LAKE MITHRIM - THE YOUNGER HOUSES

Eve couldn't guess how many days had passed since Nelyo's return, but the candles casting shadows on the tent walls already burned low. She blocked out everything except the heartbeat of her husband and the steadying breaths of her eldest brother. Finno lay across her, collapsing into slumber some hours after his return. She had taken up vigil on the floor beside Nelyo's bed, and there he'd joined her, insisting he would keep watch with her.

She smiled down at his still face. That had lasted about ten minutes. He'd been unconscious ever since. Eve didn't begrudge him the rest; she had no need of it. Or perhaps she did, but she would never indulge. Not until Nelyo woke up.

Sometimes, she thought she heard the sheets rustle behind her head. But each time it was just Hyamindo opening the tent flaps to see that they were fine. The first day, Nelyo had writhed on the bed as she and Irissë tended to him alongside healers. Since his fever had broken, she had heard nothing. Just breathing.

At least he was breathing.

Eve ran her fingers through Finno's hair. Dirt and blood had caked his face when he had returned home. Careful of the few cuts on his body, she had cleaned him up. The golden thread from his braids sat neatly on the side table. It wasn't often she saw her husband shirtless. Those days, all wore armor.

When she closed her eyes, sometimes Eve could see her husband's face illuminated in the silver light of Telperion in the rain. The Tree light turned water droplets into crystal prisms. Finno had never looked more beautiful than when he glistened beneath a storm.

She slipped her hand into his. The tears that fell onto his husband's chest as she pulled him closer, leaning over him in her lap, were a poor substitute for the liquid silver of rain in Valinor. But it was something. She couldn't stop the tears any more than she could've stopped Manwë from drenching Tirion.

"Why are you crying?"

Eve opened her eyes at her husband's breathless words. He blinked against the soft candle light. Smothering her cries, Eve covered her mouth with her free hand and grasped onto his tighter with her other. Finally. Finally, he had woken.

"Finno." She could barely control the volume of her voice when she found her words. He was here. He was back. He was with her. "Finno—"

Pushing himself up, Finno pulled her into a hug. He barely had the strength to embrace her but she could do the work for him. Eve kissed his neck, his cheeks, his collarbone. He barely moved. But he relaxed.

"You're here. You're safe," she said. "Finno."

He held onto her, accepting all the tears on his bare skin. "I never want to leave again."

How long they stayed there embracing on the floor beside Nelyo's bed, Eve didn't know. She didn't care. He had come home. He had found her brother. They were all safe.

"How is he?"

Eve released her grip on her husband, leaning back. Where had the smirks and laughter gone? Morgoth had stolen so much from them in paradise. She used her thumb to brush the tears from his pale cheeks.

"Alive," she said. "That is what matters."

Finno took a ragged breath. She watched as he finally looked beyond her at the body on the bed. Eve didn't need to turn around to picture the scars.

"He's not woken yet."

It wasn't a question.

"He will, though."

She believed it. Finno had to believe it too.

"I tried to save his hand."

Eve grabbed Finno's own. She pulled it to her chest, caressing it with both. So much pain filled his voice. She couldn't begin to imagine what he'd seen. Eve wasn't sure she wanted to. Lesser elves would have surely failed what he accomplished.

"Findekáno, whatever you did, you did what you had to. You saved him."

They heard rustling. Eve turned to the bed but Nelyo still lay in silence. She followed Finno's gaze to the entryway.

Blonde curls and a single sparkling grey eye peeked into the tent. Finno cracked a smile at Itarillë. She did the same, and Eve felt ten times lighter. When Finno gave her a little wave, Itaril opened the flap wider and was stopped from going in only by a strong arm clothed in blues.

Eve looked above her. Stern faced, but not unkind, Turvo looked from them to Hyamindo in front of him. She couldn't hear what was spoken.

Turvo had only visited once since Finno's return. They'd spared few words. His anger at his brother's willingness to put his own life in danger to save a Fëanorion seeped into the very air around him.He restrained his daughter.

"I will take her in."

Eve looked past Turvo. Irissë, black hair neatly combed wearingba dress somehow still white amidst their suffering, took her niece's hand. Hyamindo let her past without question. But Turvo stayed outside.

Itaril flew into Finno's arms, smooshing him against the bed. They all laughed. Eve couldn't remember the last time she'd heard laughter, especially from Itaril.

"Did you miss me?" Finno said.

Itaril grinned, wrapped her arms around Finno's neck. "Of course!" She buried herself into her favorite uncle again. Barely audible, she added, "Thank you for getting Uncle Nelyo back."

Eve couldn't see more than blurry shapes. The tears returned as she extricated herself from the jumble on the floor.

"Turvo is hardheaded," Irissë said, pulling Eve a ways away from Finno and Itaril. "He still cannot understand."

Eve nodded. At least Irissë did. She had been the most constant of companions since Finno had returned with Nelyo. She didn't care that Turvo and her father bore grudges.

"I understand his anger, even though it saddens me," Eve said.

Irissë rolled her eyes. "Turvo is a fool. Elenwë would never have wanted him to live in anger. She would be in this room right now rejoicing at Nelyo's return."

"Someday."

"Nelyo!"

Eve spun around at Finno's breathless exclamation. Her heart leapt into her throat. His eyes fluttered open. Beneath the wrinkled sheets, his right arm moved.

"Uncle Nelyo!" Itaril rushed to the bedside. "Uncle Nelyo's awake!"

Panic. That's what she saw in her brother's crusted, blinking eyes. This was too much. He hadn't spoken, but she could see it. Eve rushed forward.

"Itaril, go with Irissë please." She didn't turn to see if the other woman would protest. "You can come back later."

She barely registered Finno quieting their niece's protests and ushering them out. All her attention went to the frantic motions of Nelyo on the bed.

"You're okay, Nelyo. Hey." She placed both hands on his shoulders, gently pressing him to the bed. "Nelyo. You're safe."

Each ragged breath broke her heart. Did he even see her? His eyes darted around the tent like a cornered, wild animal. Even after days of healing ministrations, some of his cuts oozed.

They'd cut his hair. Eve had done her best to smooth out the hack job but it still broke her heart. The enemy had stolen so much.

"Eve?"

She released a long, drawn out breath. Good news, then. He did know her. She relaxed her pressure against his shoulders.

"I'm here. We're here." She turned around to see Finno hanging back, arms across his chest in…was he embarrassed? Angry? She couldn't quite tell. He needed to suck it up. "We're both here."

Finno met her gaze. He straightened up, but nodded and moved forward. "You're home."

"Home." Tears filled his eyes as Nelyo shook his head against the pillow. "No. What is home?"

Gut punched, Eve couldn't breathe. What was home? She wished she knew. But they had tried to build a home here.

"Home is here, with us, with your family."

Nelyo closed his eyes again. She watched him steady his breaths. None of them spoke. She just left her left hand on his arm and took her husband's hand in her other.

"Did I dream it, or was Itaril here?"

Eve smiled. She let out a light laugh, falling to her knees as exhaustion hit her.

"Not a dream," Finno said.

"That is good." Nelyo nodded, looking away. "That's good."

When no one spoke, Nelyo turned to Eve. He lifted his hand to take hers but froze. They all watched him process the bandaged stump that had replaced it.

"It was the only way," Finno said. "I tried. Nelyo I tried. I couldn't—"

But Nelyo's eyes hardened. He turned from his severed hand back to Finno. With great effort, he forced himself to sit up.

"You did not take my hand. Morgoth took it. As he has taken everything."

Eve closed her eyes. In the hardened speech of her brother, so different from the jokes and laughter of Valinor, was something familiar. She heard a fire, sparking and blazing, strong amidst a storm.

"Why would Turvo not enter?"

Eve and Finno both looked at him in surprise. How had he known?

"When I was stirring, I overheard you and Irissë," Nelyo said.

She looked back at Finno. Eve wasn't sure she had the strength to explain. So much pain already filled her chest. Her heart threatened to collapse on itself. Mercifully, Finno took on one more punishment.

"The Helcaraxë took its toll on our host," he said. "Elenwë did not survive the crossing."

An icy chill crept up her spine. The air left the room. Nelyo did not look away from Finno's hard gaze. For a moment, Eve wondered if they spoke alone in the silence.

But then again, perhaps there simply were not words to share in this moment.

"Turvo does me kindness enough by not killing me where I slept." He rubbed his forehead. "Or perhaps that would have been too kind a fate."

Eve forced down the bile that threatened to come back up. "Nelyo. Don't speak like that."

"Perhaps if I had drawn swords at Losgar, much would've been different," he said. "My words failed, as did my inaction after."

"And so would your blades," Finno said. He moved closer, placing a hand on Nelyo's shoulder where he sat up in bed. "Your father had gone mad. You would have died alongside many others if it had come to blows."

"One Kinslaying was enough," Eve said.

Nelyo did not respond at first. He stared forward at the closed tent, blank faced and wavering where he sat. But then he grabbed Finno's arm for support. Eve released another shaky breath.

They were together. That's what mattered. Those who remained would pick up the pieces.

The tent flaps opened again. Findaráto, small harp under his arm, broke into a grin.

"I hardly believed the news," he said. "I had to see it for myself."

The tiniest hint of a smile played at Nelyo's lips. As the light from outside disappeared and Findo joined them at the bedside, Nelyo just nodded.

"It will take more than Morgoth's foul treachery to best us," Nelyo said.

Eve smiled. She stayed sitting beside his bed, exhaustion overwhelming her. Emotions tore up her insides. Joy, fear, fury mixed like an unpleasant cocktail in her stomach. Ice froze her lungs. They were together. Nelyo lived. Finno returned. Friends shared the same spaces.

The world spun. She may her head against Nelyo's leg. Blackness circled the edges of vision. They spoke to her. What were they saying?

Eve felt strong arms wrap around her. Her feet left the ground. She could hear the voice of her husband even as her eyes shut. They would look after Nelyo. She trusted them. The world would be okay. As Finno held her, Eve finally slept.