Choices Seal Our Fate by Lotrfan

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Fanwork Notes

Author note: This is a companion to my previous story They Choose the Path. It takes place in the hours before that story. I utilise the Quenya names used most frequently in Tirion before they switched to the Sindarin versions used later in Beleriand. The brothers refer to themselves in conversation by their nicknames.

Maedhros/Maitimo/Nelyo/Nelyafinwë

Maglor/Makalaurë/Kano/Kanafinwë

Fanwork Information

Summary:

Maedhros (Maitimo) receives Morgoths's message of parley. He and his brother Maglor (Makalaurë) debate their choices. Takes place just before my story They Chiose the Path.

Major Characters: Maedhros, Maglor

Major Relationships:

Genre: General

Challenges:

Rating: General

Warnings:

Chapters: 1 Word Count: 4, 837
Posted on 9 September 2016 Updated on 9 September 2016

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Table of Contents

Chapter 1

Comments on Choices Seal Our Fate

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Thank you! As I mentioned in my response to Oshun I was trying to work out his reasoning for myself. Tolkien gives us very little other than the fact that he chose to go. I actually came to this from my other story because I was frustrated with why the brothers just accepted his fate. There had to be a reason for that behavior--Fingon certainly did not have such a passive response to it. These gaps that Tolkien leaves us are just begging for interpretation. I must say that writing both of these stories gave me even more sympathy for these two brothers and got me all emotional about these events again. Thanks for reading and for the review!

Thank you. It's hard to determine what his reasoning was to even consider what seems to me to be such an obviously disastrous choice. He had options. He could have sent Makalaurë. Or any of his brothers. Or refused to parley. Grief and stress have unexpected effects on even the most brilliant of minds. I wrote this after my other story about Maglor telling the brothers what Maedhros had done (They Choose the Path) because I was trying to work it out for myself and trying to rationalize why Maglor would be so seemingly passive about his captivity. To me it's a fascinating time in the Silmarillion and one that leads to far more questions than answers.

This was wonderful! It is so intense, driven by the dialogue; I could not stop reading till I reached the end. I will echo Oshun and Himring that Maedhros's reasoning is not an approach I've seen taken before but I like it (as I like interpretations that assume logic and humanity for the Feanorians rather than blind lust for the Silmarils). The end was heart-rending. Really nicely done!

(On a mod note, I'm not sure if you intended this to be a round-robin story? That means that any other SWG member can add chapters. If you didn't intend it and need help getting it set back as a regular story, just drop me a note in your reply and I'll fix it.)

*mod hat off*

Once again, I really enjoyed this and am glad you posted it here! :)

Oh thank you so much for the review! 

I really felt I needed to write this after I wrote the story about what comes after--with the brothers finding he has gone and learning of his capture. Maglor often comes off poorly in versions of that time  and I couldn't imagine Nelyo didn't have reasoning and justification for his actions--he is far too astute a politician for that and he knew what he was leaving for Maglor--he just didn't realize Maglor wouldn't tell them he promised Nelyo not to go after him!

I see the Fëanorians as far more than just singleminded obsession with obtaining the jewels. They are deep, insightful, intellectual and flawed individuals but they are far more than just their Oath. 

I did not mean it to be round robin! Still learning on this site. If you can fix it that would be great! Thank you!

Never mind! I think I fixed it!

Oh thank you so much for the review! 

I really felt I needed to write this after I wrote the story about what comes after--with the brothers finding he has gone and learning of his capture. Maglor often comes off poorly in versions of that time  and I couldn't imagine Nelyo didn't have reasoning and justification for his actions--he is far too astute a politician for that and he knew what he was leaving for Maglor--he just didn't realize Maglor wouldn't tell them he promised Nelyo not to go after him!&

I see the Fëanorians as far more than just singleminded obsession with obtaining the jewels. They are deep, insightful, intellectual and flawed individuals but they are far more than just their Oath. 

I did not mean it to be round robin! Still learning on this site. If you can fix it that would be great! Thank you!

Never mind! I think I fixed it!