Chapter 2

Hey everyone, hope everybody is staying safe wherever you are in these rather difficult times. Before we get started, a couple of things need to be said.
Firstly, I will be aiming for at least one update a month and I fully intend to finish this story. I even have a second story in my head if this one is popular. If I am on a roll, you may get more than one a month so it really depends. If I fail to do that, I am sorry, but we all have lives to live and jobs to go to. (Or will when Lockdown ends) so I hope you understand my position.

Secondly, I have a basic outline for this story and am writing a more detailed plan for the mid to late parts of the story but there is still a lot up in the air. In other words, if you have a suggestion or idea, by all means tell me! I will even give you a credit for the chapter if you want. It will help if you have an account when you do it so that you can pm me and I can get a bit of clarification but I am completely happy with you sharing your ideas!

Finally, there are a couple of things I am unsure about so I am going to leave it up to the readers. If you have an opinion, then leave a review or PM me.
1. Pairing for Harry? Now I am unsure whether to give him one as there aren't many options. One is Arya (never really thought Eragon and Arya were the best match in the world to be honest) Another is to create a totally original character and just go from there? Let me know what you guys think.

2. Should I introduce a few characters from Harry Potter. I am not thinking of merging the two worlds. But there is a certain aviary companion of Harry that I would love to introduce but am not sure. Again, let me know what you think of introducing certain characters or entire magical races into the story. But without further ado, on with the show!
_

While Elves and Humans are vastly different in many ways, in others, they truly are not all that dissimilar. To prove this, all one would need to do is put two human parents and two elven parents in a room and let them naturally begin discussing what raising children is like. Within a few moments of conversation, they will most likely be on the same page. That page is that raising children is both a gift and a nightmare without end. A beautiful, wonderful, fulfilling nightmare with no end in sight. Your children quickly become the bane of your existence, but also your pride and joy and something you love more than anything in the world. Fiolr and Naudra quickly learned this raising Fëanor.

Elven children had not always been rare. Before the Blood Oath with Dragons, Elven children had been almost as common as human children. But that was a long time ago. For the last few centuries, they would be lucky to get a score of children. Now it was even less than before. With the betrayal of Galbatorix and the Forsworn, it was feared that Elven children would be a thing of the past. Without Dragons in the world it seemed the end of the age of Elves had begun. It seemed to many in Ellesméra and the rest of Du Weldenvarden that Fëanor may well be the last Elven child for a while.

Of course, Fiolr and Naudra cared nothing for any of this. They were fully engrossed in the wonders and struggled of being parents, and raising Fëanor. While they had more help than they would ever need as it seemed every Elf alive wished to meet the new child, that did not in fact make raising him the slightest bit easier. In the first year of his life, Fëanor's magic was in constant flux. His amazing ability to change his appearance to suit his whims was a wonder to behold. Despite being a new born, Fëanor continued to find it absolutely hilarious to adapt his appearance to match whoever he was talking to at the time. A regular visitor was Oromis. It was feared by many, including Fiolr and Naudra that Fëanor would attract the attention of Galbatorix. His magic was astonishing. Even as a baby, Fëanor had an instinctive understanding of the deeper mysteries of magic that left Oromis, even at his prime, hopelessly outmatched. Oromis came by regularly to study Fëanor's magic to learn how exactly it was happening and to see if it was attracting unwanted attention. Thankfully, the magical protections of Du Weldenvarden were tough to break and not even Galbatorix was powerful enough to pierce the wards guarding the Woodland Realm.

'So, you are sure that Galbatorix won't be able to sense Fëanor? He is truly safe?' Naudra asked, glancing over her shoulder at Oromis as she fed Fëanor.
'Nothing is ever certain my Lady…' Oromis hesitated as he sensed Lord Fiolr tensing beside him. 'I mean that despite the power of our magical protections and the tireless work of Gilderion in guarding the boarders of the city, nothing should be taken for granted. So much is still unknown about young Fëanor. What his origins are, why he was brought to us, whether he has a part to play in future events…' Oromis paused once again to ponder his last words. 'So long as he does not leave Du Weldenvarden, he should be quite safe. However, if he does, I have no doubts that he will draw attention from the Capital.'

'No one will take my son from me!' Lord Fiolr stated fiercely through gritted teeth, while he gripped his sword so tightly, his hand was near white. 'I thank you for your council my old friend.' Fiolr said with a forced smile. 'My family shall be returning to my father's Halls in the North. It is time he meets my son, and Fëanor will be happier there, away from the cursed politics of the court.'
Oromis briefly chuckled under his breath briefly. Fiolr, like his forefathers before him were legendary in their disdain for politics. Fiolr, started guiding Oromis to the door, where a guard was waiting to escort him out of the family Estate in Ellesméra. 'You are of course welcome to visit anytime you wish. Your council on the raising of my son has been most welcome these past months. You have certainly put my mind somewhat at ease.'
'In that case I wish you and your family well. Until we meet again my friend.' Oromis said with a slight bow as he exited the room.

With Oromis gone, Fiolr turned back to his wife and son and with a warm smile walked towards them. 'Let me hold him for a while my love.' Fiolr said as he kissed the top of her head, taking the boy from her arms. As soon as Fiolr touched the child, Fëanor instantly went from slowly falling asleep after being fed to wide awake and laughing with joy at his father. He scrunched up his face and his features formed into a carbon copy of his father.

Since the Blood Oath Celebration, where Fëanor's magic had seemingly altered himself as their true son, his natural features had seemed to shift slightly to match that of his parents. Like his father he had dark black hair, although it was now straight. He had kept his emerald green eyes which seemed to sparkle with energy when he looked at you. His facial features were Naudra's. He had the same noble features of his mother but with his father's rarely seen warm smile that would light up a room when he occasionally let it show.

Now however, Fëanor seemed to be of a mind that copying his Father's image and making himself a carbon copy was much more fun if his laughter was any indication. Fiolr and Naudra and their household were thoroughly used to this by now. Fëanor's older cousins Folduin and Fraeya both found it hilarious, and loved to carry Fëanor around introducing him to different people in the capital to watch him copy their face.

Naudra sighed contently as she watched the two most important people in the world to her interact. 'You know I had almost gotten him to sleep? He will be up for hours now.' Naudra said without any reproach in her voice. Truth be told, she was not that concerned. But someone needed to be the strict one and while in his day to day life, her Mate was a strict and disciplined man. With his son, he was quite the opposite. Fëanor seemed to have Fiolr wrapped around his tiny little fingers.
'Let him, he can sleep the whole journey tomorrow anyway.' Fiolr said softly between making funny noises at his son which Fëanor seemed to find hilarious.
'If you insist my Love.' Naudra responded, happily watching her two boys interact.

'How long until we are there? Fëanor is getting restless now.' Naudra asked as their company continued from Ellesméra towards the Halls of Faelar. The ancestral home of their house. It was the current residence of Prince Faeranduil. Fiolr's father and Fëanor's Grandfather. He was almost as old as Rhunön and was certainly old enough to remember Alalëa, the homeland of the Elves. He had undertaken the great journey of the Elven people with his father, Faelar who was the founder of their house. The head of House Valtharos had the title of Prince since long before the Elves came to Alagaësia. Their house had been kings for centuries long before their people had crossed the sea. Faeranduil had been a Prince of the Elves for an exceedingly long time now since the tragic death of his father in battle centuries ago. Fiolr hoped that he would continue to be the head of their house for many centuries to come.

Faeranduil had retreated to the Halls of Faelar just over two centuries ago. Like Fiolr, he had no time or interest in politics. He was incredibly old now and as anyone who has met Rhunön can attest, when an Elf gets to a certain age, they tend to inherit quirks. Rhunön for example is exceedingly blunt and yet sharp as the swords she until recently prided herself on making. Faeranduil was once a legend in the Elven court for his brutal honesty when speaking to the Kings and Queens of the past. He was known to treat everyone exactly the same. From the highest king to the lowest beggar, he would speak to you exactly the same way. Which for anyone who knows the slightest bit about Elven politics is not exactly how things are normally done. For the Dwarves and Humans who had interacted with him over the centuries in court, usually found him to be a breath of fresh air compared to dealing with the normal flowery words of the Elves. Eventually however, he had finally come to the point where he felt he had served the Elven people for long enough. Other than his duties as head of his house, most of his time was now spent enjoying retirement. In fact, even most duties of the head of House Valtharos were now undertaken by Lord Fiolr, his son. Whenever a representative of their house was required. Fiolr would attend as he was a member of the Royal Council anyway.

Before, Fiolr could reply to his mate, an Elven horn could be heard at the front of the column. Their destination had been sighted. As they reached the top of the Hill, the Halls of Faelar came into view. The halls were built as an impenetrable fortress in the Mountains to the east of Ellesméra between the capital and Nädindel. The Fortress was not that unusual for the Elves. While within Du Weldenvarden, the Elves preferred to adapt their architecture to the Forest around them, in ages past, the Elves once stretched far and wide throughout Alagaësia. Many of the cities the Empire now inhabit were once Elven cities.

In the past, the House of Valtharos acted as wardens for the Elves in the vast forests of Du Weldenvarden. The Halls of Faelar acting as their command post. Now it was simply considered the last defence if the worst should happen and the wards defending the Forest should fail. The Halls of Faelar were designed as a last defence for the entire Elven people. Although the House of Valtharos hoped that it should never be needed.

Nevertheless, it was a formidable Fortress and as the House of Valtharos had hosted many Dragon Riders amongst their members throughout the ages, it had been adapted in more recent centuries since the Dragon Rider Pact to be as defendable from Dragon attack as possible. The original keep was still present but had been adapted in recent centuries Into the Gate of the Fortress which now resided within the mountains themselves.

While the Dwarves were famous for their stone architecture. The Elven skill in the arts of stonework were not to be underestimated. While none other than the Elves themselves were old enough to remember the great structures, they had built in the past in their homeland, the Halls of Faelar were a testament to the golden age of the Elves.

'We are here my love.' Fiolr said as he observed his niece and nephew riding towards him from the front.
'About time! Fëanor is determined to escape to his cousins.' Naudra remarked as she hopelessly tried to stop Fëanor from wriggling out of her arms. He was reaching excitedly towards his cousins who were waving to him as they rode their horses towards them.
'My, my, is that my little cousin I see over there?' Folduin called out as he and Fraeya arrived beside the carriage Naudra and Fëanor were riding in. The twins hopped off their horses and passed by Fiolr riding his own to get inside the carriage with their Aunt and Cousin. Their horses happily followed on beside them.
'Come on little cousin, sit with me.' Fraeya said lovingly as she happily scooped Fëanor from her Aunts arms. He immediately settled down and enjoyed himself thoroughly with the three grown-ups giving him all the attention in the word.

As the convoy of Elves moved closer to their destination, Naudra spoke up. 'Are the two of you excited to meet your Grandfather?' Naudra asked the twins. The twins were only half a century old and while grown up by mortal standards, were still considered barely adolescents to Elves. After the death of their father when they were new-borns, they had been the responsibility of Fiolr. And unfortunately for them, Fiolr had not been back to his ancestral home in that time. Elves had very, very long lives due to their immortality so fifty years was nothing to most to wait to meet the rest of their family.
'Yes Auntie, I cannot wait to meet him and finally walk the halls of our forefathers. Is it true that Támerlein is kept there?' Folduin asked, while his sister continued to fuss over Fëanor.
Naudra masterfully hid a grimace at the mention of the riders sword of her brother, who had died defending Ilirea from the foresworn. Despite the joy of finally having a son, some wounds were hard to heal.
'Yes, my brothers' sword is kept there, along with many other treasures from throughout our family's history.' Naudra replied, forcing a smile to her face, not wanting to burden the young with her pain. While the twins were old enough to remember her brother, they had in fact only met him once. Due to Elven children being so rare, they almost always grew up within the safety of the Woodland Realm. Her brother, being a rider, had many responsibilities in his life and had only returned to Ellesméra once in their lifetime. This meant that they did not feel the pain of his loss as clearly as Naudra did. And she had no intention of letting that change.
Before Naudra could allow her sudden sombre mood to ruin the children's excitement at finally seeing their ancestral home and the wonders held within, a call was heard from outside the carriage at the front of the column.

'Riders Approaching from the Fortress!'

They were roughly a mile from the Fortress now and as Naudra poked her head out to confirm the call, she could indeed see riders coming towards them from the opened gates. The riders arrived a few minutes later, and after exchanging the formal elven greetings, escorted them to the walls of the Mountain Fortress itself. Fraeya and Folduin stuck their heads out of either side of the carriage in awe at their surroundings as they passed through the gate and into the walls of the fortress itself.

'Where are my Grandchildren?!' Naudra smiled as she heard the bellowing voice of the patriarch of House Valtharos. She stepped out of the carriage with Fëanor in her arms, with the twins hot on her heels, into the main courtyard outside the giant former keep of former Fortress and current entrance to the mountain itself.
'Father, it is been a long time.' Fiolr bowed his head slightly as he approached the figure storming towards them. Naudra stepped forward to stand by her mates side as the twins stood beside her. Folduin was trying his hardest to stand up straight and proud just like his Uncle was currently doing. Fraeya however couldn't have cared less it seemed. She was shamelessly staring at the architecture around her in absolute awe. It was understandable of course. For someone who has seen nothing but the great cities of the Elves in the trees of the Woodland Realm, the stone buildings around her must have been as fascinating to her as a Human seeing the forest of Du Weldenvarden for the first time.

'Prince Faeranduil, may I introduce you to Folduin and Fraeya, your Grandchildren through Faldir.' Naudra said as she gave Fraeya a sharp elbow to the ribs to make her pay attention. She gasped and turned forward to face the towering presence of her Grandfather standing before them. Just like Fiolr, He was clearly a warrior. Standing taller than most men and elves alike with flowing silver hair and powerful and piercing Emerald Green Eyes, but with a warm smile.
'Grandfather.' The twins greeted as they bowed their heads to him slightly.
Faeranduil chuckled warmly and bent down lower to allow him to look them in the eye. 'You both look just like your father. Faldir was a good man and a fine son. His death was a tragedy. There are some possessions of his I would like to show you later from his childhood. I am sure he would like you to have them.' Faeranduil said solemnly yet warmly with his hands on their shoulders. The twins nodded eagerly. Excited at the prospect of learning more about their father and of course, spending time with their Grandfather who they had grown up hearing stories of.

'And this, is my son, Fëanor. Fiolr said proudly as he gestured to the child in Naudra's arms. Faeranduil stepped towards Naudra and as he did so, Fëanor suddenly went from playing with his mothers' finger happily to staring directly at the towering man in front of him. He took a moment to take in his presence before giggling and just as he had with many times before with people, he took a liking to, morphed his features to match his Grandfathers. Faeranduil was amazed at the casual display of such powerful magic in front of him.
'fascinating, may I?' Faeranduil said as he held out his arms expectantly. Naudra happily handed Fëanor over and just as he had with his mother before he seemed to thoroughly enjoy making as much of a mess of Faeranduil's hair as possible as the man happily held his Grandchild in his arms.

'He is gifted…' Faeranduil said in wonder as he gazed at the child in his arms with pure joy and happiness in his eyes. 'Welcome little one. I have no doubt that great and wondrous things await you.'

A.N

Hey everyone. I hope you enjoyed the latest chapter. I have re-uploaded this as I was having trouble with the latter half and had been sitting on it for a while. In the end I blitzed out a couple of hundred words this evening. In my rush to publish it, it wasn't really proof read at all. Thank you to Ellaxarion for pointing out that I had made a few punctuation errors. You may notice them as well as the fact I have the tendency to capitalise things randomly. I am really, really sorry about this. This is sort of why I am looking for a proof-reader if someone is really invested in the story. Punctuation and Grammar were never my forte. I do the best I can.

I have gone through and fixed things where I can. Hopefully I haven't missed any random capitals that have come out of nowhere. Concerning the punctuation. I am just not great at that and it may well be an ongoing problem.