First song

[bythewaves]

Who: Maglor
Broadcast: Fleetwide
Action: Marsiva
When: Now until shuffle

Broadcast

He comes awake in a gasp, hands flying immediately to weapons that are not there as he rolls into a wary crouch. The man is slender, almost beautiful, long dark hair and clear grey eyes that seem to glow from within. He is dressed in what are best described as robes - once fine but now faded and worn, if clean due to the efforts of whoever put him there. Almost innocuously compared to the shabby state of him, there is a silver eight pointed star pinned to his clothes that looks impossibly untarnished and is obviously of very high quality.

"Who is there?"

Action

Maglor moves silently through the halls, no sound of his footfalls. He is wary, anxious - this is something totally outside his experience. But then he passes a window looking out and he stops, a cry of wonder breaking from his lips as he falls to his knees. A hand comes up to his mouth, the other gripping the harp that seems to have been the only thing that came with him, as silent tears run down his face.

"A! Elbereth!"

Comments

[bythewaves]

Her father? You are not the father then?

[ Maglor tips his head curiously ]

But tis good to hear that she has family.

[neversets]

I'm Dad, he's Daddy. Her birth parents were killed the day she was born, we've raised her ever since we rescued her.

[bythewaves]

Oh, I see. [ That's... weird, but okay ] I did not think that was a thing amongst Men.

Your daughter is fortunate to have family to care for her in place of those who cannot.

[neversets]

Think what was?

... oh, do you come from a place where homosexuality isn't a thing that's okay?

[bythewaves]

In my experience, amongst Men, at least, it is not usual, no.

[ Maglor shrugs ] I do not know that word, but if you mean that two men might lie together, then it is not the normal state of things.

[neversets]

Men who focus their romantic and sexual attentions on other men, yeah. Or women who focus on women.

In my world, once, it was illegal. But frankly, I do plenty of illegal things for a greater good; who I want to share my bed with is between me and them and my daughter if he's going to be part of our life.

[bythewaves]

Illegal? [ Maglor tips his head curiously ] Not the norm, certainly, but that seems... a little harsh. But if you and he are happy then...

[ S H R U G ]

[neversets]

We were.

... I thought we were. Until he left.

[bythewaves]

[ Gentling, Maglor rests a hand on Apollo's arm in sympathy ]

I am sorry.

[neversets]

Thanks.

[ He pats the hand on his arm. His arm, his hand, all of him is just warm like lying in a sunbeam is warm. ]

[bythewaves]

[ Maglor notes that with interest, but does not ask ]

I know for Men your unions are not so binding, but I hope that he will return to you.

[neversets]

... Excuse me?!

[ It takes a lot to actually offend Apollo, but the implication that because he and Midnighter were both men, it somehow made their relationship less permanent burns hard across him.

His eyes have brightened. Literally. There's tiny pin pricks of burn stars in his pupils. ]

Not so binding?!

[bythewaves]

Not that I have seen - Men may marry again, but for my folk we have but one that we give our heart to for all time.

[ Maglor blinks, startled, rearing back, wary - it has been a long time, but the movement is that of a warrior going for weapons before settling into a defensive stance, coiled and still ]

Is that not so? Amongst my folk only once has any taken another and... well, it was rather exceptional circumstances.

[neversets]

[ It takes another moment for the words to percolate, but when they do, the light in his eyes dims and he straightens from his posture of anger. ]

You... don't mean male when you say men, do you? You mean 'human'.

[bythewaves]

[ Maglor on the other hand, does not straighten, although his voice never leaves its quiet, polite lilt, watching Apollo warily for long moments - obviously, he's been hurt before ]

Aye?

[neversets]

Not men as in, people who are male.

You're another species. Who probably have life mates.

[ He finally relaxes again and offers a sheepish smile. ]

I'm so sorry, I thought you were, like, slagging off gay people. Homosexuals.

[bythewaves]

[ Still very wary, although he relaxes when Apollo smiles ]

I did not think that we were so forgotten as to be unknown. Although I suppose if I am understanding this whole thing aright, we may not even come from the same worlds.

[neversets]

Almost certainly don't, to be honest.

... are you an actual elf?

[ He had noticed the ears, but frankly, they didn't mean anything. He knew people who were blue, women with wings, pointed ears didn't make anyone not human in his book. ]

[bythewaves]

[ And that wins Apollo a small smile ]

So Men have always called us. The Firstborn, the Quendi, or Eldar, we call ourselves, but elf will do.

[neversets]

Huh.

[ He thinks about this briefly. ]

Sorry about the... menacing there. I thought you were saying something very different. And pretty insulting.

[bythewaves]

[ Maglor shakes his head ]

No - I did not realise you would take insult, the fault is mine.

[neversets]

Maybe... use human instead of 'men'. Men usually just means male human and I'm pretty sure you're more inclusive than that.

Most humans, if you use men, will make the assumption I did.

[bythewaves]

Ah... [ He nods ] I will try and do so - I am old and rather set in my ways. [ He adds wryly ]

How things have changed! Or never been, I suppose. You have heard of us, so I assume at the least there are tales of us?

[neversets]

Oh boy, elves... yeah, in my world elves can be a lot of things. Looking like you, they're called the Fae, or Fair Folk. You never deal with them, they'll cheat you blind given half a chance. An actual 'elf' is like, a small, fairy creature and they're all cultural constructs of folklore.

So elves, like, never actually existed in my world. Sorry.

[bythewaves]

Oh I would not be too sure of that - they say that every story has some basis in truth, if one can but seek it. If there are that many tales, even conflicting, there must be a reason.

[ Maglor says almost wistfully ] Ah but I am a bard still at heart, in love with tales both true and not. Even in my world, we are leaving. We will soon be nothing but a story.