Sons of Feanor

by Son of Serinde

"I was young, and the world had not yet lost its luster. I saw my father and all my brothers take the oath, and so did I, one after another. It felt so simple. And for that I have been hundreds of years far from home, and I will never see my mother again. Do not swear such oaths rashly as I did." Book 1: The Kinslaying at Sirion. Book 2: A Brief Respite. Book 3: The War of Wrath.

43. Book 2 - An Ill Turn

Elros

Elros woke up in a temper. Elrond had been tossing and turning restlessly all night, and as a result Elros' vision swam with bleariness when he opened his eyes. He felt dizzy, too.

Elros rubbed his eyes and sat up in bed. He flinched. Maglor was sitting at the end of his cot, watching him. A thin line was etched on Maglor's forehead where his eyebrows furrowed.

"Come closer," said Maglor.

Elros groaned and flopped back onto his pillow, or at least the small corner of it that hadn't been overtaken by Elrond. Elrond's hair stuck wetly to his forehead. He tried to shove Elrond away, back to his own pillow. Elrond clutched the sheets and stubbornly held fast.

Maglor clucked his tongue. Elros growled as Maglor leaned over to press the back of his hand against Elros' forehead. He nodded to himself. "Warm. Can you eat some breakfast? Nothing too hearty for you today I'm afraid, but I can ask Samniel to heat up more porridge."

Elros grunted. His stomach felt strange today; as if someone had wrung out its contents like a wet rag and dangled it from a line to dry. Maglor fussing was doing nothing to help his mood.

Maglor straightened up and frowned. "You're old enough to use your words. If you continue behaving like a beast, we have plenty of room outside in the kennels."

Elros, still lying down, looked up at Maglor and scowled. "I hate porridge; I always have. It tastes like someone ate it already and threw it back up again, every time. You keep trying to feed it to me because you like it, but you've never once asked me what I think."

Maglor's eyebrows raised. "Is that what you've been thinking this whole time? I thought it must be what you're used to; you always eat your entire bowl without me having to prod you."

Elros moaned and curled into a little ball. "I was trying to be polite. Get off, Elrond." Elros panted quietly. "I thought if we weren't on our best behavior, you would get tired of us and send us off to live with someone new, again. Maybe you still will." He was feeling unbearably hot. He flung the sheets off the bed, away from him.

Elrond's eyes opened. "No," he snapped. Elrond grabbed the sheets again and tossed them back over his little legs, and Elros'.

Elros turned away in defeat.

Maglor carefully arranged the blankets to cover Elrond, and gathered them away from Elros. "I shall send for the nurse. In the meantime, you need to eat something. Spiced buns? Bread with butter?"

At the second one, Elros nodded. There was the quiet tap of footsteps as Maglor made his way over to the door, and then the creak of wood, and silence.