Alrighty time for some Celegorm and Maglor stuff! (Brace yourselves, this gets a little long.)
I hc Celegorm and Maglor were always surprisingly close. Surprising in that their interests were so far removed and most people outside the House of Fëanor thought it was Mae and Mags. Celegorm and Curufin. And Caranthir and the twins - though the twins were usually hanging off any of their brothers and Caranthir was often found between Celegorm and Curufin ‘reluctantly’ tagging along. Anyway.
But Celegorm remembers Mae and Mags when they were still gangly, disorganised, short tempered, and learning. Mags more than Mae because of age gap. And he was also old enough to see the ever growing family putting its strain on the eldest two when their parents would leave on occasion. Not to mention the increasingly complicated political situation.
By the time they got to 7 kids, he was the one who stepped up and like ‘you and Mae take the twins, Káno, I’ve got Moryo and Curvo.’ When the twins got older it switched for a while, Mae and Mags teaching finesse to Caranthir and Curufin - hence their skills in manipulation and generally running a place - whilst he took the twins and discovered their passion for his hunts.
But yeah, Celegorm had an established character of his own where the rest were products of their eldest siblings, clearly taught by each of them. Celegorm and Maglor used to cause Mae chaos, used to drag him into their chaos so he’d have fun and “stop acting like such an adult, you haven’t even reached your majority yet.” There’s a larger age gap between Celegorm and Caranthir, so he vividly remembers being one of ‘Fëanaro’s three boys.’
Maglor would also be the one dragging him out of trouble when he was in his teen equivalent. Mae was busy helping with young Moryo and making sure their pregnant mother was alright, so Maglor volunteered to keep an eye on Celegorm between his practice, essentially dropping him off to his lessons with Oromë and the hunters on the way, making sure his gear was all in check because instruments and bows and arrows were found in the same place etc. The two young princes got into their own shenanigans. It was a headache for everyone because they were both so charming they could get away with. Well. Murder.
They rekindled that bond in the early days of Maedhros’ capture. Maglor knows his brothers aren’t happy he won’t let them go after their oldest brother. Ambarussa have been silent since the death of Fëanor and no longer enter Maglor’s tent, but aren’t opposed to his company and take comfort from him if he comes to them. Curvo is furious and deliberately tries to slight him, his own ambition rearing its ugly head in the grief he won’t acknowledge. Throws accusation after accusation Maglor knows he somewhat regrets but will never apologise for. Moryo just sneers, demanding to be left alone to do his part keeping the camp running.
Celegorm, seeing all this, decides he’s has enough. He goes into Maglor’s tent, about to demand why Maglor’s letting their little brothers walk all over him, except the Regent has his head in his hands and is shaking. Maglor and Maedhros were always the closest, just like himself and Curvo. But he is still very very close to his currently oldest brother and quietly goes over and pulls him into a tight hug.
“It’s just me, Káno. It’s ok, let it out.”
He cries long into the endless night and eventually falls, exhausted. Celegorm just squeezes tighter, helps get him to bed, and eyes flashing, silently makes a promise.
The next day he gathers his little brothers in his tent and boy is he *furious.* Celegorm’s true anger comes in a low tone, soft and far too even. Something he picked up from their musical brother.
Immediately the boys know something is Very Wrong and there’s the stirrings of fear because they Have Not Seen this Celegorm. Maedhros has because Celegorm and Maglor got into so many fights at one point Fëanor began fearing for their relationship. He’s always toned it down for his younger brothers since that one time he snapped at a very young Caranthir and it sent him fleeing, terrified. Took weeks before Moryo would spend time in a room with him alone.
Caranthir saw a much more tempered Celegorm by the time he was old enough to argue back. He can’t remember anything else.
And in the process his younger brothers think Celegorm a blustering force. Anger quick to come, quick to go, never more than the surface.
Perhaps this is long overdue.
But Tyelpë is here too, and with a warm smile, Celegorm puts a hand on the kid’s head.
“Tyelpë, why don’t you help Uncle Kano? He wanted to know more about the ores you’ve found.”
Celebrimbor is smart. Of course he is. He’s also a kid who loves talking about the cool things he’s found and needs to move out of this grieving, angered stage. Káno’s good with kids and he loves his nephew. And he needs a damn break.
It’s only when his footsteps are far gone that Celegorm turns to the others, white hot fury in his eyes.
“What the *hell* is wrong with you.”
To his grim satisfaction, they all take a step back.
Curvo, as always, has an excuse.
“Do you understand *nothing*, Curufinwë?” He hisses back. It’s a cruel insult, he knows there’s nothing Curvo hates more than being called stupid or ignorant. But Maglor tried nice and it’s gotten him nowhere, and Turko’s tired of them spitting over his big brother who understood and knew Nelyo better than *any* of them. Who suffers for this more than they could ever imagine.
“Our people were *decimated* in the last attacks. More than half our soldiers are gone which means working hands are *gone.* we need to rebuild and make a base! Give them a reason to keep following us, not throw them to their dooms in some suicide attempt to enter the heart of Angband! We *owe* them that! We owe Nelyo something to come *back to*!”
Curvo isn’t happy. Celegorm doesn’t think he ever will be. He thinks Maglor should have taken the crown if nothing else. Celegorm knows that will never happen as long as there’s the slightest glimmer of hope for Maedhros to return, and he wouldn’t have it any other way.
He berates them some more, and yes he’s being deliberately mean but it gets the point across. Maglor could do this too, probably better than him, but he has enough to deal with. If Maglor is taking Maedhros’ position, it’s high time Celegorm takes Maglor’s.
It takes a few days but one by one each brother goes trickling back to Maglor’s open arms, apologising. Weeping. The Bard doesn’t know exactly what happened and doesn’t ask, but he does nod a thank you after Curufin walks out his tent, eyes a little red.
It’s why when they choose their lands, Celegorm goes with Curufin. It’s the third best place to keep an eye on their brothers. And he knows if - when - the worst happens, Maglor will accept none but Maedhros’ help defending his deadly strip of land. And Maedhros will take none but Celegorm if he needs extra back up.
Caranthir keeps his eyes on the twins as he always has, and they can relax that their little dynamics within the family are settled.
Celegorm also remembers Maedhros and Maglor’s fights from when he was small. If his brothers thought his and Maglor’s were explosive… they have *no idea* what they’re getting into when those two really get at it
He distinctly remembers punches and bruises and sharp words on both sides that cut so deep he wonders how they ever forgave each other.
There’s a point in Maedhros’ recovery where he’s furious at everything and everyone. His temper - a temper his 4 littlest brothers have never seen before - is starting to flare at them and Maglor steps in before it can get out of hand. Before Mae can drown in more regret for this when his head clears. Because Tyelpë’s been the latest victim and Maedhros would beat himself up if he knew he made his nephew cry.
Celegorm understands. He might know Nelyo, but he’d never want to be the subject of his rage. Maglor honestly doesn’t give a damn. So when Mags pulls him aside with a quiet ‘get them out of here’, he sends them all on tasks far from camp, saying between the three oldest, they’ve got things covered.
Celegorm himself stays close by… just in case.
The boys being boys, they can’t stay away for long and Celegorm is like ‘what the hell are you doing here?!’
He drags them to the opposite end of camp and tells them to *stay.*
Maedhros and Maglor as they’ve grown older stick to low furious tones when they get at it. But right now they’re shouting and screaming so fast and loud Celegorm wonders if the Nolofinweans can hear. But no. They’re too far inside, they’ve been smart even now. It’s inaudible shouts at best.
Turko doesn’t need to know the words to figure out what’s being said though. He’s fluent in Maedhros and Maglor arguing.
And oh boy. This is a *bad* one.
Accusations and slights are thrown like knives from one brother to the next, everything from Maglor never wanting Maedhros back in a power grab, to Mae having deserved to hang for his own foolishness. They reach further back into Formenos and Tirion, pulling out everything they can, every piece of blackmail they know about the other. Every mistake. But even now Celegorm can tell Maglor’s purposefully goading their oldest brother, getting all his anger and fury out in a safe place before it explodes at the worst time.
It’s also worth mentioning they’re not just speaking Fëanorian Quenya. They’re speaking a proto tongue Fëanor made and discarded for its complexity. Surprisingly enough that’s what convinced their parents to leave the boys be, knowing they’d figure it out if they still insisted on the convoluted language even Fëanor couldn’t entirely hack once they added their own rules.
Celegorm knows a fair bit, but it’s evolved as the eldest have, words added and changed.
The boys are stunned though.
They have no idea what their older brothers are saying, if they’ve argued like this it hasn’t been in front of them. They’ve never seen either of their calmest, logical brothers so wild and unrestrained.
Then as abruptly as it started, the shouts stop.
And Celegorm starts the countdown.
About half an hour later, he turns to his little brothers. “Let’s go.”
Because Mae and Mags have their…
spats, but there’s an unspoken rule that they don’t leave until it’s been sorted. He knows Maglor often ends up crying by the end whether from frustration or because something hit just a little too deep, and Maedhros’ rage immediately clears, instincts as an older brother not allowing that to pass. He knows sometimes it’s the other way around. Either way neither will leave the other without comforting them first and finally resolving whatever’s going on. Then they’ll wipe all evidence of anything, faces clear, bruises skillfully hidden, the occasional nosebleed wiped away and clothes changed. Then step out as if nothing happened.
It’s a fairly quick process.
The boys don’t need to know all that though. As far as they’re concerned it was just another argument which was resolved and now they’re fine.
Mae and Mags raise an identical eyebrow at Celegorm when the rabble comes tearing in and he shrugs sheepishly.
“Thanks for looking out for us, Tyelko.”
They know he knows. And Maedhros sighs.
“I messed up. Káno’s keeping a closer eye on things from now on and has every right to deck me if I get out of line again.”
Celegorm tackle hugs his brothers, laughing at their yelps. Then smirks.
“That a royal decree, Mae?”
“I have a metal hand now.”
Beside them, Maglor laughs.
