A/N: Hi everyone, here are chapters 8, 9, and 10 for your reading pleasure! I thought I would do a mass upload of all the chapters that were ready to go, and I hope you enjoy them. Chapters 11 and 12 are a bit rough around the edges and need some work, so bear with me for a bit on those. But these are ready and I hope you like them. We should be getting out of Himring soon enough, and on to bigger and better things for the twins.
Until next time please read, review, and enjoy!
Four years later and the twins had grown by leaps and bounds in more ways than one. They were now over a foot taller and rather tall for their age. They had outgrown the horses they had started learning to ride on, and Raumolíro had given them two geldings that looked identical, two buckskins. The twins were now skilled riders who could gallop and jump small obstacles, and they were quite skilled attending and taking care of horses as well. Their lessons with Parmatan had progressed as well, and they were now becoming well-versed in all manner of things in Middle-Earth. History and literature, mathematics and languages, reading and writing. Elrond was even trying to teach himself some Dwarvish, with mixed results.
Thankfully, none could understand him when he tried, otherwise he might have been seriously punished for trying to learn the more dubious parts of their language first.
Their skills in fighting had also increased, and they had finally grown enough to be gifted their own swords. These swords were heavy broadswords, traditionally used by the Fëanorians, and took a lot of strength and skill to use successfully. The twins were adept at them, but Ranyaro couldn't help but wonder how they would do with lighter blades more designed for the light strokes and lightning-fast footwork they practiced and refined, but he didn't ask.
Lord Maedhros wanted them to learn the broadsword, and so they would, even though Ranyaro couldn't help but think the blacksmith had something planned for them, even after the hair dye prank years ago. He and Lord Maedhros had been sneaking around a bit behind the twin's backs, and now the blacksmith wouldn't let them anywhere near the forge for any reason at all. Anything they wanted to ask him to do had to be done through somebody else.
When they weren't being instructed by Raumolíro or Parmatan or Ranyaro, or even Maglor as he taught them what he knew of the ways of Power, Elrond and Elros could often be found in the healing wing either learning from Múldir or the trees. The trees taught them stealth and woodcraft, Múldir taught them healing. His lessons had started becoming even more complicated as he taught them how to heal through Song, but the twins rose to the occasion. They were becoming skilled healers, and Múldir knew that one day soon they would outpace even him in their skill.
As for Maedhros, he was still no closer to finding the answers to those questions he had asked himself years ago, and to an outside observer was still cold and distant to the twins, still using the nickname he had given them years ago. But to those that looked and listened closely, Maedhros never raised a hand against them, and that nickname had lost all bite and malice years ago. It was akin to a term of endearment now, even though Maedhros would never admit that to anyone.
Finally, though, after many years of learning and training, Maglor and Maedhros decided to give the twins a new chance at something. Something they hadn't done in years.
"We have been thinking," Maglor said one night during dinner, "That you have both grown in many ways, and might need a new place to explore," the twins both looked up in interest immediately and Maglor continued, "How would you feel about leaving the keep for a few days with myself and Maedhros? We can turn it into a bit of an adventure, if you'd like," looking between them as he said this and seeing he had already won them over with the idea.
The twins hadn't left the keep since they had arrived, and while the keep was plenty big enough for them to always have something to do, they were starting to chafe at being there all the time. They wanted to get out and see more of the world, even if they didn't go far, but anytime they had asked before it had always been a firm "No" for an answer.
Maglor and Maedhros must have decided they were old enough to leave now, at least for a few days.
Maglor watched as both twins nodded excitedly, then said, "We'll leave the day after tomorrow, and likely stay out a few days. I'll come by tomorrow and show you how to pack your saddlebags," he speared them with a glare then, "When we are out there you do as we say, understood? Our lands are safe, and orcs don't wander in or get past our guards often, but it happens sometimes. Do as we say, and you will stay safe. Understood?"
The twins nodded quickly, willing to agree to anything if it meant they could finally leave the keep for a few days, and the rest of the meal passed quietly. The next day Maglor did indeed stop by and show them how to pack their saddlebags efficiently, and after that was done they went down to the stables to tend their horses. Raumolíro required them, now that they were old enough, to feed and take care of their horses everyday, even if they weren't riding that day.
It taught them responsibility and hard work, helping them build up their muscles and learn about the importance of doing your own labor at times.
When they arrived they went straight to the geldings, stopping briefly to greet the mares they had started on like they always did. Their geldings had already been fed, but now they needed to be turned out so their stalls could be mucked out and then brought inside and groomed. They also needed to be looked over carefully for any signs of lameness or pain that would make the next few days uncomfortable for them or make it impossible for them to be ridden.
After mucking out their stalls the twins led the geldings inside to the grooming racks and cross-tied them before starting to groom them. Their coats were curried and brushed until they gleamed, their manes and tails were combed out and their hooves were picked. After all this, the twins looked them over carefully for lameness or pain; running their hands over their bodies and legs to feel for any heat or tenderness. There was none, and Elros said, "They are ready to go. The next few days should be interesting, and hopefully fun."
Elrond only nodded, still his quiet self unless directly asked a question he wanted to answer. Finished with their horses they put the geldings away and went looking for Múldir, who was happy for them that they were finally able to leave the castle for the first time in years. He gave both of them healing kits that could fit easily into their saddlebags. They thanked him and left for their room, packing the kits away in their bags.
One thing that had changed over the last few years was that they had finally stopped sharing a bed. It had taken a lot of work on their part, and sometimes they still shared when they felt completely alone at night.
They may be accepted as the wards of Maglor and Maedhros, but because of their skills and abilities with Power, they had lost what few friends their age they had made years ago because of nervous parents.
That loneliness often translated to them not sleeping well and desperate for company of any kind.
But for now, the twins were too excited for their first foray out of the keep in years, and the day only seemed to drag on as they waited for dinner to come. Nothing could distract them: Ranyaro hadn't required a lesson that day, Parmatan was visiting friends in the village outside the keep, and books couldn't hold the twin's attention for longer than a few minutes.
Finally, though, it was time for dinner, and the twins listened to all the advice Maglor and Maedhros had to give about camping out. Some of it they knew already from the trees, but some of it was new. But as the meal drew to a close Maedhros said something that instantly filled them with dread: "I doubt we will be attacked by orcs; we aren't going out far enough in the direction they usually come from. Between us, the dwarves to the east of us, and Eregion to the south, they usually don't make it past any of our patrols. But if we are attacked and there is no time for you to hide up a tree, you will have to fight, and fight as well as you can. We will do our best to defend you, but you may have to protect yourselves ass well. But again, I don't think it will happen," seeing their slightly panicked looks.
Elrond was the one who asked what they were both thinking, "Are we ready?"
Maedhros nodded, "If you weren't, we wouldn't have suggested this. Trust your training and your blade, and you will be fine."
Elrond nodded while Elros still looked slightly nervous but Maedhros had nothing more to say. The rest of the meal passed quietly, and then they all went to bed. The twins didn't fall asleep right away, still too excited and nervous, but finally they were able to get some rest.
The next day, after a quick breakfast, they all went to the stables with their saddlebags and weapons; all of them dressed for the outing. Maglor and Maedhros wore tunics and trousers with leather arm guards; their swords on their waists and a bow and quiver strapped to Maglor's back. Maedhros had extra throwing knives on his belt, but how he used them while holding a sword and with no right hand, the twins had no idea.
The twins were dressed similarly, just without bows and quivers, and the few guards going with them were also dressed like the sons of Fëanor. The lands may be safe, but it never hurt to have a few extra sets of eyes looking for danger.
When they arrived at the stables the guards had already groomed their horses and were tacking them up and stowing their equipment. As they did this Maglor, Maedhros, and the twins went and groomed their horses before tacking them up as well, the twins now able to reach to place the saddles and put bridles on. Once they were finished and adjustments were made for the horse's comfort they reached for their saddlebags but didn't know what to do next. They had never used saddlebags before and were confused.
At that moment they were surprisingly saved by Maedhros, who had been watching them get ready out of the corner of his eye. Seeing them start to struggle he came over and said, "Here, Tittalundo, watch and learn. It isn't difficult," taking Elrond's saddlebags and strapping them on while Elrond and Elros watched carefully.
From nearby Maglor watched with a small smile. He had been about to go over and help the twins, but his brother had beat him to it.
Once finished Maedhros went and watched as Elros strapped his bags on in the exact way he had done. All Maedhros did was nod, and a few minutes later they were all ready to go. They, and the guards, left the stables and mounted, the twins needing no help or even a few seconds to adjust their stirrups, showing how much they had grown.
They all left the keep after that, the twins and Maglor and Maedhros riding close to the center of the group while the guards rode around them. As they rode through the village the twins took in all that was there and the people going about their lives. Eventually, they came to the wall that surrounded the village and were let through, and then they rode out into the green forest surrounding the village and keep. For some reason hearing the sounds of the forest and songs of the trees more clearly caused some unknown tension to leave the twin's shoulders and they relaxed minutely, something Maglor noticed and caused him to nod inwardly.
The twins had needed this more than he realized.
After leaving the village and walls behind they turned south and rode that way all day. For the most part, it was silent, but finally the twins started asking questions as Maglor knew they eventually would, and even the guards helped with the answers while Maedhros stayed mostly silently doing the ride, even though Maglor knew he was listening closely while also watching for potential danger or hazards.
Even if they were certain the area was safe, Maedhros couldn't help but be wary, and that would never change.
After riding all day they finally arrived at the campsite that had been chosen and dismounted, even though the twins stayed on their horses a few minutes more to take in the scenery from a higher vantage point. A meadow rimmed with ancient oaks was the campsite, and nearby a slow-moving river went into a large lake that the twins immediately knew would be great for swimming. In the meadow were several logs arrayed in a circle around the ashes of an old fire, and the twins realized this place was used often for getting away from the monotony and dullness of the castle.
Finally, the twins dismounted and tended their horses, untacking them and rubbing them down before leaving them to wander after the other horses. Elves never hobbled their horses, knowing they wouldn't wander far from each other or their riders unless something spooked them quite a bit.
Finished with their horses the twins helped where they could: rolling out bedrolls or helping with the fire as it was already getting late and the sun was going down. Once the fire was made and burning brightly they all sat around it, eating lembas and talking quietly for a few hours before the twins started yawning and trying to hide it. Maglor saw it though and said, "You'd best get some sleep if you want to be up early tomorrow to explore."
"We're not tired," Elros protested, even if the statement held no merit when he suddenly yawned, and even the guards smiled at that. They had all heard that excuse before.
"Now, Tittalundo," was all Maedhros said, and the twins grumbled slightly before obeying. They went to their bedrolls and climbed in. Despite their attempts to stay awake, they were asleep in minutes.
The rest of the night passed quietly for the adults as well, as they sat up for a few hours more before arranging the watch rotations and falling asleep, except for the two who would stay up and tend the fire while staying alert for danger.
They might be behind well-guarded borders, but it never hurt to stay vigilant.
The next day the twins were indeed up bright and early, and after a quick breakfast Maglor had them follow him into the forest to learn what he could teach them about tracking and hunting. They watched as he tracked a herd of deer to where they grazed, pointing out the fawns and an impressive stag with a large rack. Maglor let them be, deciding not to shoot any of them while the twins were there.
He could track the deer again later and shoot one for their dinner that night if he wanted to.
After leaving the deer they went deeper into the forest, Maglor showing them which mushrooms were poisonous and should be avoided and which ones were edible. In return, the twins showed him what herbs there were in the area and what they were used for, and Maglor was impressed.
Múldir had taught them well.
Finally, they headed back to camp, and after lunch the twins decided they wanted to go for a swim. Maedhros went with them this time so Maglor could go hunting for deer, and sat on a nearby rock next to the lake while the twins got ready. The twins quickly stripped off their shirts and tunics as well as their boots and socks, before wading into the lake. After a few feet, it got deeper, but the water was crystal clear all the way to the bottom for the most part.
The twins only exchanged a glance and a smile before diving into the water, leaving Maedhros on his rock to wait for them to come back up. They didn't, not for many long minutes, and just when he was starting to get worried they came up, not at all winded. After a few seconds they dove again, or at least Elros did because Maedhros asked Elrond, "How long can you hold your breath underwater?"
Elrond thought a moment before saying, "Five minutes, I think. Uncle Círdan taught us how to swim, and we always went swimming with him when he visited."
Maedhros said nothing and only nodded slowly, watching as Elrond dove again, not aware he was being watched by eyes that were both hostile and curious. After a few minutes Elros came up for air while Elrond stayed down, and the owner of those eyes left, deciding he had seen enough. He would return to his group and see what his captain had to say about all of this.
In the meantime, eventually Maedhros called to the twins as he smelled dinner cooking, and they went reluctantly. They hadn't swum in years and it felt great to do so again, even if their uncle wasn't with them. But for a few moments then it felt as though he had been there with them, keeping them company and showing them the mysteries of the Sea.
They had no way of knowing Círdan was actually swimming in the Sea at that moment, looking for shellfish for his dinner while reminiscing of his time spent doing the same with the twins.
Dinner was a bit more boisterous that night as the twins were excited to try venison, something they had never eaten before. Even without the spices Maeassil would have added if she had been there it tasted amazing, and they were even more excited to hear Maglor would make it into a stew the next day if they helped him gather what he needed in terms of vegetables, herbs, and other ingredients found in the forest. They had agreed, and soon the camp settled down again for the night, unaware of a conversation happening nearby.
A few miles away and beyond the borders of the Fëanorians, a long-range patrol from Eregion sat around their own fire and listened to the scout they had sent into the Fëanorian's territory to learn what he could, which wasn't much. The Fëanorians guarded their lands and their secrets too well.
The scout, Amathael, was just finishing his report when he said, "On my way out of their territory I heard some splashing and a child laughing. I was curious so I followed the sound. Imagine my surprise when I came across Maedhros, alone, sitting on a rock next to a lake, and a child swimming in the lake and talking to him. The child didn't seem afraid of him and Maedhros didn't seem to mind him. I mean, he wasn't scowling or yelling at the child. The child then dove before coming up a few moments later, and that was when I left. I didn't want Maedhros seeing me and alerting others," he turned to his captain, Arassaeglir, then and asked, "Does Maedhros have a child?"
Arassaeglir stroked his chin in thought a moment before shaking his head, "He never married, so I don't see how he could have a child. What did this child look like?"
Amathael shrugged, "Black hair, young, and light eyes. I was too far away to see much more than that," a thought came to him, "Do you think we should try and take this child from Maglor and Maedhros? Being looked after by Kinslayers can't be good for them. The group with them is small, we could handle them easily enough."
"That's what many have said before crossing blades with the Fëanorions and their followers," Arassaeglir said, "And none of them lived to regret it," Amathael ducked his head, and Arassaeglir continued, "We will let Lords Celeborn and Celebrimbor, as well as Lady Galadriel, know of this development, but we will not engage the Fëanorians. Even if we could manage it, the child may get hurt, and we would definitely have the Fëanorians hounding our every step back to Eregion."
The scout nodded, and the camp settled for the night, the guards keeping a lookout for danger of any kind, be it elf or orc. In these parts, one was just as likely as the other to attack you, and these elves of Eregion knew it well. They had been attacked by both before whenever they did a scout close to the lands of the Sons of Fëanor.
It was a shame though, that the scout hadn't waited to see that the one child was actually two and they were twins, otherwise his captain likely would have ordered an ambush to get them. They all knew that the sons of Elwing and Eärendil had been identical twins, and if he had known the captain would have judged it as a risk worth taking.
Especially considering the fact his group outnumbered the guards and Maglor and Maedhros.
But since he didn't the patrol left for Eregion the next day, unaware of how close they had come from rescuing the sons of Eärendil and returning them to their kin. Who could know how things may have turned out otherwise, if they had only truly known what Amathael had seen when he was watching Maedhros?
About a week later the group returned to the keep, the twins still excited and anxious to go out again. Even Maedhros had seemed to enjoy himself and looked more at ease.
Autumn was almost upon them at this point, meaning the twin's begetting day was close. In the past, in Himring, it had always been a quiet affair, the twins preferring to spend it with people close to them, and this time would be no different. But there would be a difference, and it would be in the gifts they would receive that year.
But first, they had to wait for Maedhros to return from a patrol he was leading. He didn't do it as often as he had in the past, but occasionally he felt the urge and would leave for a week or so with a patrol. He never stayed out for long, and now they were waiting for him to return so they could celebrate the twin's begetting day. It was taking longer than they expected for the patrol to return, and just when Maglor was considering sending another patrol to look for his brother and his patrol, there was a horn call from the guards on the village wall.
A call that signaled a patrol was coming with wounded and the healer needed to get ready.
By the time Maglor got to the front steps of the castle, Múldir was already there with the twins nearby to help. A good thing Múldir was quick and efficient because a few seconds later the gates were opened and the patrol came in. The first in was Maedhros' stallion, none the worse for wear but covered in blood, most of it black but some red as well. He was being led by a member of the patrol, his ears pulled back and trying to bite anything he could, as per usual. He wasn't known for a pleasant personality. The elf leading him was hard-pressed to avoid his teeth and hooves.
Next in were some more elves, none of them seriously wounded except for some scrapes and bruises, and then the more seriously wounded came. They were on hastily-made stretchers or on blankets between two horses. Múldir drew in a breath when he saw them, already knowing this was going to be a long day.
And finally, Maedhros was brought in. He was also on a stretcher and unconscious, and when Maglor saw his brother he rushed over quickly, Múldir heading for the more seriously wounded before going to Maedhros, something that annoyed Maglor even though there was an elf with a spearhead in his midsection. Maedhros didn't seem as badly off, but Maglor knew it was serious. There was a bloody bandage around his head and his arm, and the rest of him was covered in bruises and cuts. He was unconscious and his breathing was shallow, and Maglor looked up as Maedhros' second-in-command and close friend, Oldhinor who went with him on every patrol, walked over.
"What happened, Captain?" Maglor asked.
Oldhinor could only shake his head, "An ambush, my lord. They attacked from all directions. We were lucky to escape with no dead and only these wounded."
Maglor nodded slowly, but just then Múldir arrived, having stabilized the wounded to be moved to the healing wing for further tending and surgery. He kneeled next to Maedhros' stretcher and looked him over briefly before looking more closely at his head.
"A club, captain?" was all he asked as he began feeling Maedhros' neck for damage or swelling before moving on to check his pupils, which were fixed and dilated. They also weren't reactive to light and Múldir frowned. This was definitely not good.
Oldhinor nodded tiredly, "He said he was fine afterward, but he started blacking out randomly. Yesterday it was harder and harder for him to stay awake, and he had memory troubles and was delirious other times. Today we couldn't wake him at all."
Múldir nodded slowly before standing abruptly and saying, "He needs surgery, now, if he is to have a chance," signaling the elves that had brought Maedhros all this way. They lifted as one one more time and headed for the healing wing.
Múldir was about to follow them when he was stopped by Maglor, "What's wrong with him?" not liking Múldir's abruptness and how he was suddenly very concerned. In his experience, when a healer became that short with people it was never a good sign, no matter how hard they tried to convince people to the contrary.
Múldir sighed before saying, "He has a concussion and his brain is swollen from the blow. There is also blood that shouldn't be there putting pressure on his brain. It needs to be drained and the pressure relieved, otherwise, it will kill him by the end of the day. It still may kill him, no matter what I do."
Maglor stared at him for several long moments before slowly nodding and stepping back. Múldir took that as permission to leave and raced off after the wounded and the twins, who were tending the wounded and doing what they could while Múldir assessed Maedhros.
Múldir could only shake his head as he arrived at the healing wing. Maedhros' injury needed tending immediately, and they couldn't wait to get him into surgery. They had to do it right there and then.
"Elrond! Elros!" he called, and two heads looked up from the elf with the spear in his midsection. They acknowledged him with nods and finished quickly with that elf, leaving his brother sitting next to him with clear instructions to watch for sudden and heavy bleeding. The spearhead was actually helping clot the blood and slow the bleeding, and as long as it stayed there he could wait a little while longer for surgery. When they arrived at where Maedhros lay Múldir said, "We don't have much time. We need to operate, here and now, if we want to save his life. Are you ready?" knowing that this would be their first surgery, and he couldn't do it alone. He needed their help, but only if they felt they were ready. If not he wasn't sure what he would do.
Thankfully they both nodded and stepped forward and Múldir said, "I will need alcohol, a few scalpels, and that drilling tool Elrond came up with. And the tubes you came up with, Elros, as well as a bowl to collect the blood. And a razor to shave his hair."
The twins immediately nodded and raced off to collect the equipment while Múldir sat down next to the bed and undid the braids in Maedhros' hair, quickly washing the blood out to make it easier to comb. Once it was clean Múldir took the ties and began tying off certain sections near the base of his skull but also around where the club had connected with his head. After finishing with that he checked Maedhros' pupils again and wasn't pleased with what he saw.
They were running out of time.
He looked up just then and saw that the twins had returned with everything he had asked for, "Well done, let's get started," was all he said, and took one of the scalpels, cutting off Maedhros' hair, at least, the clumps he had already sectioned off. From there he took a razor and shaved those areas very close, the twins watching closely, as was everyone else who could. Whether they wanted to admit it or not, none of them had seen surgery before and were somewhat morbidly curious about it.
Once the hair had been shaved Múldir cleaned the areas with the alcohol, using gauze pads Elrond handed him. Once they were clean he took the drill tool Elrond had invented, holding it up and hoping it worked. It was smaller than what the smith used when drilling holes into metal and not as strong, and needed to be cranked by hand slowly so that nothing vital was hit….and Múldir had never used it before. They had never needed it before and Múldir could only hope it did what Elrond said it should do and nothing more. He couldn't repair damage to the brain like that, and he didn't want to know what the extent of that type of damage could be.
Múldir shook his head and grabbed another scalpel, now was not the time to second guess anything. He cut as deeply as he could into Maedhros' skull until he hit bone then inserted the drill and started turning the handle, ignoring the blood that was coming out of the wound. Head injuries always bled a lot, and they would bleed a lot more if he did this right, which is what he wanted. He wanted the blood out of Maedhros' brain where it didn't belong so that it could function correctly.
A few seconds later and the drill had drilled a hole through the bone, and out came even more blood, as Múldir had hoped. Múldir withdrew the drill and watched the blood for a few seconds before nodding and moving on to another patch of bare skin. Soon, all of them had holes through to Maedhros' brain, relieving the pressure and easing the strain.
Once Múldir was finished he washed his hands free of the blood that covered them in alcohol and said, "Now we need to close them up while still allowing them to drain. Elros," the young elf looked at him and Múldir smiled, "Time for your idea."
Elros nodded and picked up the bowl with the tubes inside; the tubes soaking in alcohol to keep them clean. He began cutting them into three-inch long segments and handing them over to Múldir. Múldir started stitching the wounds closed, threading the tubes through his stitches as he did so so that they were held in place and still able to drain the blood out. He did this for all the cuts and holes he had made, and once that was done he cleaned them with alcohol again before lightly bandaging Maedhros' head. Finally finished he removed the bandages from Maedhros' arm, but after finding only a deep wound with no broken bones he said, "You two can handle this. Clean it and stitch it like you would any other cut, but stitch the muscles closed after you clean the entire area. It should heal well. I will be back later to check on him and get him settled. He is staying here until he wakes up and is coherent."
The twins nodded and started getting what they would need ready to tend Maedhros' arm. As they did that Múldir headed straight for the elf that still had a spearhead in his midsection, snapping at two elves to lift his stretcher and take him into surgery, ignoring the stares and whispers that followed him as he went inside as well. Apparently, the elves that enjoyed abusing him had some respect for him now that they saw what he dealt with when one of them came in seriously wounded and the limits he was pushed to when the situation called for it.
As for the twins, they stayed with Maedhros for hours after tending his arm, knowing he was still critical. In that time Múldir got the rest of the elves tended and the ones that would be staying in the healing wing for a while comfortable. No elf had died that day, yet, but Múldir would be worried about Maedhros until he woke up and could speak coherently.
Head wounds as serious as that tended to be tricky, and there were never any guarantees.
But Múldir couldn't help but smile later that night after the healing wing had quieted as friends and family of the wounded went home for the night.
Except for Maglor. He would stay until his brother woke.
But that wasn't what caused Múldir to smile. What caused Múldir to smile was the sight of the twins asleep in their chairs on either side of Maedhros' bed, holding his hand and his arm. He had no way of knowing the twins, then and there, had guaranteed Maedhros' complete recovery, and neither did they.
They were still somewhat unaware of everything they could do.
The next morning dawned bright and clear in the healing wing. All in there still waited for Maedhros to awaken, especially his brother, but Múldir knew the chances of that happening decreased with every passing hour.
And so, it was a massive surprise to him when around lunchtime a weak groan was heard from Maedhros' bed. Múldir immediately walked over and sat on the side of the bed, Maglor hovering nearby while the twins sat on the other side of the bed.
"Maedhros!" Múldir called softly, "If you can hear me, open your eyes."
At first, nothing happened, and Múldir repeated, "Maedhros! Open your eyes, now!" making it sound like an order that needed to be obeyed. That usually worked when dealing with stubborn warriors who didn't want to listen to healers, either consciously or subconsciously.
This time Maedhros opened his eyes to slits before blinking them open fully and rasping out, "I heard you the first time."
"My apologies," Múldir said with his usual biting sarcasm reserved only for Maedhros, hoping to see if he noticed. If he did the damage wasn't too serious and should heal on its own, "You made no sign you did, and I wanted to see if you were capable of obeying anybody else."
Maedhros, whose eyes had drifted closed in an attempt to ward off the pain caused by the sunlight and the headache that just wouldn't go away, only opened his eyes and glared at the healer. But it was too weak to be very effective, and Múldir wasn't intimidated by him anyways. He only asked, "How many fingers do you see?" holding up three as he asked this.
Maedhros stared at them for several long minutes, before resigning himself to the fact that they would keep dividing for a while, and only asked, "Is it possible for an elf to have six fingers on one hand?"
Múldir shook his head with a slight smile, "Only when the person asking that question has the most serious concussion I've ever seen. You shouldn't even be awake right now, much less speaking coherently," as he gently opened Maedhros' eyes more to get a better look at the pupils and see how reactive they were. They were still incredibly sluggish and slow, but they were a bit more reactive to light. Maedhros put up with it for about a minute before he gentle jerked his head away and Múldir allowed it, having seen what he needed to see.
Maedhros raised an eyebrow to that and then carefully and slowly lifted his hand to his head, feeling the bandages there. He also felt something else, because as he lowered his hand he asked slowly, "Did you shave my head?" sounding somewhat upset about it for some reason.
No one would have guessed Maedhros of all elves was even remotely vain, but strangers things had happened.
Múldir nodded, not looking the least bit intimidated by the glare Maedhros shot him, "Yes, I did. That club caused your brain to swell and bleed; we needed to drain the blood to relieve the pressure, otherwise, you would have died. To do that I needed to see what I was doing, and unfortunately, your hair paid the price. I also had to insert the drains Elros invented to allow the wounds to drain as necessary. And it was Elrond's drill that allowed me to make the holes in your skull. They did an excellent job assisting me as well."
Maedhros turned his head slowly to look at the twins and only said, "Looks like your inventions have some merit, Tittalundo. It will be interesting to see what other things you come up with."
Knowing this was the closest they would get to a compliment or even a thank-you, the twins nodded and smiled slightly before Maglor said, "The rest of the patrol will be alright as well, Maedhros. There are no dead and only a few wounded that need to stay here a few days or more. You were all fortunate it wasn't worse."
Maedhros nodded slowly, already half asleep, and they all watched as he fell asleep. Once he was Múldir said, "Sleep is what he needs to heal, but with a concussion as serious as that he may not wake again," he turned to the twins then, "Wake him every half hour, and no matter what he says or threatens don't stop. It's for his own good, even if he won't appreciate it at all right now. I will find someone, likely Maeassil, to cover tonight so that you can sleep in your own beds. At least she won't be intimidated by him and be cowed by his threats."
The twins nodded and settled in for another day in the healing wing, while Múldir turned to Maglor and said, "I would like Maedhros to try and eat something in the next few hours. Something light and gentle on his stomach."
Maglor nodded, "I will have Maeassil make something in an hour or so. She'll bring it when it is ready, and we can tempt Maedhros' appetite then. Hopefully, he will be hungry."
"I need to start changing bandages," Múldir said, and Maglor left then, knowing he wouldn't be able to see the damage and lack of hair on Maedhros' head for a while. It was just too disturbing to think about; realizing how close they had come to losing his brother that day.
It made him realize even more how precious and valuable life was, and how it should be protected as much as possible. Whether that thought made him a hypocrite for all the innocent lives he had taken over the years, he didn't entirely know or was entirely certain about.
A week later and far to the south, stood an expansive elven city. It was the heart of Eregion, Ost-in-Edhil, and it was here that Celebrimbor son of Curufin was lord, alongside his cousin Lady Galadriel and her husband Lord Celeborn. Eregion wasn't part of Gil-galad's kingdom, and it was led by Celebrimbor, Celeborn, and Galadriel as its Stewards; refusing to be considered kings or queen but rather guardians and protectors of the city. Their patrols covered vast expanses of territory, and a few even journeyed close to Himring to try and see what was happening there, but they were almost always met with hostility. And so the patrols would send in one scout, alone, to learn what they could, before they retreated back to Eregion.
It was in this manner that the lords and lady kept an eye on that neighbor to the north, especially after the Kinslaying at Sirion. They all remembered when they got the news, and Celebrimbor renounced his blood ties to the Fëanorions then. No longer would he consider them as his blood family, even if he still called them "uncle" from time to time when in private company, like with the Lord and Lady.
One day, the day a long-range patrol returned from Himring, the lords and lady were in Celebrimbor's study when Arassaeglir and Amathael the scout knocked on the door and were invited in. Once the door was shut Celebrimbor beckoned them over to his desk and asked, "Ah, Captain Arassaeglir, how was your journey?"
Arassaeglir shrugged, "As well as could be expected, my lord. We were not attacked by orcs, and the patrols of Himring did not see us. I would call it successful overall."
Celebrimbor smiled, "As would I. Is there anything of interest observed in Himring recently?"
Arassaeglir hesitated slightly before saying, "I think so, my lord, but perhaps Amathael should tell the tale and you can judge for yourself?"
Celebrimbor nodded, curious, while Galadriel and Celeborn listened closely, wondering what could make the captain suddenly so unsure of what their reactions might be. It was clearly an interesting story that needed to be told.
Amathael also hesitated only a moment before saying, "I had already slipped past their guards and gotten relatively close to Himring. Observing nothing of interest I started to leave the area, but as I was passing a meadow and lake I thought I heard splashing and a child laughing. My curiosity got the better of me and I decided to see what that was about. Imagine my surprise when I saw Maedhros sitting on a rock near the lake and talking with a dark-haired child in the water. The child was smiling and not the least bit afraid of Maedhros, which was the greatest shock to me. He dove under the water then and came up a few moments later. I left then because I was overdue and didn't want the patrol trying to come and find me," he looked at Celebrimbor, who was completely shocked judging by his wide eyes that were locked on his face, and then asked almost hesitantly, "Does Maedhros have a child, my lord?"
"No, he doesn't," Lady Galadriel answered for Celebrimbor, "He never married, so it is impossible," sounding as surprised as Celebrimbor looked. No matter what she was expecting it clearly hadn't been this.
Arassaeglir nodded slowly before saying, "We considered attacking the group with Maedhros and Maglor, who was there as well, to take the child and bring him here, but decided against it. I was concerned the child could get hurt, and the Fëanorians would have likely hounded us every step back here to reclaim that child. We also weren't sure what action we should take that would have the best outcome for all involved, so we pulled back. I wasn't going to risk my warriors fighting Kinslayers. We outnumbered them, but they likely outmatched us."
"It was the right decision, captain, never fear," Celeborn spoke for the first time, "It would have been suicide and a slaughter to attempt such a thing."
Arassaeglir nodded, while Celebrimbor got over his shock to say, "Thank you, captain, you and Amathael have given us much to think about," the two elves bowed and Celebrimbor smiled as he said, "I believe breakfast is still being served in the hall if you are quick enough," the two elves' eyes lit up at the mention of breakfast, and they bowed again before heading towards the door.
Just as they were about to shut the door behind them Galadriel asked, "Amathael, what did the child look like?"
Amathael turned then and said, "Black hair, with light eyes I think, I wasn't close enough to be able to say for sure what color they were, and I didn't want to get too close lest the Fëanorians detected me. I couldn't tell how tall he was and he seemed to be an elfling of at least ten years, perhaps more. I'm sorry, my lady, but I can't say for sure much more than that."
"It is alright, Amathael," Galadriel said with a small smile, "Thank you."
Amathael nodded and left, shutting the door behind him. Once he was gone Celebrimbor asked, "Are you certain, my lady? That my uncle never married?"
Galadriel nodded, while Celeborn asked, "But Maglor did, correct? Maybe his wife –?"
"No," Galadriel cut in, "His wife stayed behind in Aman and refused to leave. Back when we were still speaking Maglor told me it was a massive fight between them if she would leave or not. In the end, she didn't."
Celeborn nodded while Celebrimbor asked, "What do we do with this information? Arassaeglir was right in not attacking and taking the child, but what do we do with this? Keep it to ourselves?"
"That may be best for now," Celeborn said, "It's not like we can march into Himring and demand a child just because he was seen with Maedhros. His mother and father could be there, and I won't deprive a child of their parents, even if their parents are Fëanorians."
"So the child should remain a secret, at least for now?" Celebrimbor asked. When Galadriel and Celeborn both nodded he sighed and nodded as well before saying, "Very well, I will go tell the patrol to say none of this to anyone."
The two elves nodded as Celebrimbor stood and left, hoping they had made the right decision. They would never know how things may have been different if they had decided to take action that day, or if Amathael had seen two children instead of what he thought was just one.
Who knows what could have happened?
A month after the attack on Maedhros' patrol, and his head wound was about healed. True to Múldir's prediction, he hadn't appreciated being woken up every half hour in the beginning, but he eventually accepted it as the concussion cleared and the damage to his brain healed. He still got dizzy from time to time, as well as splitting headaches, but he was steadily improving, especially after Múldir removed the drains from his head and said he didn't need the bandages anymore, even though his hair was very uneven from the shave Múldir had given it. But the hair was growing back quickly and he didn't look too ridiculous. Which was a good thing, because the twin's begetting day was almost upon them, and thankfully the blacksmith had come to him the day before and said his gift to the twins was finished.
He knew the blacksmith had also helped Maglor make his gift for the twins, and he didn't know what Múldir and Maeassil were giving them either. But he found himself strangely excited to give the twins their gifts and was actually hoping they liked it. He had spent the past month in bed in his rooms once he was recovered enough to leave the healing wing, and he was tired of being cooped up and wanted to see if the twins actually did like the gift he wanted to give them.
Maybe he should ask Múldir if that blow to his head had altered his personality?
In the meantime, he was glad that the twin's begetting day was moving ahead as planned. They didn't make such a fuss unless it was an impressive milestone, like turning twelve yéni, but Elros had told Múldir once that because of the storms that hit Sirion around and during their begetting day they hadn't really been able to celebrate with friends because of the weather being so bad. And so, they found themselves making an effort every year so that the twins could have a day of celebration and fun.
Finally, the day came, and the celebration started. Breakfast was honey cakes with nuts courtesy of the baker, and afterward, they went to Maglor's study to open the twin's gifts.
From Múldir they each received books on various healing herbs and their uses that could fit in a saddlebag or pocket quite easily. There were also empty pages in the back for the twins to add their own observations and conclusions. Maeassil's gifts were new belts and boots for formal occasions, as well as circlets made of silver in swirling leaf patterns. Maglor had raised an eyebrow at that; he recognized the design from Doriath. How Maeassil had known it was beyond him.
Eventually, it was time for Maglor's gifts and he said, "I expect you to be responsible with these and take good care of them," before giving them both new bows and quivers. The bows were almost as tall as the twins were and couldn't be used by them for a few more years. The quivers were made of leather that had been waterproofed and fireproofed, and were sewn with designs of hunting scenes. They were beautifully made, and the twins turned wide eyes on Maglor, who only said, "You will have to grow into these, I'm afraid, but it will be a good lesson in patience. Also, even though they can't be used yet you still have to take care of them so that they can be used when you are ready for them. But they can stay in your rooms from now on."
The twins slowly nodded before Elrond said, "Thank you, Maglor, very much. We will take good care of them."
Maglor nodded, and then it was Maedhros' turn. He waited until the twins were again seated after putting the bows and quivers next to the pile of gifts they had already received before saying, "These are for you. I expect you to take care of them like you would those bows until you are old enough and tall enough to use them."
He handed them their gifts then, and the twin's breaths caught when they saw what they were. Two beautifully carved light blades in intricately designed sheaths were Maedhros' gifts, and they were clearly very sharp. They, also, were too big for the twins, but they would grow into their new blades soon enough. The blades were also intricately designed with leaf patterns that matched their sheaths when the twins pulled them out, and they gleamed in the light from the sun and the fireplace. They would serve the twins well when they were old enough and experienced enough to use them.
The twins turned to Maedhros then, but it was Elros who said, "Thank you, Maedhros, we'll use them well."
Maedhros nodded, "There are weapon racks in each of your rooms. You can keep everything there from now on, so long as you take care of everything. Don't expect anyone else to do it for you."
The twins nodded and re-sheathed the blades, taking them and their new bows to their rooms, Múldir and Maeassil taking some of the rest of the gifts with them so that they wouldn't have to make another trip. As they were doing this Maglor turned to his brother and said, "That is why you started them on broadswords. You didn't want them seeing what the blacksmith was doing, and you didn't want them knowing you had no intention of making the broadsword their primary weapon."
Maedhros only looked at him blankly before saying, "I have no idea what you are talking about."
"I doubt that highly," Maglor said, but the conversation quickly ended when the twins came back to collect the rest of their gifts. From there they were allowed to have the day to themselves. They went and thanked the blacksmith and quartermaster for their parts in making their gifts, then slipped out into the village. They were able to pilfer some freshly-baked cookies from the village baker and watched an archery contest between some of the new patrol members, and spent the rest of the day wandering around. They even went to the wall and climbed it, but didn't do much more than that. After standing and staring west for quite a while they left, leaving behind some very unnerved guards that weren't used to two elflings just standing there so unerringly for so long.
Once back on solid ground Elros pushed Elrond gently, a grin on his face. Elrond recovered easily enough and turned to glare at his brother. Seeing the grin on Elros' face caused an identical grin to appear on Elrond's face and he lunged at his brother. Elros dodged quickly, and the race back to the castle was on, the twins ducking, dodging, and jumped over and around everything in their path, even elves. They were back at the castle, breathless but laughing, a few minutes later before heading inside to find some cool water before heading for the healing wing garden to play some more.
Above them, watching as they laughed and played, stood Maglor and Maedhros. Maglor turned to his brother then and said quietly, "Whether you want to admit it to anyone, even yourself, you've grown fond of the twins and care about them. Why else would you go to such lengths to get them gifts they will actually want when they grow up?" and with that Maglor left his brother alone to consider his words, not that he really needed to.
He knew his brother spoke the truth and that he did care, he just would never show or admit it to anyone. He had a reputation to uphold, even though he knew that at least the twins saw right through it. They knew how much he cared about them, which was more than he was willing to admit to anyone. How in the name of the Valar had they worn him down so quickly?
He thought he would hate them forever, after what their mother had done, and yet he did not and he couldn't explain it.
It was so strange, not having that burning hate towards someone in him, but he decided not to think about it as he went inside to start on the patrol roster for the next few months. Not having that hate inside of him actually felt good, like his spirit was somewhat lighter. But the roster still needed to get done. It might be the twins begetting day and they could do whatever they wanted, but he still had to take care of the papers and reports that were piled on his desk.
There were some days when he wished he was as young and carefree as the twins. They didn't have to worry about papers and reports like he did.
Not for a long time.
The rest of the twin's begetting day passed uneventfully for all in that there were no accidents or pranks on unsuspecting elves. Dinner was the twin's favorite: roast venison with mashed potatoes, not sweet as they knew from past experience the twins hated that, and fresh beans. Dessert was a blackberry pie that all enjoyed, and Maglor even let them have some watered-down wine.
Neither twin was even remotely tipsy after they tried it, something that amused Maglor slightly. The twins clearly had some tolerance for alcohol already.
Or they were just good at hiding the fact they were drunk.
Over a week later and things were back in their normal routine. The twins were back in their lessons and taking care of their horses, and it was one such day when Maglor stopped by the library to find Elrond and Parmatan glaring at each other.
He sighed as he entered the library, 'Here we go again,' was all he thought as he walked over. As the twins got older and smarter and more learned they started challenging Parmatan on what he was teaching them. Or, at least, Elrond did. Elros was content to sit back and watch the show, as well as make no effort to calm down tempers and prides.
That had become Maglor's job, something he always did begrudgingly. It never ceased to amaze him how much and how fast Elrond could rile Parmatan, and it took a while to calm him down when Elrond did that.
Today looked like it would be no different.
"Is there something wrong?" he asked as he drew up a chair and sat down, waiting for a response. When one wasn't immediately forthcoming he asked, "Well? I'm waiting."
Finally, Parmatan broke off from glaring at Elrond to say, "Just a disagreement of opinion, my lord."
That garnered a reaction from Elrond. His eyebrows shot up, and there was a look of incredulous anger on his face, "Only a difference of opinion?! He insulted our kin!"
"I did not!" Parmatan exclaimed.
"Yes, you did!"
"No, I didn't!"
Before this could dissolve into an unending shouting match Maglor held up a hand and asked, "How did this start?"
Elrond glared at Parmatan while the older elf turned to Maglor and said, "We were reviewing the history of Doriath and the coming of Melian to Arda. When we arrived at the travels of Lúthien and Beren I mentioned that Beren, as a mere mortal, could not have accomplished such great deeds without the aid of others. And that is where we are," returning to glare at Elrond.
Elrond wasn't the least bit perturbed, nor did he back down, "Lúthien was our great-grandmother; Beren her husband. King Thingol wouldn't have allowed their union and an eternity sundered from his only child unless Beren proved himself to be one of the Great Men of Old born into a greater house. And he was. He was of the House of Bëor and an elf-friend. He survived the hells of Angband where few have returned from and retrieved that which none up to that point had been able to, not even their creator Fëanor. You insult him and his memory in such a way you insult us, as he is our kin."
His words finished Elrond returned to glaring at Parmatan, while Maglor needed a few moments to get past what Elrond had just said about his father, even if it was true. Finally, though, he was able to say, "You are aware of your lineage, Elrond?"
Elrond nodded, not breaking off his glaring contest while Elros spoke for the first time, "Our parents called us "Peredhil", or Half-elven, and said we were not fully immortal. They said they didn't know how long we would live or if we would walk the same path as Lúthien Tinúviel, but that we should live each day to the fullest as much as we could," he paused then, thinking before saying, "But I agree with Elrond. Beren did many great deeds, many of them on his own, and Finrod Felagund named him elf-friend and gave him his ring. Isn't that worthy of some consideration? You were the one who said Finrod chose his friends carefully and after much thought. Wouldn't he have thought carefully before making Beren his friend? And would he have willingly gone to his death with Beren if Beren wasn't his friend?"
"Excellent points, Elros," Maglor said, then turned to Parmatan, "It seems the twins have won this round, old friend, and perhaps next time the subject comes up you should consider what the twins already know and expound on that, instead of denying a truth they know in their bones?"
Parmatan finally stopped glaring at Elrond and turned to Maglor then, "I would if I could, my lord. Our knowledge of the history of Men and their Houses is scant, as are many books on the subject. I'm afraid it may be impossible to expand what the twins already know in this regard."
"Do your best, Parmatan," Maglor said, and stood up, "And keep an open mind. We all have different lived experiences that need to be taken into account. They shouldn't be disregarded just because they don't agree with your view on the world."
Parmatan bowed his head before returning to the book in front of him. Maglor turned to Elrond, who was still glaring at Parmatan and said to him, "Elrond, you need to remember that many people have biases. Don't get angry at that, seek to change their minds with more persuasive arguments, not by force. If you try by force that just makes people less likely to keep an open mind and be willing to learn from you. Do you understand?"
Elrond finally stopped glaring at Parmatan and nodded slowly, leaving Maglor to wonder as he left if he would be needed again that day to soothe ruffled feathers. There was such a thing as being too smart, and sometimes he felt the twins always knew more than they let on about until they showed they did in rather obvious ways.
Maglor brought a hand to his head and started rubbing his temple, trying to make his sudden headache go away. He may need to visit Múldir for that, as he almost always got a headache whenever the twins decided to be snippy and rebellious if they felt themselves or their long-dead kin had been slighted.
Maglor sighed, why did these little spats between the twins and Parmatan always leave him with a headache and with no one else getting one?
It just wasn't fair.
Two weeks later and the spat with Parmatan was mostly forgotten. Even though they had disagreed on the matter of Beren and his heroics, that didn't mean they hated each other. It just meant that they had to adjust their views, something rather difficult when extremely stubborn beings all felt they were in the right and shouldn't have to change their minds.
But now wasn't the time to think about Parmatan and their disagreement. Today Parmatan, Maedhros, and Maglor were down in the village supervising the building of a small library there so that books and scrolls could be more easily shared among the villagers.
Which meant that Maglor's study should be empty. Which gave the twins a chance to do something they had been wanting to do for a long time.
They wanted to find out more about Múldir, and Maglor's study seemed like the best place to start looking since Múldir wouldn't tell them anything. Whatever he was hiding from them everyone was hiding from them, and they wanted to know. He was their friend, but the secrets he kept shouldn't be just his to bear.
They should help him if they could, which was how they found themselves standing outside Maglor's study, listening carefully to make certain it really was empty. They heard nothing from inside, and then Elros knocked on the door, their excuse of looking for a certain book that wasn't in the library already ready on his tongue in case someone was in there.
But no sound or word issued forth from the other side of the door, and then Elros was trying the handle on one of the doors. Finding it locked, as usual, Elros said quietly, "Your turn, Elrond," turning around to watch the hallway for anyone coming.
Elrond only nodded and pulled a hairpin from his hair. He inserted the pin into the lock, eyes sliding shut as he manipulated the pin inside the lock. Elros couldn't help but grin as he watched his brother work out of the corner of his eye. They had been taught how to pick locks back in Sirion by one of the smiths, Carmatan, who actually invented different-sized picks for the various lock designs there were and was one of the best lock-pickers they had ever seen. He had taught them secretly how to pick locks, as their parents didn't think it was a skill young elf-lords should be taught.
At the thought of Carmatan Elros' smile faded. He could only hope the quiet, almost shy, smith had survived the attack and was still inventing all sorts of amazing things in his forge.
A click was heard behind him and he turned as Elrond opened the door. He only said softly, "Carmatan would be proud," as he went inside, Elrond following behind after wiping away a tear at the thought of the smith.
'Where is he now?' was something Elrond wondered as they stepped into Maglor's study and he turned to lock the door behind them, 'I hope he survived. I hope a lot of our friends survived.'
"Why did you do that?" Elros whispered after Elrond locked the door, "No one is coming."
"I know," Elrond said, "But just in case someone does come, they won't be able to know we are in here. But we have a way out," nodding at the balcony. It wasn't a long climb down and the wall at that point was too narrow for guards. No one would see them, "We need to make it look like nothing happened, and the only way to do that is to keep that door locked. If Maglor comes and finds it open, he will get suspicious."
Elros nodded slowly as he realized what his brother had already figured out, and then asked, "Where do we start?" looking around the large study.
"Not his desk," Elrond said, "He wouldn't keep anything about Múldir there, it's too obvious. And if Múldir has been here as long as we think he has, twenty or more years, then any information about him is not current and wouldn't be on the desk where Maglor deals with current issues. Let's check the other desks," nodding at the two desks off to the side that were always locked, even though Elros knew where the keys were. It was a matter of a few seconds to find them and unlock the desks. Each twin took a desk and started riffling through the contents, but found nothing of interest until Elrond said suddenly, "Look at this!"
Elros looked up as Elrond pulled a book, worn from travel and years outdoors, out of the desk he was searching. There was a ribbon about halfway through, and opening the book there revealed that the book was blank after the ribbon but not before. The twins looked at each other before slowly nodding. They had found Maglor's personal journal.
Elrond immediately started turning pages, trying to find the right date, or a clue, or anything, as Elros finished searching the one desk. Finding nothing else he closed it and locked it before joining his brother. Elrond had found exactly what he was looking for by then and they read the entry silently:
June 15th, F.A. 510
Today our last healer was killed. There was an attack on one of the outlying villages, the last of our villages outside the castle walls. Our healer, in his haste to heal and to help, was killed, and we find ourselves in dire need of a master healer now. Maeassil's skill is not enough for the wounded brought in by patrols, even though she tries her best. I don't know what to do, and I am hesitant to voice these concerns just yet. Maedhros might not take my concerns well, and Amras doesn't care. It saddens me, how far my youngest brother has fallen, and I find myself missing the days in Aman when we were all so happy and free. Now my brother falls into madness, our healer is dead, and we need a solution to at least one of these problems.
The twins looked at each other before continuing on to the next entry, dated the next week:
Maedhros has brought forth the idea of getting another master healer, and Amras agrees. I agree as well, we desperately need one, but Maedhros' method may be flawed. It would be impossible to find a healer willing to serve us, not after everything we have done, but I'm not sure what choice we have. Colinde is due to give birth soon, and Maeassil doesn't think her skill is enough if something goes wrong. We need a master healer, well-trained in the arts of healing and a master of Song, but the only places to find them are Gondolin, Sirion, the Falas, and Ost-in-Edhil. I can't see how any healer from those cities would willingly serve us, but Maedhros suggests –
All of a sudden voices came from the hallway, causing both twins to freeze as they listened. A few seconds later the voices got louder and the twins recognized Maglor's voice, accompanied by Maedhros. They had returned earlier than the twins had thought!
Wasting no time Elrond put Maglor's journal back in the desk, trying to make it look like it was before he opened it. He did his best, and after a few seconds, the journal was again hidden under some papers. The desk was locked and the key was hidden again, and the twins were running for the open balcony as behind them a key was turned in the door to the study.
They made it and immediately started climbing the creeper vine to the level above, deciding it would be easier to climb up than down. Behind them, the door to the study opened and in walked Maglor, followed by his brother. Maglor stopped soon after entering the study, his senses on the alert. Behind him, Maedhros asked, "What's wrong, Maglor?" looking over his shoulder as he said this. Maedhros was easily the tallest of his brothers and had no trouble seeing into the room, where everything looked to be in order.
Maglor didn't seem as convinced. His eyes roved the room, taking in every detail before he slowly entered the room, trying to understand what he was feeling. He looked around carefully before saying, "For a moment I thought…."
"Thought what?" Maedhros asked, not sure what was going on with his brother.
Finally, Maglor shook his head and said, "Nothing, everything's fine. I was just imaging things," he turned to Maedhros then and asked, "Where were we?"
Maedhros only shook his head, deciding his brother definitely could be paranoid when he wanted to be and continued the conversation exactly where they had stopped, even though Maglor never lost the feeling that someone had been in his study moments before he had opened the door.
How they had managed to get through a locked door he had no idea.
A level above them the twins had reached the balcony, unaware they were being watched by curious eyes. Elros was the first to climb over the railing and immediately went to help his brother. Elrond hissed in pain as he was forced to put weight on his left wrist, and once he was over the railing Elros asked, "Are you alright?"
Elrond nodded, holding his wrist as still as possible, "I think I sprained it," wincing as he tried to move it.
Elros' eyes widened and he said, "Múldir needs to look at it; make sure it is nothing more than a sprain."
Elrond nodded, knowing they had no choice. His wrist needed to be bound to help it heal and not get worse, and so he stood up as quickly as he could, following his brother into the room. Once in there he couldn't help but stop and stare.
Next to him, Elros said quietly, "This isn't Amras' room, it was down on the second floor. Whose was this?"
The room they were in was large, the bed clearly for two people. The closet had dresses in one half and neatly folded tunics and trousers in the other. Another bed in a chamber attached to this one was made for someone small, a child perhaps, and the living area outside the bedchamber had a bin of toys in one corner. Even though it was clear no one lived there or had lived there for a long time, there wasn't a speck of dust anywhere. It was almost as if the room was frozen in time, waiting for its occupants to return.
"This is creepy," was all Elros said, and Elrond nodded as they quickly left the room. Once they were outside and the door locked again, thanks to Elros this time, Elros asked, "Who do you think lived in there?"
Elrond thought a moment before saying, "Maglor and Maedhros had five brothers: Celegorm, Caranthir, Curufin, Amrod, and Amras. Amrod died when the swan ships burned on these shores after the Kinslaying of Alqualondë, and Amras died in Sirion. Celegorm, Caranthir, and Curufin died in Doriath during the Kinslaying there," he thought a moment before saying, "Only Curufin married in these lands, and he had a son, Celebrimbor. Maybe that was their room before he died? I overheard the blacksmith say once that Celebrimbor has renounced his bloodline and rejected his birthright as a Fëanorion," he shrugged, "Maybe Maglor and Maedhros are hoping he will come back one day?"
Elros shook his head, this was all too confusing for him sometimes, and they went quickly to the healing wing. When they got there they were surprised to see Múldir waiting for them with a bandage for Elrond's wrist. He only said, "I knew you two were good at climbing trees, but I had no idea you could climb vines as well," as he took Elrond's wrist and bound it securely, ignoring their surprised looks and the glance they exchanged at being found out by anyone. They thought they had been stealthy. Once he was finished he asked, "What were you two doing in there? And how did you get in there in the first place? Maglor always locks the door when he isn't in his study."
The twins looked at each other, trying to come up with a lie that Múldir might believe, but Múldir wasn't impressed and saw right through it, "I know you weren't planning a prank; you do that here where you won't get caught. What were you doing, and how did you get in?" his voice stern.
He wouldn't tolerate a lie.
The twins looked at each other before Elros said, "A smith back in Sirion, Carmatan, taught us how to pick locks when we were four. We were in Maglor's study looking for something."
"And that would be what?" Múldir asked suspiciously. He didn't like where this was going. The twins exchanged another glance before looking at him, and he suddenly made the connection; his surprise was evident in his wide eyes and the sudden paleness of his face, "Me? You were looking for information about me?"
The twins nodded, Elrond speaking for the first time: "There's something you're not telling us, Múldir, something everyone seems to know except us. And it's about you. No parent would give their child such a cruel name, so that can't be your real name, can it?"
Before Múldir could even think of an answer Maglor entered the room, and when he saw Múldir and the twins he came over and said, "Ah….Elrond, Elros, I've been looking for you. Ranyaro says you are late for your lesson," seeing Elrond's wrapped wrist he became concerned and asked, "What happened?" kneeling down to gently take Elrond's arm and see it for himself.
The twins froze, not sure what to say, but then Múldir came to the rescue, not wanting the twins punished because of their own curiosity and intuition about being kept in the dark about something, "He sprained it climbing down too quickly from a tree. It should heal in a day or two."
Maglor nodded, a relieved look in his eye, "You need to be more careful next time, Elrond. You should hurry to your lesson, though, before Ranyaro comes looking for you. You know how he can be," standing as he said this. The twins nodded, still silent, and Maglor turned to Múldir then, "I need that list of all the supplies you are running out of when you get the chance," Múldir nodded and Maglor turned back to the twins, "You'd best hurry along. I will let Ranyaro know to go easy on your wrist today, Elrond."
With that Maglor left, and once the door had swung shut behind him Múldir turned to the twins then and said sternly, "I don't want you looking into this anymore, do you understand? You could get seriously hurt next time."
"But Múldir –" Elros started to say, only to be cut off by the healer, "No, Elros, there are no secrets to be had here. Stop looking for something that isn't there," he glared at them until they nodded sullenly, and then said, "You are going to be even more late for Ranyaro. You'd better run along."
The twins nodded again and left, Elrond turning back at the last second to see Múldir shed a tear he thought the twins hadn't seen. But Elrond saw it and it hardened his resolve; knowing in his bones that there was something there and even more determined to find out what it was. He would find out the truth about Múldir, no matter how long it took.
The healer, indeed all of the Fëanorians, could not keep it a secret from them forever. They would find out, he knew they would.
It was only a matter of time and patience.
Translations:
lembas – Elvish waybread
Fëanorions – sons of Fëanor
yéni – Elvish unit of time, measuring 144 years
Peredhil – half-elven