AxelsFire

" “So Sauron changed, suddenly gained a conscious or some such, while Morgoth turned insane and decided to torture his lover for the six-something decades it has been since then?” 

“Essentially.” It sounded insane, even to Lúthien. 

Beren looked into the distance from their patio as Lúthien watched him quietly gather his thoughts. His visage was framed by the purple flowers of the climbing plant Beren had apparently acquired from Yavanna. He had forgotten the name of the flower when he had showed it to Lúthien, and they had spent a good portion of the morning digging space to set up the trellis for it to climb, to eventually drape their patio in hanging flowers. 

“Do you still wish to meet him?” Lúthien asked frankly. 

“I think I need to,” Her husband said slowly. “It is not that I disbelieve you, love, I just…” 

“I understand. Would you like me there?” 

"

Not again. Please. He did not want to watch this one again.

He turned his cold gaze to the Man still chained against the wall, finally silent after all his begging for his friends' worthless lives. What a waste. Sauron walked calmly towards the slumped figure, feeling his lips curl in satisfaction at having finally broken him.

He regretted it all. He swore it, he was not that anymore, he was not-

He reached out with a hand still covered in Finrod's blood and curled it under Beren's chin, lifting the Man's head to stare into his anguished and defeated gaze.

"What made a Man," he enquired gently. "Ever think he could defeat a God?"

"

Chapter summary: " Sauron was not sure why everyone was so insistent on not treating him as he deserved to be treated, as a prisoner who had committed catastrophic levels of wrongdoings. He would not falter however, would remain watchful and subservient and good, even if he was bad at it. He would prove he knew his place and he would obey the Rules.

" Beren was honestly convinced that the greatest sound in all of Arda was Lúthien's laughter. It started so large, as though the force of her own joy had swelled beyond the edge of her control and had just breached containment before she gave herself over to the giggles and breathlessness that followed. Her arms came up to hold Beren steady atop her chest and he watched her face affectionately, loving the scrunch of her nose and the flash of her teeth and the squint of her eyes and just loving Lúthien, all of her.

"Maybe every tenth word," He admitted after a moment of just feeling her laughter from her chest to his.

He waited for her laughter to subside before he said, "Also, I met with King Finarfin."

Lúthien frowned for a moment, then realisation darted over her face. She shifted and Beren took the cue for what it was, shifting back to sit cross-legged on the bed while Lúthien mirrored him.

He thought she might be angry with him for having done it without her, but instead she just took his hands and stared into his face.

"And?" She watched him intently.

He smiled shakily. "He was...very kind. Kinder than I deserved, certainly."

" Aulë entered the room, passing Mairon's bowed form and resisting the urge to reach out to his weeping fëa as he did. The room was exactly as it had been when Aulë had left Mairon here last night, down to the neatly made bed. Had he even slept? Eru, Aulë hoped Mairon had slept.  

He turned to face Mairon and then startled badly at seeing Mairon already sinking into a kneel, cupped hands rising. Aulë flinched.  

"Ah, please!" He blurted. Mairon looked up, startled. "Please do not kneel. There is no need."  

Mairon's gaze sharpened, searching Aulë's face. He prayed he would find whatever it was he was searching for. Aulë focused on keeping his expression calm and even; no small feat when his heart felt it trying to beat out of his chest. 

"As my lord wishes," He said cautiously and stood, hands clasped behind his back and patiently unwavering attention on Aulë.  

Chapter summary: "

Manwë had made this mistake before, and Yavanna would not allow him to make it again. Aulë was afraid of what the King may do, to them, to Sauron, to their Maiar. Aulë was afraid but Yavanna...

Have a weekend snippet! We're getting close...

" When Lúthien finished recounting her tale, Varda sighed. "You do not know what you have done, child. The Fëanorians are dangerous. They could use what is inside those jewels for great evil."

"Maedhros is a good person. They could also do much good with them."

"The stars say that they will not."

"They could just do average things then. I care not. You told me yourself that fate can change. It is wrong to punish someone for something they have not yet done, and perhaps never will do."

This seemed like common sense to Lúthien. Varda frowned, seemingly to disagree.

"Well, it is done now. We shall see what they will make of it. If you have not come to apologise, then what have you come for?"

" Sauron expected someone to come with chains any minute now, before his lord would come to speak with him. Honestly, he had expected someone to come during the night, but no one had. He had been entirely undisturbed, left to sleep and recover. In an actual bed, no less. There were books, but he did not dare touch them. Perhaps there was a cell being prepared for him at this moment, and they had not yet got around- 

A knock on the door. Sauron blinked at it. 

Nothing happened. Then it came again, tentative. 

"Come in?" It sounded like a question. 

The person who entered was short and willowy, obviously a Maia. Sauron rose expectantly, clasping his hands behind his back; surely, they would have chains with which to- 

Chapter summary:

"

This was it. Sauron would finally have to confront Aulë, in his broken and damaged state, and attempt to appease the Vala who had rescued him. Despite everything he had done, despite his betrayal of his old friend, Aulë had still sent Lúthien to rescue him. He was not worthy of it. How could he be? But he was determined to prove that he could be useful still, that he would earn his place and attempt to make amends where he may. If only he could focus through the dread and fear long enough to come up with a useful strategy.

Aulë was pacing. He had no idea what he was going to say or do once Mairon arrived. What if it all went wrong the same way it had done before? What if Mairon resented him still? What if this was a mistake? Despite his worries, he felt anticipation thrum through him at the prospect of finally getting to see his old friend again, someone he thought lost to him forever.

Lúthien wanted Sauron to stop panicking quite so hard; she had things to do.

"

She sucked in a breath. "I killed Morgoth."

Aulë choked on the bite of scone he had just taken. He decorporealated briefly to dislodge it, then immediately reformed his throat again to say, "What."

Lúthien frowned. “I killed him. I had to, the situation was untenable as it was.”

“What,” He repeated uselessly. Desperately.

Would he not have felt the death of a fellow Vala? Surely there would have been some sign of the fabric of the Song changing that much, some-

Now Luthien looked concerned. “My lord, are you alright? You are turning into stone again.”

“Ah.”

"

It's Wednesday, we're halfway there folks. Have a celebratory snippet! "

"Lord Ulmo was adamant that it was the best way of learning how to sail. I am still not sure I agree, but I did learn how to swim better," Lúthien admitted. 

Sauron gripped the edge of the boat tighter, though she seemed to have everything well in hand now. "How long were you apprenticed?" 

"A week." 

Sauron blinked at her, waiting for her to laugh. She did not. "You spent one week being tutored in seafaring by the Lord of Waters himself and what, remembered every piece of information by rote?" 

"Yes," She frowned at him. "Why are you saying it like that?" 

Good grief. Half-elves were terrifying; he never stood a chance. 

"

Chapter summary:

"

Sauron was aware that he was not the easiest to get along with, even if he had not done the things he had done to his companion. He was doing his best to be subservient, to be good and obedient but admittedly, it did not come naturally to him. So far Lúthien had been patient with him, but he felt as though he was walking a tight rope strung across a yawning chasm which could snap at any moment. He was not sure he would survive it, when it did.

Lúthien just wished Sauron would stop cringing like a kicked dog every time she looked in his direction.

"

It's Saturday, have a snippet!

"

Ah. So, he had misstepped after all.

Yet he could not help but add, “That does not seem accurate. How would you punish those who have done wrong? How could you be sure that they would not commit such acts again? Surely you can agree that I have done the most wrong of anyone except perhaps Morgoth. Who could ever be more deserving of punishment than myself?”

Lúthien turned away, taking a deep breath. Sauron waited. He had not had much chance for lively debate lately, and it was oddly exhilarating, if terrifying.

“Ugh,” Lúthien sighed as she rubbed a hand over her face. He seemed to make her do that a lot. “I am the wrong person for this.”

"

I'll post a snippet later today!

Not religious, but my favorite part in this episode, is Father Cavanagh talking to President Bartlett and he tells this story: