An Interview with Feanor

[aramel-calawen.livejournal.com]

Title: An Interview with Feanor
Author: Aramel
Rating: G
Era: Any time after the First Age

This is something rather silly that I wrote. Basically, the title says it all...

 

Aramel: (bows to Mandos) I am here for a reason, sir.

Mandos: Oh? And what reason is that?

 

Aramel: I wish to speak to Fëanáro son of Finwe.

 

Mandos: Fëanáro? It is not permitted for him to return to the living; and the living shall not speak with the dead.

 

Aramel: Sir, I've come all this way for an interview. Please don't turn me down.

 

Mandos: An interview, you say? Well, all right, provided you interview me as well.

 

Aramel: All right, sir.

 

Mandos: (makes some vague motions with his hand. Fëanor appears.) Fëanor, you have been temporarily re-embodied. I shall come for you again in an hour. (leaves)

 

Aramel: You're Fëanáro?

 

Fëanor: That is correct.

 

Aramel: Ah. Well. I'd like to ask you some questions, and I do hope you will answer me truly.

 

Fëanor: (eyes flashing in anger) I do not lie.

 

Aramel: (hurriedly) I'm not saying you do... er... what did you think of your father's marriage to Lady Indis?

 

Fëanor: (mouth tightening) I do not think it wise or honourable.

 

Aramel: And do you think less of your father for this?

 

Fëanor: I do. (pauses) But I love him no less.

 

Aramel: Thank you. Ah... what is your response to the fact that some of the Eldar are surprised by your marriage to Lady Nerdanel?

 

Fëanor: (laughs) You mean those who think I should not have wed her? To the Void with them and their opinions. I care not.

 

Aramel: ... Did you grieve that you had no daughter?

 

Fëanor: Sometimes. It is strange, that my house is blessed with the most children in the history of the Eldar, and yet I have no daughter.

 

(awkward pause)

 

Aramel: What made you ask Galadriel-- that is, Artanis-- for her hair?

 

Fëanor: A whim, mostly. My niece is renowned for the beauty of her hair; some say that the light of the Trees shine in them. I wished to make some into a work of art.

 

Aramel: Why?

 

Fëanor: Why? I am a craftsman, and an artist. That is enough.

 

Aramel: Oh. The Valar have dissolved the bond between yourself and Lady Nerdanel.

 

Fëanor: (lowers his head briefly) I might have thought so. Has she wed again? I do not blame her for wishing for a husband that is less fell, who will not lead their children into darkness and death.

 

Aramel: (looks sympathetic) She has not wed another.

 

Fëanor: Has she not? Can it then be that she loves me still?

 

Aramel: (feeling embarrassed) I don't know. You should ask her.

 

(pause)

 

Aramel: If you had the chance to return to the days before the Darkening, would you have done differently?

 

Fëanor: Differently? Yes, I believe so. I would still have gone to Middle-Earth, to regain my Silmarils-- to that I was honour-bound-- and to avenge my father. To that I was bound by my own heart.

 

Aramel: Then what would you have done differently?

 

Fëanor: I would not have taken my sons with me. I would have gone alone if I must. I would have crossed the Helcaraxe if Olwe would not give me a ship.

 

Aramel: (disbelievingly) You would go alone to Angband's doors?

 

Fëanor: (suddenly standing) Yes! I was slain in that first battle, but my fea lingered. I saw. Think you that I would not have taken my son's place in Angband's dungeons, and gladly, that he be spared? Think you that I would not rather be captured myself, devise what torments Morgoth may, than have any one of my sons in such anguish? Think you that I am heartless?

 

Aramel: (leaning as far back in her seat as possible, looking frightened) Of course not. But had you left your sons behind, they would have followed you out of love.

 

Fëanor: (sits back down) Yes, they would have. It is ironic, is it not, that their love for me should prove their undoing and their doom? Oft I think that the Valar are crueler in this than Morgoth, and I know not which I hate more.

 

Aramel: (surprised) You could hate the Valar more than Morgoth?

 

Fëanor: Morgoth caused the death of one of my kin; the Valar caused the death and ultimate doom of seven. I think it not unreasonable.

 

Aramel: Oh. You think the Valar bear malice against you?

 

Fëanor: I think them biased.

 

Aramel: How so?

 

Fëanor: Morgoth himself was imprisoned for three ages in Mandos; yet it is the will of the Valar that I am to be held for all time. Sometimes I think it is because they are irked that a "mere" Quende should have his pride; that he would refuse to grovel before them and obey their every whim. Yet are we not all children of the One? Who are the Valar, then, to treat us as subjects, forever inferior? (pauses) But come; the hour is almost past. I should go.

 

Aramel: (bewildered) What?

 

Fëanor: I have been re-embodied, have I not? I intend to stay thus.

 

Aramel: But... you have just said that it was the will of the Valar that you stay in Mandos.

 

Fëanor: (in exasperation) I would have thought that you had realized by now, maiden. The Valar will it. That does not mean I will obey. Farewell. (leaves through the door)

 

Aramel: Wow. (pauses) I am going to be in so much trouble when Mandos comes back...

 

 

 

Well? How was it?

Comments

[mirien.livejournal.com]

This is a really original thing to do. I wondered, when I clicked on it, how it would work, and you did a great job!

This bit I particularly liked: "Fëanor: (suddenly standing) Yes! I was slain in that first battle, but my fea lingered. I saw. Think you that I would not have taken my son's place in Angband's dungeons, and gladly, that he be spared? Think you that I would not rather be captured myself, devise what torments Morgoth may, than have any one of my sons in such anguish? Think you that I am heartless?"

Fëanor's single-mindedness is often I think taken as a sign he cared less for his sons than I think he did. This was a lovely reminder that love can still be strong even when circumstance twist and darken it.

I also loved the fact that Fëanor went AWOL at the end, now that is Fëanáro!

[dawn_felagund]

To agree totally with Mirien, I have always found it odd that Feanaro obeyed the summons to Mandos at all. It seems to me, given his love for his own lands beyond the sea, coupled with his disregard for the Valar, that he would have chosen to remain in Middle-earth, as an unbound spirit, rather than return to the "gilded cage" he so despised.

Eek, I sense the approach of an AU plotbunny.... ::hides::

Especially considering that he was eventually doomed to stay there forever, that even the embodiment of pure evil (that being Melkor) was freed after three ages, but Feanor must stay forever.

Ai...I suppose you can see that a nerve is touched by this ;)

This is an interesting piece, full of interesting issues. I found myself wholly agreeing with you and wanting to yell, "Yes!" at many points. (But that might disturb Husband, who has enough to put up with a crazy Elf-writing freak for a wife ;D)

[sirielle.livejournal.com]

Fantastic ending! :D

Great you paid a visit there, hope Mandos wasn't harsh? He agreed so easily, he must have foreseen it ;)

So we're agreeing that Fëanor would do the things differently if he had another choice :)