The Last Words by Rhapsody

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Fanwork Notes

This story is set in the Bard Rising universe.

Fanwork Information

Summary:

Nerdanel finally meets her nemesis: the one who caused the rift in her marriage to Fëanor. What did she had to say to them?

*added: The Silmarillion Writers Guild Back to Middle-earth 2008 narrative*

~ MEFA 2008 First Place in Genres: Drama: Featuring the Noldor - Thank you Robinka for nominating it! ~

 

Major Characters: Nerdanel

Major Relationships:

Artwork Type: No artwork type listed

Genre: Drama

Challenges: Strong Women

Rating: Teens

Warnings: Mature Themes

This fanwork belongs to the series

Bard Rising
Chapters: 2 Word Count: 3, 241
Posted on 1 March 2008 Updated on 14 June 2008

This fanwork is complete.

Table of Contents

The Last Words
Author Notes - B2ME 2008 narrative for Rivalry

Comments

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Oh, this is excellent, Rhapsody!

"Now, your pride is reserved for just these three jewels, and I had to stand by helplessly to watch how your sons no longer held this station in your heart."

This line is incredibly sad. And the last thing Nerdanel says to the jewels is perfect, and sad also, since we know that they do ultimately destroy Fëanor. 

Thank you Oshun!!! I saw your mefa review a few days ago, but I didn't had time yet to reply... It was so tempting to end this short work on a positive note and who knows, at the end of Arda they will be reunited again (in my mind they are, but love can also break your heart and letting go (whether for your own sake or for your lover) can be the greatest act of love as well. In my humble opinion of course! Thanks for reading and making it to the end!

I've always considered the estrangement of Feanor and Nerdanel very tragic and sad and reading your story emphasized this for me. How different things could have turned out if this had not happened, or if she joined him in Middle Earth. It's also a treat to see the spotlight more on Ambarussa here than on the other Feanorions. 

I think this also gives a good glimpse of what could have been going through Nerdanel's mind and how she must have felt after being supplanted by the jewels in her husband's regard, truly, they could qualify as "mistresses".  Nerdanel's question of why the Valar released Morgoth and how it affected her family is my favorite line. The most heart breaking scene is the part where she actually holds them and addresses them like they were living beings and how even after she denies any more love for him, she still does not want him destroyed.  The hopeless romantic in me thinks that if anything, that is still an indication that she loves him.

Yes, she still does love Fëanor, but at what cost? What I tried to bring across was that she had to let go, surrender her love to the other that captured his  heart, or be torn asunder herself. We know from canon that her love for the Ambarussa is strong, and for them she has to survive, imho of course. And yes, it is nice to see her youngest being with Nerdanel, it felt natural to me Thank you so much for reading and leaving such a thoughtful review!

Wow, this was a powerful story, very emotionally raw. Her iteration of all that she was leaving to the jewels--the good, the bad, the domestic--was just perfect for me and really showed a life lived through all the ups and downs and many trivialities that marriage brings. Her reaction to the stones made me think: Is she getting an inkling of what he experiences from them, why they have so commanded his attention? Or, if he truly put his heart into them, as he says in the Silm, is she seeing the purity of his goodness before he was corrupted? Definitely thought-provoking.

I loved the glimpse of the twins too, characters not seen often on their own.