"Few of the Teleri were willing to go forth to war, for they remembered the slaying at the Swan-haven, and the rape of their ships; but they hearkened to Elwing, who was the daughter of Dior Eluchíl and come of their own kindred, and they sent mariners enough to sail the ships that bore the host of Valinor east over the sea."

Elros

They had been at Maglor's home for some time now. The pine needles that littered the roots of trees here had been buried in snow for weeks, but Maglor promised spring would come in a few months.

Elros' feet crunched on the path as he made his way to the ancient oak tree by the entrance of the grounds. Ontamion, he thought loyally, was not as good of a climber as Nirorndes had been back home, nor was he a good sailor like Pendor. But he told the best jokes, and assured Elros that one day he'd show him how to do tricks on horseback. Or at least one.

Anyway, yesterday he had shown Elros the little invention that they had in Maglor's castle, a tiny little room that went up and down between the floors on lengths of rope. They didn't have those back in Sirion. The tunnel echoed a bit when Elros yelled down, and both boys had dissolved into snickers. Elros found out that if you got on and tucked your arms and legs tightly together, the platform was just big enough to fit him. And then Ontamion had the really excellent idea that they could use it to sneak into the kitchen after hours and grab some sweets.

Elrond was off with some of the older girls whose mothers worked on the estate. They doted on Elrond disgustingly, Elros thought; it was as if no one had ever seen a little boy before. But they kept rewarding him for it, and so Elrond continued to play insufferably sweet.

Elros heard the sound of horse's hooves on the path. That was normal; people were always coming and going on the estate. Perhaps it was Tamblin, ready for another secret meeting behind closed doors full of murmuring that Elros had almost made out before one of the nurses shooed him away.

He rounded the bend of the path and stopped. Him, that soldier who had been with Maglor that day back home. Medder. Mattas. Maedhros. Elros had to crane his neck back to see the shock of red-brown hair as the elf rode atop his horse.

He made eye contact with Elros. Elros swallowed. Worse still, the elf – Maedhros – reined in his horse and stopped on the path. He dismounted and stared at Elros.

He's so tall. The thought came to Elros' head as if from far away. He could feel his heart thumping in his chest loudly, the way it had when he and Elrond were packed away under the floorboards and he heard the tap of footsteps above.

"Are you listening?"

"What?"

Lord Maedhros paused. After a moment, he gave Elros a pained smile. "I'm looking for Maglor. Can you fetch him for me?"

Maglor. Elros thought for a moment, and then ran off down the path.