These are the same," Celebrimbor said, handing a small oblong case to Erestor. "And now the time has come that we must get them out of here. They've got to be hidden, out of his reach, well before he arrives. I do not expect we have even another two years…."

"And we mean to accomplish that in what way?" Erestor asked, looking pointedly at the clothes set out and realizing they were all his items, none of Celebrimbor's.

"You must take them, ride to Lindon and seek Ereinion's protection for these. He will understand that they ought not be used, for his wisdom has proved a far better leader than mine."

Erestor had never heard Celebrimbor sound so despondent and he shook his head. "Celebrimbor, I have no desire to ride to Lindon or anywhere else. If the fight is closing in, I would stand beside you -"

"No, it must be you, and no other," Celebrimbor said, clasping Erestor's shoulders. "I cannot trust this to another."

Erestor took a long breath. "Then I must plan. I should be able to make the journey and get back before winter grows too forbidding in those northern ways -"

"Eres… you…," Celebrimbor shook his head as if the words didn't want to be spoken. "You must remain there, in safety."

Erestor just stared. "That's out of the question. I will deliver the rings into protection, but you cannot think I will stay and hide with them."

"Erestor, do not think of it as hiding, I know the strength of your heart and -"

"You're not going to send me away to be kept with your jewels like some dragon's hoard!" Erestor flared.

Celebrimbor bowed his head. He'd known his lover wouldn't react well, but…. "Erestor, I'm begging you. You have been the only thing of worth in my life, and if I am to meet Sauron in open warfare, I must know that you are safe. I could bear the loss of everything, but if I have not you when this is over, I might as well walk into the arms of a balrog today."

"Do not say those things!" Erestor cried with a shudder. "You talk as if you expect this to be the ruination of all…."

Celebrimbor flagged a bit again and his gaze took on a distant vacancy. "On the House of Fëanor the wrath of the Valar lieth from the West unto the uttermost East…. To evil end shall all things turn that they begin well…. The Dispossessed shall they be for ever," he said hollowly, reciting the curse laid upon the House of Fëanor by Lord Mandos himself.

"You were no kinslayer! You have harmed none, you have estranged yourself from your own family and proved yourself more worthy and noble than any of your line ever has been since the days of the Trees!"

But Celebrimbor was not convinced. "It is my failing that has lead us to this. Had I been a worthy leader, I would have overrode the Brotherhood when they favoured 'Annatar' and appealed for the gain and use of his knowledge. I allowed to counsel of those I know to be wise and just to be discounted, and I put by the counsel of my heart, for I feared more to be counted a tyrant, and my own pride could not conceive of an enemy who I could not manage. And now it is upon me to defend my people against Morgoth's own lieutenant, in payment of my Noldorian foolishness. And mayhap that will be enough and I can win back peace and come to you again and let us live our lives as quietly as we may. Whether here or in some other realm, it is the treason of my heart to say I care not, for I have no home, no allegiance, unless you be there, too."

"Swear to me," Erestor whispered, unable to speak louder as he held Celebrimbor as tightly as he could, "swear to me that you will come."

"I will come as soon as it is safe, Eres. When I know that he will not pursue me, I will come," Celebrimbor murmured against Erestor's ear.

"You have to," Erestor said, fighting to keep his voice from breaking. "You owe me a proper wedding."

A shaky laugh broke from Celebrimbor's lips. "Were our fëar not already long since one, I should marry you this moment."

"I said a proper wedding. Not a rushed one," Erestor said, pulling himself together and straightening up. "I need maps. And whatever I should need to impart to Ereinion about these rings. And whether you shall send thrushes or crows with tidings. And do not wait until you are desperate for reinforcements to send for aid from Lindon – you must send the moment you know you are outmatched, for it will take them time…. And don't forget our allies in Khazad-dûm."

Celebrimbor caught Erestor's hand just as he started to pull away toward the riding gear ready for him. "Erestor. I shall never cease to love you, for you have given my life meaning."

"I will not accept your goodbyes," Erestor said stiffly. "Now, go see that I have provisions and a properly saddled mount whiles I gather what I need here."

Erestor waited until Celebrimbor had left his chambers before sinking down beside the bed and letting his tears fall.

Only an hour later, Erestor was at the stables, his horse expertly tacked and well-provisioned. He stood holding Celebrimbor in a desperate embrace, hoping the memory of his beloved's arms around him would see him through until they could be reunited. At last, Erestor mounted and began the long ride north to Forlindon and court of the High King of the Noldor.

"So rides my only light of hope," Celebrimbor whispered. "Valar, though you may despise me fiercely, keep him but safe and I will give everything in recompense."