An Unwilling Queen
Mar. 6th, 2017 08:32 pm![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
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b2memB2MeM Prompt and Path:I have loved the stars too fondly, Red
Format:short story
Genre:Drama
Rating:G
Warnings:None
Characters:Nerdanel
Pairings:None
Creator’s Notes:Tolkien provided the sandbox, I merely play with the bucket and shovel he left behind. No profit of any kind is made from my fanworks.
Summary:When Fëanor was ordered to appear at Taniquetil and make amends with Fingolfin, he wore the Silmarils as requested. Taking advantage of his brethren's absence while they attended the ceremony, Morgoth unleashed Ungoliant upon the Two Trees and destroyed them. Screams outside her house walls in Tirion are the first sign Nerdanel has that something is very wrong.
An Unwilling Queen
Panic struck. Elves were screaming, both in the distance and several who seemed closer at hand. Nerdanel's handmaid dashed into the room, which was lit by a single large taper of bees wax.
"My Lady, the light. It is gone! The light of the Trees is gone! How can this be, Lady? How can the light of the Trees suddenly disappear?" The handmaid was waving her hands around so much that the candle's flame was in danger of blowing out.
"Stop that - right now! Stop that immediately!" Nerdanel reached over and slapped the maid's face, ending her hysterics although not her tears. "Sit down. Cease with your weeping and wailing. That's not going to help anyone."
The maid sat heavily into a nearby chair, frightened eyes glued to her mistress.
"Better. Now, stay here. I'm going to see if I can find out what's going on."
"Oh no, Lady Nerdanel. You cannot go out there. It's dangerous."
"I'll take one of the forge hammers along with me. Nobody's going to harm me; they'll be too concerned about what's happened than bother me." She left the room, making her way by the small amount of light cast by the beeswax candle behind her. She left the living quarters, heading towards the forge that was located in a cluster of one-story buildings at the back of the large yard. It was easy to find because the doors were open and the coals from the hearths used by the smiths were glowing orange-red.
Two smiths were working on projects, completely unaware of what had happened outside the compound; their focus was so absolute. Nerdanel entered the room and pulled a Fëanorean lantern from the wall. She walked up to the smiths and signaled for them to put down their hammers.
"Go to your homes, both of you. Something has happened to the Two Trees and we are in darkness. Take a lamp with you, but guard them. Panic runs through the streets now, and light may spark violence. Make sure your families are safe and calm. I'm going to the palace. We'll need a central location to pass on information when it becomes available, and as Fëanor's wife, I guess I'm the person in charge until someone tells me otherwise."
Nerdanel left the compound, keeping the lantern fully hidden underneath her cloak. A long-knife hung from her belt. She had never used it against anything other than an animal when she and Fëanor had wandered the countryside, exploring, before settling down with their expanding family. She did not doubt that she could wield it in self-defense, if necessary, but she felt it wouldn't come up. The elves were peaceful and had been for long years under the rule of the Valar.
Proceeding along back streets to the palace compound, she finally arrived at one of the back gates. She fumbled for the key, making a momentary use of the lantern to make sure she had the correct key and to put it into the lock quickly. Before the unexpected light could be remarked on, she was through the gate and it was locked behind her.
She entered the tall hedgerows of Indis’ Maze. The Maze had been a gift from Finwë to his Queen at the time of their wedding, but she had never cared for it. “Too dark and gloomy” she had said when asked. However, their children loved it, and many a tryst occurred in the hidden corners over the years.
Although it was large and complex, the secret to the maze was not very difficult, and Nerdanel wended her way through it with ease. She came to the center – a statue of her own making in the center of a pool, surrounded by a musical fountain. She stopped a moment to enjoy the sound of the music, the unrest of Tirion muffled by the tall hedgerow and the gentle tinkling of the water. Looking closer at the fountain, she gasped.
“The stars! I had forgotten the stars! How beautiful they are!” There, reflected in the water broken by the fountain's spray, were Varda’s stars. There was Valacirca, the sickle, and Menelmacar, with his great belt; two reminders that evil would never succeed in drowning the light. Countless other pinpoints of light accompanied the two mighty constellations that Manwë’s Queen of Light had placed in the heavens to welcome the coming of the elves to Arda.
Nerdanel fell to her knees, a hymn of thankfulness on her lips. The loss of the Two Trees was grievous, and life would be hard for the elves under darkness, but light still existed and good would prevail. She got back to her feet. Time to find some of the women of Tirion, people of strength. Until they were given other orders and directions, there were children to feed, crops to harvest and supplies to inventory. There was a city to organize. It was time to get to work. .
Format:short story
Genre:Drama
Rating:G
Warnings:None
Characters:Nerdanel
Pairings:None
Creator’s Notes:Tolkien provided the sandbox, I merely play with the bucket and shovel he left behind. No profit of any kind is made from my fanworks.
Summary:When Fëanor was ordered to appear at Taniquetil and make amends with Fingolfin, he wore the Silmarils as requested. Taking advantage of his brethren's absence while they attended the ceremony, Morgoth unleashed Ungoliant upon the Two Trees and destroyed them. Screams outside her house walls in Tirion are the first sign Nerdanel has that something is very wrong.
An Unwilling Queen
Panic struck. Elves were screaming, both in the distance and several who seemed closer at hand. Nerdanel's handmaid dashed into the room, which was lit by a single large taper of bees wax.
"My Lady, the light. It is gone! The light of the Trees is gone! How can this be, Lady? How can the light of the Trees suddenly disappear?" The handmaid was waving her hands around so much that the candle's flame was in danger of blowing out.
"Stop that - right now! Stop that immediately!" Nerdanel reached over and slapped the maid's face, ending her hysterics although not her tears. "Sit down. Cease with your weeping and wailing. That's not going to help anyone."
The maid sat heavily into a nearby chair, frightened eyes glued to her mistress.
"Better. Now, stay here. I'm going to see if I can find out what's going on."
"Oh no, Lady Nerdanel. You cannot go out there. It's dangerous."
"I'll take one of the forge hammers along with me. Nobody's going to harm me; they'll be too concerned about what's happened than bother me." She left the room, making her way by the small amount of light cast by the beeswax candle behind her. She left the living quarters, heading towards the forge that was located in a cluster of one-story buildings at the back of the large yard. It was easy to find because the doors were open and the coals from the hearths used by the smiths were glowing orange-red.
Two smiths were working on projects, completely unaware of what had happened outside the compound; their focus was so absolute. Nerdanel entered the room and pulled a Fëanorean lantern from the wall. She walked up to the smiths and signaled for them to put down their hammers.
"Go to your homes, both of you. Something has happened to the Two Trees and we are in darkness. Take a lamp with you, but guard them. Panic runs through the streets now, and light may spark violence. Make sure your families are safe and calm. I'm going to the palace. We'll need a central location to pass on information when it becomes available, and as Fëanor's wife, I guess I'm the person in charge until someone tells me otherwise."
Nerdanel left the compound, keeping the lantern fully hidden underneath her cloak. A long-knife hung from her belt. She had never used it against anything other than an animal when she and Fëanor had wandered the countryside, exploring, before settling down with their expanding family. She did not doubt that she could wield it in self-defense, if necessary, but she felt it wouldn't come up. The elves were peaceful and had been for long years under the rule of the Valar.
Proceeding along back streets to the palace compound, she finally arrived at one of the back gates. She fumbled for the key, making a momentary use of the lantern to make sure she had the correct key and to put it into the lock quickly. Before the unexpected light could be remarked on, she was through the gate and it was locked behind her.
She entered the tall hedgerows of Indis’ Maze. The Maze had been a gift from Finwë to his Queen at the time of their wedding, but she had never cared for it. “Too dark and gloomy” she had said when asked. However, their children loved it, and many a tryst occurred in the hidden corners over the years.
Although it was large and complex, the secret to the maze was not very difficult, and Nerdanel wended her way through it with ease. She came to the center – a statue of her own making in the center of a pool, surrounded by a musical fountain. She stopped a moment to enjoy the sound of the music, the unrest of Tirion muffled by the tall hedgerow and the gentle tinkling of the water. Looking closer at the fountain, she gasped.
“The stars! I had forgotten the stars! How beautiful they are!” There, reflected in the water broken by the fountain's spray, were Varda’s stars. There was Valacirca, the sickle, and Menelmacar, with his great belt; two reminders that evil would never succeed in drowning the light. Countless other pinpoints of light accompanied the two mighty constellations that Manwë’s Queen of Light had placed in the heavens to welcome the coming of the elves to Arda.
Nerdanel fell to her knees, a hymn of thankfulness on her lips. The loss of the Two Trees was grievous, and life would be hard for the elves under darkness, but light still existed and good would prevail. She got back to her feet. Time to find some of the women of Tirion, people of strength. Until they were given other orders and directions, there were children to feed, crops to harvest and supplies to inventory. There was a city to organize. It was time to get to work. .
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Date: 2017-03-07 03:13 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2017-03-07 10:22 am (UTC)- Erulisse (one L)
no subject
Date: 2017-03-16 06:27 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2017-03-07 04:59 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2017-03-07 10:23 am (UTC)- Erulisse (one L)
no subject
Date: 2017-03-07 01:50 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2017-03-07 02:08 pm (UTC)Nerdanel has always struck me as someone who won't get flustered easily. Given that she had a family of all males, and she worked in a smithy and with sculpture - also not traditional female activities - she's got some backbone and some spunk!
Normally Indis would, of course, have been consulted because she was the reigning Queen, although Finwe had given up the crown to follow Feanor into exile. But Indis had taken her eldest daughter, Findis, and returned to Valmar instead of staying in Tirion. That left Nerdanel as the ranking elf in Tirion until Feanor returned when he would become King because of Finwe's death. I suppose that would make Nerdanel Queen Mother (or King's Mother?) since Feanor was unmarried.
What is absolutely certain is that this was a true mess! Maybe Tolkien sent them all over the sea to Middle Earth because the holes he had dug in Valinor were too large to get around any more - LOL.
- Erulisse (one L)
no subject
Date: 2017-03-07 02:18 pm (UTC)Annoying blue light! How hilarious! Red light would have been so much better but at that time in history it probably had all the wrong connotations for Tolkien. ;P
But I hope the elves had candles and fire to light their way if necessary.
the holes he had dug in Valinor were too large to get around any more
I'm dying. :D
no subject
Date: 2017-03-07 06:51 pm (UTC)*wonders if I missed something here* I thought Nerdanel was Feanor's wife, nettenya? :) Miriel Serinde was Feanor's mother...Unless Feanor and Nerdanel dissolved their marriage somehow when he and their sons went into exile taking Finwe with them - Nolofinwe/Fingolfin was left behind as King during that time, I thought. But Nerdanel being the wife of Finwe's eldest son would still be ranking lady unless the marriage was dissolved, I expect.
Anyway, I just want you to know this fic was excellent, I could really see Nerdanel getting down to business here and just making sure to carry on getting everyone to keep living. The Trees being killed was a mess and only those who had been born before/during the travels of the Elves to Valinor would know how to cope. I'm so glad she found hope at the end. <3
Much love, nettenya.
Kaylee
no subject
Date: 2017-03-07 08:31 pm (UTC)Of course, Nerdanel was married to Feanor. I think I meant to say Fingolfin and just typed the wrong name. ARGH!
Then, of course, it actually turned out to be Finarfin who ended up as the King since both Feanor and Fingolfin went East. The question would then be who would be in charge? Anairë, as the wife of Fingolfin or Eärwen as the wife of Finarfin. Maybe they should just throw all of the names into a hat and do a drawing!
Several years ago when I was writing a lot of these stories I had a chart on my wall with all of those damned "F" names. Too effing many "F" names - LOLOL.
- Erulisse (one L)
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Date: 2017-03-07 08:39 pm (UTC)I tend to think once Finwe and Feanaro took off for Formenos (damned F names again lol) Nolofinwe was in charge as Regent, then when Finwe got smashed by Morgoth and Feanaro took off with Nolofinwe and their collective children and followers (and with all Arafinwe's children) I have Nerdanel returning to Mahtan (her father), and Anaire/Earwen ruling jointly until Arafinwe's ready to take up the crown. Then Anaire hangs around helping the King and Queen run things. Does that sound workable? :)
no subject
Date: 2017-03-08 12:20 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2017-03-09 10:13 am (UTC)- Erulisse (one L)
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Date: 2017-03-11 01:44 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2017-03-11 02:52 pm (UTC)Thank you so much for your comments, they are very appreciated.
- Erulisse (one L)