B2MEM - Defenses and Endurance
@spring-into-arda (357 words)
He had many excellent defenses, long prepared, as to why he should not go back to Aman. They began with the Oath - and frankly, Maglor felt that should be enough on its own - and slowly wound down to the frankly less noble.
He thought he had prepared for any attacks anyone might make on the subject, whether verbal or otherwise.
He had forgotten to account for Elrond turning to begin addressing the matter and stumbling into his own desk like the fevered elfling he once had been instead of the great elf lord he had become.
Maglor was across the room in a moment, half supporting him; Elrond was still leaning far too heavily on the desk.
“You’re exhausted,” he said, and he wanted to say it lightly, but he could not quite hide the horror of just how much weariness Elrond had managed to conceal behind his perpetual mask of serenity.
“It is nothing,” Elrond said, but he could not quite hide the way he struggled, just slightly, to catch his breath. “The ring fails. I must adjust to it until I have sailed.”
Until.
And there Maglor hesitated.
Elrond would improve after sailing, he told himself. Things would be better once he was no longer trying to support the Valley with strength he no longer had.
But Maglor knew, better than most, that Aman did not heal all ills.
Especially of the spirit.
“I will be well,” Elrond promised him, arms faintly trembling as he allowed Maglor to help him into a chair. He hesitated, then said - “Will you sing something for me? It will help, I think, and I should not like to worry the others - “
All the old songs of endurance, of strength unfailing, sprang at once into his mind; they had helped in worse cases before and could again.
“Of course,” he agreed.
(It did help.)
(And since it helped - )
(He could not bear sending Elrond to sail alone, never knowing if it had been enough.)
(If there was any aid he could give him - )
(He owed Elrond that. He owed Elrond every chance he could give to enjoy Aman hale and strong. He owed him that and more.)
(Elrond had already asked him once to return with him.)
(He would not make him ask again.)
