I do not own Feonor, his sons, Valinor or Middle Earth. I also make no money from this, so please don't sue.
Lastanan went to Thalacam from whose eye he had helped Melarbeth remove an arrow. He picked him up and held him in such a way so as to hide the damage the bolt and its removal had caused from Narkal's sight. Narkal grateful at seeing only the intact portion of his brother's profile picked up Palanhen. He waited until they placed them both in the grave together and beside Rombar before speaking again. "Rombar tried to get them to join him in his passion for music. I tried to get them to join me in my passion for smithing. With their keen eyes and steady hands, they were capable of smithing and playing instruments skillfully as they soon proved. The duets they could play almost reading each other's minds were splendid in that way. Their music always sounded like two instruments being played by one mind. Yet they never loved music the way Rombar did nor smithing as I did. With keen eyes and steady fingers, they helped me make fine details on my projects, but it was climbing and gazing down from great heights that seemed to thrill them most.
The Laiquendi raised their heads as if in understanding. Narkal sighed and continued. "I think they wanted to see and conquer these lands Feonor spoke of entranced like Rombar was by his words, though for different reasons. And when they got here and were introduced to the bow as a weapon there were none better with that weapon among the Noldo. They carried them and their quivers everywhere. They competed with each other in target practice as with all things. How many lives did they save in the midst of battle as an arrow sped by a soldier's face leaving but a finger-length of space between their flesh and its point only for the head to bury itself in the foe about to slay them?"
Narkal stopped and stared down at the two bodies so alike a moment. Tears poured from his eyes. "Who now will do that in the battles against our enemies my brothers so alike in face, heart, and mind? When separated you could easily find one another again as in a crowd, most silent of all of us, yet seeming ever to communicate with each other. You were a mystery to us all, but not to each other."
Lathwinn spoke then. "They died perhaps less than a heartbeat apart. I think Palanhen felt Thalacam's death and reacted to it, opening himself up for his own. I'm not he could have saved his own life had he not been distracted by his twin's death though. The archer out of my sight was swift with his bolts.
Narkal muttered, "Felled by arrows, whom they were the masters' of." And a silence fell upon the living elves staring down at those in the grave for a moment. Narkal sighed and spoke again. "Let us go and bring Ascarant to this place."
They walked back to canyon to gather the last dead Noldo outside of the shared grave the last brother of Narkal. The tall but stooped-backed and shouldered Noldo knelt before the ellon who would have seemed healthier than he were it not for his greyed still face and the small hole in his temple. "Oh Ascarant, you led all the others to this end, and over finding me?" He bowed his head further before saying, "I'm sorry brother."
He slid his arms beneath his last brother's body and lifted it before turning and taking slow steps back to the grave. His voice was low and soft as he walked. "When Ascarant was born, Tarman let me hold him first afraid to be the first to hold a single-born babe before me again after Rombar. Our younger brother smiled and laughed at the elleth cleaning him before he was even in my arms. He then smiled and laughed at each of us his kin in turn before falling asleep in our mother's hold. He charmed us all so easily. We all attempted to get him interested in our crafts. I brought him to my forge. Rombar showed him his instruments and played him music. The twins climbed with him to show him a mountain view. Tarman brought Ascarant along in his searches. Ascarant, though, found horses. He loved to ride them faster and faster across Valinor. He would also compete in athletic events by running and leaping. He always had need to be in motion." Narkal stopped at the edge of the grave still holding his brother before intoning, "And now he is still."
The Laiquendi all held back watching the living Noldo's back as he held the dead one. Narkal laid Ascarant beside Thalacam. Then he stood straight again staring down at the youngest. "He argued longest for me out of all of our brothers, when I returned to the fort. It was Caranthir striking him and telling him to be silent that made me beg for death. I ceased then to plead for entry. I knew if Caranthir tried that again, the rest of my brothers would be caught between defending our youngest brother and breaking their oath."
He paused and looked over the twins again. "My death, it was decided, would come through Palannen, for he had the sharpest eyes. Thalacam offered to do it. I thought at first, they might both loose an arrow at me to be doubly sure to make it certain and share the guilt. But Thalacam instead aimed at a heap of kindling to light his twin's target for him. And I saw fi …" Narkal stopped. He attempted a different word "Ffffla …" He could not finish that either.
His breathing quickened. With an effort he slowed it again before speaking again. "When I noticed the sun had risen, I was staring into the west, and the burning in my legs, chest, and throat. I looked around as one waking from a dream. There was barren rock all around. The fort was nowhere in my sight. I knew then I lived and had shamed myself." He gazed back down into the grave and whispered "And I blamed you all for that … I …"
He stopped. His eyes flooded with tears again. Then his face reddened, and he shouted. "I told you not to come! I begged you to defy the sons of Feonor, their father, and even your oaths and stay in Valinor! I saw then this journey would only end in your deaths and your dishonor before the Valar and Iluvatar himself!"
He dropped to his knees and covered his face. Then he continued with a broken and smothered voice. "I knew it would mean pain and fear and failure to come here." His arms crossed over his chest. His hands gripped his upper arms. He rocked slightly. "But I received more of all those things here than any of you did … save for death. Then he opened his eyes wide and stared straight ahead, "And now, what do I do?"
What do you think now?
God bless
ScribeofHeroes