#i just hope i haven't written fingon when i meant finrod or vice versa

[notreallystars]

I've been thinking about Gil-Galad's parentage off the back of this excellent compilation of theories and I've reached a conclusion that surprises me. Gil-Galad son of Fingon could make sense. Not to everyone, but certainly to me.

There are things royalty tends to be pragmatic about. Marriage and succession are often high on that list. Kings want heirs. They really want heirs. Some of this is selfish, but some of it is not because it is really about stability.

Fingon becomes king, and he really shouldn't have. There had been one mad uncle, seven half-cousins, and his father before him in the line of succession. Feanor burned, Maedhros had abdicated and passed over all of his brothers, and Fingon's father has just thrown his life away in single combat with Morgoth. The crown should never have reached him.

Fingon is, presumably, grieving for his father. He hasn't seen his remaining siblings for nearly four centuries, and may not know that one of them isn't remaining any more or that she had a son. He considers at the people who could be crowned in the event of his death and sees... what?

Turgon is gone, no one knows where. Even if we assume that a queen would have been considered equivalent to a king in the canon (and I don't) Aredhel has gone with him and Fingon probably doesn't know about either her death or her son.

Finrod is still alive. This helps. Angrod is dead. Aegnor is dead. Galadriel is alive but she has married a Sinda who would presumably be king were she queen, and there are probably some among the Noldor who would not be content to be ruled by Thingol's kin. Orodreth is alive, and his daughter - but again, should we assume that a queen would have been considered?

So Fingon considers the people who could be made king in the event of his death

A brother no one can find

A cousin who spends more time with the Secondborn with every year that passes and who, when Fingon becomes king, has just made an oath of his very own (I don't think Fingon would think very highly of oaths, all things considered)

A Sinda prince who married another of his cousins

A second cousin

Presuming people continue not finding Turgon, and there is no good reason then for him to presume otherwise, there is no one of his house to inherit. This kind of thing often matters to royalty. Finrod is a good leader but would not want to focus on leading only the Noldor, and he has just made his own oath to Barahir which I think would cause Fingon concern. There would likely be political difficulty about Galadriel and Celeborn ruling. Orodreth would probably be fine.

Given the wider context, however, (Fingon had once had two uncles, his father, seven half-cousins, a second half-cousin {half-second cousin?}, two brothers, a sister, four cousins, and a second cousin of Finwe's house who could have ruled Finwe's people. Now, of all that family, he can come up with one second cousin about whom he has no reservations) I don't think he would have found that reassuring.

And so Fingon does what kings do when they see that the future stretching out beyond them is not stable, not assured. He thinks I must have an heir. Frankly I think this could be managed by secretly adopting a child whose parents had a sufficiently Finwe-esque appearance, but that isn't the version of events I'm going through.

He finds someone willing to bear his child. I even think this could be compatible with Russingon ('I don't like it any more than you do, but it has to be done, Finno') because, again, there are things royalty tends to be pragmatic about.

The child is born, the child is sent away because Fingon has learnt that High Kings of the Noldor are not safe people to know. He sends letters with him. He writes to Finrod, to Cirdan, to everyone he can think to trust that he has sent his son away for his own safety, letting them know where he could be found. A letter goes with Ereinion, not to be read until he is deemed ready, explaining that he is the son of the High King, that he is being kept safe.

Ereinion is too well-hidden. Fingon falls, and no one can find this supposed son. Among those who were told of him are some who consider that he was simply a ruse and had never, in fact, existed.

Nearly forty years after Fingon's death an elf appears. He prefers Nandorin to Sindarin, and speaks little Quenya. He has an old letter with him from a father he has never met, and a striking resemblance to Fingon.

...I had thought I was going to be writing about Gil-Galad, but a lot of this turned out to be about Fingon. There's a surprise.