Love and other forbidden things by tinni

Chapter 1

"Have you heard," wondered Irisse of Findekano as the later joined her in her drawing room, "Uncle Feanaro is finally to have a son married."
 
At the news Findekano's heart wrenched in pain. So it had finally happened. Maitimo was to be wed. Forcing himself to smile he replied, "So Maitimo is finally to marry Viresse."
 
"O Viresse is to be the bride but not of Maitimo. No she is to marry Curufinwe," Irisse clarified with an amused smile, "Whole of Tirion is alive with scandal and gossip. It's all very amusing."
 
"What!" For a moment Findekano was torn between joy and outraged. Joy that his Maitimo would still be free but outrage on the account of his precious Maitimo for he knew how much Maitimo had cared for Viresse and how likely it was that Maitimo would be suffering because of this, that thought brought his outrage to the forefront, "How did this happen! How could Curufinwe do this to his own brother! I thought Viresse really loved Maitimo, little though she deserved him. Indeed this... this thing just proves how undeserving of him she was!"
 
Irisse was considerably surprised at Findekano's outrage, "Why are you so angry?"
 
"Would you not be angry if you good friend was... hurt by the inconsistency of..." Findekano wanted to say the love of their life but found the word stuck in his throat.
 
Irisse however could guess what her brother was going to say, "I do not think Viresse was the love of Maitimo's life. I mean, from what I heard this all came about because of Maitimo and his reluctance to give her the silver ring he had made for her. He did make a pair and they are said to be stunningly beautiful."
 
"Maitimo is a great silversmith," Findekano acknowledged with a mixture of pride and a touch wistfulness.
 
"He made them but he didn't give them to her. They say he went everyday to her house for a month with the rings in his pocket but everyday for a month he brought the rings right back with him. Then after a month he refused to go see her, in fact he refused even to leave his room. When Uncle having had enough confronted him, Maitimo is said of have broken down and sobbed uncontrollably but wouldn't tell anyone what had upset him so much. He just wanted to be left alone. Apparently, about this time uncle sent Curufinwe to fetch Viresse. But when Viresse arrived Maitimo walked upto Curufinwe and gave him the rings he had made and told him that he could never love Viresse as much as he does, nor would Viresse ever look at him the same way she looks at Curufinwe. He said, he was only sorry that it took him this long to realise this and with that he left."
 
"Left? What do you mean left? When did this all happen? Who told you all this and how is it that I am only now hearing of this!" demanded Findekano.
 
"Well I heard the tale from Tyelcormo this morning. He came to officially announce it to father this morning. Even as he was telling me the tale, the word was spreading through Tirion. I mean, he made the announcement in the presence of quite a few lords and within earshot of a number of servants before escaping into the garden with me. About the same time uncle and Curufinwe had gone to see grandfather, I think Carnistir was sent to uncle Arafinwe and the Ambarussa to my aunts. I think Macalaure had gone with Aunt Nerdanel to her father. In short, by noon the news was everywhere while up until this morning no one but the members of uncle's household and his vessels knew anything. Given that Viresse's father is also one of uncle's vessels..."
 
"It would have been really easy for them to keep everything quite till it suited them," Findekano completed for her, "Am I Maitimo's friend?" he wondered out loud, "He tells me I am. But sometimes I wonder..."
 
"Tyelcormo and I are friends. We are good friends, perhaps even best of friends but even I didn't hear any of this till today. I mean, you haven't seen Maitimo for over six months now. Tyelocormo has been coming hear everyday and sitting with me for hours and he never once mentioned what was happening at his house. That something was bother him I guessed from the sometimes abstracted look he wore on this face. But he wouldn't tell me. They are like that you know, the Feanorians. It doesn't matter how much you love and care for them," she said sadly, "Some things they keep to themselves. I don't much like it," she admitted, "Indeed, sometimes I want to take Tyelcormo and... and just run away! I want to run away with him," she said, getting unbelievably excited, "I want to run away with him across the sea to Ernor! Take him away from his father, his brothers and even Huan! So that... so that its just us and I don't have to share him with anyone! I hate sharing him, Findekano!" she cried, "I hate it! I...” suddenly she stopped and looked disturbed, fearing that she had said too much.

“You...” whisphered Findekano, “You are in love with Tyelcorme,” he said, surprised and shocked and wondering how he hadn’t noticed.

“Don’t...” she began, “Don’t tell father!” she implored, “Please don’t! It’s a one-sided, dead-end love anyway! He has six brothers, a father and a dog who hog all his love and affection. He has none left for me or any woman who is not his mother. Plus we are still cousins. Half-cousins so maybe it wouldn’t be considered incest but it would still be something discouraged! So nothing will come of my feelings but if you spread it, all that will happen is that I’ll lose a friend!”

“Do not worry!” Findekano hastened to assured Irisse, “I will not betray your secret. But it does grieve me that you think your love doomed. I want you to be happy with a man you loved and a mother of many children who love and adore you.”

But Irisse shock her head sadly, “I fear that is not my lot,” she whispered with that she left the room, drained from having accidentally revealling too much of her feeling to her brother. Findekano closed his eyes as grief assailed him for both his sister and himself, afterall, he knew something about loving a Feanorian invain...

Chapter End Notes

Names
Findekano - Fingon
Irisse - Aredhel
Feanaro - Feanor
Maitimo - Maedhros
Curufinwe - Curufin
Tyelcormo - Celegorm
Carnistir - Caranthir
Arafinwe - Finarfin
Ambarussa - Amras and Amrod
Macalaure - Maglor