The Love of Small Things by janeways

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Fanwork Notes

This story directly follows Scion of Kings, which you can read here: http://silmarillionwritersguild.org/archive/home/viewstory.php?sid=3634&chapter=1

A recap (or intro, for new readers): in this 'verse, Gil-galad is Eluréd, who was found my Maedhros and sent away in secrecy for protection. Never knowing who his parents are, Gil imagines from his ëpessë, Ereinion, that he could only have inherited his silver hair from one King of the Noldor: Maedhros. When he hears Maedhros is re-embodied, he writes to him and asks.

Fanwork Information

Summary:

The ordinary deeds of everyday life in Lindon and Tirion, through letters. A followup to Scion of Kings.

Major Characters: Elrond, Erestor, Fingon, Gil-galad, Maedhros, Maglor, Nerdanel

Major Relationships:

Genre: General

Challenges:

Rating: General

Warnings:

Chapters: 5 Word Count: 7, 817
Posted on 8 July 2018 Updated on 1 January 2019

This fanwork is a work in progress.

Show all chapters on a single page

Table of Contents

Chapter 1

In which Maedhros kind of overthinks it; or, we never stop being our parents’ children.

I realize umbrellas are most likely an anachronism, but it’s an anachronism I’m willing to live with here.

Chapter 2

Inspired by watching contestants on The Great British Baking Show fail miserably at making challah (or, as they called it, "plaited bread"). Written for Feanorian Fun Bingo on Tumblr, for the prompt, "Baking Bread."

(Also, try to covince me the elves didn't have some variant of matzah or other unleavened bread for the Great March to the sea. That stuff's designed for quick travel!)

A short chapter before I head up to the cabin for a few weeks - please enjoy this little tidbit! I'm trying to practice more with small, domestic scenes.

Chapter 3

In which Maglor is his mother’s son; or, the difference between kindness and weakness, justice and prudence.

Chapter 4
Chapter 5

In which Erestor is a little less fussy librarian, a little more Indiana Jones; or

Restore, verb. 1) To bring back, reinstate; 2) to return; 3) to repair.

Comments on The Love of Small Things

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I love it! So glad you added to this story. 

Of course he overthinks it--how could he not?! But I love how he reaches out to Elrond--not wanting Elrond to feel slighted or lesser. Takes a brother to know that. And what a lovely letter, so tender, funny and self-deprecating. Vintage Maedhros. 

brilliant epilogue to the story but I'm still hoping for more. 

I love grumpy Erestor. I write him tnat way too!

Oh dear nostalgic Gil! We all have those favorites from our youth--sometimes they taste the same and sometimes the wish remains unfulfilled.

I like the idea of challah and matzah. And yes matzah would have been the bread of the journey.

poor Erestor! I torture him with Fëanorian issues in my fics too. 

Dear distractable Maglor. His idea to bake together is lovely--he might even have a clue how to do it, since I assume chores were shared in Fëanor and Nerdanel'a household!

but I have a feeling Cook would have preferred to make it rather than have this lot mess up the royal kitchens!

Aww, I'm glad you enjoyed it! I had a lot of fun with these characters. Maglor, when left to his own devices, I always imagine as rather daydreamy - althogh he's certainly clever and cunning when he needs to be. After all, we saw how he charmed Erestor, even if it was just for some bread! And yes, I think the cook will only allow them in the kitchens on the condition that they clean up after themselves! But I think Gil is relatively informal with his household, and they know him well enough to know he'd clean up after himself anyways.

THEY TOOK BETS!! I'm dying. I love Maedhros deliberating over what to say and Fingon just diving in! So in character. But Maedhros actually divulged more than I expected. He's mellowing amd Fingon is rubbing off on him.

Erestor is SO DONE with this family--pretty much every generation of it and I love that. I feel a great amount of affection for this story. Really love it.

Oh my gosh, thank you! It means so much to me to hear that. I am a big fan of angst with happy endings - and I figure the whole of the Silm is the angst part, so it's up to me to come up with the happy ending. I'm always nervous about my characters feeling like themselves, so I'm glad that came across - thank you for your lovely comment!

Thank you! I was never entirely satisfied with the novels I've read that were entirely epistolary, so I wanted to have a sense of what was going on in the background. (And as someone who teaches writing, I couldn't resist showing the process of actually composing the letters!) So glad you liked it!

Thank you! I've always found it very powerful when I go to museums and remember that real people made and used the things I was seeing. (My favorite is a tablet from several thousand years ago complaining about a shady copper merchant. That one really resonated, haha.) And in a similar vein, it's fun to explore the more personal moments with these characters. Sometimes it's so awkward you've just gotta laugh! Thank you again!