Maglor and the Twin Stars by tinni

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In The End

Elladan and Elrohir ask Elrond about Maglor

 

Elladan and Elrohir sat with identical looks of confusion next to the roaring fire. A thick volume of tales from the First Age of the Sun lay between the two. One would have thought that at the tender age of ten, the Imladristwins would be too young for the dark tales from the time of the Noldorin rebellion, but the truth was that in the Hall of Fire, the two Half-elves had already heard most of the tales contained within the book and in far more detail as well. It would be pointless to keep the book from them. However, there was one thing in the book they had not known before. This was the first time they had heard of their father’s time with Maglor.  What confused the little ones was the statement as little might be thought great love grew between Maglor and the sons of Elwing. They did not understand. Why would their Ada grow to love the Elf who drove his mother into the sea?

 

“If some body did that to Ammë, I would hunt him down and throw him into a Balrog pit,” declared Elladan.

 

“Me too!” his brother asserted and after a moment of thoughtful thumb sucking added, “Maybe the book got it wrong. You remember how Glorfi said that stories don’t always say everything?”

 

Elladan nodded. After a moment of silence, Elladan swiftly got to his feet and said to his brother, “Let’s go.”

 

“Where are we going?” Elrohir wondered, as he stood up.

 

“We are going to go ask Ada about this,” Elladan stated simply.

 

“We are?” asked Elrohir, wondering when they had come to this decision.

 

“Yes.” Elfling though he was, Elladan could still command attention and obedience as only a mighty Elf-lord could.

 

 ***

They found Elrond working at his desk in the main library. Not wanting to disturb their father they hesitated for a moment, but Elrond, happened to look up from his work and, seeing his beloved boys, broke into a wide grin, deciding immediately that the letter to Celeborn could wait. “Come in, my sons,” he said. The twins immediately ran to their father and began to vie for a place on his lap. Laughing Elrond sat down on the rug near his table and manoeuvred both the boys to sit in front of him. “Now tell me, what brings the two of you here?” he asked.

 

After a moments hesitation, Elladan, by far the braver of the twins, spoke up, “We wanted to ask you about Maglor, son of Feanor.”

 

For a moment, a look of deep grief shone through Elrond’s eyes, but the Lord of Imladris quickly mastered himself and asked, “What do you want to know about your other grandfather?” he asked with a forced smile.

 

“Other grandfather,” the twins repeated simultaneously. “So you did love him after all.”

 

Elrond was more than a little surprised by the question. “Of course I did. Very much so, for your grandfather, Eärendil, sailed in search of Aman when I and your uncle Elros were very young, and in truth, Maglor was the only father I truly knew.” 

 

The perplexed look returned to the faces of the twins. “But why? I mean, did he not do horrible things? He and his brother even drove grandmother into the sea,” cried Elladan.

 

Understanding began to dawn on Elrond. “Indeed he did,” admitted Elrond. “But… but desperate people do desperate things and the sons of Fëanor were desperate. In a moment when passion ran high and emotions overrode reason they swore an oath that they believed to be unbreakable. An oath which if they did not fulfill would condemn them to an eternity of darkness. Elves, my boys, crave light. Nothing, nothing is more frightening to us than the prospect of darkness everlasting. So you see, my sons, in their despair and fear they did many things they in their hearts regretted. Moreover with the memory of these deeds, their consciences plagued them unceasingly. Pity them, my sons, but do not hate them.” Elrond taught his children. “Reserve your hate for creatures that cannot be redeemed. The Valar know there are far too many of them as it is,” he whispered in a voice filled with regret.

 

After a moment of contemplating silence, Elrohir gently laid his hands on his father’s knee, “You miss him,” he stated.

 

Elrond nodded with a weak smile. “I admit that when Maglor took me in I was very angry. I was angry with my parents for abandoning us and I was angry with the sons of Fëanor for bringing death and destruction to peaceful Sirion. In truth, of course, my parents did not abandon us. My father sailed the seas in search for Aman so that my brother and I could know true peace. My mother dove into the sea, for she believed that the sons of Fëanor would murder us all regardless and this way she could at least deny them absolute victory. I did not realise these things back then. I felt nothing but a deep sense of abandonment and an even deeper sense of loss. I think, if I did not have a brother who loved me so very much, I would have faded long before Maglor warmed himself into my heart, taking away the sense of loss, the sense of being abandoned. For you see, my sons, I had the privilege to see the real Maglor, not the Maglor history remembers, not the Maglor who was forever doomed to stand in his father’s shadow. He never married you know, for he never met a woman who did not see him as a son of Fëanor but within him lived a great desire for children and a great capacity to love. It was this love he gave to Elros and me. He cherished us and we loved him for it. I miss him terribly, my sons, and I can only pray that neither of you ever have to feel such a terrible loss. In the end, I would give much to see him once more.”

 

Overcome with emotions that they could barely describe Elladan and Elrohir covered their father in twin bear hugs. “Don’t worry, Ada.” Elrohir whispered as he buried his head in his father’s thick dark mane, “One day, when Elladan and I are all grown up… we will find him for you,” Elrohir promised, Elladan nodding his consent.

 

But Elrond shook his head, “I thank you for you offer, little ones, but Gil-galad and I tried to find him, we did not succeed. We searched for him as far south as what is now Khand, there the men called him the Sad Singer and told us that he had dwelt in that land for a long while but eventually began to head further south. Following, it seemed, a rumour of a hidden valley deep in the heart of a near impregnable mountain range. It has been told that many of the Avari and Nandor dwelt there and planned to dwell there till the ending of Arda itself. We followed him no further, guessing that he had no wish to return to the north or the west.” Elrond sighed once again and admitted in a voice heavy with sadness, “Still, I miss him.” The twins hugged their father tighter, both of them wondering where their grandfather could be.

 

 

Chapter End Notes

I am aware that in the Essay "Of Men and Dwarves" (The Peoples of Middle-Earth, History of Middle Earth vol. 12), Tolkien states that Maglor is married literally in one line "Others who were wedded were Maelor (Maglor) and Caranthir." The Peoples of Middle-Earth, History of Middle Earth, the good professor does not give any more information on Maglor's wife. It would appear that I am omitting Maglor's wife but in truth, all my stories are based in a universe were Maglor married during his wandering and so Elrond wouldn't know that Maglor had married.

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