Blood and Darkness Part IV
Oct. 12th, 2005 01:09 pm![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
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silwritersguildI have at last reached the part of the story where it begins to diverge significantly from 'The Silmarillion' !
Today I'm attempting to use the ratings system, and to give proper warnings for this fic. Most of them apply to all the other chapters too.
Title: Blood and Darkness, Part IV
Author:![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
fanged_geranium
Challenge: "How would things have been different had Morgoth murdered Maedhros instead of Finwë?"
Challenge issued by:tarion_anarore
Rating: General
Warnings: Romance (mild), War, Kinslaying
Blood and Darkness
Part IV
Disclaimer: This is a work of fan fiction. The characters, settings, places, and languages used in this work are the property of the Tolkien Estate, Tolkien Enterprises, and possibly New Line Cinema. The author will not receive any money or other remuneration for this work.
Although Thingol would not yield the one Silmaril that he now had, Maedhros saw that Morgoth was not unassailable, but he did not know the full power of Lúthien that she had expended to defeat Morgoth. When Fingon the high king chanced to visit Himring, Maedhros held council with his cousin, and suggested the renewal of Fingolfin's plan to assail Morgoth directly. To this Fingon agreed, for he was ever the friend of Maedhros, and he perceived the wisdom of destroying Morgoth and his forces before he could over-run each realm of the Elves and Men one by one.
Maedhros formed alliances with the Dwarves and the Swarthy Men of the east, who had but lately crossed the mountains. With Fingon the Edain would fight, and Turgon came forth from Gondolin with an army ten thousand strong. From Nargothrond Orodreth would send no aid to Fingon if the sons of Fëanor would fight. He believed himself safe from Morgoth, though he could not prevent a small party led by Gwindor from going into battle with Fingon's host. Only two Elves - Beleg and Mablung - came out of Doriath, and Maedhros did not forget it. Celegorm, Curufin and Caranthir laughed scornfully, and said that when they returned from the war with Morgoth they would find a way to attack Doriath despite the Girdle of Melian, and regain the Silmaril.
The armies of the Union of Maedhros cleared Beleriand of the creatures of Morgoth, but by this Morgoth became aware of the strength of the Noldor, and he sent his spies to the Swarthy Men who he had long suborned. The Easterlings of Uldor, who were allied with Caranthir, sought to delay the march of Maedhros's eastern army, and in this they were successful. It should have mattered little, because the attack was not due to begin until Maedhros signalled that his army was in place, but Morgoth's captains were ordered to draw out Fingon's army from concealment, and they executed Gelmir brother of Gwindor. When Gwindor saw this he led a reckless charge out onto the plain, and Fingon took his forces into battle four days too soon, intending to aid Gwindor.
When Uldor reported that there were foes ahead of them, Maedhros perceived that this was not so, for he saw treason in Uldor's eyes, as he had sworn no oath to blind him, though he said nothing yet. Later he told his brothers of the treason of the Easterlings, and they attacked the forces of Uldor at dawn on the third day after the battle was joined in the west. They killed them to the last man, so the Easterlings reaped not the reward that Morgoth had promised. The people of Bór, who were faithful to their alliance, were encamped separately from those of Uldor, and as Maedhros prepared to fight them also, Bór himself came forward. Maedhros saw that he was true to his word, and had no dealings with Morgoth or his agents, and they marched onward in friendship.
When Maedhros's army reached its appointed place, Fingon's and Turgon's forces were beleaguered, but when they heard the trumpets of Maedhros they lifted up their hearts in hope and redoubled their assault. Then another host made up of Orcs, Balrogs, and the Fire-drakes issued from Angband, but the Noldor prevailed, trapping Morgoth as a prisoner in the pits of his own dungeon, though they dared not approach him. The tunnels of Angband were cleansed, and a constant guard was set upon it.
Maedhros had heard the report of Fingon's too early attack in pursuit of Gwindor, and when they met on the field of battle he spoke sternly, "Cousin, you are a fool! All was nearly lost because of your recklessness!"
But Fingon said "You forget that I am the high king, Maitimo. You should have said 'You are a fool, my lord'." Then they both laughed, and their friendship was unbroken.
Many of the Elves and Edain were slain in the battle - which was after known as the Battle of Angband - and the Dwarves lost their leader, but all six remaining sons of Fëanor survived though all were wounded. They returned to his former realms, and Celegorm and Curufin were satisfied for a time, ignoring the presence of the Silmaril in Doriath. The land was not so fair as of old, but the Noldor were fewer in number, and it still provided for their needs. Maedhros built up the defences of Himring. It became strong enough to withstand an attack by even the Fire-drakes, though of their number only Glaurung remained. Turgon returned to Gondolin by secret ways, observed by none, for he was cautious and knew that not all the remnants of Morgoth's forces were yet destroyed. He took with him his friends Húrin and Huor, Edain of the House of Hador, who had visited Gondolin in their youth.
ooOoo
When Húrin and Huor did not come back from the battle, their wives Morwen and Rían despaired, for none knew where they had gone. Rían went to the battlefield and there died on the mound of the slain, leaving Tuor, her son, orphaned; he was fostered by the Sindar of Mithrim. Morwen sent her son Túrin to Doriath, believing it to be the best course, where Thingol adopted him as his own son for his father's sake, but she kept her daughter Nienor with her in Dor-lómin.
When Túrin was full grown he caused the death of an Elf, and although the fault was not his, he considered himself outlawed from Doriath. Beleg his friend followed him, and was given Anglachel - the black sword made by Eöl - by Thingol in thanks for finding his foster-son. Túrin had been captured by some stray Orcs, and Beleg rescued him, but Túrin accidentally slew Beleg with his own sword. Túrin took Anglachel, and came eventually to Nargothrond with Gwindor, who had been on guard duty in Angband.
In Nargothrond Túrin became mighty and Orodreth hearkened to his counsel, and built a strong bridge across the river Narog by which his people could cross to dispatch more expeditiously the Orcs which still came occasionally into Beleriand. The bridge became the undoing of the city, for Glaurung the Fire-drake had survived the battle, and he crossed the bridge and took Nargothrond. Orodreth and many of his people, including his daughter Finduilas, were killed, but Túrin survived to continue building his catalogue of misfortune. The remnant of the people of Nargothrond walked as far as Eglarest, and there with the aid of the people of Círdan built a new settlement for themselves, and their king was Gil-galad, the son of Orodreth.
Before the end of his life, which was very brief, even by the reckoning of Men, Túrin slew Glaurung the Fire-drake, but no Elves ever came back to the ruins of Nargothrond. Húrin, the father of Túrin, travelled there to look for his son, following the rumours of the Black Sword that had reached even Turgon's hidden city. In Nargothrond Húrin discovered Mîm the Petty-dwarf, who had before betrayed Túrin. Húrin killed him, and took but one piece of the treasure of Finrod, the Nauglamír, which he gave to Thingol to thank him for fostering his son, and later looking after Morwen and Nienor.
ooOoo
Thingol asked the Dwarven craftsmen who were at that time resident in Menegroth to set the Silmaril in the Nauglamír, but the dwarves were overcome by lust for the Silmaril and slew Thingol as he tried to prevent their escape. There was a battle and the Nauglamír and Silmaril were restored to Menegroth, but two Dwarves fled to their home in the mountains and told that Thingol had tried to cheat them of their reward for their work. Their news brought an army of Dwarves hastening to Doriath for vengeance. The Dwarves crossed the river Celon into Himlad, but were intercepted by Celegorm and Curufin and their people, and no Dwarf of that host survived to return to Nogrod.
Melian the Maia forsook her duties as queen in her grief over Thingol's death and her Girdle about Doriath failed, but before she passed into the west to Valinor - her home of old - she carried the Silmaril to Beren and Lúthien on Tol Galen. Dior, their son, travelled to Menegroth where he took up the crown and wed with Nimloth, his distant cousin. Their sons were Eluréd and Elurín and their daughter was Elwing.
The sons of Fëanor now knew that the Silmaril no longer abode in Doriath, but they knew not where it had gone, only that Beren and Lúthien now possessed it, and they dared not try the power of Lúthien again, but after some few years the rumour reached them that a Silmaril once more lit the woods of Doriath. When Lúthien died Beren had taken the Silmaril to his son in secret, before returning to his final resting place by his wife's grave.
Maedhros now sent messengers to Dior, claiming the Silmaril for himself and his brothers not merely because their father was its maker, but for the service rendered to Doriath by Celegorm and Curufin when they destroyed the army of the Dwarves of Nogrod. Dior, however, remembered only the suffering of his father and mother in their pursuit of the jewel and he would not give it up. The response of Dior satisfied none of the sons of Fëanor, and Celegorm stirred up his brothers to go to war against the Sindar of Doriath, and all except Maedhros hearkened to him, for their oath drove them.
Maglor, Celegorm, Curufin, Caranthir and Amrod gathered their forces and marched on Doriath, arriving unexpectedly in the midst of winter. Maedhros recalled the scant aid that came from Thingol's realm for the Battle of Angband, and he chose not to send a warning to Dior of his brothers' impending attack. Of this Maedhros indeed repented, for Celegorm, Curufin and Caranthir were slain in the assault, but some of the people of Menegroth fled their caves with the Silmaril, ahead of the Fëanorian army, and Maglor and Amrod gained it not.
After the battle in Menegroth, Maglor repaired to Himring and told Maedhros the sad tale of Dior's two young sons, taken into the forest and abandoned by the servants of Celegorm. Maedhros went at once to Doriath. He made Celegorm's servants take him to the precise spot where they had left Eluréd and Elurín, and he searched long for the children, but no trace of them could be found. The short summer of the north had passed and the winter was fast approaching before Maedhros despaired of his hunt and returned to Himring.
Fingon the high king learned of the Second Kinslaying, and he sent messengers to Maedhros, demanding his immediate presence in Hithlum to explain his brothers' actions. Maedhros travelled to Hithlum the next spring. Maglor and Amrod remained in their own lands, for they feared that Fingon would imprison them to prevent them from committing more fell deeds, and this their oath would not permit.
"There is nothing I can do to stop Káno and Pityo," said Maedhros to Fingon, "short of fighting against my brothers and their people myself, and this I will not do. Would you have me, their brother, condemn them to the everlasting darkness because they cannot fulfil their oath?"
"Never that," said Fingon decidedly, "and I do not know what to suggest to restrain them, but we cannot allow Makalaurë and Ambarussa to slaughter the Teleri at will!"
"It will not be that bad," said Maedhros, laughing ruefully, "for it was Tyelkormo who led them in Menegroth, and he is dead."
"Kurufinwë and Morifinwë too," observed Fingon, "those three were ever the most hasty among your brothers. For now, let us wait and see where the Silmaril will go next before we make plans; if we could but get close enough to Morgoth to take away his crown."
"If we could do that, I would still have five brothers living," said Maedhros.
ooOoo
After the Battle of Angband, Turgon had sent messengers to Círdan the Shipwright, who ruled the Falas on the coast. With Círdan's assistance seven ships were built to seek the Blessed Realm, and beg the Valar to come to Middle-earth and remove Morgoth to a more secure prison, for Turgon feared that he might yet break free. Both Fingon and Maedhros were too proud to do this, but Turgon was counted among the wise and did not let pride prevent him from asking the Valar for aid, though they had cursed him with the rest of the Noldor.
None of Turgon's ships were successful and only one ever returned to Middle-earth. That one was wrecked within sight of the coast, for the wrath of Ossë was still great and he took delight in drowning the Noldor; only Voronwë was saved by Ulmo, and washed ashore in Nevrast.
Voronwë did not wish to return to Gondolin to report his failure to Turgon, so he wandered southwards along the shores of the Sundering Sea. He avoided the Falathrim cities of Brithombar and Eglarest, and after many years in the wild he reached the Havens of Sirion, where Elwing Half-elven, daughter of Dior and Nimloth, and the Sindar who escaped from Menegroth now dwelt. She wore the Silmaril openly as she walked the streets of her city, and she now appeared as the fairest of the Children of Ilúvatar, as her father and grandmother had before her, believing that the Silmaril brought her people prosperity and protection.
Voronwë entered the city, for he wearied of journeying and longed to go back to Gondolin, though he dared not. He saw Elwing leaving her tower in the evening. She was illuminated by the light of both the sun, sinking in the west behind her, and the Silmaril at her throat. His heart was turned to her, and hers to him. In accordance with the laws and customs of the Eldar they became betrothed, and were wedded one year later. The children of Elwing and Voronwë were their son Elros and their daughter Elrían.
Elwing and her family lived in peace for a half-dozen years, but then a messenger came from the sons of Fëanor, who had heard that the Silmaril was now in the Havens of Sirion. They offered their friendship to Elwing and her people in exchange for the Silmaril. Voronwë’s heart was heavy, for he had known the Fëanorians of old in Hithlum, before he went with Turgon to Nevrast, and they removed to the east. He told Elwing of his fears, and at her bidding he took a ship and sailed north to Eglarest to ask for military aid from Círdan and Gil-galad, but while he was gone Maglor and Amrod marched on Sirion with their combined armies. They tried to conceal from Maedhros what they did, but he discovered their purpose, and he reached the Havens of Sirion not an hour before his brothers.
Today I'm attempting to use the ratings system, and to give proper warnings for this fic. Most of them apply to all the other chapters too.
Title: Blood and Darkness, Part IV
Author:
fanged_geraniumChallenge: "How would things have been different had Morgoth murdered Maedhros instead of Finwë?"
Challenge issued by:
tarion_anaroreRating: General
Warnings: Romance (mild), War, Kinslaying
Blood and Darkness
Part IV
Disclaimer: This is a work of fan fiction. The characters, settings, places, and languages used in this work are the property of the Tolkien Estate, Tolkien Enterprises, and possibly New Line Cinema. The author will not receive any money or other remuneration for this work.
Although Thingol would not yield the one Silmaril that he now had, Maedhros saw that Morgoth was not unassailable, but he did not know the full power of Lúthien that she had expended to defeat Morgoth. When Fingon the high king chanced to visit Himring, Maedhros held council with his cousin, and suggested the renewal of Fingolfin's plan to assail Morgoth directly. To this Fingon agreed, for he was ever the friend of Maedhros, and he perceived the wisdom of destroying Morgoth and his forces before he could over-run each realm of the Elves and Men one by one.
Maedhros formed alliances with the Dwarves and the Swarthy Men of the east, who had but lately crossed the mountains. With Fingon the Edain would fight, and Turgon came forth from Gondolin with an army ten thousand strong. From Nargothrond Orodreth would send no aid to Fingon if the sons of Fëanor would fight. He believed himself safe from Morgoth, though he could not prevent a small party led by Gwindor from going into battle with Fingon's host. Only two Elves - Beleg and Mablung - came out of Doriath, and Maedhros did not forget it. Celegorm, Curufin and Caranthir laughed scornfully, and said that when they returned from the war with Morgoth they would find a way to attack Doriath despite the Girdle of Melian, and regain the Silmaril.
The armies of the Union of Maedhros cleared Beleriand of the creatures of Morgoth, but by this Morgoth became aware of the strength of the Noldor, and he sent his spies to the Swarthy Men who he had long suborned. The Easterlings of Uldor, who were allied with Caranthir, sought to delay the march of Maedhros's eastern army, and in this they were successful. It should have mattered little, because the attack was not due to begin until Maedhros signalled that his army was in place, but Morgoth's captains were ordered to draw out Fingon's army from concealment, and they executed Gelmir brother of Gwindor. When Gwindor saw this he led a reckless charge out onto the plain, and Fingon took his forces into battle four days too soon, intending to aid Gwindor.
When Uldor reported that there were foes ahead of them, Maedhros perceived that this was not so, for he saw treason in Uldor's eyes, as he had sworn no oath to blind him, though he said nothing yet. Later he told his brothers of the treason of the Easterlings, and they attacked the forces of Uldor at dawn on the third day after the battle was joined in the west. They killed them to the last man, so the Easterlings reaped not the reward that Morgoth had promised. The people of Bór, who were faithful to their alliance, were encamped separately from those of Uldor, and as Maedhros prepared to fight them also, Bór himself came forward. Maedhros saw that he was true to his word, and had no dealings with Morgoth or his agents, and they marched onward in friendship.
When Maedhros's army reached its appointed place, Fingon's and Turgon's forces were beleaguered, but when they heard the trumpets of Maedhros they lifted up their hearts in hope and redoubled their assault. Then another host made up of Orcs, Balrogs, and the Fire-drakes issued from Angband, but the Noldor prevailed, trapping Morgoth as a prisoner in the pits of his own dungeon, though they dared not approach him. The tunnels of Angband were cleansed, and a constant guard was set upon it.
Maedhros had heard the report of Fingon's too early attack in pursuit of Gwindor, and when they met on the field of battle he spoke sternly, "Cousin, you are a fool! All was nearly lost because of your recklessness!"
But Fingon said "You forget that I am the high king, Maitimo. You should have said 'You are a fool, my lord'." Then they both laughed, and their friendship was unbroken.
Many of the Elves and Edain were slain in the battle - which was after known as the Battle of Angband - and the Dwarves lost their leader, but all six remaining sons of Fëanor survived though all were wounded. They returned to his former realms, and Celegorm and Curufin were satisfied for a time, ignoring the presence of the Silmaril in Doriath. The land was not so fair as of old, but the Noldor were fewer in number, and it still provided for their needs. Maedhros built up the defences of Himring. It became strong enough to withstand an attack by even the Fire-drakes, though of their number only Glaurung remained. Turgon returned to Gondolin by secret ways, observed by none, for he was cautious and knew that not all the remnants of Morgoth's forces were yet destroyed. He took with him his friends Húrin and Huor, Edain of the House of Hador, who had visited Gondolin in their youth.
When Húrin and Huor did not come back from the battle, their wives Morwen and Rían despaired, for none knew where they had gone. Rían went to the battlefield and there died on the mound of the slain, leaving Tuor, her son, orphaned; he was fostered by the Sindar of Mithrim. Morwen sent her son Túrin to Doriath, believing it to be the best course, where Thingol adopted him as his own son for his father's sake, but she kept her daughter Nienor with her in Dor-lómin.
When Túrin was full grown he caused the death of an Elf, and although the fault was not his, he considered himself outlawed from Doriath. Beleg his friend followed him, and was given Anglachel - the black sword made by Eöl - by Thingol in thanks for finding his foster-son. Túrin had been captured by some stray Orcs, and Beleg rescued him, but Túrin accidentally slew Beleg with his own sword. Túrin took Anglachel, and came eventually to Nargothrond with Gwindor, who had been on guard duty in Angband.
In Nargothrond Túrin became mighty and Orodreth hearkened to his counsel, and built a strong bridge across the river Narog by which his people could cross to dispatch more expeditiously the Orcs which still came occasionally into Beleriand. The bridge became the undoing of the city, for Glaurung the Fire-drake had survived the battle, and he crossed the bridge and took Nargothrond. Orodreth and many of his people, including his daughter Finduilas, were killed, but Túrin survived to continue building his catalogue of misfortune. The remnant of the people of Nargothrond walked as far as Eglarest, and there with the aid of the people of Círdan built a new settlement for themselves, and their king was Gil-galad, the son of Orodreth.
Before the end of his life, which was very brief, even by the reckoning of Men, Túrin slew Glaurung the Fire-drake, but no Elves ever came back to the ruins of Nargothrond. Húrin, the father of Túrin, travelled there to look for his son, following the rumours of the Black Sword that had reached even Turgon's hidden city. In Nargothrond Húrin discovered Mîm the Petty-dwarf, who had before betrayed Túrin. Húrin killed him, and took but one piece of the treasure of Finrod, the Nauglamír, which he gave to Thingol to thank him for fostering his son, and later looking after Morwen and Nienor.
Thingol asked the Dwarven craftsmen who were at that time resident in Menegroth to set the Silmaril in the Nauglamír, but the dwarves were overcome by lust for the Silmaril and slew Thingol as he tried to prevent their escape. There was a battle and the Nauglamír and Silmaril were restored to Menegroth, but two Dwarves fled to their home in the mountains and told that Thingol had tried to cheat them of their reward for their work. Their news brought an army of Dwarves hastening to Doriath for vengeance. The Dwarves crossed the river Celon into Himlad, but were intercepted by Celegorm and Curufin and their people, and no Dwarf of that host survived to return to Nogrod.
Melian the Maia forsook her duties as queen in her grief over Thingol's death and her Girdle about Doriath failed, but before she passed into the west to Valinor - her home of old - she carried the Silmaril to Beren and Lúthien on Tol Galen. Dior, their son, travelled to Menegroth where he took up the crown and wed with Nimloth, his distant cousin. Their sons were Eluréd and Elurín and their daughter was Elwing.
The sons of Fëanor now knew that the Silmaril no longer abode in Doriath, but they knew not where it had gone, only that Beren and Lúthien now possessed it, and they dared not try the power of Lúthien again, but after some few years the rumour reached them that a Silmaril once more lit the woods of Doriath. When Lúthien died Beren had taken the Silmaril to his son in secret, before returning to his final resting place by his wife's grave.
Maedhros now sent messengers to Dior, claiming the Silmaril for himself and his brothers not merely because their father was its maker, but for the service rendered to Doriath by Celegorm and Curufin when they destroyed the army of the Dwarves of Nogrod. Dior, however, remembered only the suffering of his father and mother in their pursuit of the jewel and he would not give it up. The response of Dior satisfied none of the sons of Fëanor, and Celegorm stirred up his brothers to go to war against the Sindar of Doriath, and all except Maedhros hearkened to him, for their oath drove them.
Maglor, Celegorm, Curufin, Caranthir and Amrod gathered their forces and marched on Doriath, arriving unexpectedly in the midst of winter. Maedhros recalled the scant aid that came from Thingol's realm for the Battle of Angband, and he chose not to send a warning to Dior of his brothers' impending attack. Of this Maedhros indeed repented, for Celegorm, Curufin and Caranthir were slain in the assault, but some of the people of Menegroth fled their caves with the Silmaril, ahead of the Fëanorian army, and Maglor and Amrod gained it not.
After the battle in Menegroth, Maglor repaired to Himring and told Maedhros the sad tale of Dior's two young sons, taken into the forest and abandoned by the servants of Celegorm. Maedhros went at once to Doriath. He made Celegorm's servants take him to the precise spot where they had left Eluréd and Elurín, and he searched long for the children, but no trace of them could be found. The short summer of the north had passed and the winter was fast approaching before Maedhros despaired of his hunt and returned to Himring.
Fingon the high king learned of the Second Kinslaying, and he sent messengers to Maedhros, demanding his immediate presence in Hithlum to explain his brothers' actions. Maedhros travelled to Hithlum the next spring. Maglor and Amrod remained in their own lands, for they feared that Fingon would imprison them to prevent them from committing more fell deeds, and this their oath would not permit.
"There is nothing I can do to stop Káno and Pityo," said Maedhros to Fingon, "short of fighting against my brothers and their people myself, and this I will not do. Would you have me, their brother, condemn them to the everlasting darkness because they cannot fulfil their oath?"
"Never that," said Fingon decidedly, "and I do not know what to suggest to restrain them, but we cannot allow Makalaurë and Ambarussa to slaughter the Teleri at will!"
"It will not be that bad," said Maedhros, laughing ruefully, "for it was Tyelkormo who led them in Menegroth, and he is dead."
"Kurufinwë and Morifinwë too," observed Fingon, "those three were ever the most hasty among your brothers. For now, let us wait and see where the Silmaril will go next before we make plans; if we could but get close enough to Morgoth to take away his crown."
"If we could do that, I would still have five brothers living," said Maedhros.
After the Battle of Angband, Turgon had sent messengers to Círdan the Shipwright, who ruled the Falas on the coast. With Círdan's assistance seven ships were built to seek the Blessed Realm, and beg the Valar to come to Middle-earth and remove Morgoth to a more secure prison, for Turgon feared that he might yet break free. Both Fingon and Maedhros were too proud to do this, but Turgon was counted among the wise and did not let pride prevent him from asking the Valar for aid, though they had cursed him with the rest of the Noldor.
None of Turgon's ships were successful and only one ever returned to Middle-earth. That one was wrecked within sight of the coast, for the wrath of Ossë was still great and he took delight in drowning the Noldor; only Voronwë was saved by Ulmo, and washed ashore in Nevrast.
Voronwë did not wish to return to Gondolin to report his failure to Turgon, so he wandered southwards along the shores of the Sundering Sea. He avoided the Falathrim cities of Brithombar and Eglarest, and after many years in the wild he reached the Havens of Sirion, where Elwing Half-elven, daughter of Dior and Nimloth, and the Sindar who escaped from Menegroth now dwelt. She wore the Silmaril openly as she walked the streets of her city, and she now appeared as the fairest of the Children of Ilúvatar, as her father and grandmother had before her, believing that the Silmaril brought her people prosperity and protection.
Voronwë entered the city, for he wearied of journeying and longed to go back to Gondolin, though he dared not. He saw Elwing leaving her tower in the evening. She was illuminated by the light of both the sun, sinking in the west behind her, and the Silmaril at her throat. His heart was turned to her, and hers to him. In accordance with the laws and customs of the Eldar they became betrothed, and were wedded one year later. The children of Elwing and Voronwë were their son Elros and their daughter Elrían.
Elwing and her family lived in peace for a half-dozen years, but then a messenger came from the sons of Fëanor, who had heard that the Silmaril was now in the Havens of Sirion. They offered their friendship to Elwing and her people in exchange for the Silmaril. Voronwë’s heart was heavy, for he had known the Fëanorians of old in Hithlum, before he went with Turgon to Nevrast, and they removed to the east. He told Elwing of his fears, and at her bidding he took a ship and sailed north to Eglarest to ask for military aid from Círdan and Gil-galad, but while he was gone Maglor and Amrod marched on Sirion with their combined armies. They tried to conceal from Maedhros what they did, but he discovered their purpose, and he reached the Havens of Sirion not an hour before his brothers.
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Date: 2005-10-12 07:15 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-10-13 10:59 am (UTC)I'll post part V next Tuesday. It still has quite a few (deliberate) loose ends that won't be tied up until the sequel, but it will polish off the First Age.
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Date: 2005-10-13 06:37 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-10-14 04:41 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-10-15 11:58 am (UTC)