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Maedhros was in the library. He needed the reference of the last decades grain yields by field, to know if they’d get through the winter. Amon Ereb had a lot fewer people this year, and so half the fields had lain fallow, but he wasn’t sure if it had been the correct half. If the empty field were planted now they could still get a crop of potatoes, or maybe two, before the winter hit, but not wheat, and then there was the matter of storage...
Maedhros barely noticed when one of the peredhel entered the library. Maglor had taken charge of the boys when they returned to Amon Ereb a month ago, and Maedhros had barely seen them since. He supposed that they were scared of him, with a face full of scars and his right arm ending in a stump, except for when he attached a blade. The boys seemed to spend all their time in their bedroom or the conservatory practicing with Maglor.
A shuffling noise eventually caught Maedhros’s attention. One of the children - Maedhros though it was Elrond, but couldn’t be sure - was standing in front of his desk.
“Lord Maedhros?”
“Yes?” Maedhros didn’t smile, as it tended to come out more as a grimace, but he said the word politely. They were children after all, and not a reasonable outlet for his frustration.
“Once I’ve finished reading this poem, may I pet the goats?”
“The goats?” Maedhros didn’t look around the library, but he was tempted to.
“The ones we saw when we rode in. They looked very fluffy, and I could be still and quiet so they didn’t get mad and kick me.”
Maedhros could see no reason why not, but it was odd that Elrond seemed to think it was forbidden, and odder that he was asking Maedhros. “What did Maglor say when you asked him?”
“He said Elros and I have to focus on our studies and our ‘vocal exercises’, because we have maiar blood but we can’t do things instinctively, we need to be very very practiced to make the world listen to our Song. But he also said that we shouldn’t do too many hours of singing a day or we’ll go hoarse and won’t be able to sing the next day. I already did all my morning practice, and if I sing more I won’t be able to sing after dinner, and Master Maglor is teaching us a sunset song.”
“What about your other studies?”
“I said I would go after the poem! I’m not going to skip out on my homework, I’ll behave. But I really really want to meet the goats.”
“But your studies beyond music and poetry?”
“Master Maglor said that history makes good material for songs, but we’re not good enough to compose our own yet so that can wait. We can count to a hundred and know that three eighth-notes are a little bit faster than seven sixteenth-notes.”
“He’s been teaching you only what you need to know for music?” Maedhros was irritated that the children’s care was becoming his problem to deal with after all, but tried not to let it show in his voice. Still, he had a whole fortress to run, and apparently his brother couldn’t be responsible for two children?
“Elros and I have both been trying very hard to learn it! But Master Maglor says that if we age like Men we might not get time to do other things and master music well enough to shape the world, so he’s teaching us that first. He says if we’re very quick at picking up the basics there might be some time for the rest in a few years.”
“What about when you’re not practicing music, or reading songs and poems that could be put to melodies?”
“Master Maglor gave us a bedroom and it’s very warm and cozy, we don’t want to go back to sleeping in tents just so I can pet the goats. But it’s still light out so I don’t need to sleep yet, and Elros is having his private lesson with Master Maglor. He told us not to wander, but this is your house, so if you say I’m allowed to go somewhere it would be okay, right? I don’t want to trespass somewhere that’s private or secret, and I’ll stay out even if you don’t tell me why. If the goats don’t want to be petted maybe I could just look at them? Or play with the chickens?”
Perhaps there was a good reason why Elrond did not mention any activities besides singing and sleeping. Surely he did other things with his time - at the very least he was obviously eating regularly - and merely didn’t wish to mention them to Maedhros. Maglor never liked to play the villain in an argument; he might have set up Maedhros as the looming specter who would provide an unspecified punishment for misbehavior. Then Maglor could simply not inform Maedhros, but either get the children to consider Maglor a lenient mediator, or deliver harsh punishments with no resentment falling on himself. Maedhros would have to straighten things out with Maglor, as the children didn’t need to be more terrified of him then the obviously were.
Elrond should probably be elsewhere for that argument though. “You can go pet the goats, but we’ll stop by your room first. The barns are colder than the castle, and you should wear a jacket.”
“Thank you! I don’t know if I have a jacket though.”
“You wore one when we rode here.”
Elrond suddenly looked worried. “Yes, but I don’t know where it is. Maglor said that it was making my singing worse so I shouldn’t wear it. He says my jacket ‘put too my pressure on my lungs and diaphragm’ and makes me run out of breath before the end of a note.”
“We’ll look for it together then,” Maedhros mentally gave up on getting any of the winter planning done this afternoon. “But if you don’t have a jacket, you’ll have to postpone petting the goats.”
“Yes, Lord Maedhros,” Elrond said glumly.
“Postpone means we’ll do it later when you have a jacket; perhaps as long as a month if a new one needs to be sewn. You could go to the larder today and watch for the kitchen cat instead.”
“There were cats in the palace kitchens! They ate mice and didn’t like people though. Is your kitchen cat nicer?”
“I don’t know for sure, but it will at least allow you to watch it. We’re at your room though, so let’s look for your jacket.”
Maedhros had not been in the room since it had been allocated for the twins, and even then only briefly. He had checked that the window was too small for a young child to climb though, and that the dresser and bed were unlikely to fall over, and that climbing on the dresser was too far from the door to ambush whoever came in. Then he had left decorations and moving in smaller pieces of furniture to Maglor and the servants.
There had been a nightstand added, and a bookcase - filled with books on music, and children’s composition books to Maedhros’s glance. The dresser had been stocked with clothes, and the nightstand with spare blankets. But no toys or games.
Looking under the bed - ostensibly for the jacket - revealed none either.
Maedhros looked a lot more thoroughly than was truly necessary to find the jacket. But he had no qualms about deceiving children for their own good, and he would rather be fully informed at the now unavoidable confrontation with his brother.
In the end Maedhros found two children’s jackets in the top drawer of the dresser, stuffed beneath some spare pillows, and thoroughly out of Elrond’s reach. He set one on the nightstand, and helped Elrond put on the other.
“Are we going to see the goats now?”
“Yes. They’re in the stable, just to the left as you go out the main doors. Do you know where those are from here?”
Elrond shook his head.
“I’ll show you the way then. What places here has Maglor shown you?”
“There’s our bedroom of course. And the conservatory. And the library. And Maglor told us how to get to his bedroom, but said we should only disturb him if we’re very sick or hurt.”
“What about meals? I didn’t see a table in your bedroom.”
“There’s a balcony off the conservatory. We can’t have food in the conservatory proper because it would damage the instruments, so we eat out there. Or if it’s raining Master Maglor has the servants leave the tray in the hallway and we stand at it to eat.”
This was perfectly in character for Maglor in a creative mood. The main difference is that normally he didn’t drag other into his odd habits.
Maedhros nodded. “Does Maglor bring other things into your room, gifts or games or such?”
“He keeps bringing more books of music and poems, which are very valuable and we are very privileged to get to see them,” Elrond recited. “And he says our composition books should stay in our room so we build the good habit of bringing them to music class. Sometimes he brings a harp to play a goodnight song?”
Maedhros was going to strangle Maglor with those harp-strings.
But he dropped Elrond off to the stable without looking too wild, at least in his own opinion. He delegated watching the boy to the nearest stable-hand, and told her that Elrond was allowed to pet any of the animals with good tempers, but not ride them today. Elrond was to return to his bedroom by suppertime.
Maedhros than returned to the children’s room and picked up the second coat. On the way he encountered the steward. “Polamo, walk with me.”
“Certainly milord, what is it?”
“I need someone to escort one of the peredhel and you have a calm manner.” And was the first person Maedhros found.
“Escort? To where, are you moving them to another fortress?”
“No, this will only take a few minutes of your time.” They had reached the conservatory, and Maedhros opened the door without knocking.
Maglor was seated at his harp, playing the last few notes of a ballad about the Two Trees. Elros was singing with his eyes squinted firmly closed, obviously concentrating hard.
“You had all the lyrics correct this time, good job on the memorization. But the line about Telperion waxing should be an ascending scale starting at E, not G. We’ll try it again.”
“Maglor,” Maedhros said. “I need to speak with you. Privately.”
“Can it wait? I’m in the middle of Elros’s lesson.”
“No. We’ll discuss it now.”
“Alright then. We can head to your office. Elros, you can practice your scales on the lyre, and developing perfect pitch with your singing as well. Half notes, then eighth-”
“Lessons are canceled for the afternoon. Elros will go join his brother in the stables.”
“The stables? I didn’t think the boys even knew where those were.”
“They don’t. Polamo can show Elros the way, and the stable-hands can watch one child as easily as two.”
Polamo nodded. “Of course, milord.”
“The twins are dressed for music lessons, not running about in the cold. Really Maedhros, I don’t think you’ve thought this through.”
“Here’s one jacket; Elrond is wearing the other. Cut the fucking act, Maglor.”
“Alright, if you’re truly in such a hurry. Elros, we’ll pick this up another day. Go with Polamo for now, I’ll see you at dinner. Assuming my secret meeting doesn't run too long?” He raised an eyebrow sardonically at Maedhros.
Maedhros reminded himself that he was not going to punch his brother. At least not before Maglor understood why Maedhros was punching him, and certainly not with a terrified captive child in the room. He nodded sharply. “You’ll see them at dinner. Now, though...”
“Yes, yes, fine.” Maglor finally stood up from his harp, and made a shooing gesture at Eros.
Elros has remained stock still during the whole conversation, shoulders back and feet firm. He scampered over to Polamo quickly enough though. The steward took hold of his hand and ushered the boy quickly through the door. Maedhros was thankful that Polamo had common sense, and would wait to dress the boy for the weather until they were out of earshot of the Feanorians’ brewing fight.
“So, what’s all this fuss about?” Maglor asked.
“I spoke with Elrond in the library. I will not tolerate the way you treat the children any longer.” Maedhros kept his voice emotionless, the same tone as giving commands on the battlefield.
“I’m sorry, what are you talking about? I didn’t think Elrond was given to telling lies, but I assure they’re perfectly well cared for.”
“Lies would be intended to inspire pity or shock, but Elrond was simply stating facts. Facts which were supported by the contents of his room, and his unfamiliarity with the fortress.”
“What paranoid track are you following this time? There’s no weapons or dangers in their room, either to themselves or to others.”
“No weapons because there’s hardly anything at all, and absolutely nothing for the children’s enjoyment!”
“Nothing enjoyable? There’s manuscripts from Valinor in there, tales of a land we can never return. There’s even a painting of Valmar illuminated by Laurelin. How does that not bring joy?”
“Enjoyable by your lights perhaps, but not for small children, scared and cut off from a completely different home. Children cannot be raised solely on music, with no other source of excitement or relaxation.”
“I have never needed anything more.”
“You chose music, and even still had friends and sport, and lessons in the forge as well on the conservatory. They have not chosen music as their vocation, and cannot live on it alone.”
“Perhaps elven children could not be so focused, but they are not just elves. Their blood is that of the Maiar, who are made of Song and purpose, and of Men, whose bodies last even if their spirits are stifled.”
Maedhros could hardly believe that Maglor made such an argument, and could no longer keep his voice calm.“Just because the twins will not die of despair does not mean you should torture them!”
“I’m not! I’m teaching them, and though it may occasionally be unsettled as their goals exceed their skill, but they are devoted students.”
“They are devoted out of fear, not passion for the craft or affection for you.”
“Nonsense!”
“Elrond believes that his soft bed and warm bath are dependent on his voice, and that if he stops singing he will have to sleep in a tent again.”
“What? Why would they think so? I’ve never threatened them, neither with pain nor with theft nor with anything else. I give you my word on that.”
“Threats do not need to be stated aloud. This-” Maedhros rubbed what little remained of his left ear “- was done after I attacked the orc guarding me. Gorthaur did not say what would happen if I tried again, but the message was clear enough.”
“We are elves, not orcs! The peredhel have no reason to fear mistreatment from us. Conditions were admittedly rough on the road from Sirion, but now we can be comfortable.”
“No reason! We are the villains from their horror stories, the monsters they fear in the dark. We tore them from their home and slaughtered everyone they knew. The twins know full well that they have every reason to ear us.”
“Their fear is not my doing-” Maglor began to protest, but Maedhros rolled right over his interruption.
“And they are not comfortable. They have nothing to do but sing or stare the walls. I doubt they have conversed with anyone but each other and you for a month. You have kept them away from the common areas where they might make friends or hear stories they are not expected to memorize. They have no toys or games, not even a rag-doll. Elrond literally begged me to be allowed to look at an animal. Even our father, at his most demanding or his most paranoid, was not this uncaring.”
“What was I supposed to do? You have been no help, ad I have never raised children before.”
“I have been focused on running this fortress so that we don’t die within the next year. I assumed that you, who managed a cavalry with hundreds of men and beasts for centuries, could look after two people! Or if not, you could have asked any of our people for aid, and they would have gladly helped you whatever their other duties.”
“Well, I suppose that’s clear enough then. If you think I am incompetent, I will leave the care of the peredhel to you.”
“Oh no, you don’t get to back out just because this is more difficult than expected. You will still arrange for the twins’ education, but properly , and also for their play and their care. They may have up to four hours of music a day, theory and practical combined. They should learn history, mathematics, natural phenomena, - everything a prince of the Noldor needs. And they must have at least two hours of play a day, outside unless the weather or the orcs make it unwise.”
“Does playing on the balcony of the conservatory count as outside? They have done so a time or two already, while I was focused on my own compositions, and appeared to enjoy it.”
“It does not. And if you ask me again for something that prioritizes your music over the children, I will have your conservatory walled up entirely, not to be entered again until the peredhel are of age. Do I make myself clear?”
Maglor sighed. “Yes, you are clear. The peredhel will learn things other than music despite the fact we have no idea if they will live long enough to ever need such, or if this land will ever have a city on it again. I’ll find tutors for the children, and toys, though I don’t know if we have any of the latter in the fortress.”
“Amras’s dice will do for a start. One of the weavers has grown children, and could sew dolls if she has not kept their old ones. You should ask her as well how long it would take to make suitable winter garments for the twins.”
“But it’s not yet autumn!”
“Better to start too early than too late. Will the twins be joining everyone for supper in the main hall tonight, as they won’t be singing?”
To his credit, Maglor spent a moment thinking before answering. “I think it’s better if not. Today is already odd, and I suspect they’re seeing a lot of strangers in the stables. Better to have supper on the balcony, so as not to overwhelm them.”
“Goodnight, then.”
“Goodnight.”