Chapter Text
They sat in silence in the kitchen, unsure what to do or where to go while they waited for Nerdanel to return.
Their vigil was broken by Finrod, peering his head in through a window that overlooked the garden. “I passed your mother, on my way here,” he said to Maglor. “She seems to be in a foul mood.” Then he saw his niece and nephew-in-law. “How were your parents?” he asked brightly.
“They’re also in a foul mood,” Elrond replied.
“Oh dear.” Finrod clamored in through the window, concern written on his face. “Should I get father-”
“For what purpose?” Maglor asked. “Manwe himself couldn’t stop her.”
“Elwing called Maitimo-” Celebrian cut herself off, remembering how Maglor and Elrond had both reacted to the word. “It wasn’t nice.”
“Perorch,” Maglor snarled.
Finrod’s eyes widened, then he said, “You know, I could probably catch up with her. Do you think she’d like someone to stand and look intimidating?”
“If she was trying to scare a bunny, perhaps,” Celebrian said, her managing a weak smile. “That’s what she would say.”
Even Maglor managed a grin.
“My lady!” Finrod gasped, pretending to be horrified. “I think our Lady Nerdanel is a horrible influence on you.”
Their vigil was easier with Finrod to keep them company. The reembodied elf was cheerful even at the worst of times, and he regaled them with stories of things that had happened before they had arrived in Valinor. Maglor didn’t even protest when particularly embarrassing stories were told.
After a while, the front door opened and they all fell silent. “Well,” Finrod said finally. “Shall we hide in the cellar?”
“We don’t have a cellar,” Maglor said tersely. “The smithy has thick walls, however.”
“Oh grow up,” Celebrian grumbled, shaking her head. “Uncle, you’re the least involved in this, you go and see who it is.”
“Me!?” Finrod squeaked. But when he saw their determined faces, he sighed and said, “Well, your mother always has said I looked better dead.”
He walked from the room with the air of someone who thought they were going to their death.
Several moments passed, then he reappeared in the doorway, looking ashen. “It’s all three of them.”
“Pardon?” Elrond asked, looking alarmed.
“Oh no,” Celebrian moaned, dropping her head to the table.
Nerdanel marched into the kitchen a moment later, Earendil - sans Silmaril, thankfully - and Elwing both trailing behind her. Somehow, Celebrian almost found herself pitying them.
And yet none of them seemed too distraught by whatever Nerdanel had said to get them to visit.
It was almost eerie how peaceful they seemed, like the calm before a storm. They almost looked like old friends, which was a frightening concept in and of itself.
“I should-” Maglor began, looking toward the side door, but Elrond grabbed his wrist before he could escape.
Nerdanel folded her arms over her chest and gave Earendil and Elwing a determined look. For a long moment, everyone was silent, then Elwing stepped forward and embraced her son and daughter-in-law.
Then she looked at Maglor, and the entire room seemed to hold its breath. “Thank you,” she said quietly.
Maglor looked over his shoulder to check that she wasn’t speaking to anyone else, but found only the wall. Turning back to Elwing, he managed a weak, “My lady-“
“Thank you, Kanafinwe, for caring for my sons.”
The Feanorian’s eyes flicked to his mother, leaning on the counter and looking smug. “You hate me-“
“No,” said Earendil, speaking for the first time, “She does not hate you, Kanafinwe, and neither do I. Nor does anyone in this room have any ill will toward Maedhros.”
Maglor seemed to find his voice, asking, “Did my mother do something to you?”
Nerdanel snickered.
“She made me think,” said Elwing, her arm wrapping more tightly around Elrond, drawing her son closer. “I suppose no one else has ever dared to challenge me.”
“No,” said Earendil with amusement. He happily put an arm around Maglor’s shoulders, ignoring the Feanorian’s extremely perplexed and slightly terrified expression. “Perhaps I ought to have tried but,” he shrugged. “I never thought that it mattered.”
Elrond, having found his voice, managed to ask, “You never thought that it mattered that you abandoned my wife?”
Earendil winced.
“It’s fine,” whispered Celebrian, giving her husband a pleading look.
“We knew you were safe,” said Elwing quietly. Her face seemed weathered, aged even, her mortal blood showing plainly. “I- I admit that I perhaps used Kanafinwe as a... convenient excuse.”
Elrond opened his mouth and Celebrian stepped on his foot hard enough to make him close it again.
“I-“ Elwing stared at her son, looking lost, “I was not prepared to bring myself so close to you, in the event that you might still be pulled away from me, again.”
Elrond was at a loss for words. Although it still hurt, and it didn’t explain her use of such a horrible word for Maedhros, perhaps- perhaps he could understand her at least a bit.
Perhaps she was as broken as he or Maglor. And Earendil- well, perhaps he was just afraid to argue with her, as Maglor had often refrained from challenging Maedhros out of fear of losing what sanity he had left.
Perhaps they all had a great deal in common.
“Solid reasoning,” said Finrod, whom everyone had completely forgotten about. They turned to meet his cheerful face as he continued, “After all, imagine if they had shown up. Lady Celebrian most likely wouldn’t have them speak to her. Auntie only got to speak to her because she broke into the palace uninvited and unannounced.”
“Because you’re all worthless,” snapped Nerdanel. She pointed to Celebrian and said, “Not you.”
Celebrian managed a smile.
“I- I don’t understand-“ Maglor managed, still the most confused of them all.
“You wouldn’t, you stupid boy,” grumbled Nerdanel, a hint of fondness creeping into her tone. “These two” - she pointed to Earendil and Elwing. “Are just as foolish as the lot of you. No one should make decisions when they’re hurting, particularly not where family is involved, because if you do, the next thing you know, you’ve drawn a sword and gotten your foolish self exiled.”
She frowned, screwing up her face as though she was in actual pain, then grunted, “Perhaps it was impulsive of me to call them cunts.” That was as close as she would ever get to an apology, Elrond supposed.
The sculptor wasn’t finished, however, narrowing her eyes at them and announcing, “But if they ever call my son a monster again, I’ll burn that flying ship to the ground, favor of the Valar be damned.”
“Oh!” said Earendil, as if suddenly reminded of something. He turned to Celebrian, his eyes sparkling. “I’ve been thinking about what you said. Its high time we find out if Vingoliant is still sea-worthy or not.”
Celebrian gaped at him, shaking her head. “I don’t think this is the time-”
“Of course not now!” he said quickly. “Vingoliant is still on Tol Eressa, after all!”
Seeing that everyone else was staring at him - Finrod biting back giggles - the mariner asked, “What!? No one else was talking or making any plans.”