Broken Silver by Narya

Chapter 1

They were as wild as each other, he and she. Star-fire burned in their souls, and the forest sang in their blood.

"I love you both," murmured Lúthien, cheek pressed against his chest.

Celegorm simply replied, "I know."

"I will not abandon him."

"I would not ask you to."

When she left he sent Huan with her, to keep her safe, though the bards and scholars told a different tale. They would not believe that Tinúviel gave her heart twice.

He could do nothing for Dior. He would not have killed him – not her son, not through choice – but no other way had been left. Bleeding, spent, he staggered back to his men.

"Where are the children?"

It took him some time to find out the truth; when they confessed, he snarled and ran the culprits through with his sword.

"Which way?" he demanded of those that remained.

"My lord, your wounds...you must rest..."

Celegorm ignored them, ignored the blood on his clothes and the spots in his vision, ignored the hazy black warmth at the edge of his mind. Like a wolf scenting prey, he lifted his head and let the forest speak.

"Do not follow me," he ordered, hoping he sounded more sure than he felt.

Alone, he went into the trees.

"Is it dead?"

"No. Look there.” A vapour-cloud formed near the monster's lips. “It's breathing."

"What should we do?"

Eluréd gazed at the silver-haired Elf on the ground. "Leave it. It's one of them."

"It's wounded!"

"I know." Melian's gifts ran true in their veins; Eluréd could smell the blood.

“But it called us by our names. It swore it wouldn't hurt us.”

“I know...”

Elurín's mouth – still bloody from his captor's blows – set firm. “What would Mother say?”

When Maglor and Maedhros found them, much later, Celegorm still clung stubbornly to life. The twins had curled up in his cloak like a pair of wolf cubs, one on each side of him, keeping him warm.