#(he fell in love with Nerwen Artanis daughter of Finarfin when she was still cold and had recently maybe killed a polar bear)

[malkaleh]

OH MY GOSH I LOVE IT SO MUCH (somewhere in Mandos Feanor got REALLY MAD and he doesn’t know why*)

Because my brain will not let me sleep I present um, what happens when @plotdesigner asks me how Celeborn and Adar get on in Gold Cages verse. Also Sauron is Sauroning. TW for abuse on so many levels.

(Also @saubrimbor art and @conundrumoftime for sweet silver prince and just my celeborn feels in general)

(Gold Cages Context: Sauron is in love with Galadriel, Elrond, Celebrimbor and Celeborn (also Finrod but) and uh Bad For Them).

Adar tries not to think of how young they all are to him - even Galadriel who makes him itch for a blade. Celeborn is a prince of drowned and fallen kingdom but he had a kingdom. Had safety to grow, at least for a time in the light of being beloved of a Maia.

And yet, Adar does not resent him. Perhaps it is that for all this silver prince is a commander and a good one, for all that he has clearly fought, this one is not the warrior his wife is - he is not suited to it, does not lose himself in it. There is a steadiness to his sharpness that is less terrifying than Elronds gentle kindness or Celebrimbors gentle brilliance because this one, this one has had the world hurt him and has steadied against it.

“You are loved, you are loved and you will not be turned away across the sea” he hears him say it to his wife once, softly sweet and the flash of jealousy of Galadriel surprises him - for why should she have such a part of him thinks - but then why should he? Why should either of them be given such a grace, such love?

(He knows and sometimes love, true love of all kinds has been a worse hurt than pain).

-

Sauron loathes to admit it but there is no other he would trust with his precious ones if he cannot be there himself - Adar was not them, but Adar was not insignificant - they had stood together once, as friends and lovers and generals and he knows him. Knows that in this, at least Adar will not fail him.

-

Still. Still my little nightingale, my little star. Elrond stops and the picture he makes almost brings Sauron to tears of awe. Of love. He had been laughing and eating berries - that mass of dark curls glittering with stars that Sauron longs to see spilled upon a pillow. He had been laughing with Saurons jewel.

It is easy to pull them towards him - both wearing his colours so Sauron might have all but one of his precious ones about him for he had almost lost them (his hands tremble thinking of it - of that human chieftain who had been meant to be his loyal servant and whose filthy hands has hurt them) - he wants to hold them all.

His sweet silver prince and his lady of light and his little nightingale and his jewel.

It is a wrench to part with even a strand of their hair but the High King of the Elves must be told and he must have proof. Sauron feels the triumph of knowing that he might bring Gil-Galad to understand how greatly he had failed. Four strands of hair and a message.