Drabbles: The Silmarillion and Unfinished Tales by Zdenka

East and West

After her marriage to the King of Númenor, Inzilbêth receives a message from her beloved, a woman of the Faithful, and sends her own in response. (Inzilbêth/OFC. Warning for reference to forced marriage.)

East, not West we must look; so the King commands.

West, not East my song rises, to the Lords of the West who are eternal.

West, not East my heart turns, for love of the King's lady who once dwelt in Andúnië.

~

East, not West the King's face is turned; though unwilling, the Queen must stand beside him.

West, not East fly my prayers, though my lips must remain silent.

East, not West flies my heart, to the haven of Rómenna; for the King's lady has not forgotten the love she knew in the House of the Lord of Andúnië.

Chapter End Notes

Written for femslash100 Drabble Tag Round 7, for Himring's prompt: "Silmarillion: Any Numenorean/OFC - East, not West."

Ar-Gimilzôr "was the greatest enemy of the Faithful that had yet arisen" (Unfinished Tales, "The Line of Elros"). He forced the Elf-friends to move from Andúnië, in the west of Númenor, to Rómenna in the east so that he could keep an eye on them.

Inzilbêth, who was "renowned for her beauty," was kin to the Lords of Andúnië and secretly one of the Faithful. Ar-Gimilzôr married her against her will, and "No love was there between Ar-Gimilzôr and his queen," according to the Silmarillion. Inzilbêth had an influence on the elder of their two sons, later the King Tar-Palantir.

The Lords of the West: the Valar.