(no subject)

[aramel-calawen.livejournal.com]

Title: Words
Author: Aramel
Rating: G (more-or-less)
Summary: Maglor in Doriath. Angsty, character death. Inspired by the word of the day for June 1, I think.


He remembers the words.

He remembers the young king, such a one as might have been his own child (had he a child), glaring at him in offended hurt, speaking in the slightly archaic way the Doriathrim used. You would never have dared come when Melian was here, and Luthien, stormy petrels that you are; cowards!

He remembers Tyelcormo's answering challenge, the bizarre speed with which it was over-- nobody could ever match him with a sword except for Maitimo-- a woman's scream, the sickening sound of an avenging shaft as it fells his brother from some unseen place, the scamper of a girl-child grasping the jewel their fates were bound to. He remembers her words.

Monsters! I have your jewel; you will never regain it while I live!

Such a fragile little thing; he has his bow bent and the arrow nocked already. It would have been so easy to loose. But they do not kill children. They never kill children. Tyelcormo is in Maitimo's arms, his eyes hazy with pain; Carnistir and Atarinke and Ambarussa fighting somewhere else. Nimloth is trembling, and she has a knife in hand. Elwing, run! she breathes, and throws herself at his eldest brother.

She is laughable against Maitimo, a woman never trained wielding a kitchen knife against the greatest swordsman the Noldor ever had. Maitimo drops his sword and grabs her with his left hand, trapping her, and she does the unexpected; helpless in Maitimo's grasp, she turns the point of her knife and throws herself onto it. The girl-child cries out in horror.

His arrow trembles on the string. He holds. Tyelcormo's breathing has grown ragged. There will be tears later; he is no stranger to mourning for a brother lost. The girl backs away, fear written large in her eyes, the Silmaril in her hands, staring at the point of his shaft. He turns away from her and looses the arrow, which strikes and sticks into the throne of Doriath by pure chance, to kneel by Tyelcormo. He hears her flee.

Tyelcormo's eyes are closed. Is it done? he croaks, barely audible, and Maitimo, unable to tell him the truth, whispers Yes.

He remembers the words.

Comments

[mirien.livejournal.com]

Oh brilliant, this is excellent! Heartbreaking and so well written, thanks for sharing!

[sirielle.livejournal.com]

Short and beautiful! Another way this events might look like.

I'm afraid they did kill children :( Or maybe they didn't? Elwing fled, you could write now Elured's and Elurin's story - the next scene to this one.

[aramel-calawen.livejournal.com]

Not yet then, if ever. Elured and Elurin hadn't happened yet; but according to my interpretation, Celegorm's servants left them in the woods in vengeance for Celegorm. Whether this was done with the Feanorians' sanction is debatable. From Maedhros' reaction, I suspect that it wasn't.

[sirielle.livejournal.com]

I agree about the twins. I didn't mean intentional killing, but the madness of war where everyone who comes in the way may die.

[aramel-calawen.livejournal.com]

Hmm... well, my reasoning was that at Alqualonde at least, the children were being kept indoors when the Kinslaying happened (because of the sudden darkness, Morgoth running amok, the works.) They weren't on the ships, and didn't get caught in the fighting.

At Doriath, I assume much the same, considering that the Doriathrim knew when the Feanorians were coming. The adults might have just grabbed weapons and run off to defend Dior, admonishing the kids to stay inside.

At Sirion now, it's quite possible that children might have died. But that was later. :)

[fanged-geranium.livejournal.com]

This is fantastic! I really like your take on the second Kinslaying; it's evocative but not over-stated (BTW, I also love your icon!).

[jilba.livejournal.com]

Incredible! I can feel sorrow for the Feanorian brothers here, truly I don't think their invasion of Doriath was meant to end in the Second Kinslaying. They probably believed Dior would have the Silmaril over nicely, like a good boy...

[aramel-calawen.livejournal.com]

They probably believed Dior would have the Silmaril over nicely, like a good boy...

Hmm... stubborness rather seems to run in that family as well. Thingol, Dior, Elwing, (later) Elrond and his sons. That may or may not be a good thing.

I have an image stuck in my head of Maedhros pounding the table (possibly at the parley before Sirion) and shouting, "For Valar's sakes, Elwing, just hand it over!" Wacky, I know.

[jilba.livejournal.com]

The Maedhros image sounds quite likely to me. It's pretty obvious the remaining 4 brothers didn't really want to raid Sirion..I've always wondered what would have happened if Elwing had handed back the Silmaril, on the agreement that due to Luthien and Beren's courage, the Feanorians would then give it back, allowing Elwing's family to hold it in trust, so to speak, while acknowledging it actually belonged to the Feanorians...change the whole history of ME that would!

[martal0712.livejournal.com]

Hi Aramel,

I finally read this; sorry it took me so long! Aramel, this is very powerfully told. I really like the way you capture the actions here and make it seem like it's actually happening.

My one critique would be the names. I've read the Silm twice and am basically familiar with the events, but I really had to struggle to tell who was who? Maybe using at least some Silm names for some of the characters would be a good idea?

Marta

[aramel-calawen.livejournal.com]

Ah... er, OK. I'll add notes telling who's who. It's just that I'm used to people on SWG being Feanatics. *waves geek flag*