Light from Shadows

Chapter 4

Iltani's POV

It was almost Yule, the time of new starts. Elves would give gifts and celebrate the coming year. But all was not peaceful at our new home. Maedhros and Maglor did not harm any of us, but they did yell at one another. And to me that was worse.

I had even seen Maedhros throw a book at Maglor's head. Now Mîrrómen took to hiding Elrond, Elros, and I when they disagreed. From what I gathered, the argument was about us children. Maglor wanted to keep us, refusing to let us lose another home. I do not know what Maedhros wanted, but he stormed out of the room.

Maglor could be heard sobbing from my hiding place. I crept out from behind the pillar, Mîrrómen dashed out from the curtain. "What are you doing?" He hissed, I jerked my head towards the room Maglor was in. "Maglor is crying." I said simply.

"All the more reason for you to stay where I put you!" He whispered to me. Suddenly, I slapped him... hard. He spun about and fell to the floor. "Iltani?" He asked in a confused, hurt voice as he rubbed his cheek and picked himself off the cold stone floor.

"You lied to me!" I hissed angrily as he slowly got up. "What do you-" "'I promise you, Iltani, once we get to safety, you can call all the shots.' You promised me! And since we got here YOU have called all the shots!"

His eyes changed from light blue to dark gray before they settled on sapphire blue. "Iltani, I-" He started to say before he stopped himself. "What do you want me to do?" I jerked my head towards the room where Maglor was sobbing.

"Comfort him." I told him. "And what will you be doing? Mîrrómen asked me in worry. "Getting some stability." I said as I followed Meadhros' path down the hall.

I walked through the dark stone halls silently, alerting no one of my presence. At last I arrived at the door of Maedhros' office. Pushing it open, I saw him at his desk, playing with a sharp knife. He looked up and scowled at me. I calmly entered the room I had never dared to step into.

"What do you want, you little demon?!" Maedhros snarled at me, I didn't even flinch. I simply walked within his reach. He cursed at me and shoved me away. Again I walked next to him, trying to press against him.

Maedhros shoved me again, harder this time. "Why uncle?" I asked him as I got up. "Why hate me for something I had no part in? Is it not enough that I have made myself an orphan?"

More choice words were thrown at me. "What must I do for you to accept me?" I asked in despair. "Cut of my hand? Drown in the fountain?"

"Too easy!" Maedhros sneered at me. "Cut off your hair!" I froze for a moment, my hair was everyone's favorite feature. Sauron, Maglor, even my brother adored it.

"Very well." I said, snatching up the jeweled dagger from his desk and cutting a thick lock. Maedhros' blue eyes widened in shock as I cut another silvery gold strand. "Stop that!" He cried out sorrowfully as he tried to take away the dagger.

"If you want my hair before you can accept me," I said as I slashed off a third piece of hair. "Then I give it gladly." "Stop! Please little one!" Maedhros cried before trapping me in an embrace.

He gently massaged the dagger out of my hand and held me. "How old was Nana when you lost her?" I asked, Maedhros shook his head. "You cannot replace her." "I don't want to."

We stayed like that a long while, taking comfort from one another. "Forgive me," Maedhros said as he stroked what was left of my hair. "I have behaved like an orc." "I have nothing to forgive." I told him softly.

Maedhros gathered me in his arms and carried me to a room I had never seen before. "I-" he said as he shifted me so he could open the door. "I have something for you." He set me on the floor before he rummaged around in a chest.

After a few moments he pulled out a small silver harp. It had lilies, roses, and stars carved on it. The strings shimmered with all the colors of the rainbow. Gems that glowed were encrusted on the vines and stalks of the flowers. I plucked the strings gently after Maedhros handed it to me, the notes were so beautiful they brought tears to my eyes.

"It was your Nana's." Maedhros said as he wrapped me in a hug. "My family, your grandfather, Uncle Curufin, Uncle Caranthir, and grandmother, all helped make it. Your grandfather made the gems. Your Uncle Curufin shaped it. And your grandmother and Uncle Caranthir carved it."

"It's beautiful." I said as I hugged him back. He scooped me into his arms and walked to the room we had left Maglor in. We found my brother and the other set of twins comforting him. They saw us and gasped in wonder.

"Maedhros loves us." I whispered to them. Maglor's eyes widened and happy tears sprang into his eyes. The boys swarmed to Maedhros and hugged him. At that moment, we all realized we had become a family... an odd one, but a family nonetheless.