#calarphain (oc)

[angbands-last-hero]

[vinyatar]

Calarphain for @the-journey-was-the-point :]

[the-journey-was-the-point]

Modern AU Oneshot

The funny thing is, I normally don't do Modern AU's, but when people on the discord server asked what our OC's would be like in the modern day, the concept got me on a chokehold and I ended up writing this short thing O__O

Premise is wonky. It's all conceptual, mostly vibes, really!

Summary: When he felt himself beginning to slip, Callonduin decided to take a gap year from university. In his travels, he looked back on his life, and noticed its mysteries. Like how his father never explained what life-saving procedure was done on his twin brother Calarphain as a kid, and how the two brothers haven't seen each other since.

At 8:09pm, Callonduin left his father a message to tell him he arrived at the airport and would be meeting his friend soon. He stood in the middle of a different city and looked to the tall white building in the distance, wondering what his brother was doing right now

He didn't say much else, but his father never asked anyway. Good. At 8:15, he entered a cafe and ordered an upsized latte and double chocolate muffin-- he would need the energy tonight. He called Fíli and thanked him for agreeing to lie about their staying together. Fíli wished him well and reminded him to be careful.

At 8:30, his phone buzzed. He didn't answer it, he knew he wasn't supposed to. He left to meet a contact who would help him get whatever he needed to sneak into a secure facility.

At 9:02, the barista began to close shop. In walked a stranger wearing shapeless white clothes. They had pale skin and long, light hair. The barista couldn't tell if this ghostlike figure was a man or a woman, only that they reminded them of a hospital. The barista sighed and decided to take one more order.

Calarphain looked at the menu with a lost look on his face. He didn't have much on him, just some change he picked up on the street. He saw a weekday promo: half off for a small, brewed coffee.

"What does that taste like?" he asked. The barista said something about beans and undertones. Calarphain placed the order.

"Creamer and sugar are over there," said the barista.

".... are those free?" was his response.

Calarphain sat with his coffee and a small pile of packets. He decided he should try it plain first.

Before he could even lift the cup, a blonde man with an athletic build entered. Even the barista couldn't help but stare. Before they could say anything about the cafe being closed, the man walked straight to the other customer's table.

Haldir sat across the all-white figure.

"Calarphain," he said patiently, "what are you doing? You know you're not supposed to have caffeine."

Calarphain's shoulders slumped. He kept his gaze lowered as he replied. "How will I know if I've never even tried it?"

"The doctors would say it's best not to risk it," Haldir said, but all Calarphain could hear was how it would mess with the "clinical integrity of the experiment".

Calarphain looked out the cafe's large glass window, taking in the sight of nearby shops closing. He came here because he always saw this district from his own window, but there's no way he'd tell anyone that. He liked his window.

"Come on," Haldir tried once more, keeping his voice soft in both volume and tone, "the doctors don't even know you're gone yet. We'll be back before they do."

Calarphain bit his lip and didn't respond, only staring at the door as Haldir took his coffee and returned it to the counter. I could run, he thought. His back is turned, I could run. But he didn't. He sat frozen in place and only moved to follow Haldir to the car.

He pocketed a sugar packet in defiance.

—-

The next day, Callonduin would wake up to news that at 9:20pm the night before, a man named Haldir was ambushed and killed outside the city's food district. Haldir worked security at the facility Callonduin traced his brother to. There were no other bodies on the scene, and the only evidence left were his car, some bullets, and a packet of sugar from a nearby cafe.

[angbands-last-hero]

[the-journey-was-the-point]

4 Times Calarphain Forgot His Brother + 1 Time He Didn’t

Had this sitting in my WIPs for a while, decided to share it for @tolkienocweek Day 7: Freeform!

Summary: Like it says in the title, a collection of times Calarphain forgot his brother, and one time he didn't. You can read this other fic for more context, but the gist is that they grew up away from each other with no contact and now have opposing personalities! Relationships: Callonduin & Calarphain Warnings: Referenced character death, hurt/comfort some angst

Letters

It was all very hazy for Calarphain. The elfling woke up to see his father (looking so worried) and Lady Galadriel (she was so radiant and kind), sitting by his bedside. He couldn’t recall much before that. 

He took one step, then another; a healer came in every day to check his progress. He was slowly getting better, well enough to take short walks.

He huffed one more time, finally reaching the end of the hall. That was enough for his daily walk. Now it was time to return to his bedchamber and– what was it father said? Write a letter to his twin brother? It was a little strange for Calarphain to imagine that somewhere out there was an elfling who looked exactly like him.

Before he could turn, he caught sight of the Lady of Lórien entering the courtyard. He was immediately excited. He liked Galadriel,  she was so kind and beautiful, and even better, she was to mentor him soon!

He called out to her. “Lady Galadriel!!”

The Lady’s serene face turned into a fond smile. She met him halfway, and the two of them spent the rest of the day sitting under the eaves as she told him tales of her youth. 

2. Birthdays

It was a time of feast in Lothlórien. Tonight, they celebrated Calarphain’s coming of age. There was dancing, and cakes, and all of his friends were here. His father made sure the wine was sweet, just like Calarphain liked it. Galadriel gave the toast, recounting the fateful day her apprentice arrived in their realm. Mithrandir brought his best fireworks and promised Calarphain he’d one day instruct him in magic. Calarphain was excited, he wanted to have a staff like Mithrandir’s one day! 

As he giddily downed another glass of wine, he overheard a conversation over the sound of the music. 

“My parents always said it would be like this. You blink, then suddenly they’re grown."

It was Celebrían, Galadriel’s daughter who was visiting from Rivendell. Calarphain always enjoyed her company and was delighted she could be here for the celebration.

“I often feared he wouldn’t live to come of age.” It was his father speaking. He sounded sad and a little sloshed. Calarphain shook his head fondly. His ada was always so sentimental! 

“I’ve enjoyed watching them grow. They’re both doing very well, both highly praised in Lothlórien and Imladris. 

Both? Who’s both? 

Mithrandir lit up another rocket, sending a kaleidoscope into the sky. Calarphain joined the crowd in applause. He figured Celebrían was talking about her own twin sons. 

3. Diet

Calarphain stoked the campfire, focusing on making a bigger flame. He could use magic to speed up the process, but he was trying to distract himself from the sound of Kíli skinning and gutting a rabbit. 

“That looks good,” he heard Fíli say. “What will we have it with?”

“There’s some spices here that Bombur packed for us,” Kíli replied.

“Callonduin’s been gone for a while now,” Tauriel stated as she paced the camp, ever vigilant. “He took Linnéa with him.” 

“Yeah, I needed a second pair of eyes.” Everyone turned to the ellon in question as he dropped down from the branches above, bearing with him a heavy sack. Shortly after, Linnéa emerged from the treeline, carrying an assortment of herbs. “Just to make sure I don’t accidentally kill us,” the ellon continued with a cheeky smile. “Oh! A fire!” 

Calarphain had been trying to avoid his brother so far. Ever since they set out, it was like every interaction they had turned into an argument.  Actually, they’d argued even before leaving Erebor. It was awkward to say the least, so Calarphain tried to keep his distance. 

It seemed Callonduin didn’t have such reservations as he spiritedly plopped down next to his brother. “Yes! Get it nice and hot! Then we can roast the nuts.” 

“The nuts?”

“Ah yeah, I went foraging.” Callonduin reached into his sack, producing an assortment of fruits, berries, and nuts. “Figured you could use some extra, especially since you don’t like eating animals.”

Calarphain murmured his thanks, taken aback by such a nice gesture coming from his brother. “This is very thoughtful of you.” 

Callonduin waved off the compliment with a lopsided grin. “Do you still like chestnuts? I remember how we used to pick them all the time in Rivendell.”

Calarphain loved chestnuts, but he didn’t remember Rivendell. 

4. Song

That last battle hadn’t gone well. They nearly got overpowered by the swarm of goblins, only making it out of the lair by the skin of their teeth. The stormy weather wasn’t helping. It was a good thing a kind farmer let them sleep in his barn. 

Calarphain winced. The cut on his arm was beginning to hurt. He’ll ask Linnéa for pain medicine tomorrow; he didn’t want to wake his tired friend just yet. 

In the darkness, someone began to sing. It was low and melodious, its words in Sindarin. He got up and walked to its source. 

He found Callonduin sitting where Fíli lay nestled in blankets. The dwarf prince had contracted a fever and tossed fitfully in his sleep. The ellon paused his singing when he saw his twin approach. 

“I guess I woke you.”

Calarphain shook his head and whispered, so as not to wake their friends. “That sounded beautiful.” 

“It’s a song of healing,” Callonduin shrugged. “Or, it’s supposed to be. I don’t know if it’s working.” 

“Well, I liked it.” Calarphain took a seat next to his brother. “It doesn't sound familiar. I don’t think I’ve ever heard it in Lothlórien before.”

“That’s ‘cus this is native to the healers of Rivendell,” Callonduin explained, his smile faltering slightly. “I used to sing it for you when we were little.”

“Oh…” Calarphain felt a pit in his stomach. “I’m afraid those days are hazy to me. Probably why I don’t remember the song.”

Callonduin nodded, aware of his brother’s condition. Calarphain felt his twin’s solemn look didn’t suit him. That face was made for smiling. 

“Teach it to me anyway? Maybe it’ll work with two of us.”

(Interlude)

“I don’t know if this is the right thing to say, but I felt you deserved to know.” Calarphain wrung his hands, eyes fixed on the river infront of him. He had called his brother to the outskirts of town in order to talk. He had to come clean, this couldn’t go on any longer. 

“That’s never a good start.” Though Callonduin replied with an easy tone, Calarphain knew of his brother’s tendency to use humor to avoid difficult conversations.

The light-haired twin sighed. Callonduin got the message and sat next to him.

“What’s up?”

“My earliest memory is waking up in Lothlórien with father and Lady Galadriel watching over me. Everything before that was lost to the haze of sickness.”

Callonduin nodded, prompting his brother to continue.

“You resent that I never visited you all these years, that I barely wrote.”

“Yeah, I’m sorry about that. You were sick, I get it–”

“No,” Calarphain quickly interrupted, “you need to know why. You need to know, when I woke up, it was like I was given a new lease on life. I had a new home, new friends, powers I didn’t understand. Galadriel herself offered to mentor me. I had a new life, and the world seemed so big, so limitless, I–” he choked midway through his sentence. Callonduin placed a hand on his shoulder, concerned for the younger twin. 

“I knew you existed,” Calarphain continued, “father told me about you. But in light of my new life,  I suppose I wasn’t… interested in what I had before. Everything else seemed new and exciting. I was so preoccupied with it that I suppose I… forgot about you.” And there it was, finally out in the open. 

There was a second of silence, followed by several more. Neither twin said anything until Callonduin finally smacked his lips together. 

“Well,” he said once more with the casual tone he was known for. “Thanks for telling me this. Good talk. I’ll go now.” He moved to stand, but Calarphain grabbed his sleeve. 

“Callonduin, wait!”

“No, I get it.” Though Callonduin shrugged off his twin’s protests, he avoided his gaze, and Calarphain knew his brother was ready to break. “Everything else was more exciting– I mean you had Galadriel as a mentor. Why bother with me–” 

“Callonduin– no! Look at me, please!” Calarphain gripped his brother’s shoulders and forced the older twin to face him. Callonduin met his gaze,  identical blue eyes boring into his own.

“What I’m trying to say is, it wasn’t your fault. I knew you existed, but didn’t make the effort to reach out. Even when I was well enough to, I didn’t visit simply because I wanted to do other things. I knew father and I left you to grow up alone, but I never cared to do anything about it. Do you understand what I’m saying? You weren’t lacking, Callonduin. I just wasn’t considerate enough to think about you. I took you for granted. I still sometimes do. I’m sorry.”

Calarphain brought his hands back down to his sides. Now it was his turn to look away. “That’s all. I wanted you to know it wasn’t your fault.” 

Callonduin stood still the whole while, taking in his brother’s confession. Tears glistened in his eyes and he swallowed a number of times, throat tight. 

When he spoke, his voice was raw and soft. “Wish I could turn back time. Make it right somehow.” 

Calarphain shook his head. “I wouldn’t put that on you.” What’s done is done. Callonduin was neglected, and nothing would change that. “For what it’s worth, I’ve been enjoying our time together. I’m glad I went on this journey and got to know you. It makes me wish I had you around growing up.” 

“Yeah?” Callonduin sniffled, rubbing at his eyes before tears could fall. “Well, I’m here now!” 

“You are,” Calarphain laughed, looking back at his twin, “and I’d like to make more memories, if you’re up for it. To replace what we lost.”

“Oh! We can go to Rivendell, if you like. We could stay in father’s house, I’ll show you around. My favorite spots– ah!-- the minstrels play some really good songs…”

Calarphain smiled, excited at the prospect of returning to his birthplace with his brother. “I’d like that very much.” 

He never made it to Rivendell. 

+ One time he didn’t

When Calarphain woke up after being re-embodied, he found himself in the blessed land of Valinor. Just like before, his father was by his bedside. The two of them shared a tearful reunion…

… Until Calarphain found out that shortly after he died, his father sailed, leaving Callonduin alone in Middle Earth. 

“How could you do that?!” he cried, tearful Sindarin pouring out of his lips. “How could you leave him alone?!” 

The good thing about being re-embodied? The Valar saw it fit to grant him a healthy fëa and hröa, meaning Calarphain had a much stronger body than before. 

He hurled a pillow at his father, missing, and breaking a vase in the process. Concerned healers slowly trickled into the room.

“Did you forget about him?! Did you forget that he needs you too?!” 

[the-journey-was-the-point]

I finished making those alternate looks for my lil guys! These are supposed to be them at different points in time, so it was great to think about how their in-story circumstances affect their designs.

I'll post comparisons soon!

[the-journey-was-the-point]

Handling It

This fic just came out suddenly XD It's a scene that's been on my mind for a while now, but it only got flowing now.

Summary: Though Linnéa agreed to accompany Fíli on his quest, there's one more hurdle to cross: the Spymaster of Mirkwood whom she works for. Fíli said he'd handle it. Here's his way of handling it. Essentially a sequel to this fic (link)

 “Bard wouldn’t let go of his only apothecary."

“You’re a big lass, he doesn’t tell you what to do.”  

“And what of my handler?”

“I’ll take care of it.”

------

"It's remarkable, really."

The stern-faced Elf gave no indication that he was listening. 

"I mean, I've heard plenty about the power of Elves, but never anything like that."

Maybe if he kept quiet, the Dwarf would leave.

"Don't see any of you Greenwood folk with it."

There was some mirth in the Dwarf's tone that made Dinentir finally deign to acknowledge him. He craned his neck down to see dark hair and a stubble. Kíli. Only the second-born prince of Erebor.

He moved his gaze back to the light-haired ellon in the distance who, in his stark white robes, stood out from his companions.

"Yes, Mithrandir and the Lady of Lórien's tutelage shines through."

"Ah, yeah. He did help Gandalf purge the dragon's stench out of the mountain. Saw it myself."

The Elf's face remained impassive as ever, but Kíli knew those pointed ears were always listening. He knew that more than the Elvenking's advisor, this Elf was the Spymaster of Mirkwood.

"The way he glowed," the Dwarf prince started, fighting back a mischievous smirk, "you ever seen anything like it? That holy light that burns anything foul that it touches?"

Got him. Kíli could feel the Elf still, could hear the gears in his head turn as the rest of the world seemed to stall. Even the gentle breeze ceased for a moment.

The Dwarf pushed further. "Callonduin explained it, I think. Errr, some Elf history about light, and stars, and gems. I didn't really follow. But whatever Galadriel did that made Calarphain turn out like that, it was something else, that's for sure."

Interested now, aren't you? Kíli knew he had fulfilled his task.

"Hard to believe they could make someone that powerful." Kíli's voice dropped to a murmur, as if he were talking to himself. Just as quickly, he scoffed, reverting back to his teasing lilt. "Elves, right? Who knows what else they've got up in those golden trees!"

The Dwarf prince shrugged, finally leaving the Spymaster. Mission accomplished. He knew Dinentir would be sending Linnéa along to investigate. There were things he could get away with saying that his brother couldn't.

After all, he was only the second-born prince.

[the-journey-was-the-point]

An Argument

A short, emotional fic told from Callonduin's POV!

Summary: After spending a lifetime apart, Callonduin overhears what his twin thinks of him.

---

For most of his life, Callonduin played the part of the ideal ellon, excelling in his studies and combat training, never giving his father cause for worry. He figured his father had enough on his hands taking care of Calarphain, Callonduin’s sickly twin brother. Calarphain was brought to Lothlorien as a child for healing, and their father stayed with him there ever since.

Many years went by before Callonduin's behavior began to shift, gradually becoming more unruly, more delinquent, culminating with him dropping his duties in Rivendell without a word. He proceeded to travel around Middle Earth, partying in taverns and instigating brawls for sport. 

For months he lied to his father, wrote him letters of an uneventful life at home, but during their “working vacation” out east, his father revealed that he knew of Callonduin’s  deception during their entire trip. “They tell me of your alarming behavior,” his father had said, referring to the letter he received from Elrond’s attendant, Lindir, “that you behave recklessly when fighting orcs, that you disappear for several days at a time, then come home smelling of blood and ale.” 

Before leaving their convoy, Callonduin apologized to his father and promised to return to a normal life in Rivendell.

Of course, what he actually did was loiter in a small town along the Anduin. It was pure luck that a band of dwarves would pass through and inform him that Fíli was requesting his presence in Erebor.

“Please, behave.” Fíli had all but pleaded him, as the crown prince was to officially present his intended traveling companions to his uncle, King Thorin.

Did Callonduin behave? Well enough, he cleans up nicely when he wants to. Did that mean his deception went unnoticed? No, and now not only was King Thorin unimpressed, but Calarphain was mad at him too.

Callonduin wandered around Erebor afterwards and upon hearing his brother’s voice, followed the sound to a room, a study perhaps, where Calarphain was speaking with someone the older twin couldn’t see. 

“When I learned I was going to meet my brother, I wondered what type of person he was. Father made him sound remarkable. Turns out he’s… out of control, and boorish, and irreverent, and so cruel to our father! He’s not at all what I was expecting.“ 

Callonduin was a seasoned warrior, one of Rivendell’s best, and the youngest apart from Lord Elrond’s sons to have been part of his personal orc-hunting party. He has been on the receiving end of an orc’s unforgiving warhammer, and yet, these words from his brother hurt so much harder in a way Callonduin couldn’t explain. 

“Sorry, were you expecting Glorfindel?” Callonduin snapped, making himself known. 

Calarphain spun around and froze at the sight of his brother leaning against the doorway. The older twin's lips were curled up slightly in what would have been considered mirth if not for the tumultuous look in his eyes. Unused to dealing with hostility, Calarphain could only stammer. 

“Were you expecting I’d be a paragon of Elvish virtue?” Callonduin continued, “If you knew me at all,  you’d know that what I am is at the bottom of the barrel! But how can you? You never wrote.”

“Father wrote to you,” Calarphain replied at last, voice raised, “and you always made it sound like you were fine! And I did write to you.” 

“Yes! Short notes attached to father’s letters!” Now Callonduin’s voice was raised as well. “ ‘Hope you’re doing well,’ ‘Happy Midsummer’, and nothing more. You never even visited.”

“I was sick, Callonduin, you know this! I was sick, then I had my apprenticeship with Lady Galadriel–” 

“Hundreds of years,” Callonduin interjected, “and you couldn’t make time for one summer with me?”

Silence fell between the two, and Callonduin allowed it. Callonduin wouldn’t deny his flaws, he was very aware of how far he had fallen, but he detested how his brother held him up to an imaginary ideal, when Calarphain never took the time to know him.

He took a shaky breath to calm the well of emotions that threatened to drown him. “Maybe I am out of control, and everything else you said... but if you’re disappointed because of what you expected me to be, that's your fault Calarphain, not mine.” 

Callonduin stormed out, not bothering to wait for his brother's response.

[the-journey-was-the-point]

OC Intro's!

Since I finally have some art and names, I can properly introduce these guys!

They're my The Hobbit OC's who travel along with Fili, Kili, and Tauriel post-BOTFA doing minor quests but mostly enjoying the journey, since that's what it's really about, isn't it?

(Until the plot thickens at least)

[the-journey-was-the-point]

Take 2 on drawing my OC's, this time with Taran. I still might make minor changes, but I think I'm happy with what I have so far.

Taran took the longest to design cus there was so much I wanted to do, and most of it was contradictory. I think this is a good starting point though.

Anyways, I need to practice drawing the canon characters who they travel with so I can complete the set XD

[the-journey-was-the-point]

Headcanon Tag Game

Thanks for the tag @linden-leaf ! This looks really fun :D I'm gonna use Linnéa and Calarphain for these!

EDIT: can't believe I didn't explain the game ^^" you randomly generate headcanons for your OC's from here and say if they're accurate or not XD

---

Linnéa:

1. Linnéa cringes at their middle school yearbook photos.

Hmm I think everyone cringes at their middleschool photos, but whatever Linnéa did, it probably wasn't too bad. She's pretty classic when she dresses, and she has a reserved personality, so there isn't much to embarrass her with XD

2. Linnéa has an incredible spice tolerance.

Nah, her spice tolerance is low-to-average XD

3. Linnéa has a diary that they write in with a glittery gel pen.

It's not farfetched for her to keep a journal... but she wouldn't write in glittery gel pen XD She's serious and straightforward as a person so expect it to look neat and clean (though she will whack you if you go through her things!)

Calarphain:

1. Calarphain uses two-in-one shampoo and conditioner.

Noooo he keeps his products separate and dedicates time to his haircare uwu

2. Calarphain believes in ghosts and insists on trying to summon one at every sleepover.

OKAY NOW WE HAVE SOMETHING ACCURATE! Calarphain is 100% the psychic friend who can see supernatural things. He wouldn't try to summon one at a sleepover (not for no reason, at least) but he's the guy to call if you need help getting something to shoo!

3. Calarphain can play the piano.

Hmm neutral for this one. I'm sure he learned how to play at least one instrument, but I don't associate him with any in particular.

---

Well, at least we got one right!

Tagging @loremastering @angbands-last-hero @vinyatar @a-lonely-dunedain @lanthanum12 @lyrien-arts @acornsandoaktrees and whoever else wants to join (no pressure of course!) I'm pretty sure you've been tagged already but eh, anyway XD

[the-journey-was-the-point]

cw blood

Remembered to post this! Comparing my OC's looks at different points in time. Excuse the inconsistent color palette ^^"

Linnéa's travel look that she wears for most of the story is a lot more "uptight"-looking than her Laketown look that's supposed to look more alluring. Callonduin wore his hair in a more "traditional" style when he was still in Rivendell (and yet at a certain point it started to look unkempt). My reasoning behind his loose bun is that he got out of bed in the morning, looped his hair once, and called it a day XD

Calarphain initially had brown hair like his twin, but after Galadriel used the light of Eärendil to save his life, it turned white. When he dies and the light leaves him, it turns back to brown. Taran disguises himself when he travels, so he changes his physical appearance and covers the tattoos (which I don't have designs for, but they're distinctly Mordor-affiliated). His travel clothes are meant to be plain and untraceable, to the point of suspicion.

[the-journey-was-the-point]

Some sketches of my The Hobbit OC's! They hijacked my brain around hm, 2021? And have been slowcooking ever since.

Took a while for some of these designs to get to me. I have a number of rejected ones in my sketchpad. Might still play around with the colors and designs, but I think this is the gist.

To briefly explain: The Hobbit but no one dies, also Fili and Kili (then later Tauriel) meet my OC's and go on what seems like a minor adventure before the plot thickens.

First there's Linnea, an apothecary from Laketown. Fili meets her when the Company stops over at Laketown (in this AU, they arrive like what 5 days before Durin's Day?). Turns out she's a spy for Mirkwood and knows how to make more than just medicine. Also she's like 100-something years old (her dad was an elf, but she appears human cus genetics), and she's really just so Done with Middle Earth.

Then there's the twin elves: Callonduin and Calarphain. Callonduin is the thrill-seeking, orc-hunting, life of the party. He was born and raised in Rivendell, which is a great place, yet despite that, he has a whole host of emotional problems.

Calarphain is a pacifist and a friend to all living things. He was born weak but Galadriel saved him and he's now her apprentice in Lothlorien (where he grew up). He's got some really powerful and really suspicious light-based magic.

The twins meet Fili and Kili the spring after the BotFA because their dad, a diplomat participating in peace talks, brought them along.

There's one more guy but his design is still a huge "?" to me (he'll turn up eventually).

Another doodle. Callonduin looks pissed off here cus I was listening to a video about the doom of the Elves, a topic that throughly depresses him.

[the-journey-was-the-point]

WIPS! Drawing alternate looks for my OC's (as in how they looked during different points in time)

[the-journey-was-the-point]

OC's and Instincts

I just realized that my OC's fall pretty neatly into the 4 stress responses! Namely fight (Callonduin), flight (Linnéa), freeze (Calarphain), and fawn (Taran).

Now of course this isn't the only way they respond to threats, it entirely depends on the situation and what they feel the best course of action is. It also depends on the type of threat; for example, simply being attacked by Orcs isn't "threat" enough for Callonduin (in fact he actively seeks it out/enjoys it). I mean, being caught off guard in a situation in which they feel they're in genuine danger of losing and it's hopeless and out of their control.

(Or at the very least, it's the response they tend to gravitate towards)

(Also these might not be accurate in terms of actual psychology, I'm looking at this purely through the lens of character archetypes)

Callonduin - I've come to realize that Callonduin has a tendency to respond to real threats with aggression and snark, and this isn't just because he enjoys fighting. Even in a situation where he's about to lose, possibly die, I can see him either going down swinging in a fit of rage, or using the last of his breath to cuss out his opponent.

Linnéa - She's not a fighter, and she's more cunning than strong. She knows she's out of her depth when up against seasoned warriors, so her first instinct will always be to flee a dangerous situation, or better yet, avoid it.

Calarphain - I think the main thing with Calarphain is that he's inexperienced and generally unused to conflict. When faced with it, he doesn't know how to handle it or is too terrified to act.

Taran - Surprisingly, he fawns. Again, it depends on the situation, but he does have a tendency to people-please and make himself as small and nonthreatening as possible. He believes all will go well if he just complies.

[the-journey-was-the-point]

Brother's Keeper I - Family Stakes

So I've got a two-part fic wherein my OC's are being not very nice ^^" This happens after Calarphain's death, during the arc where Linnéa finds out that her younger brother Laerlas is working for the bad guys now, infiltrated Rivendell in the past, and became the reason Celebrían got captured.

Summary: After learning that Linnéa's younger brother had a hand in Celebrían's capture, Elrond and sons seek her help to take him down. However, her aid doesn't come easy. Relationships: Lanthir/Linnéa

“The sons of Elrond are asking you to cooperate. Their cause is just, I don’t understand why you won’t help them.”

The Ranger, Lanthir, paced around the room, not understanding why his companion wouldn’t just do the decent thing. The family of Elrond were an honorable clan, longtime allies of the Dúnedain. They made it their mission to protect Middle Earth from the ever-present darkness, and all they got for it was tragedy. 

Now justice lay in Linnéa’s hands. 

“I have a personal stake in this matter,” was her reply. 

“A personal stake?” Lanthir crossed his arms. “What kind?”

Linnéa took her time responding, her furrowed brows the only sign of an internal debate. Lanthir was about to ask again when she answered, “The family kind. Laerlas is my brother.” 

Tentatively, Lanthir clarified, “You were raised by Elves? 

“I am half-Elf. From my father.” 

Lanthir could only nod, trying to come to terms with this. Half-elves weren’t unheard of, but the ones he knew looked like Elves. Linnéa looked human. But then again, it was exactly like the enigma he met in Fornost to have some kind of hidden heritage.

“I suppose you take more after your mother, then.”

“I don’t.” Linnéa shifted in her seat, resting her arms on the table. Though typically composed, she slumped forward. “Before this, I worked for the Elves of Mirkwood, spying on their neighbors, that’s how I met Fíli. My brother infiltrated Rivendell as a traveler, that’s how he got Celebrían. My father worked with Mirkwood before I did, and I found out that even Ages ago, he did similar work for another clan. It resulted in a lot of bloodshed, from what I’m told. Deceit runs in the family. I wonder what else does?”

Lanthir moved off the wall and knelt before her, fixing her with a piercing gaze. He still had to process the mountain of information she let loose– how long her family has been around, how long she has been around– but he knew one thing for certain:

“Don’t… don’t think about that,” he pressed. “I don’t know your father nor brother, I don’t know why they did those things, but the way I see it, what matters right now is what you are going to do.”

He reached for her hand, pleading as best as he could on behalf of Elrond’s family, and for Linnéa’s own sake as well. By now, he knew her long enough to be well-acquainted with the types of decisions she struggled with. 

“You have a chance to fix what your brother destroyed. You can give a family closure, deal a blow to the Enemy, even stop the darkness from further corrupting this land.”

Linnéa looked down at their entwined hands. Though her face betrayed no emotion, there was a softness in her gaze. “I have family, too, Lanthir. He’s my brother. This doesn’t come easy to me.” Her eyelashes fluttered as she thought her options through.

“If I do this, it will come at a price.” Linnéa pulled away, and Lanthir watched her stone-gray eyes harden once more. “And I need to see what they’re willing to pay.”