I love the Forsakens in the Show so much and their dynamics are so fascinating. S2 Lanfear was just girlbossing her way around cause she was just in a different league entirely (everyone gotta do a full interpretative dance to light a candle while she just finger guns and blows bridges up) and Ishy was just doing his shit asides. Then the First interaction with the other Chosen was her getting caught in a trap by a girl she can probably physically power bomb. The next group meeting she gets called out so hard by a middle aged man that she was about to throw hands until they both got called out by that one dude in the office who is the shadiest but whom also somehow has the most alliances. Also, everyone ALWAYS reminds her of her one bad break-up. You know instantly why Lanfear was giggling and giddy at the thought of sending their prison rock things to the bottom of the ocean or something at the end of last season. Truly the character group of all time. Want at least 1 episode exclusively of the Forsaken doing their shit. Especially want to watch what tomfoolery happens with the Black Ajah & Maidghedien.
That's the beauty of the Forsaken.
When you first hear about them you think they're scary monsters. Then you find out they're actually humans but still scary and more powerful than anyone else alive, if even just in their knowledge alone
When they're by themselves and threatening the good guys, they're the scariest threat you could have. They're terrifying. You don't want them around the good guys because they can do unspeakable things to them.
Once you start seeing them around other Forsaken though, you realize they aren't a unified threat. They may be scary, but they're not being scary together. When they're together they're just cats in a slap fight, throwing paws and screaming at each other and accomplishing absolutely nothing else.
Like, they are scary and powerful and know how to do all kinds of things that the heroes can't even imagine. But also they are, at their core, petty bitches who hate their coworkers and would like to see each other gone as much as the good guys would.
Everyone in the Wheel of Time is in a typical high/epic fantasy with some minor twists for flavor. Except the Forsaken who are in a post apocalyptic work place comedy about them suffering through a hell of their own making with coworkers they hate and HR is the devil
I had the most interesting dream after falling asleep switching between the latest chapter of The Horrowing and a time travel fix it in another fandom. I thought you might enjoy a brief summary?
Post fic canon Annatar, Finrod, Celebrimbor, and Frodo getting the most hilarious do over of the First Age.
Finrod and Celebrimbor got dropped in their past bodies, bc same souls. Which has Finrod JUST captured by Sauron, before any of his 10 have been munched.
Celebrimbor is of course having a surreal not quite panic attack in Nargothrond.
Annatar, well. Annatar is CHANGED. He is quite literally too different from what he once was for them to qualify as the same soul anymore. Which is gratifying. If inconvenient bc there are now TWO of him, Annatar and full on Sauron. But they're similar enough that Annatar was dropped very close to Sauron.
Frodo is an elf. Dream logic was that hobbits do not exist yet, and his soul has touches of Annatar and Aman. He looks disconcertingly like a mix of Annatar and Celebrimbor, and they are NOT thinking about that right now. Hopefully ever.
Most of the dream centered around all of them doing their best to set aside freak outs, while getting Finrod and his merry band (plus Beren) OUT of Sauron's grasp.
There was a FANTASTIC moment where on the way out, Sauron comes face to face and soul to soul with Annatar and he's just like;
Sauron: *jaw dropped fully horrified face* WHAT are YOU?!?!?
Annatar: *shoving elves behind him, nose in the air* Wouldn't YOU like to know, weather boy. *uses Song to blast him through a wall while he's distracted*
The whole thing featured 10 other elves and Beren as a baffled peanut gallery.
Meanwhile Celebrimbor is weighing the pros and cons of just- drugging his uncles and shoving them in a back room somewhere where he can bolt the door. He thinks he can maybe get Huan to help if he explains?
It was SO much fun.
(hope you have a good day!)
Oh my god. This may be the best ask I've ever gotten, for so many reasons.
The fact that your subconscious was like "Yeah if Frodo's getting a new body it looks like Annatar For Some Reason"
The image of future!Annatar getting into a fight with Sauron in front of Finrod (probably happy about this development) and Beren and the other 10 (INCREDIBLY CONFUSED)
The fact that the dream was partially centered on everybody trying not to panic, which is in fact what the Harrowing is all about for a while
Absolutely incredible.
...I feel so bad for poor Celebrimbor dealing with Nargothrond all by himself while the others are off having adventures. I hope their next stop after the rescue is to swing by and pick him up. Also, I dearly want to know what Annatar has to say to Beren on the subject of his current Luthien-and-Thingol-and-Silmarils situation.
The dream left off there, but growing the idea a little (bc, not gonna lie, this is living rent free in my head a little);
-Frodo and Annatar probably looked each other up and down for 3 incredulous seconds. And then then simultaneously decided; this is a thing that goes on a mental shelf for now (if they keep stacking things in front of it, they can hold off on it forever! Surely that is a thing they can do that will definitely work!)
- Frodo is very wobbly. And disconcerted. And not used to having this much leg and arm tbh. Hobbits are small and easily overlooked! Now he can look Annatar in the eyes! He is Not Enjoying suddenly being a Big Folk and would like to have a nice sit down and cry about it maybe, but alas, they are in a dark and creepy tower and there is Danger, and he's suddenly very aware he's not wearing shoes. His feet are horrifyingly small and hairless, and kind of cold, and- he's gonna set that aside for now. Because DANGER. Perk of having a piece of Annatar still tho! He seems to instinctually remember the towers layout!
-Annatar and Celebrimbor can probably sense one another. They know the other is Here Too, and that is a RELIEF, even tho Annatar probably had to send the vague impression of 'oh-thank-Eru-youre-here-too! Gotta-concentrate-on-not-dying! Luv-you-see-you-soon!' And then concentrate on avoiding guard rotations with a wobbly coltish Frodo beside him, then picking locks on 12 confused prisoners chains. Finrod is not as confused so much as just very very relieved (They do not have the keys. Sauron has the keys. They're resourceful tho, and found, IDK, some little iron spiky bits somewhere?)
-Finrod is so fucking relieved. He has had this nightmare before, frequently even, but he CAN tell the difference between a nightmare and reality and Knew the instant his soul snapped into his old body that this was Real. And unlike Celebrimbor there isn't a bond with Annatar to comfort and reassure him. So for the bit between waking and Annatar showing up, he thinks he is ALONE. At the beginning of the worst experience of his entire existence. O__O
-Annatar absolutely gets grabbed and hugged by a silently crying Finrod the INSTANT the locks are picked.
Then;
Finrod: *squints at the other elf picking Beren out of his chains* Who is-
*strange elf turns a little and gives him a Look*
Finrod: ... FroDO?!?!?!? How-
Annatar: We have no idea. We're Not Talking About It NOW. Now let go and grab a spike and pick a lock! We need to get OUT of here before HE comes looking!
Finrod: Sure, okay, why not. This might as well happen.
- Finrod's ten are thoroughly THOROUGHLY confused. But like, time and a place for questions. Sauron's dungeon is Not It.
-Annnnd they almost make it out, but Sauron catches them! Because would it truly be Harrowing related if there WASN'T an uncomfortable reflection on ones past actions and personal growth?
-Sauron is VERY CONFUSED. This is an ELF. That is, in a Truth of the World Undeniable Way, him. WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK.
Mairon.exe has crashed.
- Annatar, for his part... Is embarrassed and angry, probably? He is literally face to face with a person that is petty and evil and terrible, and he REMEMBERS BEING THIS ASSHOLE. UGH!
- IDK if they would talk much beyond a 'who/what tf are YOU' and a 'wouldnt YOU like to know' exchange? Sauron because he's in a mental loop of 'wtf wtf WTF' and also getting his ass handed to him, and Annatar because he's been this person, he knows trying to talk would be wasted, and the less Sauron knows to tell Morgoth eventually, the better.
MEANWHILE
- Celebrimbor knows Annatar is here also, and is smart enough to know where he likely landed, and also knows that he can't get there in time to help probably. *angry and helpless gritting of teeth*
- Oh Eru, he'd managed to forget exactly how much of a flaming disaster Nargothrond was immediately after Finrod was ousted (lbr, it probably always was a bit, but now things are REALLY burning).
- I'm not sure if he'd stay? Like, the dream was vaguer on what he was doing. And iirc, the canon timeline is kind of vague too. I guess it depends on if this is right before Curufin and Celegorm have kidnapped Luthien, or after? Both have interesting potential.
- Celebrimbor: *looks at Nargothrond* yeah, no I'm out. Not doing THIS again. *goes to find Luthien*
- Either way, he probably ends up attaching himself to Luthien and Huan and meets Annatar and co halfway?
I am legitimately emotional about that Finrod-hugs-Annatar moment now. ...I am always emotional about Finrod-and-Annatar hugs, let's be honest.
(Frodo and Annatar ABSOLUTELY decided, in perfect unison and without any verbal discussion, that this is an emotional shelves situation. The shelf is shared; they are both stacking obstructions up on their respective sides of it. They are also both avoiding mirrors.)
The whole Frodo and Annatar and Celebrimbor sharing features now is a PERFECT opening for the assumption that Annatar and Celebrimbor have a love child. What can I say, I just can't help but picture the FACES the three of them would make being confronted with that idea?
Celebrimbor sputtering incoherently.
Frodo being like *politely horrified face* no thank you, I'm too sane to be related to either of them!
Annatar seethingly explaining that neither of them have the right bits for that kind of creation will not help.
Especially since I suspect that bloodline is something you can check via Song, and Frodo's new body IS very likely made from a bit of *wiggly fingers* hastily swiped and combined genetic material. (Eru is probably giggling, if they can)
Curufin is going to flip. Celegorm is going to have fun watching his brother flip. This may actually help because if they're flipping out over the family baby possibly having a GROWN baby they have less time for stupid ideas? IDK
Squinting at my memories of the timeline, I think if Finrod was only just captured, Luthien probably only just left Doriath? And Curufin and Celegorm have not had time to grab her yet?
So, if Celebrimbor steals Huan first he should be able to get to her and steer her towards tol-in-gaurhoth/tol sirion.
I imagine Curufin and Celegorm are in hot pursuit bc from THEIR point of view Tyelpe was angry, then he was acting a bit strange, an then he stole his uncle's magic dog (and Huan let himself be stolen!)
Luthien, Celebrimbor, and Huan meet up with everyone a bit into the mountains away from tol-in-gaurhoth? Maybe? I'm not really sure because the maps of Beleriand are nice but make very little sense distance wise? (Mildly judging Tolkien for this. C'mon man, you KNEW how important maps are! Why is there no key?)
The story acts like tol sirion and nargothrond are closer than they are really. Given how big some of these places are described as being? *hands* travel by magic hound is really fast I guess?
¯\_(ツ)_/¯
I figure Annatar would steer his bunch of battered ducklings elves in a direction that Sauron would hopefully not expect, which, he would probably expect them to flee backwards towards the forest of brethil or forwards towards hithlum and not sideways into the mountains on either side?
I'm sure Annatar gave his past incarnation enough of a thumping he'll be out of commission for a bit, so if he can get to like, a bolt hole/supply cache he can remember the location of, everyone can get a minute to breathe, see to injuries, and they can find Frodo a pair of boots.
Plus I'm sure he would be able to tell Tyelpe is getting closer. And running around will make it harder for Tyelpe to find them.
When Tyelpe and co catch up, they can figure out what in the WORLD is going on.
Finrod's Ten (and Beren!) REALLY want an explanation. The three of them are trying to figure out one that doesn't sound bonkers insane. It's very difficult. XD
Tyelpe shows up soon enough to help with that hopefully! With unexpected help from Luthien who blinks at Annatar for a minute, able to sense something Weird with a capital W.
The half maiar daughter of Thingol and Melian backing up their story as TRUTH in all caps probably helps a lot?
Also Huan the magic possibly-minor-maiar dog maybe chooses this as a time to Talk? IDK
Annatar probably has Opinions about the Quest everyone is throwing in on. I feel like this is a thing he can and will go on about at LENGTH. High points being; Thingol is a moron, asking for an unreachable by normal means bride price as a thinly veiled murder attempt is petty af, asking for a bride price AT ALL is terrible because elves DON'T DO THAT NORMALLY! Then he segues into how stealing a famously already stolen shiny rock does not mean its YOURS now ffs, it's just twice stolen, followed by getting into the wisdom of keeping a thing a bunch of scary dangerous people have sworn to retrieve at all cost lest they end up in the VOID upon death!
Beren: O__O
Luthien: O__O
This probably will not stop them, but IDK maybe enough will penetrate so they have the strength to tell Thingol to go to hell a bit. He deserves it.
And now it's The Silmarils Quest take two: Annatar plans a proper heist!
The original plan had was fairly simple, it worked! He can improve it tho.
First step is setting up a proper escape route to take once they've got the goods. Frodo and Edrahil are in charge of that, because none of the other time travelers want Frodo ANYWHERE near Morgoth (this is not helping the secret lovechild idea at all probably).
Then they make sure to spread the rest of everyone out along the escape route to provide cover fire if they're chased maybe. (Heists are hard, pretend there's a good plan here)
With Luthien, and Finrod, AND Annatar Singing? I feel like they might be able to keep Morgoth under long enough to just swipe the whole CROWN, they can yank the rocks out AFTER they're gone!
Heck, that might be enough to put most of Angband to sleep. Maybe do that thing Maglor gets to do in stories and Sing half or more of Morgoths army right to death. Maybe, maybe. Might be too risky tho.
RIP to poor Frodo, who is almost infinitely younger than any of these people but also in spirit way too old to be their kid thank you very much.
Celebrimbor SO deserves to steal Huan. He's earned this. Similarly, Annatar deserves to plan a heist he would be so good at it
I am personally imagining Luthien walking into Morgoth's throne room as the only visible one and the other two singers sneaking in stealthily, and Morgoth, who can sing with as many simultaneous voices as he likes, hearing three voices and being like "I didn't think that's how incarnate voices worked but I don't know enough about elf-maia hybrids to dispute it" because he's already dazzled.
...Having trouble imagining what a Luthien-Finrod-Annatar teamup with knowledge of the future COULDN'T accomplish, tbh. Nab the entire crown? Gang up on Thingol until he agrees to let them keep his allotted Silmaril in a fit of really confused guilt? Give the Silmarils to the sons of Feanor so that they won't feel compelled to wreck everybody's everything forever? Except then Morgoth is mad at you and wants the Silmarils back...
Okay this one is going under a cut, because this is getting long and there's no tap J to skip option on mobile!
Part 4 of the ridiculous and fun time travel fix it!
*points* Annatar would be SO good at a heist!
Luthien as the shiny and lovely, 'look over here not behind the curtain' focus, while Finrod, Annatar, Beren and Celebrimbor (who was NOT getting left with Frodo and the horses thanks) slip in wrapped in shadows is a FANTASTIC idea.
And your absolutely correct, Morgoth wouldn't know anything about how incarnates with maiar blood work! Who does? Luthien is about it, I doubt even her parents know what all she can do.
With Annatar and Finrod also there, and VERY FREAKING MOTIVATED, Morgoth is OUT. Anyone and everyone in hearing range of their triad of Song is OUT. Possibly farther, given Annatar is very familiar with Angband and is, again, very motivated.
Celebrimbor doesn't join the Singing, he's their reserve. The three most powerful Singers are throwing their everything at Morgoth, someone's got to stay at full strength just in case.
But it goes WELL. And Morgoth doesn't wake even as Beren climbs the throne and hauls the entire crown off of his head, and down into the waiting arms of Celebrimbor, who slings the whole thing over his head and arm like a kid with a hula hoop.
Then, since Angband is as silent as a grave around them, Annatar initiates a SIDE QUEST.
And he and Celebrimbor go for where they keep the blasting powder.
Annatar stops for a moment and gently, regretfully, slits a sleeping Carcharoth's throat. Carcharoth was a monster, yes, but he was a monster Sauron gladly created, and Annatar will not leave his death to someone else's hands as long as he's there.
All the orcs within hearing are very dead. I'm- not sure if all the thralls within hearing would be too? I like to think Annatar could show/guide Luthien and Finrod into some more precision with their Song than they might ordinarily have, and only the slaves that were fully twisted into servants of Morgoth (aka the kind of thralls that Morgoth would free himself as traps to be sprung by caring people) or those just too wounded in body and soul to make it out (imagining that there's quite a few of those bc Angband is TERRIBLE and sliding into sleep and into the freedom of death a thing many there would WANT).
Annatar and Tyelpe free the living and leave the dead.
And then they start rolling barrels of blasting powder to the throne room, some of the newly released thralls helping probably. I imagine helping to blow up the place you've been enslaved and tormented in is actually fairly therapeutic. (None of the former thralls go into the throne room tho. I think none of them are in a mindset for that).
Annatar carefully directs everyone on where to place the barrels. He built Angband, he knows what corners will yield the most structural damage.
Beyond just breaking things for the sake of breaking things, there's a REASON he's making sure to shatter the place after they leave.
Morgoth was toweringly, VICIOUSLY FURIOUS at the theft of the ONE Silmaril. Annatar remembers. And this time, they're taking all three.
They all need to buy the rest of Beleriand as much time as POSSIBLE before he comes after the Silmarils. Because he will.
They've killed a chunk of his available army. They've blackened his eyes. This will slow him down, but not stop him. Because it's MORGOTH.
They're pretty fast all told, even with the injured, they're well away from Angband by the time there's a remarkably impressive explosion and at least half of Angband crumbles in on itself and the dark clouds above the destroyed fortress start boiling and the ground trembles with the sheer force of Morgoths rage.
They pick up the pace a bit. (And wrap each of the Silmarils in cloth, no need to make any more of a target on their backs.)
While all this was happening, please imagine Frodo and Idrahil waiting awkwardly with the dozen and a half horses they scrounged up (Did they steal them from Sauron? Did Luthien and Annatar and Finrod summon them like Disney princesses? IDK).
Frodo is a bit miffed at being left behind, but he's practical. He knows he's too new in this body to help, and too awkward in his scavenged boots to be able to run (I am absolutely picturing him walking as awkwardly as a dog in snow booties. You KNOW the walk I'm talking about). He can't feel the GROUND, it's WEIRD.
And this is when Curufin and Celegorm catch up.
They have been several days behind Celebrimbor since the start (again, blurring the distances a bit. They're elves from Valinor, we'll assume they can boost their travel time with Song as long as it's just them and their horses and not a whole party?) but with the Quest Party taking time to craft a decent plan, scrounge up enough horses and all, they had time to close the distance some.
Anyway, they focus immediately on Idrahil, and are probably kind of nasty about demanding to know where the hell Celebrimbor is.
Celeg: and Huan!
Curufin: would you SHUT UP about the DAMN DOG?!?!
Because Celeg has, in true annoying sibling fashion, NOT shut up about how offended he is that Huan let himself be dognapped.
Frodo, having known both of these elves for a while, unthinkingly breaks in to the interrogation.
Frodo: I BEG your pardon. Is that how you were raised, to just walk into a clearing and start yelling? What would your mother say!
Curufin and Celegorm probably kind of- freeze? Because I don't think that kind of reproachful tone is one they've heard directed at them innnn, hmm, well, since they left Valinor actually?
And Frodo is in a body that was created out of Celebrimbor. And Annatar. And possibly also a bit of Finrod too tbh (because why not?). Point being, *slaps down money* whatcha wanna bet he sounds an awful lot like Feanor and/or Finwe vocally now? Same scolding tone and EVERYTHING.
So, Idrahil is FORGOTTEN, and both raggedy sons of Feanor turn to the elf they'd noted but otherwise dismissed.
And that is VERY much Finwe's nose. And those eyebrows and cheekbones. And the twisting disapproval on those lips is a CARBON COPY of Nerdanel's 'you have disappointed me' frown. The hair isn't recognizable, it's red but not Mahtanian red, but the HAIR CLIP IS.
*flash back to day one of Silmaril Heist planning*
Frodo: *shoving annoyingly long magma red curls out of his face for the umpteenth time* >:(
Celebrimbor: here, let me? *gestures*
Frodo: ... Alright.
Celebrimbor: *quickly travel braids Frodo's hair and clips it with one of his own hair clips*
XDDD
Anyway, instant assumptions are made. Frodo denies EVERYTHING. This, in the face of, well, his new face, doesn't work at all.
The awkward wait is suddenly SO much more awkward. RIP Idrahil, you do not deserve this awkward tableau.
Thank ERU that the ground rumbles a few hours later, and the next morning in the pre-dawn light several hundred freed thralls crest a hill lead by our intrepid heroes!
Celebrimbor is Singing strength and speed and endurance! He was the reserve, remember? And give the way the other three were able to share the burden of singing Morgoth to sleep, they're helping too, in shifts. And hopefully they've got another few days to get more distance between them and Angband before Morgoth can muster any party to go after them.
Celebrimbor: *relieved to see Frodo in the distance* *squinting* *mentally so he doesn't have to stop Singing* wait... is that my FATHER???
Annatar: *scowls at the unmistakable sight* oh WONDERFUL.
Finrod: *makes a face* well, you DID take Huan. You know how Celeg is about Huan. And how your father is about YOU. Did you even leave a note?
Huan: *rumbling doggy sneeze-scoff*
Celebrimbor: *incredulous osanwe* a NOTE?!?! Exactly what was I supposed to say? 'dear ada, gone to help Beren steal a Silmaril, I'll be fine, no need to chase after?'
Luthien: Are they really that bad?
The irony is not lost on the three time travelers, and Celebrimbor has to wrestle down the urge to break into slightly hysterical laughter and interrupt his Song before they reach the little camp.
Finrod, it not being his shift to Sing, has no such reason and is still giggling helplessly when they lead everyone into the scraggly scrub and boulders on the edge of Angband.
Late to get to this because of migraines but it is INCREDIBLE ONCE AGAIN
Honestly this is SO narratively satisfying. Angband jailbreak time, LET'S GO
I am absolutely imagining Annatar being like "YEAH NOW YOU KNOW HOW I FELT" at Frodo being weirded out by a new body. XD
Also absolutely losing it at the image of Frodo, wearing a face and a voice that clearly got SOMETHING from the line of Finwe, snapping at Celegorm and Curufin. On the bright side, they have been distracted. Unfortunately poor Frodo will now be subjected to periodic questions by people who will absolutely not believe his answers.
Luthien and Celebrimbor are about to bond over having unreasonable fathers. I feel it in my BONES.
I HAVE BEEN THINKING ABOUT THIS ALL DAY. (No worries about a later reply, the human body sometimes sucks! Especially all the many and varied ways heads can become PAIN. I get frequent bouts of eye strain. That occasionally last weeks.)
PART 5 of Annatar and Celebrimbor and Finrod and Frodo winging a time travel fix it! (this one ended up a bit more dialogue heavy)
So, nothing for it, everyone files into the little area between giant strewn boulders that Idrahil and Frodo have made into a camp. It gets VERY crowded very fast.
Idrahil is VERY relieved and immediately goes to Finrod to report.
He's a bit thrown by the large crowd of ragged Elves and Edain and even a few Dwarves, but he's gonna roll with it. (Picture the other nine of Finrod's followers in among the former thralls, each helping along someone who needed some support, maybe carrying a kid or a baby or two, because of course there were children in Angband *makes a face*)
Idrahil, hopefully: Did it go well, my lord?
Finrod: Oh Very! Celebrimbor has them!
He tips his head at the iron ring slung around Celebrimbor's head and arm. A large iron ring with three conspicuous cloth wrapped spires laying down his back.
Idrahil glances over to the elf lord slowly making his way through the milling crowd towards his father and uncle, Huan trotting behind him, and Annatar trailing after with a mildly aggrieved expression on his face.
Idrahil: Wait- ALL OF THEM?!?!?
Finrod beams like a child that stole an entire cookie jar.
_
Celebrimbor, for his part, hands over maintaining a hum of Song to a rested Luthien, rolls his shoulders back and heads for his father. Better get this over with. :/
Frodo is near by, sitting on a smaller oblong boulder. Annatar breaks off and drops down beside him, brushing shoulders.
Frodo: It went well then?
Annatar: Mmmm, better than we'd hoped. You?
Frodo: *makes a face* Curufin and Celegorm showed up the evening after you left. They're CERTAIN I'm related to them SOMEHOW. And now with you back it'll only be a little while before the make the same assumptions everyone ELSE is making in regards to you, Celebrimbor, and me. They keep asking me where I got my hair clip.
Annatar: *grumbling sigh* Oh they've definitly made assumptions about you and Celebrimbor already *grumbling stomach*
Frodo: Hah *small smile*
Frodo passes Annatar a square of waybread. He makes a face, less over the task of eating now, more for what are clearly weevil bore holes through out the little square. He nibbles on it.
Before them, Celebrimbor comes to a stop in front of Curufin, who immediately dives into furious questions, covering his terror at the thought of his child in Angband with his usual bluster and fury. It might have hurt Celebrimbor once, having accusations of treason of family flung in his face, but he knows his father better now, they'd talked enough in Aman.
Curufin: What were you THINKING, you KNOW what Morgoth is capable of-
Celebrimbor, interrupting: Ada. Ada, I am FINE. I am HERE. We are all- well perhaps not SAFE, but safER and whole.
He hesitates for a moment. Then-
Celebrimbor: We did it.
He spins the crown he's wearing across his chest around until the wrapped silmarils are arrayed on his collar bone, stomach, and hip, roughly.
There's a moment of blankness on Curufin's face, as the words hit. Celebrimbor can SEE the slow dawn of the meaning hit his father like the sun rising, a wild and vicious hope blooming to life.
Curufin: That's. Those are. Tyelpe, what did you DO?!?!
Celebrimbor: I'll explain. WE will explain. I promise. But we need to get as far away from Angband before we do, alright? We're too close.
Curufin probably thinks about arguing, but- Angband IS RIGHT THERE. They need to get the Silmarils (Eru beyond, silmarils silmarils SILMARILS ALL OF THEM) as far away as the can. As well as several hundred thin and injured people. So instead of demanding to lay hands on his father's creations Right This Second he-
Curufin: *nodding sharply* Right. An hours rest, and then to Himring?
Celebrimbor having expected an argument, blinks in surprise.
Celebrimbor: I- it's far... I thought perhaps Gondolin?
Curufin: *sniffs* Only if you know where Turgon build the damn place!
Celebrimbor: Ah well-
Curufin: ?!?!?!
lols, sorry Curufin today, and probably the next YEAR are gonna be a series of rolling shocks!
It took me a while to decide where they should go after they break Angband and go for cover, actually. Gondolin is technically closer, but it's a closed environment, and full of many MANY people who don't like Feanorians. Also, Annatar has yet to confront any of the fuckery that went down with Gondolin in The Harrowing (not unexpected, there's SO MANY regretful and terrible things he was responsible for and he's been alive for less than two weeks. I assume that you'll get to it!), and I don't want to make up things that won't fit!
So I decided to go with the next closest military outpost is Himring. It's not going to be easy to get there, but more than one of their group knows ways through the area.
Beren for instance, since they're gonna need to go through the edges of Dorthonion! Bet he knows all SORTS of goat trails through the mountains thereabouts.
Annatar's got knowledge of enemy encampments that will still be reasonably accurate, and they've got four strong Singers, maybe six depending on how much Curufin and Celegorm can be convinced to help (which will be a LOT, once they know the whole story. Also, SILMARILS! and FAMILY! They're speaking of Celebrimbor and Frodo of course, not Finrod. They're still dicks after all).
It's gonna be a hard, fast paced slog through dangerous territory with a LOT of walking wounded, but they'll manage.
Also, there's a kind of tacit agreement among everyone that the Silmarils should go to Maedhros first. Even Beren and Luthien don't disagree (they want some time to think, now that they have accomplished what Thingol demanded, and contemplate what Annatar said about the whole thing).
Okay, the next bit. Side bit. That's happening while Celebrimbor is speaking with his father.
Annatar and Frodo are not actually paying much attention to that, because THEIR attention is focused on watching the (to them) one sided conversation happening between Celegorm and Huan.
It starts like this;
Huan ambles over to Celegorm and plonks his butt down in front of Celegorm, eye to eye. Celegorm glowers.
Celegorm: Don't give me that look, traitor. I can't BELIEVE you ran off with Tyelpe! How could you let him within a MILE of that place! *stabs a finger towards Angband* And joining up with THEM! *stabs a finger at Beren and Luthien*
Huan: *unimpressed sneeze*
Celegorm: I can't BELIEVE you went hunting with OTHER PEOPLE. We're supposed to be a TEAM!
Huan: *shifts his eyebrows and boofs lowly*
Celegorm: *gasps* I CARED! I CARE! I can't believe- we were trying to keep Finrod from getting everyone KILLED not-
Huan: *rumbles deep in his chest and lays back his eats a little*
Celegorm: ... Okay, yeah, maybe some of it was spite. But that doesn't mean-
Huan: *another sneeze, a louder boof, a low whine*
Celegorm: Oh. I didn't know you felt like that. I- haven't been listening to you as much anymore, have I?
Huan: *ears shift forward, tale wags a little, kicking up a bit of dust*
Celegorm: *reaches out with both hands to cradle Huan's head and rub at his ear pockets* I'm sorry. I should have-
His voice drops too low for his peanut gallery of two to catch the rest.
Frodo: .... I possibly didn't give the historical relationship between them the correct context.
Annatar: *flicks a weevil out of his waybread cracker* Mmmhmm, it does seem much deeper than any of the historical texts said, doesn't it?
Frodo: It reminds me when Daisy Wicker from two lanes down walked out of her and Corriham's smial one day and moved back in with her mum and da. I swear Corriham said nearly the same thing when he went to beg her back.
Annatar: *snickers*
XD
They obviously make it through the mountains. Frodo gets better at moving in an Elven body. It's wearing away at the mental shelf though tbh, but they're still very much NOWHERE safe for a breakdown, so Frodo soldiers on. He does have experience soldiering on through treacherous mountains and enemy territory after all. It's all very nostalgic. In an awful sort of way. Yaaaay PTSD, ammirite?
Through the Magic of having 4 strong singers, and 15 very capable warriors, plus however many of the former thralls that are strong enough to fight, and Beren knowing some nice short cuts, they probably even make good time! (i am not even gonna GUESS how long it would take to get through those mountains tho. idk.)
Through their journey, Angband continues to storm and smoke and tremble.
Celegorm: *sarcasm* So, how long d'you think it'll be til Morgoth manages to send a dragon or two after us?
Annatar: Oh a 1000 years or so, I expect.
Everyone in earshot: *eyeing Annatar* ???????
Annatar: There was a REASON we piled a great deal of the blasting powder along the walls of the throne room, and the halls around it. It wasn't ALL to bury Morgoth. The incubation chambers, and the sleeping den of the dragons was directly below it. :3
Finrod: :D
Celebrimbor: *heart eyes*
Celegorm: *cackles*
Curufin: *very very grudgingly* Alright maybe you aren't the worst.
Annatar: The eggs were certainly destroyed. And if not all, then MOST of the dragons should've been killed or maimed enough they won't be able to follow. Morgoth and Sauron- *regretful disdainful twist of his lips* will have to likely start over completely if they want dragons again. And breeding giant, firebreathing, intelligent creatures up from base stock like lizards takes time even for a vala.
(I am ABSOLUTELY picturing Curufin and Celegorm and Finrod and Celebrimbor recognizing some of the freed thralls as they journey btw. Beren might too, if any of the captives drug from Dorthonion survived long enough. And surely there are people from Doriath too. Luthien wasn't expecting that.)
They cross into Maedhros's territory fairly soon.
Everyone, and I do mean EVERYONE took note of something stirring up Angband. All the lands of free peoples are flailing with NOT KNOWING WHATS GOING ON.
There's been SOME information out of Nargothrond. They (Fingon and Maedhros) know that Finrod left with Beren, and about Celegorm and Curufin's successful coup, and then Celebrimbor vanishing in the night with Huan, and Curufin and Celegorm tearing after them, but that's it.
And given *gestures at the Doom and Beleriand in general* all THAT, they've assumed the worst. Hard NOT to right?
So Maedhros has arrayed an army not too far in from the border that faces Angband.
Fingon sent all the extra people to Himring that he could, knowing that whatever is going on Himring would likely be hit first. Then he stewed bc he couldn't justify going himself.
They are prepared as much as they can for whatever horrors are crawling forth from Angband.
They've been getting bands of orcs here and there, but no explanations.
And then scouts finally bring Maedhros word that something strange has crossed the pass of Aglon into the foothills.
Maedhros the Ever Tired: Well, what is it?
Scout: We're not sure my Lord! There's powerful Song in it, surrounding it in mist and shadow, and we could not see past the effect. Only that it's large. It's here now *points to a spot on the map* We're keeping a distance as you ordered.
Maedhros: Right. *mutters* Of course we can't tell. Why would any of this be easy?
And on the move they go! Maedhros and Maglor take a contingent of a few hundred soldiers and head for the spot.
The scout spoke truly. Slowly rolling into the hills is a vast thick mist, with shadows flickering within. Whatever it is, it rolls to an abrupt halt when Maedhros and Maglor crest a hill above it, and writhes for a moment.
And then before either can draw breath to shout a warning and question the shadows fade, and the mist begins to burn away. Everyone readies weapons.
Maglor: Wait *squinting* Are those- people?
Maedhros: Is that-
Maglor: Of all the- *shouting* FINROD!!! IS THAT YOU?!?!?
Whatever they were expecting, it was NOT Finrod Felagund walking ahead of a VERY motley group with a nis Maedhros would guess was Luthien Tinuviel, and someone he has no idea of with a shock of the brightest red hair he's ever seen. And his nephew. He is SO relieved Celebrimbor is alive. (He's smart, he read between the lines in Orodreth's letter and could extrapolate Celebrimbor and Huan likely went).
And from the back of the crowd two figures astride a familiar large hound wave. Their brothers. (Maedhros will yell at them later. They're alive to murder, and that's the important thing).
I have been out of commission with migraines but do not think I have forgotten
The "oh shit oh shit having all of the Silmarils is not a safe position to be in for many reasons" vibes are really starting to come through here. I feel a certain amount of dread. XD There are Feanorians, and Thingol, and Morgoth, and IT'S A LOT OKAY
I also have feelings about poor Frodo trudging onward, feeling the echoes of Bad Stuff in his unfamiliar bones, and Annatar probably watching him and feeling the dissonance in the back of his head and knowing there's going to be a reckoning with the stuff Frodo is putting off but they don't dare have it yet--oof.
Thank god Annatar's face is not recognizably Sauron to Maedhros. Imagine being Maedhros and seeing a giant crowd of people arrive headed by several of your family members and Sauron. But also--this means someone has to tell him.
Actually, given how definitive this defection is, with all the explosives and stuff, I wonder if Celebrimbor's going to have to put in an effort to prevent Maedhros from just absconding with Annatar to pick his brain for every strategic detail he can remember or extrapolate for like twenty-four hours straight.
(Putting in the effort is important because that shared mental shelf is wearing thin and possibly once they are in Himring it will be reckoning time...)
Annatar: There was a REASON we piled a great deal of the blasting powder along the walls of the throne room, and the halls around it. It wasn't ALL to bury Morgoth. The incubation chambers, and the sleeping den of the dragons was directly below it. :3
Finrod: :D
Celebrimbor: *heart eyes*
I want you to know that I am imagining Finrod giving the most sunny and joyous smile here. That's my friend! He did that!!!
Okay, apparently it was MY turn for the horrible head pain bc i just spent the better part of the last few days knocked over with a combination tension/eyestrain related mess. Ugh.
I HAVE BEEN THINKING ABOUT THIS THO
Part 6 under the cut
There has been SUCH an under current of 'we have Morgoth's ENTIRE crown and we just dropped a MOUNTAIN on his HEAD and the pretty redhead killed all his favorite pets' throughout the entire group of intrepid (winging it) heroes and escaped thralls. Who also don't know Annatar was Sauron yet. Like Team Time Travel isn't hiding it precisely, they're just not mentioning it! And neither are Finrod's ten. It's too weird and they're too deep in enemy territory to deal with any freak outs, okay?
Even with resting and alternating Singers everyone is pretty hecking tired. Maedhros and Maglor are weak in the knees relieved to see them, but the feeling is mutual. If those two are up on the ridge, that means these are the foothills that surround Himring and they're all that much safer.
(Curufin and Celegorm are staying at the back of the line, because thats too many characters to juggle, also they are hiding. Not that they would admit that, but. Yeah. Maedhros is gonna be MA-AD and they're waiting to see if 'yay silmarils!' softens that ass-kicking they're gonna get)
Maedhros is a paranoid bastard though (fond) and of course he insists on riding down alone briefly, just to make sure this isn't some incredibly convoluted trap.
Which, yeah, not a surprise to any of the little vanguard. They know him after all, even if he doesn't know all of them! (I'm sure Luthien has heard enough not to be surprised).
Finrod takes a few steps ahead of the rest. He meets with Maedhros first, with Mae leaning down and speaking softly with him for a few tense moments (There are ARCHERS positioned in the hills above them. Annatar's itchy neck and full knowledge of Maedhros as a friend and ally and once enemy says so) before he abruptly sits up and makes to dismount, waving his handless arm in a circular motion that has Maglor whooping joyfully and sending his own horse clattering down the steep incline.
Finrod waves the others forward. Maedhros is busy grilling Finrod as they approach.
Maedhros: -appened, we got a letter out of Nargothrond. Orodreth was cagey but- my idiot brothers, is it true they-
Finrod: Oh YES. And it very nearly got me eaten, yes. *huff of sardonic laughter* I won't object to seeing you tear them to bits over that honestly, but later. We have other problems.
Maedhros: *mouth a thin pressed line* Orodreth danced around why you would walk to your doom with a handful of loyal retainers and an edain, but someone else slipped in a note with the missive. I-
Maglor: *thundering up, kicking up dust, and butting in* A SILMARIL INGOLDO?!?!! ARE YOU ENTIRELY INSANE! Even at your strongest! Even with the bloody PRINCESS of DORIATH- pardon me, my lady, no offense meant *dips his chin to Luthien*
Luthien: *bemused* None taken?
Maglor: *swinging down off his horse to drag Finrod into a bone crushing hug* THAT YOU GOT OUT WITH YOUR LIVES IS AN ERU GIVEN MIRACLE.
Annatar: *mutters to Celebrimbor* as good a guess as any. *Celebrimbor stifles a slightly hysterical giggle*
Maedhros: *grimly* Well it's plain to see you got in at least. Couldn't get to the silmarils so you took his slaves instead? I don't think your father will think the substitution of equal value, Princess Luthien.
Luthien: *looks over towards Annatar and Celebrimbor a question in the angle of her eyebrows and ears*
Celebrimbor: *grinning at his uncles brightly and drumming his fingertips along the wide band of iron he is STILL wearing across himself* About that.
And Maedhros KNOWS THAT BAND OF IRON.
Morgoth never took it off. Maedhros could draw it's likeness with his eyes closed, it's been seared into his memory (literally even, given the way the scent of his own flesh burning accompanied the memories just as much as the searing brightness of the silmarils does).
He just stares, eyes wide, hand that had been laying on his saddle in easy view suddenly gripping the leather so hard it's creaking. (maedhros.exe has stopped working please turn device off and on again and retry)
Maglor doesn't have his brothers familiarity with Morgoth's crown that Maedhros does. But he's from a family that prides itself on quick deductions.
Maglor: Thats-
Maglor Feanorion is at a complete loss for words. He's just staring at the three cloth wrapped bundles laying along Celebrimbor's torso.
Maedhros: *the slightest waiver in his voice* The. The note we received said One-
Finrod: *gently* Well, we were there, and he was VERY unconscious. In for one, in for three, cousin.
Celebrimbor: And then we got into the blasting powder and made sure there wouldn't be any kind of pursuit any time soon. But we all hurried all the same.
Luthien: *hmmming thoughtfully* This has Changed Things. *her words carry a bit of reverb* Rather a lot, i think. But here isn't the place for speaking about it I don't think?
Annatar: She's right. We need to keep moving. Himring?
Maedhros: *snapping out of the shock* What? Ah. Ye-es.
Maglor: *squinting* I'm sorry, but WHO are you? We know Finrod and Tyelpe, and Luthien can't be anyone but herself, but I don't recall any great Singers of elven kind with YOUR particular description.
Celebrimbor: *cutting in before Annatar can speak* This is Annatar. I know him. Finrod knows him. He means well and has out complete trust and confidence. *meets his uncles eyes directly* I'll even swear an Oath on it, if you'd like.
Maglor: *sharp piercing negative sound (the kind you make when your dog is lunging for a bit of not safe for pets food you dropped)* TYELPE I will wash your mouth out with soap-!
After a bit more talking to hash out logistics, the train starts moving again (Curufin was the one maintaining the strength that is keeping everyone on their feet this time. They can't afford to let it lapse now, bc once it does it's NOT going to be possible to get it going again without weeks of rest. I'm picturing something akin to a continuous round song? Like Row Your Boat only SO much more complicated and magical)
Frodo stayed out of sight. He's not quite got the same knack for it he once did, as a hobbit, but he's good enough that as long as he keeps his new signal flare hair up and covered, he just looks like another grubby travel worn body in the mass. He'll deal with seeing Maedhros and Maglor once they get to where they can stop.
(*shelf starts creaking ominously*)
You are ABSOLUTELY correct that Frodo is hanging onto NOT breaking down with his fingernails at this point.
He can't break down until they're safe he can't he can't he can't-
So of course, being FRODO and made of stuff that made Sauron hit a brick wall, he manages!
They get to Himring! Maedhros sent word on ahead, not about the silmarils of course, but about Finrod and a throng of escaped thralls he vouched for.
There's a lot of running around as Maedhros barks orders at various people and runners bolt off in various directions. The keep healers are there, and quick pavilions have been set up in the main hall, spare clothing is being doled out, and soap, and the people are being directed at tents with as much warm water as could be brought heated as to not be freezing, and food is being dished out on tables that had been pushed to the far side of the hall.
It's easy for Frodo to fade into the back of the clamoring group, dip around where Curufin and Celegorm are scanning the crowd- and into a doorway that Frodo thinks probably leads to- ah yes, stairs.
He's up on the battlements peering down at the milling crowd still in the courtyard a few moments later. Annatar will know where he is. This way he's out from under foot, the injured can be seen to without him being a distraction the minute someone sees him with Annatar and Celebrimbor there for comparison. He slides down the wall, ignoring the rough texture and hugs his knees.
And- well he's just kind of numb, and not just from the evening breeze starting to nip colder on his cheeks.
He examines his hands, the fingers longer and thinner than he's used to, but proportionally, well matched to the rest of him. He should be able to do calligraphy like he used to, right? (AN: WAIT, heck, would Frodo be missing his finger? would that be like Maedhros keeping the scars he did? I HAVE NO IDEA)
It will take some practice is all.
He'd wondered sometimes, especially after Annatar came back into life, what it might be like to be an elf. If it would feel very much different than being a hobbit.
It does and it doesn't. This body is his. He breathes and functions and LIVES in it, not seamlessly, but certainly with less trouble than Annatar had at first. Benefits from going from mortal flesh to mortal flesh he supposes. There is a difference, not one he thinks he can fully put into words yet, but it's not just in the odd length of him now, and how easy it is to over reach or step. It's something in his bones (and something in his soul).
The breeze pulls a curl of red out of his braids. He quickly tucks it out of sight behind an ear but it's too late, he's been reminded.
The hair. And the new face. And the assumptions people made, that- well, might not be accurate at all, but were also not inaccurate if what Annatar thought might've happened, had happened.
It wasn't even a terrible family to be a part of really, though he knew many who might fervently disagree. He liked the Feanorions. The rest of the Finweans too. And well, he's already been closer than blood to Annatar, in a way. But-
There are footsteps on stone. Frodo glances at the doorway beside him.
Finrod peers down at him, two deep wooden plates in his hands.
Frodo: Food?
Finrod: mmhmm, the keeps cooks had massive pots going already, from Maedhros sending word on ahead. I grabbed some before it was all doled out. Annatar mentioned where he thought you must be. Some kind of chicken stew I think, with dumplings?
He hands it down and falls into a graceful crosslegged seat across from Frodo
Frodo: *wane smile* It's easy, and you can feed several hundred surprise guests quickly and well.
He sniffs the stew. It smells good. Nearly identical to the kind Bilbo would make on cold winter days as far as he can tell, except there's no potatoes. Actually, he's somewhat sure potatoes don't exist quite yet? Or, not in Beleriand at least?
Oh.
He- he's not going to see Bilbo again is he? Or Sam, or Merry, or Pippin, or Aragorn... This, this is the First Age. He's sitting on a battlement in Himring, in sunken Beleriand, and he's an elf.
He takes a bite of the food, distract, distract- and oh boy, that was the wrong thing to do.
I dunno about YOU all, but I figure as much as food is a sense memory to humans, it's got to be extra so to hobbits. And to steal blatantly from Doctor Who here, Frodo has a new mouth.
He could ignore it when it was weevil-y way bread stolen from orc supply caches and unseasoned game caught on the move and cooked fast, but this is a chicken stew with dumplings, vegetables he knows, and spices that smell familiar even, and it tastes so different. It's not bad. It's good even! But it's different. And that's the last straw.
Yeah. THIS would be when it all hits.
Finrod was waiting. He was pretty sure it was gonna be SOON, and so was Annatar when he told him where Frodo was.
Finrod catches the plate before Frodo can drop it and sets it aside with his own.
Frodo: *crying* It- it's- i can't- It's stupid, it's just stew wh-y am i c-
Finrod just opens his arms and lets Frodo reach for him, then scoops him up the rest of the way into his lap and lets him cry.
So over a year ago, aniseandspearmint and I were riffing on this, and I was having an AMAZING time, and enjoying it SO much. And then my eyes rapidly and mysteriously started to fail me, and all of a sudden it was all I could do to walk from point A to point B, let alone do anything else. I was using screenreaders and memory to edit the Harrowing. I was blindfolding myself to make it through seminars and car trips. I was trying to figure out how to make dinner in the dark.
And then just as I was slowly recovering from the Eye Curse, I wrecked my ankle and got slammed with a whole new category of mobility problems.
I dropped a lot of balls during that time, and this was one of them, and I never came back to it (even though I definitely wanted to) because I was filled with guilt and sadness about all the things I lost while my eyes were attacking me.
But ultimately that meant I also never reblogged this addition, which is a shame, because it was awesome when I first saw it from the depths of Eye Curse Hell, and it is also awesome every time I look at it again. So: I'm going to thumb my nose at the disability shame and reblog it now, even though it's been more than a year, because good things are still good even if I'm late.
Thanks, @aniseandspearmint. It's so good, and it brings me joy.
Also, oh man. Even though I've been in my guilt about this for a while--it's so cool to go back and enjoy it with fresh eyes, this whole thing is so awesome, I love it so much.
Should Maedhros, famous victim of an ambush, be going out alone to meet the possible problem? Absolutely not. Is this totally in character? Absolutely. Also, Maedhros is having the Most Day of All Time.
Losing my mind laughing (again) (repeatedly in fact) at Celebrimbor being like "I will swear an oath", in front of THIS FAMILY, probably knowing FULL WELL that the answer will be a frantic NO.
But most importantly!!! Aaaaaaa Frodo my beloved
He gets hugs! He gets to cry about it! This is so hard and weird and scary!
It will probably come as no surprise that after spending so long coming to terms with the fact that my body just doesn't work the same anymore, I have an excess of emotions about Frodo not being able to expect the same things from his body anymore. The uncertainty, and the strangeness, and the frustration--yes good. (For me as a reader. Bad for Frodo.)
Oh, no PROBLEM, life happens, and I'm just glad you're doing better!
And it's never too late to pick fun things back up. I had to dig around for the notes i made for the next bit of this, and then re-read it over, because it HAS been a year! XD
SO, okay, a part 7!
YES, I am SO GLAD the way Frodo is NOT having a great or easy time came across! I’d hoped that would work! It can be hard, when your body changes and suddenly you’re not capable of the same stuff you were. I was trying to convey that kind of dysphoria.
Maedhros! Maedhros is HAVING A DAY. A good day! A MIRACULOUSLY GOOD DAY.
The kind of good day he can barely trust is REAL bc, lbr, he hasn’t really had a good day innnn. Um. Lets just say a long time. So this is the kind of day that has him covertly running mental checks just to make sure this is still reality. He keeps counting Maglor’s freckles and running his finger tips over his horse and her tack, and the tooling on his belt and faulds just to check that the things he’s seeing, and sensations he feels match up right.
He can at least throw himself into logistics a bit here, first in chivying all the escaped thralls our Intrepid (and exhausted) Heroes have been herding to safety in Himring.
Then he corrals Celegorm and Curufin. (This ended up mostly dialogue!)
Maedhros: *stares pointedly*
C&C: Err.
Maedhros: *calm and measured* I have heard what you’ve been up to in Nargothrond, brothers. Rest assured, I WILL be taking that out of your hides later. For now though *points at the crowd of people filling the hall behind them* Exactly WHAT happened to do THAT?
Curufin: Honestly we don’t KNOW, Nelyo!
Celegorm: When we caught up to them, Finrod, Beren, Luthien, Huan, Tyelpe and that Annatar ner were already gone off to Angband, leaving Finrod’s steward and Frodo to hold the camp.
Maedhros: *blinks* Frodo? Who? And what kind of a name is that? (Note: Frodo is WESTRON it’s gotta sound SO WEIRD to the elves tbh. He’s definitely gonna get slapped with a proper elven name at some point here. Elves gotta give people extra names after all especially in the first age)
C&C: *baffled kind of shrugs*
Curufin: *glowers* The boy is SOMEWHERE in the crowd. He’s remarkably cagey for a boy who can’t be more than 80, and I haven’t been able to corner Tyelpe about him yet, but he rather looks REMARKABLY like that Annatar. And Mother. And Grandfather. (Note: Frodo probably doesn’t look quite like a teenager really, but he’s so coltish in his new body, that’s coming across as youth to the elves that see him)
Maedhros blinks at that. Well. He never thought Tyelpe the sort, but, well, Curufin had been a bit smothering since they’d come to Beleriand. He’s thought Tyelpe was weathering it with more grace and patience than was usually found in their line, but maybe he’d just decided to go around his father? He wouldn’t be the first in the family for that. (Note: yesss Mae, make some logical conclusions with the info you have! Compare him to you and Finno a bit! You’re VERY wrong but it’s still a good guess!)
Celegorm: He’s got one of Tyelpe’s hairclips. One of the ones father made.
Maedhros: *eyebrows* Interesting. But, at this moment, irrelevant. We can sort that out later. What else can you tell me?
Celegorm: A few hours after we got there, the whole ground heaved like a shaken table cloth. Then some hours after that, Tyelpe and everyone came out of the night leading that lot *waves a hand a the hall* Tyelpe had the silmarils.
Curufin: There wasn’t really TIME to stop and ask questions. We regrouped and lit out for Himring. Luthien is TERRIFYING by the way. She provided the bulk of the power, her and that Annatar. We pitched in too but them, us, Finrod, and Tyelpe have been cycling songs of power for- *blinks* How long has it been since Angband shook, Nelyo?
Maedhros: thirteen days and nights.
Curufin: *sputters*
Celegorm: Huh. No wonder I want to sleep for a week. I haven’t done a march like that since I was with The Hunt. *waves* Anyway, we talked to a few of the thralls, and from what few who were in the throne room said, Luthien walked in all lovely and enchanting, and sang with three voices. It put Morgoth out like a fussy toddler. And then the wolves and the orcs, and even the balrogs, everything evil, dropped where they stood as well. The orcs were dead. No one checked the balrogs. Then Luthien’s man climbed the throne and took the crown and passed it down to Tyelpe. Then he and Annatar left and came back with BLASTING powder and lined the place while Morgoth slept.
Maedhros: *wheezing incredulous laugh*
Curufin: Annatar said the dragons were UNDER the throne room Nelyo. All the eggs, all the breeding stock.
Maedhros: *squints* *head tilt* wait. *slow blink* How would he KNOW that? I didn’t know that, and I know Angband as well as any former thrall.
C&C: *exchanged uneasy glances*
Curufin: We’re not sure. Finrod and Tyelpe trust him though. And, there’s Frodo. *vague hand wave* We heard some snatches of conversation, but nothing that makes much sense.
Maedhros: Right. Where’s Maglor? Nevermind, I saw him with Luthien, I’ll get them, and find Finrod. You round up Tyelpe and this Annatar fellow, and bring them up to my study. See if you can find the Frodo lad you mentioned.
Maedhros needs to corral all the important people ASAP and GET SOME ANSWERS.
He’s able to locate Maglor being charming at Luthien and Beren fairly quickly. Whereas Celegorm and Curufin look as if they’ve been on a hard march for days, Luthien, apart from the general grime of travel in the wilds, looks fresh as a daisy in may. Exactly how much power does she HAVE?? Never mind, one thing at a time. She and Beren graciously accept an invitation to a more private area. They’ve eaten and washed a bit, same as the throng of ex-thralls, but it’s VERY crowded. And They want to talk to Tyelpe, Finrod, Frodo, and Annatar too. They know more than Maedhros! But there wasn’t a LOT of time for other questions after establishing that there was some kind of time travel going on!
Tyelpe and Annatar aren’t hard to locate either. They knew this was coming. A quick wash up and food, and maybe a change of clothes, and it’s on to the Next Thing.
Note: oh. Huh. I didn’t think of it before, but I wonder what Annatar and Frodo are WEARING??? Some casual Valinorin clothes? I bet they were NOT dressed for getting dropped in the past! If it was just like, vibes based, maybe some clothes Annatar thinks of as ‘comfy’ rather than anything either of them might have been wearing before they were dropped into the past, since their bodies were created for this unlike Tyelpe or Finrod!
Annatar reluctantly taps on Frodo’s mind, and tells him Maedhros is collecting them.
Frodo, by this point, is not crying anymore, but is the kind of wrung out EXHAUSTED, that only days and days of rough travel and then a fierce crying jag will make you. Finrod almost offers to carry him, but Frodo just sets his mouth and gets up off the stone floor, doggedly putting one foot in front of the other and plodding along next to Finrod, who directs him around the crowd and into the keep proper.
Maedhros was somehow NOT expecting this Frodo child to look as much like family as Curufin and Celegorm insisted, but oh dear, if anything they understated it. He looks VERY much like the elf called Annatar. The hair, the skin, the eyes, but the other features. They were right, and Maedhros can see little echoes of his kin all over him.
He’s also swaying where he stands next to Finrod, with red eyes and tear tracks through the wilderness grime on his face. (Remember, Frodo skipped the wash up and clothes change area. Finrod too. I’m sure once they get through the first awkward conversation, someone will get them each a basin and some clean clothes!)
Maedhros makes eye contact with Finrod and jerks his chin at the soft couch set before the fireplace. Finrod takes the hint, and leads the young ner that is, in all likelihood Maedhros’s grand-nephew over and gently pushes him down on it.
Maedhros turns his attention to Tyelpe, and also Annatar. Tyelpe steps around Maedhros, and slings the crown off his torso and sets it down on Maedhros’s desk where it thuds down with a surprisingly light thump for a thing wrought of iron and misery.
Maedhros: So. Explain. Lady? This seems to have started with you?
Luthien shrugs gracefully, and sets herself down in Maedhros’s towering armchair before the fire and tells her part of the story. It is, thankfully, lacking the canon bits of C&C capturing her and being creepy assholes! Because Tyelpe stole Huan and met up with her before that could happen here!
When she’s finished with her part, with input from Beren, and Finrod, Maedhros turns and raises his eyebrows at his nephew.
Some very speaking looks are exchanged rapidly between Finrod and Tyelpe and Annatar and Frodo.
Finally Tyelpe just shrugs helplessly.
Tyelpe: Uncle, we have NO IDEA. One minute we’re in Fourth Age Tirion, the next I’m in Nargothrond and Finrod is in Sauron’s Tower, and Annatar and Frodo are there too. And Frodo is an elf.
Maedhros. Blinks. And replays that. Nope. Still makes absolutely NO sense.
Maglor: … I’m sorry, what?
Tyelpe: We’ve done this before. It all went SO much worse. Annatar wasn’t there before, though, or Frodo.
Finrod: Well. Annatar sort of was. Why are there two of you now, by the way? That’s. Kind of alarming.
Annatar: When I spoke to the One, and was changed, I was FUNDAMENTALLY changed. To hazard a guess, when this… Event happened, I was too different to integrate with my former self. He is maiar, I am elven. I came to my senses, he’s still following his shining plan.
Frodo: And me?
Annatar: We share something of our spirits on a deep level. And since hobbits have not woken yet, and will not for many many years yet, I imagine this was the only way for you to have a form here and now.
Frodo: *watery chuckle* Oh. Yes I suppose that makes sense.
Please imagine Maedhros and Maglor and C&C ping-ponging back and forth here, COMPLETELY CONFUSED by this conversation. But desperately trying to add up the bits they’re hearing into some kind of coherent narrative. Maedhros is squinting at Annatar with sudden DEEP suspicion.
Maglor: I’m sorry, can we back up a bit here? Fourth Age VALINOR????
Tyelpe: *sighs* *sits down next to Frodo* We all might as well sit down, this is going to take a while.
Thank you so much for your kindness and generosity this is WONDERFUL
Maedhros having a RARE good day, a thing he has probably not experienced since Thangorodrim! He deserves this! He probably has no idea what to do with it however!
Going slightly insane over the fact that Frodo is getting read as Celebrimbor's kid partially because Celebrimbor put something FEANOR MADE in his hair. And that this makes PERFECT SENSE with their extremely close friendship but will cause INCORRECT CONCLUSIONS to be leapt to immediately. RIP to Frodo and Celebrimbor and Annatar who are going to be staring at people in perplexed bewilderment very very often for some time, because even if the inner circle knows the story it is a VERY COMPLICATED story and "Celebrimbor and Annatar had a kid" is a WAY SIMPLER ONE
It's so deeply funny to me that no one checked whether the Balrogs were dead. I wouldn't either. Congrats to everyone for having a modicum of good sense in a frankly nonsensical situation, great job
This is going to be the weirdest fucking conversation Maedhros has ever had. And he's had some very weird ones.
...I somewhat suspect that even upon receiving an explanation for Frodo Maedhros will NOT be able to stop reading him as Younger Family Member, Must Protect. His elder sibling/uncle instincts are simply too strong. Like, okay, you weren't related to us before but you're clearly METAPHYSICALLY related. Surely that counts
The ghoulettes would offer to kill people's exes in the bar bathroom. They would share lipgloss and hand cream while doing it. They're entirely serious.
you think dew and aether ever fell asleep while on the phone with each other during this last tour, streaming some artificial fireplace channel in the background on both ends, simultaneous popping and crackling that they synchronized down to the second just to fortify the illusion of each other’s company, just so they can pretend to lay under the same blanket of flickering orange light, trying their best to relive their fireside naps in dew’s room
From where do people get the notion that book Jon Snow does not know how to negotiate? I just came across a post on my dash with thousands of notes about how Robb Stark would have done fantastically negotiating with Dany as opposed to Jon Snow. First of all, I doubt D&D would have bestowed Robb with good storytelling in season 7 had he survived that long and secondly, I don’t recall any examples of Robb Stark being a good negotiator in the books?
I will also say that however fantastic the negotiation would have been by whichever Stark, the North would have to bend the knee for Dany’s help. That’s just how it is in Westeros. Recall that Catelyn had to pledge both KITN Robb and Arya in marriage to the Freys for just the use of a bridge! Jon was asking that Dany halt her war and use all her resources to help the North at great loss to her. The least the North can do in return for her saving all their lives is be a part of her 7 kingdoms and assist her against their common enemy Cersei Lannister.
Recall that in the books, Stannis is at the wall to help Jon face the threat from beyond the wall - but the condition is still that Stannis will be king with the North as part of the 7K. And Jon is giving Stannis all the help to fight the Boltons, win the North and become king of the 7K. Jon is allying with and helping a king who likes to burn people to death to please his red priestess and the Lord of Light.
Now coming to Jon Snow and his diplomatic skills, let’s look at the different types of people with whom 15/16 year old Jon Snow has successfully negotiated with:
Tycho Nestoris of the Iron Bank – We have seen how it’s no easy task getting a loan from the Iron Bank and yet Jon is able to secure a loan to buy food for the Night’s watch – and he does this while Tycho is there to actually meet with Stannis. Rulers are vying for a loan from the Iron Bank and here Jon is getting one despite the Wall not being a good place to invest in for a Braavosi banker.
The mountain clans of the North – The chiefs are invited to the wedding of Alys Karstark and the Magnar of the Thenns where Jon speaks to them and convinces them in the worthiness of his plans including letting the Wildlings in past the wall. The Grand Northern Conspiracy also theorizes that the clan chiefs know about Robb’s will and are there to assess Jon’s leadership capabilities and leave convinced that he would be a good leader.
The Freefolk/Tormund - In return for letting them in, Jon has taken child hostages to ensure good behavior, obtained soldiers to man the wall, people to cook, clean and sew and even took their belongings to purchase food! He in effect has command over the freefolk so much so that they are ready to march with him south of the wall to attack the Boltons.
Stannis Baratheon: Jon Snow negotiates so well with Stannis for control of the castles/Freefolk at the wall that he actually wins praise from him – something so rare to get from Stannis. As Stannis tells Jon – “You haggle like a crone with a codfish, Lord Snow” – high praise indeed! And remember that Stannis is a southern king.
The viewpoint that Jon at the wall does not know anything about politics and the south is simply not true. Jon Snow learnt the same as Robb Stark and from the same teachers. The classist thinking that the bastard is less knowledgeable than the rest of the Starks is false. Ned educated all the boys the same – and that includes Jon and Theon. And this is reflected in Jon Snow often thinking of Ned’s teachings.
These are Jon’s teachers and mentors throughout the series at various stages – Ned Stark, Maester Luwin, Rodrik Cassel, Jeor Mormont, Donal Noye, Maester Aemon, Mance Raydar and even Stannis himself. He has learned from maesters, warriors and kings. He has learned from NW brothers like the Halfhand and from Ygritte. Which of the younger characters in the books has had better teachers than Jon Snow at this point? The fact that he acknowledges that he still has much to learn ( ‘I know that I know nothing’ - Socrates) makes him one of the wisest characters in the books.
What negotiation has Robb Stark successfully done? Robb was a young prodigy, a genius battle commander but negotiator? His intelligent, strong willed, politically aware mother took care of that. Catelyn negotiated with Renly and Walder Frey for Robb. What negotiation has Sansa successfully done in 5 books? Getting SweetRobin to eat his dinner is not the same as conducting a financial transaction with the Iron Bank.
So this idea that Robb and Sansa were/are seasoned politicians and negotiators as opposed to ‘out of touch’ and ‘know nothing’ Jon snow has no basis in the books. In actuality, GRRM is involving Jon more and more in the politics of the realm as of the last book. And if Robb’s will does come into the picture, it looks as if Jon Snow as leader of the North will be doing a lot of negotiating – even with southern rulers that perhaps include Daenerys Targaryen who has arrived in KL.
Show Jon Snow has nothing in common with the book version and they are two entirely different characters with different personalities, characterization, plots, narrative themes and relationships. Not sure why we are taking cues from the show on Jon’s negotiating skills and knowledge. Book Jon Snow’s journey in the next book is going to be different from what we got in the show. For one, he is going to be spending considerable time in a wolf!
Book Jon Snow is an intelligent and well versed diplomat who is capable of going toe to toe with Dany or Tyrion or whomever he would be negotiating with in the future. Hell, Tyrion was impressed by 14 year old Jon Snow. He’s going to be even more impressed when they meet up again in the books.
what if i told you lord commander jon snow total badass double agent who held castle black from the wildlings at age 15. made THE mance rayder his bitch. wielder of A VALYRIAN STEEL SWORD. HAS A PET FUCKING DIREWOLF liked boys.
yeah that motherfucker likes kissing boys. then what.
its 2053. 90 year old russell t davies is made showrunner of doctor who just in time for the show’s upcoming 90th anniversary. 82 year old david tennant feels a chill in the air
I am not going to lie to you. When Russell told me that we were putting a ramp in the TARDIS, I cried. I did. He actually told me about a fan who had contacted him, who was a wheelchair user, and said how much he admired Russell’s work. He said, “Even though I can’t get in the TARDIS, because it’s not wheelchair accessible, I just love it.” And Russell was like, “So, we change that instantly. We change that.” When he told me that story, that really hit me straight in the heart. I know what that will mean for the disabled community, and many disabled Whovians who haven’t had that. -Ruth Madeley
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