The Hunter's Horse by Himring

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Fanwork Notes

Written as a fill for a wish from a list by Narya for the Holiday Party Challenge, which asked for works inspired by one of her moodboards.

This little piece is inspired by her lovely moodboard The Horse and the Hunter, which features Nahar. Narya, here is some more love for Nahar!

It also so happens that it is (just about) the 27th here at the time of posting and Nahar is on the list of characters of today's Wallflower prompt. That is just how it worked out, but I'll take it!

Fanwork Information

Summary:

Orome's horse Nahar shows interest in a certain descendant of his.

Major Characters: Nahar

Major Relationships:

Artwork Type: No artwork type listed

Genre: Ficlet

Challenges: Holiday Party

Rating: General

Warnings:

Chapters: 1 Word Count: 202
Posted on 26 November 2021 Updated on 26 November 2021

This fanwork is complete.

The Hunter's Horse

Read The Hunter's Horse

In the morning of the world, there was Nahar, prince and father of horses, whose coat shone white in sunlight and Treelight and silver at night or in the shadows. His hooves were golden and they were shod with gold. The beat of his hooves when Orome rode him in the hunt made the earth tremble and struck fire from the ground. At the noise of the onrush of Nahar, swifter than a storm wind, the Eldar stood in awe and foes and evil fled. Nahar was named for his great neigh, heard far off in the dark woods of Middle-earth.

And when our ship reached Valinor and Mithrandir at last led his trusted friend and companion Shadowfax, that great horse, ashore in Alqualonde, there was a greater horse there to meet him. Under the towering pale arch, the crowd that had gathered parted and Nahar himself appeared—and before Orome’s horse even Shadowfax seemed but a foal! Yet glad was the meeting of Nahar, forefather of the Mearas, with his descendant and their whinnying voices rang out together merrily on the harbourside of Alqualonde! All of us smiled to see the two together and Mithrandir laughed purely for joy!

Chapter End Notes

I apologize for Orome not really appearing in this piece, Narya!

I have written Orome with Nahar here in a drabble.

Comments

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That is what I felt! I've read so many times of Elves having family waiting for them right upon landing (and written such scenes occasionally), so I liked the idea of giving that to Shadowfax, too. (Or like Gimli meeting Mahal, I suppose!)

Technically, it's not confirmed that the Mearas descend from Nahar, admittedly! 

It's so lovely to read these horses as full characters in their own right, and the people's vicarious joy in their meeting. Gives me a feel of the sacred cows of the Hindus. And I like the first person view, with the mystery of just who the narrator is.

Oh, what an absolute joy! Like Grundy, I love that Shadowfax has family there to greet him too, and there is such a sense of joy about their meeting - like it should all be wreathed in that white-gold light that frames the characters in the Havens at the end of the film. Gorgeous.

 

I do wonder who the narrator is!

Thank you very much! That is so  very kind of you and I am glad I was able to convey that sense of joy!

As for the narrator, how about this:

The narrator is a Silvan. She is one of the Nandor that first settled in Lasgalen and, with her people, she once roamed the northern vale of the Anduin with feathers in her hair. She saw Orome come riding over the mountains on Nahar to hunt the monsters of Melkor’s making. Maybe it was a cousin of hers who made a painting of the Hunt in a cave in the foothills of the Hithaeglir. She herself befriended the first of the Mearas and spoke with them. The Men of Rhovanion, in the Second Age, called her Marhlubo, because she loved  horses and they loved her.

At the time of the Last Alliance, she came south with Oropher to fight, but she was terribly wounded in the war. Her life was saved by Elrond, but it had been a hard struggle, her healing, and it was for that reason that she did not return northward with Thranduil, but eventually followed Elrond to Imladris and became the chief of his horse herders. She spent many evenings in the Hall of Fire, listening to the tales about Valinor and Beleriand that the Noldor and Sindar told and telling her own stories in exchange. When Elrond departed Rivendell, she decided to go with him, together with other Elves of Elrond’s household.

Oh! You're full of surprises! I hadn't pictured the narrator being an OC, but I absolutely love this! All the little details that tie in, her implied fondness for Shadowfax and shared joy at being reacquainted with Nahar, her connection to Elrond, reason for sailing. And this: "...because she loved horses and they loved her." And her cousin's cave painting brings Lascaux to mind.

I'm truly in awe, not only of how much you say with so little, but how beautifully you do it.