All the Answers by Himring

A Word In

Maedhros, faced with a severe case of inebriation and an audience.

Rating: Teens. Mature Themes: reference to torture (unspecific).

Passing through the crowd at the Feast of Reuniting, by chance unaccompanied, Maedhros Feanorion was accosted by a very young Noldo, who was extremely drunk, having badly misjudged the alcoholic contents of a particular Sindarin brew.

‘Tell me, Feanorion,’ the Noldo challenged him, ‘why is it that Morgoth couldn’t break you, if he could break everyone else? Hey?’

His tones were blurred, but his voice, unfortunately, was loud and carrying. Everyone around them gasped and fell silent. Most of them feared that the unfortunate young elf was about to be annihilated, verbally, if not otherwise.  Some expected that Maedhros would ignore him and treat him as beneath contempt. A very few were afraid Maedhros might actually answer the question.

For a moment, Maedhros silently studied the young Noldo, who was clearly having a hard time keeping on his feet.

 Then he suggested mildly: ‘Perhaps he couldn’t get a word in edgewise?’

The young elf swayed, looking puzzled, but the bystanders all laughed, very much relieved. Obviously, Prince Maedhros was alluding to his famed eloquence at the council table. They were too grateful that Maedhros had deigned to defuse that nasty moment to feel at all critical or question how funny and appropriate this witticism might be. Maedhros passed on, and general conversation resumed.

In the middle of the night, the young Noldo sat bolt upright, suddenly stone-cold sober, and began considering what else Maedhros might have meant to imply.