*******

“Nana!” the young boy cried out in delight as he ran into his kneeling mother’s outstretched arms.  “Ada did it, Ada finally named me!” he exclaimed

“Did he indeed?” replied Aredhel, the white lady of the Noldor, “And what did he name you?”

“Maeglin,” he declared proudly.

Aredhel arched her fine eyebrows in surprise.  “Sharp-glance.”  The boy nodded proudly. At a slight noise somewhere behind her dear boy, she looked up and beheld the normally grim face of her husband alight with a bright smile, as rare as the rays of the sun in this forest of dark trees and just as precious to her heart.  “Care to explain, my love?”

“His eyes see further than any in the darkest of places and perceive more than any, what would I name him other than Maeglin?” Eöl wondered.

Aredhel thought of the name she herself had given her precious boy, the name she could never mention in front of her husband.  He loved her, she knew and she returned his affection for the most part but he could never forget that she was of a race that he blamed for ruining the peace of Middle-earth, and she could not forget she was of a race that had seen the glorious light of the two trees. The result was that her name, the name that she felt suited her child the best would forever be a secret, a secret between mother and son.

The thought lightened her heart and she hugged her son closer.  “Do you like your new name, my son?” she asked.

“I do,” he replied eagerly. “Do you?” he wondered, “because I don’t want to have a name you don’t like.”

Eöl snorted and half-wondered if she was finally going to admit to him that she had given their child a name in the cursed tongue of her kinslaying kindred. Why Ilúvatar destined him for a Noldo and a Noldo for him, he would never understand. He loved her, she was like the stars he loved so dearly and she made him happy, happy and whole. Yet he could not help but wish that she was a Teleri like himself. Was that so wrong?

His reverie was broken when his wife finally answered his son’s question.  “I love your name. It suits you. May your eyes always see through all darkness and deception and lead you to the light,” she blessed him.

Maeglin laughed and hugged his mother. Aredhel laughed as well and reached for her husband. He joined them without hesitation, placing a gentle kiss on both their heads. They were together, they were happy, the loneliness that had made Aredhel restless even in fair Gondolin did not exist when her family was so near.  The love that had made Eöl look past her Noldo blood warmed his soul and brightened his heart, and Maeglin felt that he needed nothing more in his life save his Nana and Ada. Their little family was content. A pity that such happiness, such contentment, can never last in an Arda marred by one who himself would never be happy and never know contentment.

*******

Translation:

Ada - father

Nana - mother

Author’s note: Big thanks to Lady Legrace for beta reading. In case you didn’t know Maeglin was not named till he was twelve year old.