"Winter, Brought By Letters" by LadyBrooke
Mar. 2nd, 2020 12:05 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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b2memB2MeM Prompt: March 2 - "A Hopeless Dawn" by Frank Bramley
Format: Ficlet
Genre: Angst
Rating: Teens
Warnings: Canonical Character Deaths
Characters: Anairë, Nimloth
Pairings: Anairë/Nimloth, Dior/Nimloth, background Anairë/Fingolfin
Creator’s Notes (optional): Dior is given the Gift of Men in this fic. Part of a series about Nimloth in Valinor.
Summary: Nimloth and Anairë receive letters from Mandos.
For one of them, the news brings nothing but despair.
The autumn winds seeped through the windows and the door as Nimloth looked at the letters sitting on the table.
She had seen letters like this before - addressed to her father, to her cousin, to Finarfin and Eärwen, brought by cloaked Maiar of Námo to families wondering when their loved ones would be returned to them. Somehow, she had thought it would be more time before they had to face this. At least she would have another of her loves at the end of this.
Anairë had already opened her letter, eagerly reading the words, when Nimloth opened hers.
She read it once - twice - a third time. The words did not make sense, swirling on the page as though they were leaves in the wind trying to escape her grasp.
"Nolofinwë shall be returned in six weeks' time," Anairë exclaimed, smiling widely as she clutched the letter to her chest and breaking the spell over Nimloth.
Nimloth tried to smile back. There was no winter in Valinor, at least no winter of the type that had occurred in Beleriand, chill seeping into her bones like it seeped into the trees. Despite that, she felt as though it was winter, barely able to remain upright from the pain sinking into her body.
"Nimloth? What did your letter say? Will Dior return before or after Nolofinwë?" Anairë had grasped her hand, Nimloth realized.
Suddenly, she could not stand. She collapsed to the floor, Anairë grabbing her and pulling her upper body across Anairë's lap.
"Dior was given the Fate of Men."
There was a hand stroking her hair, and some part of her heard Anairë continue to speak, but Nimloth could focus on nothing but those words from the letter and the news from Anairë's. She had assumed, this entire time, that their fates were mirrors - at the worst, one of them would need to wait a few years, not that Dior would be forever gone. Even when she had professed to not know what Dior's fate would be, she had silently thought of the promises he had whispered on their darkest nights and the last thought he had given her over their bond before they died side by side, and assumed he would come. When news had come of Elwing's choice, and Anairë's grandson-in-law had appeared at their door with Idril, she had thought she knew.
"I have lost everything. Dior to his fate, and you to your husband when he returns," Nimloth cried.
Anairë did not reply, face stricken.
It was too much. Nimloth pulled away, even as Anairë tried to hold her. A bracelet made of a string of pearls Olwë had sent as a present snapped, sending pearls scattering over the floor as Nimloth fled the house for the trees.
Anairë was shouting, chasing after her now.
'Please,' Nimloth begged trees that would not die.
A gap opened in one. She climbed inside, waiting for Anairë to pass before she opened the letter once more and cried again.
Story on Ao3
Format: Ficlet
Genre: Angst
Rating: Teens
Warnings: Canonical Character Deaths
Characters: Anairë, Nimloth
Pairings: Anairë/Nimloth, Dior/Nimloth, background Anairë/Fingolfin
Creator’s Notes (optional): Dior is given the Gift of Men in this fic. Part of a series about Nimloth in Valinor.
Summary: Nimloth and Anairë receive letters from Mandos.
For one of them, the news brings nothing but despair.
The autumn winds seeped through the windows and the door as Nimloth looked at the letters sitting on the table.
She had seen letters like this before - addressed to her father, to her cousin, to Finarfin and Eärwen, brought by cloaked Maiar of Námo to families wondering when their loved ones would be returned to them. Somehow, she had thought it would be more time before they had to face this. At least she would have another of her loves at the end of this.
Anairë had already opened her letter, eagerly reading the words, when Nimloth opened hers.
She read it once - twice - a third time. The words did not make sense, swirling on the page as though they were leaves in the wind trying to escape her grasp.
"Nolofinwë shall be returned in six weeks' time," Anairë exclaimed, smiling widely as she clutched the letter to her chest and breaking the spell over Nimloth.
Nimloth tried to smile back. There was no winter in Valinor, at least no winter of the type that had occurred in Beleriand, chill seeping into her bones like it seeped into the trees. Despite that, she felt as though it was winter, barely able to remain upright from the pain sinking into her body.
"Nimloth? What did your letter say? Will Dior return before or after Nolofinwë?" Anairë had grasped her hand, Nimloth realized.
Suddenly, she could not stand. She collapsed to the floor, Anairë grabbing her and pulling her upper body across Anairë's lap.
"Dior was given the Fate of Men."
There was a hand stroking her hair, and some part of her heard Anairë continue to speak, but Nimloth could focus on nothing but those words from the letter and the news from Anairë's. She had assumed, this entire time, that their fates were mirrors - at the worst, one of them would need to wait a few years, not that Dior would be forever gone. Even when she had professed to not know what Dior's fate would be, she had silently thought of the promises he had whispered on their darkest nights and the last thought he had given her over their bond before they died side by side, and assumed he would come. When news had come of Elwing's choice, and Anairë's grandson-in-law had appeared at their door with Idril, she had thought she knew.
"I have lost everything. Dior to his fate, and you to your husband when he returns," Nimloth cried.
Anairë did not reply, face stricken.
It was too much. Nimloth pulled away, even as Anairë tried to hold her. A bracelet made of a string of pearls Olwë had sent as a present snapped, sending pearls scattering over the floor as Nimloth fled the house for the trees.
Anairë was shouting, chasing after her now.
'Please,' Nimloth begged trees that would not die.
A gap opened in one. She climbed inside, waiting for Anairë to pass before she opened the letter once more and cried again.
Story on Ao3
no subject
Date: 2020-03-02 07:35 pm (UTC)That's an incredible and very moving description.
no subject
Date: 2020-03-03 01:30 am (UTC)