Outsiders of Gondolin Mutual Defence League by Himring

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Fanwork Notes

There was suppposed to be meta on Salgant (a bio, probably) to go with this (and actually be the main part of the response to the SWG challenge). RL stopped it happening. I hope it still will get written. 

And even this fic is getting submitted late to the Archive.

This is an ongoing drabble series, using prompts from Tolkien100 and Tolkien Weekly on Livejournal.

The first chapter was also posted to Tumblr for the last day of Tolkien Gen Week.

The fourth chapter is not fixed-length and was written for B2MeM 2018. 

Warnings so far:  body dysphoria, unhealthy coping mechanisms, PTSD, reference to non-consensual relationship, reference to canonical character death 

Depending how far this sequence continues, more will follow (you know the canon!).

 

Please note that the order of chapters may yet change if I manage to write intervening drabbles. However, I will try to flag insertions up, if this happens.

Fanwork Information

Summary:

In Gondolin, a fat elf attempts to befriend a sad elf. 
At first, things don't look very promising. 
But maybe the friendship will turn out deeper and more real for it, in the long run.

Now added: a prologue and six chapters.

Major Characters: Aredhel, Húrin, Maeglin, Original Female Character(s), Rog, Salgant

Major Relationships:

Artwork Type: No artwork type listed

Genre: Fixed-Length Ficlet, General

Challenges: 30-Day Character Study, B2MeM 2018, New Year's Resolution

Rating: Teens

Warnings: Creator Chooses Not to Warn
Chapters: 11 Word Count: 2, 335
Posted on 11 February 2018 Updated on 2 December 2018

This fanwork is a work in progress.

Table of Contents

Prologue

Aredhel and Maeglin leave Nan Elmoth; their ill-fated arrival in Gondolin.

A drabble sequence, perhaps to be expanded.

Lemon Tarts of Gondolin

The first conversation.

Inventing Gondolin

The dream city.

Under the Trees

Trees of Nan Elmoth and trees of Gondolin.

Salgant Attempts to Soothe Maeglin with Music

Salgant of the House of the Harp attempts to comfort his bereaved new friend Maeglin, who is feeling less than happy in Gondolin, with music and song. It is not a straightforward task.

[This was written for B2MeM 2018 and is not fixed-length.]

Small Sizes

Salgant and Maeglin in a short exchange about body size.
Maeglin has a comment to make about cultural relativity.

A Three-Course Meal

In the meantime, Maeglin has become head of his own House, the House of the Mole, and has consequently hired a cook.
Maeglin takes measures to prevent another lemon-tart problem.
(And Salgant thinks of almost everything in terms of art.)

Sister Sword to Anglachel

Rog is not as wise as Melian, but he knows about swords.
The sword Anguirel catches his eye.

For us the time is short

Hurin and Huor have obtained leave from Turgon to leave Gondolin, partly by pointing out their short life span.
Maeglin told them, in Turgon's hearing: "the law is become less stern than aforetime".
After that conversation, Maeglin visits Caragdur, where Eol was executed.

Merely a Glimpse: After the Battle

Maeglin followed his uncle Turgon into battle to assist Fingon, but that battle was lost and Maeglin's other uncle died there, without Maeglin ever having met him in times of peace.

Clear Notes in Harmony that Ran from Tower to Tower

Maeglin works on the Gate of Steel.

Comments

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:( Maeglin is so sweet, and quickly comes up with a solution to the problem. And poor Salgant, trying to keep his resolution and just needing a little help that no one besides Maeglin cares to do.I love this chapter, Himring. :D

And then, of course, Morgoth. I mean, obviously Maeglin probably wouldn't exist if Morgoth didn't, but if someone managed to kill him shortly after Aredhel's death, maybe Gondolin wouldn't have been closed off and he (and Salgant) would have been free to leave and go live somewhere else and things could have been happier.

Thank you very much, Brooke! I'm glad this works for you!

I think of Salgant as someone who keeps trying to amuse people as a way of making them not look at him too closely, if that makes sense.

Maeglin looks past that, sees what is going on and decides to do something about it.

 

Morgoth being defeated shortly after Aredhel's death would have made a great many people a lot happier! I think if Maeglin had been free to come and go, it would have certainly relieved some of the pressure.

Poor Maeglin. :( He just wants things to turn out nicely for himself, which really is to be expected with his childhood.

I agree with you that he probably wasn't thinking of it as Edain do - the only way I could see that happening is if he borrowed it from the dwarves his father talked to, and even then, I think Eol had enough contact with Thingol's people that he'd realize the difference.

Thank you, Brooke!

I guess I tend to underrate a bit the amount of information and impressions Maeglin may have picked up from the Dwarves!

But I think, in this case, he would realize the difference. Apart from contact with Thingol's people, there are also Eol's servants, which I've always imagined as Elves.

You're making both Salgant and Maeglin so relatable here. Salgant's silent struggle with the lemon tart was perfectly written, half funny and half sad. I was surprised and delighted when Maeglin revealed that he was paying a lot more attention than Salgant realised! Their conversation in the second chapter was heartbreaking. Maeglin's observations about his invention of Gondolin vs. the reality of it rang very true, and when he asked Salgant to keep talking while he tried to figure it out made me feel really sad for the future that's looming ahead of them. Meanwhile, their friendship, even if it was born from their shared outsider status rather than true inclination, is lovely to read about. I love the title also!

In some ways, Maeglin might make a good Batman, but I think Tolkien might have been offended at the idea of Gondolin being compared to Gotham in any way!

Thank you, yes, still writing. In fact, I've written another couple of drabbles in this sequence for prompts on Livejournal and you've reminded me I should upload them here!

Anguirel doesn't get mentioned again in canon, after Maeglin steals it, as far as I know.

But apart from the sheer scariness of its sister sword, I feel that story logic would also suggest Anguirel would somehow get tied up in Eol's curse on his son. Maybe Tolkien intended to do this and never got around to developing the idea?

 

I love the implication that Maeglin actually is on the verge of breaking down over the death of Fingon, if he didn't actively keep himself in check and thinking cold thoughts! The beginning suggests how much Maeglin longs for someone to love him and to be happy simply to see him. Makes my heart hurt!