#laeriel

[serene-faerie]

Silm OC: Laeriel of Brithombar

Here is my second Silm OC— aka, the cousin of Merilwen! @fishing4stars @cilil

Name: Laeriel

Gender: Female

Group: Falathrim

Affiliation: Círdan, the Falas

Dwelling: Brithombar, Mouths of Sirion

Face-claim: Alissa White-Gluz, vocalist of Arch Enemy

Laeriel is a Sindarin elf-maiden, the maternal cousin of Merilwen, and one of the Falathrim. Prior to her birth, Laeriel’s family abandoned the Great Journey to Aman in favor of following Círdan to the Falas. They settled in Brithombar, where Laeriel was born during the Years of the Trees. Her father is a soldier and an advisor to Círdan, while her mother is a pearl diver. Eventually, Laeriel followed her mother’s footsteps and became a pearl diver in her adolescent years.

Though she is admired by the other divers for her skill, Laeriel is quite reserved. When she meets others, she doesn't waste time with small talk, but gets straight to the point. She’s no-nonsense, doesn't spend a lot of time with other people, and she prefers to be alone with her own thoughts. But though she is cold in public, Laeriel is fiercely loyal to her family, and to Círdan. She also tries to write letters to her cousin in Doriath, and hopes to meet her extended family one day.

When she's not diving for pearls, Laeriel likes spending time in the library of Brithombar, where she writes poetry. Laeriel is very proud to be one of the Falathrim, and she always feels most at home whenever she's by the sea. She also has a bit of a sweet tooth, and loves the citrusy desserts of the Falas. Laeriel is very good at making sweets and desserts, and likes to make them for weddings and special festivals.

Following the return of the Noldor to Beleriand, Laeriel and her family join Círdan’s delegation to the Mereth Aderthad to form bonds of friendship with the people of Fingolfin. It’s at this feast that Laeriel earns the attention of Maglor, Fëanor’s second son. While initially aloof and cold towards him, Laeriel is gradually won over by Maglor’s charm and charisma. Even better, her parents also approve of Maglor as a potential suitor. Though Maglor settles in east Beleriand, he and Laeriel write letters to each other as a form of long-distance courtship. Maglor even travels down to Brithombar to meet with Laeriel a few times. They spend a lot of time together in Brithombar— swimming in the harbour, exploring the city, and just walking along the shore. Slowly but surely, Laeriel starts to fall in love.

But such feelings are quickly extinguished with some shocking revelations during one of Maglor’s visits.

When the news of the First Kinslaying reaches the Falas— as well as Maglor’s part in it, Laeriel is furious, hurt, and deeply heartbroken. This results in an ugly fight between Laeriel and Maglor, with Laeriel shouting at Maglor to get out of her sight and never return to the Falas. Likewise, her parents support her decision, and tell Maglor to leave. It’s the worst kind of heartbreak that Laeriel has experienced in her life. To be honest, Laeriel isn’t sure what’s worse— the fact that Maglor had taken part in the First Kinslaying, the fact that he never even planned to tell her about it, the fact that his first instinct was to try and victim-blame the Teleri, or the fact that Maglor didn’t even show genuine remorse. If Maglor had shown some genuine remorse for the Kinslaying, Laeriel could have probably tried to forgive him. But the moment he tried blaming the Teleri for the Kinslaying was the moment when Laeriel lost her affection for him and began to loathe the Fëanorians as a whole.

Laeriel’s whole life in Brithombar is upended after the Nirnaeth Arnoediad. Her father is killed during the catastrophic battle, and her mother is killed when Morgoth’s forces invade and destroy the Havens of the Falas. Luckily, she escapes to the Isle of Balar along with the rest of the survivors. She would later move to the Havens of Sirion after the Second Kinslaying, which is when she and Merilwen finally meet. Due to their shared losses, Laeriel is able to form a close, sisterly bond with Merilwen, and she also becomes something of an aunt to Elwing. Laeriel is also very supportive of Merilwen’s blossoming romance with Voronwë, and encourages them both to pursue their mutual feelings.

However, seeing her own cousin falling in love has Laeriel realize something. Despite her ugly falling out with Maglor many long years ago, despite hating him so much, she can’t deny that deep down, a part of her still cares about him. Of course, she cannot forgive his participation in the Second Kinslaying, which destroyed Merilwen and Elwing’s home. And she certainly won’t forgive him for his actions in the Third Kinslaying either. And yet, at the same time, Laeriel can’t help but mourn for the person that Maglor could’ve been, for the person she thought she could love.

However, through a series of coincidences, Laeriel finds herself meeting Maglor again, well after the end of the War of Wrath. After everything he’s done, she should want nothing to do with him.

But perhaps this chance meeting could be the catharsis and closure that she needs to move on with her life…

[brightlightslongshadows]

“Is it enough?” Cirdan asked. “Will it be enough? If all you have in Lindon is Gil-Galad, is he enough for you?”

Laeriel closed her eyes as if it would help somehow, but he kept talking.

“No one will allow you on the throne,” he said. “You will be relegated to hostessing, or perhaps not even that, because no one will trust you at council and you never learned how to host. You cannot rule for him if he goes, for no one will listen, and they will love your children only for his sake, and heaven help those children if they show a spark of your temper. You do not love the people of Lindon, and they will never love you. So I ask: is loving Gil-Galad – having him love you – is it enough?”

In Doriath she had been… not loved, not by any but Erien and perhaps Goldor, but she had been theirs somehow, a child of Doriath and a guard of Menegroth, and they had given her duties and trusted her to do them. Laeriel had never needed to be loved by more than one person, but Lindon would begrudge her even that, even now. Lindon would begrudge her blood even if it spilled in its defense. She was not Lindon’s, and Lindon was not hers.

“No,” she said. “No. It is not enough.”

She opened her eyes now, and there he sat, perched on the balcony rim, something a little like disgust and a great deal like judgment in his eyes. I could push him over, she thought, but she knew she would not. Part of her wished she was as much a Feanori as Lindon thought she was.

Cirdan said, with some satisfaction, “I thought not.”

[longsightmyth]

Look y'all when I say Laeriel is an expedient murder princess I want you to understand that I really mean it.

[serene-faerie]

Facts about Laeriel

Her name translates to "daughter of summer" in Sindarin

She didn't want to go to the Mereth Aderthad at all, but her parents made her come anyways because she collected most of the pearls that Círdan was gifting to Fingolfin

Laeriel likes to bake desserts in her spare time, and she absolutely loves the citrus desserts of the Falas

Due to her father being Círdan’s advisor, Laeriel is quite close to Círdan, and looks up to him as an uncle. Likewise, Círdan cares deeply about Laeriel, and following her parents' deaths in the Nirnaeth Arnoediad and the destruction of the Falas, he takes her into his home on the Isle of Balar

When Laeriel goes on dives, she wears a white breast-band, a white loincloth, and she covers her hair in a white head-wrap. This is the standard outfit for all pearl divers in the Falas, which is an exclusively-female occupation. She also has a tattoo of a seashell on her right hip

During her courtship with Maglor, Laeriel introduces him to citrus desserts, and they quickly become his favorite kind of dessert

Laeriel spends a lot of her free time in the library of Brithombar. There, she likes reading old Cuiviénen folktales and epics, as well as mythology about the Valar. She's also a skilled astronomer, and she likes to study the stars and other phenomena in the sky when she's not diving

Laeriel learns about the First Kinslaying from Círdan, not Maglor. The fact that Maglor tries to deflect responsibility and victim-blame the Teleri absolutely disgusts and infuriates Laeriel, and that’s what leads to their fight and breakup. The worst part is that if Maglor had been honest and sincerely remorseful for it, Laeriel would have probably tried to forgive him. But his refusal to take responsibility is what Laeriel cannot accept

One of the worst parts about her breakup with Maglor is that his younger brother Celegorm actually sent a very long and angry letter to Laeriel. It basically expressed his outrage over a Sindarin maiden daring to break off a courtship with a Noldorin prince, and actually demanded that Laeriel get back together with Maglor for the sake of maintaining an alliance in the war against Morgoth. Maglor hadn’t told him to send such a letter, but Laeriel is furious all the same. In response, Círdan sends a very stern letter to Celegorm, telling him to stop or he would face the wrath of the Falas, and he also sends a letter to Maedhros to get his brothers under control. Luckily, Celegorm doesn’t send any more letters, but this has only cemented Laeriel’s hatred of the House of Fëanor

Following the destruction of the Havens of the Falas, Laeriel moves to the Isle of Balar. She lives with Círdan for a few years, until she hears about the Second Kinslaying and the arrival of Doriathrim refugees at the Mouths of Sirion. So she moves to the Havens of Sirion in the hopes of finding her cousin Merilwen. Laeriel then starts living with Merilwen and helps her with raising Elwing, and becomes something of an aunt to the young princess of Doriath

Following the Third Kinslaying, Laeriel helps Merilwen and Voronwë search for Elrond and Elros. They don't find the twins until the War of Wrath begins

Laeriel becomes close to Elros during the War of Wrath. She teaches him about astronomy and observing the phenomena of the sky. She also nurtures his love for the sea by telling him stories about the Falas, about pearl diving, and about sailing on the ocean

It’s only after the War of Wrath when Laeriel meets Maglor again, when he’s wandering the shores of Middle-earth. They have a conversation, and Maglor confesses that even after everything, he never stopped loving Laeriel. However, while Laeriel still cares about Maglor to some extent, she cannot truly love him after everything he’s done. Maglor understands this, and he even lets Laeriel slap him for his crimes. After that, they part ways and never see each other again, and Laeriel is able to move forward with her life

Laeriel moves to the Grey Havens with Círdan in the Second Age. There, she takes up pearl diving again, and she also keeps in contact with Merilwen and Voronwë, who have settled in Lindon by this point

The only Fëanorian whom Laeriel actually trusts is Celebrimbor. During the First Age, Celebrimbor had come to Laeriel and personally apologized for all the heartache his family has caused her. Because of this, Laeriel actually becomes friends with Celebrimbor, and even keeps in touch with him during the Second Age. Needless to say, she's horrified and grieved by Celebrimbor's brutal death at Sauron's hands

Following Merilwen and Voronwë's departure to Aman, Laeriel moves to Rivendell. There, she takes care of Ithilloth, Merilwen and Voronwë’s daughter. Eventually, during the early years of the Fourth Age, Laeriel and Ithilloth sail west together

@cilil @fishing4stars @chaos-of-the-abyss

[longsightmyth]

An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works

Chapters: 2/? Fandom: The Silmarillion and other histories of Middle-Earth - J. R. R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings - All Media Types Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings Characters: Ereinion Gil-galad, Original Characters, Elwing (Tolkien), Elrond Peredhel, Thranduil's Wife Additional Tags: the Noldor fuck up their children like it's a profession, even when they mean well, characters and pairings will be added as we go Series: Part 3 of Bright Lights Cast Long Shadows Summary:

“Could you tell me about her?” Elrond blinked. “Your mother?” “Yes,” Morwinyon said. “Would you tell me a story?”

(A prequel to Even Stars Can Die, related by biased elves to other biased elves and passed on down)

[longsightmyth]

An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works

Chapters: 1/1 Fandom: The Silmarillion and other histories of Middle-Earth - J. R. R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings - All Media Types Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings Characters: Ereinion Gil-galad, Original Characters, Elwing (Tolkien), Elrond Peredhel, Thranduil's Wife Additional Tags: the Noldor fuck up their children like it's a profession, even when they mean well, characters and pairings will be added as we go Series: Part 3 of Bright Lights Cast Long Shadows Summary:

“Could you tell me about her?” Elrond blinked. “Your mother?” “Yes,” Morwinyon said. “Would you tell me a story?”

(A prequel to Even Stars Can Die, related by biased elves to other biased elves and passed on down)

[longsightmyth]

“You let them in,” Goldor said. Laeriel turned to see him staring at Erien, face white and sword in hand.

Erien surveyed him with a raised eyebrow before ignoring him entirely. “Your grandfather would like to see you, Lairë, and I would like you to meet your uncles.”

“Great-uncles,” Laeriel corrected her, but she could do nothing but fall into step with her grandmother, who waved the technicalities away.

“You let them in,” Goldor said again. “Laeriel, you cannot go with her!”

“He will need to be quiet if you wish him to live through this interview,” Erien told Laeriel. “None of those we go to meet have my patience.”

Before Laeriel could reply or hush Goldor, Erien sidestepped. Goldor’s sword, which he had swung as if to cleave her in half, hit only air.

“You have a very quick draw,” she told him. “Put it away before I decide not to be impressed.”

Goldor lunged again, mulish expression on his face. “I do not listen to the words of traitors.”

Erien sidestepped again, swords still sheathed crosswise on her back, her own expression one of mild irritation.

“Stop it,” Laeriel ordered. “Goldor, she can kill you easily-”

“Then I die in the service of Doriath!” he snapped.

“Doriath is dead already,” Erien said. “You need not go with it. Live-”

“And take the oath?” he demanded. “I think not.”

“How you flatter yourself,” Erien said. Her hands were still empty. “We would require no oath from you. You would be accepted as Laire’s, if you choose, but unless you came to us with silmaril in hand we would not take your service.”

Laeriel grabbed his arm as he made to lunge again, but he shook her off, shoving her back harder than he likely meant to. She stumbled back and caught herself before she fell to the ground as Goldor attacked Erien once again.

Erien had deigned to draw one sword, contempt in every line of her body as she parried, and parried again, and parried once more, this time twisting her blade just so, smacking Goldor’s hand with the flat so he dropped his weapon and stood, panting, unarmed.

“Lairë should have taught you better,” she said. “Your guard is atrocious, and your speed can only mask your sloppiness so far.”

[longsightmyth]

So the problem I’m having writing Laeriel’s thing is that she’s alive for so damn long and her story is sort of spread out through like eighty-seven hundred and twelve different events. It’s hard to keep it cohesive.