The Maedhros Incident by Cheeky

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Chapter 1

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Erestor smiled blissfully to himself as he gazed upon the stars sparkling above him, a thousand lights of joy in the darkness. Truly this had been a wonderful week. He turned his attention to the one who had made it so, sitting beside him.

“ This has been perfect” he said softly. “ I believe I have never been so happy.”

Maglor smiled back at him, a sweet and gentle smile.
He reached for Erestors hand, and then his face fell, “ But Fingon leaves tomorrow…..”

“And again we cannot be together…..for weeks and weeks. It is not fair Maglor! Why do you do nothing about this?” Erestor felt his joy wither away into bitterness and longing.

“ I will have to be with Maedhros, he is always miserable when Fingon goes. At least this time he has a project to keep him interested. Have you heard the rumours about Finrod? They say he has gone to the wilds and shacked up with a bunch of dwarves. As Finarfin is still in Valinor Maedhros has decided it is his place to try and sort him out.”

“ That is Fingolfin’s job surely” Erestor replied.

“ He has his hands full with Turgon” explained Maglor. “I have heard he has become very odd. All of his people's builders have suddenly disappeared and he pretends to know nothing about it. Has Glorfindel told you nothing of this while he has been here? You are close friends.”

“ I have asked about it of course, but he says nothing….changes the subject and refuses to discuss Turgon at all. It is a sore point between us.” Erestor muttered, “ but none of this is our problem. It is Maedhros that is OUR problem. Maedhros and the fact you seem to be unable to exist without him for even so much as an hour!!”

“ What would you have me do?” Maglor sprung to his feet full of passion and frustration. “ It is my job. That is what I do, stay with Maedhros….stand behind him looking intimidating….all the time….constantly. You knew that when we first got together, just be thankful he does not make me stand beside him when Fingon is here. At least we get that time alone!”

“ Perhaps you would like it if he made you hang around during Fingon's visits?” Erestor snapped back. That was unfair, he knew but he was just so …….angry……. weeks, months, of not being able to be with Maglor because he spent his life stomping round after Maedhros while Erestor had to watch him from a distance made this a very very touchy subject.

“ Gods no! I am not a voyeur.” gasped Maglor. “Why do you not understand this. I have no choice. What do you expect me to do, just say ‘ Hey Maedhros, I can't be bothered showing up to work today?’ How well do you think that would go down?”

“ But your work is 24 hours a day! At least he could give you a day off. Everybody has a day off!!”

“ The Sons of Feanor DON’T have days off!” Maglor shouted, his frustration boiling over. He turned on his heels and strode away.

“ Well at least Glorfindel is staying on awhile to keep me company! So I have SOMEONE to spend my time with” Erestor shouted after Maglor. That would show him, he thought. He knew Maglor was ever so slightly jealous of his friendship with Glorfindel.

Erestor hung his head despondently. He had been so happy, how had it ended in harsh words and fighting? How was this ever going to work?

 

 

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Maglor frowned as he watched his brother work on the papers in front of him. The argument with Erestor was gnawing away at his conscience. Erestor was right. He should be able to have at least a small time alone. After all no one ever stopped Maedhros being with Fingon when they were both in the same place. Perhaps he should just tell Maedhros about Erestor. Surely he would understand? But no he couldn't do that. Not now. Fingon had just left, Maedhros was at his most miserable. It would be cruel to draw his attention to the fact Maglor had a lover here he could see anytime……..if only he was allowed to.

“ Maedhros?” He asked tentatively, “When will you next be seeing Fingon?” Perhaps it would be soon and he could tell Erestor they did not have that long to wait.

“ It will be months Brother.” Maedhros replied and Maglor’s heart sank. Months! He did not fancy telling Erestor that. He fell into a brooding silence imagining all the ways THAT conversation could go wrong.

“ Maglor” Maedhros interrupted his brooding.” I am stuck on this clue…….Creature of Fire and Flame, 6 letters, ends with G.”

“Gothmog.” For the life of him Maglor did not know why his brother insisted on doing crosswords. He was so bad at them.

“ Great!” Maedhros began to write it down excitedly, “ Wait that's wrong! Gothmog has 7 letters, can't you even count? Now my crossword is all messed up.” Maedhros threw his pencil down angrily.

Maglor sighed. “ Maedhros, have you ever thought of just…….having a day off?”

“ What?” Maedhros seemed quite taken aback. “ What for?”

“ A day off…….to relax….unwind, people do that you know. Perhaps it would make the crosswords easier….”

“ A day off??” Maedhros mused

Maglor felt his heart start to beat faster. Was he actually considering the idea? What if he really said yes to this. He felt the joy start to bubble up in his chest.

“But what would we do?” Maedhros asked

“ What do you mean?”

“ What would we do……on a day off….?”

“ We?”

“ Well of course Maglor. I wouldn't take a day off without you! That would be unfair. We would have a day off together. We could go riding” Maedhros was beginning to get excited about the idea

And Maglor's heart sank. No, no, this was not what he wanted. He wanted a day off away from his brother NOT with him!

“ You should go riding with Celegorm, he is much better at it than me.”

“ But Celegorm is not here. I know, we can take a picnic, ask the guards to get us some food. We can have this day off today!”

Maglor was despairing. There was no way he could get out of this. He turned and went to the door. He could see no option but to go along with what had, after all, been his idea in the first place.

“ Tell them make sure to pack shortbread. You know it is my favourite!”

“ Of course Maedhros.” He stepped out into the corridor, closing the door behind him. For a moment he stood staring at the heavy wooden door with its large golden key. An idea was slowly forming in his brain.

“ My Lord, can we help you?” One of the guards spoke behind him and Maglor spun around. Now was his chance.

“ My Brother has asked to me to dismiss you for the day.”

“That is most unusual, My Lord” the guard looked quizzical.

“ He is melancholy and doesn't wish to be followed around by guards. I will be with him, just do as I say. Come back this evening. I hope you are not questioning my orders?” Maglor put on his most imperious voice.

“ No My Lord, of course not. We shall be back this evening then My Lord.” Maglor watched as the guards hurriedly marched away.
When he was sure they were out of earshot he reached for the key in the door. His fingers brushed along it. Did he dare do this? He thought of Erestor, gritted his teeth and turned the key in the lock hearing it clunk heavily. Shakily he let out his breath.
He was free.

Then from inside the room he heard Maedhros get up, his chair scraping across the stone floor.
“ Maglor, what are you doing?”

Maglor stayed quiet.

“ Maglor?....Are you there? Let me out of here now!” The door began to shake angrily.
“ MAGLOR!!”

And Maglor turned and ran.

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Erestor hummed happily to himself as he and Glorfindel strolled along the path heading home. What a lovely day they had had. The only thing missing was Maglor. He thought back wistfully to the argument they had the night before. He should apologise for that. He knew Maglor was stuck following Maedhros around, there was nothing he could do about it. He should not have been so demanding of his time.

He turned to Glorfindel, about to speak when someone rushed around the corner, not looking where they were going and banged right into him, knocking him off his feet.

“ Look where you are going!” He snapped angrily as he stood and brushed himself off.

“ Erestor I have found you, Finally! Where have you been? I have been looking for you all day.”

Erestor was taken aback. It was Maglor and he looked very harassed, not at all his usual calm self.

“ Maglor, what are you doing?” Erestor peered behind Maglor, no one else was there. “Where is Maedhros?” He asked, “ Is anything wrong?”

“ I have had the day off!” Maglor exclaimed “and you were nowhere to be seen.”

“ Glorfindel and I have been fishing,” Erestor explained, “If I knew you had the day off you could have come with us-“

“ What do you take me for? A Teleri? The Son's of Feanor do not go fishing!!!”

“ The Sons of Feanor would have much happier lives if they tried something different once in awhile,” Glorfindel muttered behind them. “Anyway, how ever did you get Maedhros to give you the day off? He never takes a day off I have heard.”

“ Ah, he did not actually GIVE me the day off…..” Maglor mumbled something under his breath

“ What did you say?” Erestor could not believe he had heard right.

“I said……He did not actually give me the day off, I took it.”

“ You just walked out? You said ‘No’ to Maedhros? No one says ‘No’ to Maedhros.”

“ Alright, alright, I did not walk out!” Maglor was becoming quite agitated. “ I locked him up in his study. I locked him in his study and sent the guards away! And all for nothing because I could not even find you!!”

Erestor was horrified. He felt like he had turned to stone. What had Maglor done.

“ Um Maglor,” Glorfindel said rather solemnly “ Did you not think…..what with Morgoth, the torture, being chained to a cliff and all……Maedhros might not deal very well with being locked in a small room on his own?”

“ Oh no…… I did not even think of that….he will kill me!!”

“MAGLOR!!!” At that moment Maedhros’s voice echoed across the grounds.

“ They have let him out…..Erestor, Glorfindel, you have to help me!” Maglor suddenly turned as white as a sheet.

“ Right, well, I think I will just be off then. Thanks, Erestor for a lovely day-“

“Glorfindel…..you can't go-“

“ Just watch me my friend…..I am not staying here to get caught up in THIS mess! I will see you later…………..hopefully……..” And Glorfindel disappeared hurriedly off into the darkening shadows.

“ MACALAURË!!”

“ Oh, Gods, he speaks in Quenya! This is bad Erestor, What shall we do?”

Erestor began to slowly back away. He didn't get far. Maglor reached out and grabbed him by the arm.

“ You cannot leave me. I did this for us.”

“ Do not involve me in this, it was not my idea.”

“ But it WAS. You told me to take a day off.” Maglor replied tersely

“ I told you to take a day off, but not lock your brother up and leave him there all day!! I would never suggest that!” Erestor struggled out of Maglor’s grip. He wished to be anywhere but here.

“ If you abandon me now” Maglor said, his voice quiet and tense, “ Then there can be no more ‘us’. Stay with me and we will do this together, Do you not love me enough for that?”

Erestor hesitated. He did love Maglor, he wanted to be with him. He had such a lovely singing voice, no one would ever serenade him like Maglor did. He didn't want to lose him, perhaps he should stay. They could explain, tell Maedhros of the two of them. Yes, he decided. He would stay. He would stay for Maglor.

“MAGLOR!!!! God help me, you will wish you had never been born!”

Maedhros came round the corner.
Tall and Imposing. Had he always been that tall, Erestor wondered, how had he missed that?

His eyes were ablaze with fury, his glorious hair whipped across his face like fire itself.
He was incandescent with rage, awash with his ire. His anger hit them like a force field.

 

And Erestor ran.