hadriel | Video/Action if you're by the lake

[ He's drawn to water, he always has been, and it's no different here. This world is strange, and although it is joyful to see again the dead, it is very strange, too, and he retreats, away from the bustle of his family, down to the water's edge with his harp, to try and get his balance back.

(He has to be well. Maedhros and Curufin will worry, if he's not. Elrond too. He can't let them see)

Anyone who walks past will hear it, although they might not realise that it is a harp, at first, but the song ripples, moonlight on the water, the stars clear above, the emotion carried through on clear notes that seem to blend into the sounds of the world around them despite there being no stars or moon, here. And then the voice, deep as the rolling sea, full of heartrending sorrow, but climbing to defiant hope.

Sometime during the performance the phone flips on, bumped, maybe, to reveal Maglor crouched over his harp, singing.

Pay attention, and the song will tell you a story, even if you don't know the language he sings in - war and blood and tears and light-against-the-dark. ]

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Thank you. [ He smiles ]

I will try not to play things so melancholy, next time. Do you play an instrument yourself?

Melancholy has its place sometimes.

[She smiles back.]

Hannibal was teaching me to play the harpsichord.

True enough. [ He hums softly ]

A sad truth of the world, maybe, that the bitter and the sweet come ever intertwined.

[ He cocks his head curiously ]

Oh? Someone here, or from home?

[She gives a nod. The best part of her life, a family with Hannibal had come at a very high price.]

Both. He's from home and he's here. I have someone else from home here too, Will.

That is well! Having the familiar near is a great kindness, and I am glad you have that joy. They are your family, then?

We're like family. Hannibal's my guardian; he's taken care of me since my parents died.

I am glad that you have each other here, then!

What about you? Do you have anyone here?

I have also been most fortunate. [ His eyes gentle in memory ]

Several of my lost have been returned to me here - two of my brothers, my nephews, and one of my fosterlings.

By lost, do you mean they died in your world?

[She asks quietly.]

Mm. All except my fosterling went to the Halls before me. To see them again...

I'm sorry. I've lost people too. I'd like to see my mom and my best friend again. They deserve a second chance at life.

Is a fosterling like a foster kid? Someone that you're the guardian of?

Thank you - but at least I have them here, for a while, at least.

Aye, that is so - I helped to raise them, for a little while. It is a fairly common practice, amongst my folk, to foster a child out to another family for a while, especially if the parents were unable, although in the old days it was to learn a skill their family could not teach.

That's sort of like what Hannibal did for me. He took care of me when my parents died.

What makes it common where you're from if they're not teaching skills anymore? Are many parents unable?

That does sound very like!

[ He sighs and sounds very old, for all his young face ]

War. [ He says simply ] We have been fighting for a very long time. Oh, not continuously, of course, but things were never entirely safe, not for long. Many parents decided not to have children, but those who did... well. Sometimes... things happened.

Oh. I'm sorry. I've never been through a war.

[It feels like she had been.]

That must have been rough.

I hope you never have to!

[ Maglor shakes his head ]

Especially not our sort of war. We were all very grateful for the Men who fought for us, and without them things might well have gone much worse than they did. But I sometimes felt that the Lady Haleth had the right idea, when she politely told my brother Caranthir that the wars of Elves were none of her business and she was going to take her people and fight their own battles, thank you very much.

Only the men? Women didn't fight?

No offence to that lady, but I see the benefit of having help. People who look out for and protect each other, you know?

Mostly the men, the Lady Haleth was always something of an exception! Even amongst my folk, more nis chose other Arts than war.

Most did! But she had a point too. Wars of immortals are no place for mortals to waste away their lives.

Life should never be wasted. It usually is though.

Sadly, this is far too often true. Her independence was a reflection of her people's - the Haladin never liked being beholden to any, no matter how much they might respect them. It kept them strong and wild, but it cost them dearly, too.

Being dependent has a price too. Maybe there's no good choices.

In war, sometimes there are very few. [ He nods ]

In the end, it all comes down to what you value most, I think. The Haladin paid dearly, but they considered it worth it - they are, in the end, the only ones who can rightly judge that.

For me, it's always come down to surviving and then freedom.

Mm, for the Haladin, I think they would argue that it was not surviving, if they had not their freedom. They were always a fierce and proud people - stalwart allies, and terrible foes. But they would not be beholded to any, not for love or gratitude.

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