The Captive by Glorified

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Chapter 2. Foster Son

As her house guest settles in Ella realises that she does not  much about his history and background and hopes to glean information from his foster son who is due to visit shortly.  What she finds out is a little unsettling and makes her realise how very little she understands of Elvish or mortal predilections and needs.  But how much should she reveal of her own history and its peculiarities ?

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Chapter 2 : Foster son

 

It was less than a week before he came. I had sent a carrier pigeon the day after I had arrived back telling him of my unexpected visitor. His message back was brief and succinct . “I will be there”. As it was he came two days later.

 

My charge as he had once been his was away on the beach looking for drift wood for my sculptures. Strong arms were held out towards me in my kitchen and I threw myself into a tactile embrace. We rocked to and fro a few moments both of us savouring our genuine geniality towards one another and long friendship.

“He is well? He has settled?”, he asked pensively.

“Yes”, I nodded

“I am so grateful”,

I smiled warmly, “I know you love him”,

Grey eyes glistening with tears that threatened to tip over their rim. I squeezed his hands.

“I have bought him new clothes, really some of my old ones”,

“Oh that will be good its getting a bit embarrassing, his shirt is barely covering his midline now its getting so tattered”,

“He’s very polite isn’t he?” I ventured

I thought of him trying to modestly cover his lean muscled chest and torso when I came out to bring him a drink or food when he was working. I averted my eyes to spare his modesty but I felt a strange abashment at the display of masculine nakedness.

“He is, was a prince”, Elrond corrected himself,

“Yes with courtly manners, like yourself”,

“They, he, taught us, me, well!”

I caught the change of plurality to the singular and changed the subject.

 

“How is your house hold?”, I was careful not to say family, none of his had sailed and the healing he had hoped for in Aman for his wife had not entirely been realised.

“All well he said a bit too brightly”,

“And Cel?”,

“Yes!”,

“Is she still set on going to join her relatives in Tirion?”,

“She thinks time away will help”

You mean apart I thought. I gripped his arm sympathetically and said no more on the matter conversant that once more the conversation was tipping into subjects that were unresolved and painful for him.

“Is there anything I should know about him, my house guest?” I asked,

“Only that he will honour you that you have given him a roof over his head when no other would or could”,

I knew Elrond would have given him refuge but he had an entire household that had sailed seeking his shelter and Lordship and among them there were loyal retainers who would balk at the presence of a kin slayer amongst them to say the least.

“I thought I heard he had a wife, did she go with to Endore?” I asked conversationally.

“No she petitioned for an annulment here”,

“Oh I said I didn’t know that was possible”,

“Technically it isn’t but he broke their vows by going to Endore against the Valar’s command and what with the oath and the kin slaying he was as good as dead to her”,

“So given the circumstances they looked more favourably, and granted her petition”

“It must have been a lonely life for him I said, I mean outlawed and always on the run all his family dead?”,

“Yes just him and Maedhros and in the end just him alone. But they found comfort where they could”

“Oh” I said not entirely understanding.

Elrond looked at me a little guiltily as if he had said too much and was now assessing whether or not to continue.

“Say it I said, better I know”, I said

“All times bring their own contingencies to bear on the succour of our needs, the Feanorians of old kept, if not their virtue, their silence in finding such comforts. Living so closely together, the sounds of release and passion are difficult to hide, locked doors were sometimes left open, and they were not as discrete as they thought. My childish eyes saw not censor or wrong, I loved them both. I saw them once sleeping together he held Maedhros in his arms, their faces looked so peaceful. I did not begrudge them”,

“So his passions are that way inclined?”

“No I do not think so but scarcity dictates.

“Oh I see” I said not sure how to reply, I sat silently thinking of how war and strife could dictate such things. Discrimination and revilement I had known but not being prey to dictates of form in that way I had been untroubled by such physical desires, although truth to say I had never really understood the need of them. I had experimented but found the act undesirable, mechanical even, not understanding its emotional pull on more earth bound inhabitants.

I did another volte face in our conversation and said,

“There another problem. I’m not sure what to call him?”

“What do you call him now?”

“Well nothing really, we’ve really not got that far”,

“I called him father and still do!”,

“Well that wouldn't really be appropriate”, I laughed and rolled my eyes.

“Has he an eppesse or something?”,

“His mother called him ‘Makalaure’ ‘Gold Cleaver’ for his voice”,

“Ah! bit long winded though and personal!”,

“His father name was Kanofinwe shortened to Kano”

“Kano then, would he mind that? He wouldn’t think it presumptive of me?”,

“Probably as they were only used by close kin”,

“So its heh you captive or slave then”,

Hummph! The peredhil rolled his eyes at my dry humour.

“But what of you?”,

“Me?”,

“Well how long are you going to assume this form?”,

“A long time I think I said quietly”

“You are getting use to it?”,

I shrugged my shoulders.

“Well perhaps you could adopt something that is appropriate then”,

“You liked Firiella before, It suited you”,

“It made me sound like a whimish wet elleth” ,

Elrond chortled merrily, “That you never were”,

“What about Ella?”,

“Bit better I suppose”,

“Hmmph!!”, I hummed, “I’ll think about it. Er do we say anything about me?”, I asked,

Elrond crooked one eyebrow at me, “Perhaps in time if necessary, but I think things are complicated enough”,

“Oh, Oh I think he is here”, I exclaimed cutting our conversation short. “He’s gone to the out buildings, I can see a light there”, I said as I peered out of the window.

“Go to him, go to him, I will bring you supper out on a tray in a bit and you can stay and talk to him”, I flapped at Elrond with my hands and he laughed merrily at my flustering.

“Thank you” he said more seriously,

I nodded in acknowledgement.

“I know you must want to see him alone with out me there, I take no offence”, I kissed him lightly on the cheek and he squeezed my hand before turning and stepping out into the garden.

 

When I went out to them later with a tray piled high with bread, cheeses, pickles and condiments, a a obligatory bottle of wine I found them deep in conversation, sprawled on cushions and blankets on the floor. They had lit the hurricane lamps and they cast a warm glow in the small space. They were already drinking wine which Elrond had procured from some where and my house guest was more relaxed and animated than I had ever seen him. He lay back propped on a pillow with one leg drawn up and his arm out stretched over it holding a tipping glass of wine. His other leg lay splayed out wide in front of him, the soft boots wrapping up around his thigh and the prominent muscle. The gauzed veil I had been seeing him through was completely dropped and caught unawares he looked every bit the privileged leisured second son of the house of Feanor I thought. They stopped speaking when I entered and Elrond turned and tried to persuade me to remain and take a glass with them but I declined. Maglor looked at me suddenly pensive, the veil beginning to be drawn back, yet there was gratefulness and warmth in his eyes. I nodded in deference to both of them before I turned and walked back towards the kitchen.

 

Later as I lay in my bed I wondered that night at how long they had known one another and what strange and vivid memories they must have shared. The candles in the hurricane lamps burnt low and my guest were still in deep conversation long after I had fallen asleep and the dawn ghosted the horizon.