Chapter 13
Summary: When cold breeze comes

A/N: This chapter is a gift for honooxtama from tumblr
Hope you like it.
Sorry to all my followers here for the chapter dump after not updating for ages.

The meadow was full of life - small birds were flying around, jumping between flowers and leaves on trees encircling the glade. A small brook was flowing through this area, hidden in tall, green grass. The air was full of scents of flowers and dirt, fresh and warm.

Manwë was sitting on a blanket, admiring the soft breeze and holding a cookie in one hand. On his other hand he had a bird sitting, singing to him about nestlings in its nest. The atmosphere was full of life, harmony and peace.

"Hey, bird brain!" Manwë lifted his head to see a tall figure approaching. They were clad in a black robe adorned with red and silver snakes. Their hair was flowing behind his back like mane of a wild horse or flames.

"Hello, brother. Please, don't call me this name, alright?" Manwë smiled softly as the other Ainu stopped beside him. "Come and sit with me, I have cookies," he gestured to a basket sitting upon the blanket next to him. Melkor gave a nod and sat down, facing the Sun and smiling as its rays warmed his face. His hand, bearing no signs of burn marks, reached into the basket to pick three chocolate cookies. The Vala of Airs inhaled deeply - the world was as it should be.

"I visited Aulë and told him that his mountains are boring. Especially the Blue Mountains," Melkor said, stuffing a cookie in his mouth between sentences. "He got annoyed, but listened to my suggestions, so I think he may make a volcano or two there."

"A volcano?" Manwë tilted his head, mirroring the motion of the bird on his hand.

"Yeah. And if he doesn't I will make one myself," Melkor gave him a mischevious smile and lifted a finger. "Don't tell him, it'll be a surprise."

"Oh, okay," Manwë nodded and ate the rest of his cookie before reaching for a next one. "Did you meet with Nessa? She told me she wants to see you."

"Yeah," Melkor nodded. "I went to her this morning."

Two brothers were sitting in silence for a moment, peacefully eating their cookies. Then Melkor smiled at Manwë and sat closer to him to rest his head on Manwë's shoulder.

"I am glad to be with you again," he said. "We don't always agree, but it is still nice to be able to actually talk to you and see you."

Manwë gave a nod, feeling love and joy fill his heart. He touched Melkor's mind to find those chaotic, always changing patterns of thoughts, mixed emotions and mischevious nature. He knew things weren't perfect, but they had time to learn now, to grow wiser and more understanding of each other. He was determined to mediate between Melkor and the rest of the Ainur, to make it work.

He couldn't lose his twin again.

"I love you," he confessed the obvious thing. Melkor chuckled.

"I know, little brother," he said, still resting his head against Manwë's shoulder, looking at clouds in the sky. "We will be always together since now, don't worry, bird brain," he added, grinning. Manwë smiled and nudged his side with his elbow, playfully.

"Don't call me that!"

"I will call you whatever I want to!" Melkor stated, laughing at his brother's expression.

A cold breeze came, sweeping through the meadow and Manwë froze, tasting it, analyzing it. It was different from the air around them. It was...

The meadow disappeared in grey mist and Manwë lifted his hand to call wind to blow the mist away. And as it did the Vala found himself sitting upon his stone throne in the Circle of Doom. The rest of the thrones were empty, but he wasn't alone. Melkor was kneeling before him, chained and blindfolded. Black blood was dripping from his wounds and marring the white stones onder his fana.

"Guilty," Manwë heard his own voice utter this one word, the one word he didn't want to say. Melkor lifted his head and the scarf covering his face disappeared. Manwë looked straight into his balazing eyes filled with pride, fear, hate and rage mixed together. He could see the expression on Melkor's face. The Vala wanted to lift his hand and say something, but found himself unable to move. He could just watch Melkor.

"How could you do this to me? To your twin?" he asked. "You traitor!"

"I had no choice. You did so many wrong things..." Manwë managed to whisper. Melkor stood up, prideful and angry. Chains were still enfolding his fana, but they were hanging loosely from his shoulders, wrapping around his chest and hips.

"I was doing what I was supposed to do! I am the Ainu of chaos, the creator of the second melody!" he said. "I wanted to be free, to influence Arda, and you chained me and locked away from it! You, who should understand me the best! You who should love and trust me."

The Vala lowered his head, feeling guilty and in pain. He was right, Manwë was a terrible brother - a traitor. But how could he do anything else? He had to stop Melkor. He had to.

"I am so sorry," Manwë whispered and approached his brother. He wanted to embrace him, comfort him, but realized that Melkor didn't want him close. He didn't want him to touch him. Manwë stopped just before his brother, not sure what to do. Guilt and pain filled his heart, almost choked him.

"You betrayed me thrice, Manwë," stated the dark Ainu. "You took from me everything I loved and you think I could forgive you and call my brother again. We will not speak again, we will not be together again. You lost your chance."

"Please, Melkor, I can't lose you... Not again," Manwë felt tears running down his cheeks.

"You lost me long ago," Melkor replied, lifting both hands to show him the chins. Insides of his hands were burned. "You chose to follow Eru, not me. May you never forget this." Melkor's voice was more like a growl, more like a vile hiss, than actual voice of a person.

A cold breeze came, sweeping through the Circle of Doom and Manwë realized it was different than the air around him. It was carrying the scent of home. It was...

Real.

***
There were no trees around him, no birds and no flowers. And no Melkor, chuckling and calling him silly names.
There were no stone thrones and no stillness of the place of judgement. And no Melkor, chained and calling him a traitor.

He was curled in a ball under a blanket in his bed. White walls were covered with tapestries depicting forests and lakes. The ceiling was a starry sky. A soft breeze was filling the air with sweet, fresh scent of flowers from a garden. He looked in direction of a window. A tall figure was standing there, long hair falling on her back like a waterfall of grey mist.

He stood up and approached her, wrapping his arms around her slender waist as he stood behind her. She looked up at him, her dark eyes clouded with worry and sadness. He knew already she was sad - for everytine she was sad her hair was no longer glowing silver, but grey and dark. After a second she relaxed in his embrace and rested her back against his chest. Her warm hands covered his in a comforting gesture. They both looked outside of their chamber in Ilmarin. Their eyes were not looking at mundane things, nor at the starry skies. They were looking at the Door of Night.

"You were dreaming about him," she whispered after a long time. "Again."

He could hear in her voice she felt sorry for him and wasn't upset because of his feelings for his brother, but because she knew how much pain Melkor had caused him. He knew she hated Melkor more than anything. Still, because she loved Manwë, she was careful never to speak badly about the Dark Ainu.

"Yes," he nodded. "I wish my dream could be real... And reality but a nightmare. Yet..." he fell silent. She knew how much he desired his brother to return to them. She knew much more than any other Ainu about Manwë and Melkor. She understood their bond.

"Yet he chose his path and walked in darkness," she finished for him. "And none of us could change him back."

Manwë realized he was crying when Varda turned in his arms and wiped tears from his cheeks.

"You two are simiar in this - both stubborn. He would do everything against Iluvatar, you would do anything to help him. Yet you couldn't save him from himself."

"I know."

But it doesn't make it easier.
Notes:

Disclaimer: All places and characters belong to J. R. R. Tolkien (unless stated otherwise)
I am not a native speaker and have a bad case of dysgraphia. If you find a mistake in any of my texts feel free to send me a pn about that and I will fix it.