Chapter Twenty-Six: Revelations and Reunions
For the longest time, Elrond thought his heart had stopped right there and then. Had his mother just said what he had just heard? He was sure his ears were working properly – they didn't feel at all waterlogged. But the question remained…
"How did you know?" he gasped.
"Lord Mandos told me everything when I went to his halls," Elwing replied. "I died, you know, a few months ago. But Lord Manwë granted me new life."
The half-elf nodded. "I know all about that. I saw it on Lady Vairë's tapestries."
"You don't mean… you didn't…" His mother's face paled.
"No, no," Elrond reassured her. "I just dreamt about it." He reached down and helped her to stand, holding her arm to steady her. She smiled gratefully, and he addressed her again.
"What are you doing here, Mother?" The sweet word was like a blessing to his tongue. "I thought you lived in Valinor, in a tower by the Sea…"
"I do," his mother nodded. "But I had to see you and your brother again. I missed you so much."
"So did I," the half-elf told her. "I've been thinking about you ever since you left Sirion." He glanced around them at the stormy afternoon, switching topics slightly. "We should really get inside."
"We can't get much wetter," Elwing reminded him.
Elrond laughed; the sound was drowned out by a thunderclap. "Good point. But please come in, anyway. I'll introduce you to King Gil-galad."
"Gil-galad is King?" Elwing frowned over at her son as they headed toward the shelter of the city. "When did this happen?"
"Sometime after you left, I think. I'm not quite sure."
"There's so much I still need to know," Elwing told him. "What happened after the siege of Sirion? Lord Mandos told me that you and Elros had been kidnapped by the sons of Fëanor… so how did you get here?"
"That is a long and terrible tale," Elrond replied quietly. "It began when we were taken by Maedhros. He kept Elros and I as prisoners for a while, but he started to treat us as his guests when Maglor persuaded him to."
"Maglor persuaded him? His brother?"
"Yes. After a few months, the two of them went out on what they said was 'an excursion of sorts'. I didn't realize until they returned two weeks later that they had stolen the other two Silmarils from Eönwë's camp. And they brought Caranel back with them," he added bitterly, "as baggage."
Elwing gasped, horrified. Elrond nodded.
"Yes, baggage. But I didn't understand it was Caranel until a few days later, when I was washing her hair one night and she revealed her secret to me. Maedhros had called her a mute because she refused to speak to him at all, but she finally confessed to me."
"And then?" his mother urged him.
Elrond swallowed the swelling lump in his throat. "And then… the very next morning… she was killed by Maedhros. She died in my arms, and I watched her spirit follow Lord Mandos…" The silent, twin armies of his tears marched down his face without retreat as the old wound opened.
"I'm sorry," Elwing murmured, putting her arm around him in a tender half-hug. Elrond regained his composure and continued his tale of woe as they walked on.
"Maglor soon confessed to me that he had never wanted to steal the other two Silmarils, but that Maedhros had forced him to. Lord Mandos asked him if he would like to be redeemed, and it was done.
"Maglor and I held a funeral for Caranel, but not before I dealt Maedhros a deep blow to his head. He was never the same after that."
"Why? What happened?"
"I tried to heal him," the half-elf replied. "But Lord Mandos told me not to… and by then it was too late. Maedhros went completely insane, and attacked Maglor and I. He died in the end."
Elwing nodded. "What then?"
"Maglor gave me the other two Silmarils under Lord Mandos' orders," Elrond answered. "We left that night with Elros, and met King Gil-galad. He brought us here."
His mother was silent for a while as she digested this. "So Maglor is now redeemed, and his brother is dead." She turned her silver-blue eyes to her son. "And does he know about you?"
Elrond shook his head. "You and Father are the only two people in the world who know. Other than the Valar, of course."
Elwing nodded again. "Very well."
"Elrond!" a voice called.
Elrond turned, seeing Maglor hurrying toward him. The son of Fëanor seemed initially oblivious to Elwing's presence as he gasped to the half-elf, "King Gil-galad requests that you see him in the throne room…"
"I was wanting to speak with him myself," Elrond replied calmly, "about the arrival of an old and good friend of mine – Lady Elwing of Eldamar." He nodded toward his mother, who bowed her head in respect.
Maglor looked as thought he had been turned to stone; he stood completely still, his eyes widening as his mouth fell open. After one long moment he flung himself upon the floor at her feet.
"My lady, I beg your forgiveness!" he sobbed. "Your death was my fault! My heart was in darkness then, but now I have seen the light of redemption… Lord Mandos granted me his pardon; now I beseech yours."
Elwing smiled benevolently upon the humble elf. "Then you shall have it. Please get up, Maglor. Eru knows those clothes were never meant for cleaning floors."
Maglor slowly lifted his awe-filled, teary eyes, staring up at her as she extended her hand to him. He grasped it carefully and climbed to his feet, saying, "Thank you…"
"You're welcome," she said kindly. "Elrond had just told me of your redemption before you arrived."
"He did?" the son of Fëanor asked, turning to the half-elf, who nodded.
"I did," he replied, smiling. "Now, what was it King Gil-galad wanted?"
----
They entered the throne room together, bowing as the King rose to greet them. He smiled upon Maglor and Elrond, and acknowledged Elwing with a nod as he walked forward.
"Ah, good to see you, my lords… and my lady. I don't believe we've met before. Might I have your name?" he asked, extending his hand to her.
Elwing smiled and placed her hand in Gil-galad's, flushing slightly as he kissed it. "I am Elwing of Eldamar, sire."
"Elwing?" the King repeated, staring at her in disbelief. "Eärendil the Mariner's wife?"
"The very same," she nodded.
"This is indeed a great honor, my lady," Gil-galad told her, smiling and bowing his head. "Your sons will be overjoyed when they hear of this!"
"I could summon them, sire," Elrond volunteered. "It would be a pleasure."
"Then go, by all means," the King concurred.
Elrond obediently bowed and left, heading back down the corridor and turning after a few feet. He called to his younger self and his brother as he walked down another hallway.
The elf soon found Elros in the bedroom he shared with his brother, lying on his bed with his eyes shut, counting backwards aloud.
"…seven, six, five, four, three, two, one! Ready or not!" he cried, springing up from the bed. "Oh, hello, Godfather!"
"Hello, Elros," the elf-lord grinned. "Playing hide-and-seek, are you?"
Elros nodded. "Can you help me look for Elrond?"
"All right," he nodded. "It will be faster that way. We'd best find him quickly – I have a surprise for the two of you."
"A surprise?" cried Elros excitedly. "What kind of surprise?"
"I love surprises!" added a second enthusiastic voice. Elrond looked down just in time to see his younger self poke his head out from under the bed. "What is it?"
"It won't be a surprise if I tell you, will it?" Elrond I smiled.
"We'll still act surprised if you tell!" Elros insisted.
Elrond I shook his head, laughing. "Sorry, boys. Just come with me."
The twins scampered along at his heels as the elf-lord led them back to the throne room. He cleared his throat to announce his return, and beamed as his mother turned to him.
"My lady," he smiled, "your children are here."
Elwing's eyes lit up in delight as Elrond I stepped aside, letting Elrond II and Elros come forward. She knelt to embrace them as they rushed toward her, leaping elatedly into her outstretched arms.
Elrond I smiled as he watched the happy scene. He could feel every ounce of his younger self's unbridled love. Elrond II laughed in delight as he was overwhelmed by affectionate kisses from his mother.
When at last mother and sons parted, Elrond II turned to his older self in sheer euphoria.
"My wish came true!" he cried. "I knew it would!"
"What wish?" Elwing asked, smiling.
"Elrond and I were wishing on the stars a while ago," Elrond I replied. "I'm guessing that your son wished to see you again."
Elrond II nodded earnestly. "Right! Did your wish ever come true, Godfather?" he asked.
Elrond I was silent for a moment; his gaze flickered discreetly over to Maglor before he gave a sigh and answered, "Yes, it did. It came true the day after I made it."
"What was your wish?" the child wondered.
A silent tear slipped down the elf-lord's cheek as he whispered a reply.
"I wished for a very dear friend of mine to be free of the torture she was suffering. Lord Mandos granted my wish, the day my friend Caranel died."
----
Time sailed by, and Elrond's life was again filled with joy. It was almost like things had been in Sirion. Almost.
The half-elf sighed as he watched a bright scarlet leaf flutter past his window in the cool October breeze. Autumn was well underway, and already the air sparkled with a warning of frost. He hated this time of year.
"Elrond?" said a voice behind him.
"Hello, Mother," the elf replied, turning and smiling wanly. "Come in."
Elwing crossed the threshold obediently, moving to her son's side when he nodded to her. She followed his gaze out the window, to where dry leaves were gathering in piles on the withering lawn.
"I've never liked autumn," Elrond muttered. "It's so depressing. Everything is dying… it just reminds me of all the death I've seen, and all the death I know is to come…" He gave a heavy sigh. "And winter is even worse."
"It's not so bad," Elwing spoke up. "After all, spring always comes after the winter. The rebirth of the land, bursting into new life after death… it's rather like me, now that I think of it."
Elrond smiled up at his mother. "There's that."
Elwing stood in pensive silence for a moment before she spoke again, changing the topic of their talk a little.
"You just said that you know there will be death to come. Do you know whose?"
Elrond turned away, not wanting her to see his tears. "If I'm right, yes. But Lord Mandos told me things wouldn't be the same for me in this life, so I might well be wrong. I don't know. I'm not sure of anything anymore."
He looked back at her, gazing solemnly into her silver-blue eyes. "Nothing, that is, except for you."