MAIDEN, THY LIPS CRIMSON by bluehair

Chapter 1

Nan Dungortheb is a different kind of wasteland, compared to the Ice, Aredhel muses, but somehow, she’s doing the same thing now, near the fire. Not as much from desperate necessity, as then, nor from the need to protect others. Unfortunately, she lost her escort and is utterly alone.

Which can also be a good thing, because she was so hemmed in by the need to be exactly as so many wanted to see her that she could scream.

But being so utterly alone, it would be best to have more than a sword and a limited number of arrows for her bow, as the unholy creature she had to kill earlier showed her, so she’s now remembering Artanis’ white hands, working so precisely with the bones.

It makes her smile, makes her warm to think of Artanis now – Artanis they couldn’t see, because they were not allowed behind the Girdle. Well. Would it be the same Artanis?

Maybe not at the surface, but indeed, that was exactly the point, then, none of them would have thought that of always poised, always perfect, always light incarnate Artanis. For sure Aredhel didn’t, cursing a bit when it was just the two of them running in pursuit of the giant white bear that harrowed their people and that, in that cold darkness, had just tried to steal a child.

Of course, it wasn’t something that made the animal evil – all predators tried first at the weaker prey, so it was normal the bear thought the small one so much easier, but it did turn their protective instincts to pure rage, so both of them just ran after it, and ran and ran. Eldar were fleet of foot, and both she and Artanis were taller than usual for Eldalie, but the beast was relentless, for a while. Until it decided to fight them, and Aredhel had blessed the time spent with that… yes, hunting with Tyelko taught her so many things, but she wasn’t aware if Artanis knew much.

So strange that they were the only girl cousins, but almost never spent time together in Valinor, wasn’t it? When they did, it was generally some big banquet or something, and Aredhel had loathed those; had loathed being compared with always perfect Artanis, a dream of woman, and so smart, so educated, all that.

She’s chuckling to herself now, mmm, did any of those loving the perfect white vision of a maiden even imagine the hunger and relish with which she had punctured the felled bear’s carotid and drank and drank of the hot red life of it? Indeed, after a minute she had pressed a hand so elegantly on the punctured spot, inviting Aredhel to partake, and yes, it was ambrosia!

She was unable to do this now, the giant spider surely had only venom in whatever passed for it body, but Artanis’ lessons are not wasted. Her cousin didn’t only learn things from books, she and her fair brother learned stranger things from their Teleri relatives, and so now Aredhel makes arrowhead after arrowhead from the bone-like parts of the thing she killed. They are not so pretty as those Artanis was making – but she is alone, so she can’t spend time incising them with pretty patterns.

In any case, the long bones she will also keep and turn to javelins, or maybe a harpoon or two. It is so much easier to do, here, because there is wood available, too, so she doesn’t need to ponder on which of them would resist impact and which would not. Maybe there is the chance to find a stag – antlers were the best for this, but she still remembers well what it means not to waste any bit.

She’s smiling now – because she feels much more alive, counting pieces of bone, than she ever was in the white city that worshiped a White Lady. And she hopes Artanis fares better, in the enchanted forest, hoping she does have the chance to show her inner world in a crimson smile.

Yes, Aredhel herself might dream of this when she allows herself a bit of rest – and why not?

Chapter End Notes

I did research on primitive weaponry for this (somehow managed not to fall through the rabbit hole; phew!) and it seems carnivore bones are less resistant to impact than herbivore ones, but also, bear is a bit special, because of its hibernation habit. In most animals, as in humans, a prolonged period of inactivity lowers bone resistance, but the bear is an exception, so this is why I have them use the bear bones for arrowheads, for example. Any kind of dagger like thing is fine, because the force it is used with is different than that of an impact/longer range weapon.