#lothiriel is a pretty name! just call her lothiriel!

[theserpentsadvocate]

On Names

So I try to post (work of some kind) on my days off + stats, and it's BC Day, but I didn't quite manage to crank out a chapter of Satisfaction in time (I did write 5K today, though - I cannot wait until I can quit my second job and write fanfic on the weekend), so here is a rant/meta I did about my pet peeves on names in fic, and how this applies to Veronica Mars specifically. (I started with a wide net, but the main focus ended up there because of course it did.)

Fanfiction peeve of the day –

Please, I am begging you, pay attention to names in canon! It’s so glaring when people get it wrong, but it’s so common and I don’t understand!

If two characters have any kind of important relationship in canon and we see them interact more than once or twice, we know what they call each other. Do not deviate from that to be cute, or to emphasize a character’s accent. (Cordelia’s nickname is Cordy. Doyle calls her Cordy. He also calls her Cordelia. He should not be calling her ‘Delia’ just because he’s Irish.) Do not randomly switch a character’s nickname to a different nickname for no reason, or so that their love interest is calling them something special! (Shortened nicknames are not a thing in Middle-earth unless you are a hobbit. Unless you feel qualified enough with Sindarin (usually) name construction to have someone give their friend or spouse an epessë like ‘Tinúviel’, that person should be using their full name. Yes, even if it’s three syllables. Spare me from this ‘Fara’ nonsense – Eowyn would call him ‘Faramir’. Yes, always.) Do not assign a character who doesn’t use nicknames a nickname they never use in canon just because you can’t imagine intimacy coexisting with a long name, or a standard one! (Hermione goes by Hermione. She takes pains to get Viktor Krum to say her full name, even if she tolerates a bit of mispronunciation. She is not ever called Mione.) If someone threw out a one-off joke nickname for someone, for the love of Dante, do not start using it as a regular form of address!

And for the love of god, pay attention to the context in which people use nicknames! I am running across this willy-nilly in the Veronica Mars fandom right now, so, for my sanity:

Veronica:

I am reading an otherwise mostly-good fanfic right now where Logan keeps calling Veronica ‘Ronica’ and it’s driving me up the wall. No one has ever called her ‘Ronica’ in the history of ever, and it’s not even a standard nickname for Veronica, so it’s even worse. (This is extra annoying to me because I happen to think ‘Ronica’ is an exceptionally stupid nickname (although it would actually be fine as a name in its own right), but YMMV.)

Veronica typically doesn’t use nicknames, she doesn’t introduce herself with nicknames, she’s comfortable with her full name. Her dad (nor her mom for that matter) never calls her anything but ‘Veronica’ (or ‘honey’). Her two long-term boyfriends only ever call her Veronica (with one exception that I will Get Into below). Cliff, Wallace, and especially Weevil have been known to call her ‘V’* on occasion, which is a sign that they have relatively close relationships to her that also have a strong element of casualness or flippancy (notably, during Season Four, when they are not close, Weevil only ever calls her ‘Veronica’). Lilly, who was exceptionally close to her, lengthens her name as a nickname/form of endearment, calling her ‘Veronica Mars’ pretty often.

Logan does call her ‘Ronnie’ in early Season One. This is extremely obviously him being an asshole; he’s addressing her by a diminutive she doesn’t use to emphasize that they’re no longer friends and because doing so is inherently demeaning (imagine if you have a Michael who goes by Michael (or even Mike) and you suddenly start calling him ‘Mikey’ – it’s rude and dismissive). No one ever calls her that except him and Dick, and once Logan and Veronica are back on good terms, no one calls her that except Dick, who is doing it to be irreverent and disrespectful. It is objectively incorrect for her friends and/or boyfriend to be calling her ‘Ronnie’ and utterly bizarre for the narration to be referring to her that way.

*I feel strongly that it should be ‘V’ and not ‘Vee’ because it’s not short for a name that starts with a ‘vee’ sound (e.g., if her name was Vianne or Vita I might feel differently), it’s the actual letter V that her name starts with, but I acknowledge that that’s subjective.

Also, Felix referred to her as ‘blondie’ one time, dismissively, to Weevil – ‘Blondie’ is not his nickname for her! Wallace, insomuch as he has a nickname for her, calls her ‘V’, although he sticks with ‘Veronica’ most of the time; ‘SupaFly’ was a one-off joke and he should not be calling her that on the regular any more than she should be calling him ‘Sodapop’* just because she made an Outsiders reference in the pilot.

*And on that note, it’s ‘Sodapop’ because that’s the name of a character from The Outsiders, not ‘soda pop’ like the drink.

Logan:

I am begging you, Weevil called Logan ‘Opie’ one time. It was a generic insult, not a nickname. Even in an AU where they’re somehow bros, it is not something he would be calling him on a regular basis! (Conversely, Logan should not be calling him ‘Paco’ for the same reason, and also because it’s racist so that’s even worse!)

Weevil:

Authority figures (Keith, various teachers, Cliff when representing him in court, etc.) typically call Weevil ‘Eli’; his friends, particularly the PCHers, call him ‘Weevil’ pretty much exclusively (except for Veronica), and his family seems to waver between the two with a preference for his actual name – his grandmother calls him both ‘Eli’ and ‘Weevil’ when she’s talking about him, but sadly we don’t get enough scenes with her to know what’s more common (the only time we hear her actually address him she calls him ‘m’ijo’), Chardo usually calls him ‘Weevil’ but switches to ‘Eli’ when he’s making an emotional appeal, Claudia appears to exclusively call him ‘Eli’. (Context makes it pretty clear that Jade calls him ‘Eli’ as well, which is unsurprising.) We never hear Ophelia call him anything, but he refers to himself as ‘Uncle Eli’ when talking to her.

Veronica only ever calls him Weevil when she’s talking to him, notably, although she does use his real name on occasion when she’s talking about him – to her criminology class, when representing herself as his PI in ‘Weevils Wobble But They Don’t Fall Down’, and to Jade (even correcting herself from ‘Weevil’) in Mr. Kiss And Tell. (Interestingly, she’s more likely to use his full name than just his legal first name – she calls him ‘Eli Navarro’ several times, but almost never uses just ‘Eli’. She’s also probably the only person to call him ‘Weevil Navarro’*, presumably because in that instance she’s talking to him.)

*although Cliff does call him ‘Eli ‘Weevil’ Navarro’ on one occasion, complete with audible quotation marks

The point is, Weevil does get called both, and there’s some leeway for things to change a bit as relationships change – it’s not necessarily out of character, for instance, for Veronica to start addressing him as ‘Eli’ if they’ve started dating, or if it’s a fic (particularly an AU) set around the time of the novels – but it shouldn’t come from nowhere, and it shouldn’t be arbitrary. Keith wouldn’t be addressing him as ‘Weevil’, and Felix and Hector wouldn’t be calling him ‘Eli’ (unless maybe he’s secretly dating one of them it’s Felix and they’re in private). [Writing that sentence made me low-key start shipping him with Hector – why do I do this to myself?]

What he should not be getting called is ‘Weevs’, which is right in the midpoint between ‘Ronnie’ and ‘Opie’. Yes, Logan called him that once or twice (keywords once or twice) – in the exact same context that he called Veronica ‘Ronnie’, which is to say, as a mocking diminutive. It should not be serving as a general nickname even when Weevil and Logan are antagonistic, and it should definitely never be something that Hector or Veronica calls him! (And yes, I have seen both.)

And since I’m already aggravated – while I’m on the subject ‘Eli’ is a name unto itself. There’s a subset of fandom that seems strangely convinced it’s short for ‘Elias’ or ‘Elijah’ and… no. It’s not.

[dalleyan]

Destiny (1st chapter of new LoTR story posted, 11-4-20)

All her life, the prophecy had shadowed everything she did.  Now that she was of age, and the world seemed to be ending, was it possible the Istar had been mistaken?  Complete in 8 chapters.

 Destiny

 Prologue   (3002 III)

In the year 2999 of the Third Age, Imrahil of Dol Amroth and his wife Sirrin had a little girl born into their family.  Both rejoiced at this special gift since all their previous children had been male, and the entire family doted on the infant.  When the child was a precocious three years of age, the family went to visit their kin in Minas Tirith.  Imrahil’s sister, Finduilas, had been married to the Steward Denethor, but died many years past.  While Imrahil did not share a close relationship with his brother-in-law, he was quite fond of his two nephews.

Both young men had turned out well, despite the death of their mother when they were but children, and Imrahil was eager to see them before duty made it more difficult.  Boromir was already deeply engaged in military matters, having a natural bent for it, even at but twenty-four seasons.  Faramir, too, was learning the ways of war, though he was a more reluctant pupil.  His was a gentler, more temperate nature, and though he knew the evil of Mordor made his participation essential, he did not revel in death or destruction, even of an enemy.

The family arrived on an overcast autumn day, but as the boat pulled into the Harlond, the sun finally came out.  The warmth and brightness of it lifted their spirits, despite the gloom of being so near Mordor.  Carriages were quickly secured to transfer the family to the city, and Lothiriel was all eyes, staring from the window at the great city looming up the side of the mountain.  Her brothers had been here before, and were far more interested in the horses, the soldiers much in evidence and planning their activities in the White City.

The family had a townhouse situated on the Sixth Level, on the North side. Word had been sent on ahead to ready the house for their arrival, and so they were met with bustling servants who quickly saw to their needs and soon had them settled in their rooms.

Less than an hour later, a knock sounded at the door, and Faramir stood eagerly on the doorstep.  Sirrin, who had been talking with servants to arrange the household, looked up and smiled warmly.  “Faramir!” she called to him, as the doorman stepped aside to admit him.  “How good to see you again!

He hurried forward, reaching for her hand to kiss it, but she drew him into an embrace.  “None of that formality, Nephew!  Oh, how you have grown!  It seems ages since I have seen you and Boromir.  He is well, as are you?”

Faramir grinned boyishly at her and nodded.  “We both are.  He is with the garrison at Osgiliath at present, but will return day after tomorrow. I sent word of your visit and he is eager to meet his newest cousin!” 

A thunder of feet just then drew their attention, and said new cousin raced down the stairs as fast as she could safely manage.  At the sight of the tall man with her mother, however, she skidded to a halt and stood silently staring.  Sirrin held out a hand to her, signaling her forward.  “Come and meet your cousin Faramir, dearest.”

Shyly, Lothiriel drew nearer, edging close to her mother and seizing her hand for reassurance, somewhat hiding behind her skirts.

“Say hello, Lothiriel,” her mother instructed, but the child turned and buried her face in her mother’s skirt without speaking.

Faramir smiled as he knelt down to put himself more on Lothiriel’s level. “It is a very great pleasure to meet you, Lothiriel.  I have been eager to do so ever since hearing of your birth.  And such a pretty name, too.  Do you know what it means?”

Unable to resist her curiosity, the little girl peeked out at him and shook her head.  Sitting down on the floor, Faramir unwrapped a parcel he had been carrying and drew forth a circle made of flowers braided together.  “It means ‘flower-garlanded maiden’, and on my way here I stopped and bought some flowers for your hair.  Shall I put them on you?”

With a toothy grin, she finally drew near him and lisped excitedly, “Yes, please!”

He smiled at the politeness, even from one so young.  Manners were greatly stressed in Imrahil’s house, though as Sirrin had demonstrated, once they were completely ingrained there were times when they might be set aside for familiarity.

The little girl quickly warmed to her cousin after that, and he very nearly regretted his success in winning her over for she attached herself to his side almost as a leech.  Her constant press for his attention made it difficult to greet his other relatives, but it was accomplished around the little girl’s prancing and twirling to show off the adornment of flowers he had given her.

The three boys adored and admired their older cousins, greatly impressed by their military activities and wanting to hear all about them.  Boromir was more apt to speak at length on such matters, but Faramir tended to give only cursory responses before shifting the conversation to more genteel subjects.  Even so, he told the lads enough to almost satisify them.

Faramir joined the family for a late dinner, before all made their way to the Citadel and an afternoon audience with Steward Denethor.  Health and circumstances had prevented Sirrin and Lothiriel coming to the White City since the little girl’s birth, so this would be Denethor’s first time meeting his niece.  Privately, Faramir thought his father little interested in the child other than random thoughts of how she might be useful to him when she was older and could form an advantageous marriage, but the Steward well knew how to preserve important connections.  Not only was Imrahil of Dol Amroth related to him through marriage, but he was also prince over the largest fief in Gondor.  It would not do to slight such a man and his family, however tedious it might be dealing with them.

Once the meal was ended, the family walked up through the streets to the highest level.  Lothiriel was trying to skip on ahead, gazing raptly around her at all the new and wondrous sights, but Faramir had a firm grasp on her hand and kept her from straying far.

Just as they neared the tunnel that would take them to the gate, a familiar figure was seen talking to one of the guards. 

“Mithrandir!  Come meet my niece, Lothiriel!” Faramir eagerly called to the wizard.

Slowly the old man turned to eye them, before coming to join them and gaze upon the child looking up at him with wide-eyed wonder.  “Lothiriel, is it?”  He fell silent for several long moments and no one spoke.  Finally he murmured, “An appropriate name as it happens, for one day she will be garlanded with a crown rather than flowers.  One day she will wed a king.”

 continue reading on AO3:

              https://archiveofourown.org/works/27393160/chapters/66948316

[charlesingalls]

Since I’m pretty passionate about this topic here are Random Faramir Facts that amuse me:

Gandalf educated Faramir growing up, which is why Gandalf and him are on such familiar terms in the movies and Denethor calls him a “wizard’s pupil”.

Faramir is actually the one who had the dream that Elrond announces he had in the movies. The reason Boromir was in Rivendell was because of Faramir’s dream.

Both Denethor and Faramir can read minds. Faramir kind of utilizes this by empathising strongly with people.

Faramir is actually 12 years older than Eowyn, but because he’s significantly more Numenorean than she is, his lifespan is longer- adjusted for inflation he matches her age adequately well. 

There are MULTIPLE people in the books with the biggest heart eyes for Faramir. Eowyn is one obviously, and Pippin another, but Aragorn is also very attached to Faramir and a man named Beregond (Faramir’s guard) commits mutiny to save his life. Aragorn has to punish him for it when he becomes king which basically amounted to: “I guess I’ll have to banish you,,, to serve Faramir in Ithilien as his captain of the guard,,, I hope that’s harsh enough,,,,”.

When Faramir kisses Eowyn he does it in front of?? The whole of Gondor?? The text just says “he did not care” like,,, what a man

LOTR just GLOSSES over this but Eomer falls in love with Faramir’s cousin right after Faramir and Eowyn get together when they’re all holed up in Gondor and because Tolkien is MESSY he doesn’t say a thing about it but There Was Probably Drama.

After the war the Gondorians go to Rohan to bury Theoden/announce Faramir and Eowyn’s engagement and they ALL leave afterwards EXCEPT for Faramir and three more people. Subtle.

After LOTR Legolas decides that Friendship with Aragorn is Cancelled, Now Faramir is My Best Friend, and helps him grow flowers in Ithilien. 

Pippin marries a Took called Diamond and they have a son together and they call him Faramir :-)

All the rulers of the fourth age have sons with names beginning with E. Arwen and Aragorn have Eldarion, Lothiriel and Eomer have Elfwine and Faramir and Eowyn have Elboron. I mention this because it’s funny.

Boromir and Elboron’s names are remarkably similar- “Boro(n)” is Sindarin for “steadfast, trusty man, faithful vassal” whereas “Elen” and “Mire” are Quenyan for star and jewel (star and jewel are pretty similar symbolically). It’s not confirmed by Tolkien, but Faramir probably named his son after his brother.

Faramir’s name itself means “sufficient jewel” (vs Boromir’s “steadfast jewel”) because Denethor straight up sucks. 

Faramir lives to be 120 years old- we don’t know how old Eowyn gets but she’s also a lil Numenorean and is significantly younger than Faramir so here’s hoping they were together for a long time. Eomer lives to be 90 years old though!

[theemightypen]

@eidetictelekinetic tagged me on my personal blog to talk about my WIPs, so I’m directing it over here for neatness’ sake! (Also, for my own sanity, I’m only going to discuss stuff I’m actively working on/planning)

Chapters for Already Published Stories:

Too Wise to Peaceably Woo, Chapter 22 (or 23, if you’re on FF.net): pretty sure most of y’all are familiar with this one, but I’ll give you a little snippet just to be fair!

“I am well-versed in my brother’s tendency to revert to a childlike state when he is ill, and I do not want to force any serving girl to deal with that.”

“A wise woman and a kind one,” the housekeeper chuckles. “Although I feel I would be remiss in not telling you that it is not just your brother who becomes a man-child when sick.”

“Eothred?” Lothiriel guesses.

“Of course. And Gamling as well. Even a certain king is known to behave less like a man grown and more like a petulant child when afflicted with a head cold.”

Lothiriel cannot help but laugh at that particular thought: Eomer, curled in his bed, frowning mightily at a bowl of soup. “I can only imagine.”

“I can imagine you’ll one day see it for yourself,” Merthwyn retorts, grin widening when Lothiriel blushes.

with urgency, but not with haste, chapter 5: aka my poor neglected MCU WIP in which Steve Rogers has a habit of meeting beautiful dark-haired women with mysterious backgrounds in coffeeshops

She chuckles as she sets their coffees down on their usual table. “There are worse things than being interested in the woman you’re on a date with, Steve. I’ve seen plenty of bad blind dates and awkward elbows in my time. It’s refreshing, seeing a couple get along so well.”

“Did you take her to dinner?” Andrew interrupts, his eagerness taking years off of his face. “Escort her home? You young folk don’t do that enough now, but I expect you’ve got more sense than most--”

Steve never met his father, and the memory of his mother’s face fades more every day, no matter how much he tries to hold on to it, but fending off Maria and Andrew’s well-meant meddling feels...familial.

Stuff To Be Published:

None Left to Protest, aka the Sequel to Too Wise to Peaceably Woo: which I can’t tell anymore detail about without spoiling the current story. Just know there’s going to be one!

Something Good: aka the Eomer/Lothiriel Sound of Music-based AU nobody asked for but by God I’m going to write it anyways. 

“What’s your name?” She asks, keeping her voice soft. Lothiriel knows a shy child when she sees one, and the way the boy fidgets and keeps his gaze from staying on hers too long all but screams shyness.

“Eodric,” he says, quietly, and then, with a stutter, like he’s only just remembered, “m-my lady.” 

The King’s bastard, she realizes. No wonder he had been looking for some peace in the garden, away from the curious and often cruel eyes of the court.

“Hm,” Lothiriel says, “let us agree that here, in the gardens, you need not call me lady. Most ladies do not get dirt on their gowns or keep leaves in their hair.”

The small but bright smile he shoots her is a lovely thing, made even lovelier when he ambles closer and asks her to sing another song.  

Being the Sun: aka the Theodred Lives!AU in which there will be Pain and Angst but also Fluff and a Mostly-Happy Ending

Orcs come. And come. There are too many, he knows this, Grimbold knows this, and yet they cannot surrender.

At least I will die a noble death, he thinks, when the second arrow pierces his leg, at least I will die a worthy son of the House of Eorl--

Darkness descends.

Then...

A voice, familiar and beloved--”I do not care what it takes, save him, spare him, for I cannot, the Mark cannot--”

He wakes, at last, and finds his cousins looking down at him.

tagging @grannyweatherwaxofficial @essayofthoughts @mithrilstarlight @tobermoriansass