#i think at first celegorm and curufin wouldn't like him

[cosmic-walkers]

like damn it hits hard when you know maeglin literally had no one. and because of turgon, idril and the other gondolindrim opinions on him he probably wouldn't be well received by the other nolofinweans either. at the end of the day i think that the feanorians would accept him and probably would not let harmful opinions other had on him cloud their judgement.

[edennill]

CW: aftermath of graphic violence, corpses, blood; not explicitly described, but it's there

There is a lot of fanart around of Fëanor cradling Finwë's dead body, and while I find it just as moving as any other person, I can't help but think that the info we're given in HoME doesn't make it seem at all like the corpse was in good enough a state to make this possible

Maedhros: "... There we found the king slain at the door. His head was crushed as with a great mace of iron ... His sword lay beside him, twisted and untempered as if by lightening-stroke"

And of course, you can ignore this, but I think this version has just as many possibilities for angst... Consider:

Maedhros arrives at the scene first, and he never gets over what he sees there. He will know worse one day; battles are no pleasant thing, but this is his first experience of violence, and it is the greatest horror one could find.

Caranthir is second and Caranthir starts retching. By the time Curufin appears, Maedhros has regained enough presence of mind to stop him from coming nearer, and make sure Maglor and Celegorm and the twins - especially the twins, for stars sake, the twins! - don't have to see it.

And despite his horror, despite the nausea, Maedhros kneels down to pick up the pieces. He sends Caranthir for the casket... (it's just a box, of course it's just a box, but that's what poets will later call it) And to his horror, Celegorm appears in his field of view.

"Didn't Curvo find you?"

"He did"

And Maedhros is furious: "Stars, then why are you here??!"

"I've seen blood before, Nelyo" says Celegorm calmly, and Maedhros wants to protest that this is different than whatever he might have seen, but Celegorm has already knelt down beside him and begun helping in the bloody endeavour, though up close it's visible that he isn't as unfazed as he pretends to be.

"At least," says Celegorm "it must have been quick"

...

Later, in Tirion, Maedhros will have one of his rare moments of opposition to his father. He doesn't let him open the casket; he puts himself between it and his father. Hand on the swordhilt, almost as if he was ready to fight - he wouldn't dream of hurting his father, but certain instincts are already arising in them all.

"Will you not let me look on my father's face one last time?" Fëanor both pleads and demands in anger.

"There is no face" Maedhros replies. "I've seen it; you shouldn't have to. Do not ask."

...

Maedhros will only gainsay Fëanor one more time in this life, and he shall never again stop him.

[electroniccollectiondonut]

possibly maybe more feanorian headcanons? (I adored your post) 👉👈

Hello!! I actually saw this ask when it came in a few days ago but I couldn't answer it until now because I didn't have wifi in my new apartment yet. I ALWAYS have more silm headcanons and I love to be asked, so! Here's my Fundamental Headcanon for each of the Feanorians, which is a concept I came up with based on that writing advice post that says "don't write about war write about the little boy's burnt socks" or whatever. Basically, a Fundamental Headcanon is a Little Detail with Big Implications that I can use as armature for the rest of the characterization, and I have them for all the characters I think about very hard. Disclaimer: some of these hinge on my own hcs about Elven culture as a whole.

Feanor: He keeps his hair short in memory of Miriel from the moment he's old enough to know what it means until the day he dies, because he can't bear the way it seems like everyone around him is trying to erase her and this is a visible way he can remind them all that she was here.

Nerdanel: The moment she meets Feanor is the moment she has her first vision of Foresight, of darkness and fire and grief, and knows that one day he will break her heart. She marries him anyway.

Maedhros: He doesn't have nightmares of his capture, of Melkor or his time in Angband or on the cliff face. He never admits that his nightmares are actually of the burning at Losgar; when he jumps with the Silmaril he doesn't see fire, he sees water.

Maglor: He begins composing his earliest version of the Noldolante the moment the swan ships leave the harbor, after his brothers have to drag him screaming from the fighting.

Celegorm: Of all his bothers he's the one who most inherited Feanor's talent for language, but he never learned to read. In Valinor it was because he wouldn't let Feanor teach him and in Beleriand it was because he refused to be taught by anyone but Feanor. All the texts he knows, and most of them are hymns to Orome, he knows by rote.

Caranthir: He shorts some people's rations during Maglor's kingship at Mithrim, including his own, and he never second guesses his choice or tells anyone else that he did it, because he's quartermaster and he doesn't have to be fed to work out that there isn't enough for everyone, just for the most important.

Curufin: In Valinor, he made all the knives in his family's house. Feanor and Celebrimbor are both jewelsmiths first and foremost, but he's a bladesmith, and there's not anyone better. He's never content with this, because when Feanor dies he's left heir to every project his father never finished and to matter how hard he tries his skill doesn't lie with any of them.

Amrod and Amras: They count themselves as one first, and separate second. Like all Elven twins, they're skilled in osanwe, especially between themselves, and because of this they find their craft in things that deal with the spirit ahead of the body, and especially in healing. (Is it cheating to put these two together? I don't think so, since that's the whole point of this headcanon.)

Celebrimbor: He looks as alike to Curufin as Curufin did to Feanor, and so he's always overdressed for everything because those two were chronically underdressed and he wants to minimize how often people remember that he's Feanorian. It's the same reason he had his fathername stricken from the record after Nargothrond, not because he doesn't love them but because he doesn't want to be held under the same black mark.

[elficially-done-with-life]

hi, I just wanted to pop in and say I'm so happy to see that someone else understands how important soft!Celegorm is ❤️ I would love to see more of him if you feel up to it, hcs with a spouse and/or kiddos maybe? Honestly happy with anything soft though 🥰

A/N: Thank you so much!!!! I LOVE soft!Celegorm and I am so happy you do too. When I saw this ask I was so happy🥰. Writing about him again was a lot of fun. I went with the Reader being Celegorm's daughter! Hope you enjoy!!!!!😊

♡♡♡♡♡♡♡

♡ Celegorm would be really protective, whether you were confident or shy

♡ But he wouldn't be protective in a oppressing way, but in a worried way

♡ He wouldn't forbid you to do something just because he doesn't like it, but would instead teach you how to defend yourself or talk to you about it in detail. The last thing he wants is for you to feel oppressed

♡ If you were a shy person, he would constantly tell you how proud he is of you and try to boost your self-confidence in other ways too

♡ Before he had a daughter, he only wove flower crowns for his wife, now he does the same for you and it makes him overjoyed to see how happy you are about the colourful flowers

♡ If you were ever to doubt yourself because you don't have any special abilities like the others in your family, he would do everything he could to show you that you are more special to him than the others even without them

♡ Would never let you think he is disappointed in you

♡ If you're sad about something for a long time, he'll persuade you to go for a walk in the woods until it gets dark, then you'll lie down in a clearing and stare at the stars while you talk about your feelings

♡ Celegorm has noticed over time that you open up to him better when he opens up to you first

♡ If he's ever completely absorbed in his duties, he would always try to spend at least an hour a day with his family, because you are most important to him

♡ Is very careful when he takes you hunting for fear you might not want to come along in the future

♡ His biggest fear is that one day you might be sad that he is your father and not one of his brothers

♡ When you were a newborn, he couldn't stop looking at you, he was so enchanted, he stood next to you for hours while you slept with a gentle smile and shining eyes

♡ Afraid of the responsibility he now bears, but couldn't wish for a better feeling than that of being an Atar

♡ Especially when you lie on his chest as a newborn and sleep as he strokes your still short hair

♡ Is himself more emotional than many people think, and when he realised that you seemed to have inherited this from him, he always tries to show you that you could talk to him about anything

♡ When you were a smaller elf, he stopped going into the forest to hunt and took you with him to show you the nature instead

♡ You aren't afraid of any animal, because they always remind you of your Atar

♡ Only when you were older did he go hunting again, but he rarely stayed away for more than two days unless you or his wife accompanied him

♡ Because of his closeness to Curufin, you and Tyelpë grew up inseparable and practically like siblings

♡ Celegorm is very affectionate, which is why he always hugs you and gives you a kiss on the brow whenever he comes home, no matter how briefly he's been away

♡ When you were younger and you were in the forest together, you always sat on his shoulders

♡ Loves tickling you, especially when you were a smal elfling, because as long as you were laughing, all was right with the world

♡ Always tries to hide from you when he's feeling bad, but when you realise and give him comfort and tell him you love him, he feels better straight away

♡ If you ever have a romantic relationship later on, he wouldn't try to scare the person away but get to know them better, after all, if the person makes you happy, than he is happy for you

♡♡♡♡♡♡♡

[ceescedasticity]

Unforsaken, 11a

(All sections on tumblr)

(AO3, lagging behind but more polished)

[There's been an AO3 chapter I didn't link here, the fairy-tale one.]

If for some reason anyone was hoping for a desolate wasteland with cold-drakes everywhere north of the mountains, they are disappointed.

(Well actually they were kind of hoping to find an obvious place to demonstrate the Wizard's Clay. This will take some thought.)

There's pine forest on the lower slopes of the mountains, and the grasslands rolling northward are green where they aren't full of wildflowers. There are buzzing insects, birds and rabbits and foxes, and a herd of deer in the distance.

So there's food for any cold-drakes.

More importantly, there's plentiful forage for the oxen and horses. Which they were already confident of thanks to palantír scrying, but it's good it's still here.

They could do some more palantír scrying to locate good campsites with water sources, but mostly they send the kids younger set ahead scouting.

(They are various levels of qualified for scouting in this environment, but it's a good thing to learn, anyway.)

Two days past Gundabad, at the nightly conference Arwen asks if they've seen any sign of dragons. She is is glad to hear they haven't.

And they're well clear of Gundabad?

And they haven't seen any orcs or trolls around?

All right. Then she has to tell them something about those grey swans with the Geese.

This is so much worse than the hair thing.

****

Everyone reacts very well.

Celeborn does not — does not — lash out at Maglor or Celegorm. It's old news, and anyway leaving Eluréd and Elurín to die (or not) was the work of a few rogues. He believes that. Maedhros and Maglor wouldn't have hurt them without an attempt at hostage negotiation first. No doubt Celegorm inspired his retainers' behavior, but it wasn't even his fault, not directly, since he was dead at the time. (Although, as his fëa was obviously lingering— No, probably not.)

Celeborn also does not waste time asking questions like: "How are they swans? Was Elwing's transformation not because of Ulmo? Did Lúthien turn into a bird, or into anything under non-emergency circumstances? Could Dior have?"

Instead, he asks, "…Does this have something to do with Nimloth not answering the Call of Mandos?"

Turgon shrugs, awkwardly. "I don't know. I don't know if she ever told anyone anything about how that happened."

"I think it must have been," says Whiterot, who is acknowledging the gravity of the news by actually speaking to Celeborn. "And this is probably also related to how risk-averse she could be. She must have known they were here and been afraid of leading the Dark Lord to them."

(Turgon can't actually see how any of the risks Leafblight wouldn't take could have led to her leading the Dark Lord to her sons. Even if she somehow knew where they were, how is that even related to keeping a low profile generally?)

Celegorm tells Maglor he is going to go dig a hole in the ground that they can demonstrate the Wizard's Clay in, and vanishes into the night. Maglor doesn't stop him.

Time of death notwithstanding, Maglor does blame Celegorm for Eluréd and Elurín.

Even before the Nirnaeth, Celegorm and Curufin used some very violent rhetoric on the subject of Thingol, his people, and his house. (Maedhros figured it was substantially about the Silmaril and Lúthien humiliating them, but also about scapegoating someone else for Celebrimbor's rejection, Huan's rejection and death, the breakdown in relations with Nargothrond, and for that matter Finrod's death.)

After the Nirnaeth, all of them found their thoughts turning more often and more darkly towards Thingol and the Silmaril he held, though they didn't test the Girdle.

Celegorm combined that with a steady stream of vitriol towards Beren and Lúthien and their son — Men were barely more than beasts, and Ainur were hateful aliens with no place in Arda, and their joint spawn were monstrous. Maedhros hadn't been in any condition to shut him up. Maglor hadn't dared pick a fight and break the facade of unity that was holding their followers together.

(It had been one more thing to feel guilty about, with Elrond and Elros — that he hadn't said anything while Celegorm dismissed their entire family as not really people.)

Maglor doesn't think Celegorm really believed it even at the time — he hated them even more than he hated everything else and wanted a justification, like Caranthir coming up with reasons to despise Angrod and Aegnor besides 'Celegorm and Curufin like them more than me'. But Celegorm's retainers had believed in him the way they'd once believed in Oromë, and took his words as truth, and he should have watched his words accordingly.

Also, it was blatantly obvious that Eluréd and Elurín should be taken hostage. Leaving someone who didn't realize that with command of his retainers was very irresponsible.

(Celegorm realizes within five minutes of leaving camp that he forgot to grab a shovel, but was unwilling to go back and get one, so he grimly sets to digging a hole with his shitty orc sword.)

Khitwê and Risyind know about Eluréd and Elurín, more or less; Elladan covered them the summer before while trying to explain the roots of Celeborn's mood.

Obviously the Hirnedhrim have never heard of them before.

Neither has Gimli.

…Or Sharlinnu. She realizes she probably could have heard of them if she'd ever listened to orcs-who-know-they-were-Sindar arguing with orcs-who-know-they-were-Noldor rather than trying to get them to shut up, but that is not the case.

She is as helpful as she can be by not sharing the official Pelndoru version of why the Noldor and Sindar have a feud, which reliably outrages Eldar of any background:

The strife between different groups of Journey-Elves is an old blood feud started over a cursed jewel filled with the perilous light of the gods. Some of the Deep-Elves found it, were driven mad, then lost it. Then some of the Grey-Elves found it and kept it and were driven mad. Because they were all mad, they had a war and slew each other over who should keep the jewel. Because the Deep-Elves had held it longer, they were more mad and turned on their own people. Finally it was sent back to the gods as it always should have been. The Journey-Elves had never had a war before, so they were very upset, and are still angry and argue about whose fault it was.

(Sharlinnu feels it conveys most of the necessary information, but does have to concede that entirely omitting the Dark Lord is an odd choice.)

Legolas has heard of them. Celeborn would be relieved, if he was paying attention.

(Thranduil met Eluréd and Elurín a few times, between their coming to Menegroth and Nimloth informing Oropher that her father's death did not mean she needed his maternal cousin to step in and offer unsolicited suggestions, and in fact, if he could not treat her and Dior as adults and his king and queen, then he could get out of their council chambers — which had led to Oropher leaving Menegroth. Thranduil was quite young himself at the time, and grieving his dwarf-slain mother, but he remembered the twins clearly. He didn't dwell on the Kinslaying, but he mentioned Eluréd and Elurín.)

Legolas does not however feel qualified to explain Eluréd and Elurín, much less explain why everyone is so tense about it. He's hoping Elladan and Elrohir will do it.

Thus far they have not.

Elladan and Elrohir are—

Their family tree is full of ghosts. Third Age Elvendom was full of ghosts. They have to be prepared to meet some ghosts. And they are!

But Eluréd and Elurín were children of a peredhel father and an elven mother, identical twin boys with a younger sister, and— They were particularly eerie ghosts, and not ones their parents encouraged them to dwell on.

It's taking a little recalibration to absorb the idea of meeting them.

Anyway they're having a hushed conversation by themselves, and not explaining anything to anyone else.

Glorfindel, once he's satisfied that violence is not going to break out, announces he's going to ride back and see if he can find the Geese to speak with them.

…Khitwê ends up awkwardly trying to relay what he understands of the history to Gimli, Sharlinnu, and the Hirnedhrim.

Zuste says with great feeling that being a child abandoned in winter is just the worst. No one asks.

Sharlinnu remarks that this answers a number of questions she didn't ask about Reckless and Leafblight but none of her questions about Whiterot; in fact she now has several new ones.

Gimli asks for clarification on the 'can turn into swans' part. Khitwê has no idea about that.

Legolas says he doesn't understand that part, either.

Khitwê: "You couldn't make an attempt to explain the rest of it?"

Legolas: "I really don't know more than who they were!"

Risyind: "But wasn't your king still hating dwarves over Elder Days grudges? This doesn't bother him?"

Legolas denies any understanding of why he does or doesn't know anything to do with the First Age and what that knowledge or lack or knowledge does or doesn't have to do with his father's personal opinions.

The Geese prove elusive. Glorfindel decides pretty quickly they just don't want to be found at the moment, but still dawdles a bit before heading back.)

Really, everyone handles it very well.

[apihtawtoussaint]

Okay, okay, okay. Hades 2 but Lord of the Rings?

Hear me out; Legolas in Aman going through the Halls of Mandos to meet with Gimli in the Dwarven Halls after his death for a few moments before being kicked back out for being a living Elf.

The hub would be in Aman, maybe on Ezellohar for the drama? Fingon Astaldo and Elrond would be initially Legolas' biggest supporters. Elrond just because he's like that, and Fingon has a vested interest in seeing if it can be done. Galadriel would be neutral initially, but Legolas would win her over and after a number of runs she'd arrange for armour and equipment buffs.

Daeron and Thranduil could also be around for colour commentary. Thranduil would disaprove and just be there to make it known how hard he was disaproving.

Boons would be from the Valar; Aulë would be the first to provide assistance. He'd be all for this nonsense. The others would join in once they noticed that Mandos was letting this happen, and isn't that just the darndest thing? The Doomsman must have some knowledge that he isn't sharing.

The first section would be the rooms of the main waiting area of The Halls. Where most Elves are waiting to be reimbodied. Most enemies would be Elves who had fallen in battle and haven't fullen become consicous again yet.

There'd be lots of colourful tapistries everywhere, and Vairë could serve as the merchant. You'd trad spider silk or some other weaving material with her in exchange for whatever she had.

I'm not certain who the friendly encounter would be, perhaps Gil Galad?

The boss at the end, Huan I think. We're just accepting he'd be here, magic dog. He'd be very conflicted, Celegorm is in the next section of the Halls and he wants to keep Legolas away from him. After the Luthièn business, I think Huan would disavow Celegorm but he spent centuries as his protector and friend; very difficult scenario especially for a dog. Caught between his warring instincts, Huan would guard this section and wouldn't let anyone in or out without a fight.

After beating him, the mid sectiom would be for those who will be in the Halls for a real long stint. The Fëanorian Section.

Parts would be in flames (the ships) and others frozen (the grinding ice). Enemies would be restless, angry spirts who had been murdered in some way because of the Silmarils.

The friendly encounter wouls be my guy, Maedhros, of course. Very similar path to Achilles and Patroclus in Hades.

Maybe Eöl or Maeglin as a miniboss?

At the end of the section would be Fëanor, chained up and very angry about it. He wouldn't be able to do much, but one of his C sons would also be there (Celegorm, Curufin, or Carnister) and would be compelled to fight you on his behalf.

Once Legolas was done with him, he's have to sneak around the edges of the Halls, close to the Void.

Here there be monsters. Werewolves, spiders, vampires, orcs, the whole gang's here.

The friendly encounter? You know what? Ungoliant.

And the boss to get through to get to the Halls of Mahal wouod be Durin's Bane himself. Big ol' balrog.

Then would be a shorter maze of Dwarven traps that were mostly made just to pass the time.

And then finally, biggest boss, Mandos the Doomsman (but he's not being super serious about it, Legolas still has a chance)

30 runs later, once you've finally beaten him you get to go through the door. On the other sIde? Gimli.

But Legolas can't stay long term, so he gets brought back to Aman where he can try again. Because it's a roguelite.

[sillysistersusi]

You are more than that

Celegorm & Curufin

Summary: Curufin gets mistaken for his father and gets insecure about his worth. Celegorm is there to help.

Warnings: self doubt

Fandom: The Silmarillion

Curufin dropped head first onto his bed and buried his face in his pillow as the first tears began to fall.

Some other elves had mistaken him for his father.

What didn't seem like a big deal at first was a big deal for Curufin. All his life he had lived in his father's shadow and no one had ever seen him as his own person.

Everyone called him 'little Feanor' but not even half of them ever used his name.

When Curufin had been smaller, Maglor had always referred to him in his songs as the 'image of our beloved Atar'. He knew that Macalaurë had never meant any harm, but it had still stung his heart whenever he heard it. For even to his brothers, he was nothing more than a poor copy of their father.

And even though he was no longer a child, a comment like that still really hurt him.

Then he heard his bedroom door open quietly and close again immediately afterwards. At first he thought it was Tyelpe, but then he heard Celegorm's voice ask: "Curvo? Has something happened? You seemed so absent when you came back."

Curufin sighed into his pillow. "It's stupid," he muttered quietly.

"It always is. "Celegorm grinned, but when he didn't get a reaction from Curufin, he swallowed hard.

He dropped onto the bed next to him, causing the whole mattress to bounce up and down.

"Come on, tell your big brother," Celegorm said, wrapping his arms around his brother's middle and burying his face in his shoulder.

Curufin tried to struggle free, but Celegorm was stronger and wrapped his arms around him tighter.

Curufin lay in his brother's warm arms for a while. Because even though he had tried to fight his way out of the embrace, he liked it when his brother hugged him. When they had both been smaller, Celegorm had often wrapped his arms around him from behind and held him close.

The embrace made him feel safe and secure and he actually wished that the hug would never end.

"Is it about Tyelpe?" Celegorm asked.

Curufin shook his head and exhaled shakily. "No, it's not about Tyelpe. It's-"he sighed. "it's complicated."

"Come on, Curvo! Tell me. Just like when we were kids!"he said.

Curufin was quiet for a while. Everything in him wanted to tell his big brother. Whenever he had told his brother what was bothering him when they were small, Celegorm had done everything he could to make it up to him. But that was the problem. Curufin was no longer a small child. He should have come to terms with it by now and not make such a fuss about it.

"I-" but he interrupted himself and swallowed, "Do you think- do you think I would be worth less if I wasn't the image of our father?"

Celegorm sat up a little and loosened his grip on Curufin, but only so that he could lean over him. What he saw made his heart break a little. Curufin's eyes were red and swollen and a few silent tears were still running down his cheeks.

"Oh Curvo!"Celegorm gently wiped his cheeks dry with the sleeve of his robe, "My dear Curvo, what are you talking about? Who said you would be worth less? Who? I'll see to it that this person never steps under your eyes again."

"Me! I'm the one who said that!"Curufin turned to Celegorm, his cheek almost as red as Caranthir's when they had teased him as a child. "Not once did I feel that anyone liked me, just because of what I am, but because of my similarities with Atar!"

"Hey, "Celegrom's voice had become softer. He leaned his forehead against his younger brother's, "I like you a lot better than our Atar and I hope you know that. I wouldn't spend almost every minute I'm not hunting with you and Tyelpe otherwise, believe me."

"It's just- sometimes there- it feels like there isn't me, just a younger version of our father. "Curufin whispered softly.

"But you do exist." Celegorm whispered back softly, "And- and you're wonderful. I don't compliment many people, so feel honoured."

Curufin's mouth turned up into a slight smile as he looked up into his older brother's face.

But Celegorm wasn't done yet. Because if there was one thing that made him sad, it was when Curufin was sad. "You are so much more than our father. You put your own personal charm into everything you create and make it your own unique creation. You are a great father to Tyelpe, in a way that our Atar was not. I'm not saying he was a bad father, just that you and Tyelpe have a much deeper connection than Atar and some of us. You're also the only person I can stand to be around, no matter the time."

New tears welled up in Curufin's eyes and he bit his trembling lower lip.

"Why- Why are you crying again? Has something else happened?" Celegorm asked in a panic. He wasn't the best with emotions, but he had thought that what he had said had been all right.

Curufin wrapped his arms around Celegorm's neck and pulled him close. "Those are tears of joy, you idiot," he murmured as the first new tears escaped his eyes.

"Can I join in on your cuddling?" asked a high-pitched voice from the direction of the door.

Celegorm looked up and caught sight of his nephew Tyelpe, who poked his head through the door curiously.

Curufin released one of Celegorm's arms and said with a smile, "Come here."

Tyelpe grinned softly and threw himself onto the bed with his father and uncle.

Curufin hugged them both tightly.

[doodle-pops]

Dating Curufin Would Include...

𑁍 First off, the entire family will know of your courtship. His father was the first person you would meet whenever it was time to meet the family. He takes his father’s approval of your relationship seriously, more so than the rest. If he approves well it's smooth sailing, but if he disapproves, then….

𑁍 Let’s not go there. So, his father approves and the both of you are happily courting. Expect lots of jewellery made only by and from him. Don’t ever wear a piece that isn’t his because he’ll criticise the item, and then proceed to tell you that he could craft it better.

𑁍 You’ll never run out of jewellery. Plus, that necklace he gifted to you when your courtship started, please don’t take it off. He’ll go bonkers.

𑁍 When you’re with him, expect to have Celegorm around. The two of you would develop a great friendship, much to Curufin’s sake. He doesn’t need his brother tainting the one good thing he’s found.

𑁍 Whenever he’s in the forge, you’d pass by and bring lunch or snacks. He may lack a lot of facial expressions, but deep down, he’s touched. And so, he shows you by gifting you with more jewellery.

𑁍 Your dates spent together are quiet. He doesn’t like noise when he’s with you, since he wouldn’t be able to hear you speak and he lives with 6 brothers and an explosive father. Walks in the gardens in the late evenings, lunch dates, diner dates, library dates. Basically, anywhere that’s quiet and serene.

𑁍 The furthest he’d go in public with PDA would be having his arm wrapped around your waist and glued to your side.

𑁍 You might not notice, but he’s practically a puppy that never leaves your side. Whenever you do leave his side, he does this little pout and frowns and then runs – calmly – in your direction once he spots you. Celegorm saw him do this once and never let it down. Teased him for weeks calling him ‘love deprived’. They almost fought.

𑁍 Expect his level of jealousy to be unmatched. As much as he believes there is no one who could compete against him for your love, he's a slight bit insecure and thinks that because of his family and his ways, you'd leave him for another. This encourages his jealousy to be high and hates whenever someone thinks they can flirt with him.

𑁍 He wouldn't confront you and ask about it since he's not a person of words, instead, he'll make tons of jewellery as a way of hoping to show you that he's good for you. Just don't make him jealous for spite, you'll have Celegorm to deal with.

𑁍 He is known for his stubborn behaviour, so that is one thing you will most definitely have to learn to put up with him. He does have the tendency to expect that you listen to him and not often oppose him. The males in this house. So you need to be someone who isn't afraid of speaking up for themselves - which is going to land you in arguments - but he'd prefer if you were able to stand your ground.

𑁍 Cuddling was something that took a while for him to get into. He didn’t understand the reason for being so close to someone until he tried it after you begged him. He’ll never admit it, but he loves it. Especially, after he finished forging and you visit him.

𑁍 Just wrap your arms around him and pull him in, placing kisses all over his forehead. He’ll melt. Just make sure no one walks in – he’ll fight anyone that interrupts his cuddling with you. He uses cuddling as an opportunity to deliver all his kisses, mostly neck kisses.

𑁍 Know that early in your courtship, expect to have talked about starting a family. I don’t think he’d want so much like his father, but he wants to have a big family. Book it down.

Masterlist

Taglist: @eunoiaastralwings @noldorinpainter @ranhanabi777 @spidergirla5 @lilmelily @someoneinthestars @mysticmoomin @aconstructofamind @starborne0661 @floraroselaughter @the-phantom-of-arda @rain-on-my-umbrella @singleteapot @wandererindreams

[shiroandblack]

Silmarillion characters and if I could take them in a fight:

(note: this is absolutely unrealistic as if this was irl, average height-flabs for muscle-winded after one staircase-me would absolutely die fighting any of these people)

Fëanor: Yes. I can and will kick his ass.

Nerdanel: She can step on me and I would thank her.

Maedhros: I'd be dead in 0.1 second, thanks.

Maglor: No, but I would pull his hair so hard I'd rip a chunk off his scalp.

Celegorm: Yes. And I would pull his hair while I'm at it.

Caranthir: he wouldn't even need to get physical, he'd probably make me cry long before the fight even starts.

Curufin: yes, but I'm not walking away completely whole.

Amrod: I'll make him even crispier than his father did.

Amras: no, because he would kill me for Amrod.

Fingolfin: Absolutely not. I would be stepped on 7 times.

Anairë: she'd kill me without getting her hands dirty, so no I would die.

Fingon: No. He'd probably strangle me with his bow.

Turgon: Yes. I'd defeat him by throwing bricks at him.

Aredhel: I'd die.

Argon: who's Argon?

Finarfin: No, because he would talk me out of fighting him in the first place.

Eärwen: I would die via swans.

Finrod: No, because like his dad he would talk me out of it.

Angrod: No, I would get my head squished between his hands.

Aegnor: no, I'm not Andreth so I'm pretty sure I'd be dead.

Galadriel: I'd be dead in 0.1 seconds like Maedhros.

Celeborn: there is a reason Galadriel married him, so I'd probably die. No.

Elu Thingol: Yes, I'll bite his leg and never let go like a rabid dog.

Melian: bold of you to assume I'd fight her in the first place.

Lùthien: No, because I'd probably join her in dancing and singing in the woods away from civilisation.

Beren: Would rip off my head with his bare hands, so no.

Haleth: my head would be mounted on a pike after 5 minutes.

Elrond: no, because he would talk me out of it.

Elros: no, because he'd drown me.

Elwing: yes, because she would jump off a cliff before I even challenged her so I guess that would be a win for me.

Eärendil: no, he'd tie me up in his boat.

Dior: no, this is the guy who told the Fëanorians to fuck around and find out. I have chosen to NOT fuck around and find out.

Nimloth: no, I don't think I'd make it out alive.

Eluréd and Elurín: Celegorm's servants did the work for me.

Túrin: I'd probably be one of the many unfortunate souls he accidentally killed, so no.

Húrin: No. Just no.

Morwen: I'd be dead in 0.1 seconds.

Morgoth: yes. Just yes.

Sauron: no. I die like Celebrimbor.

Celebrimbor: no. But he would give me trinkets as a consolation prize.

Gil-galad: I'd become a shish kebab via Aeglos.

Finwë: yes.

Míriel: no, she'd stab me through the eye with her sewing needles.

Indis: RIP me.

[superloves4]

I still taste the past - Chapter 14

Relationships: Curufin/Finrod, Celegorm/Aredhel (background) Summary: Finrod wanted to see Curufin, get his closure after all they had gone through, end things once and for all. What he gets is a journey through the memory of where they've been and the choice of where they will go. TW: none. A/N: Enjoy!

Masterlist - Also on AO3

Curufin stared at the doors of Formenos for the first time in ages and took a deep breath. It had been fixed in the years and many of the things he'd been used to were now gone, familiar and yet different in every way. That he would search for the comfort of a home he'd left had him defeated but when Nerdanel opened the door, it was fairly easy to ignore and fall into her embrace.

"Oh, look, a little fly that never writes," Amras mocked as he made his way into the parlour, there was no bite to his words however, merely a brotherly jab.

Curufin blushed "I thought I was not welcome."

His younger brother laughed "Why so? Most would call me a worst monster than you, the least you could do is join the joke, Caranthir is rather aggravated by it, you see."

"I would certainly wish you stopped making jokes about our deaths"

From the couch Amrod threw a paper ball at his brother. Booing him.

"Feels like time never moved," Nerdanel joked in his ear, it was more for his sake than an actual statement, he knew his brothers, the toll the years took on them. But in the comfort of their mother's home, it was easy to joke and rest, like children playing under a different light.

His mother had always had a keen eyes for the small details, she would know how much they needed something like this, that she would still be willing to offer it was far more surprising.

Despite all the ways he'd warped all she'd ever taught him, still she guided him to the parlour where she'd made tea.

He thanked her for the cup and the two stayed in a companionable silence for a while, it gave him time to think his words, the tea was sweet but still the bitterness of Ëarwen's words would not leave him, he didn't know what prompted him to act as such but standing there in that dark house was the clearest he'd ever felt in years.

When he'd arrived after his re-embodiment he'd laid on the floor for hours, staring at the blank walls for hours, for the first two days he'd spent thinking where his plans had failed him, was it betraying Finrod? Had been Lùthien to change his luck? Every step replayed, every word and consideration. He'd spent the other days crying over the body he'd never had the chance to hold, Tyelpë, oh how he'd failed him.

His bold boy, the best of him and Finrod, intelligent, passionate but also courageous and amicable. His musings turned on how he could have saved him, that if only he'd been there then Sauron would have never touched Tyelpë.

If I'd done this. If I'd done that. Those words ran through his mind for many hours of many days.

Then Finrod decided to appear at his door step, bringing memories he wanted gone, that he even cared to talk to him said more about Finrod than it would ever about Curufin. He'd turned him away, of course, Curufin didn't want to see his new found happiness, didn't want to hear Finrod's plans for the future. Curufin had no need for Finrod's forgiveness nor his gentleness.

He bit his tongue.

Nerdanel observed him but she wouldn't talk before he did, it was his decision to turn to his mother and truth was the least of things he owed her "Ammë, I, I have to tell you about Celebrimbor's father, it's- "

"Findaràto"

He raised his head, looking into his mother amused eyes.

"How did?..." he asked, mouth open.

She smiled, placing her cup down "When he asked for the Crown Prince palace," she shrugged "No one would be stupid enough to want that place and Findaràto is more than capable of creating his own palace if he wanted to. Unless it wasn't the building but someone who lived there."

He blushed and looked away, trying to hide how such a simple information could affect him so much.

"So I had a lover and need to discover the beloved," she held his chin and led him to look at her again "Many little things I had no explanation before started to make sense, I'm rather peeved you managed to hide it so well, I always thought I had these things figured out," Nerdanel chuckled "and if he loved you then I could only imagine Tyelpë followed."

Curufin sighed and nodded.

"But that is not truly why you are here, no?"

He looked at his mother, letting all pretenses fall away, ready for the scorn of what had taken him so long to perceive.

"It was me," he said, eyes shining with unshed tears "Every single time and problem I've ever had, it was me," he sighed "how do I even begin from here? I've dragged myself across the road and failed at every turn, how do I even deserve to be here now?"

I'm vile.

That was what he'd finally understood from his aunt's visit.

All his plans, the reason Tyelpë had walked away from him, why Finrod had left him.

It had been him.

How do you move on when your whole state of being had been rotten from the start? How do you live with yourself when you are the cause of all your problems?

Nerdanel looked at her son and with a sigh, certainty filled her brown gaze, she got up from her seat, this time forcing Curufin to look at her.

"Yes, you have made a mess of things," she told him "But this is not about deserving, you are not here because you deserve it, do you know what it was to hear what you and your brothers have done? To know what the children I used to know so well had become?"

"Then how could you forgive us so easily?"

Nerdanel glared "Easy? You have no idea all the time I spent thinking what I'd do when you and your brothers returned, the thing I'd say and do, what you see now are the result of years, Atarinkë, and that is your problem. You are not broken, my son, you are not inherently evil as Findaràto is not inherently good, yes, you caused many problems, did terrible things and you were punished accordingly."

"You lose when you give up, when you think you are terrible and there's no way out, this is not about forgiveness, Atarinkë, you don't get to decide that, whatever happened it's not about the person you've been, it's about what you are willing to do to rectify those mistakes. You are not a rock blocking your path but you will have to move that rock to see the road again."

"There is no road for me," he tried to argue but perhaps what he'd most forgotten was how stubborn his mother was.

"Because you can't see it yet!" she held him closer "You know what you have to do, Atarinkë, has the past not been enough? Haven't you learned enough?"

Curufin clung to her as if he was a scared child all over again, he could still feel the pain of trying to reach that promising future of trust, the disappointment of seeing everything you built crumble away. He had tried that cold shield, could he truly reach the sun now?

"You are here to start again, my son, don't become a stone incapable of moving forward, there has already been enough hurt, let us begin to heal."

[shrikeseams]

Still nibbling at this idea, because:

Curufin is generally portrayed as one of the most unrepentant feanorion and kinslayer, which makes it fun to put him in a position to make changes

in part because he arguably did not see just how bad things could get! Like it makes kinda sense for him to focus on fixing Aqualonde, because that's the (ostensible) crux of the issue for both the Doom and the tense political situation with Doriath! I do think that without it, Thingol wouldn't think to meddle with the silmarils. (Personally I don't think he'd be much warmer to the Noldor, or more of an active participant in the war against Morgoth. It's hardly as if he invited anyone but the Arafinwions to visit before he found out, even when it would make political sense to treat directly with Maglor and/or Fingolfin. But there's a big gap between being self-serving and seeing your political neighbors as an active threat!) 2b. And I can see Preventing The Luthien Incident as a priority for him, because that's when he lost Celebrimbor. Like, it's a significant plot inflection point in terms of Doom, but I think it might be more visible and important to him as a huge negative turning point in his family life first, politics second, and then maybe he doesn't have a broad enough view to consider it the beginning of the end for the feanorians.

He's Daddy's Favorite, ostensibly, which in some ways makes it easier for him to find excuses that Feanor will accept.

Related to #3, I do think Feanor would be enthused to see his most craft-minded son taking a proactive interest in his desires to explore, and to leave Aman!

By the time Curufin died, he had spent hundreds of years as a grown-ass elf out from under his dad's shadow (as much as possible, given Feanor's long, LONG shadow across the whole legendarium). I think Curufin would be deeply frustrated at having Feanor checking his work again! Like he gets thrown back in time and suddenly understands why Maedhros and Maglor spent the Formenos years taking every possible opportunity for an out-of-town trip, and why Celegorm spent more time hunting than in the fortress. 5b. For bonus points: Feanor is excited/relieved to see Curufin striking out on his own more. He was worried that his favorite son lacked independence of spirit! He is unexpectedly very enthusiastic about Curufin's sudden interest in boats!

Curufin is the extremely noldor son of the most noldor guy. Let him build his way out of a problem! 6b. He will build himself into exciting new problems instead.

He spent the whole crossing after the Darkening miserably seasick, and wants a chance to get over that, because Pride.

(He wouldn't admit it under torture, but he'd rather not leave the Indision factions behind. In part because they're friends! And in part because he just knows that if Feanor had a chance for the worst of his grief to fade, he could have been a good king! He could!*)

Silm time travel fixit fic where Curufin is spat out into his younger self fairly early in YoT, and when his efforts to solve the Noldor's political/ Melkor problems bear no fruit... he just fucks off to Alqualonde to apprentice as a ship-builder, because it's a concrete and fixable future problem.

[semi-imaginary-place]

"It's the tragic waste of it all. Maedhros was born to be a main character, the hero. He's the heir to the throne, and he would have been fantastic at it: he's intelligent, energetic, reasonable, and charismatic. He's the moral strength of the family: he participated in the first Kinslaying because the Feanorians had already been exiled and he believed they had to sail or die, but he refuses to participate in the burning of the ships as both bad strategy and an injustice, despite none of his brothers standing with him against Feanor. He withstands years of torture in Angband and comes out of it stronger and wiser and unbroken. He's going to be better than Feanor. How hard can that be, really, considering who Feanor was at the end? Then the bodies start piling up, and the floor starts buckling beneath him. Humility fails: Fingolfin dies and they lose ground. Trust fails: Fingon dies and they lose ground and alliances. Diplomacy fails: Dior rejects his letter and they lose Celegorm and Curufin and two children die for no reason at all. His will fails: he can't stick to his decision to forswear the Oath and attacks the refugees at the Havens of Sirion and thus lose Amrod and Amras. After years and years of nothing but loss and failure, in the end it's just him and Maglor. Maglor, who seems to still believe in a loving god for some reason, thinks that they should concede that everything they have done and suffered in Middle Earth was evil and pointless and surrender themselves to the Valar for punishment. He wants them to bow down and tell the whole of Arda that they were stupid and small and accomplished nothing and let the Valar decide what should happen to them from now on, the Valar who didn't trouble themselves to aid Middle Earth until Earendil proved that someone holding a Silmaril could enter Aman against the Valar's wishes (and Morgoth still had two!). Maehdros can't accept that - how could he? How could his entire life be a mistake? How is he supposed to endure until the Dagor Dagorath as a penitent, forever ashamed of choices that he didn't realize were chocies at the time? Wouldn't it be better for it to just be over? For it to be over on his terms, to finally win, just one time? (If Maedhros had sons, this would be the time for him to make them renew the Oath for him.) Maedhros, in the end, trades everything for the Silmaril, and he dies in fire and despair. The Feanorians, like the Atreidai, find their fates. His hopes were empty and his struggle was useless. But he tried, and that should mean something. He ended just like Feanor, but the fact that he tried so hard and for so long should mean something! But it doesn't, and that's the horror. Maedhros' story is the triumph of nihilism by an author who usually prefers hope, and there's something morbidly fascinating in that." (allthecactifindahome)

Tolkien based the heroes in his legendarium on his experiences fighting in World War I and living through World War II, and on his academic background in European literature and Germanic epics in particular (think Beowulf). Maedhros is then the failed hero, a subversion of the heroic archetype where he had all the makings of a great hero like his cousins Fingon or Finrod yet his tale is a tragedy (because Maedhros was too determined, too loyal, too good). Tolkien wrote other subversions of the heroic archetype in Turin the cursed hero (compared to Finnish epic protagonist Kullervo) and Thorin Oakenshield but that's another discussion.

[sauroff]

CW FOR THIS POST: This is about Aredhel, so there are discussions about abuse and how it works. Also, this is a very long post.

I've been meaning to talk about my thoughts on Aredhel's story for a while, but kept procrastinating it. Mostly because I'm scare that my struggles with writting in general and english in particular might lead to misunderstandings. So, let me start with this: Eöl is trash. Nothing I'm going to say next changes the fact that he is an abuser and feminicide. And I'm most definitely not blaming Aredhel for anything.

Ok, so. Most of the time I see people interpreting Aredhel's story as if she was forcibly kidnapped and abused. And I think she was, but not in the magical way most people seem to think (tbh, Melian was closer to that for me). She wasn't kept there by magic like Thingol, she didn't fell for Eöl because she was under any spell. She was kidnapped and abused, but in a more realistic way. And that is why I actually find her story very interesting and important. It's a surprisingly good and realistic representation of this kind of relationship, wrote in a very different time and context.

So, let's start with the basics. For me, Eöl only used magic to make her get lost and meet him. He didn't magically entrance her or anything, he just generated a situation that would put him in advantage: make her scared, vulnerable, then present himself as her savior and helper. He manipulated her. And I think that's exactly what he did for the rest of their relationship. But, at first, he was probably just very charming with her, like most real abusers are. He made her fall for a façade and, when she finally started to see him for who he really was, they already had one son and there was too much on stake. Also, I know there is a common interpretation of Eöl being abusive with Maeglin, because of how things ended, but that's not exactly how I see it. At least not physically. Personally, I think that Aredhel wouldn't have doubted for one second to just leave Eöl (or kill him) if that was the case. I mean, is a very logical and valid interpretation, and also interesting to explore. It just doesn't fit my vision of Aredhel. I can't see any reason why he would be able to be physically abusive with either of them without them running away. She was probably more powerful than him, and she wasn't alone in the world, didn't depend on him. So, I think his methods were more psychological, and he charmed her just as much as he abused her. The whole "I scream you over dirty dishes today, but bring you flowers next morning" thing.

Anyway, back to track. The reason why Aredhel took so long in seeing Eöl's true colors was that she had already normalized certain abusive behaviors from people close to her. I mean, Eöl kept her trapped in his forest, but Turgon kept her in Gondolin before that. And she may had rebelled against him, but she didn't exactly scape from there, she just got Turgon's permission to leave. This sort of attitude could be interpreted by her as "He keeps me here to protect me, because he loves me" although he was probably just protecting his city. On a similar way, we know by their actions that Curufin and Celegorm could be really cruel with women, equally capable of manipulating, kidnapping and killing than Eöl. There is a certain mindset behind those actions that goes beyond the Oath, and it's something that should have been manifested in other attitudes that Aredhel could have seen and unconsciously naturalized. Curufin's inactions when Eöl goes to his house asking for Aredhel kinda probes that it wasn't just the Oath making him a douche. He focuses on the fact that he married her without paying a dote, instead of, idk, WORRING ABOUT HIS SUPPOSED FRIEND. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE to think about Curufin, Celegorm and Aredhel as really good friends. Maybe things only changed in Middle Earth. Or maybe not, and they were still good but very flawed friends. My take on this is that I prefer to keep my headcanons about their friendship and my more serious interpretation on the canon as two separate things, because I don't think that Curufin's actions are those of a good friend...but I still want to imagine them as such.

Ok, the point is that by her friends and her own brother, Aredhel might have naturalized some of the abusive behaviors Eöl displayed, and that's why It took her so long to understand the situation she was in. I also think he wasn't physically or sexually violent with her until the very end. But I can totally see him being verbally abusive and manipulative, making her feel guilty (about Aqualonde, for example) and destroying her self esteem, and with it her wishes for freedom. I also feel that Maeglin might have been a tool for him, another way to keep her tied to him. She could leave, but it would be more difficult if she also had to take care of a son, right?

Lastly, the other thing I find very interesting in this story is that generational patterns of abuse are also present, with Maeglin kinda repeating some of his father's behaviours by the end. And I understand that lots of people feel that this isn't fair, specially because of Idhril's attitude toward him from the very beginning (girl, if the boy's thoughts make you uncomfortable, maybe you should stop checking them out? Is not like he is actually saying anything or acting weird with you). But it's interesting to see a bit of how generational patterns can work, and how certain experiences and trauma can get reapeated if they aren't properly worked out and healed.

So yeah, I guess that's all. I felt like I needed to put this into words because most of the time I see the whole thing reduced to "Eöl forced Aredhel with magic". And yeah, it's a valid interpretation. But I personally think it's much more interesting to think that maybe Aredhel loved him in the beginning, that she fell for him, just like most victims of domestic violence fall for their abusers. She just realized too late the kind of man she had married, and there were other factors, other men in her life, that, unintentionally, helped with that.

[tolkien-feels]

What I WANT to be explored is the Maedhros flipping out on Celegorm and Curufin anfter the Nargothrond debacle, how it impacted their relationship, and well, wether that was the first time they genuinely feared Maedhros (BC I'm pretty sure he looks like barlog in flesh when pissed off enough ) or was it more humiliating for them? Also how the tables turn after Maedhros fails at the fifth battle

Oh, I think it's borderline canon that Maedhros can be scary when he's pissed off

Iirc this was in answer to a post where I was talking about how I wish we saw more of Maedhros, Maglor and Celegorm being Eldest Brothers™, wasn't it? Because if so, even in this, even in the fallout, I think you get a much more compelling story if Maedhros and Celegorm started out being close. Because like, if Maedhros trusted Celegorm (almost?) as much as he trusted Maglor, and then Celegorm went ahead and did things he must've known Maedhros wouldn't approve, that hits much harder than if they'd never seen eye to eye. Conversely, it's not like Celegorm doesn't have his own reasons for acting the way he does, and I'm not sure Maedhros would be particularly open to hearing him out. But this is only an interesting dynamic if they both had every reason to think they'd support each other as they've always done. If it's "Well of course they'd be on opposite sides" then it's just one of many arguments. But if they're both trying and failing to communicate as they realize with increasing horror they can't seem to bridge the gap that's formed between them? TASTY

[ceescedasticity]

here is the thing that may or may not be going into the un-doom not-a-fic, I can't deciiiiiiiide

Maedhros returns to Himring to discover that in his absence— Well. Let's back up.

Sealing alliances by marriage is something Men do. Some Edain have hinted at it, from time to time — Fingolfin gently deflected more than one inquiry involving Fingon. But they don't ask often, because elves are otherworldly and not necessarily marriage material, and anyway elves always say no.

Wel the Easterling is relatively new here. (Wel the Easterling has already been nicknamed Ulfang by some dwarves he got on the wrong side of, but no one is SUPPOSED to be calling him that anywhere he might hear about it.)

Wel's suggestions of an exchange of brides were categorically refused, earlier. 'Elves do not marry Men,' he was told. It didn't make him any better disposed to the elves, but whatever.

But you know actually, with these new rumors coming in, it looks like they DO, what do you know! He wants an exchange of brides.

Caranthir tells him elves only marry for love, and anyway elven princesses are all either warriors or sorceresses and any man who marries one will never be the ruler of his own household. Have you paid attention to these stories at all?

…All right now that someone mentions it that does sort of seem to be a theme. Maybe he doesn't want an elven princess.

But that doesn't mean he couldn't marry his daughter to an elf! He has several beautiful maidens to offer…

I SAID elves only marry for LOVE—

That's not what I heard. I heard your brother wanted to marry a girl for an alliance.

Technically he wanted to marry her for a claim on her father's throne, Caranthir doesn't say. He doesn't think Wel wants a law-son after his position, and Celegorm wouldn't want that anyway.

But, actually. Celegorm did just go and make things harder with Nargothrond and probably Doriath. Would it kill him to make things easier with the Men? How long would it even be, like fifty years?

He says he has to consult his eldest brother.

But Maedhros is off to Hithlum and then Nargothrond, so he puts it to all his other brothers first.

Celegorm is NOT amused.

(Certain other family members may be amused.) (Just a bit.)

Celegorm asks if Caranthir is putting him in the same category as the Arafinwioni, now. Caranthir says WHY NOT.

Those are fighting words. It's all Huan, Maglor, and Curufin can do to break them up.

Amrod and Amras are laughing too hard to help.

Curufin suggests maybe THEY should marry Easterlings.

Maglor thinks: What would Maedhros do? Try to understand what's going on! He goes and consults Marce-not-yet-Bór about this.

Marce… doesn't quite understand what the trouble is? He can understand not wanting to marry a daughter or sister to Wel, but if Wel's the one who offered a bride, then that's a fast easy way to tie him a little closer. The man's not the most reliable.

What Wel is hoping to get out of it? A powerful grandson, and a guarantee that he'll have a voice, and acknowledgement as an equal.

Thank you, that's very helpful.

Maglor comes back to the still-ongoing argument. He says HE thinks if they're going to do this probably one of them should marry one of Wel's daughters and one of them should marry one of Marce's daughters, for fairness. It's not like it would have to be a REAL marriage, and Men don't live THAT long. But of course he's not saying they should! That's up to Maedhros.

Oddly enough that doesn't really improve the situation.

Celegorm says if it's not a REAL marriage then Maglor and Curufin should be eligible, too, since it's not like their wives are AROUND. This also doesn't improve the situation.

Maedhros gets back finally and is like you guys. What the HELL.

(This isn't WORSE than Celegorm and Curufin's Nargothrond stunt but it is WEIRDER.)

Caranthir is like you said keep them happy I am TRYING TO KEEP THEM HAPPY.

Maedhros says forcing Celegorm to marry an Easterling would not, ultimately, keep the Easterlings happy. (Celegorm doesn't know whether to feel pleased or insulted.)

Caranthir isn't sure about that, he's not sure Wel actually cares about his daughters' well-being, let alone happiness—

Shut up.

Maedhros can't believe he's considering this.

Maybe it's not too late to go back and let Finduilas drown him in the Narog.

(So like. Am I ACTUALLY going to do an alliance marriage or two and possibly some peredhil? I cannot decide.) (Probably, this is self-indulgent as hell anyway.)

[doodle-pops]

I personally feel like Celebrimbor would be a little more on the Celegorm/ Feanor side of the relationship (like dominating rather than being a switch-- once his S/O is comfy with him), because he has experienced as much pain as Maglor has.

Like yes, the fandom portrays him as a softie, but like I feel they underestimate him, because:

-- He withheld torture from Sauron for an absolutely long time, and yet never spoke up about the locations of the rings. As we know back then, the elven rings were very powerful, and if Sauron corrupted them... yeah. Celebrimbor never told him even a hint of where they would be, despite all the torture.

-- He disassociated with his family by his OWN influence. He was able to leave them without being advised to leave them, showing his smart and wise behaviour. I feel like a dom would have this.

-- He surely should have fought or strategized during the War of the Wrath because that war affected all parts of Beleriand and Middle-Earth, so he MUST have the qualities and behaviour of a leader.

-- He WAS a leader. When he left his family along with a few amount of the Noldor, he surely knew how to be charismatic and useful with words.

-- I believe that in the Halls of Mandos, he would have made amends with his family and vice versa, and when they are all re-embodied, they will be a normal family.

-- There are so many more ways he would be a dom, but at the end of the day, everyone is entitled to their own opinion.

I feel like he's just like Maglor: a softie on the inside, but when required, he will be very dominant. :)

What do you think?

Nice breakdown of why you view him as more dominant than a switch. I also understand that yes, some people's trauma/life experiences can lead to them becoming domineering. But I take a view in portraying him as a switch.

My Take:

Considering him as dominant Celegorm/Feanor and I'll throw in Curufin because he isn't far off from them, doesn't appear as Celebrimbor's nature. Their type of dominance is what I would consider being born out of a lack of control, family desires and egotism (that's definitely not Celebrimbor). He would have grown up around all these dominant members of his family and witnessed what extreme superiority can do; destroy a household especially when family was of huge significance among the Feanorians. I'm not saying that he doesn't have Feanorian pride/anger, but it wouldn't be on alerting levels as the rest of his family to make him the controlling dominant.

Furthermore, having the strength and willpower to recognise that his family's unruly behaviour was a no-no and to break away, was the first step he took to throwing their dictatorial veil over his shoulder and creating a new path for himself.

Similarly, if he chooses to settle down and have a S/O, this indicates that he's aware of the do's and don'ts: not wanting to direct them down the same path as him because of the internal fear of channelling the same dictating demeanour that he observed destroying his family household. To him, his family is the blueprint of the do's and don'ts so he can learn how to be a respectful authoritative figure while knowing when to be submissive.

He is the type of person who'd become relaxed and trusting when he finds his S/O. No good relationship can exist without mutual trust and respect, and given his entire life surrounding him having no choice but to take an authoritative stance, there are times he would love to have that mantle taken off his shoulders. To be pampered a bit and not have to take the lead or constantly stand ten feet tall to remind everyone of who he is. All Celebrimbor wants is to just craft in peace, have a loving S/O and live away from the family drama.

When he is authoritative, it's natural (some stemming from his family's genes; can't run away from all) and is formed under mutual respect and trust for his lover and his duties as Lord since there aren't any hidden motives or desperate reasons.

N.B: His refusal to reveal the location of the three rings was an act of heroism if you wish to call it that. Celebrimbor knew what would happen should Sauron get his hands on the final rings since he was aware of his plans. I wouldn't call that an act of dominance but, selflessness. It takes a great deal of courage to know that you're going to lose your life in order to save others.