A/N: Hi everyone! Sorry it took so long to post another chapter, I am certifiably bad at uploading when I finish chapters. But here is another one, and I hope you enjoy it. On a side note, something I just noticed was that a few of these places likely didn't exist yet when this story is taking place, like Eregion and Ost-in-Edhil. I know that is a big no-no in the world of writing, especially fanfiction, but I will say that this isn't canon and this is a bit alternate universe. I still try to stick to the right timelines though, and not mess with time too much. Just thought I would put that out there for anyone who was wondering about that. It's not intentional, but it makes the story flow a bit better.
Until next time, please read, review, and enjoy! The next chapter should be up next year! (just kidding, I'll try to have it up in a week or so….hopefully)
After a week of continuous travel, the group was closer to Himring. The twins stayed close to Múldir, or Maglor, but that was all. Maedhros had clearly left an impression, the wrong kind, and the rest of the elves couldn't have cared less about the twins.
The horses were probably held in higher regard to the twins than the actual elves riding them.
Elrond's neck and throat had healed in that week after Maedhros had nearly strangled him, but even then he didn't say much until one day when they were traveling through a wooded area and the twins were uneasy about something. Both were looking around and were generally unsettled by the quiet. Granted, these elves didn't speak much as they traveled, but this silence was more complete.
Like the entire forest was holding its breath.
Finally, Elrond, who was riding with Maglor, turned to him and said, "It's too quiet."
Maglor smiled gently, trying to make a good impression on the twins, "That's because sometimes adults have a lot on their minds. Don't worry too much about it."
Elrond shook his head, not buying Maglor's reasoning and slightly smarter than the very young child Maglor was treating him as, "Even the trees are too quiet. Something bad is about to happen."
Maglor stared at him before looking at Elros, riding with Múldir, who was nodding vigorously. Múldir was looking around as well, before guiding his mare over to a tree and resting a hand on its trunk. After a few moments, he shook his head and opened his eyes, "The trees have retreated into themselves too deeply. I have not the skill to awaken them. But the twins are right; something is not right."
Maglor nodded, becoming unnerved as well, especially when his brother up ahead raised his fist suddenly and their warriors started readying their weapons, then Múldir said suddenly, "Up you go, both of you! Climb as high as you can and don't come down until one of us comes to get you," boosting Elros up into the tree he had been trying to communicate with, Maglor riding over and helping Elrond into the tree as well as the wind changed suddenly and brought with it the smell of death.
Orcs.
The twins needed no more urging and climbed quickly, going as high as they could, settling on a branch as close to the top as they could. From there they couldn't see the fight, but they could hear it: metal clashing against metal, cries of pain and fury from the elves, howls and curses from the orcs. To the twins, it felt like an eternity, but in reality it was more like twenty minutes when the sounds of battle finally died down. It was only then, in the aftermath and relative quiet, did Elros say, "Did they leave us behind? Like the one-handed one said they wanted to? What do we do if they did?" Maedhros not bothering to tell the twins his name and they not interested enough to learn it just yet.
Elrond shook his head, "I don't know, El. Adar said there was a city called Ost-in-Edhil inland; maybe the trees could show us the way? They aren't completely asleep."
Elros nodding, feeling the tree stir from its sleep as it realized who was hiding in its branches. Here, Elu Thingol had never been king, but the trees recognized his rule and so recognized his heirs. They would help the twins get wherever they desired. At that moment there was a call from below: "Elrond! Elros! You can come down now; the orcs are dead!"
The twins looked at each other, debating, but then a voice they had learned to fear somewhat called, "If you don't come down right now, I will cut this tree down with you in it. And don't think for a moment that I wouldn't."
Elrond looked at Elros, who looked back at him and nodded before beginning to climb down, Elrond giving the tree a pat before following his brother. They weren't going to risk an innocent tree if they could help it. Finally, they reached the last branch, and there was a six-foot gap to the ground. Thankfully Múldir was there, looking none the worse for wear, and helped both twins climb onto his mare from the branch, saying, "The orcs won't be coming back, don't worry. We'll be home before they try again."
The twins didn't seem to hear him, as they were staring at everything around them. They had never seen orcs before, and they were scared. The orcs looked like monsters to their innocent eyes and minds: beady eyes and disgusting, rotten teeth, their skin black and grotesque. They were all dead, but that didn't make them any less scary to the twins. Both were grateful when Múldir nudged his mare on and took them away from the battlefield, taking them to where the elves were taking stock of and collecting themselves after the fight. Maglor was there, directing the placement of guards and sentries. Maedhros, following silently behind Múldir and the twins as was his wont when he was checking behind them for a surprise ambush from behind, went to his brother then and started helping. They would set up camp for the rest of the day and continue on in the morning to give their wounded a chance to rest and heal.
As this was happening Múldir went to where what few wounded there were were waiting, dismounting and helping the twins down before collecting his pack and tending the wounded. The twins stayed close to him for a few minutes before settling under a nearby tree, holding each other close and shivering slightly from the shock of all that had happened that day, silently wishing their mother was there to make everything better. But she wasn't, and the elves they were with didn't seem to care there were two traumatized children in their midst. Múldir was able to get them a cloak and wrap it around them for some warmth, but when one of them whimpered slightly Maedhros, who was passing by, snapped, "Shut up Tittalundo, or I will give you something to be afraid of."
The twins immediately hid in the folds of the cloak, unable to find any comfort except with each other, and they stayed that way the rest of the night. Not even food drew them out, and so Múldir let them be after trying for a few minutes to coax them out. Whether he liked it or not, the twins wouldn't be getting any kind words from Maedhros, and Maglor was malleable to his brother's will sometimes and likely wouldn't treat them with the kindness a mother would. No one else, aside from perhaps Maeassil would treat them kindly, which left Múldir. He would have to take on the role of looking after the twins even more than he already was if they were to have any chance of growing into decent elves.
He didn't want them turning into the Fëanorians, or becoming callous and hard like Maglor and Maedhros.
They deserved better than that.
On the other side of camp, Maglor and Maedhros argued. About what, none were brave enough to get close enough to find out, but no doubts were left in anyone's mind that it wasn't a pleasant conversation. The gestures and identical scowls were proof of that.
Whatever they were arguing about was serious enough to make them angry at each other, though, the type of angry that takes a long time to cool. Finally, Maglor walked away, leaving Maedhros to decide how he was going to deal with his brother and get rid of the elflings. He didn't want them, and they were a waste of food and space.
Why should he care about them?
A week later and the group finally arrived in Himring. It was less than a joyous occasion, but what else were they supposed to expect? They had left with the promise of returning with the Silmaril; instead, they came back with a third of their forces gone and two elflings instead of a jewel.
Needless to say, it was a quiet return to the keep.
The twins and Múldir were some of the first into the keep, all three blindfolded on Maedhros' orders. Múldir had tried to talk Maedhros out of blindfolding the twins, saying they were too young to remember the way to the keep, but Maedhros hadn't cared and ordered it anyway. It was three whole days of darkness for the twins and Múldir, and the twins didn't like it all, especially when their wrists were bound to keep them from untying the fabric, just like Múldir. Their sense of danger had not decreased, and so to be blindfolded when they didn't feel safe didn't help and only added to their fear of what lay ahead. Not even Múldir's assurances that everything would be fine calmed them, and they were constantly jumping at every little sound and setting everyone on edge with their nervousness. But Maedhros could not be swayed, enjoying their fear and the terror his cruelty caused them.
Maybe they would learn a lesson about respect this way.
Not even Maglor was able to sway his brother, and everyone else preferred Múldir blindfolded. It made him quieter and more compliant, but it also made his mare bite more as she knew that no elf should be so cruel to another, and quite frankly she enjoyed causing them misery when her rider could not.
When they finally arrived and the blindfolds were removed, it was almost dusk. The twins, after dismounting from Maglor and Múldir's horses, stayed close to Múldir as they tried to see all there was to see as quickly as possible. As Múldir talked to another elf and that elf took his horse for tending, the twins looked around in the failing light; slightly intimidated by everything around them. High walls of stone with guards every ten feet or so, buildings along the walls that were likely shops and homes, and then a large, dark castle. The stone of the castle was gray and foreboding, and there was a sense of despair and depression around it; as if the castle itself had seen better days. It was five levels tall, with many windows and balconies, but that didn't distract from the gray stone or how lifeless the place felt. There were no growing things to be seen; no plants or trees anywhere, and the part of the twins that was Sinda and loved nature became upset at how bare the place was. Without nature, it felt like there was no life here beyond elves and livestock, and that was a sad thing to think.
It was very different from their home, which had always been filled with light and laughter, and the city hadn't felt so drab and rundown.
Elrond glanced at Elros, who shared the glance: if this was home for Múldir and these elves, it was no wonder they were so quiet. This place was extremely depressing and empty of life.
Múldir, his conversation finished with the elf, turned to the twins and led them towards the doors of the castle, deciding to settle the twins in his rooms for the night until they had a place of their own. To enter the castle they had to pass Maglor and Maedhros, who were in deep discussion about something. The twin's guards automatically went up, not wanting to be surprised by Maedhros again, but then Elrond noticed something he couldn't tolerate.
Something that made it possible to get past his fear of Maedhros and speak his mind, like he would do many times in the future.
"That's my father's sword," he said, stopping near Maedhros as he did so, wanting to see his reaction. It was immediate for everyone around them; they all stopped what they were doing and there was silence from all there as they held their breaths to see what Maedhros would do. He could be exceptionally violent when he was challenged.
Maedhros turned to him, cutting off his conversation with his brother abruptly to sneer at the elfling, Hadhafang still in his hand. How Elrond and Elros hadn't noticed he had their father's sword all this time was beyond them, but they were more than willing to remedy that error now.
"It's mine now. Decent compensation for not getting what we wanted. And a few extra things that are even more useless," his disgust for the twins more than plain to see.
Elrond didn't even flinch at the insult, refusing to take the bait. Next to him Elros did the same, proving both twins were brave and likely a bit foolish to challenge Maedhros in such a way. Elrond only said again, "That's my father's sword. You might have it now, but don't expect to keep it for long," and there was certainty in his voice and eyes that surprised all there, none expecting a child to be so serious and adult-like in his behavior.
Perhaps these children were a bit more mature than they had been given credit for, but Maglor also guessed it was because they had just watched their home be destroyed. That would make anyone grow up in minutes, and he knew then and there he had ruined their childhoods and their innocence, and it was never coming back.
He truly did bring to ruin all that he touched and met.
At that moment a she-elf came to the door from inside the keep, looking over all gathered there before looking at the twins. She was black-haired and blue-eyed like the majority of Noldor but walked with a limp. Even though she limped, there was no denying that she was someone used to being listened to and obeyed. But she clearly had a softer side, as her expression softened when she saw the twins. Seeing her Múldir broke the silence by saying: "We should go, and get cleaned up. Then we can see what Maeassil has made for dinner."
Elrond stopped his staring match with Maedhros to nod and follow Múldir, even though he glanced over his shoulder one last time at Maedhros as if to say the match wasn't over yet and wouldn't be over for a long time; Elros following close behind and not letting go of his brother's hand, needing the physical comfort of his brother holding his hand to keep putting one foot in front of another. They followed Múldir and Maeassil through the castle, carefully remembering the way to wherever they were going and trying to quietly guess what was on the other side of the many doors they passed. They would have plenty of opportunities to explore more thoroughly though, if only to find as many hiding places as possible if the need arose, and they both felt they would have to.
The one-handed elf was likely unpredictable in his rage if their few interactions with him were any indication.
They soon arrived at one door that Múldir opened, leading them inside and shutting the door behind them, Maeassil going to find them some dinner and a few changes of clothes. Once the door was closed Múldir said, "Now, let's see about getting cleaned up. I think we could all use a bath right about now," going into the bathing chamber to get the water ready. As he did so the twins looked around the room, taking in the large bed, bookshelves, fireplace, chairs and tables, and a small settee set near the fireplace along with some comfortable-looking chairs. It was a large room and likely comfortable and yet for some reason felt cold and still, like there was no warmth or joy to be found, likely from the cold stone it had been built in. Neither twin understood this feeling, nor could understand how any elf could live like this, cut off from the world and the sun and living in a place of stone.
Múldir returned just then, "It's ready. Let's get you cleaned up and into different clothes."
The twins followed him into the bathing chamber, and after they were ready Múldir left them alone, guessing they wouldn't need help bathing. He was right, as fifteen minutes later they were done and in clothes Maeassil had found somewhere that fit them rather well. They would do until she could find some more. Once they were finished Múldir bathed as well, finishing just as Maeassil returned with dinner and a comb. She was able to brush out the twin's hair as Múldir dressed, but they refused to let her braid it. They would do it themselves in the morning if only to keep some of their identity as elves of Sirion.
Finally, they were all sitting at the table and enjoying the stew Maeassil had prepared, and Maeassil was able to ask, "Now that things have calmed a bit, can you tell me your names?"
The twins looked at each other before Elrond said, "I'm Elrond, and this is my brother Elros."
Maeassil smiled slightly and asked, "And who are your parents?"
"Elwing and Eärendil," Elros said.
Maeassil couldn't hide her surprise, "And where are they? I can't believe they left you alone."
Elros replied, "Ada was away like he often is. He was searching for something, and could only be home rarely. He was away when you came," looking at Múldir.
There was silence for a few minutes then Elrond said, "Nana jumped off the cliff near home with the big jewel she has. Those two elves, the dark-haired one and the one without a hand, tried to make her not do it, but she did it anyway. She jumped into the sea."
"Oh...I'm so sorry, young one," Maeassil said softly.
"She turned into a bird," Elros said suddenly, "I saw her, she turned into a bird and flew away."
Maeassil stared at him a few minutes before saying quietly, "Elros, I don't think that's possible. I'm certain you just imagined it. It is impossible for an elf to turn into a bird."
"Then I imagined it too," Elrond said quietly, then turned to Maeassil, "So which one of us is lying? At least to ourselves?"
Maeassil stared at him in shock while Múldir struggled not to laugh. A few weeks traveling with the twins he had learned that Elros spoke more than his brother, but Elrond's tongue was more barbed and his words had more bite when he did choose to speak.
Before Maeassil could recover her wits enough to speak Múldir said, "You can stay in my room tonight young ones. We will figure out where you will live tomorrow."
"When can we go home?" Elrond asked suddenly, "Uncle Círdan must be worried about us."
Múldir had no answer right away, but thankfully Maeassil did once she had recovered the ability to speak: "You can go home when you can survive the Wilds on your own. When you can hunt and fight; when you can tend your own wounds and know what can heal you and what can kill you out there. When you can read a map and know where you are going. Then you can go home."
Elrond nodded thoughtfully while Elros said in confusion, "The one-handed elf said we are prisoners. How are we supposed to learn if they don't let us learn anything?"
"They will let you learn," Múldir said, "We will see to it. I can teach you what I know about healing, history, reading, and writing. Maeassil can teach you about cooking and other random things she knows. If you try to help people in the keep they will thank you for it and teach you. You just need to be inventive in how you learn in order to learn."
"What about fighting? When can we get our father's sword back?" Elrond asked.
"There are sword-masters here," Maeassil said, "They will start training you when you are a bit older. As for your father's sword…." she trailed off for a minute before finding an answer, "You will have to figure that out on your own, I'm afraid. Maedhros will not let you get it back so easily."
"But for now," Múldir said as he looked at the sky, "It is time for you to go to bed. It is getting late, and the coming times will be trying for you. You will need all your rest," looking at the twins, "I will be nearby if you need me."
They both nodded and went into the bathing chamber to change clothes. When they came back out they got into the large bed and almost instantly fell asleep. It had been a long few weeks, and they were exhausted in more ways than one. The next day would prove interesting, to say the least, and they would need all their strength and energy. Until then they would sleep.
The next day, after a night of sleep devoid of dreams because of how exhausted they were, the twins were brought to Maglor's study by Múldir. Once they arrived Múldir was forced to leave to tend some of the warriors wounded in the orc attack, and could only hope Maglor wouldn't hurt the twins in any way.
They had been traumatized enough.
The twins, once alone with Maglor in his study, waited quietly for him to say what he wanted to say, not letting each other out of their sight. The study was large, with several bookshelves and many pieces of furniture, as well as a fireplace and balcony that faced the rising sun. The stone floors were covered in rugs and tapestries of various hunting scenes involving the same seven elves hung on the walls.
Maglor finally finished what he was working on and looked up, smiling gently as he said, "Please, come closer and have a seat. You don't need to be afraid."
The twins looked at each other before looking at Maglor, not quite believing what he said, but they still came closer and sat in one of the large chairs in front of the desk, easily able to fit. Once they were settled Maglor folded his hands in front of him and said, "You don't have to be afraid. This place is very safe and orcs never break through the gates."
"When can we go home?" one twin asked, cutting in and not caring that he was interrupting an adult. They both wanted to be back near the sea with their mother and father, and their uncle telling them stories.
Maglor's smile seemed to freeze a little before he said, "This is your home now. You will grow up here, and become strong warriors that defend your home. In time you will grow to like living here. Just give this place a chance. In the meantime," he continued and ignored the skeptical looks the twins shot him, "I wanted to let you know that you are free to explore the keep alone as much as you like. But, if you come across a locked door, don't try to open it to get inside. It could be someone's living quarters, after all," he paused a moment before saying, hoping the twins understood the gravity of this next statement, "And stay away from my brother for now. He needs some time to come around to the idea of you living here, and he does that best when he is alone. Understand?"
The twins nodded, deciding against asking Maglor questions he wouldn't answer, except for one. Elrond finally asked, "What's his name?" when Maglor looked at him in confusion he elaborated, "What's your brother's name? No one has told us, and he hasn't been in a mood to be asked."
Maglor shook his head, "I am sorry about that, and can only say I hope he comes around to you living here. Perhaps you will all come around to the idea in time. As for his name; his name is Maedhros, and I will tell him yours again when I have the chance. In the meantime, feel free to explore the castle. We will start your lessons in a few days, once you have settled in a bit more. I don't even want to guess how far behind you are right now in your education," Múldir's assumption that he would be the one teaching them clearly wrong if Maglor was already trying to figure out a plan to teach the twins and educate them.
The twins nodded and hopped off the chair, and Maglor smiled again, "Give this place a chance before you dismiss it. It may surprise you, and I hope you learn to like it and have some fun. You can go now."
The twins nodded and left, closing the door behind them silently. Once he was done Maglor nodded to himself.
That had gone better than he expected.
Unbeknownst to him, he had just given two young elves with a love for pranks permission to go ahead and prank anyone they could, himself and his brother included. They would make sure the Sons of Fëanor regretted ever bringing them to Himring and away from all they knew and all who were dear and familiar to them.
After leaving Maglor's study, the twins headed for the stairs. They might as well take advantage of what time and freedom they had to explore the keep and see what the place was like. They made it downstairs and outside, taking in the fresh air for a moment before looking around. The yard was made of hard-packed earth and nothing grew at all. There were no green things to see at all.
A large building nearby had the sound of horses coming from it, and near it was another building where there was much clanging and banging. Across the way were what looked like storehouses and other small shops where people traded one thing for another. And always, on the wall surrounding all this, were guards with spears and shields, keeping an eye out for danger in any form.
A shame that they weren't keeping an eye on the danger already inside their walls.
The castle courtyard was rather busy as the twins descended the stairs and headed for the stables and smithy. They would explore outside the keep before going back inside to face whatever waited for them there.
The stables were well-kept and clean, the horses in large box stalls and enjoying their feed. Maglor's large mare and Maedhros' massive stallion were next to each other, and farther down the twins could make out the mare Múldir rode. They kept to the sides of the aisles, not trying to get underfoot as they went to see her. She nickered and bobbed her head in greeting before lowering it to check on them and see how they were doing. They, in turn, stroked her head for a few moments, glad that there was at least someone completely nice in Himring aside from Múldir.
They were still deciding about Maglor and Maeassil.
At that moment a horse began kicking a stall door and the few grooms there rushed to settle the horse. Múldir's mare pushed them towards the exit, silently telling them they didn't want to be there in the next few moments as the grooms let the horse out to stretch their legs and exercise. The twins understood the message and left, heading for the smithy next.
They didn't go in, just stood at the open door and watched the smith work. He was hammering away at horseshoes and repairing swords and spears, not paying them any attention, just like the grooms from before. It seemed the twins were invisible to all there, and no one cared what they did, most of the time. What would happen when someone did care they couldn't say.
The twins moved on after watching the smith for a few more minutes, deciding now wasn't the time to explore the smithy too deeply. They went from building to building after that, taking in all that was there. There was a weaver's shop, a small bakery where they were able to get two apple scones from the kindhearted baker who thought they looked too thin, an armory they stayed away from after being chased away by the bad-tempered quartermaster, and a few other shops and things. In the village outside the walls there was probably more to see, but they wouldn't be going out there anytime soon.
They still climbed the wall and were able to see green grass and trees beyond the village, the guards allowing as long as they didn't get too close to the edge. There was just no grass or trees inside the walls, making the place even more depressing.
After spending a good few hours exploring the outside of the keep, the twins were able to go inside and see what was there. They already knew what was on the second and third levels, having explored them right before breakfast with Múldir so they would know their way around, now they wanted to see what else was there. The first level, in the beginning, yielded nothing of interest: a banquet hall, the kitchen where Maeassil and her staff were getting more food ready, a few locked doors that the twins guessed all led to the same place. What that place was they had no idea, but they had every intention of finding out.
Finally, they made it to a set of double doors that weren't locked. They entered carefully, not wanting to get yelled at for being there. The yelling didn't happen, because they had found the healing wing. Múldir was there, as he had said he would be, tending a sleeping warrior. He looked up and smiled as the twins entered, and they relaxed. He wouldn't yell at them for being there. That became even more evident when he said, "Go outside. I'll be there in a few moments," nodding at a set of double doors opposite the ones they had just come through.
The twins nodded and went outside, immediately surprised and then glad of what was in front of them. Instead of more gray stone and dirt, there were trees and bushes and grass. The trees were young and strong, their roots deep in the soil and bringing it to life. Birds and other small animals could be heard and seen, and the twins needed no incentive to race for the nearest tree and climb it, glad to be off the ground. It was no mast on a ship, but it would do. There were no guards along this portion of the wall, as it was so high that no orcs could climb it and there was no way to see over it even from the treetops.
By the time the twins had settled Múldir had joined them, and he smiled as he asked, "How do you like my garden?"
"Garden?" Elros asked, and Múldir nodded as he joined them in the tree, "Yes, my garden. I grow healing herbs here, and the trees and bushes protect them from the weather. Also, the bushes sometimes yield fruit that is great to snack on. This is a great place to escape your worries for a little while," he stopped suddenly, and Elrond immediately guessed he had just said something he shouldn't have.
Thankfully Elros broke the awkward silence by saying, "Can we come here, whenever we want?"
Múldir smiled, the tension breaking almost immediately, "Yes, you can, and you can stay as long as you want whenever you visit. I would enjoy your company."
Elros nodded, while Elrond asked, "What about Maglor and Maedhros? They won't want us to stay," his instincts telling him the two elves didn't want him and his brother spending a lot of time with Múldir. For some reason, there was a rift between those elves, and Elrond was determined to figure out what it was, no matter how long it took.
Múldir thought a moment before shrugging and saying, "I will just tell them I am teaching you how to be healers. That is something they will believe and accept. And since they never come here, they will have no way of knowing if it is true or not."
"Or," Elrond said slowly, "you could actually teach us how to be healers," when Múldir looked at him in surprise he added, "I would rather be a healer anyways, but Maglor said we must learn how to fight and be warriors. Why can't we do both? As you said, they won't care, as long as we do what they want when they want us to do it."
Múldir stared at him for a few moments before saying, "I can teach you, but only if you are willing. There will be much book work in the beginning and at times it will seem uninteresting, but a good foundation is what is required to be a great healer. Are you sure you want this?"
Both twins nodded, faces serious and eyes solemn, and Múldir nodded slowly. He would teach them everything he knew, and perhaps they would surpass him in knowledge and wisdom one day.
One could only hope as he began their first lesson in healing.
The first of many as the years went by and they became firm friends.
Elsewhere, as the twins took their first steps into becoming healers, Maedhros paced in his brother's study, trying to get him to see reason. Trying to get him to get rid of the twins. They were more trouble than they were worth, and a bigger waste of space than even Múldir.
And that was said when Múldir was actually useful and had a purpose in the keep.
"Why not get rid of them, Maglor?" he asked, "Just put them on two ponies with some provisions, tell them which way Ost-in-Edhil is, and let them go. Simple."
"They wouldn't survive the journey, and you know it," Maglor countered, "And you do remember what happened to their uncles, right? Or rather, what might have happened, since no one knows what became of them," shuffling some papers on the desk he was seated at.
"I remember," Maedhros growled, "I spent a good while looking for them after all. But this is different. What do you possibly hope to gain by raising them here? Aside from the fact they are hostages if Círdan and the High-King even come this far east, which they won't, what use do they have? They are too small and ignorant to the world."
"Aren't all children small and innocent in the beginning?" Maglor countered again, and Maedhros glared at him, Maglor ignoring the glare with practiced ease as he continued, "I want to raise the twins here, not as hostages, but in the hope of some small redemption. We took everything from them, Maedhros: their parents, their home, their people. You do remember what it was like to have everything taken from you, don't you?" Maedhros stopped pacing and stared at him, prompting Maglor to continue, "Back then Fingon, their great-uncle, saved your life and risked his own in the hopes of redeeming us to his people and Fingolfin. And so the mantle of King was passed to that line because of you. And perhaps that line will save us again. If not, then perhaps the Valar will give us some mercy when next we go to Valinor, whether we are alive or dead."
"And if not?" Maedhros snapped, forcing some of the better memories of his past as well as some of the worst from his mind, "And if they decide hating us forever is their only path? If they decide they can't let go of the past and what we did? What then?"
Maglor was silent for many long moments before saying softly and slowly, "I don't know, but I assume we will find out."
Maedhros snorted and left, knowing he wouldn't get any more answers from his brothers that day. At least, none that he would accept. He might as well see what the twins were doing and make sure they didn't break anything of value during their first full day at the keep.
At least, that's what he told himself as he went looking for them.
The next day was a bit overcast and gray, making the gray of the castle stone even more depressing. The twins, after their first lesson in healing with Múldir, had found some lunch in the kitchen before again exploring more of the keep. This time they climbed all the way to the fourth floor but weren't there long when they were chased away by Maedhros, who yelled at them to leave. Why he was up there they didn't know, as his quarters and study were on the third floor. But they didn't question him as they turned and ran, knowing they could explore later when their hosts dropped their guard around them. The fifth floor was also left unexplored, even though Maeassil told them it was really nothing more than an attic with a lot of old, useless things up there and odds and ends that they might need for random events, as well as access to the roof to repair it when necessary.
After the run-in with Maedhros, they had wandered a bit more before going back to Múldir's room and looking around there. The books in his bookshelves were all about healing, and the twins immediately grabbed one on herbs and settled on the bed to read together. They stayed there, reading many different books about healing and studying what illustrations there were until Múldir came to find them for dinner.
They had gone with him to the banquet hall but hadn't liked the noise and talk and drunken singing that had gone on there. Maybe on other nights it was quieter, but not that night for some reason. Múldir stayed with them, and it was clear he didn't like it either. Finally, though, it was over and Múldir escorted them to their new room on the third floor. It wasn't really close to his and nearer to Maglor and Maedhros' rooms if nothing else, but it was their own at least. It had a common area complete with a couple couches, chairs, and desks, as well as a fireplace and bookshelves that were a bit bare for the time being, and there were paintings and tapestries all over the walls, as well as a balcony and window and rugs covering the stone floor.
These rooms had two bedchambers that looked exactly the same and already had what clothes did fit them in their respective closets. Maeassil and a couple seamstresses were quickly making more, as well as asking their friends for the clothes that their children had outgrown.
There was a bathing chamber as well, complete with a bath and other necessities, but the twins were too tired to even think about bathing after the day they had. Múldir seemed to understand and helped them blow out all the lit candles, and then waited for them to get settled in their respective rooms. Only then did he leave, and only then did Elros join Elrond in his bed; the twins still not willing to be separated, even when they slept. That was how Maglor found them later that night when he went to check on them and he only smiled sadly at the sight before leaving them be.
They would sleep in separate beds when they were ready.
After breakfast, and before the twins could even think about escaping to Múldir, Maglor pulled them aside and introduced them to Parmatan, who would be their tutor from that day on. He was a stern-looking elf with intimidating blue eyes and strong features, and the twins immediately knew this one would be hard to please or impress.
He only said to them, "I will tutor you everyday, four hours a day, in all subjects except healing. That is beyond me. Pay close attention and remember what I teach, and this will be easier for all of us. Understood?" the twins had nodded and he had said, "Follow me, today we are going to see what is lacking in whatever education you have had thus far."
The twins nodded again, feeling insulted at the insinuation that Ingolmo hadn't been a good teacher, but that stopped when Parmatan opened the door and led them inside the room on the first floor they had been locked out of the day before. It was a library, and even larger than the one back in Sirion. Ingolmo would have loved it, Elrond thought with a twinge of sadness as he looked around at all the books and scrolls there. There was also a fireplace and a couch and some chairs in front of it. Nearby was a table with some books and pieces of parchment on it, three chairs around it, and it was here that Parmatan led the twins, the chairs and table the perfect height for them that they weren't struggling to reach anything on the table.
Once they were all settled at the table Parmatan said, "Today, I am testing what you know about history, mathematics, reading, writing, and literature. From there I will decide if I need to backtrack in my lesson plan or move ahead with you," he looked sternly at them, slightly impressed when they met his gaze without blinking or flinching, "There are no wrong answers today, but you will get in trouble if you help each other. I want to see what both of you know; not what one knows and helps the other with, understood?"
The twins nodded and the quizzing began. They started with history, Parmatan making sure to include the history of the Sinda as well as the Noldor in his questioning. The twins knew their history all the way to the Nírnaeth Arnoediad in regards to the Sinda, and the coming of the Noldor to Arda. Which was a bit more than Parmatan expected on both counts. They also knew a bit about the green-elves and had a tentative grasp on the lineages of many of the Noldor lords, although they confused Fingon and Finrod Felagund by accident. Parmatan didn't correct them, moving on to mathematics afterward.
Numbers were easy for the twins, that was clear, and they could already add and subtract large numbers in their heads. Multiplying and dividing needed parchment and practice, but Parmatan was pleased with what he saw. From there it was reading: having both twins read completely different and difficult passages from separate books, testing their grasp of literature as well. Writing followed, and Parmatan was glad to see that their penmanship wasn't as bad as he had feared. They wrote like children their age: slowly and carefully, but their Tengwar was already starting to get smaller and flowed more easily from one letter to the next.
All in all, Parmatan was slightly impressed by the twins and how far along their education was so far, but there was one more test he wanted to see if they could pass. If they couldn't, it would convince him that their education had been truly lacking in this one area.
"You certainly know more than I was led to believe," he said, only this time he spoke in Quenya, and the twins looked at him, "But your education is still lacking in some aspects, mostly the parts that involve war and what goes with it, like sword-making and metallurgy. Why is that?"
Elrond answered in Quenya, "Because our mother didn't want us to be warriors. She wanted us to be anything other than that," and Elros added, also in Quenya, "Our father and uncle Círdan told us about war, but said it wasn't as great and heroic as the stories would have you believe."
"And why is that?" Parmatan asked in the Common Tongue.
"Because people have to die in war," Elrond answered, also in the Common Tongue, "And that is not something that should be celebrated. Those people had families and friends and those that cared about them; their deaths shouldn't be a cause for celebration because a war was won."
"And they shouldn't have died anyway," Elros added in the Common Tongue, "If they died it was because their leader's strategy was faulty and they shouldn't have led them in the first place."
"I see," Parmatan said, reverting back to Sindarin, as did the twins. He then asked, "Who tutored you, in Sirion?"
"Ingolmo of Gondolin," Elrond said, while Elros added, "And uncle Círdan told us stories too, about the Valar and the creation of the world and of elves. He also told us about the Coming of Men."
"I see," Parmatan said again, then looked outside. It had been three and a half hours, but Parmatan decided to dismiss the twins early. It would give him a chance to make the necessary alterations to his lesson plan.
"You can go now," Parmatan said, "We will start again tomorrow after the morning meal, just like today. Don't be late," spearing them with a glare as he said this. They both nodded and left, glad to be done for the day, and Parmatan watched them go.
Tutoring those two had suddenly become interesting, not just a chore Maglor had thrust on him unexpectedly, he realized as he looked down at what they had left behind and suddenly realized one of them had taken a book about Lúthien and Beren with them. He stood up, but they were already gone. He would have to get the book back later and hope it wasn't damaged in any way.
Although, if Ingolmo of Gondolin had been their previous tutor, he doubted it would even have a rip anywhere in it.
The twins, after dropping off the book in their rooms, again tried to slip down to find Múldir. Only this time, they were stopped by Maedhros, who said, "Not so fast, Tittalundo, you have one more lesson today before you can sneak off to wherever you want. Follow me," turning and heading outside, expecting them to follow, which they did after some hesitation and a lot of trepidation and uncertainty when they did, not sure what was about to happen.
They followed Maedhros out into the courtyard and towards the armory, stopping outside as he went inside, coming out a few moments later with two short swords. For a full-grown elf they were more like long knives or daggers, but for the twins they were the equivalent of swords. And just as heavy and cumbersome for two children not used to the weight.
Maedhros gave one to each twin, saying, "The sword-master is attending to something else today, so I will oversee your first lesson in swordcraft. Don't disappoint me," his eyes and face hard as he looked at the twins, seeing their uncertainty as they looked at the sharpened blades they held. When they only continued to stare and didn't move Maedhros became impatient and snapped, "Well? What are you waiting for?"
Elrond plucked up his courage then to say, "We've never held or used sharp blades. Only wooden swords. Our parents wouldn't let us use anything else."
"The principle is the same," Maedhros growled, not seeing what the problem was.
Elros outlined the problem a moment later, "But they're sharp. What if one of us makes a mistake?" the idea of hurting his brother unimaginable to him, even if it was by accident.
Maedhros only looked at him as he leaned against the wall of the armory, "Then don't," he said simply, not the remotest bit impressed or moved. He crossed his arms in front of his chest then, waiting for them to begin, which they finally did after another few moments.
They went into the ready positions their father and Bellamdir had taught them, then began what little they knew of fighting. There were no clashes or locked blades, no parries or ducks, no advanced footwork or original moves. It was just the basics of swordplay with no style or innovation to it, no grace or beauty to it. It was just two children that hadn't really wanted to fight for real showing what little they knew of it.
Throughout it all Maedhros watched silently, but when he saw them repeating moves he said, "That's enough," both stopped immediately, already a bit tired. These swords were almost too heavy for them, and they had been concentrating hard to make sure they didn't hurt each other accidentally. They turned to Maedhros who only said, "I've seen orcs fight better than you two," before walking away towards the keep, the lesson clearly done to him.
The twins looked at each other, not sure what to make of that, but then Elrond shrugged. What exactly had Maedhros been expecting? That they would be master swordsmen? That they had already learned how to fight? That was simply ridiculous.
They went into the armory then, hesitantly, not wanting to get yelled at by the quartermaster again. He didn't yell, only said, "Watch where I put these; because you will be getting them yourselves from this day forward," leading them to the back wall and placing the blades in their place. Only when he was done did he say, "Tomorrow, I'll teach you how to take care of them. For now, leave. I don't need to be tripping over you."
The twins needed no other urging than that and left the armory, quickly dodging a group of elves heading inside on their way out. Once outside the armory they fairly raced to the healing wing garden's outside entrance, not wanting to be stopped again by anyone. Only when they were there and up a tree did Elros say, "He scares me," knowing his brother would understand he meant Maedhros.
Elrond shrugged, "He doesn't scare me," to which Elros asked, "Even after he nearly strangled you to death?"
Elrond shrugged again and Elros shook his head, deciding his brother likely had his reasons if he wasn't afraid of Maedhros. Or was starting to go slowly insane in this crazy place. They stayed in the oak by themselves for almost half an hour before they were joined by Múldir, who said, "I heard that you borrowed a book from the library without Parmatan noticing?" both twins nodded and Múldir cracked a grin before laughing, "Well done, both of you. He definitely didn't expect that."
When neither twin joined in the laughter Múldir's smile faded and he asked, "What's wrong? You are both very quiet. Did Parmatan say something that hurt you?"
"He insinuated that Ingolmo hadn't taught us very well in the beginning, but I think we changed his mind after the lesson," Elrond said, and Múldir frowned inwardly. He himself sometimes couldn't believe that the Fëanorians had so little regard for those they killed, and that it had been a friend of his from Gondolin didn't make things any better. Elrond continued, bringing him out of his thoughts, "It wasn't him. It was Maedhros."
"What did he do?" Múldir asked, already dreading the answer. If he knew Maedhros at all, he would find the answer highly inappropriate for such young elves to be doing.
Elros answered, "He made us spar today, with sharpened blades. And I don't think he was very impressed at all. He just walked away without saying anything helpful afterward," looking at Múldir then, along with his brother.
Múldir was surprised, to say the least, not expecting that answer at all, and it showed on his face. He, personally, thought the twins too young for such a thing, and that it would have been better to wait a few more years, or at least until they were a bit stronger physically. He wasn't surprised they were going to be forced to fight, though. With Morgoth's power growing every day, the Fëanorians wanted every able-bodied elf able to fight and willing to do so at a moment's notice. The twins wouldn't be able to avoid that even if they wanted to or no matter how hard they tried to hide from it, but he still wished Maedhros had waited a few years. As far as he knew, the other children didn't start their training for a few more years. And definitely not with sharpened blades.
What was Maedhros trying to prove?
He said none of this to the twins, only saying, "I will tell Maglor about this. Perhaps he can convince his brother to stop this. At least for now," the twins glanced at each other, not liking the sound of that at all, but then Múldir asked, "Are you ready for another lesson?" and the twins quickly sat up straighter. They may not like learning how to fight, but they did like learning how to heal, and Múldir enjoyed teaching them. He never said it, but they were natural healers and already very talented.
They just needed the right amount of encouragement and training to strengthen that talent.
That night, after their lesson with Múldir, the twins followed him to the kitchen, determined to eat with him and Maeassil instead of the banquet hall. One night of that foolishness was enough for them, and Múldir found himself agreeing wholeheartedly, finding he couldn't blame the twins at all. It tended to get a little too loud and rambunctious in there, even for him who remembered quite a few loud dances and celebrations in Gondolin.
Unfortunately, it wouldn't be a very peaceful dinner, because they had only just sat down at the table set up in the kitchen when Elrond asked, "Are we ever going back home? Can we send Uncle Círdan a letter, so that he knows we are okay?"
Before Múldir could even think of a response there was a blur of movement and then the table went flying. Múldir needed a moment to understand what had just happened, but then there was the sound of skin meeting skin, and he understood that quickly enough. He rushed forward, putting himself between the twins and Maedhros, who had appeared out of nowhere and was standing over them with rage all over his face; making him look more orc-like than anything else.
Múldir immediately picked Elrond up and backed away from Maedhros as Maeassil did the same with Elros. At that moment Maglor rushed in, winded and breathless, and when he saw the overturned table and the broken plates and dining utensils and Múldir and Maeassil holding the twins protectively away from Maedhros he asked, "What is going on here?"
"I am teaching discipline, as well as respect for elders," Maedhros growled, not taking his eyes off the twins as they refused to cower.
Maglor didn't understand his meaning, but that changed when Múldir said softly, "He hit Elrond, Maglor, for daring to ask if we could write a letter to Lord Círdan letting him know they are alive and alright. Apparently wanting to let family know how you are doing is a crime now."
Hearing that Maglor's eyebrows rose in surprise and he turned to his brother, who only said, "I won't tolerate the insinuation that they shouldn't like living here. That should earn you more than a slap; being rude to your hosts is considered a crime in some places. They should face worst."
Maglor's eyebrows looked to be in distinct danger of falling off, they were so high. He only said, "We took them from the only home they have ever known, and you expect them to like living here after only two days? Give them a chance, and don't be so upset that they don't know we don't communicate with any of the other elven strongholds. They are only children."
"Children that just lost their chance to have dinner," Maedhros growled, "They can reflect on what they did wrong as they starve tonight."
The twins didn't respond to that, still determined not to show fear in the face of Maedhros' obvious anger, but Maglor did respond: "They have done nothing wrong, and eventually things will change. For now, they need to eat. Punishing them for asking a simple question makes no sense. Are you going to punish them like that every time they ask a question you don't like?"
"If I have to," Maedhros said softly as he turned to his brother and when Maglor didn't respond be turned back to Múldir and Maeassil and said, "Take them to their room. This will be a lesson in respect, no matter what," a hand on the knife at his belt, the threat more than clear.
Múldir might have been willing to teach Maedhros a lesson about respect, but he wouldn't risk the twins, and neither would Maeassil. So, instead, he moved past Maglor and Maedhros slowly, watching Maedhros the entire time, Maeassil following along behind. Múldir caught Maglor's eye as they left, and he nodded minutely, telling Múldir to come back in a few minutes to get more food for the twins to eat in their rooms. Once they were out of the kitchen they went quickly to the twin's room, leaving the sounds of argument between Maglor and Maedhros behind.
Once they got there and the twins had been set down Múldir immediately checked Elrond's cheek, finding it red and a bit tender. Elrond didn't cry or flinch, even when Múldir knew it must hurt a bit. As he was doing this Maeassil lit the candles and got a fire going in the fireplace. Once the room was more lit she said, "The twins did nothing wrong. They need to eat."
Múldir nodded, "Give me a moment; Maglor had the same thought," finishing with Elrond's cheek before standing and saying, "You'll be alright," Elrond only looked at him with his intense silver eyes and Múldir said, "I'll be right back," and then turned and left, leaving the twins and Maeassil alone.
He came back five minutes later with a tray laden with food, saying, "Maglor and Maedhros apparently took the argument elsewhere; the kitchen is empty right now. I think this will be enough for everyone," putting the tray on the table and sitting down with Maeassil and the twins.
Maeassil nodded, "I think so too," and the next few minutes were spent in silence as they ate. Once they were finished Múldir said, "In answer to your question, Elrond, you can't go home just yet, but maybe one day you will. As for writing Lord Círdan a letter, there is no way to send it to him, so I'm afraid we can't."
Elrond nodded silently, looking down at his now-empty plate, then Elros said, "I think I want to go to bed. It has been a long day," a sentiment shared by his brother a moment later.
The adults both smiled slightly and nodded to that, with Maeassil saying, "Sleep well you two. We will see you in the morning."
The twins nodded and left the table, going into the bathing chamber to get ready for bed. When they came out the adults were gone, but Múldir had left behind a plate of cookies for them if they were interested. They weren't but appreciated the gesture all the same.
The little gestures of kindness would certainly make living there less of a challenge, hopefully.
In his room near them, Maglor sat at his balcony and stared at the stars, thinking of the epic fight he had just had with Maedhros. It wasn't the words he had used, it was the fact he needed to use those words. He couldn't believe Maedhros would want to starve two children for asking a simple question, and he found it unsettling.
The twins didn't deserve this, after all they had been forced through.
At the same time, he couldn't help but admire the twins for not letting Maedhros intimidate them in such a way. They hadn't cried or been the least bit upset or scared during the whole exchange, making Maglor wonder what it would take to lose that stalwart composure, and then deciding a moment later he didn't want to find out.
He would settle for the twins being happy at Himring and growing into strong elves and powerful warriors. For now, though, they really needed to stay away from his brother until he figured out how to make Maedhros see reason. Otherwise, life was going to be more difficult for the twins than it needed to be.
As Maglor watched the stars and thought, the objects of his thoughts were sitting on Elros' bed. With only one candle lit the room was shadowed and dark, and that was a good thing. They were planning an escape, and it needed to be well-thought-out if they were going to have any success.
They did not want to serve Maglor and Maedhros, especially after their home was destroyed by their hands. But they may not have a choice, they were slowly starting to realize. At least, serve Maglor and Maedhros for a little while, until they were able to escape.
"We need horses, which means we need to know how to ride and take care of them," Elrond said quietly, not wanting anyone to hear, even this late at night, "We will need clothing and weapons, healing supplies and maps, and kits to keep everything in good repair. We will need to know how to fight, as well as how to be stealthy when the need arises. We will need to know how to survive the Wilds and what dangers are out there aside from orcs. This will take years," looking at his brother as he said this.
Elros nodded, "Perhaps, but by then hopefully, we will be trusted a bit more than we are right now, and will have a bit more freedom as time goes on. By the time we're old enough and ready enough, it should be straightforward. We likely won't even need much help, although it wouldn't hurt to ask Múldir for healing supplies."
"And ask him a few more questions," Elrond murmured, before saying more loudly, "Have you ever noticed how he doesn't react to his name sometimes, and how no one here likes him, except for maybe Maeassil?" Elros nodded and Elrond continued, "There's a story there, and I want to know what it is. I can't believe his parents named him 'Slave', and I want to know more about him. He knows more than he lets on, about a lot of things. And I think some of it is about us."
Elros nodded again and was silent for a few seconds before saying, "That still leaves the problem of Adar's sword and dagger. They are in Maedhros' rooms; how do we get them without him noticing? I don't think he ever drops his guard."
Elrond was silent for a few moments, deep in thought, before saying, "Perhaps one of us could slip into his rooms every night for a few hours. If he wakes up we could say we had a bad dream and just didn't want to be alone. He might believe that. And maybe, after years of doing it, he will sleep through us going in there, and when we decide to leave we can just go in there and take them without him noticing."
Elros nodded slowly, "It's worth a try. And I think you should do it," Elrond looked at him in confusion and he continued, "You are much stealthier than I am, and you don't make a sound even when you are not trying to be quiet. You were able to set up our pranks while people were sleeping back home without waking anyone. I know you can do it," Elrond thought a moment before nodding, knowing his brother was right and he would be less likely to get caught and Elros added, "I'm not leaving here without them, no matter what."
Elrond agreed to that, and they spent a few more hours talking before going to sleep. The beginnings of a plan to escape were hashed out, the twins deciding to put their plan into action the next day. Hopefully by the time they left their plan would be better and would happen without a hitch.
If they were going to be forced to live in Himring, they might as well take every opportunity to learn, so that they could escape later and not be forced to come back. If they took every opportunity and learned what they could, then they had a chance of surviving on their own when they did finally leave.
They could do it, they knew they could.
The next night, after a rather difficult day, Elrond slipped quietly down to Maedhros' room, almost not believing he was about to do something that most people would call foolish and sane people would call crazy.
Sneaking into a Son of Fëanor's and a Kinslayer's room had to be the most reckless thing he had ever done.
And that included the time they had pranked Nestoron right before the attack. The healer had not been amused or even remotely entertained, even though Elros had applauded him later for being so daring.
Getting all those bees into that jar of burn ointment without getting stung to death had been difficult.
Thinking of the healer caused a rather painful ache in Elrond's heart, knowing he was likely dead and he would never see him again. Despite the prank, Nestoron had always been kind to them and helped them whenever they got hurt. Elrond really wished he was there now, to make everything better. He wished his parents were there too, to keep them safe and make them feel loved and protected.
Two things they didn't feel at all here, except for perhaps Múldir. The healer genuinely cared about them, and that wasn't nothing.
Elrond sighed then and looked up, finding himself at the door to Maedhros' chamber. After their lessons that day he had come up here while his brother kept an eye on Maedhros, and had checked out his chambers. The door hadn't been locked, and so he had opened it, finding the hinges didn't creak or screech when they were opened. The door to the bedchamber itself also opened soundlessly, and then Elrond had left. He hadn't wanted to stay long and had only wanted to check the doors. He didn't want Maedhros getting the sense that someone had been in his rooms while he was away and locked his door.
Elrond stood in front of the door a few moments longer before slowly reaching up and turning the handle. It opened silently, as he knew it would, and he slipped inside. He looked around carefully, glad his eyes had already adjusted to the dark. He shut the door quietly behind him and walked towards the bedchamber. When he reached that door he hesitated again, a hand unconsciously going to his neck.
If Maedhros attacked him, here when he was alone, there would be nothing he could do.
Elrond bowed his head then and closed his eyes, taking a deep breath before letting it out quietly, then opened his eyes. The fear and uncertainty were gone, replaced with determination and resolve.
He wouldn't get scared now. He wasn't afraid of Maedhros and now was the time to prove it.
He reached up and opened the door, entering quietly and shutting the door behind him. He turned then and looked around, seeing that nothing had changed since the first time he had been in here. The bed stood in the center opposite the door he had just come through; to the left was an open balcony and to the right was the bathing chamber. Near the balcony was a weapon's rack, and Elrond could just make out his father's sword and dagger. They were next to a long broadsword with a strange hilt, and Elrond could only guess it was so that Maedhros could hold it one-handed and not be off-balanced. It would still take a lot of strength to use, though.
Speaking of Maedhros, Elrond turned his attention to the bed and its occupant. There wasn't much to see, as Maedhros was covered in a few blankets and looked to be asleep, as far as Elrond could tell as he sat against the wall, his arms around his legs and his chin on his knees. Maedhros was a much sounder sleeper than he had thought.
That turned out to be not true when a voice asked quietly, "What are you doing here, Tittalundo? It is late."
Thinking fast Elrond said, "I had a bad dream, and Maglor's chambers were locked," which was partially true. Maglor did lock his chambers for some reason, especially at night, and so the lie was slightly more believable, "I didn't want to be alone, so I came here."
There was silence for a few long moments, and then Maedhros said, "Alright, be gone by morning," before turning over and falling silent once more. Elrond took that as permission to stay and so settled against the wall, not realizing he had just gotten Maedhros to do the impossible and lower his guard slightly.
Turned away from Elrond, Maedhros listened to the little one breathe. Something inside him softened slightly, a pain in his heart easing as he remembered another young elfling he knew coming into his room late at night after a bad dream, and he continued to listen to Elrond. Even after everything he had done to get the elfling to hate him, he never did. He trusted Maedhros to keep him safe, even from the dangers in his mind, and now Maedhros didn't know how he felt about that.
He didn't know how he felt about any of this, he realized as he went back to sleep, deciding to figure it out later.
In the morning, when he woke up, Elrond was gone, and nothing was said between them during the morning meal. As the years went by and Elrond continued to slip into Maedhros' room, both kept silent, even though Elros knew.
But Maedhros never told Maglor, and never locked his door, even though he could have. But that would mean admitting he somewhat enjoyed Elrond's quiet company in the middle of the night and didn't want to be seen as soft, and that was something his pride wouldn't allow. And so he stayed silent about it, even as the years went by and Elrond continued to slip into his room, never suspecting it was anything more than an elfling who had bad dreams looking for comfort in the only place he could find it.
What else could it have been?
Translations:
Adar/ada – Father/daddy
Ost-in-Edhil – the capital city of Eregion.
Tittalundo – little monsters (this is crude Quenya, courtesy of Serenlyall. I would highly recommend her work, but this story is in no way connected to her stories. I would still recommend them though, they are beautifully written. I am just borrowing her word, nothing more and nothing less, because my grasp of Quenya is so terrible. I would never borrow anything more without her permission, and if I do borrow more than a word I will PM her, I promise, and let you know in the A/N at the top of each chapter.)
Naneth/nana – Mother/mommy
Nírnaeth Arnoediad – Battle of Unnumbered Tears