Epilogue

It was indeed hard at first. Elrond had assigned Maglor and Maedhros to do whatever tasks Lindir asked of them, many of which were menial and repetitive. They could be found in the fields tilling the land, or fishing in the river for fish. They did laundry, and any manual labor they were assigned to do. They were asked to help forge weaponry for the soldiers, for they still remembered how to do such things they learned in their youth, but always under the stringent watch of Glorfindel. Every night they were locked in their dwelling, and guards were assigned to follow them wherever they went. The first yeni was spent in wariness, with the exception of Elrond and his children. They visited the brothers regularly, and the younger Elves were always interested to hear stories of Elrond and his childhood, or things they experienced in the First Age. Arwen tried to steer the topics in light-hearted directions, but it was not always possible.

Eventually Elladan and Elrohir became stir-crazy, and left for long periods of time to hunt the enemy in vengeance for the atrocities committed to their mother. It grieved Elrond to see it, but he could not blame them for it. One day, Maedhros explained to Elrond how his brothers had done the same to avenge the things he had experienced. "It did not truly change anything, for how can the past be altered? Yet it gave them a purpose, and they eventually did find a semblance of fulfillment because of it," Maedhros said calmly. "They found a place for themselves in Beleriand through exploring the lands in their search for agents of Morgoth, and established their various realms during the Siege of Angband."

"They are intelligent Ellyn, and I do not believe they will take any unnecessary risks," Maglor added. "They were raised well by you, Elrond."

Elrond huffed a laugh. "So you say, but I cannot help worrying for my children. Arwen thankfully is safe in Lothlorien now."

"Our niece will watch over her well," Maedhros said with a smirk. Her encounter with the Fëanorian brothers had been short and to the point shortly after they arrived in Imladris. Her face had been serene but her eyes flinty as she expressed her inability to forgive them for their past deeds, and how she had moved on with her life to create and rule her own realm successfully. At least one of the House of Finwe had stayed alive to create something good out of their suffering. Maglor and Maedhros had said little, knowing they deserved every word of condemnation. Despite their animosity towards one another, they had to admit they were glad Galadriel had found peace and avoided the horrible end the rest of them had experienced. Her life had certainly not been easy, but she had triumphed over evil and was stronger because of it.

The second half of their sentence was more amicable. The people of Imladris were now used to Maedhros and Maglor's presence, and many began to view them as one of their people, and not as an enemy. Glorfindel still held a significant amount of animosity towards them, but it had faded slightly. Elrond removed the locks from their dwelling and told them they could go where they wished, but the brothers tended to remain there most of the time. It was hard for them to continually face those they had hurt, either directly or indirectly, by their past deeds.

Elrond looked at his calendar and noticed they had finally arrived at the day in which their sentence ended. He heaved a hefty sigh and rubbed his forehead. "Now what?" he asked in the empty room.

"We will leave your realm if you wish," Maedhros said, and Elrond jumped, not having noticed him enter the study. "You have no obligation to host us any longer."

Elrond frowned and shook his head, "I wish for you to stay, if you would like." He motioned Maedhros to sit in the chair next to him, and the tall Ellon lowered himself gracefully into it. "I have enjoyed having you and Maglor here, and my children love you as much as I do."

Maedhros startled. "You love us? Even after all we did to you and your family?"

"It was long ago," Elrond insisted gently. "I have forgiven you both, and wish for you to be happy and content, wherever you choose to settle." He smiled. "I hope it will be here."

There was a pause during which Maedhros gathered his thoughts. "Then we shall stay, Ionneg." Elrond's heart warmed at the endearment, and could not prevent the expression of joy from adorning his face.

So it was that Maglor and Maedhros, the only two remaining of the infamous Sons of Fëanor, came to live in Imladris. They supported their foster-son and, with much convincing, eventually sailed with him to Aman after the War of the Ring was ended. They had feared retribution from the Valar, but none was given. Family reunions abounded, and eventually the brothers felt truly at peace.

From ruins to redemption.

Thank you so much for reading! It was a fun story to write, and I hope you enjoyed it!