G50 - The Wounded Surgeon

[altariel.livejournal.com]

B2MeM Challenge: Alternate viewpoints: The Black Gate Opens; Scientific achievements: medicine; Off the Map's Edge: Hildórien
Format: Drabble
Genre: Gen
Rating: G
Warnings: None
Characters: Manwë
Summary: In the end he sent them Eagles.

The Wounded Surgeon

The Firstborn said Melkor sickened them, but on the shores of Hildórien he was the soft breath of wind that caressed each one as they woke.

He found they were susceptible to quacks who claimed quick cures. Once, this was beyond his leechcraft. He set his instruments aside. The surgery was more drastic than he might have prescribed.

In the dark days, he sent messengers to nurse them back; and, in the end, he sent them Eagles, wing-beats like a blessing placed upon each head.

The whole of history has been a heartbeat to him – and Arda is still marred.

*

The title is from Part IV of East Coker by TS Eliot.

Comments

[engarian.livejournal.com]

Interesting POV.

- Erulisse (one L)

[altariel.livejournal.com]

Thank you - I've never thought much about him before.

[aliana1.livejournal.com]

Pretty awesome--several millennia, one hundred words, no big deal. I especially like this line: The surgery was more drastic than he might have prescribed. And in the end, he sent them Eagles, wing-beats like a blessing placed upon each head. Wonderful metaphors/similes. And the last line is sobering.

[altariel.livejournal.com]

Thank you for this. Humankind must baffle him, whilst at the same time seeming marvellous.

[ladyelleth.livejournal.com]

I love the idea of Manwe as celestial physician, and you wrapped it in words beautifully. There is a lot more subtext than a a drabble should be able to hold, by any right. ;)

[altariel.livejournal.com]

Thank you very much for this.

[blslarner.livejournal.com]

Alas that his brother left so much ill in his wake, and that Manwe found he could not heal it by cutting away the damaged tissue.

[altariel.livejournal.com]

Humankind must have baffled Manwe, and yet I think he would have found them endlessly fascinating and almost desirable.