B-14 - Erulisse - Blood on the Pier

[engarian.livejournal.com]

B2MeM Challenge: B-14 – Fëanantics – In Aman – The War of Telerin Aggression
Format: Ficlet
Genre: Drama
Rating: G
Warnings: None
Characters: Carnistir, Curufinwë, Telperinquar
Pairings: None
Word Count: 341

Summary: Carnistir and Telperinquar discuss the battle on the piers at Alqualondë.





Blood on the Pier



“You saw that, didn't you?” Curufinwë asked his brother Carnistir. “You saw how he raised that boat hook, threatening me and my children?”

Curufinwë hadn't stopped talking since they had boarded the Telerin vessel, following the other swan ships leaving the port of Alqualondë. Carnistir looked wearily over at his younger brother. He had been regretting his decision to join his brother on this ship since they had cast off, and made a promise that he would change to a different ship as soon as he could.

“You saw that, didn't you?” was repeated again, the hysteria in Curufinwë’s tone was still present.

Carnistir looked past his brother towards his nephew. “Telperinquar, what happened to your sister in all of this mess?”

His nephew raised his head from his knees where it had been resting and gazed steadily at his Uncle. “She ran. When Atar raised his weapon against Heneblith, she jumped at him and grabbed his arm, trying to stop his sword stroke. When he tried to push her away, Heneblith moved forward a little bit, maybe to help her, maybe not, I don’t really know for sure, but he was still trying to protect his ship. Father released her wrist so that he could swing his sword using his full body. As his blade hit Heneblith, she screamed and then ran away heading towards the town. I lost sight of her. I assume she is somewhere in Alqualondë now.”

“So you were actually threatened by this Heneblith?”

“I suppose we could claim that. But I suspect that if he had been asked, Heneblith may have allowed us to borrow his boat. He was my Uncle, just on mother's side instead of Atar’s.”

Carnistir shivered and looked away. The sea was dark and reflected his mood. He wondered what madness could have led to this, causing relatives to slay each other on the piers at Alqualondë. He decided if asked, it would be best to say that they were threatened; it would help justify their actions on this bloody day.

Comments

[silver-trails.livejournal.com]

A terrible day. Now, Tolkien does say that the Teleri were not unarmed.

[engarian.livejournal.com]

There are many different things that can be used as a weapon, but I still think that a negotiated settlement would have been possible :-) It was indeed a terrible day.

- Erulisse (one L)

[silver-trails.livejournal.com]

Oh, they could have maybe taken the time to negotiate, you are right.

But my point, not about your fic, but about those event is that the Teleri had weapons. First they throw the Noldor to the sea when they try to steal their boats, and then they drive them back three times. Swords were drawn, and they would have won if Fingon had not arrived. He got into the fight because he saw his kin falling. I know the Noldor were wrong, but the Teleri were not helpless babes in battle.

[huinare.livejournal.com]

Ah, the same too-convenient excuse that is so often found in other times and places.

[engarian.livejournal.com]

Yeah, and none of the excuses are actually good ones :-)

- Erulisse (one L)

[blslarner.livejournal.com]

Oh, yes--let's lie about who was at fault! Seems it's not just a trait of Men.

[engarian.livejournal.com]

I'm not sure if it is a lie as much as an inability to face what one has done. Either way, however, it is a bandaid placed across a gaping wound.

- Erulisse (one L)