Letters Home from the War by bunn

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Fanwork Notes

Translation from the original Quenya courtesy of the Alqualondë Cultural Understanding Project
Translation from the Sindarin by the Shire Library and Archives Service
Translation from Westron copyright Faculty of History, University of Oxford (Interdimensional Outreach). As is standard practice for ACUP-SLAS-FoH(IO) projects, Sindarin-form names have been retained in English translation.

This work references this War of Wrath timeline which follows:
- the Tale of Years from The War of the Jewels (HoME 11) in that the war takes 42 years from the arrival of the Host of the Valar to the fall of Thangorodrim,
- the Silmarillion in that the war is conducted primarily by the Elves, not the Valar in person,
- Lord of the Rings, in that Elrond is present at the fall of Thangorodrim. For the purpose of this story, all you need to know is that the war takes ages, and they didn't know the entire place was going to fall into the Sea till much later.

Fanwork Information

Summary:

Letters between Elemmírë, the great poet-singer of the Vanyar and Amárië, beloved of Finrod, and between Ingwion, Captain of the Vanyar Host in the War of Wrath, and his father Ingwë, High King of the Elves.

With the odd intrusion from Finrod, because Finrod likes to turn up uninvited and just start doing his thing.  Written for Narya-flame as a gift for Worldbuilding Exchange 2019

Major Characters: Amarië, Elemmírë, Finrod Felagund, Ingwë, Ingwion

Major Relationships:

Artwork Type: No artwork type listed

Genre:

Challenges:

Rating: General

Warnings: Violence (Mild)
Chapters: 1 Word Count: 6, 051
Posted on 9 September 2019 Updated on 9 September 2019

This fanwork is complete.

Table of Contents

Chapter 1

Comments

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These are fascinating letters. The homely details and character voices are so well done! The thing about the War of Wrath that has always been so frustrating for me is how long it lasted and how little detail we get about it in the texts. To have lasted so long it must have been a hell of a drawn-out struggle. These details make it abundantly clear that it was hardly a glorious surprise attack the ending of which was certain, but long, unpleasant, and filled with examples of how war-is-hell.

I love the explanation for why Finrod did not participate and why Amarie did. Her impressions of war and violence are moving and feel very authentic. I love the letters between her and Elemmírë and the exchange of impressions and news. My father was in the Navy in WWII and wrote my mother every day--smart woman that she was she saved all of them. They make wonderful reading. I kept remembering the tone of them when I was reading these.

The reports on the home front and the same details of daily life are terrific also. I think you have convinced me now that this is what it must have been liked. I loved the part about keeping busy on the homefront and that you included Edrahil and Nerdanel.

Loved this part.

. . . good old Aunt Nerdanel.  She was muttering gloomily about having been left behind in Aman, and so we were able to join in and all mutter together as we went around checking empty houses for leaks, broken slates and cobwebs . . . . And we did find a cracked gutter, and made the most elaborate repair you can imagine, all embossed with harps and curlicues and held up by one of Aunt Nerdanel’s perfect little figures.

And Amarie worrying so much about Finrod is convincing. Among other things, it takes her mind off herself and what she is experiencing.

I have to admit I barely gave more than a passing recognition of Ingwion and his very important role but now he is a real person to me.

So imaginative. It's clear that a lot of thought went into this. 

I am so happy to have it here.

Hi Bunn,

I read this story to discuss it with you & others, but I won't be able to be online at the re-scheduled time. I loved this story for many reasons. I can't recall having read so many war of wrath fics, but to read thus story by you in this format brought it personally so close. Father to son, letters between friends and Finrod sneaking in, giving Amarië even more character depth as the letters roll on. Oh and reading Ingwion's perspective. From battling ettin's (made my D&D loving heart squee) to an experienced general. This is so beautifully phrased:

But if I’m going to hope to lead home even a part of the Vanyar Host still as themselves, still the People of Light, they need time to sing their songs and dance their dances, by light of Moon and Sun at least, if not under new leaves or upon green grass, and untroubled for a while by necromancers and the Houseless Dead.

The responses from home, how daily life continues and how those reborn pick up their lives. Even though the tone is light, what also shows through is the pain of those they have to miss. Great that they also fix a plumbing problem Noldor style while they are at it. I just hope that the Vanyar host can return in safety and that their homecoming will be the cement to heal rifts left between the Noldor, Telerin and Vanyar as People of Light.

Marvellous story!!