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This is the third part of 'Blood and Darkness', my response to tarion_anarore's challenge. This fic has a rating of 'T' at fanfiction.net, and I think 'General' rather than 'Adult', although Celegorm and Curufin might disagree.


Blood and Darkness

Part III

Disclaimer: This is a work of fan fiction. The characters, settings, places, and languages used in this work are the property of the Tolkien Estate, Tolkien Enterprises, and possibly New Line Cinema. The author will not receive any money or other remuneration for this work.

Twenty years after the first rising of the sun, messengers from Fingolfin announced that a great feast would be held at the Pools of Ivrin, and Maedhros and Maglor travelled west to attend. Maedhros left Celegorm, Curufin, Caranthir and Amrod in the east, for he feared that they would cause strife amongst their cousins.

More years passed, and Morgoth tried the strength of the leaguer of the Noldor about Angband, but his forces were routed by the armies of Fingolfin and Maedhros, who were ever vigilant. After that battle - which is the Glorious Battle - began the Siege of Angband and the Long Peace, for the Noldor kept a closer watch on Angband even than they had before.

The country to the south of Himring was the domain of Amrod, and often his brothers and cousins would join him there to go hunting, for the land was fair. Caranthir dwelt between the river Gelion and the foothills of the Blue Mountains, and he gained great wealth from trade with the Dwarves. Maglor guarded the open land between the mountains and Himring at the point where the hills failed. His cavalry were to hold the gap closed against the Orcs and the other marauding creatures of Morgoth. Celegorm and Curufin made their home in Himlad, to the west of Himring, near Nan Elmoth, the home of the Dark Elf Eöl.

Finrod, with the aid of the craftsmen of the Dwarves, built himself a city in the caves of the river Narog, and he called it Nargothrond. Resentment arose in the hearts of Fingolfin's people, for it transpired that Finrod had brought much treasure from Tirion across the ice with him, which he used to pay the Dwarves, while the people of Fingolfin and his sons had brought little, and much of what they had they left on the western limits of the Helcaraxë.

Turgon wrought in secret the hidden city of Gondolin, concealed by the Encircling Mountains south-east of Mithrim. His people removed from Nevrast and Turgon's halls at Vinyamar, and were heard of no more for many years.

When Turgon disappeared with Aredhel his sister and Idril his daughter, Fingolfin looked for them in vain, for Turgon had left no word of his going. Fingon travelled into the east to ask the aid of Maedhros and his brothers, and they searched long and far, but no trace could be found. Just as they believed all hope to be gone, and that the people of Nevrast had been captured whole and entire by Morgoth - although there was no sign of a battle - an eagle of Manwë came hastening from the mountains, and told Fingolfin the king that his children were safe, but he would not say where.

Angrod and Aegnor took up their abode in Dorthonion, and with their brother Finrod were frequently the guests of their kinsman Elu Thingol in Doriath, where their sister Galadriel spent much of her time, for she loved Celeborn, who was also the kinsman of Thingol. On one such visit the rumour of the Kinslaying, begun by Morgoth, reached Thingol and Melian in their caves. Thingol confronted Finrod, but it was Angrod who revealed the truth, and Thingol thereafter commanded that only Sindarin should be spoken in his realm by which he included the whole of Beleriand, and more besides, and said that the language of the Kinslayers should never again be used.

When Maedhros heard this he laughed, saying "He may command the Thindar who were once of his people, but his commands will have no effect on me. I shall speak as I did before: in Thindarin to the Thindar and in Quenya to my own people." Celegorm, Curufin and Caranthir, however, did not find Thingol's directions amusing, and afterwards disliked Thingol yet more.

Morgoth once made trial of Fingolfin's vigilance, but his Orcs were driven into the sea by Fingon and his army. Fingon also encountered for the first time Glaurung the Fire-drake, who was not yet come into his full might, and was driven back by arrows.

ooOoo

Some two centuries after Turgon moved his people into Gondolin, Aredhel his sister grew weary of the city, and departed to visit Celegorm and Curufin, who had in Valinor been always her dearest companions. At that time Celegorm and Curufin were away in the east, hunting with Amrod, and they did not return that winter. Aredhel wandered far in their realm, and strayed into Nan Elmoth, and was trapped by the enchantments of the Dark Elf. The people of Celegorm and Curufin did not search for her, for they believed that she had tired of waiting and gone back to Gondolin.

She was not seen again in Himlad until four centuries had passed since the first rising of the sun, when she fled with her son Maeglin from Nan Elmoth and Eöl, who had become her husband. Eöl followed her and Curufin stopped him by the Fords of Aros. He warned Eöl not to pursue Aredhel, but Eöl ignored this warning and met his doom in Gondolin, for he murdered Aredhel when she tried to prevent him from killing their son. Thus Eöl, who had scorned the Kinslayers, even as did his kinsman Thingol, himself became a slayer of his kin.

In that same year Finrod came from Nargothrond to hunt with Maedhros and Maglor, but unlike the brethren he soon forsook the chase, and he walked in the vales of Ossiriand. There he discovered the race of Men, the first of their kind to cross the Blue Mountains, and he took one of their number back with him to Nargothrond, where he served Finrod faithfully until the end of his days, which were short in the reckoning of the Eldar.

The Three Houses of the Edain were great allies of the Elves in their war with Morgoth, though others of the Secondborn fought on Morgoth's part.

ooOoo

While the peace in Beleriand lasted and the siege of Angband held, the oath of the Fëanorians slept, and none were troubled by it, except Maedhros, who feared that it would drive his brothers to yet more fell deeds, if any should stand in their path. Fingolfin recommended a direct assault against Angband when he saw how great was the combined strength of the Noldor and the Edain and their allies among the Sindar, but before his plans could be fully formed came the Battle of Sudden Flame. Morgoth sent forth rivers of fire which destroyed the grassy plain to the south of Angband, turning it into a desert, and the Fire-drakes burned all before them.

Angrod and Aegnor were killed, and many of their people taken prisoner to Angband. The life of Finrod was saved by the mortal Barahir, and Finrod swore an oath to help Barahir and his descendents in time of need. Of the sons of Fëanor all save Maedhros were driven from their lands. Maedhros did deeds if surpassing valour, for his spirit burned with a white flame since his return from the Halls of Mandos, and the Orcs fled before him. Maglor joined him on Himring, but Caranthir and Amrod fled southward, and Celegorm and Curufin joined their forces to Orodreth's on Tol Sirion, and there stayed until the isle was captured by Sauron. When Tol Sirion fell they went to Nargothrond, where they were welcomed by Finrod their cousin.

When Fingolfin beheld the destruction of his people, he despaired, and said "What can be done to fight such a force, when the earth itself will rise up against us at his command?" Believing that all was lost, he rode across the new desert where the grasslands had been to Angband, and there challenged Morgoth to a duel. Fingolfin was slain, but not before he had wounded Morgoth so that ever after he walked with a limp. Fingon now claimed the high kingship of the Noldor-in-exile, for with his father's death he was the eldest of the House of Finwë in Middle-earth.

ooOoo

The semblance of peace was restored for a short while in parts of Beleriand, but now, for the first time since the rising of the sun, the realm of Thingol and Melian was troubled by the woes of the world beyond Melian's protection. Beren son of Barahir passed through the Girdle of Melian into Menegroth, and his heart was turned to Lúthien daughter of Thingol, who he named Tinúviel. Her heart was also turned to him, but they were betrayed to Thingol by Daeron, who also loved Lúthien, and Thingol demanded that Beren bring him the price of one Silmaril from Morgoth's crown before he could wed with Lúthien. Beren accepted this price, and travelled to Nargothrond to request the aid of Finrod, who was indebted to Beren's father.

In Nargothrond abode still Celegorm and Curufin, and when they heard of Beren and Finrod's quest of the Silmaril, their oath was awakened. They sought to dissuade Finrod, and their fell words put a great fear into the hearts of the people of Nargothrond, and but ten accompanied Finrod and Beren on their journey. Disguised as Orcs by the arts of Finrod, they crossed the Guarded Plain, but Sauron was not deceived, and he had them brought to Tol Sirion, to Minas Tirith that Finrod built, and cast them into a pit.

Celegorm and Curufin meanwhile, with Celegorm's hound Huan, had gone hunting on the Guarded Plain, for there were reports of wolves, and there Huan found Lúthien, who was rushing to aid Beren, under the eaves of Doriath. She disclosed her identity to the brothers, but they did not tell her that they knew of Beren and his quest, and they took her back to Nargothrond. There they kept her hidden, and permitted her contact with none but themselves, for Celegorm had fallen in love with her and purposed to wed her. He sent a messenger to Thingol, advising him of his intentions, and awaited a response from Menegroth. But with the assistance of Huan, Lúthien escaped, and came to Minas Tirith, where she captured the fortress with a song of power, and found all the Elves of Finrod's party slain by werewolves, and Beren lying by the body of Finrod, who had given his life to save Beren.

In Nargothrond the treacherous deeds of Celegorm and Curufin were now revealed, and the people turned their allegiance back to Orodreth, Finrod's nephew (1) and heir, who he had left as regent in the city. Orodreth would not kill Celegorm and Curufin, but he sent them forth from the city. None of their people would go with them, not even Curufin's son Celebrimbor, and they rode towards Himring, where they hoped to find Maedhros. On their way they met Beren and Lúthien, who were journeying towards Doriath, and Curufin tried to kidnap Lúthien, but Beren throttled him, and Celegorm could not aid his brother because Huan his hound had once again turned from his master, and stood between them. Lúthien, however, would not permit Beren to kill Curufin, so Beren took all the possessions Curufin carried with him, including his knife Angrist and his horse, but he let Curufin go free. In his anger Curufin shot two arrows at Lúthien with Celegorm's bow. One was stopped by Huan, and the other hit Beren, who had leapt in front of Lúthien.

The journey of Celegorm and Curufin to Himring was slow, for they had but one horse between them, and when they arrived they found that Maedhros their brother already knew of all their deeds until they left Nargothrond.

"I hear that you have been busy since last I saw you," said Maedhros, "Elwë Thingollo asks me to look for his daughter, who was lost while in your care, and Artaresto holds you responsible for the death of Findaráto his uncle. He wrote only to sever all ties between the House of Arafinwë, of which he is now chief in Middle-earth, and the sons of Fëanáro. Yet not, I see now, with the grandson of Fëanáro, for I must suppose that Telperinquar remained in Nargothrond. What justification do you offer me for your actions?"

"None that you would understand," said Celegorm, "for you did not swear the oath, and you have never met a maiden who you desired to wed.

"I did not and I have not," said Maedhros, "but I already knew that you had asked Thingollo for Lúthien’s hand in marriage. Why else would he claim my duty as a kinsman to seek her? Now you blame your oath, but you have not explained why it should have any bearing on these events, as neither Lúthien nor Findaráto possess a Silmaril."

"Then you have not heard the whole truth," said Curufin, and he told Maedhros about Beren and his quest for the Silmaril, instigated by Thingol, and concluded with the tale of his own rash actions on the way to Himring, leaving nothing out.

When he had finished, Maedhros was silent for a long moment, and now his anger was directed towards Thingol, Fëanor and the oath, rather than his brothers. "It is then as I feared," he said, "the Kinslaying at Alqualondë and the Burning of the Ships at Losgar were but the beginning. If Beren and Lúthien succeed in their quest, what then will you do?"

"I could not say," said Curufin, "but our oath has now been awakened, and it will not easily be put to rest."

Maedhros permitted Celegorm and Curufin to stay with him at Himring, and sent a message to Thingol, both telling him the latest tidings of his daughter and informing him that Celegorm relinquished his claim to Lúthien’s hand. After a time word came from Doriath that Thingol now had a Silmaril in Menegroth, and Maedhros sent a second message, requesting that the Silmaril be restored to the sons of Fëanor, its rightful owners. Melian the wife of Thingol advised him to give up the jewel, but he was overcome by desire to possess the Silmaril. A desire that increased the more he looked upon it, and his reply to Maedhros was scornful, and he now claimed the Silmaril for his own.

When he heard what Beren and Lúthien had done, Curufin said to Maedhros "You tell me that they held Moringotto in their thrall, and all they did was take one Silmaril? Why did they not slit the demon's throat, for they had my knife Angrist. At the very least they should have died in the attempt."

"Then you will no doubt be comforted to know that Beren and Lúthien did indeed die in pursuit of our Silmaril," replied Maedhros, "but they are now returned to life, and Lúthien is now mortal, or so the rumour tells."

"Then I was correct in telling Beren to go to a swift and bitter death," said Curufin, and he smiled.


(1) Orodreth as Angrod's son and Finrod's nephew was Tolkien's last decision on the subject. See HoME 12, 'The Shibboleth of Fëanor'.