"Field of Research" by Himring
Apr. 8th, 2013 08:09 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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b2memB2MeM Challenge: B2MeM 2013, Day Thirty-One Challenge: B2MeM 2013 Prompt (Day 7: E): “And in those days the strength of Men was added to the power of the Noldor; and their hope was high; and Morgoth was straitly enclosed.” Elleth's additional prompt: Bechdel test pass. (See also notes.)
Format: Vignette (c.250 words)
Genre: Gen
Rating: Gen
Warnings: None (but no such guarantee for the Notes)
Characters: Adanel, Idhlinn (Elleth's OFC)
Pairings: None relevant (although Adanel is married and Beren's great-grandmother)
Summary: A wise-woman of the Edain has an unexpected visitor
Adanel stared at the elven woman who had so unexpectedly appeared on her doorstep.
‘You want to do what?’, she asked, too startled to be polite.
The elven woman raised her eyebrows.
‘The information I obtained is not correct?’ she inquired. ‘I was told that you are the wise-woman of the House of Marach and are well versed in all the lore of your House. I was given to understand that that would include your House’s knowledge of healing and remedies as well as other kinds of lore.’
‘Well,’ said Adanel, ‘that is entirely correct but…’
‘Then maybe that knowledge is secret and you are not permitted to share it?’
‘I am permitted to share it with anyone who is willing to take the time to listen’, said Adanel. ‘Only—forgive me for mentioning it—I am not used to anyone of your kind asking to study the knowledge of the Edain. Those of your kind usually come to teach.’
‘I will gladly exchange knowledge for knowledge, if you wish it, but I have come to learn.’ The elven woman paused; then she added: ‘But I have not come to believe everything I am told. It is not my way. I test everything I learn to the limit of my capabilities.’
‘Ah’, said Adanel, ‘fair warning, that.’
‘Do you refuse to teach me under those conditions?’, asked Idhlinn.
‘No,’ said Adanel, smiling.
She carefully wiped her hand on her apron and extended it in welcome.
‘Come in and sit down’, she said. ‘I have a task that needs finishing. Meanwhile, I will consider where to begin.’
Notes: Idhlinn is Elleth's OFC, used with her permission. She is is an intrepid researcher and unlikely to pass up any chance to broaden her knowledge. I'm not sure I've got her voice right; she can be quite brusque, but here she is doing her best to be polite to a stranger.
Adanel is better known (in the rather exclusive circles in which she is known) as the source from which Andreth obtained her knowledge of the early theology of the Edain and especially the source of the "Tale of Adanel" in the Athrabeth. Unlike her herbal lore, this was not knowledge she would have shared freely.
As the B2MeM 2013 Day One prompt for Xenophobia is taken from the Tale of Adanel, you could retrospectively interpret my fic as a fill for that prompt as well, if you wished:
"Then there arose some among us who said openly in their despair: 'Now we know at last who lied, and who desired to devour us. Not the first Voice. It is the Master that we have taken who is the Darkness; and he did not come forth from it, as he said, but he dwells in it. We will serve him no longer! He is our Enemy.' Then in fear lest he should hear them and punish us all, we slew them, if we could; and those that fled we hunted; and if any were caught, our masters, his friends, commanded that they should be taken to the House and there done to death by fire."
Format: Vignette (c.250 words)
Genre: Gen
Rating: Gen
Warnings: None (but no such guarantee for the Notes)
Characters: Adanel, Idhlinn (Elleth's OFC)
Pairings: None relevant (although Adanel is married and Beren's great-grandmother)
Summary: A wise-woman of the Edain has an unexpected visitor
Adanel stared at the elven woman who had so unexpectedly appeared on her doorstep.
‘You want to do what?’, she asked, too startled to be polite.
The elven woman raised her eyebrows.
‘The information I obtained is not correct?’ she inquired. ‘I was told that you are the wise-woman of the House of Marach and are well versed in all the lore of your House. I was given to understand that that would include your House’s knowledge of healing and remedies as well as other kinds of lore.’
‘Well,’ said Adanel, ‘that is entirely correct but…’
‘Then maybe that knowledge is secret and you are not permitted to share it?’
‘I am permitted to share it with anyone who is willing to take the time to listen’, said Adanel. ‘Only—forgive me for mentioning it—I am not used to anyone of your kind asking to study the knowledge of the Edain. Those of your kind usually come to teach.’
‘I will gladly exchange knowledge for knowledge, if you wish it, but I have come to learn.’ The elven woman paused; then she added: ‘But I have not come to believe everything I am told. It is not my way. I test everything I learn to the limit of my capabilities.’
‘Ah’, said Adanel, ‘fair warning, that.’
‘Do you refuse to teach me under those conditions?’, asked Idhlinn.
‘No,’ said Adanel, smiling.
She carefully wiped her hand on her apron and extended it in welcome.
‘Come in and sit down’, she said. ‘I have a task that needs finishing. Meanwhile, I will consider where to begin.’
Notes: Idhlinn is Elleth's OFC, used with her permission. She is is an intrepid researcher and unlikely to pass up any chance to broaden her knowledge. I'm not sure I've got her voice right; she can be quite brusque, but here she is doing her best to be polite to a stranger.
Adanel is better known (in the rather exclusive circles in which she is known) as the source from which Andreth obtained her knowledge of the early theology of the Edain and especially the source of the "Tale of Adanel" in the Athrabeth. Unlike her herbal lore, this was not knowledge she would have shared freely.
As the B2MeM 2013 Day One prompt for Xenophobia is taken from the Tale of Adanel, you could retrospectively interpret my fic as a fill for that prompt as well, if you wished:
"Then there arose some among us who said openly in their despair: 'Now we know at last who lied, and who desired to devour us. Not the first Voice. It is the Master that we have taken who is the Darkness; and he did not come forth from it, as he said, but he dwells in it. We will serve him no longer! He is our Enemy.' Then in fear lest he should hear them and punish us all, we slew them, if we could; and those that fled we hunted; and if any were caught, our masters, his friends, commanded that they should be taken to the House and there done to death by fire."
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no subject
Date: 2013-04-08 05:50 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2013-04-09 08:01 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2013-04-08 11:42 pm (UTC)Thank you for borrowing her for such a fun ficlet, and it's a huge compliment that other people find my OFC interesting enough to want to use in their stories! :D
no subject
Date: 2013-04-09 08:00 am (UTC)Thank you very much for the prompt and for the temporary loan of Idhlinn!