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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 heâd came to Liverpool. Not the cold weatherâheâd expected England in the winter would be colder than in the Netherlands. Not the lively atmosphereâheâd expected that from Van Dijkâs descriptions.
What really surprised Gakpo was how close everyone was to each other. Not just that, but there were six adultsâand two married couplesâwith kids. In all, there were seven children living in Kirkby Ground.
Heâd expected a bit of difficulty meshing with the othersâhe 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 hadnât 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 âquality timeâ together. Heâd 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 himâusually, 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 wasnât sure about the whole ideaâone 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.
âKids! Letâs go build a snowman!â
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 hadnât thought this through.
âAlright, alright!â Gakpo held up a hand, taking baby Tristan from the ground. âLetâs get you all ready. Could one of you get the snow gear from wherever you keep it?â
âYou mean the nursery? Sure!â 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 heâd just committed a crime. âAlright, little man. Letâs get you into your snowsuit.â
*
After wrestling with zippers and buttons and toggles and squirming, kicking limbs, Gakpo finally managed to get the kids out the door.
He pushed Arwenâs wheelchair onto the lawn, careful to mind the bumps in the road. After a brief discussion with Arwen, heâd 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. Heâd only let Florrie and Kairo run free because they were a little older and would listen to him if he called.
âSo, what are we going to use for our snowman?â he asked once the little ones had run off all their pent-up energy. Now he knew how every parent in the world felt. âAre we giving him a scarf?â
âYeah!â Florrie took out a scarf from her pocket, holding it up like it was a trophy. âA scarf, and a carrot nose, and a magic hat that makes him sing and dance!â
âFrostyâs overrated,â said Arwen, tossing a snowball at the wall. âIâll tell you a real snowman story, if you start those balls to the point where itâs big enough for me to roll.â
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 Arwenâs lap, knowing that Arwen wouldnât 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 Gakpoâs lap as a chubby dark teal lump.
*
Soon the snowman was done, and Gakpo still hadnât 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.
âYou guys are all so lucky,â Gakpo whispered to Ellie, even though he knew the baby couldnât hear him. âThis is your home and everybody loves you. Youâve got people here who are great with kids. None of you guys are even interested in me.â
Henrietta yawned, as if to prove his point.
âI canât hold an interesting conversation for too long,â he went on, kicking at the snow. âPigs will fly before I do that.â
âNo piggy!â
Arwen came up to Gakpo, wringing her hands together for warmth. âHey.â
âUhâŠhey Arwen.â
Arwen smirked, stopping beside the forward. âIâm usually called Arwen when Iâm in trouble. Please, just call me Winnie.â
Now this was getting weird. âAs in Winnie the Pooh?!â
âWhat? No way!â Arwen opened the bookbag on the back of her wheelchair, taking out a book. âI was named after the character in Lord of the Rings. Have you ever read that?â
âNo.â
âYou should.â Arwen handed Gakpo the dark green and blue book. âItâs epic. So Bilboâs cousin Frodo goes with his Fellowship to destroy the One Ring and itâs maker, Dark Lord Sauron.â
Gakpo studied the book with new interest. âMaybe I should read this.â
âItâll make more sense if you read The Hobbit,â Arwen advised him, taking a list out of her backpack. âAnd if you want more, thereâs always The Two Towers and The Return of the King. It took me eighteen months to read all four of those books.â
âJust eighteen months?â Gakpo gulped, staring at the four thick books. âYou must really like reading, Winnie.â
âItâs one of my hobbies, along with ping-pong. But do you know what I like better than reading stories? Telling them!â
âYou tell your own stories? From your imagination? Youâre lucky,â Gakpo admitted. âIâve never had that much imagination. Thatâs why Iâm not so good with kids.â
Arwen nodded, setting Grace on her lap. âI can relate. Iâve always wanted to do needlework, but I never had the patience to. What do you do for fun?â
âNot much,â Gakpo admitted with a shrug. âFIFA and checkers.â
âHey, Mom and I play checkers sometimes.â Arwen extended a hand. âYou want to play against me sometime?â
Gakpo hesitated a bit before shaking Arwenâs hand. âSure, anytime youâd like.â
âThen we can go inside and start as soon as possible.â Arwen balanced Grace and Henrietta on her lap, tucking Lord of the Rings into her backpack. âJust make sure to find a table with enough space under it. We both need to fit our legs under there.â
Gakpo flashed her a thumbs-up as he stood from the bench. âSure.â
Gakpo had always thought he wasnât 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.
#cody gakpo#grace oc#henrietta oc#arwen power oc#precious florrie#florrie oc#kairo oc#ellie oc#tristian oc#liverpool fc#liverpool#liverpool men#lfc#lfc players#football imagine#football blurb#football fanfic#football#soccer fanfiction by lynn#soccer fanfiction#soccer
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@tolkienocweek Day 6: Background Characters | Elloth
Galadrielâs most beloved handmaiden and Arwenâs 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 EĂ€rendil 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.
#she may be a bit of a mary sue but idc my girl can have it all#galadriels handmaiden? yes. arwenâs bestie? yes. special magic powers? YES#lord of the rings#lotr#elves#ocs#my ocs#oc: elloth#art#my art#merilles#tolkienocweek
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oc that is elrondâs 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.
#idk just an idea iâve been playing with#sprinkles a bit more tradegy into elronds life#possible oneshot maybe#the rings of power#elendil#elrond#elendil fanfic#elendil x oc#elendilf#lotr#lord of the rings#trop imagine#lotr imagine#aragorn#arwen#aragorn x arwen
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Ngl I lowkey ship Adar and Elrond 𫶠(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!
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(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.
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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
#Meiri#Hilda oc#meiridom#Harvey#move aside Arwen. the intelectuals are talking#anyway. screaming crying rolling on the floor etc.#i love them#your honour I love them so much#Iâve spent so long thinking about what what Meiriâs dynamic with Arwen and Mattie would be#yet the comedic power of these two gremlins together had evaded me til I saw that last drawing of yours#silly guys. our goofy blorbos
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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, LĂłthuil (born FoA 16) and Meleril (born FoA 19).
GLOSSARY (SINDARIN)
Guren vell: (my) sweetheart
Ada: dad
A Daughter's Plea
Minas Tirith, FoA 15.
âWhat do you think, Estella?â
âI daresay you look splendid, Madam. Absolutely ravishing.â
Gilraen stood in front of the mirror and improvised a twirl.
âIf I am not mistaken, that was also your opinion concerning all the other dresses that were brought in.â
âForgive 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 dressâ 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.â
âIt truly is beautiful. Yet I do not think I shall wear it on a regular occurrence.â
âWhy is that?â
âAs magnificent as it is, I do not feel comfortable in it. It is much too elaborate for my taste.â
âWhat would you wear then, Madam?â
âI think my blue dress will do.â
Estella sighed and rolled her eyes. âMy ladyâŠâ
âWhat is wrong with it? It was also a gift from aunt Mörwen and there is no denying thatâŠâ
âIt is old and tattered, Madam. Surely you would not want to appear before your Lord Father and your Lady Mother in those rags.â
âDo 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.â
âMadam, if I mayâŠâ
âNo, 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.â
âYour Lord FatherâŠâ
âThe 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.â
âDo not say that I pray you. The Allfather knows our King loves you very much, Madam.â
âWould he constantly dismiss my feelings if he did? Would he avoid speaking to me?â
âPerhaps he fails to show it properly, but he does care for you.â
âThat dayâŠthe day I took an arrow which was clearly meant for himâŠall I wanted wasâŠâ
She sighed as her voice trailed off. âWhen the arrow hit me and my father held me in his arms, I...â
She gulped. âI 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 himâŠâ
âMy ladyâŠâ
âTears 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.â
âHaradrim? From Harad?â
âIt was laced with poison.â
Estella hugged the princess tightly. âI 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, butâŠI 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.â
âDid sheâŠâ
âShe died of illness as an infant.â She sighed and a rueful smile appeared on her face as she caressed the princessâ cheek. âMy boys died too, though the circumstances of their early demise were fairly different.â
âDo 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 husbandâŠâ
âSadly, it has been many years since my husband traveled beyond the Circles of the World. Shattered by our daughterâs 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 girlâs 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.â
âThe world is in dire need of such people, I reckon,â the princess replied as she dabbed at her eyes with a handkerchief. âThough 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.â
She held onto Estella. âI 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.â
âYou may not believe it, Madam, but he was rather shaken following the accident.â
âOf 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.â
âHe is the Crown Prince and your fatherâs only heir. His survival is vital to the kingdom and I have no doubt that some people at courtâinfluential nobles holding grudges against your father for whatever reasonâwho 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 brotherâs life as well? I am sure he, too, knows that it is a very likely outcome. He has a right to be scared.â
âI am certain no one from Gondor is to blame. As long as he does not leave the capitalâor the kingdom for that matterâhe is safe.â
âIs he?â
âNo one would dare attack the Prince.â
âYou prevented your fatherâs assassination.â
âI did indeed.â
She glanced at Estella. âNo one in Gondor would purposely hurt my brother. Our people would never do such a thing. Are you perhaps trying to suggest otherwise?â
âI do not know, Madam. I thought the King could not be harmed. If you had notâŠâ
âPlease 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 fatherâs funeralâŠâ
She cleared her throat as she pushed back tears. âEldarion 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 ancestorsâŠall 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.â  She gulped and nervously rubbed her fingers. âI love my brother dearly, but he must not be permitted to rule until he shows he has acquired some wisdom and common sense.â
âHe is still so very young, Madam. He has got time still.â
âHis 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, entitledâŠand vicious. I pity the woman he will marry.â
âI beg to differ. The lady Elenna seems quite content with the arrangement.â
âThe Lady ElennaâŠâ
The princess sighed and shook her head. âShe is scared, Estella. I can see it in her eyes. That poor girl has never been happy. I have seen how my brother treats herâŠhis attitude towards herâŠâ
âOur prince certainly would not harm her, Madam.â
âHe would. He would and he already did. I saw him. He slapped her because she would not give in to his demands.â
âAre you certain, Madam? Perhaps the Lady Elenna was talking to somebody else; someone that you mistook for your brother.â
âDo you not believe me, Estella?â
âI have never said that, my lady. But I find it hard toâŠâ
âYou 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?â
âIf I ever implied it, then I apologize.â
âI 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.â
âI do understand your concerns, Madam, and I partly agree with you, yetâŠit seems to me you are trying to portray your bother as sort of Dark Lord.â
âIs 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.â
âLord Daerion? He is always so courteous andâŠâ
âHe 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 friendsâŠwe do not even know where he lives. How can we trust such a secretive individual? How has he been allowed to become the Crown Princeâs only confidant? A man with no positionâŠâ
âHe 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.â
âFrom 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.â
âI do not doubt your intuition, but, if I may, I have a suggestion I should like you to consider.â
âWhat is it?â
âLet go of prejudice.â
The princess frowned. âWhat do you mean?â
âIt 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.â
âCould he not show the same love and care to his son?â
âYou speak of things you do not know, my lady.â
âMany 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 fatherâs 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.â Â She sighed. âI 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.â
She paused. âIt 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 toâŠâ
She exhaled.â It is inevitable for me not to think ill of someone who was reared by a heartless madman.â
âDo 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.â
âThe Prince and the King must be protected.â
âThey have the best protection available in all the lands of Men, as it is their right. The Grey CompanyâŠâ
âThe Grey Company failed to ensure their safety. My father only survived because of me.â
Her eyes rested on her governessâ face.
âEstella.â
âWhat is it, Madam?â
âI thinkâŠâ
She pursed her lips. âI believe you were right. It all makes sense.â
âMadam, I am not following.â
âYou said it before. You said it yourself, remember?â
âI 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 contextâŠâ
âYou mentioned how there were no Haradrim at the parade.â
âThat is correct. I did say that.â
âIt only means the attacker was a Gondorian. You were right. Of course you were. No Rohirrim and no Haradrim attended the parade, after all.â
âPerhaps someone from Harad infiltrated the crowd and managed toâŠâ
âThey would have been caught, Estella. People from Harad have somewhat of aâŠdistinctive appearance. They would never wear Gondorian garments, which makes them easily detectable.â
âWe cannot know whetherâŠâ
âWhy 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.â
âYou truly believe thatâŠâ
âIt 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.â
âAnd I suppose you firmly believe that someone to be Lord Daerion, is that right?â
âI do.â
âIt is not my place to argue with you, Madam, butâŠâ
âWhy are you defending him? Why are you trying to make excuses for him? Are you one of his mistresses?â
âOf course not!â
âYou said it yourself, Estella. How can you not understand? Someone from Gondor was behind the attempt on my fatherâs life,â the Princess insisted. âSomeone who knows our family well, someone who has access to my fatherâs inner circle. Someone my father trusts.â
âYour father has surrounded himself with many capable statesmen. Why are so you keen on accusing Lord Daerion? Heâs your brotherâs 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.â
âYou are so blinded, Estella. For Eruâs sake, WAKE UP! You had an affair with him, there is no other explanation.â
âMadam, IâŠâ
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.
âImrolas.â
He immediately stood up, picking up the tray. âForgive me. I did not mean to barge in this unseemly fashion. I tripped andâŠâ
âTo what do we owe the grand entrance?â
âIâŠâ
âWe 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!â
âI had boiled some milk for the PrincessâŠâ
âShe is no longer five years old! Why would you do such a thing?â
âShe usually has it with sugar and vanilla extractâŠit is her favorite drinkâŠâ
âDo you have anything to say? Or have you come here just to be a bother?â
 Imrolas bowed his head. âI was sent by King Elessar. He wishes to speak to his daughter at once.â
âYou could have said it much earlier. I suppose the cleaning can be postponed. Has our gracious King mentionedâŠâ
Imrolas turned to the Princess. âHe has decided to marry you off, Madam. He is waiting for you in his study.â
He glanced at Estella. âI was not going to clean it anyway. You may do it yourself. You are the head of the Princessâ 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.â
He placed the tray on a nearby table and bowed to the Princess. She was staring at him in anguish. âMarry? I have toâŠ. marry?â she asked. âIt cannot be, Imrolas. Why would my fatherâŠâ
âIt is the Kingâs 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.â
âNO! I do not want this!â
âIf you please, Madam, I shall escort you toâŠâ
âNO!â she cried. âEstellaâŠsay something. Speak to him. Speak to the King, I donât want to marry. I am not ready, I donâtâŠâ
âWho am I do so, my lady? Perhaps you will grow to love your husband. Maybe it will be love at first sight. I am sureâŠâ
âI do not want to be wed, Estella! Why is no one listening to me!?â
The Princess rushed to Imrolas and hugged him. âWho am I marrying? You have seen him, am I right? You have, Imrolas, I know you have! Please tell meâŠâ
âI am not allowed to say anything.â
âImrolas, please. I donât trust my father on such matters. I love him dearly, but IâŠâ
âCome, my lady. We should not have him wait.â
She clung to him. âI have a bad feeling, Imrolas. I am scared. I would rather stay here.â
âYou must not be afraid.â
âWhy 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 youâŠdo tell me. Say it.â
âCome with me. You shall see for yourself once he joins you and your gracious father.â
Estella and Imrolas had to forcibly drag her out of her chambers, the young royal protesting and hollering for an explanation.
âBehave, my lady.â
âBehave? Are you seriously asking me toâŠbehave?â
âI am, my lady. Your screams will be heard by the whole court. Is this what you want?â
âIf you think I am interested in the opinion of servile courtiers and in that of silly ladies whose only purpose isâŠâ
âYou will follow us andâŠâ
âI do not intend to leave my chambers.â
Imrolas glanced at her. âMy Princess, I beg youâŠâ
âI will not change my mind. I am staying here.â
âPlease, my lady, do notâŠâ
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. âI have not done this since you were a toddler,â she complained. âAlbeit disgraceful, it is somehow more dignified than the horrid spectacle you are currently making of yourself.â
All the Princess could do was mumble and stare at Imrolas, who was himself bewildered.
âWhat are you doing, Mistress Estella? Is this the proper way to treat a princess?â
âIf she insists on acting like a spoiled toddler who will not listen to reason, then yes, my Lord Secretary of the King. It is.â
âAnd 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?
âI raised her myself, Imrolas.â
âI understand, Estella. Yet I fail to seeâŠâ
âI know what I am doing.â
âI think you could try and persuade the King to reconsider his decision. Is it not what the Princess asked of you?â
âWhy 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?â
âI am only a secretary. It is not my place to criticize our Liege-lord.â
âIt is not mine either. I am only the Princessâ governess.â
âWell, what can we do then?â
âWe 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.â
âI thought that maybe youâŠâ
âI oversaw the Princessâ 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 Kingâs mind. No one can.â
âPerhaps we could speak to the QueenâŠâ
âBe reasonable, Imrolas. Be reasonable.â
âI simply suggestedâŠâ
âIt 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?â
âWhat would happen? We could ask for an audienceâŠâ
âAnd say what?! Our esteemed Princess does not wish to wed?â
âYâŠyes? Is that not the truth?â
He glanced at her. âShe does not seem at all pleased with it.â
âThat is only because I am carrying her as if she were a potato bag as you rightly pointed out.â
âYou could at least take your hand off her mouth.â
âOh no, that would be most unwise.â
âHow so?â
âShe 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 Princessâ reputation would be ruined.â
âI am starting to properly loathe that word.â
âYou would be surprised to learn how many things I loathe.â
Imrolas raised an eyebrow and Estella scoffed. âI must confess I deeply envy those who do not live here. Though serving the realm is my most sacred franchise, IâŠâ
âYou wish you were not the Princessâ governess.â
âI 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. YetâŠâ
âYet?â
âI truly wish we could help her. She does not deserve to be married off so young.â
Imrolas glanced at the Princess. âAre you comfortable up there, Madam?â
The Princess released a grunt and kicked Imrolas in the shoulder. The latter wheezed. âI suppose not.â
âShe need not worry, for I will soon free her. That is, if she acts as befitting her station.â
âI do hope you will release her.â He leaned in. âMind your tongue, my lady. She is the Kingâs daughter. A bold choice of words may cost you your pretty head.â
âNonsense. The Princess would never harm me. Perhaps it is you, after all. You are eager to get rid of me.â
âOh, not at all my fair lady,â he quipped. âYou may not believe me, but I very much enjoy being around you when you are not insulting me.â
âYou take delight in annoying me, Imrolas. I reckon that to be far more likely.â
âPerhaps.â He sighed. âWould you mind putting the Princess down? Watching her flail her arms makes me uncomfortable.â
âOh, my poor, sensitive Imrolas,â the governess mocked him. âI suppose you have never been to battle. It would serve you well. At least you would learn to be less impressionable.â
âAnd you have, my lady? How many enemies have you slaughtered with your beautiful dress and headpieces? How many experienced warriors have you faced?â
âIt is not a fair comparison, my Lord Secretary.â
âWomen can participate in war if they so wish. Take the late Lady Ăowyn for instance. She joined the army led by ThĂ©oden King and Ăomer King and killed the Lord of the NazgĂ»l at the Pelennor Fields. She was only twenty-four years of age when she did that. I think it is impressive.â
âNot all women are like the Lady Ăowyn. Be careful not to speak of her.â
âHow 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.â
âI 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.â
âDo they really despise me?â
âIf the persistent rumors I have heard have some truth to themâŠI suppose thatâŠâ
âWhy 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 toâŠâ
âThere. That is precisely the reason why others loathe the sight of you.â
âThey think I am unfit to serve as Lord Chancellor, do they not?â
âYou said so yourself. You mentioned how clumsy and clueless you are several times since I met you and remarked on it earlier.â
âNo, IâŠI did notâŠI meantâŠIâŠâ
âCalm down, Imrolas.â
âDo you agree with them?â
âImrolasâŠâ
âIt is a simple question. The answer should not require much thought, as it is fairly straightforward. Do you agree or not?â
Estella glanced at him. âNo. No, I donât.â Her lips curved into a meek smile, an amused twinkle in her eye. âAlthough you could try and be slightly moreâŠorganized. I have seen your study, and I think you should thank the Valar the King is not interested in visiting you.â
âHe does not have time to visit me. He has many issues to take care of and so have I.â
âYou should be grateful and pray that the One keeps him busy.â
âIt is not funny, Estella. I take my duties seriously andâŠâ
âI know that, my friend. I just thought I could land you a helping hand.â
âWhat for? I mean, I am flattered. IâŠwhat would I need help with? I cannot think of a single thing that needs fixing orâŠâ
âWhen was the last time that study was cleaned, for instance?â
The secretary instantly paled. âUghâŠIâŠwell, IâŠâ
âThat is what I thought.â
âWhatâŠwhat do you intend to do about it?â
âDust 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.â
âI am very meticulous when it comes toâŠâ
âOh, do keep your tongue behind your teeth, Imrolas! You cannot fool me.â
âI am not trying to, IâŠâ
âHere we are,â the governess cut him off. âMadam?â
Gilraen let out a grunt and tried to sound out some words, Estellaâs hand still on her mouth.
âMay Eru be blessed, you are alive. You have been awfully quiet; I was starting to worry.â
The Princessâ mumbling prompted Estella to set her free. She put her down gently and fixed her hair. âWe are approaching the Kingâs study. Please, Madam, do not cause a scene.â
âI have no desire to marry.â
âYou will have to. Your fatherâŠâ
âHe cannot force me.â
âYou are the Kingâs daughter, and you are expected to...â
âI will not marry anyone. Not for a long time.â
âI have no wish to gag you again, but if you keep arguing and interrupting me when I am attempting toâŠâ
âWhat 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?â
âMadam, now it is not an appropriate time to jest. Your father is waiting for you. You should go.â
âWill you two not accompany me?â
The secretary and the governess exchanged a glance. âWould you like us to?â
âYes. I do not think I can do it alone.â
They walked to her fatherâs 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 AnnĂșminas 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.
-
âGilraen, guren vell. Do come in.â
She entered the room and curtsied. Elessar stood and walked up to her, hugging her tightly. âMy beautiful girl. You must be wondering why I called you here.â
 He kissed her brow and the light in his eyes dimmed as he glanced into hers. âWhat is it, my child?â
âIâŠI was toldâŠâ
âOh, you already know about it, then.â He kissed her cheek. âI am so proud of you, my sweet girl. Are you alright?â
Her lips curved into an understated smile as she bowed her head.
âGilraen?â
âI am, my lord. I am fine. You seem to be in good health as well.â
âIt is because of you that I still live, my daughter.â He ran a hand through her hair. âI need you to promise me something.â
âYou only need ask. I am yours to command.â
âNever try and save my life again.â
âFatherâŠâ
âShould I perish, whether it be in combat orâŠâ
âPlease donâtâŠâ
âYouâre 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.â
âI 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.â
Elessar caressed her face. âMy sweet girlïżœïżœïżœforgive 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.â
Gilraenâs eyes widened. âMy liege, IâŠâ
âFather. Please do not use titles with me. I am your father, Gilraen.â
âI...do not know what to say.â
âIt is not what you have always wished for?â
âIâŠâ
âYou are trembling. Are you certain youâre alright?â
âIâŠâ
âGilraen?â
His tone was full of concern. âMy child, look at me. If you donât feel wellâŠâ
âI am fine. I am justâŠconfused.â
âHow so?â
âYou 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?â
âYou are not going back to Dol Amroth. Forget about Aunt Mörwen.â
She frowned. âWhat do you mean? Am I no longer allowed toâŠâ
âYou will be escorted to Lossarnach as soon as possible.â
âWhy? What am I to do there?â
âIt is my personal thank you to you, my child. A wedding gift which I hope shall be well received.â
âWedding gift?â
âAre you not glad?â
âIâŠâ
âGilraen?â
âShould I be?â
âIt 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.â
âTo 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.â
âYour 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.ïżœïżœ
âThat 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 Motherâs childhood home for myself. Rivendell must be so beautiful andâŠâ
 âThat is enough, Gilraen.â
âButâŠâ
âI 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.
âI am twelve years oldâŠâ
âI 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 brotherâs intended, and she also happens to be well-advised on severalâŠâ
âI 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.
âTrapped?â
âHave you not noticed how miserable she is?â
Elessar sighed. âShe did indeed endure some unpleasantâŠâ
âDo 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 andâŠâ
âI will not let you slander your brother. While it is understandable that you may not see eye to eye on certain...â
âFather, Eldarion is...â
âDo not interrupt me, my child,â he admonished her. âWhile I do agree that there are many at court who do not wish the Lady Elenna wellâmany of whom I have known for several yearsâI 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.â
âDo 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?â
âYou both are distinguished members of House Telcontar. The future of the Reunited Kingdom rests in your hands.â
âYou have not answered my question, Father,â Gilraen insisted. âWhat has Eldarion done that is so deserving of merit and attention?â
Elessar sighed and rubbed a hand over his face. âIt is true then. I hoped your brotherâs worries were futile and unfounded. At last, it turns out he was correct.â
âOf what do you speak? What are you referring to?â
âSadly, 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.â
âHe accused me of being condescending?â
She scoffed. âI 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.â
âOf course he is. And so are you.â
âI 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.â
âOf that, I am glad,â he replied dryly. âThough I still fail to understand what you were trying to imply.â
âI find it odd that a man of your wisdom and acumen was unable to grasp the hidden meaning behind my previous statement.â
âFret not, I did pick up on the subtleties.â Elessar glanced at his daughter, his gray eyes cold and stern. âHowever, I should very much like you to detail Eldarionâs misdeeds. They must be grave indeed to warrant such a harsh reaction.â
âEldarion is not the boy you believe him to be, my liege.â
âIt 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.â
âI 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.â Her lip quivered. âWhat happened to you? Tell me, Ada. IâŠI 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?â
âNow it is not the time to address suchâŠâ
âYou will not dismiss me again,â she chimed in. âI will not allow it.â
âVery well. Do speak, Gilraen.â
âHave you truly not noticed anything odd in Eldarionâs behavior? Is she such a good pretender that you would believe him if he told you that the Valar came among us?â
âSay 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.â
âYou will not listen to me, will you? I have to yet say a word andâŠâ
âGilraen.â
âI must beg my liege to call off the Crown Princeâs betrothal to the Lady Elenna of Ithilien.â
Elessar frowned. âWhy? I doubt that the Lady Elenna has behaved improperly.â
Gilraen clenched her jaw. âMust 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?â
âYou know very well that is not what I meant.â
âIs 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?â
âYour brother is a kind and thoughtful young man.â
âThat 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.â
âGilraenâŠâ
âHe beats her, Father. I saw it with my own eyes.â
âWhat are you talking about?â
âYour precious son. My brother. Eldarion.â
Elessar stared at her, a puzzled expression on his face. âWhat about him?â
âDo you not understand? He is the sole responsible for her troubles.â She sighed. âYou care deeply about her, do you not?â
âOf 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.â
âShe 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.â
Confusion and bewilderment were etched on the Kingâs features. âMy son would never disrespect anyone. He was not raised that way. I made sure of it.â
âI know,â the Princess quipped. âUnfortunately, 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.â
She paused. âI suppose you are aware of his fondness for his tutor.â
Elessar nodded. âLord 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.â
Gilraen ignored him. âWhat if he was to blame for Eldarionâs misbehavior? His influence on him is growing stronger by the day.â
âLord 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.â
âI presume Eldarion himself told you so.â
âYou are correct.â
âI assume you do not know about his many concubines then.â
âWhat 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 peopleâs favor?â He looked at her gravely. âAre you plotting to overthrow me? Do you want to be queen? Tell me, Gilraen. You wish to rule, is that right?â
Her eyes widened. âFather, how can youâŠ?â
âWhat 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?â
âHow quickly did you forget that I saved you,â she replied, her tone low. âHow 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?â
âI did notâŠâ
âI 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 toâŠâ
Her voice trailed off and tears welled up in her gray eyes. âYou 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.â
âI had suggested that you spend some time with her. It will benefit you greatly. As I mentioned earlier, she is the epitome ofâŠâ
âAre you in denial or just plain cruel? She is suffering and we must do something to aid her. We must intervene before sheâŠâ
She noticed how her father had stiffened, his eyes suddenly vacant. âAre you alright?â
He did not reply and Gilraen raised an eyebrow. âFather?â
He gulped and took a deep breath before he sat. âI did intervene. Had I waited one more instant, sheâŠâ
âWhat did she do?â
âIâŠâ
âDid my brother do something to her?â
âGilraenâŠâ
âDid 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 butâŠeven I cannot picture my brother...â
She held her breath and exhaled loudly. âHe would not do that, would he? She is to be his wife. He cannotâŠplease tell me that heâŠâ
âShe has taken up to wearing a tight collar around her throat, has she not?â
Gilraen blinked, confused. âI thought it was necklace at first, butâŠyes, sheâŠshe does wear one. Other ladies wear jewelry of the same fashion. Why do you ask?â
âSheâŠshe was attacked by two of your motherâs 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, butâŠâ
âYou knewâŠâ
âI 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 isâŠI did not believe her. I got angry and said things I should not have. She blamed her late mother for her misfortune andâŠasked 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 againâŠshe cried out that she only wished to go home. I refused. I did not give her my permission to return to Ithilien. ThenâŠâ
He smothered a sob. âShe 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 andâŠâ
Gilraen was fuming. âWhy would you not allow her to leave? She attempted to kill herselfâŠshe tried toâŠâ
The tears she had been holding back were now freely trickling down her pale cheeks. âYou are to blame for this. It is your fault. You truly are cruel. Why would youâŠâ
She was shaking in anger. âI 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?â
âHe is a good man. He saved you when I could not.â
âI wish I had died.â
âGILRAEN!â
âI 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.â
âI did notâŠâ
âI 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.â
She turned and walked to the door. Elessar immediately rose to his feet. âI will not allow it, Gilraen.â
âI presumed you would say it. I hoped you would.â
âYou are not permitted to leave this room until your betrothed arrives.â
âYou can speak his name.â
A page suddenly entered the room and bowed. âI beg your pardon my liege,â he said sheepishly. âLord Daerion is here. He says he was summoned to discuss a matter of the utmost importance.â
Elessar stood up. âHe was.â He composed himself. âLet him in.â
The page bowed once more. âMy King.â
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. âMy Princess,â he saluted her before bowing to Elessar. âMy liege. You honor me beyond words.â
âCome, my lord.â
Gilraen shivered as her brotherâs 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 herâshe nearly fainted as she allowed herself to reflect on itâfuture 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 fatherâs 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.
âMadam?â
Gilraen whimpered. âEstella?â
She stirred. âMy head hurts.â
âI was so worried when I saw your father carrying youâŠâ
âWhy was I brought here? What happened? I cannot seem to remember.â
âI am not quite sure.â
âDid I faint?â
âI would not say so, Madam. You wereâŠcatatonic. Lord Daerion mentioned how concerned he was andâŠâ
Gilraen jerked as her mind cleared. Being of Elven descent certainly had its own perks. âI 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.â
âMadam, I am afraid it is not possible. The KingâŠâ
âHe 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!?â
âMadam, 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 canâŠâ
âWe are leaving, Estella. We are leaving. The three of us.â
The governess looked puzzled. âThe third person beingâŠ?â
âWhy, the Lady Elenna, of course! Have someoneâanyoneâfrom 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.â
âMadamâŠyou need plenty of rest andâŠâ
âI need to see Aunt Mörwen. Both my life and that of the Lady of Ithilien depend on it, do you understand?â
âMadam, you need to calm down. Perhaps if the physician examined youâŠâ
âI 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.â
âIâŠâ
âThat 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.â She chuckled. âI did not kidnap anyone last time though. Do you think it would be an easy feat to accomplish?â
Estella glared at her but the Princess ignore her disapproving looks. âSo, what is it going to be?â
The governess pursed her lips. âI will have someone send the Stewardâs daughter a message.â
âI knew I could trust you. I am not marrying Daerion, and she is not marrying my brother.â
âIs this whyâŠâ
âYes. I will not let it happen. We will both be free.â
âI do not think the King and Lord Faramir willâŠâ
âGo, Estella. Please. Please, do as I ask.â
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 GĂŒl Kazbek as Estella, Gilraen's governess
Daniel Portman as Imrolas
Aidan Gillen as Daerion
Selen ĂztĂŒrk as Mörwen
Tags:
@tolkienocweek
@lucifers-legions
@emmanuellececchi
@saurongorthaur9
#tolkienocweek#tolkien oc week#tolkien oc week 2024#day 4: gaps and ghosts#original characters#ocs#my ocs#oc: gilraen daughter of aragorn and arwen#kaya scodelario#oc: estella#burcu gĂŒl kazbek#oc: imrolas#daniel portman#oc: daerion#aidan gillen#oc: mörwen#selen öztĂŒrk#gondorian ocs#author: annabawritersdream#formerly annab99awritersdream#author: me
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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. Hereâs 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 Gimliâs 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: âI was wondering,â Gimli had said at the beginning of it. âIsn't it about time you get started on that boat of yours?â It has been over one hundred years since the War of the Ring. Gimli and a dwarf girl named MĂąglah 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 â 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!
#legolas greenleaf#lord of the rings#lotr#gimli son of gloin#gimleaf#fic rec#fic masterlist#sea-longing#my shitset#jrr tolkien
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đż «Trillium», a merlin BBC Mordred x Morgana longfic âą canon divergent from season 2 âą arthurian legends âą druids-inspired lore âą nonlinear narrative âą the sequel, «Aconitum», is being posted đ
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 âą Relationship: Mordred/Morgana, Arthur & Merlin, Arwen & Gwencelot, Mordred & Morgana & Lancelot, Morgause/Cenred, Arthur & Morgana. Arthurian OCs: Sir Galahad, Elaine, Ector, Kay, Lisanor â€
LORE đż CHARACTERS OVERVIEW đż 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
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The Powers That Be
Summary: When Liverpool hires Jonathan Powell as their new doctor, Klopp notices something familiar about Jonathanâs only daughter.
Tags: @millythegoat, @alissonbecksfan234, @moomin279, @lfc-fanfiction
When news came in that Jonathan Power, former FA doctor, would join Liverpoolâs 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 decorationsâit was getting close to Christmas, after allâand Nemmer prepared hors d'oeuvres. Everybody chipped in to prepare the drinksânon-alcoholic, of course, because nobody wanted to deal with a bunch of hangovers the following morning.
âSo whenâs he coming?â Chelsea asked, taking a sip from her cranberry spritz. âIt better be soon, because us medics canât handle the injury list by ourselves for much longer!â
âHe arrives tomorrow.â Lijnders reached for a Lebkuchen, adding it to his mounting plate of food. âSo by tomorrow, thereâll be six medics: you, Vera, Robert, Jim, Kerry and Jonathan.â
Klopp nodded in confirmation. He sneakily stole one of Lijndersâ cookies from his plate, avoiding a slap from the Dutchman. âHeâs coming with his wife and daughter. I think I met him before, though.â
âYou met him before? Where?â 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, sheâd clearly overdone it. âIn the park? On the beach?â
Vera shook her head, massaging her wifeâs shoulders. âHow many times did you head to the chocolate fountain, Chan?â
âDunno. Four times, maybe?â
The Malagasy medic raised an eyebrow at Kanchana. âYou sure you havenât had a little too much of those margaritas, babe?â
âWhat margaritas? I didnât have any margaritas,â Kanchana protested. âYou know I canât have any alcohol, dear.â
Klopp rolled his eyes at the couple. âI donât remember where I met Jonathan, Chan. It was more than five years ago, and I think Zeljko was still hereâŠâ 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. âOh, itâs nothing. Probably my old memory dreaming up stories again.â
âYour stories are true,â Lijnders argued. But it was only half-heartedly, and he hastily stuffed his face with more cookies. âThen again, weâve all had a slip-up or two in our memory.â
Klopp nodded, but as he walked away, his scowl only grew deeper. âIâm sure I met a Jonathan before,â he muttered to himself, passing the snack table. âBut where? And when? I just canât remember the time.â
As if the radio was listening to him, Michael Jacksonâs âRemember The Timeâ 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 couldnât 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.
âNice to meet you all!â Jonathan was polite and pleasant, but he nervously fiddled with the buttons on his blazer. âIf I may, Iâd like to introduce my wife, Louella.â
A bright-eyed, curly-haired woman in an burgundy coat walked up to Klopp, shaking his hand. âOi, glad we finally met, you old German relic. You sure you didnât run into an aging machine? Your hairâs as gray as a raincloud.â
âI warned the mass: this team will give me gray hairs!â Klopp smiled and nodded at Louella, clasping her hand. âBut yes, pleased to meet you as well.â
Louella smirked, then looked back over her shoulder. âArwen, dear! Hurry up, we canât stay out in the draft too long!â
Arwen. The name hit Klopp like a ton of bricks. He staggered backwards, clutching Lijnders for support.
âArwenâs our daughter, remember?â said Jonathan, as if he could read Kloppâs mind. âI told you in our Zoom interview a few days ago.â
âWhyâŠyes, yes you did.â Now Klopp was sure something was familiar. But whereas yesterday his mind was hyperfocused on remembering where heâd 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.
âArwen!â Jonathan turned towards the girl, a larger than life smile stretching across his jaws. âThis is Klopp and the rest of the staff. Weâre finally meeting in person!â
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.
âKlopp, IâŠâ A speechless Arwen shook her head, her braid flying wildly. âYouâre standing right in front of me. I canât help it, but itâs just likeâŠdamn, youâre here. Wait, that came out wrongââ
âItâs fine, I swear all the time! Iâve been trying to stop, but itâs almost impossible.â Klopp took Arwenâs extended hand and shook it. âWelcome to the familyâer, I mean club.â
âNo, he meant family.â Lijnders chuckled at his own joke, while Robert elbowed him.
Klopp rolled his eyes at the twoâs 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 triggeredâlike today.
âHey, folks! Would you mind giving me a chance to talk to Louella and Jonathan alone?â 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.
âSo, what do you want to talk about, boss?â said Jonathan. âThe injury list? Estimated return dates? Living accommodations?â
âNo, no and no. I was just wonderingâŠâ Klopp tried to make this sentence sound as nice as possible. "Can IâŠtalk with your daughter?â
âSure, but why?â Jonathan barely managed to hide his snickering. Youâre not going to give her the Barcelona treatment, are you?â
âNo, no. Iâve done enough already.â Klopp said that part with a hint of regret. âYou know what happened. That day. Arwen doesnât know the whole story.â
Jonathanâs eyes widened, while Louella whispered a faint âoh, godâ.
âNow if youâll excuse me, folks.â Klopp turned on his heel, walking towards the staircase that was the bane of his existence. âIâve got to get this off my conscience.â
*
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.
âArwen!â
âComing!â 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. âYouâve got a nice training ground here, Klopp,â she said as if to break the ice. âIâm looking forward to coming here.â
âYou may not look forward to it as much,â Klopp confessed, âif you knew the whole truth.â
âWhat whole truth?â Arwen queried. âKlopp, I know Iâm adopted; Mum and Dad told me. I know youâre the Liverpool manager; youâre the only manager of this club that I remember. I know that Iâm in a wheelchair because of an accident that happened when I was one. I know a lot of things.â
Klopp shook his head, not looking at Arwen directly. âYou donât know everything, though.â
âAlright. Test me.â Arwen defiantly placed her hands on her hips. âTell me something I donât know.â
There was no way out of this, and Klopp knew it. âWeâve met before. You were much younger than you are nowâŠâ
âOkay, go on.â Arwen flinched, but outwardly she remained calm.
Klopp nodded in silent agreement, focusing on Arwenâs flower sticker. If I just get straight to the story, maybe I can do this.
âI 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 weâd often catch each other rocking you to sleepâor asleep in a rocking chair next to your bassinet.â
Arwenâs eyes widened, and the young girl flinched again. âYouâŠyou found me? You and Zeljko Buvac found me, as a baby?â
âYeah. Anyways, the important thing is that you were extremely agile. You could walk, run and climb.â He sighed, fingering the hem of his shirtsleeves. âToo well, in fact.â
She quizzically tilted her head, raising an eyebrow. âWhat do you mean by âtoo wellâ? Did I do something bad?â
âNo! No, not at all.â Klopp made a mental note to be careful when talking to Arwen. She was catching onâbut in exactly the wrong way, blaming herself for what she didnât even know yet. âOne day when neither Zeljko or I were watching, you managed to climb out of your playpen and into a tall tree.â
âI could climb trees at one time?â Arwen echoed, and Klopp didnât really blame her. Arwen had no memories of herself at one, so she had known herself to be disabled her whole life.
âZeljko tried to get you from above, while I started climbing the tree from the trunk,â Klopp continued. âI 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, butâŠI was too high up on the tree.â
âSo I fell from the tree.â
âYes. As soon as you landed, you didnât just cry. You screamed and wailed, and thatâs 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.â
âBut thenâŠâ Arwen had grown quiet as the story had went on. For a brief moment, a flicker of sadness crossed Arwenâs eyes. âWhy didnât you want me? Why didnât you keep me?â
Those last sentences in particular felt like an arrow to his heart. Drawing a breath, he answered, âI wasâŠscared. I was scared that you would get hurt again in my care, because to be fair, Iâm pretty clumsy. What if I hurt you again? So I put you up for adoption, and Jonathan and Louella adopted you.â
Klopp leant against the pool table for support. He felt slightly dizzy and drained, and his conscience felt strangelyâŠheavier. Wasnât this supposed to ease the guilt? âArwen, Iâm so sorry. You canât walk, because I couldnât catch you when you fell from the tree.â
âIâŠI donât blame you,â said Arwen. âI always thought it was my birth parents who had me before Mom and Dad. I always thought they didnât want me because Iâm in a wheelchair. But now that you told me the real reasonâŠI think I can forgive you.â
âBut you never even knew that I was part of your life until now,â Klopp argued. âAnd now you canât walk!â
âThe 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.â Arwen came even closer to Klopp, grin as lopsided as before. âSo basically, weâre even. Thereâs no need to feel guilty about it.â
âThatâsâŠâ Klopp still reeled with shock. Sheâd forgave him! After all those years of locked-away guilt and wondering, Arwen had forgave him. âThank you, Arwen. Thatâs very generous and mature of you. Your parents raised you well.â
âWhat do you think? You made a good choice.â Arwen raised her hands to the sky, eyes alight once more. âLetâs hug.â
Klopp wasted no time at all, engulfing Arwen in a mammoth embrace. âThatâs what I was going to say!â
#jurgen klopp#pep lijnders#vera torres oc#chan nguyen oc#kanchana nguyen oc#jonathan power#louella power oc#arwen power oc#chelsea o'hara oc#robert o'hara oc#kerry anderson oc#zeljko buvac#liverpool#liverpool fc#liverpool men#lfc players#lfc#soccer fanfiction by lynn#soccer fanfiction#soccer#football fanfic#football imagine#football#football blurb#mona nemmer
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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 đ 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 đ€ who came to Westeros from Middle Earth and they meet beyond the Wall... Idk, it's still a thought that's in progress đ but it's a real Aragorn and Arwen situation/relationship đ€
- đ©”â
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 đ
WAITTTT. I HAVE 1/3 OF A CLUE OF WHAT YOURE TALKING ABOUT BUT I WANT TO HEAR MORE. âa thought in progressâ speaking of your thoughtsâŠ. guess who has a silly little draft of margaery x knight!reader :3 wait who said that
#dippys asks#đ©”âïž anon#something mayhaps be on the way who knows#game of thrones#lord of the rings#margaery tyrell#knight!reader
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If you're still doing the silm ask đ + đ€?
I will always answer asks, anony! And thank you for this, not least because it aids me in procrastination.
đ 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.
đ€ 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 SĂșlind (or SĂșlin. I've never quite nailed down what I think the form should be, but SĂșlind in the first age and language change bringing it to SĂșlin 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 SĂșlind 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.
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The fish siblings from a new worldbuilding project, Faithless! Arwen is the pink one and Ardyn is the blue one. Theyâre built like the tomato and cucumber from veggietales in both shape and height, I donât make the rules (I do)
Iâll 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 heâs âwanderedâ 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 âbattle clericsâ, 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 Arwenâs name has changed though.
+ an Ardyn alt with nicer clothes
#Ozzieâs ocs#Faithless project#art#artwork#character design#my art#worldbuilding#clip studio paint#clip studio art#clip studio pro
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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 đ©·đ©·đ©·
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, heâd much prefer that he fade into the background- but itâs particularly hard to do, as a banished psijic whoâs ALSO close with nobility and royalty⊠not to mention heâs also somewhat socially unaware, living on the island for about 200 years. He likely doesnât THINK about how he comes across to othersâŠ
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 heâsâŠokay at using, since heâs 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 sheâs never really been anywhere else- sheâs a teenager who hasnât 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. Sheâs lost faith in Dibella, with Molag Bal wanting petty revenge for getting his ass handed to him and theâŠlarge list of daedric princes that Juno finds herself pissing off its best to not stay in one place for too long in regards to professionâŠ
AND NOW. THE DESPAIR GANG
4. How would they describe each other if asked? Physically? In personality?
A. iâll do Nerevar all together because heâs be pretty briefâŠ
Neht: Vorynâs got hair and eyes. Heâs nice to look at, not so nice to talk to. Ayemâs like fire in hair and personality, SehtâsâŠuhâŠthere, doesnât talk much. Vehkâs clever.
translated as: Vorynâs handsome, Ayemâs strong, Seht doesnât 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 beingâŠVoryn. Ayem would describe Nerevarâs worth as a king, as a general, what he can give to her people. and SilâŠSil doesnât like Nerevar, so all you could likely expect from him is a scrunched nose and a âheâs alright.â
24. How do these two interact with each other in public versus in private?
I KNOW IT WAS ONLY MEANT FOR TWO CHARACTERS, so Iâll pick⊠Nerevar and Ayem.
Of course Nerevar and Almalexia are king and queen, itâs only right that outwardly they show a united front, stronger together. Behind closed doors theyâre! alright, I think theyâre pretty decent friends- they werenât 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- thatâs their duty and Almalexia and Nerevar want to fulfill their duty to their people as best as they possibly can.
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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:Â 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:Â 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
#sotwk answer#sotwk requests#tag game#lotr fanfiction#the hobbit fanfiction#support your fanfic writers
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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 :)
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