They Went in Haste by Dawn Felagund

Martyr

Prompt: star, martyr, box, sunset

Maedhros remembers his last interaction with his brothers before his captivity.

“I won’t see him made a martyr.”

His brothers’ complaints trampled each other but the words Valar and abandon jabbed from the fray. But Maitimo—still then Maitimo—raised his hand.

“No. This was his choice, to come alone. This price … his loss … he was willing to pay.”

Curufinwë—hands ash-grimed from trying to gather their father into a box—glared but was still trained then into obedient silence.

But when Maitimo watched the first bloodied sunset from Thangorodrim, one that whelmed the stars, he regretted that the last look his brothers cast upon him was in hatred.