#arwen power oc

[live-laugh-loverpool]

Of Snowmen and Middle-Earth

Tags: @millythegoat, @alissonbecksfan234, @moomin279, @lfc-fanfiction, @rubybecker-rb2

Summary: Gakpo has been struggling to bond with the seven kids. To remedy this, he tries to build a snowman with them.

Cody Gakpo had received a lot of surprises when he’d came to Liverpool. Not the cold weather—he’d expected England in the winter would be colder than in the Netherlands. Not the lively atmosphere—he’d expected that from Van Dijk’s descriptions.

What really surprised Gakpo was how close everyone was to each other. Not just that, but there were six adults—and two married couples—with kids. In all, there were seven children living in Kirkby Ground.

He’d expected a bit of difficulty meshing with the others—he was new, after all. But he had not expected to deal with seven children.

Right now, there was a blanket of snow outside. Most of the others were busy doing something outside; he would join them later. But now he was in the same room with the kids, and they hadn’t even said hello to each other.

What can I do with them? Gakpo had never been good with kids. His younger cousins avoided him unless the grownups forced them to have some “quality time” together. He’d tried interacting with random babies he saw in the store or park, but every time he smiled at them they would either cry or throw something at him—usually, tuna cans.

Wait a minute. It was snowing outside, and snow was always a good place to start. Kids loved snow, so why not take them out to play in the snow? He wasn’t sure about the whole idea—one young adult to seven children under ten seemed disproportionate, plus there were two babies and Arwen would need help navigating the thick snow. But his big mouth prevented him from doing any more risk assessment.

“Kids! Let’s go build a snowman!”

Faster than you could say his name, the kids had surrounded Gakpo. All held up warm winter gear, all were clamoring for his help, and all wanted to go outside. NOW.

He really hadn’t thought this through.

“Alright, alright!” Gakpo held up a hand, taking baby Tristan from the ground. “Let’s get you all ready. Could one of you get the snow gear from wherever you keep it?”

“You mean the nursery? Sure!” Florrie and Kairo ran out the door, Arwen following close behind.

Gakpo sighed in relief, holding Tristan. The ten-month-old baby glared at him as if he’d just committed a crime. “Alright, little man. Let’s get you into your snowsuit.”

*

After wrestling with zippers and buttons and toggles and squirming, kicking limbs, Gakpo finally managed to get the kids out the door.

He pushed Arwen’s wheelchair onto the lawn, careful to mind the bumps in the road. After a brief discussion with Arwen, he’d found out that the eight year old usually used an electric wheelchair except in bad weather. Thick snow like this qualified as bad weather, so Gakpo would push her chair long distances and Arwen would wheel herself across short stretches of land.

Gakpo carried Ellie and Tristan in a double baby carrier, even though both could crawl and walk. Grace and Henrietta toddled around, but Gakpo had a twenty-foot length of rope tied between their wrists and his waist. It was highly unlikely they would run into danger considering that the lawn had a huge parking lot between itself and the road, but it was better to be safe than sorry. He’d only let Florrie and Kairo run free because they were a little older and would listen to him if he called.

“So, what are we going to use for our snowman?” he asked once the little ones had run off all their pent-up energy. Now he knew how every parent in the world felt. “Are we giving him a scarf?”

“Yeah!” Florrie took out a scarf from her pocket, holding it up like it was a trophy. “A scarf, and a carrot nose, and a magic hat that makes him sing and dance!”

“Frosty’s overrated,” said Arwen, tossing a snowball at the wall. “I’ll tell you a real snowman story, if you start those balls to the point where it’s big enough for me to roll.”

Ellie, interested in all the activity going on around her, demanded to get down from the baby carrier. Gakpo set the seven month old on Arwen’s lap, knowing that Arwen wouldn’t let her fall.

He tried to get Tristan to play in the snow as well. But Tristian refused to be put down. In fact, he just wanted to stay on Gakpo’s lap as a chubby dark teal lump.

*

Soon the snowman was done, and Gakpo still hadn’t managed to interact with the kids. Ellie and Tristian had fell asleep in the carrier, and Grace and Henrietta were tuckered out from romping in the deep snow. They sat next to Gakpo on the bench, watching Florrie, Kairo and Arwen have a snowball fight.

“You guys are all so lucky,” Gakpo whispered to Ellie, even though he knew the baby couldn’t hear him. “This is your home and everybody loves you. You’ve got people here who are great with kids. None of you guys are even interested in me.”

Henrietta yawned, as if to prove his point.

“I can’t hold an interesting conversation for too long,” he went on, kicking at the snow. “Pigs will fly before I do that.”

“No piggy!”

Arwen came up to Gakpo, wringing her hands together for warmth. “Hey.”

“Uh…hey Arwen.”

Arwen smirked, stopping beside the forward. “I’m usually called Arwen when I’m in trouble. Please, just call me Winnie.”

Now this was getting weird. “As in Winnie the Pooh?!”

“What? No way!” Arwen opened the bookbag on the back of her wheelchair, taking out a book. “I was named after the character in Lord of the Rings. Have you ever read that?”

“No.”

“You should.” Arwen handed Gakpo the dark green and blue book. “It’s epic. So Bilbo’s cousin Frodo goes with his Fellowship to destroy the One Ring and it’s maker, Dark Lord Sauron.”

Gakpo studied the book with new interest. “Maybe I should read this.”

“It’ll make more sense if you read The Hobbit,” Arwen advised him, taking a list out of her backpack. “And if you want more, there’s always The Two Towers and The Return of the King. It took me eighteen months to read all four of those books.”

“Just eighteen months?” Gakpo gulped, staring at the four thick books. “You must really like reading, Winnie.”

“It’s one of my hobbies, along with ping-pong. But do you know what I like better than reading stories? Telling them!”

“You tell your own stories? From your imagination? You’re lucky,” Gakpo admitted. “I’ve never had that much imagination. That’s why I’m not so good with kids.”

Arwen nodded, setting Grace on her lap. “I can relate. I’ve always wanted to do needlework, but I never had the patience to. What do you do for fun?”

“Not much,” Gakpo admitted with a shrug. “FIFA and checkers.”

“Hey, Mom and I play checkers sometimes.” Arwen extended a hand. “You want to play against me sometime?”

Gakpo hesitated a bit before shaking Arwen’s hand. “Sure, anytime you’d like.”

“Then we can go inside and start as soon as possible.” Arwen balanced Grace and Henrietta on her lap, tucking Lord of the Rings into her backpack. “Just make sure to find a table with enough space under it. We both need to fit our legs under there.”

Gakpo flashed her a thumbs-up as he stood from the bench. “Sure.”

Gakpo had always thought he wasn’t good with kids. But as he called for Florrie and Kairo to come inside, he thought that just this once, he might have a talent in babysitting after all.

[merilles]

@tolkienocweek Day 6: Background Characters | Elloth

Galadriel’s most beloved handmaiden and Arwen’s closest companion! She has proven herself to be clever and courageous, and talented with elven-craft. She is charged by her mistress with carrying the light of Eärendil into dark places no one else dares to go. She desires to see the world rid of evil, and considers herself highly honoured to be given such a worthy (albeit dangerous) task. Even the smallest Elf can make the greatest difference against the dark power threatening all of Middle-earth.

[temporarily-your-saint]

oc that is elrond’s sister and she has a thing for elendil during the last alliance (which leads to her downfall) and then thousands of years later his daughter has a thing for aragorn and elrond is just tired of these men and from the same bloodline??? jfc. that half-elf is tired.

[markantonys]

Ngl I lowkey ship Adar and Elrond 🫶 (he's not Maglor right)

i'm right there with you!! they were already two of my favorite characters individually, and then they came together and their interactions were so powerful. adar/galadriel and adar/elrond are two interesting good flavors of a hero/villain ship: the former is a version where they have a lot in common and in a weird way can understand each other like no one else can, and the latter is a version where they are very very different and could both challenge each other to grow (elrond's early-season stance that nothing good can ever come from a bad creator would face a reckoning if he fell for adar and became Orc Stepdad, and as for adar, if he fell for elrond, well, then he would embark on redemption immediately because elrond being disappointed in you would be the literal most painful thing anyone could experience, i would kill myself if elrond was disappointed in me)

i know Literally Nothing about tolkien stuff, but i think i heard that maglor is elrond's stepdad?? in which case i also hope adar is not him haha but this raises an interesting point that i've been thinking about while reading all the Who Is Adar speculation! said point being: if adar is going to be revealed in the show to be a specific elf from the lore, the only option is celeborn. because no one else would mean anything to the general audience aka like 95% of viewers.

now, i don't really think adar is celeborn. i think that within the canon of the show he'll only ever be an OC and they'll never specify who he was pre-morgoth. or at most they might drop some kind of easter egg that would allow lore experts to definitively connect him with a certain elf from the lore, but without making a big Reveal out of it or spelling it out explicitly. and either way, people are having fun speculating who he could be and i'm all for that, knock yourselves out! but if we're envisioning an actual scene in the show where they go "drumroll please............adar is actually so-and-so!" it could only be either a) a specific named elf the general audience would be instantly familiar with (which i can't think of any examples of since there are no other Universally Known elves like elrond, galadriel, and arwen), because if they drop a specific name and it's not instantly recognizable to the majority of the audience, the drumroll would fall super flat.

or b) an elf who has a close connection with another character we already know AND, ideally, who was mentioned already in the show. they could be like "drumroll please..........adar is actually elrond's stepdad! or gil-galad's brother!" and the general audience would be like "oh! okay. uhh since when did elrond have a stepdad or gil-galad a brother though?" but if it was "drumroll please...........adar is actually galadriel's missing husband!" then the general audience would go wild because we already knew she had a husband who disappeared and we've been wondering what might've happened to him. (okay a lot of people who watched s1 2 years ago have probably forgotten all about that haha but at least a good chunk of us would go wild! and the rest would soon follow once they'd gotten their memories jogged.)

anyway! i got so off-topic djfkg but i've seen so many lore-knowers speculating about adar's elf identity that i thought it might interest some of you to see a show-only perspective on The Only Adar Identity They Could Reveal That Would Be Interesting To Us General Audiences. but i still think it's very unlikely he's celeborn and he will simply never be specifically identified in the show!

[fatcatlittlebox]

(sorry if this sent twice! my app was being wonky!) Just wanted to say that you took the words out of my mouth with that analysis and that's the reason why I wanted to know your thoughts on him. Also we are so blessed to have fans like you who can see into her character so well, beyond ships. I'm with you on Celeborn. Until I see for myself how he is portrayed my feelings are lukewarm at best but I don't necessarily hate him. It's too bad he doesn't stand out apart from his wife. Not sure why he was written like that. I suppose TRoP will have to salvage his portrayal from the movies and try to make him someone who Gal could realistically fall for, but it's a very tall feat. At worst they just make him another character like Elrond (not bashing, just that her and him have a sibling vibe relationship). A concerning trend I notice among Celeborn fans is that they're already making him seem either 1) like an enabler for Gal's worst qualities (when her lesson in growing is her learning restraint and tolerance and inner peace), or that he's like a Halbrand 2.0 without the Sauron tag. Which... is kind of eye rowing raising. Because that makes me wondering it people aren't just seeing a blank OC and projecting things onto him, which would be kind of bad because then that would really cement the complaint that he's not a very distinguished character.

Thank you anon! As I've said before, the most notable of Tolkien's romances were really chivalric love stories, particularly the star-crossed ones. Beren and Luthien. Melian and Thingol. Even Arwen and Aragorn. Celedriel isn't really like any of those couples. And I have to say, if the writers didn't expect us to ship haladriel they, for some reason, hilariously thought they could mold their dynamic after those pairings and keep it platonic. I mean Charlie even said to Miv in an interview that "we"- Halbrand and Galadriel- were like Beren and Luthien. LOL.

I would say that the template for Galadriel and Celeborn could be Faramir and Eowyn? Kind of two people who've been through trauma, thwarted dreams and disappointment who find peace and refuge in each other? I agree that if they made him some tempering influence on Galadriel, that would leave a bad taste in my mouth because really, barf. Halbrand advised Galadriel to slow down and be methodical, deliberate. Not muzzle her. Now that Gal has a ring of power, she's never been more formidable. And text Galadriel was always portrayed as this benevolent but undeniable apex predator. Like she's on the side of good but...could totally annihilate anyone on a whim. I think Celeborn being cardboard bland has more to do with Tolkien not really getting around to fleshing that story out. He still hadn't even really completed Galadriel's character.

[the-hilda-librarians-wife]

Losing it over how this looks as though they were all chatting together until Harvey and Meiri descended into a path too weird for Arwen to comprehend

@the-hilda-librarians-wife forgive me but i had to draw it

from this fdjhsbdh

[annabawritersdream]

TOLKIEN OC WEEK- Day 4

Prompt: Gaps and Ghosts

Title: A Daughter's Plea.

Canon Characters: (King) Aragorn Elessar; Crown Prince Eldarion (mentioned)

Original Characters=> Princess Gilraen of the Reunited Kingdom

Estella (Gilraen's governess)

Imrolas (Lord Chancellor/Aragorn's private secretary)

Lord Daerion (Eldarion's tutor),

Lady "Aunt" Mörwen (Aragorn's cousin; mentioned)

CW: Mature themes, arranged marriage, somewhat graphic description of attempted s***ide.

Synopsys: King Elessar has decided his eldest (for now only) daughter, Princess Gilraen, is ready for marriage. Unfortunately, the young royal is not at all pleased with her betrothed.

Word Count: (AO3 stats=> 9,776 words)

Also posted on AO3! (Chapter 2; day 4)

It contains major spoilers for my main WIP The Lady of Ithilien (link to be found in my general masterlist)

READ AT YOUR OWN RISK!

To know more about my OCs, please check my character profiles on Tumblr. (@annabawritersdream)

More information on Gilraen:

She is the second child of High King Aragorn Elessar and Queen Arwen. Born in FoA 3, she has one older brother (Eldarion, born FoA 1) and two younger sisters, Lóthuil (born FoA 16) and Meleril (born FoA 19).

GLOSSARY (SINDARIN)

Guren vell: (my) sweetheart

Ada: dad

A Daughter's Plea

Minas Tirith, FoA 15.

“What do you think, Estella?”

“I daresay you look splendid, Madam. Absolutely ravishing.”

Gilraen stood in front of the mirror and improvised a twirl.

“If I am not mistaken, that was also your opinion concerning all the other dresses that were brought in.”

“Forgive me, Madam, but there is no denying that they are all exquisite and befitting of the only daughter of our gracious King Elessar. Though I must say that, out of all the dresses the Lady Mörwen has gifted you, this may probably be that which I would be most inclined to wear. It is a magnificent creation, but I would expect no less from the clothiers of Dol Amroth. Their skill is said to be unparalleled. If I may, Madam, I also would like to remark on the dress’ subtle, understated details. I usually do not find golden motives to be aesthetically pleasing as I often find them redundant and inelegant, yet the embroideries along the cuffs are admittedly flawless.”

“It truly is beautiful. Yet I do not think I shall wear it on a regular occurrence.”

“Why is that?”

“As magnificent as it is, I do not feel comfortable in it. It is much too elaborate for my taste.”

“What would you wear then, Madam?”

“I think my blue dress will do.”

Estella sighed and rolled her eyes. “My lady…”

“What is wrong with it? It was also a gift from aunt Mörwen and there is no denying that…”

“It is old and tattered, Madam. Surely you would not want to appear before your Lord Father and your Lady Mother in those rags.”

“Do you think my mother and father would even notice?  My brother is all they think about. He is all they care about. Their precious firstborn child, the heir to the House of Telcontar. They barely acknowledge my presence these days, Estella. I always knew I never mattered and, though it hurts me deeply, I am glad they finally came to terms with it. No more lying, no more hypocrisy on their part. No more pretending.”

“Madam, if I may…”

“No, Estella. I know exactly what you are about to say, and it is simply not true. My mother never loved me. One would think that the daughter of the bearer of Vilya, the last descendant of a long line of mighty Elven lords and powerful ladies, the Evenstar of her people and the most beautiful maiden to currently walk the earth would be wise not to favor one child above the other.”

“Your Lord Father…”

“The King still thinks of me as a child. He does not value my opinions, nor does he ever asks for them. To him, I am merely a pawn, a thing of no value.”

“Do not say that I pray you. The Allfather knows our King loves you very much, Madam.”

“Would he constantly dismiss my feelings if he did? Would he avoid speaking to me?”

“Perhaps he fails to show it properly, but he does care for you.”

“That day…the day I took an arrow which was clearly meant for him…all I wanted was…”

She sighed as her voice trailed off. “When the arrow hit me and my father held me in his arms, I...”

She gulped. “I was overjoyed that he had finally acknowledged me, that he had seen me. Though my vision was fading, I mustered all my remaining strength and proudly looked upon him…”

“My lady…”

“Tears were streaming down his face. I remember thinking that maybe I had finally accomplished something worth of my status as a princess. I had succeeded in protecting him; something at which the guards of the Grey Company had failed. All of those guards clad in the most magnificent armor, war-hardened soldiers trained by excellent sword masters to protect and defend their Liege-Lord. Yet, none of them had noticed the arrow coming toward the procession. No one noticed it but me. A girl who was not even supposed to be there. Eldarion did not see it, Captain Halboron was not able to spot it either. I did and I jumped before him. I was told it was a Haradrim dart.”

“Haradrim? From Harad?”

“It was laced with poison.”

Estella hugged the princess tightly. “I still cannot fathom you could have died. What would I do without you? My sweet lady, my beautiful little girl. I hope you will pardon my impudence, but…I happen to care for you as if you were one of my own. I had two wonderful boys once. Two boys and a little girl who looked like you. Though no Elven blood ran through her veins, she did indeed have a fair complexion and bright gray eyes similar to yours.”

“Did she…”

“She died of illness as an infant.” She sighed and a rueful smile appeared on her face as she caressed the princess’ cheek. “My boys died too, though the circumstances of their early demise were fairly different.”

“Do you feel comfortable enough to tell me about their deaths? I would never wish to cause you unnecessary pain and I would like to apologize in advance for shamelessly asking you to share such personal details. I have now just realized that I know very little about you. For instance, I was not aware you were married. Is your husband…”

“Sadly, it has been many years since my husband traveled beyond the Circles of the World. Shattered by our daughter’s untimely passing, he resorted to alcohol to numb his pain. The man I had married, the man I had loved with every fiber of my being slowly wasted away, drowning his sorrow in ale and wine. So much wine. He would refuse to eat, and he would not sleep, neglecting his marital duties. He was no longer interested in his craft, in his sculptures, in his books, in his children. All that that he had enjoyed prior to our baby girl’s demise had suddenly lost its appeal. I watched him wither and shrink, the spark in his eyes replaced by thick veil of despair none of us seemed to be able to pierce. His now perennially glazed eyes had turned imperious and cold, his face unrecognizable. Though he had showered my boys with a copious amount of affection, the love he felt for his daughter was unparalleled. He was perhaps the only man within the walls of this city to value a girl over his male heirs.”

“The world is in dire need of such people, I reckon,” the princess replied as she dabbed at her eyes with a handkerchief. “Though I do not think I am more valuable than my brother, I certainly do believe I am no less important than him. I wish my mother and father would agree.”

She held onto Estella. “I am so sorry for your loss. Though we fail to communicate most of the time, I know I could not bear it if either one of my parents died. Though I cannot stand him on most occasions, I would be devastated if something happened to my brother. Were I on my deathbed, I suppose he would not shed a single tear.”

“You may not believe it, Madam, but he was rather shaken following the accident.”

“Of course he was. Although Father was the main target, he too could have been hit. You know how much of a coward my brother is. Young children are braver than he is. I am surprised he did not have someone help him escape as soon as the arrow was released.”

“He is the Crown Prince and your father’s only heir. His survival is vital to the kingdom and I have no doubt that some people at court—influential nobles holding grudges against your father for whatever reason—who may be plotting his downfall as we speak. They have already tried killing the King, how do you know they will not attempt at your brother’s life as well? I am sure he, too, knows that it is a very likely outcome. He has a right to be scared.”

“I am certain no one from Gondor is to blame. As long as he does not leave the capital—or the kingdom for that matter—he is safe.”

“Is he?”

“No one would dare attack the Prince.”

“You prevented your father’s assassination.”

“I did indeed.”

She glanced at Estella. “No one in Gondor would purposely hurt my brother. Our people would never do such a thing. Are you perhaps trying to suggest otherwise?”

“I do not know, Madam. I thought the King could not be harmed. If you had not…”

“Please do not speak of it. We all know what could have happened and we should be thankful it did not come to pass. The mere thought of attending my father’s funeral…”

She cleared her throat as she pushed back tears. “Eldarion is much too young to ascend the throne now. He cannot sit on it, Estella. He would run the Reunited Kingdom into the ground and destroy the legacy of our House. He has no supporters, no one to guide him, no one to advise him. Those Haradrim traitors would certainly seize an opportunity and attack the city at once. Minas Tirith and its people would be annihilated. Our heritage, our culture, the traditions of our mighty ancestors…all would be lost. Gondor would cease to exist and with it the remnants of the greatest civilization of Middle-earth too would fall into oblivion.”  She gulped and nervously rubbed her fingers. “I love my brother dearly, but he must not be permitted to rule until he shows he has acquired some wisdom and common sense.”

“He is still so very young, Madam. He has got time still.”

“His behavior is deeply concerning. Mother and Father refuse to acknowledge it simply because he is the heir to the House of Telcontar. He is immature, entitled…and vicious. I pity the woman he will marry.”

“I beg to differ. The lady Elenna seems quite content with the arrangement.”

“The Lady Elenna…”

The princess sighed and shook her head. “She is scared, Estella. I can see it in her eyes. That poor girl has never been happy. I have seen how my brother treats her…his attitude towards her…”

“Our prince certainly would not harm her, Madam.”

“He would. He would and he already did. I saw him. He slapped her because she would not give in to his demands.”

“Are you certain, Madam? Perhaps the Lady Elenna was talking to somebody else; someone that you mistook for your brother.”

“Do you not believe me, Estella?”

“I have never said that, my lady. But I find it hard to…”

“You do not believe me. Do you think I would purposely lie and slander the Crown Prince? Do you think I would speak if I was not beyond certain of what I saw and heard?”

“If I ever implied it, then I apologize.”

“I firmly believe the people would never harm him. They cherish him, but that is only because they are unaware of his true character. I am afraid they will indeed try and hurt him once they find out who he really is, how he acts behind closed doors. They seem to adore him and how could I blame them? He is handsome, the fairest prince of Men to ever walk Middle-earth since the Elder Days. He knows how to approach people; he is gallant and kind when the situation requires it. He is a charmer. He possesses good qualities, and it is undeniable that he knows how to use them to his advantage. He has mastered the art of deception.”

“I do understand your concerns, Madam, and I partly agree with you, yet…it seems to me you are trying to portray your bother as sort of Dark Lord.”

“Is it not accurate though? He knows how to manipulate people. Whatever he wants, he takes. No one questions him. He believes he is control of his actions, but he does not realize others are pulling the strings behind his back, namely that horrid tutor of his.”

“Lord Daerion? He is always so courteous and…”

“He is hiding something, Estella.  I can feel it. He should not be allowed to be around my brother. His whereabouts are unknown, he has no family, no friends…we do not even know where he lives. How can we trust such a secretive individual? How has he been allowed to become the Crown Prince’s only confidant? A man with no position…”

“He did serve under Lord Denethor, Madam. The late Steward took him in when he was allegedly abandoned by his parents as a young child. He was then raised as a proper lord.”

“From all accounts, the deceased Steward was a repulsive excuse of a ruler and an abhorrent father to Lord Faramir. I have no doubt that Daerion is more of the same. I was right to distrust him.”

“I do not doubt your intuition, but, if I may, I have a suggestion I should like you to consider.”

“What is it?”

“Let go of prejudice.”

The princess frowned. “What do you mean?”

“It seems to me you are blinded by preconceived notions. The Lord Denethor was indeed a troubled individual, but he did have a difficult past and was forced to endure a great deal of pain. Perhaps doting on Lord Daerion was a way to reconnect with his old self, with the man he had been before he was struck by pain and tragedy. He saved an innocent child from misfortune and showered him with love and attention. What would have been of Lord Daerion had the late Steward not provided him with an adequate livelihood? He most certainly would have perished.”

“Could he not show the same love and care to his son?”

“You speak of things you do not know, my lady.”

“Many contemporaries of the Lord Denethor still dwell within these halls, Estella. Even his staunchest supporters and closest allies have confirmed that our current Steward was treated less than favorably by his sire. Some of those lords immediately swore fealty to the Prince of Ithilien following my father’s accession as they were outraged by the unfair treatment previously suffered by Lord Faramir. They wished to make amends for not protecting him when they should have. They knelt before him and begged for mercy, which was granted to them.”  She sighed. “I admire Lord Faramir. He is knowledgeable and quick-witted. I wish my brother had turned to him for counsel. It would have benefited him greatly and he would now be maturing into the valiant prince he tricked the people into thinking he is. As far as I know, Lord Faramir had offered to tutor my brother, but Eldarion turned him down for Daerion.”

She paused. “It is not hard to imagine why he would do such a thing. It is no secret that my bother loves being coddled. Only Eru knows what that vile snake told him. My brother may be able to manipulate others, but he is manipulated just as easily. He is persuaded that Daerion cares for him, but it is apparent that Daerion is only interested in his reputation. That is all he cares about. I am certain he has spies and informants lingering about. He craves power, I can see it in his eyes. He craves power and would do anything to…”

She exhaled.” It is inevitable for me not to think ill of someone who was reared by a heartless madman.”

“Do you know him well enough? I think not. You should not be making assumptions, my lady. It is impolite and, if he truly is the sort of man, you are so adamantly describing, it could very dangerous if your words were overheard.”

“The Prince and the King must be protected.”

“They have the best protection available in all the lands of Men, as it is their right. The Grey Company…”

“The Grey Company failed to ensure their safety. My father only survived because of me.”

Her eyes rested on her governess’ face.

“Estella.”

“What is it, Madam?”

“I think…”

She pursed her lips. “I believe you were right. It all makes sense.”

“Madam, I am not following.”

“You said it before. You said it yourself, remember?”

“I beg your pardon, my lady, but I do not know what you are talking about. Perhaps if you would be so kind to provide some context…”

“You mentioned how there were no Haradrim at the parade.”

“That is correct. I did say that.”

“It only means the attacker was a Gondorian. You were right. Of course you were. No Rohirrim and no Haradrim attended the parade, after all.”

“Perhaps someone from Harad infiltrated the crowd and managed to…”

“They would have been caught, Estella. People from Harad have somewhat of a…distinctive appearance. They would never wear Gondorian garments, which makes them easily detectable.”

“We cannot know whether…”

“Why are you retracting your statement? I understand that you probably did not mean it. Perhaps you intended it to be a joke, a careless remark. But it is an entirely possible scenario, if not the most likely to have occurred.”

“You truly believe that…”

“It is my opinion that someone dwelling within our borders orchestrated an assassination attempt on my father. Perhaps they were also planning to murder my brother.”

“And I suppose you firmly believe that someone to be Lord Daerion, is that right?”

“I do.”

“It is not my place to argue with you, Madam, but…”

“Why are you defending him? Why are you trying to make excuses for him? Are you one of his mistresses?”

“Of course not!”

“You said it yourself, Estella. How can you not understand? Someone from Gondor was behind the attempt on my father’s life,” the Princess insisted. “Someone who knows our family well, someone who has access to my father’s inner circle. Someone my father trusts.”

“Your father has surrounded himself with many capable statesmen. Why are so you keen on accusing Lord Daerion? He’s your brother’s tutor and confidant. Why would he harm the King? He cares for Prince Eldarion as if he were his own son and every little thing he does is for his happiness and better comfort.”

“You are so blinded, Estella. For Eru’s sake, WAKE UP! You had an affair with him, there is no other explanation.”

“Madam, I…”

Estella was interrupted by a loud bang followed by a thud. A young man was on the floor, the wooden tray he has been carrying also on the ground. Estella frowned and rolled her eyes.

“Imrolas.”

He immediately stood up, picking up the tray. “Forgive me. I did not mean to barge in this unseemly fashion. I tripped and…”

“To what do we owe the grand entrance?”

“I…”

“We do not have all day, Imrolas! Place the tray anywhere you like and bow to the Princess. And do clean up this mess! Whatever was in the cup that so very unceremoniously shattered on the floor happened to spill all over the rug!”

“I had boiled some milk for the Princess…”

“She is no longer five years old! Why would you do such a thing?”

“She usually has it with sugar and vanilla extract…it is her favorite drink…”

“Do you have anything to say? Or have you come here just to be a bother?”

 Imrolas bowed his head. “I was sent by King Elessar. He wishes to speak to his daughter at once.”

“You could have said it much earlier. I suppose the cleaning can be postponed. Has our gracious King mentioned…”

Imrolas turned to the Princess. “He has decided to marry you off, Madam. He is waiting for you in his study.”

He glanced at Estella. “I was not going to clean it anyway. You may do it yourself. You are the head of the Princess’ household, and it is one of your many duties. I shall tend to mine. I may be clumsy, and I may be carefree, but I deserve to be valued and respected. You cannot talk to me that way. I do not answer to you and I owe you nothing. I was sent here to deliver a message, and I thought the Princess might enjoy a glass of milk. That is all.”

He placed the tray on a nearby table and bowed to the Princess. She was staring at him in anguish. “Marry? I have to…. marry?” she asked. “It cannot be, Imrolas. Why would my father…”

“It is the King’s decision, my lady. I am only his secretary, there is nothing I can do about it. I was tasked with bringing you the news and I had to comply.”

“NO! I do not want this!”

“If you please, Madam, I shall escort you to…”

“NO!” she cried. “Estella…say something. Speak to him. Speak to the King, I don’t want to marry. I am not ready, I don’t…”

“Who am I do so, my lady? Perhaps you will grow to love your husband. Maybe it will be love at first sight. I am sure…”

“I do not want to be wed, Estella! Why is no one listening to me!?”

The Princess rushed to Imrolas and hugged him. “Who am I marrying? You have seen him, am I right? You have, Imrolas, I know you have! Please tell me…”

“I am not allowed to say anything.”

“Imrolas, please. I don’t trust my father on such matters. I love him dearly, but I…”

“Come, my lady. We should not have him wait.”

She clung to him. “I have a bad feeling, Imrolas. I am scared. I would rather stay here.”

“You must not be afraid.”

“Why do I see pity in your eyes? What is going on? Who is my betrothed? Tell me his name. I am certain that my father told you who I am marrying. He informed you about it. Please, Imrolas. I beg you…do tell me. Say it.”

“Come with me. You shall see for yourself once he joins you and your gracious father.”

Estella and Imrolas had to forcibly drag her out of her chambers, the young royal protesting and hollering for an explanation.

“Behave, my lady.”

“Behave? Are you seriously asking me to…behave?”

“I am, my lady. Your screams will be heard by the whole court. Is this what you want?”

“If you think I am interested in the opinion of servile courtiers and in that of silly ladies whose only purpose is…”

“You will follow us and…”

“I do not intend to leave my chambers.”

Imrolas glanced at her. “My Princess, I beg you…”

“I will not change my mind. I am staying here.”

“Please, my lady, do not…”

Imrolas trailed off and gasped as Estella and picked up the Princess, tossing her unceremoniously over her shoulder and placing a hand over her mouth. “I have not done this since you were a toddler,” she complained. “Albeit disgraceful, it is somehow more dignified than the horrid spectacle you are currently making of yourself.”

All the Princess could do was mumble and stare at Imrolas, who was himself bewildered.

“What are you doing, Mistress Estella? Is this the proper way to treat a princess?”

“If she insists on acting like a spoiled toddler who will not listen to reason, then yes, my Lord Secretary of the King. It is.”

“And you truly believe that carrying her as if she were a potato bag will be helpful in bringing her back to her senses about a marriage to which she clearly does not consent?

“I raised her myself, Imrolas.”

“I understand, Estella. Yet I fail to see…”

“I know what I am doing.”

“I think you could try and persuade the King to reconsider his decision. Is it not what the Princess asked of you?”

“Why do you not do it, Master Secretary? You may have a better chance of succeeding. Our Liege trusts you and confides in you. You spend more time with him than anybody in this court. Surely putting in a word would not be too difficult for you, would it?”

“I am only a secretary. It is not my place to criticize our Liege-lord.”

“It is not mine either. I am only the Princess’ governess.”

“Well, what can we do then?”

“We are servants, Imrolas. Servants obey and keep their opinions to themselves. They keep quiet and do as their lord commands. That means there is virtually nothing we can do.”

“I thought that maybe you…”

“I oversaw the Princess’ education, that is true. I taught her how to walk and how to dress. I devoted myself to her upbringing. That does not mean I can change the King’s mind. No one can.”

“Perhaps we could speak to the Queen…”

“Be reasonable, Imrolas. Be reasonable.”

“I simply suggested…”

“It is a foolish suggestion! Do you seriously think we could go to the Queen and ask her to intercede on our behalf? Have you become a complete half-wit?”

“What would happen? We could ask for an audience…”

“And say what?! Our esteemed Princess does not wish to wed?”

“Y…yes? Is that not the truth?”

He glanced at her. “She does not seem at all pleased with it.”

“That is only because I am carrying her as if she were a potato bag as you rightly pointed out.”

“You could at least take your hand off her mouth.”

“Oh no, that would be most unwise.”

“How so?”

“She would embarrass herself and we must prevent it, especially within these halls. Do you not know it is said that even walls have ears? The Princess’ reputation would be ruined.”

“I am starting to properly loathe that word.”

“You would be surprised to learn how many things I loathe.”

Imrolas raised an eyebrow and Estella scoffed. “I must confess I deeply envy those who do not live here. Though serving the realm is my most sacred franchise, I…”

“You wish you were not the Princess’ governess.”

“I love our Princess as if she were my own child. As a matter of fact, she reminds me of my daughter; my beautiful girl whom I lost so many years ago. Yet…”

“Yet?”

“I truly wish we could help her. She does not deserve to be married off so young.”

Imrolas glanced at the Princess. “Are you comfortable up there, Madam?”

The Princess released a grunt and kicked Imrolas in the shoulder. The latter wheezed. “I suppose not.”

“She need not worry, for I will soon free her. That is, if she acts as befitting her station.”

“I do hope you will release her.” He leaned in. “Mind your tongue, my lady. She is the King’s daughter. A bold choice of words may cost you your pretty head.”

“Nonsense. The Princess would never harm me. Perhaps it is you, after all. You are eager to get rid of me.”

“Oh, not at all my fair lady,” he quipped. “You may not believe me, but I very much enjoy being around you when you are not insulting me.”

“You take delight in annoying me, Imrolas. I reckon that to be far more likely.”

“Perhaps.” He sighed. “Would you mind putting the Princess down? Watching her flail her arms makes me uncomfortable.”

“Oh, my poor, sensitive Imrolas,” the governess mocked him. “I suppose you have never been to battle. It would serve you well. At least you would learn to be less impressionable.”

“And you have, my lady? How many enemies have you slaughtered with your beautiful dress and headpieces? How many experienced warriors have you faced?”

“It is not a fair comparison, my Lord Secretary.”

“Women can participate in war if they so wish. Take the late Lady Éowyn for instance. She joined the army led by Théoden King and Éomer King and killed the Lord of the Nazgûl at the Pelennor Fields. She was only twenty-four years of age when she did that. I think it is impressive.”

“Not all women are like the Lady Éowyn. Be careful not to speak of her.”

“How come? She should be hailed as one of the greatest figures of this past age. She saved us all. Minas Tirith would have fallen, had she not slain that foul beast and its accursed rider.”

“I am aware of it. I know it all too well. Yet, you should refrain from mentioning her deeds. Members of this court may be quick to judge you and, as far as I know, most of them despise you already. You had better not give them any more reasons to hate you.”

“Do they really despise me?”

“If the persistent rumors I have heard have some truth to them…I suppose that…”

“Why would they though? I have never offended or disrespected anyone. I have never even spoken to them, Estella. I barely talk to anyone except you and King Elessar.  I am his secretary, the Lord Chancellor as some would say. I manage his correspondence, and I am in charge of his seal. It is my responsibility to keep track of his private expenses, and it is also my duty to collect taxes. I spend my days in an office with a balcony overlooking the Citadel and I rarely leave my quarters whenever the King does not require my assistance. I am only trying to serve the realm to the best of my ability. I may not have been the most qualified candidate to…”

“There. That is precisely the reason why others loathe the sight of you.”

“They think I am unfit to serve as Lord Chancellor, do they not?”

“You said so yourself.  You mentioned how clumsy and clueless you are several times since I met you and remarked on it earlier.”

“No, I…I did not…I meant…I…”

“Calm down, Imrolas.”

“Do you agree with them?”

“Imrolas…”

“It is a simple question. The answer should not require much thought, as it is fairly straightforward. Do you agree or not?”

Estella glanced at him. “No. No, I don’t.” Her lips curved into a meek smile, an amused twinkle in her eye. “Although you could try and be slightly more…organized. I have seen your study, and I think you should thank the Valar the King is not interested in visiting you.”

“He does not have time to visit me. He has many issues to take care of and so have I.”

“You should be grateful and pray that the One keeps him busy.”

“It is not funny, Estella. I take my duties seriously and…”

“I know that, my friend. I just thought I could land you a helping hand.”

“What for? I mean, I am flattered. I…what would I need help with? I cannot think of a single thing that needs fixing or…”

“When was the last time that study was cleaned, for instance?”

The secretary instantly paled. “Ugh…I…well, I…”

“That is what I thought.”

“What…what do you intend to do about it?”

“Dust it? Clean it? Sweep the floors, add some color to it? Add some flowers, a few pillows here and there? One may as well find more cheer in the Houses of the Dead.”

“I am very meticulous when it comes to…”

“Oh, do keep your tongue behind your teeth, Imrolas! You cannot fool me.”

“I am not trying to, I…”

“Here we are,” the governess cut him off. “Madam?”

Gilraen let out a grunt and tried to sound out some words, Estella’s hand still on her mouth.

“May Eru be blessed, you are alive. You have been awfully quiet; I was starting to worry.”

The Princess’ mumbling prompted Estella to set her free. She put her down gently and fixed her hair. “We are approaching the King’s study. Please, Madam, do not cause a scene.”

“I have no desire to marry.”

“You will have to. Your father…”

“He cannot force me.”

“You are the King’s daughter, and you are expected to...”

“I will not marry anyone. Not for a long time.”

“I have no wish to gag you again, but if you keep arguing and interrupting me when I am attempting to…”

“What about you? Have you ever considered taking another husband? You could wed Imrolas. I heard you talk, and you quarrel like an old married couple.  What do you think, Imrolas?”

“Madam, now it is not an appropriate time to jest. Your father is waiting for you. You should go.”

“Will you two not accompany me?”

The secretary and the governess exchanged a glance. “Would you like us to?”

“Yes. I do not think I can do it alone.”

They walked to her father’s study silently, Imrolas and Estella slowing their pace so that the Princess could take the lead. They were servants and, as such, it was forbidden for them to trudge by her side. They turned a corner and saw full-armored guards stationed on both sides of the corridor, the winged crown of Gondor and the scepter of Annúminas intertwined in an elaborate coat of arms that was plastered on their tabards as well as on their helms. They bowed as she hesitantly trudged along, their heads as low as hers. She stopped before a carved oak door. She turned back and sighed as Estella and Imrolas each gave her an encouraging nod. Then they both bowed and took their leave of her. She stood still for a few more minutes before the guard standing closest to her opened the door, careful not to meet her eye. She pursed her lips and prayed to Eru. All will be well, she told herself. Whatever happens, do not lose hope. For lost is the faithless when the road darkens.

-

“Gilraen, guren vell. Do come in.”

She entered the room and curtsied. Elessar stood and walked up to her, hugging her tightly. “My beautiful girl. You must be wondering why I called you here.”

 He kissed her brow and the light in his eyes dimmed as he glanced into hers. “What is it, my child?”

“I…I was told…”

“Oh, you already know about it, then.” He kissed her cheek. “I am so proud of you, my sweet girl. Are you alright?”

Her lips curved into an understated smile as she bowed her head.

“Gilraen?”

“I am, my lord. I am fine. You seem to be in good health as well.”

“It is because of you that I still live, my daughter.” He ran a hand through her hair. “I need you to promise me something.”

“You only need ask. I am yours to command.”

“Never try and save my life again.”

“Father…”

“Should I perish, whether it be in combat or…”

“Please don’t…”

“You’re right. You probably do not wish to hear unpleasant things on such a joyful occasion. I have summoned you here to discuss another matter. I apologize for not telling you sooner, but, as it happens, my mind was set on your full recovery.”

“I know. Though I was unconscious most of the time, I knew you were by my side. I felt your presence, and, for that, I am grateful. You worked tirelessly to ensure my survival.”

Elessar caressed her face. “My sweet girl…forgive me for not being a better father to you. Eru knows that I have made mistakes. I have neglected you and disregarded you, but I believe I have found a way to mend our relationship. I know how tedious life at court is to you. Which is why I have decided to allow you to spend a few months away from the capital.”

Gilraen’s eyes widened. “My liege, I…”

“Father. Please do not use titles with me. I am your father, Gilraen.”

“I...do not know what to say.”

“It is not what you have always wished for?”

“I…”

“You are trembling. Are you certain you’re alright?”

“I…”

“Gilraen?”

His tone was full of concern. “My child, look at me. If you don’t feel well…”

“I am fine. I am just…confused.”

“How so?”

“You were never in favor of me leaving Minas Tirith. You always called me back whenever I left to visit Aunt Mörwen and you know how safe her mansion is. Why would you send me away when you always insisted that I stay here?”

“You are not going back to Dol Amroth. Forget about Aunt Mörwen.”

She frowned. “What do you mean? Am I no longer allowed to…”

“You will be escorted to Lossarnach as soon as possible.”

“Why? What am I to do there?”

“It is my personal thank you to you, my child. A wedding gift which I hope shall be well received.”

“Wedding gift?”

“Are you not glad?”

“I…”

“Gilraen?”

“Should I be?”

“It is for you to tell me. Though I must confess I did expect quite a different reaction. Usually, ladies cannot contain their excitement hearing such news. That is my experience, at least.”

“To whom am I to be married? Imrolas would not speak about it. Why am I being sent to Lossarnach? There is nothing for me to do there.”

“Your betrothed has been granted lordship over the region and you, as his bride, are entitled to the title of lady of Lossarnach. The Prince of Umbar was briefly considered as a viable alternative, but you never seemed comfortable with the idea of crossing the border.��

“That is not true. I have only been to Dol Amroth, and you always called me back here nearly as soon as you learned of my departure. I would like to travel to Rohan and I should also enjoy to visit my uncles and see my Lady Mother’s childhood home for myself. Rivendell must be so beautiful and…”

 “That is enough, Gilraen.”

“But…”

“I must tell you that the grandson of the current lord of Lebennin was also considered. I have met with the boy on a number of occasions and, though he would be an excellent husband, he suffers from a variety of ailments which can hardly be treated. I feel for the boy, truly. He would be the perfect husband for you, but I doubt he would be able to fulfill his marital duties. Our House is young, and it needs heirs in order to leave a lasting legacy.

“I am twelve years old…”

“I know, my child, I know. Your brother is fourteen and so is his own betrothed. Such is nature of unions among the nobility, whether we approve of it or we do not. I understand such a commitment may be cause of worry and distress, which is why I recommend that you spend some time with the lady Elenna. After all, she is your brother’s intended, and she also happens to be well-advised on several…”

“I will never be like the Lady Elenna nor do I wish to. I admire her but I pity her. I pity her and I would rescue her if I could. I would save her from the dark pit in which she is trapped.

“Trapped?”

“Have you not noticed how miserable she is?”

Elessar sighed. “She did indeed endure some unpleasant…”

“Do you think forcing an arranged marriage upon her will be at all helpful? The poor girl is unwell and no one seems to care. If she really must marry, at least have her choose her own husband. I have seen how Eldarion treats her, Father. I witnessed some of his brutality. He has no regard for her honor and…”

“I will not let you slander your brother. While it is understandable that you may not see eye to eye on certain...”

“Father, Eldarion is...”

“Do not interrupt me, my child,” he admonished her. “While I do agree that there are many at court who do not wish the Lady Elenna well—many of whom I have known for several years—I am beyond convinced your brother is not one of them. He may not be in love with her as of now, but he would never mistreat her.”

“Do you understand that a great deal of her pain and suffering are to be attributed to none other than my very own brother, to the Crown Prince you so revere? What has Eldarion done to deserve the constant praise you and Mother seem to be so keen on lavishing upon him? What has he done to deserve such boundless love? What has he achieved that I have not accomplished as well?”

“You both are distinguished members of House Telcontar. The future of the Reunited Kingdom rests in your hands.”

“You have not answered my question, Father,” Gilraen insisted. “What has Eldarion done that is so deserving of merit and attention?”

Elessar sighed and rubbed a hand over his face. “It is true then. I hoped your brother’s worries were futile and unfounded. At last, it turns out he was correct.”

“Of what do you speak? What are you referring to?”

“Sadly, your brother is aware of the blatant disdain in which you hold him and is disconcerted by your cold demeanor and arrogant manners, which, I admit, I had not noticed until he pointed them out to me. He stressed how some of the rather grievous incidents in which you were recently involved and the issues that followed may have been exacerbated by your condescending attitude.”

“He accused me of being condescending?”

She scoffed. “I am so very pleased to know that my irreprehensible brother is now fit to lecture me on morals. If I may say so, Father, I think he ought to strive to better his own behavior and focus on his duties. As the Crown Prince, he is expected to uphold to the values of our forefathers.”

“Of course he is. And so are you.”

“I am trying to my best to act according to my conscience. I have always done so, and I stand firm on this proposition of mine. I am not one to be easily swayed.”

“Of that, I am glad,” he replied dryly. “Though I still fail to understand what you were trying to imply.”

“I find it odd that a man of your wisdom and acumen was unable to grasp the hidden meaning behind my previous statement.”

“Fret not, I did pick up on the subtleties.” Elessar glanced at his daughter, his gray eyes cold and stern. “However, I should very much like you to detail Eldarion’s misdeeds. They must be grave indeed to warrant such a harsh reaction.”

“Eldarion is not the boy you believe him to be, my liege.”

“It was your brother who brought it to my attention. We discussed the matter at great length, and it may be due to a poorly concealed feeling of jealousy on your part. While I dismissed his claim at the time our conversation about the matter took place, I see now that I should have heeded his words.”

“I never once thought my beloved father would favor one of his children beyond measure while completely disregarding the other, but it is apparent that the Crown Prince succeeded in poisoning you against me.” Her lip quivered. “What happened to you? Tell me, Ada. I…I need to know. What happened to us? Has your love for me utterly faded? Why will you not believe me, why will you not listen to me? Why will you not even look me in the eye?”

“Now it is not the time to address such…”

“You will not dismiss me again,” she chimed in. “I will not allow it.”

“Very well. Do speak, Gilraen.”

“Have you truly not noticed anything odd in Eldarion’s behavior? Is she such a good pretender that you would believe him if he told you that the Valar came among us?”

“Say what you must and make haste, I pray you. I did not summon you here so that you could slander your brother with unfounded accusations. Your intended is joining us shortly in order to discuss the terms of your betrothal as well as his plans for the betterment of Lossarnach.”

“You will not listen to me, will you? I have to yet say a word and…”

“Gilraen.”

“I must beg my liege to call off the Crown Prince’s betrothal to the Lady Elenna of Ithilien.”

Elessar frowned. “Why? I doubt that the Lady Elenna has behaved improperly.”

Gilraen clenched her jaw. “Must it always be the Lady Elenna or any other woman? Why can it not be Eldarion? Is it because he is a boy? Is it because he is a male?”

“You know very well that is not what I meant.”

“Is it because he is your coveted heir, the high and mighty Crown Prince of the Reunited Kingdom of Gondor and Arnor? Is that why you cannot fathom the concept of him ever making a mistake? That is it, is it not?”

“Your brother is a kind and thoughtful young man.”

“That is what he wants you and Mother to believe. Although he is excellent at making it seem so, he is not who he pretends to be.”

“Gilraen…”

“He beats her, Father. I saw it with my own eyes.”

“What are you talking about?”

“Your precious son. My brother. Eldarion.”

Elessar stared at her, a puzzled expression on his face. “What about him?”

“Do you not understand? He is the sole responsible for her troubles.” She sighed. “You care deeply about her, do you not?”

“Of course I do. She is a blessing to our family and will be a wonderful Crown Princess and an excellent Queen in due time. The realm will flourish under her guide and protection.”

“She will not be the Crown Princess, Father. For her own sake, she cannot be. Eldarion should not be permitted to wed until he matures and learns how to treat others.”

Confusion and bewilderment were etched on the King’s features. “My son would never disrespect anyone. He was not raised that way. I made sure of it.”

“I know,” the Princess quipped. “Unfortunately, my brother appears to have forgotten the values you and my Lady Mother tried to instill in him as a child. He strayed from the rightful path you set him on long ago and sought refuge in the counsel of another.”

She paused. “I suppose you are aware of his fondness for his tutor.”

Elessar nodded. “Lord Daeron is a trusted member of his household and a valuable ally to the Crown. He is a core member of my Council and has served me faithfully since I reclaimed the throne that was mine by right. He recently further proved his worth and his loyalty to the realm by saving your life. You, my daughter, stand before me because of him and, for that, I am forever in his debt. A debt which, I fear, shall never be fully paid. Though an attempt was made and an agreement between us was indeed reached, I fear it will not suffice.”

Gilraen ignored him. “What if he was to blame for Eldarion’s misbehavior? His influence on him is growing stronger by the day.”

“Lord Daeron oversees his scholarly education, that is all. Your brother has no other reason to see him, and, to my knowledge, he does not interact with him unless he has queries about his daily assignments. They speak of history, grammar and politics.”

“I presume Eldarion himself told you so.”

“You are correct.”

“I assume you do not know about his many concubines then.”

“What are you saying, Gilraen? You enjoy spreading lies and deceit to tarnish his reputation, do you not? What is it that you hope to gain from your scheming? Do you seek to win the people’s favor?” He looked at her gravely. “Are you plotting to overthrow me? Do you want to be queen? Tell me, Gilraen. You wish to rule, is that right?”

Her eyes widened. “Father, how can you…?”

“What will you do? Speak. Tell me all about it. Will you have your brother killed? Are you hoping the people will murder him so that you can ascend the throne? Will you get rid of me as well? Will you have me executed? What about your mother? Is she going to be exiled?”

“How quickly did you forget that I saved you,” she replied, her tone low. “How quickly. I took an arrow that was meant for you, I bled for you, I nearly died for you, and this is what you think? Do you truly believe I would usurp your throne and murder my family in cold blood? I care nothing for that stupid chair. Yes, Father, that is all that it is. A stupid chair. A stupid, meaningless chair that could as well be destroyed by  a flood or a natural disaster of any sort. Do you think I would choose a chair over my parents?”

“I did not…”

“I am trying to have a conversation with you, I am attempting to reason with you. I am only asking for a few minutes of your time. I am only asking you to listen. Can you do that? Can you listen to your own daughter? Is it too much to…”

Her voice trailed off and tears welled up in her gray eyes. “You need to save her. Save the Lady Elenna from my brother. Call off their betrothal. Marry her to somebody else, someone who will take care of her. I may not know her all that well, but she is struggling, Father. That much is clear for all to see. She is suffering and it is my  wish to help her.”

“I had suggested that you spend some time with her. It will benefit you greatly. As I mentioned earlier, she is the epitome of…”

“Are you in denial or just plain cruel? She is suffering and we must do something to aid her. We must intervene before she…”

She noticed how her father had stiffened, his eyes suddenly vacant. “Are you alright?”

He did not reply and Gilraen raised an eyebrow. “Father?”

He gulped and took a deep breath before he sat. “I did intervene. Had I waited one more instant, she…”

“What did she do?”

“I…”

“Did my brother do something to her?”

“Gilraen…”

“Did the Prince force himself on her? I know he slaps her and pushes her around when she does not give in to his whims. I caught a glimpse of several bruises on her arms, and I may have inquired about a visible split lip but…even I cannot picture my brother...”

She held her breath and exhaled loudly. “He would not do that, would he? She is to be his wife. He cannot…please tell me that he…”

“She has taken up to wearing a tight collar around her throat, has she not?”

Gilraen blinked, confused. “I thought it was necklace at first, but…yes, she…she does wear one. Other ladies wear jewelry of the same fashion. Why do you ask?”

“She…she was attacked by two of your mother’s attendants. She would not say their names even though I begged her multiple times. She was trembling. They injured her with scissors and punched her repeatedly in the face. Poor child was so scared. They attacked her out of envy. That is what she told me. She said they harmed her because they were jealous of her future status as Crown Princess. She said they claimed to have slept with your brother. I did not believe it; I still do not believe it. I did not raise my son that way. My Eldarion would never do that. I warned the Lady Elenna about the remote possibility of him taking a mistress, but…”

“You knew…”

“I would have warned anyone. Infidelity is rampant in Gondor; it always has been. I simply wished to warn her as I would have done with any other lady. What matters is…I did not believe her. I got angry and said things I should not have. She blamed her late mother for her misfortune and…asked me to return to Emyn Arnen. She said she only wanted to be happy, and she doubted she could find respite here at court. She pleaded again and again…she cried out that she only wished to go home. I refused. I did not give her my permission to return to Ithilien. Then…”

He smothered a sob. “She grabbed her silver dagger, the one I gave her as a birthday present a few years ago. She held it tightly, pressed it against her throat and…”

Gilraen was fuming. “Why would you not allow her to leave? She attempted to kill herself…she tried to…”

The tears she had been holding back were now freely trickling down her pale cheeks. “You are to blame for this. It is your fault. You truly are cruel. Why would you…”

She was shaking in anger. “I am to be married to Daerion, am I not? You gave my hand in marriage to that depraved, disgusting, utterly foul specimen of a Secondborn. That was the agreement you reached, was it not?”

“He is a good man. He saved you when I could not.”

“I wish I had died.”

“GILRAEN!”

“I wish I had died before I learned what you did to an innocent girl who just wanted to see her home again. I wish I had died before I learned what sort of despicable individual you are.”

“I did not…”

“I am leaving. I am going back to Dol Amroth. Aunt Mörwen will attend on me so that I will not have to see you again.”

She turned and walked to the door. Elessar immediately rose to his feet. “I will not allow it, Gilraen.”

“I presumed you would say it. I hoped you would.”

“You are not permitted to leave this room until your betrothed arrives.”

“You can speak his name.”

A page suddenly entered the room and bowed. “I beg your pardon my liege,” he said sheepishly. “Lord Daerion is here. He says he was summoned to discuss a matter of the utmost importance.”

Elessar stood up. “He was.” He composed himself. “Let him in.”

The page bowed once more. “My King.”

He furthered opened the door and a tall, distinguished man who could have easily passed for a gentleman made his way in. Gilraen stumbled as he stepped closer to her. “My Princess,” he saluted her before bowing to Elessar. “My liege. You honor me beyond words.”

“Come, my lord.”

Gilraen shivered as her brother’s tutor walked by her. She sighed and held her breath, trying to control her shaking hands. She stood still, her ears deaf to most of the conversation between her father and her—she nearly fainted as she allowed herself to reflect on it—future husband. She could not move, her feet unable to sustain her weight. She fell to her knees without a sound, her mind blank. She no longer knew who she was, she did not know where she was, and it did not matter to her. She had died. She was reminded of the Lady Elenna and of her pain. A pain she had only now begun to understand.

She was pulled up by a pair of arms, but she could not feel her father’s embrace. She heard his voice call her name, but she found she was unable to talk.

She blinked as she realized she was lying on her bed. She was in her chambers, her governess watching over her.

“Madam?”

Gilraen whimpered. “Estella?”

She stirred. “My head hurts.”

“I was so worried when I saw your father carrying you…”

“Why was I brought here? What happened? I cannot seem to remember.”

“I am not quite sure.”

“Did I faint?”

“I would not say so, Madam. You were…catatonic. Lord Daerion mentioned how concerned he was and…”

Gilraen jerked as her mind cleared. Being of Elven descent certainly had its own perks. “I need to leave. Tomorrow. I am going back to Dol Amroth. Tell the maids to prepare all that is needed. We are going and the Lady Elenna is coming with us.”

“Madam, I am afraid it is not possible. The King…”

“He is marrying me off to him, Estella. I did not even want to be wed, and he is entrusting me to that old creep. What have I done to deserve it? Why me, Estella, why me!?”

“Madam, I am sure there is an explanation. You need to calm down. Your father would never endanger you. You need to speak to him so that he can…”

“We are leaving, Estella. We are leaving. The three of us.”

The governess looked puzzled. “The third person being…?”

“Why, the Lady Elenna, of course! Have someone—anyone—from my household send her a message. Urge them to do as I command at once. We cannot afford to waste time. We are leaving at dawn tomorrow.”

“Madam…you need plenty of rest and…”

“I need to see Aunt Mörwen. Both my life and that of the Lady of Ithilien depend on it, do you understand?”

“Madam, you need to calm down. Perhaps if the physician examined you…”

“I need you to listen to me. I need you to do as I say. Please, Estella. We both need to go. Aunt Mörwen will help us.”

“I…”

“That is, unless you want me to kidnap the Lady Elenna and run off with her as soon as the sun sets. I have done it before, and you know I would be capable of doing it again.” She chuckled. “I did not kidnap anyone last time though. Do you think it would be an easy feat to accomplish?”

Estella glared at her but the Princess ignore her disapproving looks. “So, what is it going to be?”

The governess pursed her lips. “I will have someone send the Steward’s daughter a message.”

“I knew I could trust you. I am not marrying Daerion, and she is not marrying my brother.”

“Is this why…”

“Yes. I will not let it happen. We will both be free.”

“I do not think the King and Lord Faramir will…”

“Go, Estella. Please. Please, do as I ask.”

The governess curtsied and left, a crease on her forehead. Young Gilraen smiled and soon her smile tuned into a smirk. She would be free. Soon, they would both be free. And happy.

Yes. They would be happy. The Lady Elenna would smile too at last.

She deserves it, Gilraen thought, she deserves it more than anyone. May the Valar protect us both. I do not know her all that well, but I want her to be happy.

She blew the candle on her night table and closed her eyes. Estella was right, she did need to rest. A long journey awaited her. A long, somewhat expected journey.

Canon Character Faceclaims:

Henry Cavill as Eldarion

Original Character Faceclaims

Kaya Scodelario as Gilraen

Burcu Gül Kazbek as Estella, Gilraen's governess

Daniel Portman as Imrolas

Aidan Gillen as Daerion

Selen Öztürk as Mörwen

Tags:

@tolkienocweek

@lucifers-legions

@emmanuellececchi

@saurongorthaur9

[drunkdumbfucker]

Legolas suffering from sea-longing | Ao3 fic recs

Hello, under the read more you'll find a masterlist of fics where Legolas goes through the ordeal of sea-longing! 99% of them will include the pairing Gimli/Legolas, this list exists to be edited and nourished as long as I keep ruining my happiness with their existence :))))

"Legolas Greenleaf long under tree In joy thou hast lived. Beware of the Sea! If thou hearest the cry of the gull on the shore, Thy heart shall then rest in the forest no more." Galadriel

root and stone, song and sea, by @coveredinsun | words 13k+, post-canon, fluff and angst & Gimleaf

Summary: "[...] Or: A few looks into Legolas' sea-longing, and the joyous things that make it more bearable." [this one broke me I cried and smiled and every sentence deserves to be cherished, and everything this author writes is gold]

rebuil your seawall (brick by brick), by @deheerkonijn | words 30k+, modernAU & Gimleaf

Summary: "For weeks and months, Legolas has felt a pull - and dares not name it, does not heed its stormy-sky warnings, does not track the ebb and flow on the shoreline of his life. Here’s the thing about the tide, though: it rises whether one wills it or not." [this one made me lose my shit it was so well thought and the universe in which it's set is immense and dear, such a great series]

Across the sea (a pale moon rises), by loving_rat_314 | words 10k (unfinished), post-canon & old age & Gimleaf

Summary: "After Aragorn`s death, Legolas and Gimli brave an uncertain journey into the West." [don't talk to me don't look at me]

On the Cold Hill Side, by @mcvices | words 24k, missing scene & Gimleaf

Summary: "In the end, Gimli thinks, Legolas will steal his heart and sail away with it, and even the wonders of the Glittering Caves are not enough consolation for that loss. But when Aragorn calls for Gimli’s help in dismantling the hidden traps of Orthanc, everything changes." [I don't even know what to say, fell in love with the writing, adored it all, really great dialogues]

The Undying, by Angela | words 20k, old age & pining & slow-burn Gimleaf

Summary: “I was wondering,” Gimli had said at the beginning of it. “Isn't it about time you get started on that boat of yours?” It has been over one hundred years since the War of the Ring. Gimli and a dwarf girl named Mâglah help Legolas build his ship to sail into the west. While they are working, Legolas realizes that there are a lot of things that have been long unexpressed between him and his dearest friend, things that must be said and done before it is too late." [so complete, precious OC, heart-wrenching details and moments]

Seasick, by Longyan | words 3k, growing old & Gimleaf

Summary: "The pull has existed for a long time. It has always been there, just at the back of his mind ― a mere childish curiosity, to see waves break against the shore, to feel fresh breeze in his hair. Still, it was never more than a passing thought, something that would always be drowned out by other, more interesting things. Nothing more, nothing less. The world is bright. Sauron is gone. And Legolas is sure, as long he has Gimli by his side, the water has no power over him. And he is intent on staying forever." [short but strong, like Gimli. Will fuck you up, I kid you not, very powerful shit right here]

what a thing to choose, by coverdinsun (again) | words 4k, post-canon & Arwen stan account & Gimleaf

Summary: "[...] Or: As time appears to be slipping out of his grasp, Legolas must grapple with his fear." [idk I love your little short summaries in the end. another masterpiece, trule wonderful dialogue, some of my fave characterizations in here]

To the sea, by @roselightfairy | words 13k, so much angst & Gimleaf

Summary: "A few decades into their shared lives, Legolas seems to be losing his battle against the sea-longing. The only solution that he can think of is to go to the sea. Of course, Gimli will not let him go alone." [this one hits really really hard, a slap to the face. so much angst yet so beautiful, pay attention to all the tags, prepare your tissues beforehand <3]

Go west, by undomiel (dolcewrites) | words 8k, angst++++ & Gimleaf

Summary: "The Sea has never left Legolas' mind since he first heard the cry of the gulls at Pelargir. As time catches up to the elf, he has to make a choice: to sail to the West, or to stay with his companion, Gimli the dwarf." [Maybe even more angsty than the last one because it touches all the despair and loss and pain]

To be continued!

[the-king-and-the-druidess]

🌿 «Trillium», a merlin BBC Mordred x Morgana longfic • canon divergent from season 2 • arthurian legends • druids-inspired lore • nonlinear narrative • the sequel, «Aconitum», is being posted 🍀

Morgana, a princess of Camelot with forbidden magic, escapes from home to the magical forest of Brocéliande where she meets the druid clan's leader Aglain, his daughter Elaine and adopted son Mordred. Magic of the Old Religion embraces her, but Morgana is more important for Destiny than she thinks. Her simple decision to find her true self sets off a whole chain of events leading to a crossroads: judgement and perish of the entire Kingdom or the long-awaited Golden Age.

⛤ AO3 LINK • Relationship: Mordred/Morgana, Arthur & Merlin, Arwen & Gwencelot, Mordred & Morgana & Lancelot, Morgause/Cenred, Arthur & Morgana. Arthurian OCs: Sir Galahad, Elaine, Ector, Kay, Lisanor ⛤

LORE 🌿 CHARACTERS OVERVIEW 🌿 GRAPHICS: mystical places, geography, heroines, edits

If Fate wills it, it will make it happen no matter how hard you try to walk away. Magic chooses you. Don't trust anything you see but everything you feel. What if what you're sure of is wrong? You don't know what kind of wave a pebble you throw into the lake will raise. Have faith, protect nature and remember your ancestors. The past is the future, and the future is the past: to return to the Old Ways is to pass into the New Age. Even if you forget, your soul remembers. Power without love is evil, and love even without power will live forevermore.

Tumblr tag: #druid au

[live-laugh-loverpool]

The Powers That Be

Summary: When Liverpool hires Jonathan Powell as their new doctor, Klopp notices something familiar about Jonathan’s only daughter.

Tags: @millythegoat, @alissonbecksfan234, @moomin279, @lfc-fanfiction

When news came in that Jonathan Power, former FA doctor, would join Liverpool’s medical department, the staff decided to throw a small cocktail party. With all the injuries that had piled up recently, having a new doctor come in was a dream come true.

The coaching staff decorated the auditorium with red, gold and green decorations—it was getting close to Christmas, after all—and Nemmer prepared hors d'oeuvres. Everybody chipped in to prepare the drinks—non-alcoholic, of course, because nobody wanted to deal with a bunch of hangovers the following morning.

“So when’s he coming?” Chelsea asked, taking a sip from her cranberry spritz. “It better be soon, because us medics can’t handle the injury list by ourselves for much longer!”

“He arrives tomorrow.” Lijnders reached for a Lebkuchen, adding it to his mounting plate of food. “So by tomorrow, there’ll be six medics: you, Vera, Robert, Jim, Kerry and Jonathan.”

Klopp nodded in confirmation. He sneakily stole one of Lijnders’ cookies from his plate, avoiding a slap from the Dutchman. “He’s coming with his wife and daughter. I think I met him before, though.”

“You met him before? Where?” Kanchana buzzed with energy, bouncing on the balls of her feet. The Thai woman had a low sugar tolerance, and considering how many sugar cookies had disappeared from the platter, she’d clearly overdone it. “In the park? On the beach?”

Vera shook her head, massaging her wife’s shoulders. “How many times did you head to the chocolate fountain, Chan?”

“Dunno. Four times, maybe?”

The Malagasy medic raised an eyebrow at Kanchana. “You sure you haven’t had a little too much of those margaritas, babe?”

“What margaritas? I didn’t have any margaritas,” Kanchana protested. “You know I can’t have any alcohol, dear.”

Klopp rolled his eyes at the couple. “I don’t remember where I met Jonathan, Chan. It was more than five years ago, and I think Zeljko was still here…” He trailed off, and for a moment his eyes glazed over. But then Klopp briskly nodded at nothing in particular, refilling his glass of ginger ale. “Oh, it’s nothing. Probably my old memory dreaming up stories again.”

“Your stories are true,” Lijnders argued. But it was only half-heartedly, and he hastily stuffed his face with more cookies. “Then again, we’ve all had a slip-up or two in our memory.”

Klopp nodded, but as he walked away, his scowl only grew deeper. “I’m sure I met a Jonathan before,” he muttered to himself, passing the snack table. “But where? And when? I just can’t remember the time.”

As if the radio was listening to him, Michael Jackson’s “Remember The Time” began blasting over the PA system. Klopp decided to let his thoughts go, grabbing Lijnders as the other staff filled the dance floor. There were some songs one just couldn’t resist dancing to, and this was one of them.

*

As promised, Jonathan arrived around noon the next day. Klopp, Lijnders and the medics met him in the Kirby foyer, shaking hands and exchanging pleasantries.

“Nice to meet you all!” Jonathan was polite and pleasant, but he nervously fiddled with the buttons on his blazer. “If I may, I’d like to introduce my wife, Louella.”

A bright-eyed, curly-haired woman in an burgundy coat walked up to Klopp, shaking his hand. “Oi, glad we finally met, you old German relic. You sure you didn’t run into an aging machine? Your hair’s as gray as a raincloud.”

“I warned the mass: this team will give me gray hairs!” Klopp smiled and nodded at Louella, clasping her hand. “But yes, pleased to meet you as well.”

Louella smirked, then looked back over her shoulder. “Arwen, dear! Hurry up, we can’t stay out in the draft too long!”

Arwen. The name hit Klopp like a ton of bricks. He staggered backwards, clutching Lijnders for support.

“Arwen’s our daughter, remember?” said Jonathan, as if he could read Klopp’s mind. “I told you in our Zoom interview a few days ago.”

“Why…yes, yes you did.” Now Klopp was sure something was familiar. But whereas yesterday his mind was hyperfocused on remembering where he’d seen Jonathan, now all he could think about was Arwen. Arwen, Arwen, Arwen. Where have I heard your name before?

A sharp, cold gust of wind blew in, and promptly ended. In the place of the open doorway, there stood a young girl, around eight.

“Arwen!” Jonathan turned towards the girl, a larger than life smile stretching across his jaws. “This is Klopp and the rest of the staff. We’re finally meeting in person!”

As Arwen went from staff member to staff member, Klopp took in every detail of her. Her wavy dark hair, plaited into a single braid with green beads. Her small, bushy eyebrows, hung over clear hazel-green eyes. Her lopsided yet genuine smile, bright white except where a tooth was missing. Her chrome and black wheelchair, with an orange and green flower sticker on one handle.

She was Arwen Power. An eight-year old girl. And now Klopp was sure he had seen her before, and where.

Just as the thought crossed his mind, Lila wheeled up to Klopp. She strained her neck to make eye contact, and Klopp bent slightly so it would be easier.

“Klopp, I…” A speechless Arwen shook her head, her braid flying wildly. “You’re standing right in front of me. I can’t help it, but it’s just like…damn, you’re here. Wait, that came out wrong—”

“It’s fine, I swear all the time! I’ve been trying to stop, but it’s almost impossible.” Klopp took Arwen’s extended hand and shook it. “Welcome to the family—er, I mean club.”

“No, he meant family.” Lijnders chuckled at his own joke, while Robert elbowed him.

Klopp rolled his eyes at the two’s antics, but deep inside his conscience was being eaten alive. Even though the events had happened years ago, the guilt still bothered him whenever it was triggered—like today.

“Hey, folks! Would you mind giving me a chance to talk to Louella and Jonathan alone?” He had to get this off his conscience before he went insane.

Most of the staff nodded, leaving without a fuss. Vera, who was having a good conversation with Louella, began to protest, but Lijnders took one glance at Klopp and motioned for Vera to let them talk.

“So, what do you want to talk about, boss?” said Jonathan. “The injury list? Estimated return dates? Living accommodations?”

“No, no and no. I was just wondering…” Klopp tried to make this sentence sound as nice as possible. "Can I…talk with your daughter?”

“Sure, but why?” Jonathan barely managed to hide his snickering. You’re not going to give her the Barcelona treatment, are you?”

“No, no. I’ve done enough already.” Klopp said that part with a hint of regret. “You know what happened. That day. Arwen doesn’t know the whole story.”

Jonathan’s eyes widened, while Louella whispered a faint “oh, god”.

“Now if you’ll excuse me, folks.” Klopp turned on his heel, walking towards the staircase that was the bane of his existence. “I’ve got to get this off my conscience.”

*

He found Arwen in the cafeteria, checking out the room. She was rather agile in wheeling her chair around, often performing the necessary maneuvers with one hand while the other was left unoccupied.

Klopp sighed, taking a seat near the pool table. Imagine if she could have both hands free and still move.

“Arwen!”

“Coming!” Arwen flashed Klopp a thumbs-up, wheeling her chair towards where he stood.

Once Arwen was right in front of him, Klopp found himself speechless. How was he supposed to tell Arwen that his mistake deprived her of the ability to walk? How would he explain that he was unable to catch her, thus letting her fall, as a baby?

Johann Cruyff, have mercy on me.

Somehow, Arwen seemed to sense the tension in the air. “You’ve got a nice training ground here, Klopp,” she said as if to break the ice. “I’m looking forward to coming here.”

“You may not look forward to it as much,” Klopp confessed, “if you knew the whole truth.”

“What whole truth?” Arwen queried. “Klopp, I know I’m adopted; Mum and Dad told me. I know you’re the Liverpool manager; you’re the only manager of this club that I remember. I know that I’m in a wheelchair because of an accident that happened when I was one. I know a lot of things.”

Klopp shook his head, not looking at Arwen directly. “You don’t know everything, though.”

“Alright. Test me.” Arwen defiantly placed her hands on her hips. “Tell me something I don’t know.”

There was no way out of this, and Klopp knew it. “We’ve met before. You were much younger than you are now…”

“Okay, go on.” Arwen flinched, but outwardly she remained calm.

Klopp nodded in silent agreement, focusing on Arwen’s flower sticker. If I just get straight to the story, maybe I can do this.

“I was trimming the garden when Zeljko and I found you in a rosebush. That was why we called you Rose at first. I know, not the most imaginative name in history. We both had a soft spot for you, and we’d often catch each other rocking you to sleep—or asleep in a rocking chair next to your bassinet.”

Arwen’s eyes widened, and the young girl flinched again. “You…you found me? You and Zeljko Buvac found me, as a baby?”

“Yeah. Anyways, the important thing is that you were extremely agile. You could walk, run and climb.” He sighed, fingering the hem of his shirtsleeves. “Too well, in fact.”

She quizzically tilted her head, raising an eyebrow. “What do you mean by ‘too well’? Did I do something bad?”

“No! No, not at all.” Klopp made a mental note to be careful when talking to Arwen. She was catching on—but in exactly the wrong way, blaming herself for what she didn’t even know yet. “One day when neither Zeljko or I were watching, you managed to climb out of your playpen and into a tall tree.”

“I could climb trees at one time?” Arwen echoed, and Klopp didn’t really blame her. Arwen had no memories of herself at one, so she had known herself to be disabled her whole life.

“Zeljko tried to get you from above, while I started climbing the tree from the trunk,” Klopp continued. “I desperately told you not to move, but you got so excited when you saw Zeljko coming, that you tried to pull yourself to a stand. You slipped off the branch and plummeted to the ground with a hard, loud thunk. I tried to jump and save you, but…I was too high up on the tree.”

“So I fell from the tree.”

“Yes. As soon as you landed, you didn’t just cry. You screamed and wailed, and that’s how I knew there was more than just regular pain. Zeljko took one look at you and dialed an ambulance, telling me to hold you. You were hospitalized, and the spinal damage paralyzed you from the waist down.”

“But then…” Arwen had grown quiet as the story had went on. For a brief moment, a flicker of sadness crossed Arwen’s eyes. “Why didn’t you want me? Why didn’t you keep me?”

Those last sentences in particular felt like an arrow to his heart. Drawing a breath, he answered, “I was…scared. I was scared that you would get hurt again in my care, because to be fair, I’m pretty clumsy. What if I hurt you again? So I put you up for adoption, and Jonathan and Louella adopted you.”

Klopp leant against the pool table for support. He felt slightly dizzy and drained, and his conscience felt strangely…heavier. Wasn’t this supposed to ease the guilt? “Arwen, I’m so sorry. You can’t walk, because I couldn’t catch you when you fell from the tree.”

“I…I don’t blame you,” said Arwen. “I always thought it was my birth parents who had me before Mom and Dad. I always thought they didn’t want me because I’m in a wheelchair. But now that you told me the real reason…I think I can forgive you.”

“But you never even knew that I was part of your life until now,” Klopp argued. “And now you can’t walk!”

“The fact that you tried to catch me, and then made sure I was safe afterwards, was enough. If anything, it was my fault as well for climbing the tree.” Arwen came even closer to Klopp, grin as lopsided as before. “So basically, we’re even. There’s no need to feel guilty about it.”

“That’s…” Klopp still reeled with shock. She’d forgave him! After all those years of locked-away guilt and wondering, Arwen had forgave him. “Thank you, Arwen. That’s very generous and mature of you. Your parents raised you well.”

“What do you think? You made a good choice.” Arwen raised her hands to the sky, eyes alight once more. “Let’s hug.”

Klopp wasted no time at all, engulfing Arwen in a mammoth embrace. “That’s what I was going to say!”

[dipperscavern]

As someone who can watch all three lotr movies in one sitting, it's definitely worth getting into!! Although for me I got into it waaayyyy before I got into GoT, because my dad is a big nerd and got me into it probably as soon as I left the womb 💀 because that's how long it feels I've loved the movies (and books!!)

And if anything, it won't blur out the current stark obsession!! Because I'm currently watching Rings of Power and all I'm thinking about is Jon Snow x elf!reader or oc 🤭 who came to Westeros from Middle Earth and they meet beyond the Wall... Idk, it's still a thought that's in progress 😔 but it's a real Aragorn and Arwen situation/relationship 🤭

- 🩵☕

u got me excited!! i was always a super big nerd about the maze runner before i got into got, so i totally understand that 😭

WAITTTT. I HAVE 1/3 OF A CLUE OF WHAT YOURE TALKING ABOUT BUT I WANT TO HEAR MORE. “a thought in progress” speaking of your thoughts…. guess who has a silly little draft of margaery x knight!reader :3 wait who said that

[undercat-overdog]

If you're still doing the silm ask 🐉 + 🤔?

I will always answer asks, anony! And thank you for this, not least because it aids me in procrastination.

🐉 A lot of figures in the Silm have weird Eldritch powers or possibly biology. Tell us about your headcanons for one.

Hm. I don't think there are a lot of characters as portrayed in the Silm are eldritch? I don't go for eldritch elves or peredhil in my own interpretation/headcanons and have been increasingly on the side of non-eldritch Ainur. Which isn't to say that I haven't really enjoyed other fans' portrayal of eldritch elves/half-elves! (Slight caveat in that I think Galadriel in Lord of the Rings comes off as eldritch, but I don't think she does in other material, a function of the POV: she's eldritch to the Hobbits in a way she's not to other Elves. Or some humans: I don't think Aragorn would think of her that way.)

However for someone who I think is definitely not from this world in a spooky way, Lovecraftian eldritch, Ungoliant! I think of her as something as the personification of a black hole. I also think she ate time as well as light.

🤔 Tell us one of your favorite Silm headcanons. Can be one that's out in the wild or a personal one!

To be self-indulgent about OCs, headcanons about my Celebrimbor's maternal family below:

They're Sindar, specifically Telir (singular Teler), a nod to the Telerin Celebrimbor version (Teler/Telir is one of the names the Falathrim have for themselves). He's quite close to them, and if you said family would think of them first; C spent most of his childhood living with them in Brithombar (for avoiding Doom reasons). All of his maternal family save his mother died in the First Age, but they had been reborn by the time he returned from Mandos; he stayed with them for the first few decades after his rebirth. They had heard about his death and spent quite some time preparing a place for him when he returned, a little house on their property with a very big library so C could catch up on the advances he'd missed while being dead. (Some grandparents give their grandkids candy. C's give him scientific journals.)

His mother is Súlind (or Súlin. I've never quite nailed down what I think the form should be, but Súlind in the first age and language change bringing it to Súlin later). She's shown up in a fic as a main character, and she and adult Celebrimbor have an occasionally contentious relationship but one that's based in disagreements and a clash of (too similar) personalities; my Celebrimbor doesn't have any mommy or daddy issues (what he does have are Feanor issues). She survives everything and sails in the beginning of the Fourth Age, having followed Arwen to Minas Tirith and lived there for a while before sailing (something I headcanon quite a few elves did). Like Celebrimbor (and Curufin), she is beautiful, vain and opinionated.

Maternal grandfather is named Gaeroval. He's a fisherman and marine biologist. Head of a guild. He (and the rest of the family) aren't nobility, but being a guildmaster brings a lot of prestige; he sat on the city council. Managed to escape Brithombar, made it to Sirion and then Balar, and reunited with Celebrimbor there for a short while before dying in the War of Wrath. A sharp personality, like his daughter and grandson, but mellowed a lot after returning from Mandos.

Maternal grandmother is Laerlin. I have less on her in my mind. Captured in the sack of the Falas, brought to Angband as a thrall, and died there shortly after.

Maternal uncle is Borophor (who C is named after, with the paur element). Followed Súlind to Himlad, died in the Bragollach. Takes after his mother and is gentler than his dad and sister.

...refraining from going into my various Falathrin headcanons because those are long and involved.

[artseadragon]

The fish siblings from a new worldbuilding project, Faithless! Arwen is the pink one and Ardyn is the blue one. They’re built like the tomato and cucumber from veggietales in both shape and height, I don’t make the rules (I do)

I’ll post more info about the Paths later but for now all you need to know is that Arwen follows the path of Guides and Ardyn follows the path of Guardians. Also he’s “wandered” from his path, which has pretty drastically affected him physically and made it harder for him to follow his path.

Those who follow the path of Guides are often your “battle clerics”, who can heal and also wield powerful offensive magic. Those who follow the path of Guardians have sworn to protect, and are more melee fighters. Ardyn uses a trident, personally.

The pookies are both iterations of old ocs! Only Arwen’s name has changed though.

+ an Ardyn alt with nicer clothes

[thescrolls-haveforetold]

Hi Arwen :D I hope you're still doing the oc ask. If not feel free to ignore :)

GET TO KNOW THE OC ASKS: 2 for Arenwe the Fair, 5 for Val, 15 for Kynwyn, and 16 for Juno. And the relationship ask: 4 and 24 for Neht and his old friends (either Voryn, Ayem, Seht, or Vehk.)

Don't need to answer all of them of course ^_^

ofc im still doing it !!! i will answer oc asks when i can, i LOOOOVE questions abt my ocs 🩷🩷🩷

2. Is your OC a loner or a social butterfly? Are they satisfied with how they come across to other people?

A. Arenwe is particularly shy in social situations, he’d much prefer that he fade into the background- but it’s particularly hard to do, as a banished psijic who’s ALSO close with nobility and royalty… not to mention he’s also somewhat socially unaware, living on the island for about 200 years. He likely doesn’t THINK about how he comes across to others…

5. Does your OC have a signature weapon and/or attack? How long did they train to master it?

A. surprisingly enough, Valiel is an incredibly powerful magic user. I say magic user, because he never got the chance to become a proper mage. His primary weapon is his immensely powerful fire magic, which relies entirely on his emotional state. During Kvatch, he was so incredibly stressed out by the situation, in one fell swoop his panic cause a wide spread explosion that wiped out the Daedra within the small spot of Oblivion. Of course he pairs this with a blades katana he’s…okay at using, since he’s the only one who knows how to dismantle Oblivion gates, the Blades INSISTED he be trained properly for combat.

15. What places hold significant meaning or memories for your OC? Do they have a positive or negative association with those places?

A. Most of Whiterun holds memories for Kynwyn, most of all because she’s never really been anywhere else- she’s a teenager who hasn’t much experienced the world, of course. Though… the time she ran from home, managed to get passed Riverwood, and stumble upon the destruction of Helgen and the great black beast soaring overhead, meeting her gaze for a second. That place held… a mix of feelings.

16. How does your OC make money? Do they have a respectible profession or work a series of odd jobs? Are they a criminal? Or do they get creative in the pursuit of coin?

A. Juno is primarily a mercenary after Coldharbour, mostly doing menial work, plundering dungeons, helping towns build and rebuild. She’s lost faith in Dibella, with Molag Bal wanting petty revenge for getting his ass handed to him and the…large list of daedric princes that Juno finds herself pissing off its best to not stay in one place for too long in regards to profession…

AND NOW. THE DESPAIR GANG

4. How would they describe each other if asked? Physically? In personality?

A. i’ll do Nerevar all together because he’s be pretty brief…

Neht: Voryn’s got hair and eyes. He’s nice to look at, not so nice to talk to. Ayem’s like fire in hair and personality, Seht’s…uh…there, doesn’t talk much. Vehk’s clever.

translated as: Voryn’s handsome, Ayem’s strong, Seht doesn’t like me and Vehk gives me decent advice.

while..

the others, primarily Vivec and Voryn would likely describe Nerevar is more of a… flavourful way? Vivec being a poet and Voryn being…Voryn. Ayem would describe Nerevar’s worth as a king, as a general, what he can give to her people. and Sil…Sil doesn’t like Nerevar, so all you could likely expect from him is a scrunched nose and a ‘he’s alright.’

24. How do these two interact with each other in public versus in private?

I KNOW IT WAS ONLY MEANT FOR TWO CHARACTERS, so I’ll pick… Nerevar and Ayem.

Of course Nerevar and Almalexia are king and queen, it’s only right that outwardly they show a united front, stronger together. Behind closed doors they’re! alright, I think they’re pretty decent friends- they weren’t particularly close as husband and wife, not after a while. Generally they agree on many things and get along best they can, for sake of the realm most of all- that’s their duty and Almalexia and Nerevar want to fulfill their duty to their people as best as they possibly can.

[sotwk]

Introduce your writing

Fandoms I write for: Exclusively Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit (book and PJ movies). I'm afraid I've realized The Silmarillion is just too far above my writing level, and Rings of Power conflicts too frequently with my headcanons.

Characters I write for: I'm generally open to most LOTR/Hobbit canons, but I have greater interest and strength for the following:

Elves: Thranduil, Legolas, Elrond, Haldir, Lindir

Dwarves: Thorin, Fili

Men: Boromir, Eomer

Hobbits? I prefer using them more as Supporting Characters, since they are so amazing in the sidekick role.

Pairings I write for: LOTR/Hobbit Male Canon + Female OC or Reader; Elrond x Celebrian (my one favorite canon pair)

Ratings I write: Ranges from General Audience to Teen; may go up to borderline Mature, but I do not write Explicit/Smut. (And trust me, you wouldn't want me to, unless slapstick sex is your thing. I'm just too awkward at describing it, and sex should be beautiful!)

Favourite genre: Brotherhood Action and Fluff is my absolute favorite. I also love Adventures and Drama involving Family and Friends. For Romance: Angsty, Slow Burn, Mutual Pining.

Favourite trope: So many; I adore romance tropes when they're well-written! The ones I probably overuse are Mutual Pining, Oblivious Object of Affection, Jealous Third Party, Injury/Healing, and Drama in the Rain.

I take requests: Yes, please! I have an "Always Open" policy on my Ask Box, with the understanding that I can turn down requests I cannot handle, and that a good amount of patience is required from the requestor.

I write AUs: Define AU? I don't do Modern AU or Crossovers.

I write reader-inserts: Yes, but male canon with female reader only, please. I can't seem to make the romance sound genuine otherwise.

Characters I don't write: I can throw in any character as a side/supporting character. But for main characters, I can't write First Age Silm, Valar, or Villains. I try to keep an open mind with everyone else, but I have far better luck with the "favorites" I mentioned above.

Pairings I don't write: I just don't enjoy jumbling up established canon pairings, so please don't ask me to pair up Legolas with Arwen, for example.

Things that squick me: Hardcore NSFW/PWP, intense torture, heavy-handed angst, sexual violence, violence against/death of children. There's a line that I refuse to cross when reading or writing, and I just know it when I see it.

The thing I do best: Umm, I dunno, I hope you can tell me when you review my work. ;)

The thing I like writing least: Walking/traveling scenes. Transitional dialogue. First meetings. Basically story "fat" that actually needs to be trimmed off.

Something about me that shows in my writing: I'm very family-oriented. I'm a mom of boys, thus my preference for brothers and brotherhood themes. I have a sweet husband, so I write gentle leading men.

I also do: REVIEWS. I try to comment on other writers' fics as much as I can, especially when I can tell they put their heart into it and deserve the acknowledgment.

Interested in anything I mentioned? Please hop on over to My Ask Box!

Tumblr shyness should not be a thing; but you can ask Anonymously, if that makes you more comfortable!

Some useful SotWK links:

FanFiction Masterlist

Fanfic Request Process

Headcanon Masterlist

Headcanon Ask Game

[runawaymun]

These two are rightfully separate but I don't know who I'd pick first - Elladan and Elrohir? As the the two 'boys' of the Rivendell household I'm sure you've got thoughts.

1: sexuality headcanon

Elladan is VERY demi but reads as being super pan. Connections matter more than the physical nature of who he's interested in. Elrohir's attracted to women but also really chill about the sexual aspect of things. He enjoys sex but he's kinda meh about seeking it out and doesn't really focus on it in relationships.

2: otp

I've seen a lot of people who ship them with various OCs and I just don't...see either of them really ever settling down with anyone? Neither Elladan nor Elrohir really strike me as people who care much for romantic relationships.

3: brotp

Aragorn! That's their baby brother!! No one touch him!! Look at him he is so grimy and so good at putting his ear to rocks and listening for things (his hearing isn't super good (in comparison) but he tries!!!!). He is so good at fighting the armies of darkness and tracking and healing and they are so proud of him. I headcannon that the twins were kind of stuck in their orcsbane era right up until Aragorn and Gilraen came to Rivendell and there was just something about this chubby little baby that absolutely enthralled them and gave them a reason to stay home. && Elrond was so relieved and happy about it.

4: notp

Elladan/Elrohir.

Stop it. Get some help.

5: first headcanon that pops into my head

Elladan is Sword Guy and Elrohir is Bow Guy. Like obviously they're both skilled beyond belief, but those are their preferred weapons in a fight. They're not only super protective of Arwen and Celebrian, but of Elrond as well! They know he needs to avoid combat as much as possible to preserve his healing, so whenever they can they step in for him to keep him off battlefields and away from fights. Elladan's an excellent healer & is the better tracker of the two and has a distinct knack for mapmaking. Elrohir has a bit of a stronger connection to the maia genes and thus has some stronger eldritch healing powers, and he's an excellent diplomat.

6: favorite line from this character

"And have you marked the brethren Elladan and Elrohir? Less sombre is their gear than the others', and they are fair and gallant as Elven-lords; and that is not to be wondered at in the sons of Elrond of Rivendell.'"

7: one way in which I relate to this character

Again it's the fierce sibling loyalty for me. They're literally always together and I know part of that is how Tolkien chooses to write twins, but also it's in the way they stay behind with Arwen after Elrond sails. I can't help but read that as a "we're going to watch over our baby sister as long as she still walks the earth". I do headcannon they sailed eventually because Jirt let Elrond have at least SOME of his kids but not until well after Arwen had passed and they had some keepsakes & news of Elrond's grandchildren for him.

8: thing that gives me second hand embarrassment about this character

The way they're often reduced down to a weasley twin archetype. Like I paint them as very mischevious and goofy and good-natured as well, but that's not all they are.

9: cinnamon roll or problematic fave?

Cinnamon roll, both of them :)