Silver Blossoms Blown by IgnobleBard

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Fanwork Notes

Written for the tripledogdare LJ community First Impressions challenge.

Beta: Oshun

Fanwork Information

Summary:

Varda gets her first look at the Elves

Major Characters: Varda

Major Relationships:

Artwork Type: No artwork type listed

Genre: General

Challenges:

Rating: General

Warnings:

Chapters: 1 Word Count: 370
Posted on 7 May 2008 Updated on 7 May 2008

This fanwork is complete.

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I had gazed upon them from afar, too excited upon hearing the news to wait, but the foretaste only made me wistful. I remembered the vision, taken away just at the instant wonderment blossomed like Yavanna’s  trees within me. My admiration, my adoration of Eru’s complexity, of his intellect in imagining such beings had nearly caused me to falter within the music, but instead the vision lifted my voice for a time above all others, swelling with joy in its beauty, joy in its perfection. Never had I thought to feel this way again after the discord, after the destruction and reshaping of the lands we had made so fair, according to His thought.

Now they are here. No longer a mere glimpse of vision, a hint of distant possibility; and oh, but they are beautiful, sacred above all imagining! Yet how small they appear, how fragile do their bodies seem: too fragile to contain the divine light that emanates from them. They stand with Oromë, reluctant to leave his side, their eyes wide with astonishment. They are three, three males, their forms constrained to one aspect. I feel the questing energy of this aspect and it delights me to feel it in these Elves, their strength a reflection of that of my kinsmen.

I step forward, hoping the form in which they see me will put them at ease, and they look upon me for the first time. Oromë introduces them, Ingwë, Finwë, and Elwë and they speak their greeting. I hear their language, so pleasing from the lips of these children of Eru who have created each word, of greater strength than any craft Aulë’s skill can fashion. Oromë tells them of my labors, how I set the stars alight for their coming, and their faces brighten with reverence. Elentári, the one called Finwë named me then, and ever after have I been proud to bear the title.

The memory of that first encounter now wrings my heart as I look upon the Silmarils wrought of the light of the Two Trees by Curufinwë Fëanáro. Our children are children no longer and my heart grieves for innocence lost as a new vision rises, a vision of darkness no star can illuminate.

 

end


Comments

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I'll take 'Well done', Moreth. Definitely! I was interested in the part of the Sil where it said that even though the Valar had seen what was to come when they were actually faced with it, it was like a new unforseen thing to them. I tried to imagine what it might be like from Varda's pov. I'm glad you liked this one. Thanks so much for commenting.

Another "well done" from me, Mike! 

I'm struck by Varda's sense of the familiar ("their strength a reflection of that of my kinsmen") and then we see the alien nature of the Valar - "forms confined to one aspect" and Varda hoping that her form will put them at ease.  With those words, you convey a great sense of The Other when considering the Valar.

Those last two sentences capture Varda's grief oh, so well.  One can see how much she cares for the Elder Children of Iluvatar, but can she - The Other - truly understand them?

 

 

Thanks, Pandemonium! The Valar could envision the Elves but they could not know them, even after calling them to Valinor. I like to think this desire to know them and seek to understand them is what caused the Valar to want the Elves near them, and not just for selfish purposes. Then I talk to Oshun and change my mind again. lol Thanks for reading and commenting. I'm glad you enjoyed this little piece.

Beautifully wirtten. Lovely language. I completely agree this is how Varda could veiw the elves. However, if you wanna argue about the Valar, I'm up for it! However, I don't expect they see themselves as interfering and condescending! Nor would I see them as ever being intentionally ill-willed, just think there is another side of the story! (Did I mention how I love it when you write a Silm fic?)

I wanted to leave a different note/review than I just wrote for the MEFA's, but I just read this piece twice over to take this beautiful piece in oh so slowly on a lazy Sunday afternoon. I am glad that I was able to review it on time for the MEFA's, but truly... what genre can you not write! Every time I am amazed by your skill and talents, and thanks so much for sharing this wonderful piece with us at the SWG. In a way this story woke up my muse regarding a novel set prior to the arrival of the elves (my current Nano-novel) and I really like your take on Varda, it kind of reminds me how I initially loved this Valie, but I think Vána has some dire competition now thanks to this piece. Adding this one to my fav's, oh yes!