Author; Linnath
Summary; A sleepless child seeks comfort and finds a kindred spirit.
Rating; G
Disclaimer; I own nothing but books and some overdue homework.
Note: I have done a few corrections that you night notice. Most important, I changed MEAdhros to MAEdhros.
Shadow of the Moon
The moon was high in the sky; it seamed to hang over a forest one the edge of a field. Just in side the edge of the forest were some tents, but he would not have noticed them they were so well hidden. But he did see them for out of one slipped a young boy. It was hard to guess his age, even though the moon had seen his kind ever since they first come on to being, he was an elf. The child ran silently through the trees to the edge of the dark woods where a man was sitting, his knees drawn up to his chest gazing at the countless stars above him. Even in his own faint light the moon could see that his long hair was flaming red, red as the glory of sunset. Wordlessly the boy sat down beside the red haired man. Neither said any thing but looked with wonder and love at the splendor that Varda had set in the skies.
Then the man spoke, his voice was soft yet full of humor, as unpredictable as the sea, "Why are you not resting? Your brother might wake with another nightmare."
The boy's reply was as smooth as his elders, but held more steadiness, like sure footing on a rocky climb, "Sleep would not come, and Elrond is not the one with nightmares." He smiled faintly.
"Nightmares always seem so paltry in the daylight that are so terrifying at night. Full-moon is the best time to tell them, it is not dark enough to make them horrifying, yet not light enough to make them silly." The man murmured in his capricious voice.
The boy sat quietly for a moment then leaned forward and whispered, "You begin."
The red-haired-one chuckled, "Very persuasive, young one." He paused for a long moment, "When I was young, before father made the Silmarils, I had this strange dream that would keep coming back, of a giant spider. I would be standing it a great field with my mother, when a hideous monster would appear, it would start towered nanneth who was still a ways away. But she could not see it, I could not run to her, or call out. She would come dancing and laughing through the grass, then she stopped and waved still smiling as the spider came up behind her. In a moment to quick for me to see it would strike nanneth down. She would lie gasping on the ground. With light, not blood, pouring from a great would over her heart. Putting is mouth the wound the spider would suck the Light of Iluvatar out of her, leaving a black empty shell, which would crumble to dust. It would turn to me… I would wake up screaming. Then nanna would come to me, she would hold me and sing to me 'till I fell a sleep."
"Just as you do for me now." Said the boy smiling. "Yes, Elros, just as I do to you now." Replied the man a half smile playing bout his lips. Then they were quiet again, for so long that when Elros spoke again the man almost jumped, "Maedhros, do you regret it? That you swore the oath."
Maedhros closed his eyes and turned his head away from the boy, "Yes, I regret it." He whispered, "I regret it every time I lose a friend in battle, every time I kill some one to get the treasures my father made and that were stolen from him. But I cannot turn away, the oath I swore in a rash moment holds me to it."
Elros watched Maedhros quietly, then he asked cautiously, "If you had the chance, would you take it back?"
"It cannot be taken back. What is done is done." Maedhros replied sharply, tightening his hands into fists so that his fingernails dug into his palms. Elros looked away, turning his head to the sky once more, the quick breaths of Maedhros slowed and his hands unclench.
At length Elros spoke again, "Were you in love in Valinor?" Maedhros looked down it the boy by his side. Elros was still gazing at the stars.
He sighed sigh, "I was, but not with a person. I was in love with Valinor, though I did not know that then. In love with its peace, its beauty, its joy."
Elros was quiet for a moment, listening to an owl hooting. Then said, "It can be beautiful here too, and peaceful, and joyful."
"It can not." Maedhros said quietly, rubbing his hand on the dewy grass, "Not for me."
"It can be beautiful," Elros said with quiet insistence, "even for you."
Maedhros laughed shortly, "Not for me, not after Valinor, it is like rock to diamond."
Elros shook his head, "I do not like diamonds."
"It is a lowly fern to a tall tree."
Elros smiled, "I like ferns."
Maedhros' mouth twitched and he rolled his eye heavenward, at his side Elros laughed silently. Maedhros looked down at Elros, his face serious but his eyes were teasing, "It is Maglor to I."
Elros laughed, "I like you."
The moon slipped down over the horizon, its journey across the sky had ended.
Encaitarince; Thanks! I've always loved Elros. I don't think he was as inscrutable or reserved as Elrond. Just a bright, human boy.
James8; I'm honored! Fëanorians are such desperate characters, aren't they?
Snarky Loki; Glad you like it. And yeah, after Elwing threw herself off the cliff with the Silmaril and turned into a seagull,the Fëanorians took her children kinda as hostages.
Neld; Thank you.Yeah, I corrected those mistakes. Finally. And I put it in the Silmarilian part. I hadn't even noticed that there was one until you pointed it out!
Saikagrl; This contrast of characters always intrigued me. They are kind of similar, yet so differant. And I just love Elros!
Evenstar Elanor; Elros said to tell you that if you like Maglor, that's your own affair. Hehe, just kidding! Thanks for your thoughtful, in-depth review. I though about writing it in older language, but it was really hard and I couldn't get the story move smoothly. The story got really choppy for some reason. And I'm rather proud of how I handled Elros's decision to be a man. Glad you like it as well!