Host of Stars, by Elleth

[ladyelleth.livejournal.com]

B2MeM Challenge:
B7: Here we come A-Caroling: Tidings of Comfort and Joy, Landscape: Cliffs
Format: Double-Drabble
Genre: Character Study
Rating: G
Warnings: N/A
Characters: Finwë
Pairings: N/A
Summary: During the departure from Cuiviénen, Finwë battles a moment of indecision.


Looking back, there were a veritable multitude of fires on the shore.

Finwë, leaning on his staff, closed his eyes. The fires still burned, inside his eyelids.
Half of my people remained. The failure to convince them stung, the separation tugged fiercely on his limbs to turn and lead the host of the Tatyar back with him. But stronger still pulled the desire to see the Light again. One way or another had to lie farewell. But doubt gnawed at his bones as a hungry wolf would. As the Dark Rider would, if he caught him. My choice was wise.

Opening his eyes again, he lifted them to the stars. And dropped them, to see a veritable multitude of torches following him up the pass into the cliffs; like a host of stars themselves. In their shine were children running, a shepherdess herding her flock, a musician drumming his timbrel and the man beside him laughing, all the way into the valley the glint of light on hair and eyes turned forward. Hindmost, almost beyond recognition, were the Nelyar, but even they followed.

And in the end, they will have greater lights still. Lightened, Finwë began climbing the slope ahead.

Notes:
Half the original Tatyarin population did in fact remain at Cuiviénen to become part of the Avari, their departing counterpart later became the Noldor. The Nelyar are the later Teleri, the most reluctant to depart. Many more of them remained at Cuiviénen, while others got lost along the road, so to speak. They also were the last group to arrive in Valinor.

Comments

[aliana1.livejournal.com]

A bittersweet moment of introspection indeed. I've always felt a great deal of sympathy for the Avari, and their reluctance to leave their Middle-earth birthplace; I can also sympathize with Finwe's doubt, here. This line is especially lovely:

In their shine were children running, a shepherdess herding her flock, a musician drumming his timbrel and the man beside him laughing, all the way into the valley the glint of light on hair and eyes turned forward.

We never really learn what the elves were doing with themselves in all that time hanging out at Cuiviénen, so this is a nice glimpse.

[huinare.livejournal.com]

Aliana, were you at all reminded of the imagery from the When You Believe/Exodus scene from Prince of Egypt when you read this? I sure was, after seeing that on your journal today.

Elleth, this is lovely. It has a very epic scope to it in its portrayal of a mass migration, yet also is very intimate in its glimpse of Finwë's mixed remorse and triumph.

[ladyelleth.livejournal.com]

Well-spotted! That actually was the incentive for writing this fic in the first place - as much as I love Prince of Egypt, there are some beefs I'd still like to pick from a storytelling standpoint, so this sort of happened in response - and, well, adjusted to the Eldarin exodus. But the 'crowd scene' here definitely owes some things to the music video (and the departure of the Elves from Rivendell in... TTT?).

I'm very glad you enjoyed this, I had fun writing it! ^^

[aliana1.livejournal.com]

I was reminded, indeed--they are sort of going to the Promised Land, guided by leaders who have communed with the Higher Powers, after all. :)

[ladyelleth.livejournal.com]

Thank you! :)

We never really learn what the elves were doing with themselves in all that time hanging out at Cuiviénen, so this is a nice glimpse. Hee, thanks. I love to worldbuild even in the miniature scales of a drabble/double-drabble, so it was nice to leave some hints - what I can't believe is that they really just hung out and multiplied, especially if you consider that the real-world Palaeolithic Revolution is speculated to be tied to the onset of language, which the Elves had from the beginning. They also had an impetus for the domestication of animals up front seeing how their myths feature a dark rider, so a case of 'fix-it' action doesn't seem terribly implausible, and as for musical instruments, well. I can't find it on Google currently, but even bonobos have been observed to be doing some rhythmic drumming given a resonance body, and the Elves are so naturally associated with music that instruments didn't seem terribly far-fetched either. Surely they can come to the same conclusion as a different branch of primates.

(Sorry, this wasn't meant to turn into a rant, just an explanation how I justified the presence of various things in the drabble. :))

[hhimring]

I really like this. Among other things (which the other reviewers have already said better than I could!), it reads like a kind of inversion or variation on the theme of Losgar.

[ladyelleth.livejournal.com]

That's an interesting thought. It hadn't occured to me while writing, but you definitely have a point with the inversion. And seeing how there was a sentiment at the time of the Exile (I forget by whom, either the Noldor remaining in Valinor, or the Sindar that the Exiles met when they returned) that the Noldor returning to Beleriand were really Avari who regretted their initial departure from Middle-earth, your remark is even more fitting. :) Thank you!

[just-jenni.livejournal.com]

I enjoyed this very much. Beautiful description. :)

[ladyelleth.livejournal.com]

Thank you. :)

[keiliss.livejournal.com]

Such a well chosen moment. Loved the descriptions, especially the use of fire - torches, stars, the fires along the lake. I couldn't help it though, I kept seeing some young one watching them leave, eyes on the line of torches going up the cliff, and wanting to go SO BAD, but his Dad had said no, and that was an end to it.

[ladyelleth.livejournal.com]

Oh, what a sad idea... but not terribly unlikely. There must have been a great deal of families that were torn apart at the Sundering, and it's never really treated in the texts...

Thank you for the review. I'm glad you found the use of fire effective.

[silver-trails.livejournal.com]

Lovely ficlet. I like your Finwë.

[ladyelleth.livejournal.com]

Thanks. It was interesting to try and figure out a character I don't usually write.

[blslarner.livejournal.com]

What a glimpse not only of Finwe's concerns but of the Elven population that chose to follow him as well. Nicely done!

[ladyelleth.livejournal.com]

Thank you, and my apologies for the delayed reply. My inbox is rather swamped at the moment, but I appreciated the review nonetheless. :)

[idleleaves.livejournal.com]

Mm, I really like this. It makes sense to me that there'd have been at least a few moments along the way where some of them wondered if they were doing the right thing.

Your words are always so pretty. ♥

[ladyelleth.livejournal.com]

It can't have been an easy decision - for Finwë, perhaps, since he has already been to Aman and seen what the Valar have to offer, but leaving part of his people would probably have taken a toll anyway.

Thanks -- you're making me blush. ♥ (And your words are prettier.)