A Powerful Illusion by Himring

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Fanwork Notes

Silmarillion, ch. 18:

Now Fingolfin, King of the North, and High King of the Noldor, seeing that his people were become numerous and strong, and that the Men allied to them were many and valiant, pondered once more an assault upon Angband; for he knew that they lived in danger while the circle of the siege was incomplete, and Morgoth was free to labour in his deep mines, devising what evils none could foretell ere he should reveal them. This counsel was wise according to the measure of his knowledge; for the Noldor did not yet comprehend the fullness of the power of Morgoth, nor understand that their unaided war upon him was without final hope, whether they hasted or delayed. But because the land was fair and their kingdoms wide, most of the Noldor were content with things as they were, trusting them to last, and slow to begin an assault in which many must surely perish were it in victory or in defeat Therefore they were little disposed to hearken to Fingolfin, and the sons of Fëanor at that time least of all. Among the chieftains of the Noldor Angrod and Aegnor alone were of like mind with the King; for they dwelt in regions whence Thangorodrim could be descried, and the threat of Morgoth was present to their thought. Thus the designs of Fingolfin came to naught, and the land had peace yet for a while.

Clotho123, "An Essay on the Sons of Feanor":

This seems strange – they still had an unbreakable Oath to worry about after all [...]


Fanwork Information

Summary:

Fingolfin has called a council and proposed launching an all-out attack on Morgoth. He expects Maedhros to be the most ardent supporter of his plan. He would, wouldn't he?

 

Uncanonical: see Story Notes

Maedhros/Fingon

Major Characters: Fingolfin, Fingon, Maedhros

Major Relationships:

Genre: Drama, General, Romance

Challenges:

Rating: Teens

Warnings: Character Death, Mature Themes

This fanwork belongs to the series

Doom, Gloom and Maedhros
Chapters: 4 Word Count: 3, 230
Posted on 24 February 2013 Updated on 24 February 2013

This fanwork is complete.

Table of Contents

Chapter 1: The Boy
Chapter 2: A Powerful Illusion
Chapter 3: Hazelnuts

An earlier version of this chapter was first written as birthday fic for Oshun.

Chapter 4: Endings

Warnings: for lost battles.

Comments

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So many emotions, once again, I can barely process them all.

You know, I've always wanted more stories about Maedhros' relationship with Fingolfin, especially ones that were not just 'Fingolfin dissaproves of Maedhros and Fingon's relationship' stories. The feelings that Fingolfin has toward Maedhros in this story are the feelings I always thought, or maybe wished, he would share explicitly with Maedhros, and yet you kept them internal, part of the strange decorum that seems to permeate all of the stories ever written about when these two interact in Belariand or even Valinor.

I can only remember one story that really fleshed out a full relationship between Maedhros and Fingolfin, and it was written in the short lived canon continuity where Maedhros was born first. I can't even find that story anymore, and I wish I could, because while I love Maehdos/Fingon stories, I'm really starting to think that Maedhros and Fingolfin would have the more interesting relationship simply because Maedhros is, of the line of Feanor, the one who hurt Fingolfin the least before the seige, and therefore probably the one still capable of hurting him the most thereafter.

You know how much I love your writing, so may I just ask, if you're ever inspired to write these two again, for something a bit more involved. They tiptoe around each other so much, and I just wish I could see them really crash into each other for once.

Not to say that this story wasn't fantastic, which it was, it just arouses all of those exploratory desires in me.

I see where you are coming from, certainly! It did occur to me that some readers might think that after Fingolfin's stormy entrance the conflict fizzles out too quickly. But the "strange decorum" you mention is motivated, you know. They have to rely on each other in Beleriand, after all--because clearly Fingolfin is High King over the Feanorians only to the extent and as long as Maedhros upholds that idea.

In my particular case (my story-verse, that is), this comes before "Nowhere you can fall", of course. And that implies that there are things that Fingolfin never had managed to discuss freely with Maedhros at that point--because that is one of the very reasons why things almost get out of hand then.

I don't think that in my 'verse I could write quite what it seems you'd like to see but I do agree it's a fascinating relationship that bears exploration!

I have to say, I'm with Fingolfin with this one. Not about not attacking Morgoth, because we know how well that works, but with Maedhros being such a hard nut to crack. Even here, where his motivations are discernable, he's still ... quite opaque, really. 

Poor Fingolfin. I bet he misses Feanor at these moments the most. Feanor would have yelled back, at least. 

Also, Fingon and hazelnuts. <3

Glad the hazelnuts thing appealed to you!

As for Maedhros, do you mean he's a hard nut to crack in general or in my version, particularly? Mine is working quite hard at being opaque, most of the time, so as not to scare the children. With Fingolfin here he isn't, so much, but that sort of thing becomes ingrained--and yes, Fingolfin would feel quite reassured if he started yelling back.

Only, is Fingolfin really missing Feanor, that is, in that sense? Feanor wouldn't have let him get his foot in the door and would have massively out-yelled him, if he had tried anything like that on him.