𝐒𝐡𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐂𝐫𝐨𝐰𝐧𝐬 ➵︎ [ 𝘭𝘦𝘨𝘰𝘭𝘢𝘴 𝘨𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘯𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘧 ]

59| the silent house

Was I to continue to ignore what began to feel like more and more plausible signs?

Observing my conflicted silence, Maeglor just scoffed, shaking his head.

"See? It is not as far-fetched as you may think."

"Look..." I slowly began, but he cut me off.

"It was the perfect lie for your father, wasn't it."

My brows knitted together in confusion.

Seeing this, Maeglor pursed his lips as he slowly paced before the fire, the wavering light from beneath him casting flickering shadows over his sharp, sunken features.

"My father, descendent of Eöl the dark elf and Maeglin the betrayer*, was painted as the power hungry-villain, my mother; the harlot, the whore who tried to seduce the king."

I was taken aback by the pure venom dripping from his voice, every word like a sharp blade made of ice.

My frown deepened as I racked my mind, trying to think back to the time in which these events supposedly took place.

"H-how come I did not hear of this?" I asked, my voice quiet.

Maeglor took a step closer towards me.

"Did you think Arveldir would ever expose his precious daughter to such matters, especially after you killed my father? No."

Slowly, I began to realise that Maeglor was right. And he could tell.

"Do you know what life was like for us after my father's death?" He questioned. "Whispers and looks of disgust on the street, stones through our windows, rotting animal carcasses on our doorstep, death threats..."

His voice seemed to falter on the last two words.

I couldn't help but widen my eyes as Maeglor listed the deeds done against his family. All this time, I had been oblivious, completely unaware of what my friend was going through.

Maeglor turned back around to face me, his eyes cold and hard.

"And what did you father do to help alleviate the troubles he caused? Nothing."

His expression softened slightly.

"My mother struggled to raise me on her own under these conditions." His eyes seemed to glaze over, as if reminiscing about his tragic past. "She stopped eating, sleeping, smiling, going out...until one day."

-

As much as people tried to hide it, Maeglor could always feel their biting stares boring holes into him as he made his way through town. It was unmistakable; the hushed whispers as he passed by, the loathsome combination of disgust and pity in every glance towards his direction; it was hell. One he could not escape from.

Ignoring the jeers from some elves across the stone pathway, Maeglor clenched his jaw, before approaching his home. If one could even call it that.

No longer did they reside in the palace as trusted members of the royal party. Not after Arveldir discreetly evicted what remained of their family. 

Even Glaurielle, once his closest friend, no longer talked to him. As if they were nothing but strangers. 

Now, Maeglor and his mother were left to fend for themselves in a run down hovel at the base of the mountain, left with nothing but a few scattered belongings and themselves.

Maeglor turned his eyes up at the royal palace that sat higher up on the mountainside, the white of the stone almost blinding in the sunlight, it's obnoxious spire of white and gold  looming over the rest of the kingdom like an ever-watching giant.