Rift in the Peace
The passing year had seen peace settle over Taranis's life in ways he had never imagined. His days spent with Liriel and Maglor were filled with purpose, comfort, and love. Time had allowed his heart to heal, and the weight of his past seemed lighter with each sunrise. In the quiet of the shore, Taranis had finally come to understand that he had found his home—something he had been searching for ever since he'd first arrived in Middle-earth.
But, as with all things, the peace was not meant to last forever.
Maglor had been more observant than Taranis had realized, and it seemed that the quiet harmony between the three had not gone unnoticed by the elf lord. The bond between Taranis and Liriel had grown in ways neither had anticipated. Liriel, with her laughter and wisdom, had slowly become the center of Taranis's world. Taranis, too, had become Liriel's constant, a steady presence in her life—a man she had come to love deeply, despite the difference in their lifespans. For the first time, Liriel seemed willing to defy the natural order, to choose a mortal life beside him.
But Maglor, ever the vigilant father, saw things differently.
One evening, as the sky darkened with the approach of night, Maglor called Taranis into the house. The mood was tense, and Taranis immediately sensed that something was amiss. Liriel had already gone to the garden to tend to the plants, leaving father and lover to face an uncomfortable truth.
Maglor stood by the fire, his posture rigid, his sharp elven features framed in the flickering light. There was an intensity in his gaze that made Taranis uneasy.
"Taranis," Maglor began, his voice cold, though not unkind. "I have known of your relationship with my daughter for some time now. You may think you've hidden it from me, but I have seen the way you two are with one another."
Taranis opened his mouth to speak but was silenced by the sharp look Maglor gave him.
"I do not begrudge you your love for Liriel. What I do begrudge is the fact that you are a mortal. You are a man," Maglor's voice dropped, heavy with an anger Taranis had not expected, "and she is an elf."
Taranis's heart sank as the weight of Maglor's words pressed down on him. He had known the implications of their relationship, but hearing them spoken aloud gave them a sharpness he had not anticipated.
"I do not believe you understand what this means," Maglor continued, his voice rising now, as he took a step toward Taranis. "When you die, Taranis, my daughter will live on. She will watch as the years take their toll on you, as they have on all men, and she will remain behind, forced to live with the grief of losing you. It is not something I can allow to happen."
Taranis felt a knot tighten in his stomach. He opened his mouth to protest, but Maglor held up his hand, silencing him.
"You must leave. Leave my daughter, and leave this place. You are not meant for her, not in the long run. She deserves more than the fleeting life of a mortal."
Taranis took a step back, his mind racing. The words struck him like a blow. He had never thought about it this way. He had never imagined that his love for Liriel would cause such a rift, nor that Maglor would see it as a burden for his daughter.
"Please, I beg you," Maglor's voice softened, almost pleading now, "for her sake. Leave, and she will eventually forget. It is for the best."
Taranis was stunned. He could feel the weight of Maglor's words pressing down on him, and for a moment, he felt small—insignificant. The years of friendship, the bond that had formed between them all, now seemed fragile and easily shattered.
But even as Maglor's words echoed in his mind, something else stirred in Taranis. He thought of Liriel—her laugh, her voice, the way she had looked at him when they had first met. The idea of walking away from her, of leaving her behind without even a chance to explain himself, filled him with a deep, aching sorrow.
"No." Taranis's voice was firm, and though it wavered, it held a strength he hadn't known he had. "I won't leave her."
Maglor's eyes flashed with fury. "You will leave her. I will not have you ruin her life."
"You can't make me leave her," Taranis replied, his voice rising now, a fire beginning to burn in his chest. "I will not abandon her just because you say so."
For a long moment, there was silence. Maglor stood tall, his brow furrowed in anger, while Taranis held his ground. Neither spoke, but the tension in the room was palpable, thick with unspoken words and unheeded pleas.
At last, Maglor spoke, his voice lower now, but still filled with authority. "I will give you no choice."
Without another word, Maglor turned and left the room, his footsteps echoing in the silence. Taranis stood still, his mind spinning, and his heart aching as the weight of Maglor's demands settled over him like a shroud.
Liriel found him later that night, pacing by the edge of the shore, the moonlight casting long shadows across the water. Her eyes immediately found his, searching for the reason behind the tension she felt in the air.
"Taranis?" Her voice was soft, concerned, but it held an edge of urgency, as though she knew something had changed between them. "What's happened? Where is my father?"
Taranis looked at her, his heart breaking. He wanted to tell her everything, to explain that it wasn't just his choice. That her father had forced his hand. But the words caught in his throat.
"It's over," he said finally, his voice hoarse. "Your father—he wants me to leave."
Liriel's face fell, her expression one of disbelief. "What? No. Taranis, you can't—he can't—"
"He's right," Taranis cut in, trying to soften the blow. "You deserve more than a mortal's life. I can't—"
"I don't care about that!" Liriel's voice cracked, her desperation breaking through. She reached out to him, her hands trembling. "I love you, Taranis. Don't you understand? I've chosen this life with you, even if it's only for a short time. I won't give it up."
Taranis's heart twisted painfully as he looked into her eyes, and in that moment, he knew he could never walk away from her. Not now, not ever. His own fears, the doubts that had once haunted him, now seemed insignificant compared to the love he felt for her.
"I'll leave," he said, his voice barely above a whisper. "I'll leave because I can't bear to see you hurt. But if you want to stay with me, if you want to come with me—then I'll never let you go."
Liriel's gaze softened, and before Taranis could even react, she threw herself into his arms. "I'm coming with you," she whispered fiercely. "Wherever you go, I will follow. I choose you, Taranis. I choose this life, with you."
And with that, Taranis knew that everything he had feared, everything that had threatened to pull them apart, was nothing compared to the strength of what they shared.
The next morning, just before the sun rose, Taranis packed what few belongings he had. Liriel stood beside him, her face determined, her eyes filled with a quiet strength. There was no turning back now. Taranis knew that Maglor would come for them, that he would try to stop them, but the bond between him and Liriel was stronger than any force Maglor could wield.
And as the sun rose, casting golden light over the ocean, Taranis and Liriel turned their backs on the life they had known. Together, they would face whatever came next, with no fear, no regrets.
They had each other, and that was enough.