Quietus by UnnamedElement
Fanwork Notes
Author’s Note: This fic was written for the 2021 Tolkien Reverse Summer Bang, with haunting art by TwaCorbies (Basalt_Serpent on AO3), depicting an AU ending to Aredhel and Maeglin’s story in Nan Elmoth. I really enjoyed the opportunity to brainstorm with her and chat about capturing the “vibe” of her artwork. AUs are not my strong suit, so I am extremely grateful that TwaCorbies trusted me to try something a little different, playing with metaphysical elven things and surrealist-type fantasy--paired with aspects of trauma--to incorporate the AU and the canon timeline(s) into one. This is a bit of a "bring your work to fanfiction day (but make it magic!)" for me. Anyway, we hope you enjoy!
A soundtrack for this fic can be found here: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3KhUCN6l5XO2PgNeUDzU4r?si=211d619d32034e1a
A full-size image of the artwork can be found here: https://i.imgur.com/cOWf24L.png
Artist's original commentary/prompt on art: "Eol being awful to everyone within his reach."
Note on canon and language: Quenya and Sindarin are used intentionally in this story regarding names, to highlight culture, identity, and issues of power and control. Decisions in this story were made around writer consideration of the various texts about Maeglin, Eol, and Aredhel, namely Silmarillion, Book of Lost Tales, Fall of Gondolin, and Unfinished Tales. Eolchin is a writer-created name meaning, literally, "child of Eol" in Sindarin. You will notice once that Eol uses the word "Teleri" to describe himself, an interesting choice considering Teleri is a name created by the Noldor to describe the "not's." However, instead of rooting around for a plausible alternative, I made the decision to maintain the word "Teleri," as it is reported to have been used by Eol in the Silmarillion (narrative biases aside). Finally, there are two very very short near quotes in the body of this story, (a) regarding Maeglin's name and (b) regarding Eol's threat to set his son in chains, demanding his obeisance. The story also alludes to Tolkien’s drafts and published writing, with one partial quote from Silm there (whether Aredhel was “taken to wife by force” or whether her life was not “hateful” in Nan Elmoth, the latter being from silm). Because this detail is only included in Fall of Gondolin, to my knowledge, I should also note that Earendil bites Maeglin in defense when Maeglin tries to rid Idril of Earendil and steal her away for himself: the bite is an injury to the hand, before Tuor chucks Maeglin from the heights to his death.
Note on content: The relationships depicted in this story are unhealthy. If you have experienced abuse, your experiences were real and you did not deserve it. It is never too late to heal. If you are currently experiencing abuse, neglect, or any kind of violence, I know it is scary and that telling or leaving is difficult and sometimes dangerous. However, you deserve kindness and a life free of fear. Please let me know if I may support you in getting connected to resources in your region.
Credits: A big thank you to SkyEventide for giving this a last-minute beta read for theme and pacing. Her insight on language nuance and historical context were absolutely invaluable to me! Also, thanks to everyone at the Silmarillion Writers’ Guild for the support, knowledge, and general camaraderie that made writing this (my first multi-chap, strictly Silm piece!) a positive experience.
Warnings: Implied rape/non-con, intergenerational trauma, domestic violence, childbirth, non-graphic violence, psychological abuse, child neglect, low-key in-universe ethnocentricism, canonical major character death(s) x3
Epigraph sources:
1. The Sailor’s Word-book: An Alphabetical Digest of Nautical Terms, 1867
https://www.gutenberg.org/files/26000/26000-h/26000-h.htm
2. Dictionary.com, 2021 https://www.dictionary.com/browse/quietus
3. Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary, 1808 https://bit.ly/3sUynLS
4 & 5. Oxford English Dictionary, 2021 https://bit.ly/38lyarD
- Fanwork Information
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Summary:
Chroniclers will claim--above all else--that Maeglin left Nan Elmoth for desire of lordship alone. While we all know how the story ends, before that there was more: a mother and her son and a dark dark wood; three lives and three deaths, and the dazzling sunlight in between. This story is a portrait of the why behind the flight: family violence and a woman under siege, a child grown to adulthood in lonely darkness, learning to fight with only the tools provided him. It is a tale of childhood nightmares maturing into something more--manipulated by heart-darkened fathers and gently used by desperate mothers--until living becomes surviving and reality is a dream...
Major Characters: Aredhel, Eöl, Maeglin
Major Relationships: Aredhel/Eöl, Aredhel & Eöl & Maeglin, Aredhel & Maeglin, Eöl & Maeglin
Genre: Drama, Family, General, Suspense
Challenges:
Rating: Adult
Warnings: Character Death, Check Notes for Warnings, Child Abuse, Domestic and Partner Violence, In-Universe Racism/Ethnocentrism, In-Universe Sexism/Misogyny, Rape/Nonconsensual Sex, Violence (Mild)
Chapters: 7 Word Count: 15, 583 Posted on 24 September 2021 Updated on 1 October 2021 This fanwork is complete.
Table of Contents
Quietus (n.):
1. A severe blow (nautical).
2. A finishing stroke; anything that effectually ends or settles: as in an argument.
3. Final discharge or acquittance, as from debt or obligation; that which silences claims.
4. Death, or something that causes death, regarded as a release from life (literary).
5. Something that has a calming or soothing effect (archaic).
.o.
“Now Maeglin and his mother were free for a while to go where they wished, and they rode often to the eaves of the wood, seeking the sunlight; and desire grew hot in Maeglin's heart to leave Nan Elmoth for ever.” --Of Maeglin (The Silmarillion)
.o.
“[Tuor] seized Meglin by that hand that held the knife [that had struck at his son] and broke the arm with the wrench, and then taking him by the middle leapt with him upon the walls, and flung him far out. Great was the fall of his body, and it smote Amon Gwareth three times ere it pitched in the midmost of the flames; and the name of Meglin has gone out in shame from among Eldar and Noldoli.” --The Original Tale (The Fall of Gondolin)
Comments
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