In the House of Feanor by Aiwen

How Not to Meet Your Adopted Children

Maglor ran through the house looking for Elwing, or for the Silamaril if by some chance it had been left lying about. He crashed from room to room with his guards immediately behind him. No Elwing, no Silmaril. Where was she? He pulled open a closet door, not that there would be space for her to hide within, and backed up a space when two identical small children shrieked at him. What in Arda? Before he could react, the pair ran out of the cupboard and past him, one of them right through Ornendil's legs.

Maglor whirled in time to see the children darting out the door - directly into the battle occurring outside. "Stop them!" Maglor yelled as he ran after them, Silmarils forgotten for the moment. They couldn't lose these children too... it would destroy Maedhros.

They ran out into the battle which fortunately had settled down for the moment, swords still drawn, looking for the children. Ornendil spotted one and chased after him while Maglor ran after the other.

Maglor's long legs made short work of the distance and he grabbed the child by the back of his tunic, accidentally pulling him around so hard the boy nearly fell down. Maglor suddenly noticed that he was holding a sword to the boy's throat. He lowered the sword. The child burst into tears. Maglor looked around, hoping to see Ornendil. Maglor spotted him easily, for it was hard to miss someone holding a yelling and shrieking small child.

What was he going to do with them? He couldn't leave them loose in the middle of a battle, nor could he cart them around with him while he fought. "Ornendil, Celebdil, get these children back to our rear. I think they are Elwing's twins, and they are to remain unharmed no matter what else happens, understand?"

"Yes, my lord."

"Go, then." Maglor turned his mind back to retrieving the Silmaril.

That evening Maglor walked beside his brother Maedhros as they retreated through the forest away from Gil-galad's incoming forces and what was left of the Havens. Neither spoke, for what was there to say? Another brother dead, along with far too many other people. They did not even have the Silmaril to show for it.

Someone behind him coughed. Maglor turned to see Celebdil and Ornendil approaching. Each carried a small child on his back. "My lords," Ornendil said, looking rather nervously from Maglor to Maedhros and back. "What you want us to do with these children?"

Maglor looked at the children and thought about attempting to return them to the Havens below which were currently full of Gil-galad and his people. It sounded like a great way to be shot out of hand. "I guess we'll have to keep them, at least for now," he said.

Maedhros laughed bitterly, but did not object.

Author's note: Battles tend to be very chaotic, and I can easily imagine Elrond and Elros being carried off more by oversight than by intention.