A return...

[sweariwontdie]

He comes up the path, escorted by a large winged man. From just the look on his face when the Mansion appears before him, he seems unsurprised by it. Perhaps he's betrayed its familiarity, but perhaps he's glad to be back.. Armand smiles, and though he chooses not to go inside, he walks around the grounds.

He wears what anyone would expect of a man

Comments

[doriath_crowned]

When trouble broke, Elured dragged his brother kicking and screaming away from the Finwean Wing. He also dragged him away from the corridor where Iphigenia sleeps after they found her room burned to shreds... and empty.

Elurin is sulking in the common room. Elured is looking sad and serious.

They're not Ambarussa - they're far younger, barely 70 years old. But here is nonetheless a pair of Elven twins.

[sweariwontdie]

Eventually Armand peers inside the common room. He's not sure he wants to go in, until he sees the youngling elves. He starts forward, until his mind does the math. There was no way these were the Ambarussa unless they were struck by a de-aging spell, which wasn't impossible. But the expressions were different.

He searched his memory again for a snippet from a long ago read history, and shook his head when he came up blank. Instead of making assumptions, especially about children who were possibly of the House of Finwë, he smiled and gave them a head nod.

"Now why are such fine youngsters inside on a lovely day like this?" he asks.

[doriath_crowned]

Those are actually not Finweans - they're Teleri, of the House of Thingol. And well. Kind of victims of the Feanorians, though these twins have developed intriguing relationships with their former enemies.

The serious one looks up, curiously. That's one funnily-dressed man, he'll give him that.

"My brother won't go out," the boy replies, quietly. "Then again, he won't speak to me at all."

And said brother doesn't even dignify that with the shadow of an acknowledgment.

[sweariwontdie]

"Oh I see," he said quite solemnly. "Is there a reason for it? I'm new returned, and I don't know anything that has been happening around here." He reinforces his smile, trying to look harmless. "But I know a little bit about young elves, and boys in general."

[doriath_crowned]

.... "What would an Edain know about young elves?"

It's the same twin talking, the other one is still sulking. It's a very surprising assertion, for them, since they spend most of their time explaining to people what the Eldar are.

[sweariwontdie]

"I'm adopted you see, and sometimes the oddest things would happen to my brothers." That is perfectly true, but obviously not a clear enough explanation. He draws up a chair nearby. "But for boys in general, I assure you I'm the father of a small son."

[doriath_crowned]

.... wait wait wait.

"You were adopted by the Eldar?" and because that brings on another question... "Who?"

Seriously.

[sweariwontdie]

"I don't think you'd believe me if I told you."

[doriath_crowned]

Right now, the most implausible candidate is actually their own great-grandfather. Thingol didn't make Beren's life particularly easy.

... "Who?"

[sweariwontdie]

"Fëanáro Curufinwë. He was here for a few years, years ago. He left before my son was born. I left after that. And now I'm back." He spreads his hands, trying to look disarming. "I'm sure your family tree is confusing enough."

[doriath_crowned]

"Our family tree is rather simple," the boy replies, seriously. The other twin doesn't talk, but he comes closer to his brother, not quite protectively.

"Elu Thingol wed Melian. They had Luthien, who wed Beren. They had Dior, who wed Nimloth. And then they had us, and lost everything, including Doriath and the Silmaril, because of your so called 'brothers'."

Just making things clear, here. Is this really the family you want to be a part of?

[sweariwontdie]

"And Elu Thingol sprang from Eru's head?" Armand asks, thinking of Zeus and Athena. "People almost always have ancestors."

He sighs. "I know they were quite the scourge, but Feanor was very kind to me when I needed a family, any family, the most. I grew up an orphan."

[doriath_crowned]

"Elu Thingol came from Valinor. We don't know more about that." The boys frown. "Good thing he adopted you while his sons killed our parents and abandoned us to the wolves. Ah. Good thing indeed."

The twin who hasn't spoken yet opens his mouth, but his brother shuts him up with a gesture.

"Do you think we didn't need a family?" What makes you deserve one and not us?

[sweariwontdie]

Armand takes a deep breath. "It isn't that you didn't deserve a family, I'm sure. Life doesn't make opportunities to mend one's ways all at once. Life here is very different, very insular. The troubles of the Arda you knew sometimes seem very far away. Even a tyrant can be struck by kindness. I wished never to make him regret his actions by me." He doesn't speak of Feanor's sons.

[doriath_crowned]

"Them pray forgive the rudeness of the heirs of the House of Thingol, when you sing his praises." The boy stands, then, looks angry where he looked only sad. The other one doesn't move, though.

"Red..." his twin turns, almost angrily. "What?"

"Didn't we forgive Celegorm and Ambarussa?"

"That doesn't make that Valar-damned oath right!"

[sweariwontdie]

Armand bows to the boys. "I never claimed the oath was a right thing. I wasn't there. He swore things, almost as mad, just in my defense, and I couldn't sway him." He steps back, giving them room. "I'll leave you to yourselves, if that is what you wish."