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"It's not completely without merit"
"Not without merit? Geruil, dear friend, you have traveled too often through the lands of the periannath and listened to many fancy tales. Where it true, our own histories would mention it."
Erestor hoped dearly that the two neri were too engrossed in their argument to remember him.
Every time Geruil returned to Imbelaris, he brought up the theory and a new round of arguments came up. It had resulted in five shouting matches, three brawls and one particularly nasty food fight. And that was just within the last ten years.
Every ner old enough to remember the first age was asked several times to comment.
"Our or rather your histories do mention it. Just because you Noldo get some weird twist in your pants when it's about one of your divisive figures".
"Divisive? You are calling him divisive? And besides our histories are well put together. Numerous credited historians have devoted ages for a throughout study of the first age, the war of wrath and have done a through accounting of the past."
Erestor's personal favorite point in the whole discussion had been when Geruil at one point simply asked Glorfindel for his opinion.
No cups of whine were needed. Nor any dares. Geruil couldn't be called cowardly and was far to curious for his own well-being. Erestor couldn't quite remember the last ner bold enough to just ask about Glorfindel's life before death.
The shocked faces and aghast looks in the hall of fire still brought a smile to his face. Nissi and neri of this age were so delightfully and easily shocked. Although even Geruil's bravery faltered before the Lord of Imladris and so far none had inquired on Lord Elrond's opinion on the matter. A pity really. For if anyone in this day and age should comment on the matters of the House of Feanor, it was him.
"I will not entertain the thought. No Geruil, I won't. The periannath are not the descendants the Lady Haleth and Caranthir Feanorion. Wherever and how often you hear this tale it will not make it anymore true."
"But I do have evidence. And while I don't understand your vehemence against oral history I'm capable of learning and have with me written source."
"The written account of Master Meriadoc Brandybock is not a valid source. It was written merely 15 years ago."
"Careful Surion. If I didn't know you, I might think that you do not hold the periannath in high regard."
"I hold them in the highest regard. Evidently so, because the ringbearers own account of their stories makes a brief mention of their histories and there is no mention - none at all about any illicit meetings between the Lady Haleth and Caranthir Feanorion.
Indeed instead he says the origin of the periannath is lost to history."
"Aye it was a book written for both halflings and other folks. Indeed the Lord Frodo would not put the secrets of his people so openly. But Surion surely you see it. They insist they're most closely related to men and yet are not men. They age slower and grow older than any men not of numenoran descend.
And their height even. As their people grow older they grow smaller and yet it has been said that the Haladin were a smaller people of men."
"And they all died. If not to the tragedy of Hurin then later during the sack of Sirion. If your theory were true then the last two sons of Feanor slayed their own brothers descen-"
Erestor could not help himself anymore and a rather too loud snort left his mouth. Alas remaining hidden behind the shrubbery proved to be not sustainable anymore.
And sure enough both Geruil and Surion had turned to him. Geruil with a slightly mad grin and Surion with a look of formulated exasperation. If Erestor hadn't known Surion for the last age and seen him grow from small child to overeager academic he might even have believed it.
Now would they've the guts to accuse him of eavesdropping? It would certainly make his month if they did it. Everyone insisted on being overly proper with him.
It would have to be Geruil. Surion only lost his good sense of manners as well as regard for time and place if he got into an academic tirade.
"Lord Erestor perfect timing. Just the person we needed to solve our discussion. Even if descendants of their brother lived in the Havens of Sirion, it would not have stayed the hands of House Feanor."
The young Sindar could not even begin to guess how close he was to truth. Perfect timing indeed.
Still he could smell the thick dark smoke. A smoke that tasted like salt and iron. For Sirion was rich in salt and iron ores. At least that was what some neri told themselves. Everyone needed their little lies they knew to be untrue to make it into the resting arms of Irmo.
However Erestor had always been for the truth, less the Vala punish his sleep more than his memories already did on their own. So much blood and tears had been spilled in Sirion and the smoke carried it far and wide to tell all of the horrors of the Havens.
"It would not. Could not even with the oath they had sworn. They tried for a time but not even feanorian stubbornness could hold out long against the oath. For they were doomed."
Surion injected before Geruil could further spin his theories.
"Oath or no oath there is no recorded issue by the Lady Haleth. Be it by Caranthir Feanorion or anyone else. The leadership of the Haladin went through her brother Halad. Hence the reason they're called Haladin."
Erestor could agree with that statement and let matters be. Claim important duties he had been too long away from to leave the two young neri. But it had been a quiet few months.
And Elrond had given him the rather dull duty of analyzing Haradrim sea trading during the gold embargo by King Gil-Galad. A punishment if he ever heard of it.
"For a time they were known both as the Haladin and Halethrim in Beleriand. We used it interchangeably at least until they left Brethil."
"What are you insinuating Lord Erestor?" Surion’s brows were creased and Geruil’s grin grew even larger.
"The House of Haleth was a folk of men. And while not as numerous as others they held Brethil alone. Were numerous enough for Caranthir to offer them a fief of their own. They took part in multiple battles and even after the sack of Nargothrond they fought against the forces of Morgoth. Now through the trickery of woods and darkness, instead of open battle. Yet in the Havens of Sirion only a handful of families arrived.
Ephel Brandir was sacked and all potential heirs were slain or driven away in the anarchy that followed. As Pengolodh himself wrote."
What an arrogant and vainglorious scholar that one was. Having evermore an opionion on matters he had not been privy too. While Erestor missed several of his companions who chose to sail west after the fall of King Gil-Galad. He had not been overly sad to see Quengoldo depart to Tol Eressëa.
Erestor looked at Geruil and Surion with raised eyebrows and found two open mouths and wide eyes. That should do the trick and keep Elrond busy for the next few weeks trying to keep some kind of order within Imbelaris.