Authors note: This story is not in canon with Tolkiens storyline, but that is the great thing about fanfiction, I can write it as I choose. :-) I apologize for any grammar or spelling errors. This chapter has not been revised by a beta. If anyone would like to edit this please let me know. Thanks :-)
Part I
Chapter Two- The Beginning
The rays of Telperion spilled its silvery rays on the morning dew, though the early morning silence had long ago been shattered by the clash of metal as two ellons, one large and the other small, practiced swordplay.
"One, two, three, four," instructed the tall red haired ellon as the metal swords clanked together.
"Again," he ordered as he brought his long sword to a beginning stance and swung at his young opponent, "one, two, three, four." They repeated the motion again and again until the young ellon was swinging back with confidence.
"That was good Celebrimbor. Now lets try moving in a circle as I call out the positions," he suggested. The red haired ellon moved his strong arms as he brought his sword to a opening pose and stared at the young challenger with readiness.
Intimidated by his uncle he refused to meet his eyes, instead he looked at his uncles broad shoulders. The young dark haired ellon brought his sword to his side and sighed in frustration, "Uncle Maedhros is it really necessary to learn swordplay, especially so early in the morning."
Maedhros blue eyes glared at his nephew critically. "Everything has a time and a place nephew. So remember that as well as remember your positions. So lets try this again with the movement," he encouraged.
The pair again clashed their swords and slowly circled one another. Above the sound of metal hitting metal, a running horse could be heard in the distance thundering down the dirt path.
"Lord Maedhros," the rider shouted, but his voice fell upon deaf ears.
"Maedhros," he tried again urgently.
Maedhros paused mid swing when he heard his named called and turned to face the fast approaching rider. Recognizing him as one of his personal guards he glanced to his young opponent. "Stay where you are Celebrimbor. I will be back momentarily," he commanded.
"Maedhros," the rider cried a final time, obviously winded as his breath raced.
"Thalion, what is it?" he asked as he rushed to the guard.
"Its Elrilma, Maedhros. It is time," Thalion informed him as he removed himself from the saddle his black hair blowing about him.
Maedhros stood there in stunned silence as though staring at nothing. Thalion observed his odd behavior in confusion. "Did you not hear me," he exclaimed. "The baby is coming. I was sent to bring you back. You must make haste."
Maedhros blinked his eyes as if clearing the fog from his mind. "Its time," he whispered quietly.
"Aye," Thalion nodded in agreement.
The full clarity of his words registered with Maedhros. In a panic he turned his attention to Thalion's horse. "By Eru, what am I doing? Where am I going?" he asked as if perplexed by his own questions. He went to grab the reigns from the guards hand when he realized his own were already occupied.
"Oh by the Valar I don't need a sword," he declared as he tossed the sword to Thalion.
Thalion chuckled his gray eyes bright with merriment, "go my friend take my horse. Get to your wife. Be gone!"
Maedhros jumped onto the animals back with swiftness and guided the horse towards Thalion. "Tell Celebrimbor that I go to fetch his new cousin," he teased as he nudged the horse forward.
"Good luck my friend," Thalion shouted to the retreating form of Maedhros.
Maedhros entered the white towering entrance gate of the fortress of Formenos. Curious bystanders watched as the red haired lord galloped through the cobblestone streets as though the Valar themselves were at his heals. His mind too was in a whirl wind of turmoil as his mind raced with anxiety of not making it in time, to the realization that he was going to be a father. He wasn't sure which thought dizzied him more.
After climbing the final hill to the main house, he jumped off his horse and ran up the marble steps two at a time. As he entered the long hall he heard excited voices visiting with one another. His instinct told him to follow the raised voices as he strode through the corridor lined with tapestries of Valinor that his grandmother Miriel had woven before she had faded into the halls of Mandos centuries ago.
As he entered the main room he stopped to calculate who was in the room and it was to his relief that it was his brothers who were gathered around the fireplace as though nothing of excitement was occurring. The twins Amras and Amrod were seated on a red lounge debating over an unknown topic. Across from them sat dark Caranthir and crafty Curufin who were playing a rather intense game of chess. In the shadowed corner sat Celegorm his handsome face set in concentration as he sharpened his lengthy dagger as his hound Huan lay at his feet. As Maedhros turned to the fireplace which was in the middle of the room he observed Maglor, his closes brother in age and in heart, resting his arm on the mantel as his blue eyes stared into the roaring flame.
"Brothers," Maedhros hailed as he entered the room. "Is anything amiss? Is everything all right."
Maglor's looked up from the fire to his brother as he wiped away a strain of dark hair that fell across his fair face and he smiled in welcome. "Its about time. I thought I would have to come and fetch you myself. I was afraid you might have ran the horse the opposite direction in the all the confusion," he teased.
Maedhros smiled in return as he neared Maglor, "I am confident that Thalion watched me as I rode away to make sure that something of that nature would not happen, but forget the pleasantries. What is the situation? Where is Elrilma?"
Never looking up from his game board Caranthir replied nonchalantly, "She is giving birth."
Maedhros eyed Caranthir with irritation. "I know that already or I would not be here. Where have they taken her."
"She has been moved to your bedchamber," Maglor informed him as the others watched with curiosity. Not waiting for any further information, Maedhros turned to make a quick exit when with hesitation Maglor spoke behind him, "Maedhros... I think it would be best if you remained here."
Stopping sharply, Maedhros turned to his brother in confusion. "What do you mean," he questioned.
"I mean that you are not needed in the bed chamber," Maglor stated with certainty.
Maedhros face fell and his eyes blazed with anger. "What you are really trying to say is that I'm not wanted in the bed chamber," he said with bitterness.
All the brothers stopped their activities and turned their attention on Maglor who stood rigid with his mouth slightly open trying to find words that would ease him out of the hole that he had dug himself into.
Maedhros aggressively came closer to Maglor. "Is that not what you meant brother," he asked harshly.
Bringing his hands up as though to shield himself, Maglor answered defensively "Nay Maedhros they are not my words. You know that it is not my wish to keep you away."
"Damn her," Maedhros roared as he beat his hand on a side table knocking off a small blue vase.
The others sat their in utter silence, unsure what to say or what to do. Maglor too stood quietly as he watched his brother extract his anger.
"I can not believe that she would use something as important as this as part of her vendetta against me," he thundered. Completely deflated, Maedhros leaned both his hands on the table for support and inhaled sharply. "Never...," he murmured, "never in my wildest dreams would I have ever imagined that she would go this far, ever!"
Curufin approached Maedhros in silent support. "Brother," he said softly "now is not the time to show your anger towards her. Though her method to you may seem of the cruelest degree, it is not uncommon for fathers to not be present at the birth. Remember that father was not present at any of our births."
Maedhros looked at Curufin in defeat. "Nay he was not," he agreed, "but that was because no one could not find him in time. He was always to deep in his forge."
Curufin sighed in frustration, "That may be true, but I was not present for the birth of Celebrimbor and that fact did not diminish the joy I felt upon holding him in my arms the first time." he advised.
Maedhros moved from the table and dropped himself into one of the side chairs. After rubbing his hands over his face as though wiping away his anger, he rested his arms to his side and raised his head. "I know that when I see the babe that I will feel nothing but joy"
he confirmed. "It is in the days to come I dread. I know that it is Elrilma that has denied my wish. One thing that I asked was to be by her side and to show her defiance against me she turns me away."
Celegorm eased himself out of his chair and sat his dagger down on the table. He came closer to Maedhros. "Are things that badly off between the two of you that she would truly do this on purpose," he questioned.
Maedhros shifted his gaze to Celegorm's fair face and frowned. "It is as bad as it can be I wager," he said.
All the brothers were aware that there was extreme tension between Maedhros and Elrilma since he brought her to Formenos from her home by the see in Alqualonde, but they never witnessed their arguments. What they were not aware of was the fact that their eldest brother battled almost daily with his wife.
Celegorm mindful of his brothers defeated state attempted to warm his heart. "Do not fret at the situation at hand Maedhros. It will mend itself in due time," he said warmly.
Just as Maedhros was about to reply in agreement, a loud voice bellowed in welcome from behind him. It was Feanor son of Finwe, his father.
Maedhros shut his eyes in distress. Now was not the moment that he wanted to deal with his father. He possessed great love for this ellon, but when he was dealing with emotional circumstance concerning his wife, his father's bravado was not something he wanted to hear.
"My sons, tis a happy day for the house of Finwe," Feanor greeted.
Trying to transform his dejected face, Maedhros turned to his father with a fabricated smile. "Aye, tis a happy day father," he said graciously as he approached him and looked into what seemed like the all and knowing eyes of Feanor son of Finwe.
Feanor aware that his eldest sons smile was false, chose to ignore it. "Has there been any news regarding my new grandson's arrival." he asked assertively.
"Nay there was been no news as of yet," Maglor answered.
"I was in my forge when news came to me that Maedhros wife was giving birth. I was confident that by the time I returned that the babe would be here, but it must take longer for the daughters of the Teleri to birth, especially a child of Noldorion blood," he stated smugly.
None of the brothers, including Maedhros, missed the insult that was flung at the mother to be. They were all aware at the disapproval that Feanor cast upon his eldest when he chose one of the Teleri to be his wife and from that day Feanor never attempted to hide his dislike for the small elleth.
"It does take time father. Every elleth is different," Curufin defended.
Amrod who had sat silent through all the emotional drama decided to breakthrough the tension. "Aye they all differ, but if you compare them to mother who became a master after seven sons than I deem that any elleth would be considered slow," he joked.
Feanor nodded in a agreement. "Your mother was a force to reckon with and still is," he laughed. "Why do you think I stayed in my forge for as long as I did during each of your births." All the males chuckled in amusement.
"Aye that would be a good reason," Maedhros agreed.
With the tension finally broken. A sense of ease and brotherly camaraderie fell upon the group as they sat and waited together, recalling stories of their youth. Feanor not contributing to his son's discussions rather watched them in observation as the brothers conversed. Deep down in his heart a small pang of jealousy was felt against his sons that they could share such fellowship with one another, when he was estranged from his own half brothers.
Though he knew the estrangement to be part of his own making it still did not set well with him to watch the easiness between his sons and to be honest, it was his own jealousy that turned him against Elrilma as he watched Maedhros be loved by his beautiful wife. He was envious of their love and jealous of the fact that he no longer shared that bond with his own wife Nerdanel who had left him many years prior. Feanor was always jealous of what he didn't have and blind to the things he did.
It was during this quiet contemplation of Feanor, that Maedhros directed his gaze to his father. He watched his father eyes in fascination as Feanor's guard was down and his blue eyes projected his sadness though his face was as hard as stone. Maedhros always knew that eyes were the window to the soul, but he had never witnessed such pain as his father watched his brothers.
Feanor became uneasy as he felt a gaze upon him and he turned his attention to his eldest son. In shock that his father caught his stare, Maedhros quickly diverted his eyes to Maglor who looked at him and tilted his head in questions. Maedhros just shook his head as if to discourage Maglor from any further interaction between them. He hesitantly look back at his father who still had his eyes upon him and when he looked into those startling blue eyes, he beheld nothing but emptiness.
"Maedhros, do you not agree I am innocent," Amras asked.
Maedhros directed his attention to his youngest brother. "I'm sorry Amras, what did you say," he said his expression confused.
"I asked you if you thought I was innocent in the affair of Amrod putting that slimy frog into mothers bureau draw." he asked again.
Leaning back into his chair, Maedhros judged his brothers smirking face.
"I still state I am innocent," Amras defended with a comical flare.
Maedhros recalling the conversation at hand smiled and answered, "Nay I do not agree with your innocence. If you did not put the frog in her drawer than you are the one who thought of the idea."
"See," Amrod shouted as he stood in triumph, "I am not the only guilty party here."
His victory was short lived when a feminine voice could be heard calling down the large hall. "Maedhros," she called in a urgent voice.
Standing swiftly, Maedhros left his seat and rushed to the doorway almost knocking the small dark haired lady off her feet. Reaching out a strong hand he reached for the lady and steadied himself and her. He recognized her, she was Morithil the wife of his brother Amras and she too was waiting the birth of their first child. Making sure all was well Maedhros looked down to her large stomach in concern. "Are you alright," he asked.
Reaching down to comfort the large mound that rested in her stomach she smiled sweetly.
"Aye all is well for you and for I," she announced openly.
Maedhros looked at her with seriousness. "Is it Elrilma?" he asked.
She raised her hand to his face and smiled with joy. "I have come to tell you all is well with her and the babe" she said with mirth.
"Than my grandson has made his entrance into the world?" Feanor voiced over the others.
"Nay, my lord," she said in amusement.
"What do you mean Morithil," Amras asked as he neared his wife.
"No grandson has entered the world, my lord," she stated, "but a granddaughter has." She turned her gaze from Feanors stunned face to that of Maedhros who's face was frozen in astonishment.
"A daughter?" he asked to make sure he heard her clearly.
"Aye brother, a beautiful daughter," she revealed again. She watched his face turn from astonishment to absolute delight as he smiled with pure happiness.
Suddenly without any thought of her condition Maedhros swept her into an embrace of pure joy. "A daughter," he murmured in merriment as he held her tight.
Releasing her from his hug, he turned to his brothers in delight. "I have a daughter," he declared. His brothers came to him in congratulations, but in the corner stood his father with a solemn look on his face.
elleth-female elf
ellon-male elf