Pollen and Honey by Lferion

Pollen and Honey

I could name them Sex and Pollen (Yérëmalo, Hmâlîr) I suppose, Nerdanel thought sleepily, warm and comfortable and almost rested in the bed she had made as a proposal those long years ago, cradling her newest babies. Sex and pollen were largely why they were here, after all. Sex-pollen, even. The vision of Fëanaro, gleaming with effort, gilded in pollen, her rubies glittering among the flowers in his hair stirred her still. Again. Filled her with a warm sweetness. The air and the flowers had been intoxicating, and oh, they had enjoyed themselves.

They hadn't been planning another pregnancy, another child, but the opportunity was too perfect to refuse. And they had both enjoyed the burgeoning as well as the begetting. (Some of their brothers were … skeptical, but not actually upset. Atarinkë was quite looking forward to not being the youngest any longer.) They hadn't expected twins, two hroar, for there had only been one fëa. Was still only one fëa, though they were becoming individual people even now, not even two Minglings old.

Sex and Pollen, Pollen and Honey, Sex-pollen, Sex-honey. Pollen and Pistil — no, both hroar and the fëa were definitely male, boys. And it was most certainly red — brilliant, copper-red, nearly the same as Maitimo's — fuzz on both the small heads resting in her arms. Ambarussa, then, Melu and Malo in her heart, Yérëmalo and Yérëmelu only in the memory of their begetting. (Fëanaro no doubt already had some -finwë variants in mind for father-names)

Many, many years, joys, griefs and labors, deaths and petitions and Returns later, Ambarussa did name their unexpectedly acquired twins Yérëmalo and Yérëmelu. Nerdanel did not laugh when she learned this. Nor was she the least surprised to find that Elurin and Ilverin had chosen individual names, beautiful and fitting and unexciting.

Chapter End Notes

Yérëmalo — Sex-Pollen (Yérë - sex, sexual; malo - pollen, yellow powder) Quenya
Yérëmelu — Sex-Honey (melu - honey) Quenya
Hmâlîr — Sex-Pollen (Hmâl - pollen; îr - sex, sexual) Noldorin
Ambarussa — Russet-Top (Amba - top, up; Russa - red-haired) Quenya