The Decadent Queen by Scribe of Mirrormere

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Fanwork Notes

Written for SWG's "A Woman's Sceptre" Challenge. My prompt was: “Legend remains victorious in spite of history.” ~ Sarah Bernhardt

Fanwork Information

Summary:

Tar-Anducal and Alcarin remember Tar-Vanimeldë differently.

Major Characters: Herucalmo, Tar-Alcarin, Tar-Vanimeldë

Major Relationships:

Genre: General

Challenges: Woman's Sceptre

Rating: General

Warnings: Creator Chooses Not to Warn
Chapters: 1 Word Count: 5, 855
Posted on 10 May 2017 Updated on 10 May 2017

This fanwork is complete.

Table of Contents

The Decadent Queen

Comments

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Oooh, fascinating! I love that you turned Vanimelde's purported weakness (as a lover of dance and music) into something valuable (as a supporter of culture and education). And why shouldn't it be! I'd take a ruler who invests her time in music and culture over someone who cares only for money and conquest anytime.

Your Alcarin was a nice surprise, too! I haven't given much thought to him so far (I'm afraid I've found him as unmemorable as his father ;)) but I liked him here. Smart of him not to make a drama and risk civil war over his father's usurpation, when time and the "Gift of Men" would solve the problem reasonably soon.

I thoroughly enjoyed your take on this prompt!

Oh, this is great. I love the redemption of a monarch considered frivolous--exploring the idea that the characterization could have envolved from a lot of mansplaining of her role instead of her actual function as a ruler. I love the conclusion also.

There is something creepy and subtly-off if not downright suspicious about the way in which her husband refused to hand over governance at her death to her rightful heir and to hold onto until his death. It's an interesting speculation.

I like your portrayal of Tar-Vanimeldë! I like the idea that her love for music and dancing also conveyed her love for her people and her desire to pass down their history, to become a teacher to others.

Her son Alcarin here seems to be a wiser king than his father, and prudent in his restraint.

You go, Tar-Alcarin! I appreciate your interpretation very much -- how it lampshades Jirt's own sexist framings of the Ruling Queens of Númenor and provides a look at an internationalist Númenor before the imperial rot sets in. 

I came here through Himring's suggestions on ruling númenorean queens and I'm so glad I did, I love how Tar-Ancalimë's ways are seen through the eyes of her smart, patient, loyal son, and that she is not frivoulous at all, but strong, intelligent and dilligent in her ruling, albeit in an eccentric way. Lovely work.