Bring Him Home

Chapter Eight

After dinner, Maedhros returned for the night and as he fell asleep. He was soon woke to the door opening and the sound of footsteps. His eyes flew open and he grabbed his dagger and held it out at the intruder.

"It's just me Uncle," Elrond said gently holding his hands up.

Maedhros sighed and lowered his arm. "Elrond...you shouldn't sneak up on me like that." He said sliding the dagger under his pillow.

"Is something wrong?" He asked as he slid the dagger away.

"Well. I was hoping I could speak with you in private about somethings." He said. Maedhros sat up and lit a candle by his bedside and moved over so Elrond could sit down.

Elrond sat beside his uncle and said, "I'm sorry to be pouring this on you but I could use some advice."

"Ron. You do not have to be sorry, what do you want to talk about?" He asked.

Elrond looked at him and said, "Alright. When should I sail? I am staying for my daughter but she chose the life of a mortal. What should I do?"

"What did you do with your brother?" He asked.

"I-I stayed with him till the end," Elrond replied softly. "But a brother and a daughter are different."

"I am not sure what you want from me," Maedhros said. "This is a hard choice but you need to trust yourself. You are smart and wiser than a lot of elves and men I have met. I trust in your choice when you make it."

Elrond smiled softly and said, "Thank you, Uncle. Yet, what do you think I should do? I mean besides trust myself." 

"You want the honest truth of what I think?" He asked. 

"I do," Elrond replied. 

"Stay. Stay with your family, they have a mortal life, stay with them till the end of that. Besides, your sons are staying with them, right? You can always leave when they do." Maedhros said. 

Elrond nodded and let out a breath, "Thank you, Uncle Nelyo. It has been a while since I have felt like this."

"Like what?" He asked titling his head to the side a bit.

"Like an elfling," Elrond replied. 

"Why do you feel like that?" Maedhros asked with a chuckle. 

"Well with you being back and Fingon being with you...it just makes me feel like that." He replied. 

Maedhros just shook his head and said, "Elrond. You have not changed, you grew up but you are still you." 

Elrond smiled and said, "That's a good thing...right?" 

"I hope it is," Maedhros replied. 

Elrond gave a nod and leaned over against Maedhros's arm. He was quiet as he looked down, Maedhros looked at him and saw Elrond was thinking something over. He sat up and asked, "Uncle Nelyo, are you happy?" 

"What?" Maedhros asked. 

"Are you happy?" He asked. "I mean I know your back but I know you. Your smile...it just seems forced and I am worried about you." 

Maedhros sighed and looked at Elrond's worried expression. He took a breath and said, "No. I am not that great. What I did...living with those memories...it is hard. Knowing that and feeling what I felt then, memories like that do not fade. They linger on inside your mind." 

"But they get easier to deal with overtime," Elrond pointed out. 

"True but you can not force someone to heal," Maedhros said. "I am doing the best but I know that I can't do much to help myself until I know Kano is safe." 

Elrond nodded and said, "Well by having you say this is a good sign. Before when I would ask you if you were alright you would have just said yes and left it at that." 

"I guess I would have, I have accepted somethings but others...I still blame myself for it and this does not help." He said looking at his right hand as he flexed his fingers. 

"What do you mean?" Elrond asked. 

Maedhros was quiet considering if he should continue talking about this with Elrond. He looked at his nephew and noted his worried expression. He closed his hand and said, "I do not feel like me. For a long time, I managed with one hand and I learned to live like that. For some odd, dark reason that imperfection helped me manage myself. I do not feel completely like myself with it," 

Elrond looked at him with a concerned expression but nodded slowly. "Alright. Just please take care of yourself...you old man." Elrond said. 

Maedhros looked at him and laughed suddenly to Elrond's suprised. "Alright. Do not worry I have had to tell that I will to enough people that if I don't I may have have a spirit try to kill me." He said. 

"What?" Elrond asked titling his head to the side. 

"Nevermind," Maedhros said waving his hand.

Elrond frowned a bit and said, "Thank you Uncle," He gave Maedhros a hug and the red-haired elf hugged Elrond back tightly. 

"Well, goodnight. Perhaps tomorrow you can talk to Eldarion a bit more," Elrond said. 

"I will, yet I did tell Aragorn I will show him somethings with swordsmen ship," He replied. 

Elrond nodded and gave one final hug to Maedhros before leaving for the night. Maedhros looked after him and laid down. He looked at his right hand before he placed it on the bed beside him. He closed his eyes and let out a breath, letting his mind drift off to sleep.