Black and White by Lingwiloke
Fanwork Notes
Fanwork Information
|
Summary: Maeglin realizes that during his visits to the dwarves he felt less of a stranger than during his time in Gondolin. Major Characters: Maeglin Major Relationships: Challenges: B2MeM 2017 Rating: Teens Warnings: Character Death |
|
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 2, 836 |
| Posted on 28 March 2017 | Updated on 28 March 2017 |
|
This fanwork is complete. | |
Chapter 1
Written for B2MeM 2017. Prompt and Path: “Black and White” - Blue Path, Square One./Wildcard: “Complete any prompt from the blue (four dots) path” – Green Path, Square Two.
Read Chapter 1
Black and White
They say I was born to darkness
I thought to prove them wrong
I think of the time I left the twilight under trees for a different dark
for halls of stone, kings under mountains
whispers in the halls of ever-night, secrets waiting to be found
treasure chamber full of wonders.
And after-
ember-glow, molten heat of creation
low rhythm of the forge, heart-beat of the earth
gruff voices, full of warmth and ringing laughter
honest work and honest men and women
strangers, all, when I came, but when I left
my brothers, sisters, below the stone.
With high hopes
I came to your city on the hill, glaring bright
white-washed walls, streets of glass and marble
clean, cold, every stain displayed
in stark relief.
A frigid city, frozen in time,
your people never truly left the ice behind.
Stranger in a city of strangers
poisoned secrets hidden in plain sight
towers climbing into
empty sky
and I
fall
(1) Comment by Himring for Black and White [Ch 1]
You set up the contrasts so well here--darkness and brightness, depth and height (and in the end, falling), warmth and cold, friendliness and reserve.
It's a harsh view of Gondolin, of course--after all, in some ways Maeglin was shown great favour. But he may have seen it so--and some of it has the ring of truth.
And I like this take on Nogrod.
Re: (1) Comment by Himring for Black and White [Ch 1]
Aaah, I'm sorry for the late reply, I somehow completely missed your comment on here!
I agree with you - this is very much Maeglin's perspective on Gondolin, which I see as coloured by both his own fears - if you are worried about being an outsider already, it is easy to see every whisper and look as malicious and aimed at you - and by his expectations: I imagine the Noldor, at least the "upper classes" as somewhat reserved and focused on etiquette, more than Maeglin perhaps was used to in a much smaller Avarin/Sindarin household, and with Aredhel around, who I imagine as not being that much a fan of courtly etiqutte either. Which does not make them bad people, or loveless ones, but might seem unintentionally cold or even hostile to one not used to it. (Though obviously, that's a lot of fanon ideas here - we sadly don't exactly know very much about life in Nan Elmoth and what Maeglin was "used to", or if there are sources, at least I've not come across them yet.) I do think Turgon, and as a consequence, Gondolin, did have a problem with maybe being a little to isolationist and attached to the status quo - frozen in that sense - which eventually contributed to their downfall through their choice to ignore Ulmo's warnings.
Alright, I'll stop rambling now XD Thank you so much for commenting! I'm so happy you liked my version of Nogrod *bounces*