That Blow to Your Leg by LadyBrooke

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Chapter 1

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Childhood

Carnistir is the quickest to anger of all his siblings, and people in the streets sometimes glance at his face and then mutter to their friends about how he is probably the cause of his parent’s marriage starting to fracture and break.

Maitimo glares whenever he happens to hear them, and they generally quiet before his face (though they continue whenever Maitimo is past).

Makalaurë’s anger is subtler. He is the best musician in Tirion, and his refusal to preform diminishes many parties.

Tyelko just hugs him and doesn’t remark when Carnistir’s face is red due to tears, not anger.

 

Betrayal

Caranthir does not trust easily.

He did not trust Ulfang or his sons, but he does trust Maedhros, and so he let them dwell in his lands.

Maglor is furious at the betrayal, and rages his private after the battle when Maedhros is broken by it and hates himself for Fingon’s death.

Celegorm and Curufin appear to finally understand the pain they caused in Nargothrond, and Amras tries to comfort everyone.

Caranthir does not speak, but sends spies out to gather information.

He cannot change the past, but his brothers will not be betrayed again while he can stop it.

 

Lordship

Caranthir is the only one of his siblings to love the work that comes with being lord. Maedhros and Maglor view it as a duty, Celegorm and Curufin spent more time on plotting, and the Amburussa always had a talent for disappearing into woods when paper appeared.

But Caranthir likes the solitude and the stability of making the decisions of his realm, from mining to farming, and he delights in the results of his work when he sees something done.  

His skills are less evident than his brothers, but no less beautiful in their results, at least in his mind.

 

Dwarves

Caranthir respects the dwarves, though he has little trust for any of Aulë’s children.

“What good have the teachings of Aulë caused for any of us?” He asks Amras one day. “He makes and teaches, and then he abandons them to their fates, while he enjoys life in his forges and our father dwells in the Halls. I will do business with them, but I will not value those who have all of Aulë’s love.”

But they are valiant in battle against Morgoth and bring riches to his realm, so he does value them, though he will not love them.

 

& Humans

Finrod tells Aegnor that it is folly to marry Andreth, for she will die.

Caranthir laughs when he hears this.

“Do we not die and leave our loved ones alone? Did not Míriel leave Finwë, and Finwë leave Indis? Does not Anairë now live alone in Valinor, while Fingolfin dwelled in these lands and then in the Halls? Finrod is a fool, and Aegnor would have felt pain anyways. And as for children, all our people’s children are cursed to pain anyways, what difference does it make if they die of age or die at the hands of an orc?”

 

Marriage

Haleth finds him after the battle, blood coating her sword and stains on her clothes. “Do you remember what I told you the last time we met?”

Caranthir nods. “In a different world, we would have been perfect.”

She smiles, and he sees in her now a beauty not only unbroken (she has never been broken by anything), but also unmarred. “The final battle is over. I would say it is a different world, wouldn’t you?”

Caranthir smiles back. “Shall we tell them now, or simply marry and announce it later?”

She laughs. “Why not later?”

Curufin makes their excuses.

 

Appearance

“You got married with blood dripping down your forehead, and your wife had to burn her clothes after the stains of battle wouldn’t come out,” Celegorm said.

“And?”

“Don’t you think the rest of us would have liked to see your wedding, instead of hearing about how your wife had to pick you up and put you to bed after that blow to your leg caused you to fall while getting in bed?”

Caranthir shrugged. “We got married once I was in bed anyways, so I don’t see what the problem is. We’re appearing now for you all, aren’t we?”