Full Circle

Upon her arrival at Maedhros’ citadel, Buffy asked a passing member of the Household where she might find both Celegorm and Curufin. When she was told that they were in the library with their brothers and Olofin, she hastily stomped up the steps of the main stairway, her face flush with anger.

The lions quickly darted pass her. They were quite anxious to see the two C-brothers get a much-deserved thrashing at the hands of their Mistress.

As the Slayer stormed down the corridor, those elves in the passageway were quick to get out of her way. By the look on her face, it seemed obvious to them that the she was wroth with someone, but they had no idea who that was or why. Some of the Noldor stopped, milling around in the corridor, curious to know who would be the recipient of her anger.

When Buffy stopped outside the doors to the library, Barathalion and Noeriel stood on either side of her, waiting impatiently for her to open the doors. After taking a deep breath, she threw open the doors so forcefully that they slammed into the walls with a bang, startling the occupants.

Seated around a rectangular wooden table sat the sons of Fëanor and Olofin. Maedhros and Maglor were playing a game of chess while the others watched. Both Celegorm and Curufin were seated side-by-side facing her. Before any could say or do anything, she was across the room. Skirting pass her son’s seat, she placed her hands on the edge of the table, and shoved it so that the opposite side hit the two C-bothers in the stomach, pushing their chairs backward.

The others had leapt from their seats, shouting in their confusion, as the chessboard and pieces went flying to the floor with a clatter.

“You lying mother-fuckers,” she snarled, pinning the C-brothers against the wall.

“What the hell are you doing?” cried out Maglor, as he and Maedhros tried to pry her fingers from the table’s edge. “Stop it, Bella!”

Barathalion and Noeriel then pounced on the two eldest sons of Fëanor. Since the lions had now reached their full size, they easily took the elves down. Both kitties clamped their massive jaws around the two brothers’ throats, threatening to bite down if either moved.

“Nana, what’s going on? What are you doing?” asked Olofin, who stood there in shock. He didn’t understand what was happening.

Buffy kept the C-brothers in place with her sheer strength but turned her gaze toward her son. “I’m telling you right now, Olofin, that if you stop me, you’ll be in for a beating too.” She turned her eyes back to Celegorm and Curufin. “Guess who I saw while on my journey?” she said between gritted teeth, ramming the table into their bellies yet again.

The C-brothers yelped but couldn’t reply, as the Slayer had the table pushed so far into their stomachs that they had a hard time catching their breath.

“Beren and Lúthien,” she answered, her face contorted in rage.

Their eyes widened, the blood draining from their fair faces. They now understood the reason for their sister-in-law’s wrath.

Buffy then slung the table across the room.

Celegorm and Curufin slid from their chairs, gasping for air. As they fell in a heap onto the stone floor, the Slayer grabbed a handful of either brother’s hair, pulling them into a sitting position. She then slammed their heads together, dazing both sons of Fëanor.

“Consequences!” she yelled. “There are consequences to your actions, to your lies, to your hatred! You want glory and power! Well, then I’ll give it to you myself, assholes!”

Buffy then started pummeling the brothers as she shouted each offense that they had committed.

Those Noldor that were milling around in the corridor now stood at the threshold of the room watching in horror. One had the audacity to attempt to creep up on the Slayer with a leg that had broken off the table she had thrown moments before. But Olofin sprang upon that elf, disarming him.

Despite the fact that both Celegorm and Curufin were now unconscious, Buffy continued to punch their battered and bleeding faces. So focused was she on punishing them that she didn’t even notice that both were out cold.

Olofin tearfully pleaded with her to stop. His cries drew more people to the library.

“Please, Nana! My uncles have suffered enough! I beg of you - STOP!”

The half-elf’s appeal did not fall on deaf ears. An out of breath Buffy stopped the beating, allowing the insentient C-brothers to fall to the floor. She sat there, her legs folded beneath her, wiping the blood from her bruised knuckles on the brothers’ garments. Her body still trembled from the adrenaline rush.

None dare come to Celegorm and Curufin’s aid until the Slayer rose to her feet and stepped away from the two Noldor.

“Okay babies,” she panted, “you can get off Russandol and Káno now.”

The lions let go of their prey and ran to their Mistress’ side. Each cat began licking her knuckles, removing the blood that she was unable to wipe off.

The two eldest sons of Fëanor ran to their younger brothers’ side, neither pleased by what the Slayer had just done. They carefully lifted Celegorm and Curufin from the pools of blood they lay in, and placed them back in their chairs.

“Get Hweston. Quick!” ordered Maedhros to one of his people, trying to staunch the flow of blood from Curufin’s nose. While he tended to him, Maglor cared for Celegorm.

Olofin pulled his mother over to one of the couches. They sat down whispering to one another as they watched many elves come rushing into the room, helping the two C-brothers. The lions sauntered over to their Mistress, taking a seat at her feet.

Once Celegorm and Curufin were revived, Maedhros ordered everyone to leave the library except for his brothers, Olofin, Buffy and the lions. When the last elf had left, shutting the door behind him, Maedhros turned his narrowed gaze to his sister-in-law.

“I cannot believe that you would do such a thing to my kin in my own house!”

“Did you not hear what they have done?” she queried in disbelief, sneering at all her brothers-in-law. “Your brothers have screwed things up so badly, that I don’t even know if I can repair the damage they have caused.”

The two C-brothers attempted to glare at the Slayer, but their eyes were so nearly swollen shut that they looked more like deformed creatures of Morgoth than the once attractive elves from the line of Finwë.

It was then that Buffy noticed something strange. A quick glance between Maedhros and Maglor that sent shivers up and down her spine.

She jumped from her seat. “You knew,” she said in a tone that revealed both her shock and dismay. Her eyes shifted from brother to brother. Neither met her gaze. “You knew what they’ve done this whole time!”

“I didn’t know,” spoke up Olofin, who, at this point, understood and agreed with his mother’s punishment for his uncles.

“We knew, yes,” answered Maglor, locking his gaze on his wife.

“And you didn’t think that I should’ve been told,” she said in a slightly wounded tone.

“Because of this!” he retorted, pointed to his injured brothers. “I knew you’d overreact… ”

“Overreact?!” she exclaimed incredulously. “You don’t think your brothers had this coming to them? They kidnapped Lúthien for Eru’s sake! They held her prisoner in Nargothrond! They convinced Finrod’s people to turn against him, causing his death… ”

“Celegorm and Curufin played no part in Finrod’s death,” interjected Maedhros sternly. “It was Finrod’s choice to go on the Quest, a quest he should have had no part of.”

“Are you people mad?” shouted a stunned Buffy. She couldn’t believe Maedhros, of all people, felt the need to defend the actions of his younger brothers. “People died as a direct result of their deeds,” she added, motioning toward the two C-brothers.

“We swore an oath,” spat Curufin, droplets of blood splattering from his lips as he spoke, “and have no intentions of breaking it!”

“None will withhold a Silmaril from us,” hissed his partner in crime. “Be he friend or foe… ”

“Don’t even go there!” barked the Slayer, waving her finger threateningly in Celegorm’s direction.

“…Whether demon of Morgoth, or Elf or child of… ” continued Celegorm, raising his voice with each word.

Buffy cut him off again. “I swear to God, if you continue to spew that sons of Fëanor hatred speech, I will rip your vocal chords from your throat and wear ‘em as earrings!”

The Noldo spoke no more, but scowled his disapproval.

The room fell quiet.

“Word’s gonna reach your ears sooner or later, so I might as well be the one to tell you all,” said the Slayer in a softer voice. “Beren and Lúthien were successful in their Quest. They retrieved a Silmaril from Morgoth’s crown.”

The sons of Fëanor gasped in shock upon hearing that bit of information.

“How is that possible?” asked a dumbfounded Maedhros. “How were they able to pass so many of the enemy?”

“Fate,” answered Buffy. “And love. Love can drive us to do things unfathomable,” she continued, looking at her husband as she spoke those words. “Don’t underestimate its power.” She sat back down beside her son and then told the brothers all that Beren and Lúthien had gone through in order to achieve their Quest. They listened intently to all she had to say, not speaking until she had finished her tale.

“So Thingol now has a Silmaril in his possession,” said Maglor softly, cagily shifting his gaze from his wife to his eldest brother.

“Yes, he does,” she answered. Knowing that the brothers were more than likely going to plot an assault on Thingol and Menegroth, the Slayer continued before any could speak. “I’ll say this only once, and I hope you guys have enough sense to heed my words. If any of you attempt to assail Thingol or his people in order to take the Silmaril, I’ll stop you. With Eru as my witness, I will never let you lay a hand on him or Beren and Lúthien…”

“Are you saying that your allegiance is to the House of Thingol and not the House of Fëanor, your kin?” blurted out Celegorm.

“I swore allegiance to Thingol long before you set foot in Middle-earth!” she shot back. “He helped me in my time of need, and I don’t forget things like that.”

“You are a member of our House now,” countered Celegorm, leaning forward in his seat. “Your allegiance is to us, not some dark elf who hides in his caves!”

“If you intend to do evil, then I will stop you. It’s doesn’t matter which House I belong to. It’s called doing what’s right, plain and simple.”

“None will stand between the sons of Fëanor and a Silmaril,” he said, his tone seething with contempt. “That includes you, Dagnir.”

Buffy laughed. “I’m a Vala, Celegorm. You can’t kill me.” She leaned forward and hissed, “But I can kill you.”

“Is that a threat?” the Noldo exclaimed, jumping to his feet. “You’re threatening me!” He turned to his brothers. “You heard that! She said that she’d kill me if we sought to reclaim what was stolen from us.”

Curufin grumbled his discontent, but his face and body were still throbbing so that he wasn’t about to provoke the Slayer’s wrath.

“You’re the one that said none, including me, will stand between the sons of Fëanor and a Silmaril!” she barked back, getting to her feet. “Well here I am, Celegorm! You ready for another ass-whooping, ‘cause, guess what,” she held up her newly healed knuckles in front of the Noldo, “my hands are mended and I’m raring to have another go!”

“Enough! There’s been enough violence in these halls. I will have no more of it. Everyone needs to calm down,” declared Maedhros. He turned his gaze to Buffy. “You seem to forget, Muinthel, that we all swore an oath to do whatever we must in order to recover the Jewels of our father. That is the only reason we came to these shores, it’s why we fight… ”

“See, that’s where we differ, Russandol,” interjected the Slayer sadly. “I’m here to fight evil, to thwart Morgoth and his oppression of the free people of Middle-earth. I don’t care about some stupid Jewels… ”

“That’s blasphemy!” shouted Celegorm.

“Blasphemy, my ass,” said Buffy in disgust. She then turned her sorrowful gaze to the eldest son of Fëanor, hoping that she could reason with him. “I always thought that you had more sense than Celegorm and Curufin. You did the right thing with Fingolfin. You did the right thing by removing your brothers into Eastern Beleriand, but now,” she shook her head, “to even contemplate an assault on Thingol… I can’t have that. I won’t have that. You can’t just go around killing innocent people because of some oath you took in a moment of grief. You’re a good man, Russandol, and so are most of your brothers.” She cast a contemptuous look at the two C-brothers. “Please, don’t force my hand. I love you and don’t want to fight you. Please, I beg of you, don’t make me.”

Maedhros remained quiet, a solemn expression on his face. His silence spoke volumes.

Buffy rose from her seat and walked over to the eldest son of Fëanor. Looking him in the eye, she asked, “Would you kill me, Russandol? Would you kill me if I stood between you and a Silmaril?”

The copper-haired Noldo looked into his sister-in-law’s eyes for a few long moments before averting his gaze altogether.

The Slayer felt her heart drop. With her stomach twisting into knots, she walked over to her husband. She knelt before him, and placed her hands on his knees.

“And you Káno? Does our love mean nothing? Are the Silmarils more important than me? Than our son?”

Maglor’s eyes filled with tears, but he too spoke not one word.

That caused Buffy to break down and weep. At that moment, she knew that no matter how hard she tried to keep her marriage together, it was doomed. She feared having to fight those she loved. But if push came to shove, what other choice did she have? If the sons of Fëanor were intent on making war over a Silmaril, then she’d be forced to act accordingly.

Olofin went to his mother and pulled her into his arms, comforting her when no one else would. “It saddens me that our family has now become divided,” he said. Both his tone and face were grim. “I swore no oath in Tirion. And though I am a descendant of Fëanor, I am against the killing of any who are not in league with Morgoth or those of like mind and power.” The half-elf turned his attention to his mother. He lifted her chin as the tears continued to spill from her eyes. “I will not desert you, mother. We may have had our disagreements in the past, but I will stand beside you. If my uncles are foolish enough to wage war on Thingol, then they will have to battle me as well.” Olofin turned his green eyes to the sons of Fëanor. “You will have to kill me and mother if you wish to reclaim the Jewel from Thingol.”

The half-elf shook his head disapprovingly, his eyes revealing his disappointment.

“It’s such a shame that I was raised to believe that this House was seeking redemption for the Kinslaying at Alqualondë, and for the burning of the ships at Losgar. Now I see that those words were hollow, meaningless. Words said in vain to hide the true motives of my kin. I find your words and actions deplorable, and now have a better understanding as to why there is a curse upon the Noldor, especially this House.”

“You’re no different than my son. You and Celebrimbor are both traitors,” said a sneering Curufin, no longer able to keep quiet. “You seem to forget that your forefather was slain on the doorstep of his house in Formenos by Morgoth himself. Not only was Finwë brutally murdered, but so were many others that were faithful to our House… ”

“I am saddened that Finwë died, but it does not justify the slaying of innocent people,” replied Olofin calmly. “Two more Silmarils adorn the iron crown of Morgoth. Why not seek to reclaim those? If Beren and Lúthien were able to take one of those Jewels that you covet so, then surely the armies of the Noldor can as well. Not once have you taken the battle to Morgoth! Instead, you sit idly by, waiting for him to make the next move. That is where your folly lies. You, Uncle, say that the Noldor of your House grew weak-willed in their contentment, well, it seems to me the same can be said for the sons of Fëanor.”

“Let’s go, Olofin,” Buffy sniffled, her face glistening from her tears. “I’m afraid this is an argument that we can’t win.” She turned her bleary gaze toward her husband. “It breaks my heart that you’d throw your family away for mere trinkets… ” Her words trailed off. She had a better speech planned in her mind, but the thought that her marriage was crumbling before her eyes was too much to take. She started to bawl again.

With her son in tow, and the lions following close behind, she left the chamber for the crowded corridor, which was brimming with both Noldor and Green-elves. The Slayer told her son to summon the chieftains of her House and have them meet with her at Luthor’s home. If Maglor felt so little for her, then there was no need to remain in Himring. Buffy decided amidst her turmoil that it was time for her and her people to return to Ossiriand.

Lalwen pushed her way through the throng and threw her arms around a distraught Buffy. The elleth tried her best to console her Mistress as she led her to Luthor’s house, which was a short distance away from the citadel.

They entered the Maia’s home as he was preparing his evening meal. Luthor was surprised by the sudden arrival of the women, but even more by Buffy’s tears. He quickly ushered them into the front parlor.

“My dear, Bellaseth, what has happened?” he asked, his brows furrowed with concern.

The Slayer haltingly began telling the story of what happened. Each time one of her chieftains entered the house, she’d have to begin her tale again from the very beginning. After a few times, she decided to wait until all her people were there, as it was too painful to continue saying the same things over and over. While they waited for the others, she pulled Lalwen aside, taking her into Luthor’s bedchamber so she could speak with her in private.

“I have to ask you something, Lalwen,” she said, blotting her eyes and nose with a handkerchief.

“You can ask me anything, Bella. You know that.”

“I know that you didn’t take the Oath in Tirion, but I have to know,” started the Slayer, searching her dear friend’s grey eyes. “Would you try to kill me if I kept a Silmaril from Káno and his brothers?”

“What?” said the elleth, shocked that she would be asked such a question. “What would ever make you think that I would do something so heinous?” Lalwen was slightly hurt and offended by Buffy’s question. She thought it was ludicrous.

The Slayer’s eyes welled with tears. “Because… because Káno would,” she stammered.

The woman’s jaw dropped. “NO!” she exclaimed, covering her opened mouth with her hand. She shook her head. “No! Kanafinwë would never do that. I cannot believe that.” She stood there flabbergasted, as she watched the tears roll down Buffy’s cheek. Yet her uneasiness grew. “Did he say that?” she asked, nervous to hear the answer.

“Not exactly. But I know it’s true. I saw it in his eyes. He loves those damned Silmarils more than me and Olofin… Oh God, Lalwen, my own husband would destroy his family over those stupid Jewels. I wish they never existed,” she wept. Buffy then grabbed hold of the woman’s arm. Choking back her tears, she said, “Tell me, why did you come to Middle-earth? Did you come only to aid those in battle with Morgoth, to regain the Silmarils? Do I have to worry that you’ll turn on me too?”

Lalwen now became teary-eyed. She grabbed hold of Buffy’s arms. “By all that is holy in this world, I will never ever turn on you, Bellaseth. I swear! I only came to Endor to be with Fingolfin. I couldn’t stand the thought of not seeing him again. We were close since childhood and the thought of his leaving Aman without me… I had to come for his sake… I knew he wouldn’t come back to Eldamar. I knew I’d never see him again once he left the Blessed Realm. That is the only reason I came, yet because of that, the Doom of Mandos is upon me as well. I shall perish like my beloved brother.”

“Don’t say that! I won’t let that happen. I can’t lose you too. Not now. Not ever.”

The women threw their arms around each other, sobbing. It wasn’t until Olofin peeked into the room to inform his mother that all the chieftains were present, that Buffy and Lalwen pulled themselves together. They then exited the chamber, meeting with the men and women congregated in the front parlor of Luthor’s house.

Clutching Lalwen’s hand in hers, the Slayer sat beside her friend and relayed to the others what had happened with the Quest of Beren and Lúthien, including the misdeeds of Celegorm and Curufin as well as the sons of Fëanor’s pledge to recover the Jewel that Thingol now had in his possession.

“What in Eru’s name possessed you to tell Maglor and his brothers that Thingol holds a Silmaril in Menegroth?” asked a baffled Luthor.

“They already knew of the Quest,” answered Buffy, her frown lines deepening. “It was only a matter of time before news of Beren and Lúthien’s success reached Himring anyway. The elves love to gossip, at least, many of the ones I know do. Something as big as Melian’s daughter and a son of Bëor swiping a Silmaril from Morgoth’s crown is gonna spread through Beleriand rather quickly. Don’t you think?”

“Too true. Too true,” agreed Luthor, nodding his head.

“The problem is, Káno and his brothers will attack Thingol if he doesn’t hand over the Silmaril… ”

“How can you be so sure?” queried Thranduil, standing behind one of the couches with his arms folded across his chest. “Who’s to say that Thingol won’t just give them the Silmaril?”

“You don’t know Thingol,” answered Buffy with a snicker. “I’m not saying that he’s greedy, but… ” She paused, her eyes narrowing in deep thought. She recalled the time when she had asked Morgoth for a Silmaril during her thralldom, long ago. “There’s something about those Jewels of Fëanor that make you long to have one in your possession,” she finally said as she pondered on that memory. “I actually asked Morgoth for one. He slapped the shit out of me instead.”

The Slayer shook her head. “But that’s beside the point. What I’m saying is, Thingol’s not about to hand over anything to those responsible for killing his kin in Valinor. And kidnapping his only daughter. And aiding in the death of Finrod, his favorite nephew.” She let out a heavy sigh, sickened by her current dilemma, and heartbroken over Maglor. “No, this will only end in a catastrophe. For both sides, I believe.”

“Then what do you suggest?” asked Olofin. “Do we leave for Menegroth at once or will you send a messenger to Thingol first?”

Buffy fell quiet for a couple of minutes, considering her options carefully before officially declaring them.

“I’ll go to Menegroth and warn Thingol,” she finally said, resolved with all her decisions. “But I think that it’s time for all of us to leave Himring.”

“Permanently?” queried Luthor, as the chieftains looked warily at one another.

“What about Morgoth?” asked the Captain, Araglas. “Are we to leave the Noldor though the threat of war is a constant at their doorstep?”

“Yes, to both questions,” Buffy replied as she rose to her feet. Murmurings broke out in the room as she walked over to the sideboard and poured herself a stiff drink. She needed something to numb her emotional pain. After downing the drink in one gulp, she poured another before rejoining her most trusted officials stationed at Himring.

The Slayer then announced that they’d be leaving in two days time. She had no plans to set foot in Maedhros’ citadel again. Olofin, Thranduil and Lalwen were assigned the task of gathering those personal belongings she wished to bring back to Ossir. It was time to start her life over once again, a life without her beloved Maglor.

Yet fate would intervene on Buffy’s behalf, as the time had not arrived for her and the Noldo to be parted. While she spent the rest of the night drinking herself into a stupor, her husband sat in his private sitting room, his heart heavy with grief at the prospect of losing his wife and son.

For the first time ever, Maglor was having second thoughts about, not only the Oath, but also his claim to the Silmarils. Were the Jewels more important than his family? No, he thought to himself. The Jewels were important to my father, but not so much to me. Not any more. My wife and son mean more to me than the Silmarils.

Maglor deemed that there had to be another way. Perhaps he and his brothers should trust the wisdom of his son, and seek to reclaim the Silmarils that Morgoth still had in his possession. As he was mulling over that possibility, Maedhros, who also was sitting alone in his private rooms, was pondering the same thing.

The eldest son of Fëanor loved Buffy very much, too much perhaps. And while a part of him wished she would leave his brother, his sole desire in her doing so would be so that he could have a chance to woo her himself. Yet the Noldo was no fool. He could never do that to his favorite brother, yet the thought was still there. His feelings for her had not diminished even after her lions had held him down with the razor sharp teeth wrapped around his neck, and the beating of his younger brothers. The bottom line was that he didn’t want her to leave. He wanted her to call Himring home. He wanted to see her every day.

The words of Olofin came to his mind. There was truth in what the half-elf had said. That much, Maedhros knew. Perhaps it was time to take the fight to Morgoth.

The two eldest sons of Fëanor didn’t come to supper when the bells rang throughout the citadel. Both remained in seclusion, contemplating making war with the Dark Lord in order to recover the Silmarils.

The following morning, a famished Maedhros rose at dawn, eager to speak with his brothers. When he opened the door to his bedchamber, he wasn’t surprised to find Maglor standing there, his balled fist nearly hitting his brother instead of the now opened door.

“We need to talk,” said the dark-haired Noldo.

Maedhros could tell that his brother had been crying, his eyes were glassy and puffy and it looked like he hadn’t slept all night.

“Let me order us breakfast first. I’m starving. We can eat up here so that we can speak in private.”

“Should Celegorm and Curufin join us?”

“I think so.”

The two brothers ran their errands before returning to Maedhros’ main sitting room with the two C-brothers in tow.

Not surprisingly, all four brothers feared the thought of the Slayer’s leaving Himring. Each had their own motivations in wanting her to stay. Even though the two C-brothers had taken a beating from her, they wanted her to remain in Himring, as her strength was needed. If she left, her armies would follow, and chances were, the mortals would go as well. That would leave the Noldor in a vulnerable position and hinder their defenses greatly.

On the other hand, Maedhros and Maglor were approaching the situation from the heart. They understood Buffy’s love for Thingol and his people, and knew that she would fight the Noldor if they attempted to strike the King of Doriath. Neither brother wanted to cause her that pain. The success of the Quest had brought hope to the sons of Fëanor, especially Maedhros.

Before they had finished eating, all four brothers had reached an agreement. They would forfeit their claim to the Silmaril that Thingol had in his possession and seek to recover the two that Morgoth held. However, there was only one way that they could achieve that goal - they needed Buffy’s help.

Maglor immediately left the citadel for Luthor’s dwelling. Thranduil had informed him that both his wife and son had spent the night there.

Barathalion roared loudly when the Noldo entered the house, waking a rather hung over Buffy. When Maglor told her how much she and their son meant to him, that he loved them more than the Jewels of his father, she broke down and cried. They were not tears of sorrow, but tears of joy.

The minute she heard that the brothers would allow Thingol to keep the Silmaril he had in his possession, the heaviness lifted from her heart. By the time that Maglor reached the part about making war with Morgoth, Buffy had offered to help in every possible way that she could. She was so happy that the sons of Fëanor saw the light, and considered their decision wise.

Peace had returned once again to the House of Fëanor and the House of Luinil. Unfortunately, it would be short-lived…