"A Merry Feast" by Himring

[hhimring]

Title: A Merry Feast
Author Name: Himring
Prompt: "Let us think that at this midwinter the feast shall be merrier than in all our years yet, with a fearless spring to follow after!" (Children of Húrin) (Seasons of Middle-earth: Winter)
Summary: Morwen at midwinter
Rating: Teens
Warnings: canonical outcome of the Nirnaeth Arnoediad (chiefly implied)
Author's Notes: A true drabble originally posted in January at Tolkien Weekly for the prompt "Wine", after first reading the B2MeM 2014 prompts list. I hope it is ok to repost it here.


"Let us think that at this midwinter the feast shall be merrier than in all our years yet,” he said and she tried to hold that thought. But she remembered another winter when the night was without moon, the plain stretched dim beneath the stars, and watch-fires burned low. That winter, life as she knew it had ended, and so this second life, too, might end.
For all that, she could not stop waiting for him. Midwinter came and she was still listening for the sound of his horse. There was no wine. She drank his health in cold water.

The description of the winter night in which the Battle of Sudden Flame erupted, leading to the destruction of Morwen's home and the death of most of her family, is closely based on the Silmarillion (and was part of another B2MeM prompt). Morwen listening for the neigh of Hurin's horse Arroch is also canonical.

ETA: In case anybody missed them, I would like to recommend the two excellent compilation fills for this prompt: Beleriand's Finest by Zeen and Glas Arnoediad by Adlanth.

Comments

[heartofoshun.livejournal.com]

It certainly fits the prompt. I have noticed every that B2MeM prompts often are met by things I have already written and published. There is nothing knew under the sun, I guess!

I love this one. Tolkien sometimes writes certain characters in the Silmarillion to feel very human and non-epic. Morwen always feels real to me. (As does Erendis in UT! He does unhappy women very well!) Thanks for calling the drabble to our attention.

[hhimring]

Thank you very much, Oshun!
I actually did write it for this specific prompt. I just wrote it in January already, just after the prompt list was posted--and I wrote it for the current Tolkien Weekly prompt at the same time, so it got posted there in January.
However, the other point you make is very true as well! I seem to use loads of seasonal imagery--I didn't realize how much, until I went through that prompts list and found that I had written quite a number of these prompts already at some time or another.

Glad you like the drabble! I agree about Morwen and also about Erendis.He does do unhappy women well.

[heartofoshun.livejournal.com]

I remember thinking Morwen was just so grim before I did her character bio and that is when she really came to life for me. I love the interactions between her and Hurin in the canon sources. He appreciates her strength. Your drabble tapped into a well of emotion relating to her for me.

[lindahoyland.livejournal.com]

This is very vivid.

[hhimring]

Thank you very much for commenting on my drabble, Linda!
I'm glad you liked it.

[tanis2014.livejournal.com]

I've often wondered why Tolkien had it in for this poor character. Did he base her on someone he knew who endured loss after loss after loss and yet kept on putting one foot in front of the other? Or was she made up out of whole cloth straight from his imagination?

Such a sad, sad tale her life is and you've captured a moment of it as if preserved in amber.

[hhimring]

The tale of the whole family is devastatingly sad, but for some of us, it is Morwen who stays with us the most.
I believe Tolkien had a very brave mother, but I wouldn't venture to say that Morwen is actually based on her. And of course, thankfully, his mother was spared quite such a harsh fate as Morwen!
Thank you very much for your review!

[binkaslibrary.livejournal.com]

Very skillfully written. Thank you for sharing :)

[hhimring]

Thank you! Happy to hear you think that drabble works!

[baranduin.livejournal.com]

A good drabble is so difficult to do justice to, but I think you have here. In just a few words you've laid out an entire story, and so cinematically. Really liked this, you chose your details well.

[hhimring]

Thank you very much!
I'm happy to hear this works as a drabble! Especially considering I was covering two quite different prompts at the same time--but that wasn't at all the plan at the time, just a sudden rush of inspiration!

[elliska.livejournal.com]

So sad! Well captured in such a short space.

[hhimring]

Thank you!
I'm glad you think it is well captured.

[astris-eldalie.livejournal.com]

You captured Morwen very well here – the last few sentences were really great.

[hhimring]

Thank you! I'm glad you like the ending.

[blslarner.livejournal.com]

I love the atmosphere you project in this drabble. Well done.

[hhimring]

Thank you! I'm glad you think I got the atmosphere right!

[ysilme]

Oh yes, that fits this prompt perfectly! Great job.

[hhimring]

Thank you!
I'm glad that you think it does justice to the prompt. Such a heart-rending quote!

[greatandgrey]

She drank his health in cold water. - This made me shiver. Wonderful drabble. :)

[hhimring]

Thank you!
I'm glad that last sentence worked for you!