#and Galadriel deserves better in general

[goldenpinof]

watching lotr series is like watching a parody of Jackson's trilogy. 1B dollars weren't enough to find screenwriters? stop stealing screens and dialogues from the movies, i'm begging you. it doesn't look like a cute nostalgia. it's done so poorly, it is parody. please, i don't want to associate the trilogy with this amazon bullshit and vice versa. you're ruining years of experience.

[myfavouritelunatic]

The Blacksmith

This might be my favourite chapter I’ve written so far, I absolutely love it. Things get a little dark... 

Thank you for reading!! ❤️

Pairing: Halbrand/Sauron x Reader

Word Count: 2.9k (the longest chapter yet!😁)

Warnings: A little bit of smut, and like I said, things get a little dark. Can anyone say blood kink?

Links to Chapter One, Two, Three, Four, and Five.

Chapter Six

The next days were the best your relationship had been so far. Your secret was out in the open, and you could both fully be together, not having to worry about sneaking around or being caught any longer. Though part of you missed the thrill that it had brought. Nevertheless you began to properly experience what life would be like, could be like, as the future Queen of the Southlands. Still, it was all very surreal. If someone had told you weeks ago that this would be your fate, you would have laughed in their face. Good things like this just didn't happen to you, your tragic life had taught you that much. You were so used to the pain, the anguish, the heartbreak, that this... some days felt like nothing more than a fantasy. And despite knowing just how much Halbrand adored you, and you were certain you would never part, you couldn't help but begin to expect that darkness was approaching.

And approaching fast it seemed, as the storm that was rising within you was growing stronger and you were finding it harder to keep at bay. It had been over a week since the fleet had departed from Numenor, and over a week since you committed murder. You still had not spoken of it to anyone, not even Halbrand. He would be the only person you would tell regardless, if only you could work up the courage to do so. You wanted to be honest with him about every part of you, and he deserved to know what you were going through. And if you didn't tell him, he would decipher it eventually, as your face would give you away, so better to come from you first.

You had had another nightmare the past evening, another turbulent flash to this wasteland where the dark versions of the two of you reside and rule. In fact it was the third one in as many nights. It was beginning to become more visceral, more intense. You swore you could smell the sulphur in the air, feel the heat on your skin, and taste the ash in your mouth. You truly could not make sense of it, it was all so strange. What did it mean? What could it mean? Was it a premonition, or just your mind warning you of where not to tread? It was the combination of this and the killing that finally compelled you to be frank with your love about what was brimming under the surface. About what was starting to scare you, afraid it would cause you to lose it all.

It was definitely a risk in telling him, but you didn't care. You knew where his heart lay. After breakfast this morning, the nightmare still so fresh in your mind, you let the conversation steer in the direction you needed it to go. "Halbrand, I need to speak with you about something." His head turned in your direction as he dressed himself for the day ahead. "Yes, my love?" You sighed, bracing yourself. "It's- it's about the day... it's about how I-" Knocking on the cabin door halted your words. "May I enter?" It was the voice of Galadriel. Halbrand glanced back at you from the door, asking permission with his eyes. You decided yourself decent enough for company, and nodded silently. "Come, Galadriel." spoke your love. The she-elf entered your quarters, greeting you both good morning. "I hope I'm not interrupting." You and Halbrand exchanged knowing looks at her words, but gave nothing away. It seems the truth was not yet ready to appear.

Soon after, Halbrand departed to speak with Miriel and Elendil. His days at sea, if they weren't with you, were spent in meetings all day, with you left to your own devices. Generally speaking, Galadriel was never with you, always with them, so today was a different case. "Why did you remain with me?" you asked, moments after Halbrand had closed the cabin door behind him. "Because I fear you might be becoming isolated. You don't leave this room, and when you do, it is only with Halbrand by your side." Galadriel spoke with genuine concern for you. It seems you were friends now after all. She was right though. You hadn't really left the cabin, or the bed that much in your time on the ship, unless with your love. Whilst you felt comfortable being above deck with him, arm in arm, hand in hand, being alone however, just you yourself wandering around was a different situation altogether. This was of course partly due to the shadow looming over your soul, but also for another reason. "Be wary." The last two words Queen Regent Miriel had spoken to you during your very stressful and uneasy first encounter with her. You had not soon forgotten them, nor would you. You couldn't bear the thought of making another mistake and risk getting transferred to another ship or worse, so you had decided it best to stay out of sight, where trouble was hard to find. Especially now that you knew what you were capable of. It was interesting though that Galadriel would notice this in you first before your king.

You sighed and told her half of your truth. "I can still hear the words of the Queen Regent in my ear as if she's just spoken them. ‘Keeping a watchful eye’. ‘Be weary’. She is a most formidable woman. One that I would rather stay out of sight from."   "As someone that has also been described as formidable, I can assure you that despite this, the Queen Regent would never wish for you to feel this way. It is only her station, her duty, that has lead this action against you. If you would come out of this bed, perhaps you would glimpse that." Galadriel spoke firmly, her wise words making her point hard to unsee. "Has Halbrand spoken to you on this matter? Because he has shown no concern." "You know he cares." "Yes I do. But it just strikes me as odd that you are here right now having this discussion with me instead of him. He usually reads me so well. Unless he requested you do so in his stead?" Galadriel pondered her response briefly before she gave it to you. "He didn't ask me, but I offered." You scoffed at her in reply. "Unbelievable. Does he not think he can keep our matters between us?" The she-elf spoke your name with caution, "I offered to speak with you because I too also care for you. It was my idea, and Halbrand wanted no part in it, but I insisted. I pray you, do not be ill with him."

You sighed reluctantly, letting go of your rising temper. "I won't be. As long as you tell him to speak with me this evening about it. When did he first mention it to you?" "Two sunrises ago." You acknowledged her without words, and felt tears forming in your eyes. Seeing this, Galadriel moved closer to you, resting a soft hand on your face. "Do not fret nor fear. You are among friends." After a moment of letting your sadness and frustration wash over you, you found the words to explain it. "I just didn't expect to go from watching out for my father to watching out for my queen." you uttered, voice trembling. She pulled you into an embrace then, and it was unlike one you had ever received before. The elven touch was of a different kind, somehow more soothing, more gentle than the touch of a mortal. "Your father is not here. You are safe." she spoke, then broke away from you, but letting her hand fall into your own. You squeezed it tight. "I think some fresh air might do you some good, yes?" offered Galadriel. You nodded, a smile pushing past the sorrow that was starting to overwhelm. 

Whilst you were disappointed in Halbrand for not confronting you directly with his concerns, you realised you couldn't fully be displeased with him. For you still had not shared your secret, and you had been so close only minutes before. You agreed to step outside with Galadriel, and she was right, the sea breeze was a cool balm that eased the ache within you. The scent of salt water filled your nose, and you breathed it in peaceful and deep. The sea is always right after all.

After an hour or so had passed, Galadriel was summoned away to join your love in the meeting. Despite the overwhelming urge to retreat back to where you thought it was safest, you actually braved the deck of the ship solo. At one point, you even caught the eye of the Queen Regent herself as she exited her cabin in the distance. To your surprise, she smiled at you. Maybe it had all been in your head then? The paranoia of other things infiltrating rational thoughts and situations? Given all you'd experienced, this was not surprising. You smiled back at her, but chose to remain wary. It was what your queen had commanded.

Shortly following this, you wandered around to the stern of the ship, and found an area tucked away in a corner, slightly secluded, not far from the entrance to the cargo hold where you had first stowed away. You laid down on the cool wood, staring up into the heavens for hours, watching the colour of the sky alter itself as the sun and the moon prepared to switch places. The pink, orange, and red hues gave way to the blackness of the night, illuminated by the stars of course, and what spectacular stars they were. You could see the light of Eärendil near the horizon just before the moon began to rise.

"There you are!" came Halbrand's voice from across the deck. You smiled at the sound of it, but did not move from your place. Instead you listened as his footsteps quickly found you, and he called out your name. "Hi." you replied dreamily, all ill feeling forgotten from earlier, and you gazed up at the face of your love now framed by the stars. He shot you a small smile, then took his place at your side, laying on the wood with you, interlocking your fingers as he did so. You felt his eyes upon you, but you remained fixed on what was above. "You're outside? Alone? Are you well, my love?" Halbrand seemed a bit shocked to see you like this, but not at all displeased.

"I am very well. Thank you." You pulled his hand to your lips and kissed it gently. You sighed having missed the taste of him all day. "I hope you are not unhappy with me. I told that elf-" "The last thing I am with you is unhappy. She only spoke with me because she cared. I just wish you would have talked to me first." "But I could see, nay feel the anguish from within you, to my very core. I was unsure how to proceed. Forgive me. I am still only recently in the queen's good graces myself." "Oh?" You propped yourself up on one elbow, finally facing him. "You remember I told you our arrival in Numenor didn't exactly start us on the best of footing." "I do. I also remember hearing a rumour that the reason you got locked up was due to a street brawl." "They started it." "Ah hah! So it is true!" you exclaimed with enthusiasm. "They were part of the smithing guild, were they not?" Your love shut his eyes and sighed, not liking where the conversation was headed. He just nodded at you. "Then how exactly did you earn your guild crest, low man?" you teased him playfully.

"Right. That's enough out of you." As Halbrand uttered these words, he immediately planted himself on top of you, pinning you down, your arms above your head. His eyes found your neck. "Mmmm... the mark of the king." he spoke, observing the deep red and purple bruising that was only now starting to fade. "Do people stare when you walk past? Do they see the proof that you are mine? My queen." His voice was seductive and his breath becoming heated as he crashed his lips into yours, his tongue swiftly caressing you. He pulled away after a moment, moving closer to your ear. "How about we balance the scales...?" This whisper, the air from his lungs, the way they brushed your flesh this close was setting you alight. He sucked on your earlobe briefly, before biting down on where your neck was unbruised, and the pain, the pleasure from nights earlier had returned.

It burned so deliciously, and the sounds you made, your response to him, you didn't know if you were wincing or sighing. The two opposing feelings were twisting themselves up inside you, like representatives of the light and darkness within, fighting to take control. You didn't know which sensation you enjoyed more, his soft wet tongue lapping up your flesh, or his devilish teeth your skin was at the whim of. Halbrand moaned into you, clearly satisfying himself, his free hand wandering along your body, exploring every inch of you he could reach. Suddenly his gasps increased, his motions on your neck more rapid. It was driving you wild. "Kiss me, Halbrand." you panted, asking because your hands were not yours currently.

His obliging was immediate, but as his tongue slipped past your lips this time, something was different. A rustic, metallic taste hit you, and you knew it to be only one thing: blood. Your blood. He had pierced your skin. Your body fought with itself then. To give in to the darkness or come back to the light? The former was too strong to overcome, given your already aroused state, and you kissed him desperately, the danger driving you, begging you for more. But all changed after a few moments. "You taste... divine..." uttered your love in between touches. It was Halbrand that spoke but you heard someone else underneath his words. Something dark layered within his voice that was new to you. It had twisted itself around the sound of him, and suddenly fear took hold. You forced him off of you then, backing quickly away further into the corner you had called home all day.

"What's wrong?" Halbrand's voice was whole again, singular, as you had known it to be. The moonlight now high above illuminated him, revealing his bloodstained mouth. He saw your eyes lock on it, but he let it linger a few more moments, before casually wiping it away with his hand. He seemed unfazed by it, only concerned with your reaction. "I'm-I'm-," you were stammering, struggling to speak. Afraid of what he would say back. "I'm not sure I like that." Halbrand let out a small chuckle. "Hmm funny, the second your blood hit your tongue... your actions speak otherwise, my love." He called you his love but there was no trace of it in his tone. The fear was really sinking in now. "Don't." Was all you could manage. Halbrand chuckled again. 

"Who are you?" you asked him, terrified of the answer. "You know who I am." he responded, void of emotion. "No I don't. You refuse to tell me anything about who you are. About how you ended up on that raft with Galadriel! About your royal heritage! Hell, even about how you learned smithing!" Your voice rose in your fury, finally letting out your frustrations, not realising the mystery of Halbrand had been bothering you this much. "About how when you lay with me... that is the only time I'm with the true you."

"Well, since we are on the subject of secrets," he began, crawling towards you, "I'm not the only one with something to share." He stopped, his face no more than an inch from your own. You had nowhere to go. "You show me yours, and I'll show you mine." You felt the colour drain from your face as you remembered that only this morning, when things had seemed so perfect, you were on the verge of finally telling him what you did and what was inside of you. However now, you were too petrified to speak, and did not want to give him anymore satisfaction. Halbrand laughed, almost maliciously at you. He then rose to his feet, backing away, not letting you from his sight. "That's what I thought."

  Frozen still, you remained there as if you had merged with the wood of the ship itself. After a moment, Halbrand's face softened slightly, and turned shameful. His mouth slightly agape, he backed away from you further until he left you behind, alone. Tears did not waste any time in streaming down your cheeks, and the only sounds in the air were of the waves and your teardrops hitting the deck. Eventually you rose to your feet, shaking and cold. You knew it best to take shelter than to wait the remainder of the night topside for the sun to come up. However instead of returning to the place you knew to be the safest, for it was no longer so, you found yourself at Galadriel's door.

Rapping on the wood gently, you didn't have to wait long to gain entrance. You collapsed into her arms and broke down into sobs the moment you passed her threshold. She closed the door behind you, and led you over to her bed, where she proceeded to hold you for what felt like an age.

Tagging; @starlady66 @chimeracuddles @restless-tides @king-halbrand @lordhalbrand @denzit @wanderleave @anemarie 

[makiruz]

Oh man! That opinion was actually interesting! I could’ve had such a good time explaining to them why Rings of Power is Tokenism.

Well, I’m gonna tell you:

1. The black elf isn’t “tokenized” the whole show is. Yes we have multiple black characters but they’re side characters and it’s like there’s one black character per group; the Harfoots are a bit better because they’re canonically dark skinned, but they’re stilly very light in the show

2. The protagonist Harfoot girl is very white; okay maybe she is mixed like her character but she looks white so best case scenario this is colorism. Her mom is black, why is she so damn white? Her best friend is also very white.

3. More of less all the protagonists are white, Galadriel, Halbrand, Elrond, Isildur and his family, Nori, Poppy, Durin

4. There are basically no Asian characters (I think there’s like one) and no East Asian characters. There are no Indigenous actors either, no Polynesian, no anything other than a handful of black actors. I don’t think you have to have one of everything or anything like that, but diversity means representing multiple kinds of people

5. The Southlands were canonically populated by dark-skinned people, so why is Halbrand white? Halbrand should be dark skinned or even black. People from the Southlands shouldn’t be white

6. Tar-Míriel. I’m not familiar with that part of the story, but apparently her deal is that her husband (Ar-Pharazôn) steals her power and abuses her and shit; and it’s super awesome to have a black woman being used by a white man, not problematic at all! /sarcasm

7. Disa doesn’t have a beard. I know that’s not about race but it bothers me. It’s nice that they’re casting a black actress, but dwarfs have beards, she should have a beard. Actually there’s a lot of things about gender I’d like to complain about, like girlboss Galadriel, but I’m gonna leave it at handling of women falls into tokenism in my opinion

8. Arondir has no hair, like I’ve mentioned before he looks more like Grey Worm than an elf; male Elves having short hair in general is a bad take (specially with the beardless female dwarfs) but giving USA’s history with black hair, him having even less hair than other male Elves feels like the hair and make up people were white (contrast with the black Targaryens who look fucking amazing)

So in conclusion, @jeddiapplegist no I’m singling out Arondir, the whole show is bad and the casting is bad, and Arondir deserves pretty long hair

[hollowwhisperings]

that awkward moment where you re-read a crack post only to find that you accidentally edited out the "crack" part.

i'm sorry hugo weaving: it's not your fault they used the character you played to make drama for "character growth". > _ <

additionally must i apologise to:

Fans of the Live-Action Adaptions, old and new, whose introductions to the Legendarium through said works has undoubtedly gifted us all with new friends to nerd out with.

Fans of the above who met the books first & nonetheless enjoyed the motion picture: adaptions allow us all to better analyze our own, personal readings of "canon" through new perspectives. The Legendarium's uses Adaption (in the form of "Translation" to ENG) as its Framing Device: contesting canonicity is Encouraged within the text itself (which paints itself as "unreliable").

Hugo Weaving, for acting the role as it was written for him (no matter my Opinions on Said Writing): apparently Aragorn & Arwen needed a Direct Antagonist to "grow" from.

the employees of Weta Workshop, who did incredibly meticulous work for Tolkien's Legendarium (& continue to do so).

Sir Christopher Lee, who fully conveyed the Might & Majesty of the Wizard Saruman and wielded fully his Greater Experience (with Tolkien's works, stabbing people & just ~generally~) for the bettterment of LOTR's production. The good Sir rests now in Valinor but is ever One Of Us.

Sir Ian McKellan, for his fearsome & canny portrayal of Middle-Earth's Most Persistent Busybody. He has ever been "Mellon" to Fans & Fandom.

Cate Blanchette, who embodied "Galadriel" in all her beautiful glory: she ascertained the power of the character, subtle and fearsome and ancient. Her Graceful Swooshing of The Big Swishy Sleeves prompted my younger self into gaining an interest in the films at all (& thus Those Books I Forgot I Had). If I ever successfully sit through all three films, I'd gladly argue for her place as an Honary "Great" of Chinese Fantasy Dramas (LOTR isn't xianxia but it certainly resembles it in some parts, at least with its Immortals).

Viggo Mortensen, whose castmates found in him a "Strider" worth following, and who has everafter provided the Tolkien Fandom with its very own Cryptid.

Kiran Shah, for whom we can thank wonders untold in the cinematic Legendarium, in his roles as Frodo and Stunt Actor for all four hobbits. Rightfully was he named "Lord of the Scale Doubles" by his castmates: his laurels are well deserved!

Shah's Fellow Doubles in the LOTR films¹, who have long shared in his obscurity: I have added Footnotes that name The IRL Fellowship in its entirety, as best I could ascertain (corrections welcomed!).

Sophia Nomvete, who suffered first and worst in the Racist Backlash against TROP (her image amongst the very first released in Amazon's Promotions): she is beautiful in the role, even in her beardlessness.

the remaining POC cast of TROP, in its first season & those upcoming: they trailblaze against everything set against them² and I collate them in hope that "Tokenism" become a thing of fable... but mostly because TROP has enough of Us in its cast them to make "namedropping" the work of a paragraph (to which i say: took you long enough, Hollywood).

Alex Tarrant & Kali Kopae: they, amongst others cast as "Numenoreans" in TROP, are the first Polynesian actors to star in Tolkien works with their own faces³. They carry with them the Weight of Legacies, fictional and truthful: may the writing do they & their characters justice.

every & anyone who sets the Legendarium to Song, its "truest" incarnation by a Watsonian's metric. yes, even those responsible for the whole "they're taking the hobbits to Isengard!" meme.

Footnotes below the cut: there I touch on Prejudice & Politick, as found throughout Tolkien works: Racism is the primary focus (Anti-Semitism is tied-therein, made "implicit" because This Is Tolkien afterall) though I make reference also to Ableism.

¹The IRL Fellowship of the Ring: Doubles & All

Frodo Baggins was played not only by Elijah Wood but by Kiran Shah, who doubly served as "Size" & "Stunt" Double for Wood.

Sam was played by Sean Astin (principal), Bhoja ‘BK’ Kannada (size) & Kiran Shah (stunts).

Merry by Dominic Monaghan (principal), Martin Lenisson Gray (size) & Kiran Shah (stunts).

Pippin by Billy Boyd (principal), Praphaphorn ‘Fon’ Chansantor (size) & Kiran Shah (stunts).

(Yes, Kiran Shah was apparently the stuntsman for all of the hobbits: finding this out required my reading of More Recent Journalism, as Wikis only credit their principal actors & size doubles in the roles, with Shah's stuntwork credited only generically in-film & in wikis)

Gimli was primarily played by Brett Beattie but, despite Some Effort from his colleagues to confer co-crediting, only John Rhys-Davies was named in main billing ("movie politics", apparently). Beattie was initially cast for stunt & scaling work, but soon became a full-time "stand-in" for much of principal photography (Davies was Infamously Allergic to the Gimli Prosthetics, which restricted how long he could work).

An Aside: I remain personally ??? at why the production bothered to cast anyone, only to give them a full-face of prosthetics. The prosthetic wig & facial hair? Yes: modern beauty standards made it unlikely that a "fully haired" actor would be found for the role. The prosthetic nose, forehead & [whatever else] too? Those served no narrative purpose save, perhaps, an idea that "dwarves should look Old and [conventionally] Unattractive". This is my conclusion upon recalling the general "effect" of Gimli's changed characterization in the films & PJ's Pointed Rejection of casting "little people" in principal roles to begin with.

Legolas was played by Orlando Bloom (principal), Paul Randall (size) & Morgan Evans (stunts). Though Evans was only credited as Legolas in Fellowship, given that the entire trilogy was shot together, it can be Assumed that Evans retained the role as theirs is the only name that came up.

Aragorn was played by Viggo Mortensen (principal), Paul Randall (size) & Kirk Maxwell (stunts).

Gandalf was played by Sir Ian McKellen (principal), Paul Randall (size) & Basil Chapham (stunts). Chapham was credited as a "riding double" (or otherwise under "stunts"). A photo exists of all three Gandalfs in costume together: it's adorable.

Boromir was played by Sean Bean (principal), Paul Randall (size) & Lance Louez (stunts).

Paul Randall did indeed play as Legolas, Aragorn, Gandalf AND Boromir. Though I could only found him specifically credited as Legolas, interviews & cast photos do indeed name him as a "Stand-In" for all four roles. At 7"1, Randall could be used to scale "Big Folk" into scenes with the principal hobbit actors.

²Hollywood Racism in Fantasy Film Casting: Watch This Space?

We all Cringed at the blatant yellow & brownface of the Live-Action "Avatar the Last Airbender" film. The author of the Wizard of Earthsea series has long battled for its primary protagonist, Ged, to look like himself on book covers: he came to adaptions "pre-whitewashed" (to the great frustration of his creator, writer Ursula K. Leguin).

While there is no Public Ado About TROP from its BIPOC cast, save their grace in the face of Racist Backlash, Amazon's making the series at all was inspired by the success of HBO's Game of Thrones. The nature of Streamed Media is something currently protested: actors & writers own nothing they make, can say nothing of their work nor on its reception, and this has yet to Change for the begger.

Those Aware of how GoT handled its canonically POC characters (the Dornish, the peoples of Essos & the Summer Islands) are likely Aware of its Incredulous Killing-Off of the only black woman in its primary cast (Missandei, adapted to screen as an adult woman). Missandei's actor, Nathalie Emmanuelle, has been Very Diplomatic in interviews on her experiences while filming & later watching the show.

Additional instances of how racism has affected more recent Big Budget Fantasy Productions, "internally" (through casting & writing choices) and "externally" (racist backlash against adaptions & actors) can be found in the Star Wars sequel trilogy (Disney) and the televisation of Neil Gaiman's "American Gods" (Freemantle). Kelly Marie Tran (Rose Tico, SW) & John Boyega (Finn, SW) have spoken on their respective experiences with both (both went on to work on other Disney projects but Disney is its own Balrog) , while Orlando Jones has spoken of the racial discrimination within the production of American Gods.

The ongoing Writer's Strike is Informative on the limits of speech imposed on those working on Streamed Media such as TROP, writers & actors both. While TROP's 2nd season had already "wrapped" prior to the Strike, its production team & cast are still very much affected it: their speech is policed, by contractual obligations & self-preservation. Many of TROP's cast is "fresh": they do not have the clout to break convention, especially those acting as "trailblazing minorities" & whose continued employment is more vulnerable for it.

³The (Accidental) Diversity of the LOTR film trilogy & its (Deliberate) Othering of its BIPOC

PJ's films are sometimes joked as being (very long) tourism ads for New Zealand: the islands had been "cast" as Middle-Earth, something retained in pop culture ever since.

To fill out the wide landscapes of Middle-Earth required more cast than Hollywood could affordably export: thusly was casting opened to the local populace. This is how PJ's LOTR films' were made Accidentally Diverse.

Much of the Cavalry in the LOTR films (all those extras on horseback) were IRL Eowyns: the majority of the locals with the horsemanship the production required turned our to be female. Given that entirety of Eowyn's Plotline requires gender-exclusion in Rohan's armies? All those female riders in the background were "disguised" with beards.

Lesser known (certainly less publicised) is the quickness of the LOTR production in deciding which local New Zealanders would be cast & in what roles: a myth of whiteness in "New Zealand as Middle-Earth" was actively chosen at every opportunity.

Tolkien's Imperialist Guilt kicked in, eventually, for his depicting the Enthralled Armies of Sauron as... IRL peoples traditionally colonized (in many cases enslaved) by European Powers. He'd accidentally-on-purpose written "reverse racisn" into Middle-Earth. He'd also depicted & decribed orcs with much of the dehumanizing rhetoric used against peoples of African. This prompted both White & Catholic Guilt in his personal writings (...that never made it into printings of the Legendarium).

Decades later, when filming a big budget live-action adaption to Tolkien's Legendarium, the Production (Peter Jackson definitely included) decided that all their visually BIPOC extras should be cast exclusively as... Orcs and Foreign Invaders of Middle-Earth. Y'know: the very same Enthralled Armies of Sauron that had so troubled the Professor (very belatedly) for the Blatant Racism of it all.

Amongst those Visually BIPOC persons cast as Foreign Invaders? Just about everyone who was Maōri: Maōri, the very people native to "Middle-Earth", and a country that was very much colonized by European Powers (there were also some Attempted Conquest, though "there were no New Zealand Wars" was still the "historical canon" taught during LOTR's filming: mayhaps that explains how the Irony went unrealised).

I will note that it's been twenty-ish years & several more films yet we're still waiting on PJ to have his Belated "Crisis Of Conscience" RE: Racism. TROP, at least, cast its Maōri actors as Proper Numenorean Conquerors so... progress?

[ao3feed-tolkien]

A Second Chance

read it on the AO3 at https://ift.tt/oXylJq3

by Eowyn7023

After Sauron reveals himself to Galadriel in Season 1 Episode 8, he convinces her to go with him to take back the Southlands. The only way to save the Southlands and prevent Mordor from forming is to seal Orodruin. The only way to seal it is for Sauron to sacrifice his physical form for millennia. Sauron throws himself into Mt Doom. Galadriel is sad.

This is the plot of someone’s fanfic that I read but cannot find again. I needed to write a happy ending for this.

I stupidly did not bookmark this, and I can’t remember the title or author, and I haven’t been able to find it again. I am really sorry. Many apologies to the author. If you are the author, please get in touch so I can credit you properly. (and check that I got the details right before your story ends.)

Words: 2947, Chapters: 1/1, Language: English

Fandoms: The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power (TV 2022), The Lord of the Rings - All Media Types

Rating: General Audiences

Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply

Categories: F/M

Characters: Galadriel | Artanis, Celeborn (Tolkien), Sauron | Mairon, Elrond Peredhel, Celebrían (Tolkien)

Relationships: Galadriel | Artanis/Sauron | Mairon, Celeborn/Galadriel | Artanis

Additional Tags: Haladriel, giving someone’s fanfic a happy ending, Sauron throws his virgin self into a volcano, I feel terrible but I can’t find the original fanfic this is based on, if you are the author of the original fanfic please contact me and please don’t be mad, addicted to HEA, peace among Uruks, good will among humans, I hate the ending of season 1 Episode 8 and Galadriel deserves someone better than Celeborn, starting off 2023 on an impossibly sappy story, will rot your teeth, Zero smut, Galadriel and nice Sauron forever, Happy New Year (your iPhone is now making exploding noises)

read it on the AO3 at https://ift.tt/oXylJq3

[middle-earth-mythopoeia]

Okay so I’ve mostly heard everyone saying that after the death of Gil-galad, the kingship of the Noldor would hypothetically pass to Elrond, if he’d ever chosen to claim it. He was still part of the bloodline, right, even distantly, and he was a ward/adoptive child of Maedhros, Maglor, and Gil-galad, or some combination thereof over time, and they all served as king at some point. He would likely have a claim on the throne through that as well, knowing how convoluted Noldorin politics are.

However, wouldn’t Galadriel have a much better (and more justified) claim to the crown than Elrond would? She’s a direct granddaughter to Finwë and the last surviving member of his house (because honestly Maglor doesn’t count anymore, and he wouldn’t count even if he wasn’t a sad beach hobo since the Feanorians have renounced their claim on the throne). Since inheritance in situations like this usually travel vertically rather than horizontally (someone’s son would receive it before their brother, etc) and we follow that same line- we skip over all the Feanorians, obviously, because Maedhros hands it to Fingolfin, but from there it proceeds to Fingon then Turgon. If Turgon didn’t have children, or didn’t have any who were able to take the crown, then instead of continuing vertically down his line it would move over to either Aredhel (or possibly not, because she’s female) OR to Finarfin, (since Argon is dead), which would’ve solved a whole lot of problems. From there it would proceed down HIS bloodline, which means in the end, Galadriel, since Finrod and co were already off doing their own things.

It brings up an interesting point though- would Aredhel just have gotten completely skipped over because she’s female? And on that matter, would the same go for Galadriel? Does the simple fact that Elrond is a MALE descendant of the proper bloodline give him more of a claim to the crown than Galadriel, who’s female?

Or in the end, is Galadriel just completely left in the dust because the crown has processed several generations beyond her, regardless of her original blood ties and place in the line of succession?

I dunno, but I think Noldor Queen Galadriel would’ve fixed a lot of stuff and won the war against Morgoth in about five minutes flat

This is why I love tumblr, because where else am I going to get an anonymous message that says THIS? Anon, I love you. I love that you sent me a short essay about why Galadriel deserves to be queen of the Noldor. And I agree with you! She has a much stronger claim to the crown than many other people. (Also I laughed out loud at 'sad beach hobo'.)

I'm going to try to break this down into different parts to respond to all of what you wrote! But this quickly got away from me and went in all sorts of directions.

So there's the question of how did Tolkien think royal inheritance worked among the Noldor, and how should it have worked?

It's really unclear to me how succession is supposed to work among the Noldor, because Tolkien never spelled out the rules, and because when an Elf inherits the crown we're just told that he inherited it, not why he was next in line of succession.

In order to understand who the kingship would pass to after the death of Gil-galad, we have to understand how succession works, and it's just... so complicated.

Does it pass from father to son? Does it go to the eldest of the house of Finwë? (That is, if they haven't already abdicated?)

Starting with Fingolfin, it seems like it passes from father to son, because Fingon inherits the kingship next. But if it's supposed to pass from father to son, and Gil-galad is Fingon's son, then why did the kingship pass from Fingon to Turgon? But then, of course, Gil-galad is not Fingon's son, not if you go by what Christopher Tolkien said...

So did the kingship pass from Fingon to Turgon because Fingon had no children? If Gil-galad was Fingon's son, should he have become High King after the Nirnaeth Arnoediad? Unless he was too young.

I prefer to believe that Gil-galad is Orodreth's son, like Christopher Tolkien said, and the fact that he didn't inherit the kingship after Fingon's death supports that, to me. Even if Gil-galad was Fingon's son, and if he were too young to inherit the throne, then I would assume that Turgon would have become a kind of regent, but of course it didn't say that; it just says Turgon became king. Anyway. Long tangent.

Also, I find it really interesting that there's an entire plot point about the Noldor being divided over who they want to follow as king (Fëanor or Fingolfin) and the Silmarillion just doesn't tell you how the rules of succession are supposed to work. Fëanor has a legitimate claim as the eldest son, obviously, but Fingolfin was made king in Tirion in during his brother's exile... so it's not so clear cut. Anyway, I just love that Tolkien never explains.

And there's another thought I'd had, which is, what if the Noldor don't know how succession works either? Because they never expected Finwë to die; if he wanted to eventually pass on the kingship to an heir that would have been a decision he made, not that others had to make after his death. So what if they were just making it up as they went along? I mean, technically, that's what happened when Maedhros abdicated to Fingolfin... anyway...

Did they skip over Aredhel? I think the answer is no, but only because after Turgon died, she was already dead, so she couldn't inherit the crown anyway. But signs do seem to point to the Noldor using male-only primogeniture, which sucks, and I don't like it.

If Fingon inherited the crown from Fingolfin, then Idril should have inherited it from Turgon, is what I actually think.

But then Idril sails off with Tuor, so I guess hypothetically Eärendil should have become High King at that point. But then he leaves. So then hypothetically Elrond would become the High King.

Here's what I don't understand. If the kingship passed from Turgon to Gil-galad, and then Gil-galad died, why would Elrond have the best claim? It seems to me that Elrond would only have a claim if the rulership passed from Turgon, to Idril, to Eärendil, and thus to Elrond.

So finally making this go back to Galadriel and what you actually asked, the other question to me is, why did Gil-galad get the crown and Galadriel did not? Because if we're going on the version where Gil-galad is Orodreth's son, then the crown is now passing to the house of Finarfin. And Galadriel is clearly the eldest of the house of Finarfin in Middle-earth.

So I think after Turgon's death things should have gone one of two ways. If the crown is supposed to be inherited by the children of the ruler, then it should have passed from Turgon to Idril and down the line to Elrond. But if it's supposed to go to the eldest heir of Finwë, then after Turgon's death it should have gone to Galadriel and not Gil-galad. No offense Gil-galad, but you never should have become king.

[noldolante14]

I am very upset with the rings of power.

I will preface this by saying that I have not yet finished the Silmarillion, although I have read up to Beren and Luthien. 

I think that the creators have not looked enough into the lore, have not looked into the designs, the main themes of the stories, etc. 

A great many authors and screenwriters took a lot of tolkien’s races and kingdoms and ripped them off without looking into them deeper (cough cough game of thrones). I am scared this will be the same. 

My first bone to pick is with Elrond. His character design is shitty at best. Him having long dark hair is actually a pretty crucial part of his character. This marks him among the noldor, and his parentage and upbringing ties him closely with some controversial noldor characters. His hair is a defining characteristic from the books. His costume is also bland and not good. 

They also did not understand anything about his character. Elrond is a HEALER. He led men and elves into battle, and his defining characteristic in the second age is building imladris as a military stronghold and showing up with an army at the exact right time. He is a brilliant strategist and values life. He grew under gil-galad, and he deserves better than ‘savvy polititian’. That is the worst possible way they could have gone. 

Galadriel is also not true to the books. First off, if I did not know better, I would have thought she was human. Her armor is not elven, her character design is not elven. As far as i’m aware, she doesn’t lead people into battle. She ruled lothlorien. Honestly, her character and Elrond’s characters are switched. She was the savvy polititian who kicked ass and lead her people. Elrond was the general. Them wanting her to fight in the name of “feminism” is a weak plot point and is honestly bad writing. It would be more feminist to show that a strong female character doesn’t have to be a fighter, but rather a smart woman who is confident and clever.

The costume designs for most of the elven characters are bad. Most of the male elven characters i’ve seen have had short hair, which is a characteristic of the men of numenor. The costumes for the dwarves are also bad. The one dwarven queen that people are upset about has bad costume design. She should have a beard, and not just any beard. She should have the most intricate and beautiful beard of anyone in the entire show. braided and adorned with gems and mithril. 

Honestly it would be cool to see the characters that actually make a big difference in the second age, like Gil-galad and Celebrimbor. 

This show doesn’t look or feel like tolkien at all, and I feel like it’s gonna be a big letdown.

[anipologist]

A tongue-in-cheek practical guide for understanding Silmarillion fanart...

If they have red hair and are male...it’s probably Maedhros. If you’re still not sure (the Ambrussa are red-heads too) check the hands. If one is missing it’s Maedhros.

Gold braided into dark hair= Fingon

If they have a harp it could be any number all of them of musically inclined elves but best bet is either Maglor or Finrod. If blond with or without Sauron looming in the background it’s Finrod. If dark-haired it’s probably Maglor.

Finrod also tends to appear with a blinding necklace and a posse of friendly dwarves and men. Despite the fact that he canonically lost it and chucked his crown at his back-stabbing cousins he is usually smiling.

Thingol is the really tall one with silvery hair. He is probably scowling. May or may not be fondly contemplating roasting Beren and or Celegorm and Curufin assorted Fëanorians on a spit.

Lúthien is usually either dancing in a field or singing an assortment of Sauron/Morgoth/Mandos into agreement. Generally appears with inhuman amounts of hair, stars, a half-dead Beren and a wolf-hound.

Fingolfin -see Fingon minus gold braided into hair. Frequently on a rearing horse or charging a Vala ten times his size.

Earwen-she takes the title of Swan-maid seriously. Almost never glimpsed without accompanying swans and/or starry waves. Also fond of artful strings of pearls. Silver hair.

Finarfin- Gold hair, pensive expression. Occasionally wearing a crown. See Finrod without blinding necklace.

Galadriel- overwhelming amounts of gold hair, lots of white dresses, occasionally looks possessed and evil. Wise and fearless and fair.

Celeborn- fair and presumably wise and fearless. Mostly disappears into Galadriel’s shadow. Silver hair, has some reservations about dwarves and Gandalf.

Fëanor -tall, dark and occasional kin-slayer. Frequently waving some combination of swords and magic jewels. Also seen burning ships or accompanied by some other manifestation of fire. His mother named him well...

Aredhel- physically incapable of wearing anything other than white.

Nerdenal- pretty much all red-headed female elves that aren’t Tauriel. Deserves better on every level. Occasionally shown with Fëanor her handsome, driven and murderous husband. More often shown with a hammer or at a forge.

Turgon - seldomed seen as he is holed up in Goldolin. When he does appear he is ridiculously tall, dark-haired and possibly stubbornly standing on a tower surrounded by dragons and balrogs. Enjoys throwing the unworthy off of sheer cliffs.

Pretty, blond and hanging out with a human woman- Aegnor

Pretty, blond with two ill-fated blonde children-Angrod

Idril- blonde, happily shown with a human husband her father shockingly made no objection too. Also shown avoiding her creepy cousin and fleeing balrogs.

Maeglin- see Idril’s creepy cousin. Likes moles, treason and his cousin.

Gil-galad- tall, handsome and uses a spear rather than a sword. Parentage in dispute so equally likely to be with Fingon or Orodreth. Friends with Elendil (they were killed by Sauron together).

[lilyofthesword-writes]

Anomaly (Haldir Oneshot)

Summary: Haldir meets you, a member of the Fellowship seeking passage through Lothlorien. Though not a fan of humans, he is curious about you.

Pairing: Haldir x F!Reader

Word Count: 5,111

Warnings/Disclaimers: A curse word. Some violence due to the Battle of Hornburg/Helm’s Deep and Minas Tirith. Injury, mentions of blood.

A/N: This is told more from Haldir’s perspective. Based off another weird dream I had. Threw in a bit of the book as well. Really wanted to get this out cuz my boi needs more love.

Masterlist

Haldir gazed at you from afar while he was on watch that evening. You were... peculiar to him. When he came across the Fellowship trying to pass through the Golden Wood, he never expected to find a human woman in their midst. The world of man was an anomaly to him despite his numerous interactions over hundreds of years. Human women were not granted the same rights and privileges as the men, a foreign to him. This was not the way of Elven culture. Meeting you there was refreshing in a way.

In conversing with Aragorn, he learned you were a soldier of Gondor who had traveled alongside Boromir and joined the Fellowship. You were a fierce warrior but kept a calm air about you. The few human female fighters he had come across, be it on purpose or part of their nature, generally overcompensated, feeling the need to prove themselves constantly. You did not. When the Marchwarden and his company initially surrounded the Fellowship, everyone drew their weapons, ready for the next challenge. You opted to place your hands on Frodo’s and Sam’s shoulders to calm them while Merry and Pippin stood at either side. Instead of fear or anger, Haldir saw an analytical curiosity gleaming in your eyes.

Even now as he kept you in his peripheral, your eyes held a certain light, a light not caused by reflecting the bright moon. It was a kind of serenity most humans rarely portrayed. It didn’t break even as pounding of ambitious orc feet hit the forest floor below. All you did was gently shift your arms that held two sleep-ridden hobbits.

Since the platforms amongst the trees were not large enough to contain both the Fellowship and Haldir’s party together, you had to be split apart. Aragorn kept you, Legolas, Frodo and Sam while Boromir, Gimli, Merry and Pippin rested on a neighboring platform. You had taken to the Hobbits just as much Boromir had, your arms wrapped around them with their heads resting on either shoulder. How you bonded with the curious creatures so well, Haldir would never know. You managed to bring a semblance of peace to their aching hearts, enough so they could rest. He could not imagine it was an easy feat considering all the Fellowship had been through. It made him wonder what Lady Galadriel would make of you.

Upon reaching Caras Galadhon, you practically vibrated with childish delight. Although you had been to Rivendell, you had never seen anything quite like the capital city, that much Haldir was certain. The corners of his mouth tugged into the faintest of smiles when he saw your elated face. He turned away to restore his stoic facade, but unknowingly caught the attention of another. Aragorn shot him a knowing smirk as their eyes met momentarily. Haldir said nothing and continued to lead the way up the stairs spiraling the ancient trees.

Up the stairs, across some bridges and the Fellowship was in the presence of Lady Galadriel and Lord Celeborn. Haldir bared witness to the interactions from the sidelines. He knew when Lady Galadriel entered each of their minds through their minute expressions. While most struggled to remain slightly neutral to her ministrations, others had a difficult time hiding their horror. You, on the other hand, parted your lips with an acute tilt of your head, not bothering to mask your wonder or amusement.

The meeting came to a close shortly after. Lady Galadriel’s gaze swept over the group, ultimately landing on you. Haldir knew she would call upon you later that evening. Until then, he was tasked with guiding the Fellowship to where they would be resting.

It was long after the others had gone to bed, after Frodo returned from the mirror, when Haldir learned he was correct. He spied you and Lady Galadriel wandering the halls, speaking softly amongst yourselves. What about, he could not say. He swiftly took the next pathway so as not to intrude on your private moment.

Marchwarden. Please come.

Always the obedient one, he turned himself around to join you both.

He greeted the pair of you with a bow.

“Marchwarden,” Lady Galadriel responded with a smile. “Would you be so kind as to escort our guest back to her company? The hour is late, and she deserves just as much rest as her friends.”

“Of course, my lady.”

Haldir held out his arm for you to take which you did after properly bidding Lady Galadriel a good night with a bow. He led you along the walkways, taking his time in doing so. This would more than likely be one of the few times he would be able to speak with you alone. The Fellowship would continue on their quest as soon as possible.

“These woods are truly a wonder. I have never experienced anything quite like it,” you started, breaking the quiet between you, voice so delicate it was hard to believe you were the warrior Aragorn made you out to be.

An agreeing hum quietly rumbled in his throat. “It is a gem of Middle Earth.”

“I must agree. I think I can understand your fierce desire to protect this place, your home.”

“I am sure you wish to protect Gondor just as much. Your dedication to the Fellowship is proof of that.”

“Despite the hardships,” you tried to hide the way you sucked in a breath, “I am glad to be a part of this. They have all become like family to me.”

Gandalf.

Hearing the grief lightly laced in your voice, Haldir stopped and pulled his arm away just enough to take your hand, turning to stand in front of you. With his free hand he cupped your cheek to catch the stray tear that had escaped your lashes. He was at a loss for words. Comforting others was not a skill commonly taught to Marchwardens. You caught his hand before he had a chance to think about retracting it, leaning into his touch. He closed the last bit of distance between you two and stroked the swell of your cheek with his thumb, your eyes shutting to bask in the moment.

An eternity or mere moments passed. Neither of you could tell by the time you finally spoke. “Thank you.”

The day your company was set to leave, Haldir felt a small pang in his heart. Why was he so bothered by your departure? He had only had the one major interaction with you. The rest of his time was spent either training or on patrol, and on patrol really meant him keeping an eye on the Fellowship. You just happened to be around when he took watch, or so he tried to convince himself.

He stood aside as Lady Galadriel offered her gifts to the travelers, giving them each something they would need or want. She bestowed on you a small Elven dagger, tiny enough to conceal in a boot with little discomfort. The Marchwarden, though content you had some extra to defend yourself with, hoped you would never need to use it.

Haldir then brought the Fellowship to the boats where everyone’s belongings were already packed and settled. He couldn’t bring himself to look at you while everyone said their proper farewells, but nothing stopped him from following down river to the borders. He and his troupe had orders to make sure you all reached them safely anyways.

Despite being hidden amongst the trees, it was like you knew he was there. Your head turned towards him as you passed the borders, not making eye contact but still unnervingly close to it. A tiny smile graced your lips before returning to the task at hand.

Helm’s Deep was not where the Marchwarden wanted to be, but he still had his orders. He was charged with leading an Elven army to help defend the kingdom of Rohan. Entering the gates, he was speaking with a perplexed King Théoden when what was left of your party rounded the corner. Your grin shone brightly in the dark when Aragorn surprised him with an embrace.

Haldir found himself both pleased and upset by your presence. While you looked to be in good health, he did not know your full battle prowess and as such was unsure how you would handle the soon-to-be battlefield. However, he never had the chance to voice his concerns as he needed to position his soldiers.

The rain poured when the standoff with the Orcs and Uruk-hai began, pinging off of helmets loudly. Haldir stood among his fellow Elves. Aragorn spread the rest of you out, sending you to the opposite end of Helm’s Deep where Haldir’s view was partially obscured. He could at least see you standing proudly alongside the other men. He could only imagine the fire in your eyes.

When the battle began, it raged with seemingly no good end in sight. A section of the wall had exploded with Aragorn near enough to be caught in the blast. Haldir could hear you bark your clear and concise orders to the men as you rushed to help Aragorn. Upon reaching his feet, Aragorn yelled out the order to retreat further in to better protect the caves the women and children were hiding in. Haldir belayed the orders in his native tongue to his soldiers.

He made sure the soldiers retreated but was unable to do so himself. Surrounded by the enemy on a high ledge, he slashed through them in an attempt to make a path for himself. His weariness had caught up with him as he was hit in the side with a jagged weapon.

“Marchwarden!”

He spun around as someone called him, ready to slice through his assailant. It fell to the ground as he faced it, revealing you with a now broken sword which you cast away. You stepped over the dead enemy to get a better look at him. Haldir clutched his side when you tried to check on his wound.

“How bad is it?”

“You should be retreating,” he tried to dodge the question.

“As should you,” you answered sternly, locking eyes with him. “Are you still able to keep moving?”

“Yes.”

“Good. We must go quickly.”

You reached out to help him when your breath hitched. You lurched towards him, grabbing his free arm to pull him forward, the motion catapulting you behind him. You ripped the dagger from your boot as you continued towards the Orc that had snuck up behind Haldir, and shoved it between the layers of its armor. In the creature’s last breath, it brought down its sword on your shoulder, forcing you to your knees.

Haldir rushed to your side, stabbing the Orc once more for good measure before shoving it off the ledge. He kneeled in front of you, clenching his jaw to ignore the pain in his side, and held you steady by your upper arms. Your eyes were glassing over while you desperately tried to keep your head up to look at him.

He called out your name. “We need to follow the others. Are you able to stand?”

You blinked a few times before hoarsely whispering, “I... I don’t... know.”

Your shoulder bled profusely as Haldir tried to help you stand. He took on most of your weight with your arm over his shoulder. You wouldn’t last much longer without a healer’s attention. Biting back his own pain, he practically carried you down the stairs to solid ground where Aragorn met you. He and what little was left of the soldiers who had not yet retreated formed around the two of you, furiously slicing at the Orcs and Uruk-hai that would stop you from reaching the main halls.

Soldiers who were protecting the doors ushered you inside immediately where Haldir brought you into the caves for the healers to watch over. One tried to make him sit momentarily to tend to his own injury, but he brushed them away. He could still continue. His ribs were probably bruised, if not broken, but his armor kept the damage from being life threatening. He promptly left to speak with Aragorn about the next plan of attack. He would be damned if he allowed any of those foul beings to pass into the caves to finish the job.

The battle was won, Gandalf having arrived with reinforcements right when they needed him most. When victory was assured, the Marchwarden wasted no time in returning to the caves where you lay unconscious. The healers bandaged you to the best of their abilities given the circumstances, and you were at least breathing steadily.

Much to the surprise of his fellow elves and your company, Haldir rarely left your side, even during the trek back to Edoras. He was still there when you woke safely in the Golden Halls of Meduseld.

Your eyes struggled to open as you stirred awake. “Wh-what happened?” Your voice was hoarse from sleep and lack of water.

“You were struck down, Mellon nin.” Haldir brushed a rogue strand of hair from your forehead and placed his hand on yours. “We were able to retreat to the caves.”

“And the battle?” Your arms shook as you tried to sit up and lean your weight on your good side. “The outcome?”

The Marchwarden tried to settle you back down, but you would not relent. “We were victorious. Gandalf arrived with reinforcements at dawn and drove the enemy out.”

You began to relax at that before another question flooded your mind. “What about-”

“Your friends are well,” he chuckled at your persistence. “They are preparing to leave for Isengard soon. Word has returned that it has fallen.”

Before you had a chance to ask another question, he helped you sit up the rest of the way so as not to aggravate your wound further with your stubbornness and handed you a glass of water. You drank it slowly despite your need to relinquish your thirst.

“Thank you.” You passed the glass back to him, your voice clearer now. “When do they leave?”

“Tomorrow morning, I believe,” Haldir answered and coaxed you to lay back down.

You nodded with a hum. “I suppose I should rest more, then. If there is a chance that Merry and Pippin are there and well, I would like to be there.”

“Mellon nin, your injury is not yet healed.”

“A mere shoulder wound will not prevent me from riding to Isengard,” you huffed.

“It is nothing to scoff at. Mellon nin, you almost died,” he pleaded with you, taking one of your hands in both of his.

“Haldir, I still have my duty to the Fellowship. I cannot abandon them.”

“Tending to your health is not abandoning anyone,” he spoke softly as he ran a thumb across your knuckles. “You will still be able to continue your quest when you have healed.”

You sighed deeply, looking to the ceiling as though collecting your thoughts. “I just... This is something I feel like I need to do.”

A deafening silence showered the room. Haldir studied you for a moment, your unencumbered hand fiddling with the sheets. Your mind was made up, and there was nothing he could do.

“Mellon nin,” he breathed, reaching for your face so you would look at him. “You will not let this go, will you?”

You shook your head with determined yet pleading eyes.

He squeezed your hand gently. “Then, I suppose all I can ask of you is to get your rest tonight.”

“Thank you.” With a smile, your thumb glided over his.

He made to stand so you could sleep in peace without him hovering. As he pulled his hand away, you gripped it tighter.

“Haldir? Will you stay? At least until I fall asleep? I am not sure I wish to be alone right now.”

Taken aback, he stood there dumbly before retaking his seat. “Of course, Mellon nin.”

The next morning, the remaining members of the Fellowship gathered at the stables. Aragorn was in the middle of trying to convince you to stay behind. Gandalf stood out of the way with Gimli, biting back a laugh at Aragorn’s futile efforts, while Haldir and Legolas prepared the horses.

“You will only worsen your injury,” Aragorn chided.

You folded your arms defiantly across your chest. “One trip on horseback is not so arduous.”

“She has already made up her mind, Aragorn. I doubt you will be able to change it,” Gandalf chimed in.

Haldir was tightening the saddle on the horse that would carry you so it was more secure when Legolas silently sidled up to him. “You have already said your peace, have you not?”

“What makes you say that?” Haldir twisted the saddle to test it.

“You have barely left her side since our victory. You must have spoken with her before now,” Legolas quipped.

“Indeed, I have.”

“Then, surely in your fondness of her you would have tried to convince her to stay behind.”

“Fondness?” Haldir stilled a moment before adjusting the straps again. “We are friends, Legolas. Nothing more.”

“Then why is it you have been meticulously preparing this one horse whilst I have already saddled three?” Legolas shot him a pointed smirk.

The Marchwarden felt himself flush all the way to the tips of his ears. “She is still injured. I- We cannot risk her hurting herself further.”

Legolas held his chuckle in his throat as a hum. “The sooner you stop attempting to fool yourself, Mellon-”

“Alright, you may join us!” Aragorn growled with a huff, stealing the attention of the bickering elves. “However, the moment a battle should arise, you are to return here.”

“Of course,” you complied, a stubborn edge to your voice.

Aragorn’s heavy sigh was littered with grit. “Are the horses ready?”

Haldir and Legolas nodded swiftly.

“Good. Let us be on our way.”

You made your way to the Marchwarden who was beckoning you over.

“Are you sure there is nothing I can do to change your mind, Mellon nin?” he asked softly.

“I am, yes.”

You flashed a smile at him before placing a foot in the stirrup. Haldir remained hovering near you. Your shoulder strained as you willed your arms to reach the saddle, steadying yourself as you pushed down on the stirrup to lift yourself up. Midway up, you lost your grip as your shoulder suddenly gave out. Haldir was quick to press a hand to your back to stop your fall. He noticed how your jaw tensed to grind out what was obviously the pain of your wound, but you were still determined to mount the horse.

“Here.” He gripped your waist. “I apologize if this seems forward.”

He raised you enough so you could swing your leg over the saddle, letting you go the moment you had your balance.

“N-not at all. Thank you.”

You held the reins tightly as you settled down, knuckles turning white like it could make everything better. Haldir felt his chest tighten and covered one of your hands with his own, eyes filled with concern. Your head snapped down to meet his gaze. With a reassuring yet forced smile, you attempted to relax your muscles to conceal just how much your injury hurt, but he saw right through it.

With a heavy sigh and shake of his head, he took hold of the saddle and hoisted himself up behind you.

“What are you-”

“If your pain is that severe, you shall not ride alone,” Haldir interrupted, finality in his tone.

“Haldir, this is not necessary,” you argued as he pulled the reins from your hands.

Legolas slinked by with Gimli on their horse, sending you two a knowing smile. The Marchwarden’s blush bled to his ears again. He didn’t notice your own flushed face.

Haldir cleared his throat. “Let us go before we fall behind.”

The journey to Isengard was quiet and uneventful. Partway through the trip, you finally allowed yourself to relax, not realizing you were leaning back into Haldir. Though bemused, he was not about to protest.

Collecting Merry and Pippin was as simple as it was amusing. They were most excited about reuniting with their companions. It was on the ride back that you and Haldir overheard their teasing about you sharing a horse. Aragorn and the others bit back grins and commentary of their own.

The festivities that followed upon returning to Edoras were no better, the ale at least partly to blame. The Marchwarden and what remained of his soldiers were settled near Legolas who was currently in the middle of a drinking match with Gimli. You had yet to arrive. Eowyn was the only reason Haldir was not at your side forcing you to rest. She tended to your shoulder, promising to return you for the celebration. He would have preferred you did not come for the sake of your health, but as long as you were not overexerting yourself again, he would not complain.

He swirled the ale in his mug after taking a swig, mulling over recent events. Usually he was not one to allow his emotions control his actions, and yet he was doing that much more often now. He felt like he couldn’t help himself. There was this overwhelming desire to keep you safe, keep you close, regardless of the fact that you were perfectly capable of handling yourself. Haldir had caught a glimpse of your abilities at Helm’s Deep. There was a reason you had gone to Rivendell with Boromir and joined the Fellowship.

As if to break him of his spiraling thoughts before they grew out of control, one of his neighboring elves nudged his arm, winking and motioning him to look up. He lifted his gaze, about to make a remark for the elf’s teasing, when he saw Eowyn stepping into the room with you close at her side.

The music, shouts, laughter - they all faded away from his ears. You practically radiated light despite your nervous self on display. Eowyn had lent you one of her dresses, the fabric draping differently on your frame from hers yet no less perfect. She caught Haldir’s gawking and whispered something in your ear with a smirk. You glanced up to see him but dipped your head back down to where your hair curtained your tiny, bashful smile. Eowyn was quick to tuck the offending hair behind your ear. She giggled and murmured to you again, resulting in your flustered rush to join your companions.

Haldir focused on his ale once again. The elf who had coaxed him into looking up bumped his arm. Without saying a word, he was fully encouraging his captain to go to you. The elves in his company had never seen their normally reserved, stoic Marchwarden act like this before, and they thought it a fantastic development. They all joined in pestering him to at least ask you for a dance. It took a while, but his stubbornness crumbled, and he brought himself to his feet only to notice you were missing from your company. He scanned the crowds, hoping to spot you. Maybe someone else had already asked you to dance. That theory was thankfully doused when he spied the swish of your dress through a door leading outside.

Following and stepping out into the cool night air, he found you leaning forward on the wooden railing, gazing up at the stars. Your hair sparkled under the dim light. He realized tonight was the first time he had seen you without it tied or braided back out of the way.

“Mellon nin,” Haldir called to you softly so as not to startle you. “Are you alright?”

You turned to see him just outside of the door and nodded with a tired smile. “Yes. I just felt I needed some fresh air and a moment away from the crowd.”

“I apologize for disturbing you. I will-”

“No!” You cut him off quickly. “I mean... You did not disturb anything. You can stay if you would like.”

The corners of Haldir’s lips tugged upwards ever so slightly as he approached you, joining you in your previous stargazing. The peaceful quiet of the night muffled the festivities in the building. He felt you cover his hand with your own accompanied by a gentle squeeze.

“Thank you, Haldir, for everything,” your voice was just above a whisper.

“I should be thanking you, Mellon nin,” he shook his head, his other hand coming to grasp yours. “If you had not come for me, I would not be at your side now.”

A breathy chuckle passed your lips. “I suppose we are even then.”

Haldir hummed questioningly.

“Had you not brought me with you whilst retreating, then I would not be at your side now.” You parroted the last words with a grin.

The Marchwarden’s shoulders shook with a quiet laughter. “I cannot argue against that.”

You set your free hand on top of your conjoined ones as you leaned against his shoulder. A comforting silence befell you both. That is until you heard chittering giggles from behind. The pair of you turned to see Merry and Pippin poking their heads from the doorway, followed by Aragorn who proceeded to drag them back inside and shot you a wink as he did so.

Gondor had called for aid. Rohan answered. The army’s camp was set up, and Aragorn had a plan. Haldir received orders for his company to continue helping Rohan and meet with Elrond to receive more explicit directions.

The morning for departure arrived, and Aragorn was set to travel to the Paths of the Dead. Legolas, Gimli, Haldir and you were to join him. Haldir’s soldiers were to follow King Théoden into battle. You all stood wearily at the start of the trail, feeling the ominous air seeping down to the bone.

Haldir brushed his hand against your elbow for your attention. “May I speak with you privately?”

You looked up at him with worried eyes and nodded, probably guessing what this was about. He pulled you to the side just out of earshot of the others.

He steeled himself with a deep breath. “I must insist you do not join us, Mellon nin.”

“But Haldir, I-”

“Please, Meleth nin,” he desperately pleaded, not meaning to let the new term of endearment slip. Tenderly cupping your face with both hands, he continued, “None of us know how this will end. We... We may not come back. I beg of you to please stay with Eowyn.”

His voice was hushed, afraid it would break if he attempted to speak any louder. He knew his emotions were on full display, but he could not bring himself to care. What mattered was keeping you safe.

“Haldir...” you trailed off, grasping at his wrists with the utmost care to keep them in place. You gave a quick nod and tried to conceal your worried frown. “Alright. However. You had better- You all had better return.”

He pressed his forehead to yours. “I will do everything in my power to do just that.”

The Marchwarden was among the Fellowship in Minas Tirith when he saw a barely conscious Eowyn being carried into the Houses of Healing. Panic coursed through his veins. You were nowhere to be found. He rushed over to her as she was laid on a bed.

“Lady Eowyn, what happened?”

She nearly didn’t recognize him. All of her effort was put into focusing on his words.

“Lady Eowyn, please. Where is she?” He held his breath like it would help him hear better.

With a tiny shake of her head, she croaked quietly, “I am sorry... We... We were separated... in battle... I know not... her fate...”

Haldir stepped aside to allow the healers in. His heart was at a standstill. Had he known Eowyn was going to sneak her way into the army, he would have pleaded with you to return to Rohan. Your injury did not have the time to fully heal. Fighting in such a strenuous battle would do you no good. He needed to find you. He needed to know that you were well.

Bursting through the doors, he raced down the stairs for the lower levels, Aragorn shouting something after him. He did not hear a word. Canopies were set up and homes were open near the gate for the soldiers who were unable to reach the Houses of Healing. Haldir weaved through the injured in a desperate attempt to find you. He’d rather discover you here as long as you were among the living.

After a fruitless search under the canopies, he began entering the opened homes. He asked anyone able for a person matching your description. Nothing. Nothing until he reached the last home. There you were towards the back of the room. An older woman had just stepped away from helping you. The armor you had borrowed like Eowyn was in a pile to the side. He could see the bandage on your thigh through the tear in your trousers, but other than that you came away from the battle fairly unharmed. How you managed that with a preexisting injury was a mystery to him.

“Meleth nin,” Haldir breathed, making his way to you. This time he meant to use the term.

Somehow, you heard him over the throng of people, your gaze meeting his. “Haldir!”

You rose to your feet a little too quickly and swayed unintentionally to put your weight onto your good leg. Haldir darted to you just in time, bringing you into his embrace.

“You’re alright...” He rested his forehead on yours just like before you departed, completely forgetting those around you. “I was beginning to think my search was for naught.”

Wrapping your arms around him, you buried your face in his chest. “Haldir, I... I’m so sorry. I know you meant to keep me from harm-”

“Shhh,” he cooed, settling his chin on the crown of your head. “I know. There is no need to apologize. All that matters is that you are here and well.”

Your light chuckle vibrated through him. “You are much too patient with me.”

“I assume you are not familiar with that.”

“You would be right.” He could feel your cheeks lift as you smiled. “Most tend to leave when I grow stubborn.”

Haldir shifted his face so it rested in your hair, murmuring into your scalp, “I am not going anywhere, Meleth nin.”

The world of man was still an anomaly to him. You were an anomaly within that world, and he wouldn’t have you any other way.

[imabiscuitinthousandworlds]

I love the LOTR films, and this is very high criticism, BUT three things that could, and should have been better in my opinion:

3. Legolas and Gimli.

Legolas is a very interesting character, and he's and elf sor of course he's somewhat perfect, but the films overdo it. When the Balrog appears, he nearly drops his bow.

He's really scared. Understandably so, I might add. He also has stubborn moments (when they're supposed to be blindfolded in Lothlórien), and nobody loves him any less - quite the opposite, because that not-a-single-flaw stair-surfing guy is annoying as soon as I really start thinking about him.

And Gimli. Gimli is really fierce and a great fighter and so much more than just fucking comic relief. Also, dwarfs aren't sprinters - Tolkien said it himself (see The Hobbit; he says that dwarfs can walk very long distances with heavy baggage in pretty short times).

He also keeps up with Legolas and Aragorn when they pass through Rohan; they don't have to wait every few steps for him like it seems in the films. He also very much doesn't fall over every other second.

Besides that, have you ever heard him talk about Aglarond? You should. It's amazing. Not even talking about the relationships between him and elves (Galadriel and Legolas especially), it's so interesting and cool to see!

2. Faramir.

If you've only seen the films: you have literally no idea who Faramir is. He's Boromir's younger brother, yes, and the look pretty similar, but they are not the same. They loved each other but they were very different; Boromir was always a warrior, while Faramir liked to read and learn and was much quieter. Boromir - I love him, but still - was corrupted by the ring (though he defeated it in the end), through its promise of weilding enough power to defeat the enemy. When Faramir found out that Frodo had the ring with him, he didn't once think about using it. He knew about its power, and the danger along with it, and refused to even see it. Never once did he contemplate to sent the ring to Gondor - instead, he gave Frodo and Sam all the help he could, even though he didn't truly believe in their success. He was an honourable man, and he was never a warrior, and most importantly he was never tempted by the ring, or at least never visibly. Nothing of that "the ring goes to Gondor" shit. Like, there was another action scene with Nazgûl, but aside from that? All they did was completely destroy and change a fantastic character. The scenes with him are some of my favourites, and I'm really dissappointed in the films on that behalf.

The Horn of Gondor.

This looks like a small detail, but this is honestly my biggest point. The Horn of Gondor, given from the father to the eldest son, for generations, ever since back in the past when they still used to hunt the big wild oxes on the fields of Rhûn (badly transcribed from what I read years ago in my native language, so excuse innaccuracies). Whenever it is blown within the border of Gondor, or what it once used to be, a friend shall hear it and come to aid. And nobody deserved this horn more than Boromir; in the end, he blew it hard enough to make it break in half. And how does this great horn sound, you may ask? In films filled with tons of fantastic sound effects and other absolutely stunning horns? Why, like a fucking car honk of course! Like, they could have so easily done this well! They did it with every single other horn in the entire trilogy! Why not this, this horn that has actually quite some importance (in the books)? Every time I hear it, I have to laugh so hard - I don't really want to laugh during an epic but desperate fight, and seconds before I bawl my eyes out. It just... doesn't fit into the films, into the world, at all. It's very very sad, and for something that could have easily (presumably) been done properly, I'm honestly kind of pissed off.

Now, as I said, this is criticism on a very high level.

I love the films, they are fantastic, and I don't really see any way to do it any better, especially with a book like LOTR that is actually pretty much impossible to turn into a film.

These are details.

I'm just a huge nerd absolutely obsessed with the books, and often bothered by this.

And, I mean, what a better place to dump this than on a nerd site, amriright?

Always open to talk about this btw - I'd love to, actually. I just probably won't stop.

[lesbiansforboromir]

Impossible LotR Quiz Answer sheet with explanations!

As an addendum, since people have been doing the quiz I’ve seen a few mistypes and awkwardnesses that are my own fault so I’ve corrected them. This means some people got a higher score than was shown, know that when I looked over your answers I saw your actually right answers and fully appreciated them! It’s good to not that the ‘fill in the blanks’ questions will not take two words in one space, so I’ve had to get creative with how I apply two named folk like Mardil Voronwe, or people who have numbers like Hurin I.

I would also like to say, to everyone talking about how they’ve never read the Silmarillion, this quiz is very purposefully almost entirely based outside of the Silmarillion. This is Appendices stuff! Indeed there is only 1 question even tangentally related to elves in here, this is by design. 

@magaramach, @brynnmclean and @apojiiislands asked to be tagged in this! Answers under the cut. 

Q2. Who was Dora Baggins in relation to Bilbo Baggins? - Second cousin on his father's side Dora Baggins is a very elderly woman who was the daughter of Bilbo’s father’s brother. She likes writing people a lot of unsolicited advice! THIS WAS WRONG AND SAID FIRST COUSIN FOR SO LONG AND I AM DEEPLY SORRY FOR IT.

Q3. How many pairs of biological twins are mentioned in the whole of Arda's timeline and what races do they belong too? - 2 for men, 1 for elves and 3 for half-elves Fastred and Folcred, Haleth and Haldar (men) Amrod and Amras (elves) Elured and Elurin, Elrond and Elros, Elladan and Elrohir (half-elves) Now, admittedly Elladan and Elrohir are never actually described as twins. However they appear completely identical and have the same birth date, so it is assumed.

Q4. Baldor is who the skeleton scratching at the door used to be. When Aragorn and co pass through the paths of the dead they find a skeleton clawing at a door to the mountain. It is finely dressed and described as mighty and was later essentially confirmed to be Baldor, the eldest son of King Brego of Rohan, also called Baldor the hapless, who foolishly wandered into the paths of the dead on, apparently, a dare. (the answer to this was originally Brego because of a foolish typo from me, many apologies!)

Q5. When was the Ondonóre Nómesseron Minaþurie written? - During Meneldil's reign. “Enquiry into the Place-names of Gondor” was a text written by settled numenoreans about their new kingdom during Meneldil’s reign, who was the first sole King of Gondor after both Anarion (his father) and Isildur had perished.   

Q6. Farmer Maggot's particular friend was Tom Bombadil  It is stated that Farmer Maggot sometimes peacefully passes through the Old Forest to go and meet Tom Bombadil, who very much enjoys his company. However! Those who answered Merry or Pippin still deserve excellent recognition, Farmer Maggot was indeed fond of Pippin and respected Merry greatly.

Q7. What was the office of the Steward originally created to do? - Keep the Tradition of Isildur When Romendacil I went to war in the east, he realised that if he died then the secret of the Tradition of Isildur would die with him. Hence he wrote it down in a sealed scoll and gave it to a trusted confidante, to be given to his heir if he should perish. This tradition was maintained by further kings and those trusted confidantes became the Stewards of Gondor. This, admittedly, is a more suggested progression than explicit, but it’s a Impossible evil quiz so :) Q8. What was the 'Tradition of Isildur'? - Remember where Elendil was buried. Elendil had been secretly entombed in Calenardhon, supposedly the midpoint between Gondor and Arnor. This was a hallowed space for only Kings at first, but in later years when the Stewards came to rule Gondor they also were permitted the secret. Cirion had the remains moved when Calenardhon was gifted to the Eotheod to eventually become a part of the Kingdom of Rohan. 

Q9. At the time of Pelargir's founding, is the world flat or round? - Flat. Pelargir was founded as a ‘Faithful Numenorean’ haven on the river Anduin. Therefore it was built before Numenor’s destruction in the Akallabeth, the reason for which being that Eru turned the world from flat to round. 

Q10. Which of these monarchs were indolent and had no interest in ruling? - King Atanatar I - King Narmacil I - Tar-Vanimelde King Atanatar I ruled during Gondor’s richest generation and seemed to believe that meant he didn’t need to put any work in. Narmacil I, his son, didn’t want to put any work in, but he at least assigned his nephew, Minalcar, as ‘Karma-Kundo’ or regent during his reign. So he at least did something to keep the country going. Tar-Vanimelde had no interest in ruling and allowed her husband to do most of the governence. This backfired when she died and he organised a coup against his son to hold power.

Q11. When looking back on the Ship-Kings of Gondor, King Tarannon Falastur began the invasion of Harad and expanded Gondor's borders, King Earnil-I finally took Umbar but died at sea shortly afterwards, King Ciryandil spent most of his reign trying to defend Umbar and died in it's seige and King Hyarmendacil defended Umbar against seiges for 35 years before making war upon all Harad and claiming Harondor as a province of Gondor, ending the line of the Ship Kings.

Q12. What happened during the reign of King Romendacil II? - I don't know! Nothing? Yes I know this is particularly evil of me but Romendacil II was originally called Minalcar, yes the same Minalcar who became REGENT of Gondor due to Narmacil’s indolent nature. Minalcar indeed did everything else listed as answers to this question, but none of them happened during his reign as king. Indeed, his reign was said to be peaceful and we have no real information on it, so technically saying we don’t know, and suggesting nothing happened, is actually the most correct answer :)

Q13. Who succeeded Tar-Telperien of Numenor? - Her nephew, Minastir Tar-Telperien was a lesbian Queen of Numenor who never married and never wanted too and did an excellent job and I love her. Her nephew built a tower to mope in about how much he wanted to be an elf. They are not the same. Absolutely terrified about what Amazon could do to her. 

Q14. Whilst his brethren, the nazgul, were attacking the Prancing Pony, The Witch-King was waiting in the Barrow Downs and probably had a really nice time. Not much to this! Witch King was chilling with the Barrow Wights. 

Q15. Which of these characters are described as 'beautiful' at least once in the Lord of the Rings? - Galadriel, Denethor, Eowyn, Frodo, Elanor, Celeborn, Boromir Yes, Arwen is never described as beautiful, but Denethor is :)

Q16. We all love Boromir II, select the similarities he and Boromir I did NOT share. - Renowned relationship with the Rohirrim. - Destroyed the Bridge of Osgiliath - Feared by the Witch King - Retook Ithilien. - Had a brother. In case you’re wondering, yes, I love both Boromirs. But this question is a fun highlight of how many similarities Boromir II has with his namesake. These are the only things they didn’t both do. Although! Boromir I’s son was Cirion who allied with the Eotheod and created Rohan in the first place, the Uruk-Hai destroyed the Bridge of Osgiliath in Boromir I’s lifetime, Boromir II was PROBABLY feared by the witch-king we just don’t know, Boromir II held Ithilien and Boromir I had two elder sisters like Denethor II did.

Q17. Hey, did you know that, from Boromir I's war with the Uruk-Hai of the Morgul Vale, Gondor didn't know peace until Sauron's death on the 25th of March, 3019? Hah hah! How gut wrenching is that? About how long do you think it has been since Gondor knew peace then? Hey wait does that mean Boromir I's valiant victory that came at a personal sacrifice was the beginning of Gondor's wars and then Boromir II's valiant sacrifice was the end- oh god... oh fuck - 550 years To everyone who answered the crossed out answer,,, you’re correct in my heart. You get bonus points. Also hey! What the fuck :) 

Q18. Who was Borondir? - The rider sent to find Eorl who made it to him after starving himself for two days but who then rode to the Celebrant with Eorl anyway and died in that battle. Literally couldn’t love this fellow more. Big Hirgon energy. A hero of Gondor for time immemorial. 

Q19. The Ruling Stewards, from first to last (with their numbers typed as so Turin-I Hurin-II etc), were as follows; Mardil ; Eradan ; Herion ; Belegorn ; Hurin-I ; Turin-I ; Hador ; Barahir ; Dior ; Denethor-I ; Boromir-I ; Cirion ; Hallas ; Hurin-II ; Belecthor-I ; Orodreth ; Ecthelion-I ; Egalmoth ; Beren ; Beregond ; Belecthor-II ; Thorondir ; Turin-II ; Turgon ; Ecthelion-II ; Denethor-II ; and for like two seconds ; Faramir ; Alrighty, we had a bit of a fight in my discord about this but eventually I did relent in agreement that Faramir IS... very briefly... legally considered a RULING Steward. Ruling Stewards being Stewards that ruled a Kingless Gondor. But! With Aragorn RIGHT THERE is just seemed very redundant. Still! I’ll allow the pedant to win out, ten minutes is still a Ruling Steward. ALSO! I decided that having an extra box for the ‘voronwe’ part of mardil voronwe was just mean as it set everyone’s answers off kilter, so I removed that. ALSO for all of those calling me a bastard for adding this question, @illegalstargender was the one who requested it! I wasn’t going too! 

Q20. The Stewards, despite ruling through very tumultuous and violent periods, were often known for boring things (because they simply ruled better than the Kings did, I said what I said) But what boring thing was Steward Turin I remembered for? - Being the only monarch of Gondor that married twice This skeezy bastard really did marry a second time during his OLD age just to father a son. I can only imagine what a dreadful cultural and social effect this had on this prude country. It’s so unnecessary! He had daughters, many of them! One of them certainly had a son before he did. He was just being a controlling arse, down with Turin I!!!!

[ainu-lindale]

Just some lil' Observations During My 17 Billionth Rewatch of Fellowship of the Ring

Okay so in the prologue, for some reason I never paid attention to how many active verbs are used to describe what the ring does and how it goes about it's lil life. I don't often think about the powers and personality of the ring very much, I'm usually to distracted by my love for frodo ha

"It is no bad thing to celebrate a simple life." Love love love that, somehow never really heard that line before.

Uh oh. I'm becoming that person that unconsciously quotes all the lines as they're spoken.

I wonder if bilbo would've been a different old man if he hadn't had the ring in his pocket for decades

Tbh I am very impressed that bilbo just dropped to ring and walked out. Obviously it took some help by gandalf but still, to be able to leave it behind after all that time. Such a comforting thought to my poor little heart that hates to think about how long the Martin Freeman bilbo was slowly poisoned by the ring

Yall. When I was a kid the black riders gave me nightmares, and now they are like 0% scary

I've related to different characters over the years, but u know what I'm realizing that maybe I'm sam. bc I too would walk to the ends of the earth for frodo baggins.

Dear lorddd. That seduction of the ring theme - the one that plays at the v beginning of their journey as they're walking through the tall clovers and weeds under the trees - gives me chills every time. The use of voices in howard shore's score is MAGNIFIQUE

"If I take one more step it'll be the farthest away from home I've ever been". Have any of yall seen the 9 hour version of the movie that plays that clip every time sam takes a step?😂😂

Am I upset that they replaced merry and pippin's dedication to frodo and the journey in the books with comedic relief stealing-the-crops stuff? Overall not much. I think they get the characterization they deserve over the course of the movies. Ppl can just chill and let the movie be a movie. Tbh we need some comedic relief from this very stressful epic

Am I upset they cut tom bombadil? Also overall no. Again, for the sake of the movie, they gave us some stress relief with merry and pip and streamlined the journey to bree enough to where an extra stop for some reprieve wasn't needed. Dont get me wrong, it's a lovely part of the book, but I agree with the directorial choices to keep the movie's energy up

THE REFLECTION IN ARAGORN'S EYES WHEN HE LIGHTS THE PIPE. CINEMATIC MAGIC. also I'm just generally attracted to him anyway.

Me anytime viggo says or does anything:

Arwen's sword under aragorns chin is THE best introduction to our first legit female character I could ask for

OH MY GODDDDDDD. I think it's probably Elijah's hobbit-height double that viggo is carrying to the horse, and dear God that mask on him is so freaky looking 😂😭😂 Never ever seen that before

One thing I am just ever so slightly salty about is that they had the council of elrond be summoned to determine the fate of the ring rather than everyone coming on their own accord with their specific knowledge to lead to the collective realization that they are exactly the right group of ppl to form the fellowship

For the rest of my life, I am doomed to only think of the LOTR How It Should Have Ended during the council of elrond scene. 12 year old me really screwed herself by watching the same 5 YouTube videos on endless repeat

The solo French horn that plays the gondor theme while boromir is speaking is so subtle but increeeeeeeedibly powerful. It's just different enough from the other themes introduced so far that for that moment it takes me so much deeper into the world of middle earth ??

Just noticed the wink between gandalf and elrond when aragorn offers to help frodo. Their last conversation ended with "he turned away from that life long ago. He has chosen exile" and now aragorn is giving up his preferred solo life for the sake of frodo and for the world. Look how the turntables, elrond

Boromir's lil "sorry!" when he accidentally cuts Merry's hand 😭

"Boromir! Give the ring to frodo!" "As you wish." Boromir loves aragorn

The humans carrying two hobbits at a time to keep them safe from the snow😭😭😭

Literally Gandalf can you please just tell frodo that there is a balrog down in moria!!! This is not informed consent!!!!

Lake monster outside moria = aquatic sarlacc

We as a Society™️ need to spend more time listening to gandalf's words to frodo while chilling in moria

The chanting during the chase in khazad dum gives me similar vibes as the "track down this murderer" voices at the end of phantom of the opera. ..uh oh so I'm getting too tired to elaborate on my thoughts

I've watched Gandalfs 'death' too many times that it's not the fall itself that makes me cry anymore, but it's frodo's reaction outside that gets me now. Also the soprano voice singing (renee fleming?)

Oh my god I just heard for the first time boromir's line in lorien "i did not see it", referring to Galadriel telling him there's still hope for his people. That's the same thing he says right before he dies and I finally understand what he meant. He tried to take the ring from frodo bc the ring overwhelmed him completely with a sense of despair, convincing him that using the ring was their only option to survive. And oh my gosh it's how galadriel knew that boromir was going to try and take it. She knew he had lost hope. Wow it took me waaay too long to catch that. It's the specificity of it all that I didn't catch, not necessarily the fact that boromir thought the ring was the only way

Boromir's death hit different this time yall. With a better understanding of what was going on in his head, just ..... I may or may not have cried a lot more than usual

Soooo strategic of howard shore to have let a long time pass without hearing the Shire theme before it plays when frodo and sam hug on the boat. Every. single. damn. time. that moment gets me. The power of MUSIC people.

Aaaaaaaaaand credits roll

[warrioreowynofrohan]

zerfindung asked: you mentioned your headcanons on when and if other finweans forgive maedhros... if you wanted to share some (or all) of them I'd be very interested!

Part 2 of headcanons post. (Part 1 is here.)

So, the last one was on events in the Halls of Mandos, and this one is on events after Maedhros leaves the Halls (sometime in the Fourth Age, after Maglor’s return to Valinor). This one has gotten long, as well, so I’ve decided that it’s just going to focus on the Arafinwëans.

(It really needs to be noted just how long of a time there is between the First Age and the Fourth. The Second and Third Ages combined are over seven thousand years long - over ten times more than the total length of the First Age.)

I read Finrod as being, in general, a very forgiving person. In the First Age, it’s notable that he isn’t mentioned as having been close with the Fëanorians before the Return (unlike Finrod and Aredhel) but he is on good terms with them in Beleriand (for example, he’s visiting Maedhros and Maglor just prior to when he first meets the Edain), unlike Turgon and - we might presume from her choice to reside in Doriath - Galadriel.

So I think he would be quite willing and happy to forgive any of the Fëanorians who were genuinely sorry for their actions, although this would be more emotionally fraught and complicated with Celegorm and Curufin (in the unlikely event that they were ever able to leave the Halls) than with Maedhros or Maglor. And I think the main thing he want an apology/repentance for is not the fact that they did nothing about their brothers’ role in his death, but the Second Kinslaying and the killing of Beren’s son. Finrod is very close with the Edain, and Beren in particular (and Lúthien was also his cousin and someone he would have know quite well from his visits to Doriath) and I think he would be more affected by wrongs to them than by wrongs to himself.

(By the same token, I think the only person in Arda whom Finrod truly hates is Sauron. Not primarily because of the death-by-werewolf, though obviously that doesn’t help, but because of the Akallabêth; the corruption and destruction of the Edain. I see the Akallabêth as the single worst moment in Finrod’s life, on a level with the way many other Eldar would regard the loss of the Trees. That’s another entry on the list of things I would like to be able to write fic about.)

I don’t think Orodreth would have any major issues with Maedhros or Maglor after their return. (There’s actually a few things he and Maglor have in common, in terms of having a kingship you’re unqualified for dropped in your lap, and your brother being captured, and being unable to rescue him but still feeling guilty about not doing so...but I don’t get the impression they were ever close, so it’s not a discussion they would ever necessarily have. And post-First-Age both of them would definitely feel that Orodreth deserves better than to be compared to Maglor.)

But in the - again, unlikely - even that Celegorm or Curufin returned from the Halls, I don’t see him forgiving them. They didn’t just betray Finrod to his death; they made Orodreth complicit in it, made him do nothing because any attempt at action could only have made the tacit coup into an open one. That’s not something easily forgiven. I don’t evision open fury, no shouting, just cool, impassive stonewalling. You’re sorry? That’s nice; I’m really very busy; bland comment about the weather; good afternoon. (Nie Huaisang is the person Orodreth wishes he was; but in reality Orodreth and plotting go together about as well as Huan and vegetables.) All the more so because I find it incredibly difficult to imagine any scenario where Celegorm or Curufin really care whether Orodreth forgives them; it’s not as if they had any respect for him before.

But, returning to the subject of Maedhros and Maglor. I think Finarfin would be very willing to forgive them; he must have gone to Middle-earth in the War of Wrath at least partially hoping to bring home his daughter and his two remaining nephews, and been very grieved to return with none of them. So to see Maedhros and Maglor able to accept healing, able to return, would, I think, make him very happy.

As far as Galadriel goes, I get the impression from her residence in Doriath (and her dislike of Fëanor even before the Return) that she wanted nothing to do with the Fëanorians. And while I think she left Beleriand and went east sometime during the Siege of Angband, she must have returned for the War of Wrath, and news of the Second and Third Kinslayings could not have improved her opinion of them. (If one goes with the idea that she was actually present in Doriath for the Second Kinslaying, this would be even more true.) But looking at the person she was at the end of the Third Age - someone willing to offer mercy to Saruman, who bred orcs - I think by that time she would be willing to forgive her cousins as well.

[lendmyboyfriendahand]

Amrodnor

Amrod was on the ships, but when he saw Feanor approaching with a torch, he jumped.

He swam to shore. He figured is his family was going to kill him, he might as well leave - the plan had been to go back to his mother, but that was no longer possible.

He ran into a group of Nandor, and joined their community.

His old names didn't fit – he’s no longer the smallest Finwe, having rejected his house. He keeps half his name, and instead of Doomed or Upwards-Exalted, he becomes Exalted-by-Fire; the burning of the ships was what gave him the strength to turn from an evil path.

It takes him a bit to decide on this, dramatic Finwean he is, and in the meantime the Nandor called him Bright Eyes, for the Treelight reflected in his gaze. He says this is a more appropriate name for a horse than a person, and they compromise on calling him Star Bright

So Amrod hangs out is southwest Beleriand, avoiding Sindar and Orcs and Noldor and Men alike for over four hundred years.

The Bragollach, the Nirnaeth; Beleriand isn't safe.

The Nandor decide to go east across the mountains. Amrod decides to see how the Noldor are doing - despite himself, he hopes his brothers are okay. He finds Nargothrond.

He says he is Rodnor Gil-Galad, called in his youth after his hair.  

Orodreth doesn't recognize him - Orodreth is young, born after the division between their families was already stark. Orodreth rarely saw Amrod in Tirion, and everyone saying he looks just like Amras means the brown hair throws him.

Celebrimbor does recognize him.

"What are you doing here?" "I'm trying to avoid our family!" "I thought you were dead!" "Don't you dare tell anyone you met me!" - excerpts from the whispered confrontation in Celebrimbor's workroom

Eventually they agree that yes, Feanorians are terrible and blindly loyal, and they're both glad to be out of it.

They spend time together, a bit, more as escapees from the same cult than out of a desire to reminisce about Tirion.

Celebrimbor accidentally mentions Fingon as if they both know him in public. People ask how Gil-Galad knew him. He fumbles and says they're related. Later he slips and says Celegorm “turned out to be the family disappointment after all.” That makes him pretty obviously Finwean, though he still doesn’t admit who.

Someone tries to draw him out, and spends a whole conversation deliberately referring to Maglor Feanorian, Fingon Fingolfinion, and Finrod Finarfinion.

Rodnor eventually says, “By that manner I suppose I’m Gil-Galad Erenion.” This shuts up the first guy for a moment, but people start speculating how he can be the descendant of multiple kings – did Thingol have any other kids?

 Turin arrives; Rodnor has no opinion of him or of men in general, and no official seat on Orodreth’s council. When the dragon kills Orodreth and kidnaps Findulias, Rodnor leads the survivors away to the south. He feels bad about abandoning them, but the number of soldiers they ‘d lose rescuing her is too high, and just because a life is royal (or family) doesn’t mean it’s more valuable. (Feanor burned a prince, his son, as easily as he killed fishermen.)

His opinion on royalty isn’t widely held though. The people of Nargothrond have decided he is Orodreth’s heir and started calling him Lord Erenion. He declares that Cirdan is lord of the Falas, which gets people to at least decide bring some of their issues elsewhere, and tries not to stress about the details.

So Rodnor is in charge of the Noldor in Sirion. Galadriel is in Doriath. They do meet when it falls, but only for a few hours as the Iathrim refugees settle in, and she speaks more with Cirdan than with him. He tells her of the Nandor tribe he was with and their plans for the journey, and off she goes to the East.

After the council is over and every newcomer has a bed, Rodnor goes to Celebrimbor. They mourn privately those who neither of them dare speak of publically. Rodnor is back in his own rooms long before morning. He spends the next few weeks solemn, but everyone is gloomy after news of another kinslaying.

Gondolin falls. There are suddenly a lot more Noldor in Sirion. Pretty soon they're calling him King. He considers telling them it's not true, that the succession hasn't come to him yet.

On the other hand, having a leader be whoever happens to be the son of the previous leader is kind of silly. The Sindar tribe he was with acknowledged Elwe, but not Dior. Your leader was whoever you trusted to do right by the community. When Denethor died, his son took interim authority, and then they all met and discussed it and decided that actually Enellas knew how to manage people better, and so Denethor’s son stepped down.

If Rodnor squints, this is the same. At the very least, if the Nargothrondrim hated him one of them would have proposed crowning the ten-year-old Eärendil instead. So King Gil-Galad takes up the throne.

 He was on Balar when the attack came. He told himself later he couldn't have stopped it, couldn't have helped. He could guess by how much more enchantingly beautiful the Silmaril around Elwing's neck seemed, that his brothers would attack soon, but not the month or day. And she was a queen, he could not order her to hand over the jewel. So all he did was warn her, not tell her his birth name, or leap across the council table and pull it off her throat. He could not have known there was no time to wait for Eärendil’s return. He had not set a watch on the island towards the city, but he had no reason to.

He did not want to kill his brothers, but he was a king and he could not let that make his decisions.

He can't stop himself from crying when he sees Amras's body. The Feanorians had tried to make a pyre, but must have left with it still burning and the wet sea wind had extinguished it, and the wood had barely caught.

"Relight the pyres."

"Your Majesty?"

"For the dead Feanorians, relight them."

"But they're murderers! They showed no such respect to us." Indeed, the city is still littered with the corpses of Noldor, Men, and Sindar alike.

"And we are better than they are. We will bury our dead, with a week of singing and lamenting, and tales of their deeds told by friends and kin. We will mark our people’s graves, and the Men will leave grave goods on theirs. And we will not leave the enemy dead to rot where they lie or be eaten by beasts, though they showed us not that respect." He sighed. "We have not fallen as they have, and we must hold onto that."

"Yes, your majesty"

"Have someone take a census of those who are left. And lists of the dead – ours and theirs." He needs to know how strong the rogue army was. If it is now leaderless, he would... he isn't sure. He wouldn’t have to declare a feast for victory over the Kinslayers, they'd lost enough of their own. But some kind of amnesty, with reparations, if any Feanorian soldiers wanted to rejoin... He thinks of the abstract plans now, while he is unsure, because he knows he'll barely be able to keep together if Maedhros and Maglor are dead and he is alone. (Three died last time.)

His eldest brothers are not among the dead invaders.

Lady Elwing and her sons are not found, either dead or living. Gil-Galad knows that his brothers would have no interest in taking her prisoner, for if she was under their power they could rip their glorious, wonderful jewel from her neck and cast her aside like so much wrapping. So he assumes that instead Elwing got away somehow, taking her sons with her. Whether the Feanorians have the jewel or she does is unimportant, he reminds himself, at least unless she returns. He decides then that Balar will never house the Silmaril – he'll bury it beneath the mountains with his own two hands if that's what it takes. His people deserve one place, just one, that isn't destroyed around them. Please Valar, grant them this, for Cirdan's sake if for none of the Noldor.

Ships come one day out of the West. King Finarfin leads them, and Eärendil is with them. Eärendil says that his wife Elwing escaped, but not the boys. (Eärendil is politely told he must either take off the necklace, stay on his ship, or go to the mainland.)

Gil-Galad realizes where they must be. It's hardly fair, but he knows at least they're being treated as well as can be. Maedhros and Maglor did alright by the five of them, and have never been cruel to children.

No one else seems so optimistic, though they are willing to believe that the boys are alive, even after seven years, simply to avoid believing the alternative. Gil-Galad and Finarfin cooperate to get a letter and a messenger (a newly arrived Noldo) that will be demanding but – hopefully – not provoke violence.

It takes two years more, with messengers from both parties expressing grave concern for the boys’ safety on a journey and reluctant to meet the other too close, but Elros and Elrond are returned. They meet Eärendil again, but he is on the front lines and so they spend most of their time in the camp. Gil-Galad has them sit in on strategy meetings to keep them occupied.

 The war is over, Morgoth is defeated, and the Noldor are allowed to return.

Gil-Galad finds he doesn’t want to.

Returning had been as much about getting out of Feanor’s shadow as finding safety, and he realizes he has done the first and the second is near at hand. If he goes back to Tirion, he will be again Pityafinwe, one of Feanor’s youngest sons, half of the twins with a missing twin. The child so redundant his own mother had known so, and asked Feanor to leave her one of the youngest without care for which. Pityafinwe had led no armies, fought no battles, earned no praise. Pityafinwe killed Teleri and was murdered by his father, and did nothing else.

Sure, he could try to be both, admit he was Pityafinwe to start with, but no one will understand. The will see him as the usurper of the crown that should have gone to – Eärendil perhaps?  and then Elros? or Galadriel? Maybe they’ll weigh his victories in battle against his theft of the crown, and say they make up for it, but maybe they’ll say anyone could have done them, or he should have done them as a general in the real King’s army. So he’d be Pityafinwe, who pretended to be a king for a bit but understands now that it’s not his place, and that his place is to be the sixth-born son of the (dead, disgraced) Crown Prince.

Besides, they’re making the ‘leaders’ apologize for leaving, and Gil-Galad spent enough years wandering Beleriand safe behind Noldorin fortresses he can’t really be sorry they came.

Gil-Galad does write a letter though, to the Lady Nerdanel, his mother. He tells people that it’s commendations for her grandson’s valor, and assurance that Celebrimbor will be regarded on his own merits in the Age to come. The letter does contain those, but it also contains “You were half right about my mother-name; I was fated to die but leapt out of Fate’s way.” It’s rather blasphemous, but Gil-Galad isn’t going to be setting foot near the Valar again.

ao3

[legolasgoldy]

A♥️ || 4♥️ || 7♣️ || J♣️ || 2♦️ || 7♠️ ][You can answer for x-men verse or his canon verse, or both.^^][

♥️ ♣️ Send a playing card to my ask box! ♦️ ♠️

// Thank you!! :D @blind-mutant

A♥️ - Who was the first person your muse ever fell in love with?

Maglor. It wasnt really expected, they were so young, about 14 and spent a lot of time together for school, and just because they were good friends. They both were having that realization of “.. i think I like boys too.” at the time, and kinda kept it to themselves aside from maybe one friend. I cant speak for Maglor, but Finrod told his best friend at the time he was having feelings. Mags became his first intense crush. During several months of them working together on a project for music class they kind of played around with subtly flirting or touching shoulders when sitting close, really sweet kinds of things. Just testing the waters to see if the feelings were returned and just because it was such a new feeling.

One day they happen to be sitting really close and looked at each other, then just.. both of them really awkwardly leaned in reallyyyy slow and kissed. They actually kissed, again really awkwardly but really adorable, about three times in a row before Finrod’s mother walked in to say dinner was almost ready. It was a really embarrassing and funny first kiss. His parents are obviously super supportive tho. They dated for about.. a year and 8 months maybe? Around that bc about 5 months into being 15 is when he started getting his mutation little by little and by the time it got to the beginning of 8 months it had gone full fledged and drama happened.

Finrod loved him and thats why he broke up with him, he was a young teen who felt that was the best option. Then he was at the institute for around 7 months when he met Rhys I think, and was 2 like..months into being 16. He moved on with time, it just wasnt meant to be, and being friends with Rhys really and truly made him happy. It felt right and like everything was perfect even if things had happened, they had each other and thats all he realized he wanted. He loves Rhys more than he ever thought he could love anyone. Its a more mature love, rather than a first love. Thats not to say he doesnt love Maglor still, but that type of love changes with time you know? The nature of it.. Rhys is the person he wants to be with, and stay with forever now.

4♥️ - What are your muse’s thoughts on starting/raising a family?

Finrod would LOVE to adopt and raise a family if Rhys wanted to. Children have always been something he imagined having one day. He wants to share that experience with someone he loves, and raise a child together. However, its only something he wants if Rhys wants it.  He never ever EVER wants Rhys to feel like its something they have to have, or like he has to say yes to make Finrod happy. Finrod’s entire world is wonderful with Rhys in it as it is. He doesnt need children to be happy, and if all they ever had was a bunny and a snail he’d be the happiest man in the world still. Which ever they decide one day hes happy with.

7♣️ - Has your muse ever felt “trapped”, either figuratively or literally?

When he first started getting his mutation and realized what was happening he did at first. Mostly because he didnt have a choice in what was happening to him. He was trapped into turning into something, he at the time didnt want. Not to mention something he thought was going to ruin everyones lives including his own. Of course once he learned better and realized it was who he was  meant to be, he would /never/ give up his mutation even if he had the chance. He loves who he is, he wouldnt know what to do without it.

J♣️ - Who does your muse trust the most?

Hmm well he trusts a lot of people and cant just choose one. It depends on the situation presented as to who he would trust with what. In general though, the top people he immediately trusts in ANY situation always is his parents and Rhys. For instance though, his siblings he would trust with his life in serious situations (aside from Galadriel if shes only a toddler just bc shes too little to understand) but not trust his brothers to keep a secret that isnt life or death. Theyre tattletelling 12 year olds haha, theyre gonna tell things sometimes. Finrod does love them dearly tho, just as an older brother he knows better than to trust them with certain things. XD His parents tho are two people he knows, no matter what always have his, his sibling’s, and Rhys’ back too. Theyre good trusting parents, and he knows they would only /ever/ break their promises to them if it was extremely important. The same with Rhys, Finrod knows he can always trust him no matter what the situation and if for some reason Rhys’ breaks a promise or something happens, he knows there HAS to be something extremely important or wrong going on.

2♦️ - How important is money to your muse?

Ehh I feel like this question isnt as simple as it sounds like the last one haha.  It vastly depends on the situation as to how he feels about money. For instance, when he first meets Rhys he doesnt care at all that Rhys doesnt have any money or anything for that matter.  He doesnt place someones worth in relation to their financial status. Which is obvious to anyone who knows him. Even tho Rhys may still feel insecure about that time in his life, which is understandable, its really important to Finrod that he knows, he never ever saw anything wrong with him in any way much less the lack of money and homelessness.

When they meet/become friends/ are at the institute he does start putting more importance into money than before. Previously it was just certain things like, money for a new instrument he had wanted to raise himself rather than his parents spending all that money on him bc they have four kids. Not to mention they had already bought him a guitar among other things.  So he took that summer job at the greenhouse to make that money for something he wanted, and took that job several times so he could help out, and have extra spending money. 

When he meets Rhys, I think that value shifts a bit bc he starts saving for someone else. Sure he still does things for himself, he wouldnt want Rhys to think he wasnt, but when you care about someone you take care of them. Suddenly money went from something he could earn to spend on things he wanted to having a value of making someone he cares for comfortable and at home. Obviously he didnt overkill spend money on him left and right, he knows better, but it was the little things like buying Rhys a jacket he didnt have before, giving him essential things he hadnt had like a toothbrush, socks, more clothes, a hairbrush. He wouldnt pile all these things on him at once so as not to overwhelm him, but hes gonna get those things for him. Some before Rhys even comes to live with him at the institute and some in the weeks after he moves in. After that, its little things like a special snack he knows will make him smile at lunch, a textured scrunchie or cuff bracelet or something he thought Rhys might wanna fiddle with on his wrist when nervous or bored and of course use the scrunchie for his hair. Just little sweet gestures that shows he cares. Rhys’ happiness and to see him smile is priceless.

Once they move into their apartment together I think its a little similar but theyre on their own then. The value on money goes higher bc they have to pay rent and buy groceries. Sure, his parents do help them out the first month or so and help them get a decent car but theyre starting a life together. It turns into supporting them, saying bills, saving up, buying groceries, more sweet gestures. All of that he happily does, hes absolutely thrilled that they have a life of their own that hes just enjoying it even if bills arent fun. Its their life together thats fun and always enjoyable bc he has Rhys.

Furthermore, his importance on money isnt just him supporting Rhys, its also Rhys supporting himself. Rhys having freedom to live, being his own person. Having a life and independence thats very much deserved after what hes been through. Rhys getting a job of his own is so so important to Finrod bc he knows what it means to Rhys. So theres just no limit to how important Rhys’ money is bc of its significance. Thats a really long answer haha but its such a good question I hope it makes sense.

7♠️ - What’s a hard truth that your muse has to learn/has learned?

Hmm. Going back to when he had all those angsty moments when he was first getting his mutation. The hard truth of it was accepting who he was and that it was okay. Just because all of this was happening to him doesnt mean he has to give up everything he ever wanted or people he cared for.  He can still live his life and be happy just the way he is.

[dwarvishprincewalkingarsenal]

Mun vs Muse: elves!

(Always a good place to start!)

If you say so.

(Do you hate elves, Fili?)

In all honesty, no. At least, not as much as Thorin. It depends on the elf, really. The elves of Rivendell were kind to us, for example, and I’ve grown quite fond of Tauriel--

(Tauriel and Fili: An Unexpected Bromance.)

Right...Well, anyway, there are some elves, though, that I’ll never forgive. Aside from Tauriel, I have no fondness for the elves of Mirkwood, especially not their king.

(Ah, Thrandy. I like him, despite his flaws.)

Why?

(Mostly that he’s fabulous. Also, he rides a giant elk. I cried when it died. I want one.)

So, then, what do you think of elves in general?

(Having not yet read the Silmarillion, I like elves, for the most part! I love their poise and their aesthetic, plus they live in some of the prettiest places in Middle-earth. I especially love Galadriel and Elrond. Galadriel is just my queen in any media, and I have so many feelings about Elrond. That face at the end of Return of the King...HE DESERVED BETTER, DAMNIT!)

...Are you going to be all right?

(*sniffs* I’ll be fine.)

All right, then.