Narn Gil-galad by Earonn

Curtsy: To my ever-patient beta reader Nemis. Lots of orc-cookies for you, delivered by an elvenking of your own choice... ;)

Dedicated: To my own big brother, who doubtless had a great influence on my concept of Gil Galad's behaviour towards his sister...

A/N

As far as I know there are no dates of birth for both Gil Galad and Finduilas. We can derive something from the fact that Turin found an adult Finduilas when he arrived at Nargothrond. According to the HoME the elves reached their maturity approximately at the age of fifty. So Finduilas must have been born around the year 440 of the First Age at the latest.

Curtsy: To Nemis as usual for ensuring that my old English teacher doesn't have to kill me - or himself - and for having so much fun with you. Hope to meet you at the RingCon 2003 to learn how to handle the...mop... ;))

Dedicated? Yes, to the ladies and non-ladies at Mark Ferguson's yahoo-group, especially to those who recently returned :)

A/N

Finch: thank you for the hint. You're right; it shouldn't sound too "modern". The curse of depending on a dictionary… To you not an orc-cookie but an apple (since I know you don't like it "overly-sweet"…) ;)

Curtsy: to this ominous Person who made the beta-reading *gives the ominous person manymany orc-cookies*

Dedicated: To Bladorthin who discussed events and characters with me. Hope you feel better soon!

A/N:

Lalaith: Curufin is moved by your sympathy! ;)

Curtsy: To Nemis for betareading, but mostly for the many hugs when Erik and I needed them so badly!

Dedicated? No, but a piece of song:

This is Radio Orchid

Listen and cry

To all the others

That suffer and die

This is Radio Orchid

Listen and cry

Take your lonely heart and let it fly

(Fury In The Slaughterhouse, Radio Orchid)

A/N

Finch: as already said, I appreciate your constructive criticism very much. Maeglin...well, the little rascal will play some role later, but this time he sneaked in without even so much as asking me...

Nemis: Túrin says "Ouch!"

And again: Happy Birthday, dear friend!

Curtsy: to my beta-reader Nemis the Great (not to be confused with Gonzo the Great!) with thanks for all the nice things for my birthday, especially Maglor the Singing Hamster!

Dedicated? To Ute, who told me extremely good news! *gives you another bottle of surprisingly expensive red Kiwi wine*

A/N

vorondis: I'm glad to hear that you find the character of my Gil Galad understandable, since this point is very important to me. And of course his relationship with Finduilas will affect his later life. To what extent...well, we'll see.

Usually I don't like Gaius Iulius Caesar, neither as a person nor as a politician. I prefer his political opponent Marcus Porcius Cato Uticensis. Nevertheless I owe Caesar thanks, since I used his crossing of the Rhine as an inspiration for Celebrimbor.

Due to the difficulties in destroying a whole army, for my description of Tumhalad the battle of Idistaviso, fought between Germanicus and Arminius 16 A.D. north-west of the German river Weser, has exemplified.

Curtsy: to Nemis 'Consider leaving it out', Mistress of commas. :)

Dedicated? To all the 'Tolkienians' (see Matt Ruff's fantastic book 'Fool On The Hill') in the net, who write in forums or submit articles and thus answered many of my questions or solved some problems (or pointed out new ones).

A/N

Finch: the Dragonhelm of Dor-Lómin would have been great, but to tell the truth, I never could imagine how it should have made its way to Nargothrond. I mean, with Túrin being captured by orcs and all what happened afterwards. Further I liked the little story of Azaghâl and his fellow Dwarves pushing back Glaurung wearing those masks (though, of course, the helm originally was made for Azaghâl). Far too few dwarves in our stories, don't you think?

*presses poor little underrepresented dwarves to her heart*

…

*poor little underrepresented dwarves don't want to be mothered*

….

:)

So you will have to write about the helm...

Curtsy: to Nemis for extreme-beta-reading and her expertise regarding Sindarin names. I'm looking forward to the barbecue and to the other party with the two bottles of New Zealand's finest!

To Ayten for the orc-cookie-recipe!

Dedicated? To Jaschenka, who made a wonderful drawing of Gil Galad for me. Also for the invitation to the barbecue. You will have a house full of doggies, a hubby and three cranky fangirls. Enjoy yourself! *packs orc-cookies into bag*

A/N

Finch: At least now we know why he never married. He just wasn't the fatherly type. :)

Thanks a lot!

Jojo: Angrod thanks for being re-integrated in Orodreth's heritage. Finwë complains because 'great-grandfather' makes him so old. *g*

Longshot: I imaged the return of the orcs with their captives to Angband like the fled of the orcs of Isengard with Merry and Pippin. No time for sports. As for Glaurung, you're absolutely right: he deserves to get his belly pricked...

Curtsy: to Nemis for focussing her inherited 'slightly disarranged mind' on the beta-reading.

A/N

In the beginning I've made some rapid changes of scenes. It's kind of an experiment and I had much fun writing it that way. If you feel like a ping-pong ball while reading – that's just what I had in mind... *evil laughter*

A/N

Finch: thanks for the encouragement – I've been really unsure if the rapid change of scenes would work. Though – no fault, not criticism this time? To cite a certain Hobbit-author: "I have never known you give me pleasant advice before. As all your unpleasant advice has been good I wonder if this advice is not bad." :D

Vorondis: if the Narn can convincingly fill some of the gaps the Sil left I'll be very pleased. Less pleased I'm about what we (not) get with Gil Galad being Orodreth's son. Perhaps we should start the Orodreth Defenders League ODL...

Nemis: Maeglin "not entirely unexpected"? I wonder what you could mean by that...

*innocent look*

I should be happy when Gondolin is destroyed after all and there's no reason anymore for me to write about elfies whose mention brings me merciless teasing!

What I'm up to with Idril should be clear: begin a nice Mary Sue (you know that Idril used to work also in the collection of the Gondolin Guinness?)!

Celebrimbor blushes for being patted. As you know, he doesn't receive much kindness.

*munches Leckerli*

This is the first chapter I almost completely wrote in English. If you find a difference between the single parts or in comparison to the other chapters, please tell me. Also, of course, if these difference would be for the worse or the better. Thank you!

*opens tin with orc-cookies*

Curtsy: For both chapters twice as many thankies, hugs and orc-cookies to Nemis for beta-reading. Hopefully they also can lure you into visiting Dortmund. *g*

And thanks to all the people at the LJ. Your comforting words and all the fun we have together are priceless!

Dedicated to Merlin

January 2001 – July 2003

A/N

Jaschenka: it's still unbelievable for me. Thanks for Lúthien and Finduilas, I'm feeling honoured!

Finch: Thingol did just what was expected from him as a rich, powerful and – overprotective – father. This is the 'underdog meets upper class girl'-scenario, after all! Námo will understand... ;)

Nemis, ever so encouraging! And I fear you understand my characters better as I do myself. But: no. I am not more evil than you are. 'More evil than Nemis' would be like 'more pregnant than pregnant' *wide grin*

Curtsy: I deeply bow to Ute who made the beta-reading this time. For you not many orc-cookies (you will get them anyway), but many collection-stickers, delivered by an electrical-engineer of your own choosing… ;)
All remaining errors in the text only exist because I revised it without giving it into Ute's care a second time. You have enough work with teasing this Kiwi, after all.

Dedicated:

Oleg
A little black Polish guinea pig-Lady
1996 – 2003

Vita brevis breviter in brevi finietur
Mors venit velociter quae neminem veretur
omnia mors perimit
et nulli miseretur

The short life soon will end
death comes faster than you would believe,
it destroys everything
and has no mercy.

Curtsy: to Ute and Círdan who made the beta-reading. What would I do without you? (Pester someone else, so all others better give you Leckerli. *g*)

Dedicated?
To Soledad, Nisshoku, Anja, Ute, Círdan, Jaschenka, Jojo & especially to Vorondis for their help and inspiration in finding names for my rats. They are called 'Findor' and 'Rodnor' now. Orc-cookies to everyone who knows the meaning behind them. :)

*******************

A/N

Vorondis: Don't be too sad – we will meet Glorfindel again, as you know. Just wait some fifteen-hundred years and about ten chapters...

Dragon-the-confused-Sunday-roast ;): Last year this time I did not even dare to write reviews in English!

Curtsy: to Ute-the-multicoloured: you're fantastic! You'll get your coffee in the Skytower next year.
And to Círdan-the-constantly-overworked. Get well soon! *gives you a kleenex*

A/N:

Vorondis: Erestor grouches about being called a 'typical grownup' and goes playing in mud-puddles.

Curtsy: to Ute for beta-reading and eurowings for my maiden flight :)

Dedicated: to evil elven princesses, extras and borrowed fangirls. And to all who honoured me with their trust.

A/N

Vorondis has kindly pointed out that Eärendil grew more like a human child and would have been too big to be carried at the age of seven (when Gondolin fell). I decided to leave it as it is because I don't like to change existing chapters unless it's absolutely necessary. For the sake of the story let's assume that he was small for his age, especially after one year in the wilderness, and that Idril was an exceptionally strong woman. We are talking about someone who successfully defended herself against Maeglin, after all.

Lord of the Elves: I'm glad to hear that you like the Narn so far. Regarding Gil Galad's parentage: in the History of Middle Earth, volume 12 "The Peoples of Middle Earth" Christopher Tolkien states that Fingon as father of Gil Galad was an "ephemeral" idea. See Vorondis' essay mentioned above and Michael Martinez' "Gil Galad was an Elven King"

Curtsy: to the wonderful betas Ute and Fymhrisfawr (the beta-Balrog)!

A/N

Vorondis: It always fascinates me how the many individual stories in the Sil interact, one influencing or even entailing the other. One constantly finds new connections. As for Eärendil and Elwing, we all know they fell in love, don't we? Moreover, I'm not good at writing love-stories. And finally
*points at her muse*
it's all her fault! She didn't tell me anything about it!

Soledad: I'm glad you like it so far. No double-meaning-intentions when you think Gil Galad and Celebrimbor together were 'funny'? Hard to believe when it comes from you!

BTW, it's interesting to see the parallels between your interpretation of Gildor and mine.

Saturday, 3. January 2004, 9 p.m.: The Professor!

Curtsy: to Ute, the Easter-Beta-Balrog, and to Vorondis for her always good advice!

Dedicated: to Erik, who gave me so much strength when I needed it badly, to all of you who kept their fingers crossed for me and to the friendly inn "Zum Lamm" (yes, that is a young sheep and many sheep are bred in New Zealand and...oh, stop laughing, girls!) in Pfungstadt.

A/N

Vorondis: only in order to please you I included some M&M – E&E-interaction *chuckles* – and I really hope there'll be a little surprise for you in it... :)

Artemisa: thank you *bows* apparently you know what authoresses need, even the evil ones. :p
Hopefully you won't find a reason to change your opinion.

All readers: thanks for your patience. You had to wait a long time for this chapter while I amused myself with the exam and 'had Pfun in Pfungstadt', as a certain someone expressed it. Actually, this is written in Pfungstadt, at a day-off between Latin and German. Oh, look! It starts snowing! * * * * :)

Curtsy: to the Ladies of restless beta-Balrogs: Ute, Mistress of (ex-)Useless Kiwis, and Fymhrisfawr-the-still-Unpronounceable. And to Vorondis for making the whole chapter(s) about the War of Wrath possible – for reasons I've explained in the 2nd A/N at the end of this chapter.

Dedicated: to all who crossed fingers for my exam.

OOO

A/N

Dear readers, please forgive me the break. Some of you know that I had to take an exam (for the Germans: the Abitur), therefore much learning had to be done. Now I'm very happy to continue the Narn – if only because Gilly recently started to kick me as often as I put my legs under the desk…

I'm well aware that the Elves in Aman talk Quenya. For the sake of legibility I've decided not to mark this in any way. All I did was to use the familiar (Sindarin) form of names in the text and the Quenya form in speech and thought. A list of both forms is given at the end of the chapter.

Vorondis: I didn't know about your feelings for Aegnor (though I should have guessed – he's everybody's darling, isn't he? g). But unfortunately rather under-represented, as well as the 'just wise shipwright with a beard'. Círdan is probably the most promising aspirant for the "most unjustly ignored Elf-award". I don't know why, perhaps evil fanfic-author(esse)s don't like bearded guys?
And you're absolutely right about Uinen's girl power.

I'm sorry for the somewhat confusing use of the title 'High King'. I'll try to explain: when I talk about the 'High King of the Noldor' Finarfin is meant, as surely he was considered High King of all Noldor. For Gil Galad the titles 'High King of the Noldor of Beleriand', 'High King of the Noldor-in-Exile' etc. are used.

Yes, the title of this chapter corresponds to the book 'Sauron Defeated' (volume 9 of the 'History of Middle Earth').