The Book of Short Tales by Lyra

Written for the B2MeM challenge for the Doors of Night: Your character has a chance to change a single event in his or her past, but doing such will forever alter the future. What will your character choose? What would they change, if anything? And how do you think his or her future would change?

In Mandos, Maedhros has a chance to consider what might have been - and learns something about the complexity of every decision.

A MEFA 2010 nominee. With bonus illustration by yours truly.

Written for the B2MeM 2010 challenge for Armenelos: Our characters often hold strong opinions, whether they be as serious as Fëanor's convictions about freedom from the Valar or as seemingly frivolous as Merry's belief in the superiority of Longbottom Leaf. Write a story, poem, or create an artwork in which a character must defend or discovers the opposite of a strongly held opinion.

The sad thing about "simple truths" is that they're never actually simple. Daeron sees the truth he's always clung to turned lie; Maglor fights for a conviction he no longer believes in; Amandil is forced to lie to keep his family safe.
Three double drabbles (as counted by Open Office Writer).

Written for the B2MeM challenge for Menegroth: Write a story or poem or create artwork that will illustrate the consequences of isolation.

Nerdanel finds a moment to ponder different forms of isolation - and its lack. A ficlet in six consecutive drabbles (as counted by Open Office Writer).

Thank you, Himring, for the nomination!
And a huge thank you to everyone who read and reviewed.
Awesome banner base by Esteliel.

Written for the B2MeM challenge for Dorthonion: Write a story or poem or create a piece of artwork reflecting identification with or connection to one’s land, country or culture.

Or write a story or poem or create a piece of artwork featuring kilts.

Very well! You want kilts, you get kilts!

In the early 19th century, two musicians witness the birth of a legend...

Thank you, Robinka, for the nomination!

Written for the B2MeM challenge for Himring: Write a story or poem or create artwork where characters make sacrifices in order to achieve their goals.

Maedhros sees his life flash before his eyes. Seven drabbles (as counted by Open Office Writer) on the sacrifices demanded by the quest for the Silmarils.

*This chapter rated "Adult" for mature themes, mention of violence, torture and suicide.

Written for the B2MeM challenges for
- Gondolin: Start a story or poem with Charles Dickens' famous opening line from A Tale of Two Cities: "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times."
- Balar: Write a story or poem or create artwork featuring unanswered requests, prayers or pleas.
- Mithrim: Write a story or poem or create artwork where the character conquers his or her fears.
- Rhosgobel: Write a story or poem or create artwork using one or more animals as symbols, omens, or metaphors.

Four double drabbles (as counted by Open Office Writer) centered on Elwing.

Written for the B2MeM challenge for Bree: Write a story or poem in which the exchange of gifts is featured, or use "gifting" as a theme for a piece of art.

Maedhros finds Caranthir's secret. On gifts material and immaterial - love, memory, absence, and the infamous Gift of Men.

Written for the B2MeM challenge for Sirion: Elves are one with Nature. What about Men? Hobbits? Dwarves? Write a story or poem or create artwork where the way different races relate to Nature is shown.

Elves are one with nature? Really? Haleth, at any rate, begs to differ...

Frustrated by obvious inconsistencies, a Fëanorian muses on the poets' treatment of the first kinslaying.
Written in an attempt to deal with a line that absolutely annoyed me in a fanfic I read a while back: I figured tackling the issue creatively was healthier than running around screaming, foaming at the mouth and starting a flame war...

*This chapter rated "Adult" for mention of blood, guts and gore.

Thank you, Grey Gazania, for the nomination!
And a huge thank you to everyone who read and reviewed.

For Instant Drabbling Friday Night, a triple drabble for the prompt The Key: Can open anything.

Sometime in the First Age, Nerdanel unlocks the past. A triple drabble according to OOW.

Written for the "Dwarves in the First Age" prompt, Durin the Deathless remembers coming to life and his maker Aulë, and for the "In a Manner of Speaking" prompt, "for pity's sake".

Durin recalls what must have been, on the whole, a really weird and disconcerting experience...
Officially my first piece of Dwarf fanfic! Yay!

Written for the "Dwarves in the First Age" prompt, Awakening of the seven Fathers of the Dwarves.

The Elves aren't the only ones who fill the early world with music... A drabble according to OOW.

Written for the "Maglor in History" prompt, Sturm und Drang.

Daeron is not happy with Maglor's response to the latest literary fad. Warning: Potential spoilers for Goethe's The Sorrows of Young Werther. Hey, fair is fair.

Written for three O67 prompts:
- "Silmarillion Fanon", Death of grief = fading;
- "Sons of Fëanor", Curufin and Nerdanel;
- "Women of Arda", Míriel.

In the middle of the night, Nerdanel has to convince young Curufin that she is not going to follow the example of his grandmother.

Written for the "Sons of Fëanor" prompt, "the cruel servants of Celegorm..."

Two of Celegorm's servants face Maedhros, who is Not Amused.

Written for three B4 prompts:
- "In a Manner of Speaking", Forever hold your Peace;
- "Silmarillion Fanon", Maglor the Mighty Wimp;
- "Sons of Fëanor", Maedhros alone stood aside.

As the swan-ships burn, the eldest sons of Fëanor have an argument.
Apologies to Immanuel Kant for shamelessly and inappropriately stealing his title.

This ficlet started out as a response to the B2MeM '12 prompts O67 (Scientific Achievement: Pharmacy and In a Manner of Speaking: Skeletons in the Closet) and G50 (Scientific Achievement: Medicine), and then languished in my WiP folder until I read the theme quote for Knowledge vs. Ignorance for B2MeM '13. So I thought I'd finish it, polish it, and post it at last!

Istimë muses on the price she (or her patients) had to pay for her knowledge.

Begun for several B2MeM '12 prompts - N38 (Sons of Fëanor: Celegorm and Aredhel and I27 (Fëanatics!: Family Guy and TVTropes: Kill it with Fire); finally finished for B2MeM '13, March 1: Friendship.

Celegorm regrets the loss of a friend.

Begun for B2MeM '12, B13 (B13 TVTropes: Tangled family tree!, Women of the Silmarillion: defying expectations and Here we come a-caroling: And they looked up and saw a star), but yet again left to languish in my WiP folder. Finally finished for B2MeM '13, March 1, "Judgement" -- I love that Gandalf quote excessively, but once again it made me think of quite a different story...

Elwing finds herself judged, and muses on double standards.

Started for a couple of B2MeM '12 prompts (O65: Women of the Silmarillion: women of Gondolin, Scientific achievement: statics, Smells: soap, TvTropes: Overshadowed by Awesome and O62: Women of the Silmarillion: Passing the Bechdel test), finally finished for one of the B2MeM '13 prompts for March 12 (Idril's feelings concerning Maeglin).

Idril disliked Maeglin before she even found out about his obsession with her. Here is why.

At last, a story that's wholly B2MeM '13! Inspired by the Númenor quote for March 4 (Breaking the Ban of the Valar), and incidentally also covering March 5 (Going aboard the Alcarondas), March 8 (Persecution of the Faithful), March 9 (the Gift of Ilúvatar), March 12 (Ilúvatar changing the fashion of the world). Oof! Quick, post it before yet another prompt comes along!

"... and there was little wind, but they had many oars and many strong slaves to row beneath the lash." One of these slaves looks back on when it all started to go terribly wrong.

*This chapter rated "Adult" for allusions to extremely disturbing subject matter, such as human sacrifice and cannibalism.

Started for the B2MeM '12 prompt N31 (Fëanatics!: Fëanor hugged his kids and TvTropes: Royals who actually do something) and finished for B2MeM '13, Wildcard Day: "Finish something!" (My WiP folder will be forever grateful for this task.)

Fingolfin reflects on his difficulties with the uninhibited behaviour of children.

Once again, this one began life for B2MeM '12 (B15 - Dwarves in the First Age: Azaghâl gives Maedhros the Dragon-helm) and then languished in my WiP folder. But it kind of fits the B2MeM prompt for March 18 (battle-gear of the Dwarves for the Nirnaeth Arnoediad), so I brought it to a close.

Before the Nirnaeth, Azaghâl brings Maedhros a rich token of his gratitude.

Another beneficiary of the B2MeM '13 Wildcard task "Finish something".
This one was begun for the "With a bit of fairy dust" challenge, continued for the B2MeM '12 prompt N31 (Crossovers I: ... with a fairytale or folktale), and left unfinished... until today. Also covers the March 1 prompt "Zeal" (Oath of the Fëanorians, Lays of Beleriand alliterative edition).

Two very different lovers find themselves on a very similar quest. A Lay of Leithian/Taketori Monogatari crossover.

A response to the B2MeM '13 prompt for March 28: But Morgoth himself the Valar thrust through the Door of Night beyond the Walls of the World, into the Timeless Void [...] Yet the lies that Melkor, the mighty and accursed, Morgoth Bauglir, the Power of Terror and of Hate, sowed in the hears of Elves and Men are a seed that does not die and cannot be destroyed; and ever and anon it sprouts anew, and will bear dark fruit even unto the latest days.

Imprisoned in the battle-camp of the Valarin host after the War of Wrath, Melkor receives an unexpected and unwelcome visitor... and does some last-minute sowing.

Toeing the AU line; you decide which side of the line it's on.

Some of the allusions in this piece may make more sense if you've read the first chapter of The Tempered Steel (warnings for torture and other forms of violence). Not that I'm pimping my own fic here. >_>

Oh look, I wrote something for the actual March 1 "Friendship" quote after all! Because I just can't leave Maedhros and Fingon alone.

There can be, Findekáno knows, no forgiveness and no reconciliation.

Begun for B2MeM '12's B6 (Fëanatics: Daddy Issues); continued and finished for B2MeM '13's prompt for March 19, O (Fëanorians exploring all of Valinor up to the Outer Sea).

Fëanor makes plans for his sons' inheritance. Unfortunately, few things go according to plan. - A quintuple drabble (according to OOW).

Started for a couple of B2MeM '12 prompts: N38 (Women of Arda: Galadriel; Women of the Silmarillion: Women of Doriath; Dwarves in the First Age: Melian and the Dwarves), I27 (In a manner of speaking: Blind as a bat) and B4 (Women of Arda: Lúthien; Economy: Luxury Items; Botany: Elanor).

Melian has invited some Dwarvish craftsmen to create a begetting day gift for Lúthien, and asked Galadriel to help her choose. But first, a PC briefing is in order...

In a discussion about femslash a few days ago, I snarked that I wouldn't touch it if the pairing didn't work for me, like Varda/Thuringwethil. About 24 hours later, I was bitten by a plotspider. It seems that Varda/Thuringwethil doesn't work for me, but Varda/Ungoliant does...

Kinda experimental, but there you go.

For different B2MeM '12 prompts, I started three separate stories in which Caranthir defended the achievements of the Dwarves against critical brothers. I never finished any of these stories and probably never will, so for this year's "Memories" theme, I finally condensed each of them into a drabble to make up a short series.
Touching the following BINGO prompts:
N33 (Economy: "Infrastructure" and Here we come a-caroling: "You might even say it glows");
G51 (Scientific Achievement: "Print")
G59 (Dwarves of the First Age: "Curufin receives Angrist")
Also sort of covers the 2009 prompt for March 17 (stereotypes).

Curufin is unimpressed with Caranthir's neighbours. Caranthir showcases some of their achievements to change his brother's mind.

Begun and abandoned for the B2MeM 2012 BINGO Bash (Woman of the Silmarillion - G51 - Women who survive). Inspired by GoldSeven's "All the others, gone". Dug out and polished for B2MeM 2016. Also sort of covers the B2MeM 2011 prompt for March 19: "Write a story or create a piece of artwork centred on meetings or reunions."

While preparing for the War of Wrath, Finarfin has the most important meeting of them all.

Melkor discovers the power of a mother's voice. (AU, somewhat cracky)

On her first evening in Doriath, Galadriel is desperate for a drink.

Written for B2MeM 2019, for the prompts "Overcoming my past" (Person vs. Self) and "Who now shall refill the cup for me?" (Tolkien Quotes), both I20. A slightly irreverent take on the prompts. I apologise.

Young Aragorn discusses Noldorin history with Erestor, touching upon matters of good and evil, tough choices, and how to deal with mistakes.

Responding to various B2MeM prompts:
On the Fëanatics card, 072 (Fëanor: saviour of Middle-earth), I18 (In Beleriand... freedom fighter), B14 (The war of Telerin Aggression) and I25 (Knight in shining armor);
on the Person vs. Self card, I16 (peer pressure), I24 (making tough choices) and N44 (self-doubt);
on the Emotions card, N44 (amusement);
and on the Mary Oliver 1935-2019 card, G55 (perfect imperial distance).