"Salgant attempts to soothe Maeglin with music", by Himring

[hhimring]

B2MeM Prompt and Category: Initial prompt no. 29: Image: Pond with Trees
Format: Ficlet (c. 280 words)
Genre: Vignette (friendship, hurt/comfort)
Rating: Teens
Warnings: some angst
Characters: Maeglin, Salgant
Pairings: n/a
Creator’s Notes (optional): I have interpreted the prompt as Lake Linaewen in Nevrast.
Summary: Salgant of the House of the Harp attempts to comfort his bereaved new friend Maeglin, who is feeling less than happy in Gondolin, with music and song. It is not a straightforward task.


‘I could ask Sindar to teach me songs from Doriath’, offers Salgant, meaning: maybe they were sung in Nan Elmoth, too?

‘Thank you’, says Maeglin, meaning: don’t.

‘I can learn how to adjust my style to make it less Noldorin’, says Salgant.

‘No, thank you’, says Maeglin, even more firmly, meaning: that is just what I’m worried about.

But the familiar songs of Gondolin won’t do, not on a day like this, with Maeglin in such a bleak mood that even the sky above Gondolin and the earth beneath his feet seems to trouble him, nor will songs of Valinor do, for Maeglin refuses utterly ever to indulge in dreams of unattainable white cities on green hills again.

But, even though he has neither Maglor’s voice nor Ecthelion’s skill, Salgant’s faith in music is not so easily shaken and, despite the lack of encouragement, he goes on trying, taking up his harp and plucking a few notes, observing Maeglin’s reaction, until eventually he finds that Maeglin can enjoy songs and stories of Nevrast, even on dark days; he likes to think of his mother riding by the sea, despite the fact that he has never seen it, or of her hunting by lake Linaewen, long before she met Eol.

It seems like quite the achievement to see Maeglin soothed by songs of wind in the reeds or waves breaking along the coast, but Salgant later comes to regret it—for when Tuor arrives from Nevrast, with the favour of Ulmo on him, it seems to make things worse: Maeglin silently turning his back on what had until then been his favourite tunes as if they, too, have now betrayed him.


A/N: This is related to a drabble sequence I have been writing about Maeglin and Salgant, but can probably be understood without that context. If anyone would like some harp music to go with this piece, I would suggest Alan Stivell's Ys (here on YouTube, in a cover version by Sylvain Demonchaux).

Comments

[kayleearafinwiel]

Oh, I like this!!

[hhimring]

Thank you very much, Kaylee!

[zdenka]

I liked this! It's very kind of Salgant to keep trying to cheer Maeglin up, and I like how he hits on playing the songs of Nevrast and Lake Linaewen. And how sad that Maeglin suddenly lost all the comfort he found in those songs.

I enjoyed the piece you linked, also. Listening to music and sea sounds while reading felt really perfect for this year's event!

[hhimring]

Thank you! Glad you liked the Stivell piece and found it fitting, I also thought the video was good.
I was slightly thrown for a loop, because I had remembered the photo prompts as being a little more Nevrast-like than I guess they actually are. But I felt the piece nevertheless was so close to this year's theme that it didn't matter that my lake was a pond!

It's always tricky when an imaginary space collides with reality...

[zdenka]

I'm comfortable saying officially that no one will mind if you write a lake instead of a pond. :) If the prompt inspires you, you can go as far afield as you like. (Though I do understand the impulse to worry about it, because I do the same thing myself when I go into participant-mode instead of mod-mode.)

[alasse_mirimiel]

Interesting! And it's like Tuor took something else away from Maeglin...

[hhimring]

Not intentionally, of course! Tuor has had a hard life, before, and takes nothing that Maeglin actually owns. But nevertheless, everything that Maeglin has had difficulty with, from the moment Tuor arrives in Gondolin, seems to fall to him, almost without effort. Not so easy to cope with.

[narya_flame]

Lovely! Salgant's efforts to reach Maeglin are really touching, as is his reaction to the songs after Tuor arrives :(

[hhimring]

Thank you!
I'm working on the idea that this was a genuine, if troubled friendship, before Morgoth got hold of Maeglin and used his mental difficulties to break him and send him back changed.
Slightly AU, admittedly (or if you like, assuming a bit of bias on the part of the historical account).

[bunn]

Oh nooooo poor Maeglin. He just can't catch a break. And Salgant tries so hard.

[hhimring]

Well, arguably he's caught a number of breaks. But I think it's really hard to come back from such a traumatic beginning, especially if there were no way to distance oneself, as in Maeglin just having to keep walking past the place where his father got executed and cursed him, and so on...

[liadt]

Aw, Salgant is very sweet!

[hhimring]

Thank you! Glad you like him!

[oloriel]

Ooh. It's so lovely to read about Salgant, who tends to get set up as laughing stock or an antagonist if he makes an appearance at all, in such a sympathetic scenario. As in your Outsiders of Gondolin series, the idea of a friendship between Maeglin and Salgant is portrayed very nicely. You really make me care about these two, and I usually don't! I love how Salgant understands the meaning behind Maeglin's words and puts in the effort of finding something that works for him. The final paragraph was heartbreaking - Maeglin's sense of betrayal comes across very clearly, and sadly, it makes perfect sense. Poor Salgant, and poor Maeglin too.

[hhimring]

It's really good to hear that I could make you care about these two here! And also that the final paragraph made sense! Thank you!

[ex_mithrial116]

I like the dynamic between these two characters, at least, the way Salgant keeps trying for Maeglin, but is overtaken by events.

Life can throw no-win situations. Sympathy to Salgant.

Thanks for the harp music link. I'll be listening to that later. :D

[hhimring]

Thank you! I'm glad the dynamic appealed to you! Yes, occasionally there are situations where you just can't win.
I hope you enjoy the harp music!

[dawn_felagund]

Aww, this is so poignant and sad. I love the subtext of the character's words and the reminders of how sheltered (and young) Maeglin is: He hasn't seen the sea; even the songs of neighboring Doriath may not be familiar to him.

The ending feels very realistic. I've certainly had the experience of associating a song I like with a memory/person I'd sooner forget. Of course, interpreting that feeling as betrayal is so very Maeglin, isn't it?

[hhimring]

Thank you, Dawn!
When Maeglin wanted to visit his Feanorian relatives in Himlad, his father threatened to clap him in chains. Visiting the sea of course would not necessarily imply Noldor, but I really can't see Eol allowing Maeglin to go off for a jaunt to the seaside on his own or taking him there. And, by the end, he still hasn't seen the sea, because as Turgon's nephew he would have no chance to go either, so it's not only a general dislike of Tuor, it's also another case of Tuor going one better. And, yes, Maeglin's still quite young, especially by elvish standards!
I'm glad the end feels realistic! To be fair, the "betrayal" is Salgant's interpretation here, not something that Maeglin actually says, and it's a call-back to an earlier conversation they had about Gondolin. But, yes, you could say feeling it as betrayal was characteristic!

[independence1776]

Oh, Maeglin. I want to give him a hug. I am glad Salgant tries to help and even succeeds for a time.

[hhimring]

Thank you!
Canon takes a darker view of both these characters, admittedly, but I do think Maeglin was dealt a bad hand of cards. And I'm trying to take a more sympathetic look at Salgant.

[grundyscribbling]

Poor Maeglin. *gives him all the hugs*
I like that Salgant keeps at it even though Maeglin isn't particularly encouraging.

[hhimring]

Thank you!
Maeglin is grateful for Salgant's efforts, the two just tend to look at some things from rather different angles. I suppose I imagine Nan Elmoth as a rather silent place, not actively discouraging music, but not cultivating it either.