for B2MeM 2023, I’ve put together a rec list for fics about Eärwen! @spring-into-arda :)
rulers make bad lovers by Chestnut_pod; Anairë/Eärwen/Elwing, rated E, 73k — I haven’t actually finished reading this but what I’ve read so far is amazing! Chestnut has such a beautiful, nuanced take on Elwing, and that absolutely extends to Eärwen and Anairë and their political situations.
Homecoming by @grundyscribbling; Eärwen & her mother (& Olwë & Arafinwë), rated G, 2.1k — A lovely exploration of Eärwen and her unnamed mother at the end of the War of Wrath.
Cherish by inigo1220; Eärwen + Anairë, rated G, 10k — I’m biased since this is written for my art, but this is a truly gentle, tender story about Eärwen and Anairë’s developing relationship through the ages. Queerplatonic fic always has a special palce in my heart <333
First Impressions (specifically ch3) by @lithgaeril; Eärwen/Arafinwë, rated G, ~2k — A super sweet first meeting between Eärwen and her future husband!
fill our gold cups with love by @crownlessliestheking; Eärwen/Anairë, rated G, 2.6k — Anairë and Eärwen argue in the aftermath of their husbands’ abandonment...and Arafinwë’s return. So angsty!!
all of Those Who Remain by @cuarthol, but especially His Brother’s Wife and Pleasures Never Before Imagined; Anairë/Eärwen(/Arafinwë), rated M, both about 4k — Really interesting take on Anairë, Eärwen, and Arafinwë post-Darkening, and a poignant exploration of female sexuality in a repressive society.
Flowers and Silk by @ladybrooke; Anairë/Eärwen, rated G, 300 — A lovely look into Anairë and Eärwen’s lives through an analysis of gems.
The Love of Their Mothers by @imakemywings; Anairë & Eärwen, rated G, 1.2k — Short & sweet fic about Eärwen and Anairë planning the futures of their not-yet-born sons :)
Day three: Across the A-spectrum by @ambarto; Eärwen/Arafinwë, rated G, 1.2k — Arospec love <333
Another Life by @ladybrooke; Anairë/Eärwen, rated G, 100 — A sweet drabble of devotion.
mama’s boy by @lesbianhaleth; Eärwen & Finrod, rated T, 1.5k — A complex, angst-filled, deeply nuanced analysis of Eärwen and her eldest son.
rockrose & thistle by @kilegriel; Eärwen/Nerdanel, rated T, 944 — Hurt/comfort distilled to its truest essence!
So Let Us Shine by @edgeoflight; Anairë/Eärwen/Nerdanel, rated E, 3.6k — Sweet, playful, affectionate smut between three ladies who absolutely deserve all the good things!
Hello! If you've already have done this, then my mistake but do you have any hcs on Eärwen?
I certainly do!! This got long -- hope you enjoy :)
Eärwen is born in Alqualondë in YT 1200, the same year as her cousin Lúthien. They never meet, but sometimes they will see each other in dreams.
She is the oldest of Olwë’s children, and thus nominally his heir, though unlike with the Noldor there is never really a succession crisis among the Falmari and she serves more as his second-in-command than as a future queen in her own right.
She has two younger brothers, Ainairos and Elulindo [both names for Teleri I have repurposed from older drafts]. Elulindo is slain at in the First Kinslaying; Ainairos is so bitter about this that he demands the Valar close Aman to the exilic Noldor forever. Eärwen’s feelings toward the Noldor are much more...complicated.
Eärwen is significantly older than Arafinwë, being 30 years his senior. [Age differences do matter to elves, in their youth—which is when these two met.]
They first met at the celebration of Ainairos’ birth in Alqualondë, which Finwë and his family attended. Arafinwë was 17, and Eärwen 47. Arafinwë is immediately smitten, and in his childish enthusiasm informs Eärwen that he’s going to marry her someday. Eärwen, who has almost reached her first coming-of-age and already has a a social sphere of her own, just laughs him off.
Decades later, when Arafinwë turns 50 and reaches his first coming-of-age, Olwë and his family attend the celebration Finwë throws for his youngest son. Arafinwë seeks Eärwen out again and attempts to begin a courtship with her, but once again she dismisses him.
Over the years, they run into each other at various official functions. Arafinwë grows embarrassed by his forwardness and treats Eärwen with formal courtesy, which she appreciates.
When the third of Finwë’s grandchildren (Findekáno) is born, Olwë sends Eärwen as his representative to Tirion for the celebration. By now, Arafinwë is 65 and Eärwen is 95 (almost to her second coming-of-age), and this time...Eärwen notices him. Arafinwë has grown into a very attractive young nér, polite and kind and clever. Most people overlook him, but Eärwen is finally seeing him, and she likes what she sees.
Eärwen is nervous to approach him, remembering how dismissive she was in the past, but she’s a bold nís and musters her courage to flirt with him. They quickly become friends, and enter into a formal courtship. Arafinwë asks permission his father to move to Alqualondë, and Finwë agrees.
Their fathers encourage the match, as it is diplomatically advantageous and a nice excuse to see old friends more often—but no one expects how swiftly their relationship will develop...
Only a few years later, when Arafinwë is 69 and Eärwen 99, they go too far in playing around one night, and Eärwen ends up pregnant. They have something of a half-marriage bond (an incredibly awkward situation, not to mention psychically frustrating) and are forced to come clean to their parents.
Eärwen and Arafinwë’s marriage is rushed, the customary year-long betrothal discarded so that they can wed before Eärwen starts to show. Fëanáro, whose marriage began in a similar fashion (though his and Nerdanel’s conception of their eldest before the wedding was intentionally rebellious), congratulates Arafinwë with amused but earnest delight, the most attention he has paid his youngest half-sibling in decades.
[Canon timelines have Arafinwë marrying when he’s only 50; this is a significant change from that, to fit my own headcanons and timelines. My headcanons are that generally, Amani elves aren’t “supposed” to get married until they’ve reached their second coming-of-age at 100 years old, making Arafinwë scandalously young to be a husband and father, though Eärwen’s age is much more typical. The greatest scandal, though, is an unplanned/spontaneous pregnancy happening in—gasp!!—the royal families of both the Noldor and the Falmari!]
It is at her wedding that Eärwen first meets Anairë, the wife of her new husband’s brother Nolofinwë. Eärwen and Anairë have an immediate connection, one that Eärwen recognizes as a fateful romantic bond, and she wistfully muses on what could have been if they had met earlier. Anairë, however, is deeply entrenched in Valarin homophobia, and while she also finds herself drawn to Eärwen, she can’t fathom her feelings to be anything other than sisterly friendship.
[I do have Arafinwë and Eärwen beginning their courtship right after Findekáno’s birth, so I think that when Eärwen gave her congratulations to the baby’s parents, Anairë was very tired and not in a headspace to really “meet” anyone. Eärwen probably interacted more with Nolofinwë on that occasion; this isn’t the first time she actually saw Anairë, but rather the first time they actually speak.]
Within the year, Anairë finds herself pregnant with her second child. She and Eärwen grow incredibly close in a short period of time, planning their children’s futures and hoping the baby cousins will be as close in spirit as their mothers.
In YT 1300, Eärwen has her first child, Findaráto. She sees that though in appearance he is very much like his Vanyarin grandmother, and in culture he will grow up Falmarin in Alqualondë, his fëa is deeply Noldorin like his father, and thus she gives him the mother-name Ingoldo, the same as Arafinwë’s mother-name.
Though not so close with her law-sisters as they are to each other, when Nerdanel delivers Turcafinwë Tyelkormo later that same year, both Eärwen and Anairë are there to support her.
As the year nears its close, Anairë gives birth to Turukáno, whom she names Núrondil, for with her motherly foresight she foresees he will love the sea—an unusual trait for a Noldo, but one she hopes will be due to his fondness for his cousin Findaráto. [Núron is an old name for Ulmo. Anairë is deeply religious, and gives all her children names related to the Valar. Part of her foresight is that she knows Turukáno will be favored by Ulmo.]
Findaráto and Turukáno do indeed grow up very close, as close as brothers. They are both very much influenced by their mothers, Turukáno inheriting Anairë’s faith and Findaráto inheriting Eärwen’s free spirit and love for exploring.
Eärwen’s second child, Angaráto, is born 15 years later, in YT 1315. She names him Poldoro for his strength. [Angamaitë is an epessë that he earns later in life, but it has a very similar meaning; Poldoro as a mother-name is my headcanon.]
In YT 1323, Eärwen has her third child, Ambaráto. She names him Aikanáro, a mother-name of foresight she cannot fully explain. She knows he has a high doom before him, and though this troubles her, she hopes he will be a great hero and vows to give him as happy a childhood as she can. And perhaps she is misinterpreting her visions—perhaps he will be fine... She uses his name with love, and Aikanáro grows up to be a mama’s boy, preferring to go by his mother name.
At Aikanáro’s birth, Arafinwë is only 93 years old, still 7 years from his second coming-of-age. Jokes begin to spread in Tirion that Arafinwë intends to outdo Fëanáro’s count of children (currently 4) before he even reaches full adulthood!
That does not, however, come to pass. Fëanáro and Nerdanel have their fifth child, Curufinwë Atarinkë, a decade later, while Eärwen and Arafinwë show no signs of adding to their own brood.
That is, until YT 1361, when both Anairë and Eärwen announce that they are pregnant again! They specifically timed this, actually, so they’d be pregnant together. They’re very much hoping to have daughters who will be close as sisters, just as Findaráto and Turukáno are practically brothers.
(Throughout all these years, Eärwen is happy with her relationship with Anairë. She knows they could have had something more, had circumstances been different; but she also knows by now of Anairë’s belief in the Valarin virtues around the sanctity of a nér-nís marriage, and has little hope of changing her mind. It doesn’t matter what else she feels, not when she and Anairë’s friendship is so deep and strong as it is. Anairë herself remains oblivious. Eärwen is also very happy in her marriage to Arafinwë, whom she loves deeply, and she can’t imagine a life without him.)
The next year, in YT 1362, Anairë gives birth to Írissë Aldarindë [named by her mother for Oromë Aldaron, though not for another few years]. Only a few weeks later, Eärwen delivers her daughter Artanis.
It turns out that Írissë and Artanis, while they don’t dislike each other, have very little in common. Írissë loves Tirion and the woods of Oromë nearby; Artanis prefers Alqualondë and the coast, and has little patience with Noldorin politics. Írissë doesn’t care for politics either, but she loves her Fëanárion cousins, something Artanis cannot relate to. The only granddaughters of Finwë aren’t particularly close, though they do have moments of comradery from time to time.
Artanis is approaching her first coming-of-age before Eärwen finally settles on a mother-name for her only daughter: Nerwen, for her delight in traditionally masculine pursuits, and for the shifting nature of her fëa that Nerwen only recently revealed to her mother. [Basically: Nonbinary/genderfluid Galadriel comes out to her mom, and Eärwen names her in a gender-affirming way.]
As the tensions rise among the Noldor, and especially the sons of Finwë, Eärwen and Anairë grow frustrated with their husbands. Eärwen misses Arafinwë, who spends more and more time in Tirion while she grows increasingly unfond of the city; and Anairë feels she is losing Nolofinwë to his feud with Fëanáro. Anairë spends longer and longer stretches in Alqualondë with Eärwen—but returns to Tirion for her husband’s regency after Finwë follows Fëanáro into exile, hoping that with his rival gone they can work on their marriage.
It works, until it doesn’t.
Amid the Darkening, Anairë and Eärwen both know they will not follow their husbands to Endórë. Eärwen is actually more torn than she expects, for she does want to meet her father’s kin, especially the mysterious cousin she sees in her dreams. But she is tired of Noldorin nonsense, tired of her husband choosing politics over her, tired of Fëanáro in general. It grieves her greatly that all her children leave, and she thinks that perhaps some day she might follow, but now is not that time.
For Eärwen’s sake, and because Nolofinwë has once again prioritized Fëanáro over her, Anairë chooses to remain as well. Nolofinwë actually begs her to stay—and Arakáno, too, but he refuses to leave his family behind. Anairë wishes her youngest would stay, but unlike Nerdanel, does not ask it of him. She is done asking for people to choose her: she is going to value now the people who do.
And the person who does choose her, the person who has always chosen her, is Eärwen.
(And the Valar, who she has always believed in. Even if she has been having doubts of late.)
Anairë has been having a crisis of conscience over the last few decades, ever since she finally stumbled into the realization that Findekáno has been having an affair with his male half-cousin for years. She reacted poorly, but this incident made her begin to examine her biases...and, especially in the light of her crumbling marriage, her own feelings and experiences.
Anairë is already on her way to Alqualondë when the Kinslaying occurs. Eärwen loses a brother, and two of Anairë’s children (Findekáno and Írissë) become Kinslayers. Anairë arrives to discover both these horrors, and she doesn’t know how Eärwen will react to her presence—but she knows she needs to go anyway.
Eärwen is absolutely devastated, heartbroken and betrayed beyond anything she could have imagined. She says some harsh things to Anairë, who takes it despite her own breaking heart, but in the end she knows it’s not Anairë’s fault. And finally, finally, with the world ending around them, they confess to one another the true depth and nature of their love.
[I have a fic about this! My headcanons have changed a bit since I wrote that uhhh...3.5 years ago?? but the vibe is absolutely still how I see them.]
Anairë stays by Eärwen. Anairë chooses her, loves her, supports her. And Eärwen, who has loved her from the beginning, loves her even more.
When Arafinwë returns—when he turns back at the Doom, but not the Kinslaying—Eärwen does not welcome him back. He goes to Tirion, installs himself as King, and they do not dwell together. Eärwen shuts him out of their marriage bond.
But Arafinwë does not give up on her. He knows he betrayed her unforgivably, but he will do what he can to make it up to her. He expects nothing from her, but knows it is his duty to support her in whatever small way he can.
Anairë resents him. But when he comes to her and asks how he can help—truly help, not in order to win Eärwen back, but because he loves her and knows she deserves more than what he did—she relents, just a little.
And when the Sun finally rises, Arafinwë travels to Alqualondë, and asks to see Eärwen. She doesn’t forgive him then, but the Valar have given Light another chance, and with Anairë at her side, she decides to give Arafinwë another chance, also.
It takes centuries, and things are never the same between them. But eventually Eärwen and Arafinwë reconcile—though Eärwen will never forsake Anairë, nor deny their love, and Arafinwë must respect that if he is to earn his right to stand at Eärwen’s side again. He does, and in time, the three of them fall into bed together. Anairë and Arafinwë are never quite lovers, but they both love Eärwen, and together they forge what happiness they can out of the ruins of the life they used to have.
This is pretty much all I have...though I'm sure I could come up with some stuff for reuniting with her kids later :)
@finweanladiesweek day five | ladies who married in | anairë x eärwen
Ñolofinwë’s wife Anairë refused to leave Aman, largely because of her friendship with Eärwen wife of Arafinwë (though she was a Ñoldo and not one of the Teleri).
—The History of Middle-earth: Volume XII: The Peoples of Middle-earth, “The Shibboleth of Fëanor”
Arafinwë aches for his wife, but she is lost to him. To earn his place in her heart once more, he will allow her new lover anything.
Back to Middle-earth Month | 3/9/22
Polyshipping Bingo: Separation | F/F Bingo: Anairë x Eärwen | Family Bingo: The ones left behind | Photography: [Untitled] Candle from Pixabay
also a kinkmeme fill for @crownlessliestheking!
Rating: E | No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Eärwen/Finarfin, Anairë/Eärwen, Anairë/Finarfin, Anairë/Eärwen/Finarfin
Characters: Finarfin, Eärwen, Anairë
Word count: 2.4k
@oneringnet types of love event ☆ storge ☆ familiar love; naturally occurring love; infinite love built on acceptance and a deep emotional connection
When my son was born I thought my spirit would burst free from my body, so great was my joy. I held him in my arms and loved him, and knew he could do no wrong.
Only now he has, and my mother’s love is bleeding out of me just as you, my sworn sister, watched your kin’s life drain from their bodies. I love him, I always will, but I love you also, and I weep your tears.
Let me hold you now, in this time of darkness, and may our grief wash clean the shores of your home.
[Image description: A colored pencil drawing of Eärwen and Anairë from the Silmarillion. Eärwen has her head bowed and her eyes closed with a slight smile on her lips; Anairë is cupping Eärwen's head in her hands and kissing her on the forehead, also smiling with closed eyes.]
Oselli (Sworn Sisters)
My second art piece for the @tolkienrsb 2020, this time featuring Anairë and Eärwen! The fic for this drawing is being written by the wonderful @inigo1220 <3
Anairë’s name means “holiest,” and my headcanon for her is that she is a priestess of Nessa. She named her eldest son “Astaldo” after Nessa’s husband, Tulkas Astaldo, and she stayed behind in Aman partially for her love of the Valar - but also for her love of Eärwen. The prompt that inspired this piece was queerplatonic Anairë + Eärwen, but I’m leaving this open for interpretation, both to you and to my writer. We’ll see how the fic turns out!
Anairë here is wearing a deer-antler headband and a violet/pansy in her hair; both are symbols of Nessa. I headcanon that she is a dancer, like her Vala, and from the sneak peaks I’ve had of the fic her cloak is incorporated in her dance routine! The cloak has symbols of ocean waves, Taniquetil, the Two Trees, and Varda’s stars.
More detailed image description under the cut!
[Detailed image description: A colored pencil drawing of Eärwen and Anairë from the Silmarillion. Eärwen has her head bowed and her eyes closed with a slight smile on her lips; Anairë is cupping Eärwen's head in her hands and kissing her on the forehead, also smiling with closed eyes. Eärwen is an elf woman with warm brown skin and long silver hair pulled back in a bun; she is wearing a loose purple shirt, pink earrings, blue eyeshadow, a gold necklace, and a teal-blue hair piece in the shape of waves. Anairë is an elf woman with pale skin and long black hair partially pulled up in a bun; she is wearing a dark blue shirt, red nail polish, a gold wedding ring, lavender eyeshadow, a deer antler headband, blue earrings, and a violet flower in her hair. She is also wearing a dark cloak with a repeating pattern of blue waves, a white mountain symbolizing Taniquetil, a gold circle symbolizing Laurelin, a silver circle symbolizing Telperion, and a field of yellow stars. End image description.]
