And better, and better is peace by Himring

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Fanwork Notes

This was written for the challenge prompt: Vangelis, "Chariots of Fire Title Theme", inspired by both the music and the video. (However, full disclosure: despite being very familiar with those title images of runners sprinting along the beach, I have never actually seen the whole film and this piece is not linked to its plot.)

No warnings for what happens in the ficlet itself, but as the summary suggests there are brief, vague references to canonical events of the War of the Last Alliance.

Fanwork Information

Summary:

Combatants returning from the War of the Last Alliance to the coast of Gondor.

A vignette.

Major Characters: Men, Sindar

Major Relationships:

Genre: Ficlet

Challenges: Cheesy Corn Chips

Rating: General

Warnings: Check Notes for Warnings
Chapters: 1 Word Count: 458
Posted on 4 March 2023 Updated on 7 March 2023

This fanwork is complete.

Table of Contents

And better, and better is peace

Comments

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Yes, elves would have a slightly different perspective, given that they've already experienced that relief of the war being over once, only to find out it was more like a pause before the next round. At least the Men will get to have (mostly) peaceful lives!

I think so (I tried to have a look). In the Appendices, there is a hint that Gondor was seldom at peace for long, but when you look at the recorded wars the next one actually seems to be several generations later!

My Sinda is partly echoing Elrond at the Council of Elrond with her observation (if she is indeed my OFC Huntress, they know each other), but it was important to me that this ends on a note of hope!

As usual with your ficlets, there are so many things tucked in here.

I really love where you took the prompt, and I have to admit that my eyes waters while I was reading.

The homecoming of all those men (ex-adolescents) to the outlying regions of Gondor is quite a thought — and must have been quite a sight.  The camaraderie that would have formed runs deep, but adjusting to life beyond the war, with people who can never fully comprehend what you've experienced, is something else entirely.

And Huntress' companion's thought that they may well experience peace for the remainder of their time in Arda hearkens back to that line that even the Powers will come to envy the Gift of Men. I can't wrap my mind around how life must be for the Elves if Middle-earth, although I feel for Huntress here. (And it's nice to glimpse her again.)

 

Thank you!

After some thought, I realized it was going to be important for this that these are not the kind of combatants that are major names in history. I was partly thinking of the kind of soldiers Aragorn is concerned about in ROTK on the march to the Black Gate. And I only hinted at the problems they might have at fitting back in afterward after these experiences, but we know from history that that would be an issue.

I'm glad that you liked the idea of this being Huntress! I wasn't more definite, because I hadn't really thought before about what she was doing in this period before, so there was no backstory in place. Of course, she is older than Elrond, by this point, even though she was quite young when she joined the Noldor in Mithrim. 

I watched the video just before reading this, and I think that you have found the essence of that scene in your beautiful, thoughtful writing. There's this sense of relief and happiness, but bittersweet because not everyone had come back.