Tales for Mettare (Winter in Arnor) 8/24?, by Kaylee Arafinwiel

[kayleelupin.livejournal.com]

B2MeM Challenge: Winter Wonderland - I21

Format: drabble (triple drabble, this time - Aragorn's cousins got out of hand xD)

Genre: family

Rating: G

Warnings:  mention of death, nothing graphic

Characters: Aragorn, OCs

Pairings: N/A

Creators' Notes (optional): Taithir (OC) is the husband of Arathorn's (OC) sister Brennil, and father of Thalanir. At this time, he is the tutor for the children of the village. In time, his nephew Idhrenor (Aragorn's double cousin) will take over. I've previously shown a lesson of Taithir's in "A Midsummer Lesson", part of "Summer in Taduin"

Summary: Aragorn returns to lessons.


“Long and long ago, in the days when first the Noldor returned to the Hither Shores,” Taithir said, “they settled the land called Nevrast, Turgon’s first kingdom. It was divided from the land of Hithlum by the Ered Lómin, which curved north and west toward the Helcaraxë.”

“The Helcaraxë was cold!” Idhrenor shivered – as well he might, for Thalanir had slipped a handful of snow down his back!

Taithir looked disapprovingly at his son. “Thalanir.”

“I am sorry, Master.” Thalanir rose and bowed respectfully to his father, as he had seen Aragorn do before. “Sorry, Idhrenor,” he added to the other boy, who shot him a baleful look, but forgave him.

Taithir fought the urge to roll his eyes. Of all the ridiculous nonsense. “As I was saying, eventually, Turgon abandoned Nevrast and moved further east with his people, a mix of Noldor and Sindar, to forge a new kingdom, surrounded by the Encircling Mountains. Do you remember the name of Turgon’s kingdom?”

“Nargothrond,” guessed Thalanir. Idhrenor batted the back of his cousin’s head. “No, Gondolin.”

“Ondolindë,” Aragorn said quickly. Thalanir and Idhrenor turned to stare at their elder cousin and Chieftain.

“What?” they chorused.

"Ondolindë was the name by which the kingdom was first known,” Aragorn said, “that is, the Rock of the Music of Water. It is also the name by which we called it in Imladris, for our Captain had a…dislike of its Sindarin name, and so it was not spoken.”

“Why would he dislike Gondolin?” Idhrenor asked curiously, frowning. A gleam of wry amusement flashed in Master Taithir’s eyes at that. How would Aragorn answer?

“It was in Ondolindë,” Aragorn repeated, “on the day of the Gate of Summer, that the kingdom fell – and so did he. Yet, Lord Glorfindel returned, while Ondolindë is no more.”

Comments

[blslarner.livejournal.com]

Hmm. It's been a long time since I read that part of the Sil, obviously. Good reason for Glorfindel to dislike the Sindarin name, I suspect. Thanks!

[kayleelupin.livejournal.com]

Yeah, me too. I base Gondolin's fall at Midsummer on Atto Fiondil's works (as is pretty usual for me) and I think generally speaking of Gondolin (especially Gondolin and Midsummer in the same breath) was a big issue for Glorfi, at least before he was returned to Middle-earth. But I imagine it'd still be a sore point, if not as traumatic as it was those first few yeni after his Rebirth.

And thank you for your much appreciated review!

[nialoke]

Now I'm trying to remember - did the population of Gondolin speak Sindarin, or Quenya? Seeing as their were Sindar among them, I'm assuming the latter... So Glorfindel prefers the name Ondolinde because it is the one he has heard less often, and finds it easier to distance himself from...?

Either way, a nice read!

[kayleelupin.livejournal.com]

Turgon's people consisted of both Sindar and Noldor. I'm assuming they spoke Sindarin as a matter of course, and probably Quenya for purposes that concerned strictly the Noldor. So yes, Gondolin would have been the commonly used name and Ondolinde the one he heard less often. I think Ondolinde is easier to distance himself from - especially because no one refers to him in lays and tales as "Laurefindil of Ondolinde". He'd much rather be Glorfindel of Imladris now, I think. Dying was hard enough - learning to live with it is harder still.

[nialoke]

Yes, I can see why it would be. *nods*
Thanks for the explanation!

[kayleelupin.livejournal.com]

You're very welcome :)