OPEN RP POST

[elfoflight]

Pretty straight forward. You have an idea you want to play out with Finarfin, throw up a starter or plotting comment and we'll go from there. Haven't threaded with me before but want to try something different than how you found this journal? That's fine too! I'm always open to new RP partners. If you have questions, feel free to shoot me a PM if you're more comfortable that way.

Comments

[bythewaves]

Maglor eats neatly, for all that this is quite possibly the first meal he has had in a while, but quietly too, not the chatter of the child of long ago, or the more somber adult, he eats efficiently, wasting nothing, the beggar who is not certain when he will get more.

[elfoflight]

Just as France ate, though it was clear in how he ate that it was more that it was rare he made this kind of meal. It sometimes hurt too much to have certain reminders. But with company, specifically Maglor, it was a bittersweet pain and worth it.

He also wasted nothing. For all that he enjoyed wine with food, it didn't feel right in this instance. A more innocent memory, and one he'd cherish. Conversation wasn't needed, and the silence was comfortable.

He was thinking about what song he wanted to hear, and an idea started to form. Maybe... Could he?

[bythewaves]

"You're starting to get a plotty look on your face uncle." Maglor cleans up his plate and crooks an eyebrow at him.

[elfoflight]

France blinked, looking up. "Hm?" Then quirked a brow as a smile played with his lips. "Is that a technical term, or did you merely make it up?"

[bythewaves]

Maglor lifts his chin, and for a moment he resembles his father, right down to arrogant tone and set of his shoulders.

"And what if I did?" Then he ducks his head, slightly abashed to be caught playing so and shrugs shyly

"Arthur's boy uses it. Mm, Sealand? I think his name was."

[elfoflight]

He couldn't help the cough of a laugh at the blazing resemblance, an old pang of memory followed right behind it. Ah, but he did miss his family. Faults and all.

France grinned at the mention of Sealand, and being England's son. "England would curse if he heard you say that. Sealand is hardly a nation, for all he wishes he were." But Maglor had to know that already, right?

[bythewaves]

"Mm, I know. But Arthur treats him like a little brother and so..." And so Maglor treats him like a fond grandfather might.

He shrugs shyly, pleased that France found some amusement in his mimicry of his father (once, it was just a game, to copy and to mimic, but now it is a survival skill, and he has seldom chances to use it in play like this now)

[elfoflight]

If he were a crass nation, he'd have balled his napkin up and tossed it at Maglor. But he wasn't, nor was he a child. Instead, he rolled his eyes at his nephew, even if he was grinning.

"An annoying little brother." Even if he was fond of the boy himself, Sealand did go over the top.

France finished the last bite before standing and walking over to Maglor and simply wrapped his arms around him in another hug. The younger elf needed more hugs.

[bythewaves]

"Are not all little brothers so?" He retorts and goes stiff again when hugged. (Again and again, and he takes less time to unbend each time).

"I do not remember you wanting to hug so much, uncle"

[elfoflight]

"It's in the job description," he quipped right back with an unrepentant half grin, eyes dancing.

"You never seemed to need it so much before. And I have missed you." And all his family.

[bythewaves]

Shyly, arms come up to cling in return.

"I missed you as well." All of them, but the ache became a secret treasure to hold close, a reminder of all he had lost, of the price he was required to pay.

[elfoflight]

France tightened his arms around Maglor just a little at the return of the hug, and the admission of having been missed. He knew it included so many others, but it was still good to hear at times.

And they both were paying that price, one somewhat more willingly than the other. The ache would never fully fade, he knew. But at times it was more bearable. Eventually he would show Maglor his secret room where he kept more private paintings he'd done of their friends and relatives at various stages of life, as best he could remember them.

Eventually he pulled back and away, half turning to quietly start cleaning up.

[bythewaves]

Maglor clings, now that he has permission, but he, too, pulls back and without needing to be asked he comes over to help tidy. Princes they may have been but Feanor and Nerdanel raised their sons right - all of them know how to do the basic chores, and not to quibble about helping.

"What would you have me do, Uncle, if I am to stay for a few days?"

[elfoflight]

Nations topped princes. Just saying. It had been quite a while since France had had servants, and he preferred doing basic things on his own anyway. Some things around a nation's house could only be handled by that nation, anyway. So he cooked. He cleaned. He even did his own damn laundry.

Having his nephew work along side him just had him smile, glad Maglor hadn't lost the manners his parents had brought him up with. Nor was he surprised.

"Keep me company when I am not at meetings. Talk to me about your travels. I want to hear everything!" And there might have been a hint of a laugh with the latter, as he didn't expect to get to hear everything in just a couple days. A little more seriously then, "Walk with me in the evenings. It has been a while since I have had a good walking companion."

And... "And there are children in the park during the day who have not heard your voice. I would ask you to sing to them, so they may appreciate it."

[bythewaves]

"Everything?" Maglor answers that hint of a laugh with a shy smile of his own. "That is a very wide reaching answer, uncle. I do not think we have that much time, not even if we walk again those days together."

He blinks and ducks his head a little. France would trust him with his children

"I... yes, I can do that."

[elfoflight]

Those hints of laughter were so very worth every inch of effort. His heart ached for the days that were, before the bloodshed, even if they could never again be reality for this family. It was tainted, regardless of how much repentance and sorrow there was.

France chuckled softly, nodding with agreement. "Perhaps. All the more reason for you to visit."

The smile softened at the clearly touched reaction, and reached out to brush fingertips along Maglor's cheek. "Thank you." Yes. He did trust him with his precious children.

/casually leans on fourth wall

[bythewaves]

A sly slant of a smile.

"Do not be angry if your little ones come home singing songs of Tirion then. Or with a thirst for the stories of England's Professor Tolkien."

/cackles

[elfoflight]

France pouted, though it was hardly real.

"Then they will have learned them right and true. And I will feed them tales of England's professor, in French." What other language would France let his children study? Especially those tales, though he'd snuck a peek to make certain the translations were correct.

/walks right through fourth wall

[bythewaves]

"I miss John" Maglor admits. "He was a good man, and the first mortal I taught Quenya too in so long. He called his wife Luthien, did you know? It is written on their tombstones - Beren and Luthien. He loved that tale the best."

A proud lift of his head. "The tales are accurate. I helped him with the translations myself." Mumbled "If only that movie director had been more willing to listen"

OMG XD

[elfoflight]

And that explained everything. France listened quietly, raising a brow as if in doubt. Even though there was none. "That does explain the Noldo concentration." Not that he'd minded. "Perhaps you'd like to explain why my granddaughter supposedly had a twin at first?"

And Jackson's mention earned a little wince and a sigh. "He did draw more attention to the tales, however inaccurate he protrayed them..."

Re: OMG XD

[bythewaves]

"I wanted to do more but... then the War came. And I was busy also." Using elven skill to get into places Men could not, trying to save as many lives as he could.

"Ah... well John did his best, but some of those transcripts are very archaic, and not the best preserved although Mirkwood has done what he could. And I was not always around to correct them until later."

A shrug. "In fairness, he did speak to both England and me, and he did the best he could. I know the studios pushed him a lot in certain directions as well. ... I still feel vaguely like I need to apologise for the existence of Tauriel in the latest movies. I am sure Mirkwood will never speak to me again."

[elfoflight]

Maglor didn't need to say what he'd been doing. France could guess well enough, and sent his nephew a proud, if sad, little smile. "Perhaps you could write to his son. Talk to him of more than just our family."

He nodded in understanding. And frowned faintly at the mention of Mirkwood. "I regret not having paid Mirkwood a visit." Ever. It hadn't occurred to him. Who else of the old world should he have hunted down to speak with, but hadn't?

He would have to fix that, and hope the ancient nation would forgive the terrible over-sight in time. "Men need their romance," he murmured dryly. "And controvercy."

[bythewaves]

"I suppose I should. It just... never seemed the right time." Maglor nods slowly.

"Well. In fairness Mirkwood never speaks to anyone except England? He doesn't much like me, either." Not surprising, really. "If any of the other Elven Kingdoms remain, I have not seen them. The Dwarven Realms the same. If there are any, they are very well hidden."

Maglor does not roll his eyes, but only because he has better manners than that. "They could have got it in any other way than rehashing our family's tragedy in less than subtle means."

[elfoflight]

"Make the time right. I think he might enjoy hearing more." Though he was just as guilty, having never really gone to meet Tolkien before his death.

France stifled a sigh upon hearing that. It shouldn't surprise him, even before he'd become France he hadn't sought out certain individuals. He had to change that - he was bigger than he'd been. And nations should stick together. "I will need to see if I can find him." Resolute. "And others, if they remain."

Arafinwe had the same manners. But France didn't particularly care about them when he didn't feel like it. He nodded, a wince not quite making it to the gesture. "They could have done many things. But they didn't."

[bythewaves]

If he had, he might have run into Maglor earlier, sitting there in the Eagle and Child with the Inklings, or laughing at his wedding, the quiet guest in his house.

"Mm. I suppose I should see how Christopher has grown. He gave an interview in French, you know. About how heartsick the movies made him. I... am just glad he did not actually make the Arkenstone a Silmaril. It wasn't, you know. I would not be here today if it was."

Because he would have been oath bound to reclaim it, and would have almost certainly died doing so, by dwarven axes or dragon fire, whichever got to him first.