Maglor

Eyes tightly wrapped in the remnants of Elwing's sheets, her sons stumbled softly through the house. Every few steps, Maedhros or Maglor would reach out a hand to guide them.

"Be careful now; that's a wall to your left."

"Watch that step. A single pace forward; that's right, now. A little bit more."

The carpet was still stained, but Elwing's sons had on shoes and so could not feel the damp under their feet. The other two boys lingered in the closet, for Iarben's company to pick up later. Elrond and Elros didn't know. Maglor cautioned the older one as they stepped towards the door downstairs, the dead soldier lurking sight unseen by the window.

"That plank's a bit raised; be careful not to trip. Not so hard now, is it?"

At the entrance of the house they stopped. Maedhros' elves, posted at the gate, stared at the young survivors.

Maedhros stepped towards Elros. "I'll take the older boy," he told Maglor. "You can carry the younger." He held out his arms. "Up you go, now."

The boy froze. "We're to be carried, too?"

"Would you rather walk a full league like this? Stumble, more like."

Elros looked around impotently for Elrond.

Maedhros knelt quickly. "What did Maglor promise you?"

Elros bit his lip.

Maglor nudged Elrond forward. "There," he murmured.

Elrond milled his arms wildly and stumbled against his brother, who clasped him tightly against his stomach. Elrond was breathing hard.

Elros finally responded. "He said that me and Elrond were not to be separated."

The shame was back again, pricking at Maglor's insides like nettle leaves. His eyes found Maedhros.

I know, Maedhros' face seemed to say in response. He stared at the floor for a moment and then looked back up to Elros. "And Maglor and I will keep that promise. The walk out of town is a long one to do in blindfolds, and it'll be quicker if my brother and I carry you."

"So we can't tell Gil-Galad any secrets, yes," Elros whispered. The child's breath came out in a stutter, and he clutched Elrond close again.

Maglor came close. "Can I pick up your brother?" he asked Elros. Elrond looked up blindly at his older brother.

Elros patted him on the head and swallowed. "Yes."

Maglor gently scooped Elrond up. He was surprisingly easy to carry, youthful potbelly scrunched up in Maglor's arms. I know this feeling, he thought. "Thank you," he added out loud.

Maedhros took Elros. Both sets of brothers set off down the street.

Maedhros' soldiers followed behind. In contrast to the chaos of a battle in progress, Sirion was now filled with the marginally more organized commotion of people tending to its aftermath. Maglor navigated around a dark wet patch on the street.

Iarben came up to them as they walked. He gave a quick bow. "My lords. A question about the graves, sir."

Maedhros shook his head. "We'll talk later."

"Oh." Iarben wrung his wrists. "They're waiting to start, see, and – "

Maedhros shot him a Look.

Iarben hesitated. "We'll talk later."

"Good idea."

Elrond stirred in Maglor's arms. "Where's Elros?"

"Right here."

"Where?" the little one insisted.

"Right next to me. If you wanted, I could reach out and touch him."

They walked in silence for a few minutes.

"Where's Elros now?"

Maglor caught Maedhros' eye.

At the edge of town they stepped over pieces of wood and fallen masonry to exit the gate. Maglor sighed in relief. The blue light of evening covered the turf now, and a cooling breeze ruffled the grass. "Here?"

Maedhros looked at the tableau of the dead around them. "A bit farther, perhaps."

Elros stiffened. "How far have we gone?"

Maedhros muttered, distracted, "Just outside of town. Patience; we'll walk just a while longer." Approaching them from the healers' tents across the plain, Tamblin waded through the grass.

Elros was silent as they walked a few more steps. "There's something you're not telling us."

Maedhros stepped carefully over the stains in the turf. His foot slipped slightly. "Nothing for you to worry about."

"Where are you taking us?" Elros' voice sounded more urgent.

"Nowhere. Just to the camp, I mean. We're almost there; let's just keep walking."

Tamblin had gotten close enough now to see Elwing's sons. He, too, stared.

Maedhros gritted his teeth. "Whatever business you have, we can discuss it after Maglor and I get back."

Elros' teeth chattered with fear. "You were lying when you said the blindfolds were because of Gil-Galad. What else did you lie about, son of Feanor?"

Maedhros grumbled, "I see your mother warned you about our family."

Elros inhaled sharply. "You're going to leave us to starve." His head whipped around blindly. "Elrond. Go!"