Taking Readings II by Himring

Divisi

Amras at Losgar.
I don't follow the Shibboleth version of the story where one of the twins accidentally gets burned alive with the ships by his father, but...

Rating: Teens

The title is taken from a B2MeM prompt, a musical term:
Divisi: Divided (i.e. in a part in which several musicians normally play exactly the same notes they are instead to split the playing of the written simultaneous notes among themselves).

For further prompts, see end notes.

Amras stood on the shore, gazing back across the wide water they had crossed. Around him, he heard anxious muttering. Although they had succeeded in reaching Middle-earth, there was little sense of achievement. He should take responsibility, say something encouraging…

Instead, he thought of his mother. But it was too late for that. He should have thought of her before he swore the Oath, should have stopped to think. Now he was thinking of her when he should concentrate on what was going on under his nose. His father, he thought, could tell, had detected the flaw in his loyalties.

‘I wish I were back in Araman,’ a voice whispered behind him in the darkness.

‘In Araman?’ another answered. ‘I wish I were back in Tirion, dark or no.’

‘You can wish,’ a third replied.

And a fourth: ‘Have you forgotten why we are here?’

No, thought Amras, they must not fall apart now, in enemy territory!

He was about to speak, to remind them of his presence, at least, demonstrate some kind of leadership, when towards the south, where his brothers must be, he heard raised voices. His father called out. And, suddenly, in the dark there was fire.

When the flames had died down and the shouting, Amras stood before Feanor and looked into his eyes.

So maybe I wished I could take one of those ships, he thought, and sail them not back to Araman, but all the way to Alqualonde, ask for forgiveness, return to Tirion. I would not have done it. I am bound, to my word and to you.

But not all are bound. I have no doubt that, when you cried Let the ships burn, you knew where each of your sons was. But had you counted the rest?

His father looked away.

Chapter End Notes

For Ambarussa Day of Feanorian Week.
- And for the following B2MeM 2018 prompts: Initial prompts: no. 8. Then I thought in my heart that we drew near to the Sea; for wide was the water in the darkness, and sea-birds innumerable cried on its shores. (Return of the King, “The Last Debate”); no. 15. Create a fanwork where a character crosses a river or the ocean. Daily prompt: March 18: Musical term: Divisi: Divided (i.e. in a part in which several musicians normally play exactly the same notes they are instead to split the playing of the written simultaneous notes among themselves).
- And also a fill for the six prompts of the Vocalizations Challenge at Tolkien Weekly: mutter, call, shout; whisper, speak, cry.
3 x 100 words on MS Word.

The version of the story in which one of the twins gets burned at Losgar with the swan ships is in "The Shibboleth of Feanor" in the History of Middle-earth (Peoples of Middle-earth). Because of a name/age switch, it is not certain which of the twins this is or would be if that version of the story is incorporated back into other versions of the legendarium.