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“We’re going to take over the world.” Amras announces, out of the blue. It’s only his brothers who hear, for their parents are both busy. “It’s a pretty straightforward plan, so it isn’t going to take much effort. Maitimo is anyways second in the line of succession!”
At that point it is dismissed as the optimism of a young child, dreams that he would give up with time. The Ambarussa are still young after all, hardly out of their childhood days. Their ramblings and ideas shouldn’t be taken as fact, or predictions. That’s just not practical! (Unless the child giving the prediction was Artanis, then everyone would do well to listen. The fact that Artanis was much younger than the Ambarussa did not occur to anyone.)
It years later, in Beleriand when they hear of it again. This time Feanor is present as well to hear the Ambarussa. Immediately after the burning at Losgar, Amrod brings it up again.
“Well, it’s going to be harder to take over the world at this point, mainly because of the fact that we are Kin-Slayers. Also, the oath. So, we just have to work around this!”
At that point, it’s considered ravings of a traumatised elf. Amrod just burned, and almost died, so how could he be talking sense? It must be a hallucination, a dream. Atar soothes his youngest children and actually encourages their ideas and dreams. (The older ones personally think that Feanor encouraging something should automatically be taken as discouragement and they should promptly stop doing whatever it is that they are doing. After all, Atar did nearly burn Amrod alive! The Ambarussa, however, are positively beaming!) And then, Atar goes and gets himself killed, and the chaos following that keeps everyone busy.
“Okay. Now, most of our family is dead thanks to the stupid crown. Hannato Fingolfin for one, and Findekáno,” Amras says. He doesn’t even bother to mention how Maitimo was tortured while he held it, or the problems caused for Kano to solve, while he was regent.
The Nirnaeth and Dagor Bragollach left all of them completely weary, running all over the place trying to coordinate attacks and defend and strategies and survive. (It was all kill, kill, kill, and survive, you're going to die now, and you're definitely going to die this time!) And none of them had been very optimistic in many, many years. It showed when they started to plan.
“And Turukáno is stuck in his hidden city. So, we could just put someone in his place to become High King!” Amrod says, nodding as if that’s the most natural thing.
And then they’re planning every detail of their plan, which would probably not come to fruition and this time no one knows what to say or do, so everyone ignores it and they're desperately hoping nothing bad happens.
When new of Turgon’s death and the fall of Gondolin reaches the sons of Feanor, Amrod and Amras look grimly pleased, as if this is what they had expected. So, when they pull Caranthir, Celegorm and Curufin away to talk to them separately, neither of their oldest brothers mention anything or even try to find out what’s going on. They’re hoping it will just disappear if they ignore it long enough. (Nowadays, all they do is hope.)
Itarillë, little Idril is crowned first High Queen of the Noldor until they find a more suitable king. Then, the sons of Feanor attack Doriath, and somehow, the middle brothers are declared dead; Itarillë has left Beleriand and a new High King has been crowned. He calls himself Ereinion Gil-Galad, officially son of Orodreth. Most people believe it, but Maedhros and Maglor are suspicious, because they know that Orodreth’s only legitimate child, Finduilas, is dead. So, either the king’s lying or Orodreth adopted him, because apparently he looks like Fingon.
(Both Maedhros and Maglor ignore the voice in their heads saying that Caranthir, Fingolfin, Fingon and Argon looked very similar. They know their middle brothers are alive, and that they were planning on taking a vacation to Taur-im-Duinath - which they deserved because they almost died at multiple points.)
Of course, they notice that High King Gil-Galad appoints a new advisor - Erestor, a random elf from Valinor with the light of the trees in his eyes. Again, they don’t remember anyone called Erestor, but why should it matter? He seems a little familiar to them, maybe they’ve met him before in Aman?
(They’re still ignoring the nagging feeling that something is wrong. It doesn’t make much of a difference anyways, because they haven’t fulfilled the oath and three of the brothers are in Taur-im-Duinath, so of course there was something wrong!)
Then, they attack the havens of Sirion, and Elwing throws herself off the window with the Silmaril. They search for their brothers in the destruction of the havens - no one’s left alive. They don’t find the Ambarussa, because the twins have probably wandered off. (They’re very absent minded sometimes.) They do find another set of twins - Elrond and Elros, sons of Eärendil and Elwing. So, they take them in.
(And if the twins seem so similar to the Ambarussa it’s probably because all twins are similar in some ways, isn’t it? There’s nothing suspicious at all and Maedhros and Maglor aren’t ignoring the tiny voice that keeps muttering ‘Open your eyes and look, you fools!’)
They leave a grown Elrond and Elros, who look suspiciously like the Ambarussa sometimes, with the High King. And the High King is surprised to see them.
(Not because there are no children called Elrond and Elros anymore, but because the King thought that Maedhros and Maglor would have killed the twins instead of keeping them alive and taking care of them. Obviously!)
And then they're fighting once more. It's like that's all they do these days!
After Morgoth is chained, after they won, Maglor and Maedhros sneak into the camp. They still have no idea where their brothers are, but it’s up to them to get the Silmarils back. They sneak into the camp and the tent and take the Silmarils and head to the beach. They pick up the jewels, and it burns them, for they have become no better than Morgoth in their attempt to get them back. They have slain and murdered, and they have the blood of thousands on their hands. And Maedhros jumps into a chasm of fire.
It’s after a keening wail and a minute of shocked staring, that Maglor realises he wasn’t the only one to scream. Of course, that’s when he finds out that his brothers are still alive.
(“What are you doing here? You aren’t safe here!” Maglor had exclaimed, surprised but afraid for them. “You need to get out of here!”
“Actually, Laurë, out of all of us, you’re the only one who is in danger of being executed currently.” Curufin had answered, nonchalantly.
“What do you mean?”
And they had grinned, smug and feral. Amrod replied, “We’re all member of the court, excluding Tyelko. Let’s introduce ourselves, shall we?” )
And to Maglor’s shocked horror they reintroduced themselves.
Celegorm was running around with the Avari and Laiquendi, a leader of sorts there. He went by Málëatur, meaning ‘healthy King’. Not that the Avari noticed or cared. They apparently loved his ‘free spirit’ and ‘wild nature’ or something of the sort. (Maglor was still in shock and if he hadn’t just felt the Silmaril burn his palm, he would have called this a nightmare!)
Curufin was apparently Erestor, advisor to the High King. (Who approved of that, and why didn’t Maedhros or Maglor notice this before?)
Amrod and Amras were the twins Elrond and Elros, who didn’t actually exist. But no one knew that because everyone from Sirion was dead. And no one else who knew Eärendil or Elwing well were alive. (He was definitely embarrassed that he did not figure this out sooner! Also, what was wrong with their security?)
And finally, Caranthir, smart Moryo gave himself a new name, pretended to be Orodreth’s son, and no one said anything because they were all dead! He was officially introduced to High King Ereinion Gil-Galad! After all, multiple people can keep a secret if all but one is dead! (How had no one noticed? Again, back to security measures, if his brothers could impersonate people and the citizens didn’t notice or didn’t care, then how easily the Enemy could pretend to be anyone! This was a major security breach, even if all of them are technically eligible to become High King, as long as one ignores the fact that they are dispossessed!)
He had accepted then, that he would take up some role later, once he was done mourning his brother and his hand, and the Noldor, and a lot of things. Probably the entirety of the previous age? And the rest of his siblings disappeared, going back to their plans. (Next time he’s definitely paying attention when one of his siblings even mention the thought of taking over the world!)
A couple of years later, Eonwe offers the Ambarussa a choice - elves or men, Eldar or Edain. Elros, and by extension Amras chooses to be mortal. “It’s just another adventure,” he’d said, and then he got punched in the face by Amrod. “An adventure that you’re taking without me!”
But they part on good terms, and Amras died, a couple hundred years later, the mortal way. Amrod had luckily made peace with it, else the breaking of their bond would have killed him. Either ways, he was completely inconsolable for a couple of months. (Amras did sire a bunch of children. So, Atar would be happy that he's one step closer to his dream of lots of grandchildren. On a side note, Atar would be devastated that he would never see his darling Pityo again.)
At the end of the Second Age, before the Last Alliance, even before Sauron revealed himself, Maglor is honestly surprised that Caranthir is still on the throne. The second age had actually been relatively peaceful, as compared to the first age. And the Noldor were flourishing. Caranthir, now Ereinion was the best accountant ever, and Curufin, now Erestor was the best politician alive. It was completely expected, especially with Amrod, now Elrond, pulling all the strings. His brothers were brilliant at manipulating people. And he couldn’t even judge them, because he had helped on more than one occasion! They were so good, that even Artanis never guessed!
And then, the entire thing, all the peace is gone, because the Valar’s mercy just ends up backfiring on them. And they arrive at Eregion in time to save Tyelpe, little Tyelpe who was so very surprised that so many of his uncles and his father were still alive. (He was injured, but Amrod was the best healer, even without Amras to help him. Tyelpe would have some major scars, not as much as his uncles and father from the first age, but enough. He may never be able to work in a forge again.) And Tyelpe tells them everything, and they vow revenge.
Their last oath didn’t go very well, but they would commit all the Kinslayings over again and more, if it would help Tyelpe, if it would stop him from hurting, if it would avenge him or give him even a semblance of peace. And even if it didn’t they would stop at nothing to get rid of Sauron, for this is the second time he has hurt a member of their family!
So, Maglor goes to fight the in the Last Alliance alongside Caranthir as High King, Amrod as Elrond the Healer and Herald, Curufin as Erestor the accountant from Valinor, Celegorm as Málëatur of the Laiquendi and Maglor as a random soldier. Of course, there are others - Glorfindel of the golden flower, Elendil and Isildur of the Numenoreans (Amras’ descendants), Oropher and Thranduil of the Greenwoods, Celeborn of Lothlorien and Cirdan of the grey havens, Mithlond.
And then, Caranthir, that absolute fool, fights Sauron himself. He fights, but he burns. The same way Atar did, and Maedhros after him. (Moryo shouldn’t be the one burning. It should be Maglor, it was his job to protect them!) But Moryo burns and the four remaining sons of Feanor scream, but the damage is done. Caranthir is dead and with him, Ereinion Gil-Galad. Amrod is next in line as Turgon’s supposed great-grandson. The High King of the Noldor is dead, long live the High King!
None of them can pay much more attention to the battle. They rage and kill and burn the orcs, they fought, bathed in fire as they destroyed, destroyed everything. When they finally calm down, it’s to find Amrod, who retreated to the Healer’s tent. And of their allies most are dead - Elendil died by Sauron’s hand, Isildur was pushed into the fires of mount doom with Sauron’s ring by Amrod, Oropher started early and was killed in the beginning, Thranduil was injured and Amrod was too late to save him. Celeborn and Cirdan are still alive, but that isn’t very encouraging. Neither of them witnessed or even knew of Thranduil’s death. Celeborn just ran back to Artanis, Galadriel and their daughter, Celebrian. Cirdan heads back to the Grey Harbour, easily excusing himself from Noldorin politics. And they’re left alone again.
“Someone needs to replace Thranduil as King of the Greenwood.” Amrod, no Elrond announces. And they put Celegorm on the throne, for he was the only blond among them. Their people thrive under him, either not noticing the changes or believing it to be due to his life-threatening injuries. He leads the wood-elves like he did the Laiquendi, as Thranduil this time.
Maglor became a man, leader of the people of Dale for a while, then became Lindir, a minstrel in Rivendell (he couldn’t really think of anything else to do, and he liked singing! It was also the perfect disguise. No one would guess that some random second-age elf from Eregion could be Maglor Feanorian!). Celegorm was happy as King Thranduil, with Celebrimbor as his advisor/ leader of the army (mainly his advisor and baby-sitter, to be honest. Tyelpe had more common sense and was more grounded than Tyelko, despite their massive age difference. Tyelko was still not mature enough for a throne, but he could lead well.). And of course, Amrod was Elrond - High King but not High King of the Noldor in Middle Earth, and Lord of Imladris, with Glorfindel as head of security and Curufin as Erestor, an advisor and accountant (he still maintained that he was an elf from Valinor. Laurefindil didn’t believe him, but didn’t comment too much on it either. Laurefindil was smart that way, thankfully.). Life was pretty good in times of peace. It was even amusing how Elrond was avoiding Artanis’ daughter…
So, obviously, they ended up taking over the world, much more peacefully than Morgoth at that. And they got in their kinging time and over the course of the third age, with more than 3000 years to waste, they got bored of it. They had nothing to do, no one to fight, and no immediate crisis. (Mostly. There was still that dragon, Smaug, in Erebor that his brothers had killed because they wanted some fun.) Obviously, that’s when his younger siblings took matters into their own hands again.
“Let’s see how long we can keep this up in Aman!”