The Dark Beneath the Stars by Ithilwen

Betrayals Large and Small

Chapter 5 – Betrayals Large and Small

After Father's death, I was of course expecting another assault by Moringotto, and soon. What I did not expect was that he would wish to negotiate a surrender.

"But what does Moringotto have to gain by offering us terms at all, Maitimo? It's a mistake to think this invitation is in earnest. He's laying a trap."

The seven of us had been sitting around the fire for a quarter-turn of the stars, discussing this surprise and debating how to respond to it. I hated arguing with you, Maitimo, especially in front of all our younger brothers, and most especially now in the aftermath of Father's death when you needed us to respect your new authority as head of our House, but what choice did I have? At least you, unlike Father, might listen to reason.

You clasped my shoulder and gave it an affectionate squeeze. "You may be right, little brother. But consider – our small force cut Moringotto's to pieces, and I'm sure that wasn't an outcome he intended. And he doesn't know that the rest of the Noldor aren't coming, that our small band is all he'll ever be facing, and he also doesn't know that Father's dead. We've frightened him, Makalaurë – badly, I should think. Perhaps he's afraid what's left of his foul army can't stand up to an immediate Noldor assault? He may feel that buying us off with a Silmaril will gain him breathing space, a chance to rest and recover, not knowing that any such pause works more to our advantage than to his. I think we may be able to make real allies of these strange new Elves we've met here. They certainly have no reason to love Moringotto, if even half of what they've told Tyelkormo and Ambarussa is true. If they'll agree to join our war, that might make up for the loss of Nolofinwë's people, but it's going to take time to convince them to aid us. That's reason enough to chance these negotiations. And then there's our Oath to consider. We can't afford to pass up any opportunity to recover even a single Silmaril. Not after what the Oath's already cost us…"

So much for listening to reason. You were certainly more diplomatic than Father, but in the end you were every bit as stubborn.

"So despite everything I've said, you still intend for us to treat with Moringotto?"

"Not us, filit* – me. The rest of you are going to stay here."

"Never!" "You'd have us stay behind while you reap all the glory?" "We're brothers, we should stick together!" Their outraged shouts showed my younger brothers clearly liked this plan as little as I did.

You waited patiently for their protests to die down. "As the eldest, I have to go. Moringotto knows that of all of us, I'm the one Father would send – and I want to keep him from learning the truth for as long as possible. But there's no need for the rest of you to come - and considerable risk, if Makalaurë's suspicions prove true. Any one of us may be expendable, but all of us together are not. Our people are still stunned by Father's death; imagine how they would react to the loss of all seven of his sons as well. No, you are all of more use here; there's a fortress to build, and much need of skillful diplomacy if we're going to persuade these dark Elves to fight with us. It's important work, and who else could I trust it to but my own brothers?"

"Maitimo, please listen, you can't possibly go alone –"

"No, I'm not a total fool, filit. I'll take some armed men as an escort – and more than Moringotto expects, at that. He'll not catch me off guard; it will be the other way around. If there's going to be treachery, I'll be ready for it."

But you weren't ready for it. When at last we went forth in search of you, knowing that the time set for our embassy's return had long since past, we found only your sword, cloven in twain, lying amidst the mutilated bodies of your guard. The arrival of Moringotto's later message, announcing that he held you captive deep in the fastness of his northern fortress, was redundant.

*******

"Tears unnumbered ye shall shed…"**

I have wept for you, Maitimo, in private. I would have you know that. You are the dearest to me of my six brothers; of all our family's recent losses, yours is the one I have felt most keenly. But what use are those tears, in the end? I no longer believe there is any pity in this world.

And for that reason, I have at last made my decision. I have chosen to betray you.

What other choice is left to me? Everything you said in our earlier discussion by the fire was true. We do need allies if we are to have any hope of prevailing in the end. We do need to establish a defensible position here in this dark and hostile land. Ordering our people to fall back to the lake is the only sensible course of action left to us. Attempting an assault on Moringotto's fortress now, as Tyelkormo and Carnistir are advocating, would be folly when we have so little hope of prevailing. As I have told our headstrong younger brothers, we have an obligation to all our people, not just our own family. Maitimo, I told them, would be the last to approve of their reckless rescue plan, and I do believe that is true.

But I have not told our brothers the entire truth. I have not told them why my sensible orders are indeed a betrayal. They do not know the whole of my reasons for making this choice.

Quite simply, I have seen darkness now. And I find that in the face of it, what courage I once believed I had has withered away.

How many turnings of the stars has it been since you were taken from us, brother? I can no longer recall. Instead I find myself remembering Grandfather's stories, told with great reluctance, of his brother Aldwë, and others as well, gone missing in the darkness. I have seen the slain forms of our foes in the starlight. Now I do not need to hear Grandfather tell the rest of his tale, the part he would never speak of to us Aman-born.

I do not want to see you, my favorite brother, in your new form, transformed into an Orc.

"Commanding Finwë" I may be named, but in this matter I find I do not have command over my heart. I know I would never have the strength to free you from your once-shapely hröa, doubtless being twisted even now by Moringotto's foul arts into a cruel mockery of your former physical perfection. I know that I could never order a blade drawn across your throat, no matter how justified – or how merciful – that act would be. "To evil end shall all things turn that they begin well…"** How bitterly I recall those words now! For is it not my very love for you, born in the innocence of our childhood, which now cripples me so?

And so I choose this path, choose this lesser treason over that greater one. I am sorry, Maitimo. I do not know if it is given to Orcs to know any happiness – but if such a thing is possible, than I would wish for you whatever meager scraps of pleasure there are to be found in your unwilling service to our family's great enemy. And I pray that when Moringotto again unleashes his forces against the Quendi of these lands, someone stronger than I will face you in battle and grant you release from your torment at last.

I will pray to the Valar for your sake, brother, but I will ask no such mercy for myself. A traitor to my kin thrice over now, I know I do not deserve it.

Chapter End Notes

Although this story takes place partly in Beleriand, Maglor is still thinking in Quenya. I have therefore chosen to use everyone's Quenya names, which are as follows:

Curufinwë Fëanáro - Fëanor
Nelyafinwë Maitimo - Maedhros
Kanafinwë Makalaurë - Maglor
Turkafinwë Tyelkormo - Celegorm
Morifinwë Carnistir - Caranthir
Curufinwë Atarinkë - Curufin
Pityafinwë Ambarussa - Amrod
Telufinwë Ambarussa - Amras
Findekáno - Fingon
Nolofinwë – Fingolfin
Moringotto – Morgoth

** These lines are direct quotations from the Doom of Mandos, found in the chapter 'Of the Flight of the Noldor' in The Silmarillion.

*filit – Quenya word meaning 'small songbird.' An affectionate childhood nickname given to my Maglor by his big brother Maedhros.

Maglor's and Curufin's wives are mentioned in the essay "Of Dwarves and Men," published in The Peoples of Middle Earth (History of Middle Earth, vol. 12). However, we are never told anything significant about them; they are not even given names. I have therefore had to choose appropriate names for them. The name Aurel means 'morning star,' and Callöté is Quenya for 'shining flower.' They both appeared briefly in my previous story "Nightfall", and Callöté also appeared in my earlier story "Voices in the Wilderness." Thanks go to Artanis/Naltariel for suggesting their names!

Finwë's brother Aldwë – Aldwë comes from my earlier story "Nightfall," where I introduced the idea that my Finwë was born at Cuiviénen and had an older brother who was captured by Morgoth and transformed into an Orc. Tolkien tells us essentially nothing about Finwë's background, so it's a plausible (if not canonical) idea.

This story was first published on May 22, 2009.