Neighbourly Relations by Himring

Oh, great start. I'm looking forward to the rest. That last line: that it occurred to me that Russandol had not said that the Sindar were wrong in what they believed.

Maedhros is awesome here also. Loved this:

‘Well’, he said, with a strange kind of hesitation. ‘You are, after all, Findarato’s brother and Findarato is, without a doubt, the most civilized person I know.’

Filled with lots of hesitations and suspense which you handle really well.

You ALWAYS make me cry. Every story of Maedhros so sad- that is inevitable  know because his is the most tragic story- more so than any of his brothers because he is so noble and never really does anyhting (in my humble opinion!) wrong. He is strong and unyielding and courageous in the face of all the tragedy of his House. I love how you write this.

Thank you! I had not noticed!

So nice to see some of the less explored Noldor given new life through your writing. You chose some interesting symbols in this one, especially that quill. I'm wondering how simple or complex you intended its meaning to be. Knowing you, probabaly both.

Oh- I knoe really. But he is driven to it but unreasonable people, like Dior. You see how you have made me think!!! All laid squarely at your door I think. I know that later he does become completely dead in a way to feeling and just so foced on the SIlmarils - but to have lasted for so long and retain his humanity, to have troed to prevent the loss of the twins, to not kill Elrond and Elros and then finally, when the jewels are in the hands of the Valar, for them to deny him- is just so bloody. It FEELS that eh does not deserve that fate. It feels that eh has tried so hard to avoid it- and then succumbs but only when people deny him what really, in any sense of justice, should be returned. I can't help but see him as victim. Yeah- a bit biased, but how can you not?

Oh my goodness- I dont think I am good enough for that but I do weave him into something else- but a very much removed poiv. Maybe one day- I am just getting into the SIlm so really dont have enough knowledge to do it justice- I jus tplay around the edges with the light fluffy stuff.

Given how the children of Finarfin's gift of sight goes well beyond that of most other elves, it wouldn't surprise me if Finrod knew every detail about his brother's love right down to what kind of undergarments he imagined Andreth wearing.

You know, that actually brings up a thought I've had about a great majority of Tolkien fanficiton: there are surprisingly few stories where elves use their method of telepathy to have conversations, especially in the Silmarillion eras.

Aegnor's sentiment in this writing also brings up a thought: could an elf sunder his fate from his kindred and be tied to a mortal in death without them having plighted their trough (as Tokien always loved to say) in life? That would seem an interesting subject for exploration.

Nice fleshing out of Aegnor, and interesting take on Angrod

Reading your stories is always such a treat.

When it comes to characterisation and dialog, few people can make these characters as vivid and as *alive* as you can. For any character-oriented Silmarillion geek, be they Maedhros/Fingon shipper or not, pretty much anything you write is a must-read.

What I also tend to admire is your effective style. You can flesh these people out with a few precise strokes, like a master calligrapher. That's an awesome skill to possess...:-)

Oh, I like that!

There is so little said and written about THIS two brothers.

The Athrabeth is in my opinion one of the most important chapters in the HoME, including the legends of men.

Another author, Finch, I think, has written a wonderful fic about it.

Yes, it is true, that Aegnor and Angrod spoke on behalf of their relatives at Thingol's court,  and this is seldom mentioned, and also, that they, being so near to Morgoth, always saw the danger, and kept on being wary, when other just looked at their prospering realms.

I was deeply touched by your description of Aegnor' s and Maedhros' relationship, all those things unsaid, but felt within.

This is only one of a lot of your stories, I read, till I discovered the Guild, but I could not leave this special one without review, though I prefer reading more than writing...

Thank you, Lia

Now, that I overlooked the other reviews,  and your answers, I would like to add something.

Yes, you are right, in the end of ĹotR, there is a passage, when Gandalf, Galadriel, Elrond etc did this special kind of talking.

Finrod did it, to understand the men, when he discovered them.

But I think, Galadriel' s gift, to read the *heart*, as it is called, is her own talent, and a little bit different.

And Finrod would never abuse his talents, to investigate his brothers affairs unwanted! He might have seen something, in his brothers eyes (remember, it is told, that by the look of an elves eye, another can tell, if he is free to love or already bound), and talked with him in his careful manner, and maybe guessed a lot, for his wisdom.

As for Aegnor following Andreth, a clear NO, because Tolkien made absolutely clear, that only the peredhel had the chance to decide. Only Luthien left the circles of the world, and only Tuor, as a match, was allowed to live with the Eldar. And Finrod says, that even in Mandos, Aegnor will remember Andreth.

The only other choice would to denie the challenge and become a houseless fea.

I must admit, that I also do not like this ideas so much, so in one of the few things, I wrote myself,absolutely AU, using Andreths story of men, I gave Andreth some hope, meeting Finrods daughter before her death, and the idea of singing together in the second chor.

I postulated some men , who were not seduced by Morgoth, and had the gift of death in the way, as it was meant to be, in the beginning: to choose the time, when they die and leave the world, and to know, when this time was.

Is this not, for example, mentioned, that Aragorn had the possibility to choose dead? Likewise Elros or Gilraen?

But I am no author; maybe another person could make a good story of this.

Second bye,

Lia