Chapter Text
Eöl and Nana had been speaking and even laughing for the past hour about the dullest topics, like the weather. Which was always the same since the trees blocked out the sky. There were others in the wagon. But Anglachel and Anguirel had been silent and hidden. Maeglin didn't even know where they were. Silver was also quiet because she was a toy and only pretended to talk. Every single rock had been sorted and listed out. Rock towers were impossible too as they fell over whenever the carriage they used jolted. Which was constant. The huge wheels absorbed every bump and dip in the old road.
The only thing to do was to count down the minutes and the miles.
Until the trees parted. Now, before him was an expanse of endless shimmering darkness. He squealed with delight. There were millions of little blips of golden light sprinkled like glitter in memorizing patterns. All encompassing, he did not know it was possible for something to be this big! He reached a hand to it wanting to capture some of the light.
"That is the sky, isn't it beautiful?" Nana said, her voice thick and clogged up, as if she was going to cry. Even though this was very pretty so she shouldn't be crying.
"I have neglected to remember, that you have not descried it previously, Maeglin," Eöl told him. Maeglin flinched at the reminder of who he was now. Even Nana called him that name. But this sky was so vast that compared to him and Eöl. Perhaps it just knew him as a child and didn't bother with names. If he was that important he wouldn't know everyone's hated names either.
"Yes! I love the sky!" Maeglin squealed again and waved his fingers around until they were blurs like the light up above.
"I'm glad. I used to love finding pictures in the stars when I was an elfling," Nana explained.
"Stars?" Maeglin was confused. The word was in Anguirel's and Anglachel's names, however the stars were nothing like his siblings. Outside of that, he had only heard the word rarely from Eöl and never knew what it was. Eöl always got mad when Maeglin asked him what a word meant. Nana liked to explain words though so he was willing to ask.
"Come up here and I'll tell you!" Nana offered. Maeglin scoped up Silver and then climbed into Nana's lap.
"Okay," Maeglin said, "Silver wants to know too."
"Silver doesn't. It has less than paucity of emotions. It is not a Child of Eru, unlike your naneth," Eöl said coolly.
Maeglin already knew this about Silver, though he didn't know what a Child of Eru was. But he didn't ask, stars were more important. He just nodded to appease Eöl, and then looked back at Nana, "Can you tell me now?"
"Stars are lights set to guide our way and chase away evil. They are high up above this world always shinning. Elbereth put them up there! She's the Queen of the World and looks after us," Nana explained, "Us elves are the people of the stars! I heard a tale that we came into being as some of stars did."
"I want to be King of the World and make stars too," Maeglin stated. He didn't know that a real person actually made the stars. Whoever this Elbereth was she must be amazing and really tall to reach all that way up there. She certainly wouldn't bother with knowing that his name was Maeglin, if she had to rule over the world. There was a lot of people it, at least twenty in Nan Elmoth alone and he didn't even know most of their names. He would just be another person to her. No use of Maeglin needed.
"You would make the best stars, I would love to see them!" Nana told him.
"I'll draw them for you," Maeglin promised, a new idea finally came to him! Chasing the boredom away. He hopped off Nana's lap into the back of the wagon. Then he rummaged through Eöl's huge bag flopped over in the corner until he found some shards of graphite and some torn paper. It wasn't fancy, but it would do.
But those weren't the only things he found, two familiar leather sheathes met his fingertips. So that's where his big siblings were! A quick glance to the front showed Eöl's attention fully on the road, it would be safe to bring them out. Just for a bit. They deserved to see the stars too, he whispered as softly as he could, "Angie, Angla, there's these thing called the sky and it's pretty. You have to see it!"
"We've seen it before," Anguirel responded.
"We came from there," Anglachel's voice had hints of longing, "We used to be a meteor."
"What's that?" Maeglin wondered, "Is that what little swords are called before they grow? Like how I am an elfling."
"Swords do not grow. We are forged. Also, to answer your question, a meteor is an object that comes from beyond out in the depths of Ea and lands in Arda," Anguirel explained.
"You came from up there?!" Maeglin pointed at the sky. It felt impossible to believe that his siblings had been up far away among the stars in the past when they were right here next to him now, "How big were the stars? What did they feel like? Were they as pretty as they are here?"
"We do not remember. We had not been forged yet," Anguirel repeated, "I do not have memories until I was created. The first moment I remember is Lord Eöl singing an enchantment over me."
"Adar likes to sing," Maeglin commented. Eöl sung to him sometimes. His songs always made him feel a little funny, and whenever he sung a lullaby, Maeglin never heard the end, he had already fallen asleep. Unlike Nana, who he could ask again and again for more songs.
"He sang to us and thus we came into being. Lord Eöl gifted us with some of his spirit so we could be lethal weapons that all would cower before," Anglachel said smugly, "Besides you. You are my little brother and I do not want you to be afraid," the affection returned.
"Can anyone sing to something and make a child?" Maeglin asked. An idea started to bloom in his mind. He was going to be learning more about smithing and would be making swords. Perhaps he could make a child of his own and become an adar himself!
"Eöl has abilities that the other Eldar do not. You may have those same gifts too, being his son, time will tell. Regardless, I know you will be capable of great things," Anglachel assured him.
"Really? That's so good to hear," Maeglin smiled. So there was a chance he would be able to become an Ada! Maeglin flapped his hands many times, he couldn't hold his joy at the news in. It was too much. He was almost certainly going to become an Ada! All fear of the trip ahead faded away as Maeglin thought of everything he was going to do with his child. Anguirel and Anglachel would be thrilled to have a new sword to watch and play with. Nana would become a grandmother. Maeglin would even share his special rocks with the new baby sword! He started right away on his drawing so he could show his future child what the stars looked like.
The Realm of Belegost was vast. Everywhere Maeglin turned there was something happening. There were far more people than Maeglin even believed existed before now. They roamed around, smiling and laughing with each other. Joy followed them. It was unlike the grim servants of home. He did not believe he had ever seen them smile before.
The city itself was beautiful. There were sprawling houses made out of adobe, just shades lighter than copper. The dwarves that lived here glided through them with ease. There were even ladders leading to other levels that one could climb and then gaze out at the vast sky. Unlike at home trees never stretched into the sky, they stayed closer to the ground. While the sky was lovely, there was no protection from the Sun.
A relentless orb of fire, she taunted Maeglin and burned him. Whenever she was out, Maeglin found himself slipping into the shadows and looking at the ground. All to avoid the sting in his vision and the tears that poured down. Nana spent hours out in the light as if it was something to savor. Eöl almost never left his dark forge. Maeglin for once chose the company of Eöl over Nana.
The chance of hurtful words wasn't as bad as the known pain of the Sun. So long as he did not speak of this to Nana and Eöl, all would be fine. Anglachel and Anguirel knew his pain and promised to punish her if they ever had the chance. He was inside often enough, anyways.
However, he was not inside all of the time. In the evenings, he had to leave the forge and go home for dinner and endure the Sun for a half an hour.
During this particular walk, Maeglin was busying himself with thoughts of his new child he would craft soon. He had done it enough times, so he could close his eyes for parts of it. As long as no one crossed his path.
In this moment someone did. There was heavy footsteps and a cry, before a deep voice spoke up, "You need to watch where you are going, young lad."
"Sorry sir," Maeglin said as he backed away. He feared a scolding.
There was a pause, before the dwarf asked, "Where you closing your eyes?"
"Yes. The Sun is bright. But I'll try to endure her so I won't be a hinderance," Maeglin explained.
"That bright, huh? Well, I have something for that. Come with me," the dwarf put a hand on Maeglin's shoulder.
Maeglin didn't want Nana to worry about him, but he didn't dare disobey one of the dwarves who was so kindly hosting him. And if what he was saying was true, that he could fix the pain, then surely Nana would understand the delay, "Okay, thank you."
"What's your name little one? I'm Azaghâl," the dwarf, or rather Azaghâl, introduced himself as he led Maeglin away.
"I'm," Maeglin almost said Lómion. That is what he wanted to say even though he couldn't, "Maeglin. Son of Eöl and Aredhel."
"Eöl is my friend, he struggles with the Sun too," Azaghâl said. Maeglin couldn't imagine Eöl having a friend. Someone who he laughed with and told stories to like how Maeglin did with Silver and his big siblings, and Nana used to do with the sons of Fëanor. It wasn't like Eöl.
"I've never seen the Sun before this week. I hope to never see her again," Maeglin said.
"I can't guarantee that, but I can make it a bit easier. I learned how to make some special glasses that shield you from the light. Eöl has a pair," Azaghâl explained.
"Glasses can do that? That's amazing!" Maeglin smiled. A bit of hope came to him.
"Yes, now come inside, I'll show you," Azaghâl walked inside to a forge, much like the ones Maeglin had been to earlier, but smaller. Only a couple dwarves were working. Maeglin took a seat while Azaghâl grabbed a measuring tape and wrapped it around his head.
"Hmm I should have a frame that will work for you. I'll need to modify tips so they stay with your ears since they move," Azaghâl mused.
"Ada's ears move too, it's a family trait," Maeglin stated. He didn't think much about it before, but now he felt a bit more aware of it as the other dwarves turned to look at him. Were moving ears something unique?
"Ah, I see," Azaghâl said, "I can base them off of Eöl's. I will be back."
Azaghâl walked across the room to speak to his fellow smiths, leaving Maeglin alone. Their conversation was whispered but Maeglin was able to pick up little snippets from it.
"We will need a titanium alloy."
"Make sure to bend it carefully."
"Don't break the glass!"
It was all related to the task on hand for a while, until one dwarf looked at him and started to laugh, "Ha! Wouldn't it be something if we were serving the Enemy all along? I almost thought the elfling was an orc. It's those ears, I don't pay much attention to elves, but their ears never move. He detests the Sun too. I'd be tempted to tell the Enemy that he needs to train in better spies."
At those words, Maeglin's thoughts fled from him. All he could feel was a burning sensation throughout his fea. It hurt more with every word. He wanted to scream. If only his mind could remember how! It should be easy but he couldn't focus long enough for anything to move and for any sound to come out. He felt frozen and helpless as more of the lies came, taunting him like flames of a fire.
He wasn't an orc! Orcs were evil monsters and Nana killed them. Nana would never kill him. He didn't even know who this Enemy was. There wasn't a connection.
"That is cruel, he is not an orc. Do not speak that way, even in jest," Azaghâl said sternly.
"I suppose you are right. Still, keep an eye out for that Eöl fellow," the dwarf responded.
"I ask you to leave, now. Maeglin is welcome here," Azaghâl ordered.
He was welcome? Azaghâl wanted him? Maeglin let out a breath and the pressure faded slightly within him.
"Fine," the dwarf hissed and stomped out of the room, muttering about how strict the forge had become. Maeglin hoped that the dwarf would not find his parents. Nana might slay him if she thought he was an orc.
"I'm sorry, little one," Azaghâl walked over and sat next to Maeglin, "May I hold you?"
Maeglin wanted to say yes, but his voice was still gone. Instead he focused his muscles and slowly nodded. Azaghal saw and wrapped an strong arm around him. Maeglin's breath came steadily now with the gentle pressure. His thoughts cleared up and he could access them. Right now he was safe and Azaghâl would protect him. Like Anguirel and Anglachel did.
"I wish you had never heard that and that you were never spoken about in that way. It was cruel and I was ashamed to even listen to it. None of his words are true. The Enemy has no hold on you. Plenty are sensitive to the Sun and I am certain many have ears like yours. You are beautiful and welcome here. Do not let anyone tell you anything otherwise," Azaghâl's voice was a soft flutter, soothing away the hurts.
If only he could speak and say thank you! Azaghâl would be expecting a response. He was more like Nana than Eöl, but he might grow furious and feel disrespected if there was silence.
"Do you want something?" Azaghâl asked, probably sensing that Maeglin was uneasy. Maeglin tried to open his mouth but it wouldn't work. Then the sight of a pen and paper caught his eye. Slowly, he moved out away from Azaghâl, taking one step at a time, focusing on staying steady. Once he got there it was clear to see that this paper was a design for a sword of some kind. This reminded him of his original plan, becoming an ada! He smiled.
"I see you want a sword," Azaghâl commented, "I can make you one to play with."
Maeglin clapped. He was going to get a sword to raise and care for! He was actually going to be an ada! The despair from earlier was forgotten, for the moment as he looked towards the future.
"Come by tomorrow and we'll get started. I promise that the rude dwarf from earlier will not be back," Azaghâl said, "There is one thing we need to do first: try on your sunglasses," he picked up a silver pair of glasses with thin lenses of tinted crystal and handed them to Maeglin. It was rare that Maeglin held something so delicate. And they were even made just for him. He slipped them on and the harsh brightness of the world faded. He rushed outside to see if they had the same effect.
The burning fury of the Sun had lessoned. The path ahead of him was now visible. He could go home without the ache of his cheeks from the constant squinting or the worry of crashing into something.
"Thank!" Maeglin squeaked out, twirling around in joy.
"You are welcome, my lad," Azaghâl said with pride, "Would you like me to walk you home?"
Maeglin nodded yes and Azaghâl clasped his hand. Together they traveled to the small guest house talking all the way. At last Maeglin had another friend who would teach him craft. Belegost was truly a special place.