Sunset Into Night, by Elleth

[ladyelleth.livejournal.com]

B2MeM Challenge:
B9: Artifacts: Feanorian Lamp; Weapons and Warfare: Cavalry
B4: Silmarillion Fanon: Maglor the Mighty Wimp
Format: Double Drabble
Genre: Fluff for the first, tragedy for the second
Rating: Teens
Warnings: Offscreen character death
Characters: Maglor, Lasbaneth (his OFC wife), unnamed OCs
Pairings: Maglor/Lasbaneth
Summary: Maglor and his wife share a moment. Not much later, tragedy strikes in form of the Dagor Bragollach.


Maglor draped an arm around Lasbaneth. The westering sun tinted Lothlann's brittle winter grasslands golden. Below them, a herd of horses racing for the joy of it shook the ground.

"Do you still regret coming here?" he asked as she rested her head on his shoulder. In this light, his wife's hair shone honey-coloured, and he pressed a kiss to her braids when he noticed her look to the North where sunset was faltering in unnatural shadow.

"No," Lasbaneth replied eventually. "Not entirely. Even so vulnerable to the North... there runs our cavalry. It helps me trust in our safety."

-

With battle over, the cavalry returned. His burning fortress shone a ghastly, flickering, livid light, but Maglor raised his lamp all the same. Blackened grass for miles, a trample of orcish boots and dragon's claws. His face, in the blue glare of the crystal, might have been a stone mask. His horse stomped; lowering the light threw him into shadow.

Outriders returned. "No tracks leading from the keep, my lord," one called.

Lasbaneth, he realized. My people. Dead. Maglor choked down grief and guilt. No. His men still relied on him.

"We try for Himring!" Maglor cried. They began moving.

Comments

[engarian.livejournal.com]

Oh, echoes of great grief put aside to concentrate on the moment at hand. Vivid.

- Erulisse (one L)

[ladyelleth.livejournal.com]

Not just echoes, the second drabble is very much present-time for Maglor. I'll readily admit that I think the drabble form may have been too short to properly hint at the emotional ramifications of discovering Lasbaneth's death in the Bragollach, but him focusing on the moment of getting his men to safety was the point of it, yes.

[blslarner.livejournal.com]

And so the orcs do what they do best--destroy lives and happiness as best they can! And I love the thought that Maglor found love in Middle Earth and thought to build a proper home here! No wonder he later came to love Elros and Elrond.

[ladyelleth.livejournal.com]

No wonder indeed, but an interesting angle to look at it! It's not said in this fic, but going by my history for Maglor's wife - she's an offshoot of an OFC daughter of Elmo's - she's actually distantly related to Elrond and Elros. I could never picture Maglor getting married in Aman and then leaving his wife behind (which I refuse to call a wimp!thing). Glad the idea appeals, and thank you for commenting. :)

[rhapsody11.livejournal.com]

Oh yes, this is the Maglor I like to read :) It immediately brought me back to my story 'The Inner Light' where Erestor looses his wife during this battle (long story short, he's one of Maglor's men), but he could not have lingered there knowing what was at stake. :)

[ladyelleth.livejournal.com]

:) It's the logical conclusion to make - not to linger - and I'm sure Maglor is not the only one who has lost someone dear to him that night. There's ample space for grief... so it's all the harder to give the order to move on.

Thank you! *hugs!*