rose-of-the-bright-sea:

There was a little scrap of paper that Elu Thingol kept in his pocket at all times. If asked, the king would not have been able to explain why. Most days, he forgot that it was there. On occasion, Elu would forget the paper in his sleeping chambers, and he would spend the day twisting on his throne in discomfort. The paper was a welcome weight, different than the sort that came with the crown.

The ink was mostly faded, but Elu could still make out the old drawing. The spiraling star was poorly drawn, like all things drawn by Finwë’s hand, and it made Elu smile to look upon. A simple gift from a cherished friend was nothing to look down upon.

Melian once offered to restore the drawing to its original state, but Elu declined. Even should the ink fade beyond recognition, Elu would have it fade as Finwë’s creation and Finwë’s creation alone.

“A star for a star!” Finwë grinned, even as Elwë doubled over. “Stop laughing! I tried!”

“I could not tell,” Elwë managed.

Elu ran his thumb over the paper and looked up at his banners with a distant smile. They were beautifully crafted, fit for a king, but they still paled in comparison to Finwë’s gift.