One Hundred Words About Maedhros by Himring

A Face like Flawed Porcelain

Maedhros looks in a mirror the first time after his rescue from Thangorodrim.
Much later, after his death and re-embodiment, he meets Elrond again in Valinor and Elrond has a professional conversation with him.

[Warnings for aftermath of torture]

Maedhros looked in the mirror. The face that gazed back out seemed only half familiar. A new face matching new circumstances—he was disconcerted to feel a pang of regret, nevertheless…

‘No scars,’ said Elrond, touching Maedhros’s cheek.

‘None,’ agreed Maedhros.

‘When I studied the healing arts, later, I wondered why yours had been so slow to heal—was it the way they were inflicted? Or perhaps you and your body did not wish to forget, entirely?’

‘A bit of both. And I was never very far from Angband. Do you remember how palpable Morgoth’s power became, by the end?’

Chapter End Notes

Apologies for disproportionately long end note:

Tolkien says Maedhros's body recovered in time from his torment by Morgoth, although the shadow of his pain remained in his heart. The question of scars is purely a fandom discussion, but I think this drabble can be understood without having come across it before.

It's a theme in my series that Maedhros's scarring is painfully visible or not actually that disfiguring, depending on who is looking at him and with what kind of expectations. (Men and dwarves tend not to be too impressed, because they aren't habitually counting on elvish healing powers.) In fandom, some assume really heavy scarring and some none at all.

The "flawed porcelain" is a self-quote, alluding to my ficlet "The Knot".

During the time when Elrond was with Maedhros and Maglor, it's suggested here that the power of Morgoth permeated Beleriand so strongly, having conquered almost all of it, that both Elrond and Maedhros could sense it.

True drabble (according to MS Word) written for the Tolkien100 challenge "New You".