(But the dawn is brief and the day full often belies its promise.)

[castintoflames]

FORM: Sending Crystal
SENDER: Maedhros
RECIPIENT: Anyone with a crystal.
WHAT: Manic? Did anyone say manic? This can't be good.
WHEN: Spanning a week? (7-10 days?)
WHERE: Kirkwall
NOTES: Someone is afflicted with a strange Flu.

(The fires are high in the Forge and someone is working at all hours. Have they come out for food? Water? Air? Well if you wondered, he does make a quick message.)

Whoever thinks knocking on the door is a good idea, will not leave unscathed next time!

(There is a strange light in his eyes - and if anyone knows of his father, they will recognize it immediately. Abort mission!)

I am on the cusp of making something spectacular and I do not need any interference. Do I make myself clear?

(What happened to the gentler Maedhros? Some might claim he has been swallowed by the flames of ambition.)

Comments

[tar_minyatur]

[ Elros huffs softly ]

I missed you.

[castintoflames]

(He chuckles at the little sound.)

I assure you, you were missed too.

[tar_minyatur]

[ Elros turns a little in his hold to glare beadily ]

Then you should not have sent us away.

[ Objectively, he knows why they were sent away. He's still pissed about it though ]

[castintoflames]

Elros... (His amusement fades and he frowns.) You could not have grown to be the Man you are - free of our taint - if we had kept you.

[tar_minyatur]

[ Elros pokes him. Hard. ]

Stop saying you're tainted.

[ He orders, although he doesn't contradict the first part, because he knows it's true ]

[castintoflames]

We are in the eyes of Arda. (Maedhros murmurs solemnly.) Besides, you had kin who missed you dearly.

[tar_minyatur]

Arda can go hang. [ Elros retorts with a bit more spite than is normal ]

I didn't want to go. Neither of us did! And they might have missed us but we missed you.

[castintoflames]

Elros. (He loves you, but don't go crazy on him. Arda is the only home they will ever have...or recall, rather.)

We didn't want to give you up. You do not know how long Kano and I argued over it.

[tar_minyatur]

[ He looks mulish, but burrows tighter into his hold ]

I know. We could hear you, long into the night. We understood why. But it felt like abandonment, all the same.

[ Again ]

[castintoflames]

(Maedhros rocks them, kissing Elros's cheek.)

I'm sorry. I never meant for you to feel that way, but I understand it. We grew...so close. All of us. Kano and I were the happiest we had been in years.

[tar_minyatur]

I know. [ Elros shuts his eyes and lets himself be comforted ]

I wish we could have saved you.

[castintoflames]

Saved me? From me? Impossible. I'm with me all the time. (He tries to jest, smiling faintly as one of the turtles approaches them.)

[tar_minyatur]

[ Elros pokes him in the ribs. Hard ]

We love you, idiot. Of course we wanted to save you.

[castintoflames]

(You know that is starting to hurt. He might bruise.)

If you love me then you know there are parts of me that are broken.

[tar_minyatur]

[ Good. Maybe then it might actually sink in ]

We do. Which is why we want to save you, idiot.

[castintoflames]

(Or it will just make him sad. Stop, baby.)

My point is: you can't.

[tar_minyatur]

[ .... fffffffffffffine ]

And mine is that I'm from a family that makes doing the impossible a routine achievement.

[castintoflames]

Don't waste your efforts on me. Save them for when you need to cross the heavens in a ship. (He smiles and nuzzles Elros's neck, trying to brighten his mood.)

[tar_minyatur]

[ Elros snarls, abruptly incensed, pulling back to glare ]

Don't you tell me what to spend my efforts on! Who was it who saved us, who housed and fed us, who taught us everything we needed to know? I can choose who I want to love! I know who it was who chased away the monsters at night and tucked us into bed, and it wasn't Earendil!

[castintoflames]

(That temper. Maedhros falls back a step, wary.)

...that was not his fault. (He tilts his head.) You are his son; he must prize you and your brother above all others.

(He would, he reasons.)

I am honored to have your love, but I do not pretend to be worthy of it.

[tar_minyatur]

It might not have been his fault but it does not change the fact that he was not there. I don't remember Earendil. I remember you.

[castintoflames]

And I remember you. (He smiles faintly.) So small and yet extraordinarily brave! I thought you a treasure.

[tar_minyatur]

[ Elros leans against him again ]

You were a steady rock for us to break ourselves upon, and later to brace against. Don't ever think that we are not grateful. You could have been cruel to us, you could have put us to torture or left us behind. Elrond and I, we know how much you've done for us.

[castintoflames]

(He welcomes him, embracing him.)

I thought about being cruel...at first. I thought it would be easier. How could two kinslayers raise children?

(But he remembers Maglor's immediate affection for the twins. "Nelyo, they are like the Ambarussa!")

Kano stopped me and I am eternally grateful to him. The first time I held you and Elrond, I could do nothing but care for you as I had my brothers.

[tar_minyatur]

You could have, but you didn't. Please stop pretending you don't know how to be kind.

You loved us well. I know it isn't right. But it is what it is, and we love you.