New and Updated Fiction

“He has led us in here against our fears, but he will lead us out again, at whatever cost to himself.  He is surer to find his home in a blind night than the cats of Berúthiel.”  Aragorn, Moria.

The story of a woman and her cats. 

A box of ashes, and its journey back to the beginning. Featuring ithildin, Smaug, and a surprising number of dwarves.

There’s an Elf climbing through the garage window.

Worse than an Elf: a Mod.

(a Maglor-in-History) 

It happened in the days of the First Age--

Or, how Elwing got those ships.

It always hurts to lose a might-have-been. But here Amarië is.

Legolas is tasked by Ulmo to travel to Gondolin to make sure history does not again deviate from Eru's plan. 

This is a time travel AU wherein Legolas Greenleaf and Legolas of Gondolin are the same person.

Written for the My Slashy Valentine Swap 2021.

An unseasonably large snowstorm causes Gil-galad to fret about their upcoming March to Mordor.

The world begins with starlight and clear water. The River-daughter opens her eyes to see the stars as shimmering streaks blurring together. It is such a delightful sight that she reaches for them, and gasps when her hand breaks out of the water into cool air.

The River-daughter, from her awakening to the sun's first rising.

Two drabbles (100 words) I wrote during the Ribbon-cutting event instadrabbling 25.04.2021.

The first is Silvergifting, prompt words daisy, riddle, sunlit, lawns

The second is Russingon, prompt words warmth, smile, memory, river

Arien looks down on Middle-earth and, thanks to Yavanna, she sees...

Can you guess?

(Gollum once guessed it long ago.)

Instadrabbles from the ribbon-cutting event on the SWG Discord server, 24-25 April 2021, on the theme of renewal

The sea is huge, and grey, and loud, and Elwing hates it. She hates it and she fears it, and so once she is old enough to slip away from her nurses and her guardians, she goes down to the beach.

Celegorm, who was friend of Oromë, who often visited the Vala's house and learnt the language of all birds and beasts - but hunted them also. This is a story of the noontide of Valinor, of a hunting party and of the deities of bow and arrow, loyalty yet untarnished, gifts and wisdom, and what it means to understand and talk to the things you kill. Sometimes Snow White and the Huntsman are the same person.

Melkor has been imprisoned in the halls of Mandos for all too long. The day of the trial is approaching, and now he's willing to do almost anything to convince his jailer of his change of heart. From then onwards, everything seems to go downhill for him, and upon returning to Angband, his relationship with Sauron will turn rather tense.

Fëanáro looked at the Vala whose silver hair had a slight lavender hue in the light of Telperion. He was wearing a necklace of silver birds – nightingales. Fëanáro smiled, he’d made that for him. The fire of his anger at the decision the Valar had made in regard to his mother and father still simmered in his breast, but he’d learned a lot of smithcraft from Mahtan Aulendil and even Aulë himself, and Irmo had always been a friend to him.

A story of Feanor's and Irmo's relationship before and after his death. Also a story of how even the Valar have to rethink their rulings sometimes.

Those left behind do not sit idle. Five drabbles.

While Turukáno is grieving for his dead wife he meets a foreign elf in the woods who wants to fight Morgoth alongside the Noldor.

Rog is wary of this prince who doesn't seem prejudiced against former thralls, but he is willing to risk it for an opportunity to fight and for the safety of his people.

It turns out Rog can also help Turukáno to deal with his grief.

During the chaos of the Downfall of Númenor, Uinen goes back in time to relive a memory while attempting to save Tar-Míriel, her beloved.

Short pieces for the "Words of Wit and Whimsey" challenge. 

I. Wains

II. The Walrus That Went South

While wandering, Maglor reflects upon his decisions.

Fingon and Maedhros find a dead orc in the forest - and a baby.

A mother decides to do whatever it takes to keep her child save.

-----

My take on the parentage of Gil-galad.

There’s a ferry (eventually) and a sunrise, and two people with a lot of history between them talking while they wait.

After the not so untimely death of Ar-Pharazôn the kingdom of Númenor is now officially under the sole rule of Tar-Míriel. In practice, the position of the Faithful remains precarious and unpopular. She doesn't have the support to outright reverse her subjects’ misguided course, but now at least she has an opportunity to start fixing that.

Sauron’s powerbase is entrenched in Númenórean society, but it was based on the favour and support of the king. Openly acting against his nominal sovereign would endanger it. It was time to adjust his strategy.

Plotting ensues.

Tyelkormo let himself fall to the ground when he heard the twang of a bowstring and the arrow hit the tree trunk above him.
 
After crossing the Ice, Aredhel confronts Celegorm in the woods.

Maedhros's and Fingon's friendship started when they were little, not least thanks to their mothers.