#meanwhile I think all elves have the habit now of accepting anyone into their family

[celebregol]

I think that moriquendi probably have a much stronger attachment to family (and staying with family) than calaquendi do. When the Noldor come over, most of them are divided into their own lands. Some seal themselves off, some haven’t heard from others in years. Not to say that the Noldor don’t love their family, they obviously do, but there is this overall detachment even within family raised together (like I don’t expect the feanorians to be close with the rest of the family as a whole cause of feanor but even in the sons of feanor they split off into groups and mainly interact in those smaller groups unless something big comes up). Contrast this with the little we know about moriquendi families. For example, Thingol. Now don’t get me wrong, he’s not an exemplary family guy, but he does obviously want to keep his family close (hence why he was so mad at Beren). he accepted the Arafinwes as his kin, and in some versions of Beren and Luthien, after Beren reveals his missing hand and says that he’ll get the Silmaril in person for Thingol, Thingol tells him not to, and to stay in Doriath. Eol’s a darker side of that considering how he kept Eol and Aredhel, refused Aredhel to visit her family, and when he did catch up with them, while he would let Aredhel go, he wanted to take Maeglin back with him, whether it was back to their home or to the death. Neither one is better than the other but i think it’s interesting to examine, because if it’s truly the case, it does make sense. Valinor was safe so yeah, the kids can wander from home and do whatever they like because nothing really bad will befall them. However, the moriquendi dealt with a world under morgoth for a bit longer than the calaquendi and in addition to that, middle earth can be dangerous enough by itself. So with dangers it’s better to stay in that community setting. Like, for instance, a family group.

[talesofealdancynedom]

Young Professor Saturn Firepot,wearing his favourite colours.

Tale 31: If We Lost The Sea Wives (chapter 2 - The Beach House  2/5 ) part 7. Stories of Magic Forests

no warings

Saturn Firepot was an ordinary Northland Boy. His favourite plaid was gold, yellow and tan; Which he always wore in his younger years. His curly red hair, was braided and knotted back, and he had clear grey eyes. He liked to sing, play the fiddle, and explore the vast rich green hills, seaside cliffs, and lush creeks of Isfisceard. Yet nothing compared to standing upon the shores, gazing into the tide and listening for the soft echo of the fish fey’s song. This magical place inspired Saturn to study magic. Like the people around him, his home made him. In his most shared opinion, the radiant unchanged island deserved to be preserved; Fey and all. It felt like it held secrets, waiting to be discovered, and treasures to be found nowhere else. Thus, Professor Firepot began his journey to become a seer wizard; To observer his islands magic.

Once grown, and graduated from the local wizard academy, Saturn was given the opportunity to receive his seer apprenticeship from the same school he studied at: Isfisceard Heritage Magic Academy. This small school, stored centuries of lore; And detailed records of the unique Northland Isles. Most notably, the accounts of humans interacting with magic, and vise versa. Saturn specialize in studying how fairies interact with people, and their perspectives on humanity. He knew enough of mythic ungulates, dragons, and sea daughters; He wanted to know more about more human of fey. Thus, Saturn was requested to research why whisps charmed children, and may be causing bakery shortages.

South of the academy, Saturn’s curious nature led him to an abandoned beach. It was permanently gated, and said to be cursed. It felt curiously eerie, and yet pristinely untouched. Like a painting void of soul, which is hauntingly realistic, while conjuring unease. Like no one wanted this beach, and preferred other places. Unlike the rest of the island’s magnificent geological wonders, this bay had grass and pale sand. Bright upon the shore, yet filled with the rumble of temperate stormy Northland air. It was both silent, yet disturbed by gulls, or the gargle of waves. Saturn ate his lunch on the rocks, and looked into the scenery. It was nice to be alone, with the ambiance of a mundane unoffensive work of art. Then he began to see fey everywhere. Due to the Fish Gate to the ether of magic nearby, the entire island was riddled with fey. They outnumber people, and live in a balance like an ecosystem. This beach however, was so enchanted, magic became white noise upon an initial glance.

              During his research, which started with whisps and elves, then to wildlings and nymphs, Saturn turned his attention more to the pale beach. He was there almost daily. At about half past noon, a bob of various selkies came onto the beach, to look for shells. Sometimes, the cherry haired one would bring Saturn her finds. In turn, Saturn developed a habit of giving them plastic pails to encourage their hobby; They all seemed so gay to receive object worth less then one Peice each. However, the selkies didn’t do much with the shells, and always returned to the sea by late afternoon. Mermaids and sirens knew how to tempt, but a selkie knew how to endear; The squish when hugged, softness of their features, hair, bodies and coats. The Fish King’s daughters were indeed fine works of art. Yet, Saturn dare not take one in. After years of observation and study, fey no longer felt like magic one could possess; They felt like humans. These Selkies, had free will, and were not his to take.

According to the Academy, about one sixth of Northland men have a sea wife. Nowhere else is infatuation so readily requited. Which meant one sixth of all little girls, are fish daughters, doomed to return to the oceans as enchanters themselves. Saturn lived in fear of falling for the fey he studied, out of fear of it happening to him. Selkies in particularly got to Saturn. The Fish King’s desire to play with and mock human men, was vast and riddled with dark humor. The fact selkies were the most innocent sea daughters, and the most eager to approach humans, they are easy to take onto to land. Their kind and jovial natures, made them follow blindly, while their feminine attributes cause unbreakable attachment. Their land husbands would take their skins, just to hold their selkie till the day they died. Meanwhile, the selkie longed to return to the sea, trapped by attachment to their keeper, through no fault of her own.

But one of Saturn’s fey visitors wouldn’t go, in spite of his insistent denial. It was the dark ginger crabeater selkie, named Giernanid, who gave him pink shells. He called her Ierna. She swooned at his song, and began to follow him. She smiled and waved, and found everything about Saturn fascinating.  One day, she asked him to stay on the beach longer, and that she wished to stay with him on land. Seeing each other daily for a year, had made Saturn weak to her wishes. He wanted badly to acquest. Saturn held back, suspicious of his intent, even though his heart wanted her. As he walked away grumbling, he exhaled and gave in. He ran up and kissed her with a gracious embrace.

“I knew You’d requite my infatuation!” Ierna said, pulling Saturn in. This selkie was genuinely infatuated with a human. Under the influence of permanent love magic, after such a kiss, Saturn was in undying passionate love with her; Catching him off guard, even though he knew better.

“I feel different though; Like I want to protect and care for you, not just gaze upon you.” Ierna said. “Like you’re more then just a pretty shell upon the beach… I want you to hold me, I trust you, and I want to care your you. I never want to part, or even imagine it; Is this what human love is like?” She continued. She had only heard tales of human connection from her sisters. To feel it was bewildering. Saturn stood there, as he absorbed the moment. They remained embraced, as Saturn saw Iearda gaze into the sea.

“Wait, don’t leave me. Don’t look into the ocean like that. What if you never return? I can build us a house, right on this beach! You will be by both your homes.” Saturn pleaded. He was now thinking with his heart, and felt a deep pain in his chest. Worried by her love’s tears, Ierna smiled up at him. Her warmth and softness comforting him.

“Ok” Ierda said, taking off her coat. “Can I help you? Can I see what it’s like to live like a human? now that I love like one?” She asked, handing Saturn her skin. Saturn nodded slowly, and reluctantly took the pelt. Underneath, he felt dirty. Saturn decided he would never tell anyone he had a sea wife. As a fey researcher, romantically bonding with his study subject seemed wrong. Saturn was happy to have found a true love, but he had told so many people he was impervious to the charms of fey. Saturn was already mocked for seeing them as human; He mocked himself for it. In Isfisceard there is no shame in wedding fey. Yet, Saturn still feared it.

Ierda’s Selkie’s pelt, warm and soft, was akin to blood diamonds. Saturn had her free will in his hands. A selkie had willingly given a man her ability to choose land or sea. Saturn couldn’t accept it, but knew she wouldn’t take her coat back now. The True love spell had corrupted both of them. They were trapped in their good intentions. Iearda may never answer the song of her sisters, if it made Saturn sad. Overcome by the responsibility of Ieard’s fate, he convinced himself building the beach house, would give his new beloved the option to be near her family, and not just another stolen prize. Yet, fey have a thing for taking one task at a time; Ierda’s current task was being with Saturn. The woeld was now dead to her. Against his own morals, Saturn loved her affection, and wanted it. But it made him feel guilty and ashamed each dawn till dusk. Overcome by the most human of spells, Saturn would now say, or do, anything to protect this beach. More then just it’s fey, and his heritage, this abandoned shore had taken his heart.

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