A Kind of Poetry by Independence1776

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Fanwork Notes

Beta by the wonderful Pandemonium_213.

Fanwork Information

Summary:

Indis can't help but fall in love with Finwë-- and his wife Míriel. When the couple brings her into their relationship, everything changes.

Finwë/Míriel/Indis, with an emphasis on Míriel/Indis.

Major Characters: Fëanor, Finwë, Indis, Míriel Serindë

Major Relationships:

Genre: Alternate Universe, Romance, Slash/Femslash

Challenges:

Rating: Adult

Warnings: Sexual Content (Moderate)

Chapters: 1 Word Count: 1, 017
Posted on 14 August 2010 Updated on 14 August 2010

This fanwork is complete.

Chapter 1

Read Chapter 1

They were a striking couple, Indis thought when she spotted them across the crowded room. She had seen them before, of course. It was hard to miss the queen and king of the Noldor. But tonight? Their dark hair and matching dark blue and silver outfits-- they took her breath away. No matter that Míriel was short enough that she did not reach Finwë's shoulder, or that Finwë had an obnoxious laugh-- she still loved them. From afar, of course. No one could know that she loved a married couple, much less that she preferred the woman.

Indis could not stop staring at them, and Míriel finally made her way over, causing Indis to stutter an apology.

But Míriel smiled. “It's of no matter. You look stunning yourself.”

It was all Indis could do to say, “Thank you, my lady.”

Míriel grabbed Indis' hands. “Come, talk with me. No suitors will bother you then. I'm sure you're heartily sick of them.”

Laughing, Indis was dragged out to the garden. She spent the rest of the party at Míriel's side, talking to her and others once she overcame her shyness and shock.

Three days later, Indis was invited to lunch with the couple. That was the turning point. That lunch led to others, and the others led to dinners and excursions to poetry readings, concerts, and rides in the woods. It took her three years to realize she was being slowly courted. And when she did, Indis nearly fell off her horse.

Finwë reined in, looking over his shoulder at her, and Míriel halted beside her. “What's wrong?” she asked.

Indis pointed at her and then at her husband. “You're in love with me. Both of you!”

They glanced at each other and Míriel said, “And you love us.” Before Indis could respond, she continued, “Don't deny it. You've been in love with us for decades. I knew it from that first night in the garden, when you couldn't stop looking. That was why I invited you to talk with me.”

“We've been in love with you for nearly as long. It took us years to admit it to each other, and longer still to realize that the laws are wrong. I will-- we will-- change them when we can. But for now, will you at least accept our love?”

Indis nodded, tears of joy falling down her cheeks. “I barely dared to hope…”

Míriel leaned over and kissed her. It felt a bit strange at first, but then, Indis was not much used to kisses. Only a couple of overly persistent suitors had tried. This was much better.

Later that evening, when the lights has just begun to mingle, they talked it through. It had to be covert, and Indis would move to Tirion, to be the chief of Míriel's handmaids. It was the best idea any of them could think of.

Indis smiled as she fell asleep between them. This… this was just the beginning.

______________________________

Finwë looked over his shoulder at them as he put his hand on the doorknob. “Don't spend all day in bed. I need Míriel at the feast tonight.”

Indis laughed. “I'll get her there.”

Míriel broke in. “And I'll make sure you get there on time.”

Finwë left the room chortling, closing the door behind him. Indis looked at Míriel with a wicked grin on her face. “Now that he's gone--”

Míriel kissed her on the lips, moving one hand down Indis' bare back and resting it on her buttocks. “I know we can find a way to occupy ourselves.”

______________________________

Hands
Down my back
Cupping my buttocks
Touching me there

Bliss.

______________________________

Indis and Míriel giggled as they dressed each other, lacing up bodices, pinning hair. It was incredibly difficult hiding their relationship when all Indis wanted to do was kiss Míriel, beautiful and resplendent in her lilac gown. She was as beautiful as the night they talked seriously for the first time, in the garden just outside these rooms. Once they had finished dressing, Míriel kissed her and swept from the room. Indis followed her more sedately, and took her own place at the high table, near enough to the royal couple but far enough away that it rarely caused comment.

It was cheerful, even for a celebratory feast. Everyone knew what would be announced shortly, and had known for over a week as rumor had swept through the palace. Finwë stood up just before the dessert course was brought in, and the room went silent.

“As I know everyone here knows, Míriel is with child, and will give birth in seven months' time.”

He sat down to cheers and toasts. When the feast itself was over, and the dancing begun, Indis was hard-pressed to even reach them to give her public congratulations. But her inability to stand with her lovers was mitigated by the thought of the private celebration they would have later.

______________________________

“Mama?”

Indis looked up from the sheet music she'd bought that morning. “What is it, Fëanáro?”

“Mother said dinner's ready.”

“Thank you, dear.”

He ran from the room, shoes clattering on the stone floor. Indis smiled and followed him. When she stepped into the small family dining room, spotting a tired-looking Míriel at the far end of the table, she couldn't help but remember the days following Fëanáro's birth, the difficulties in helping Míriel through her depression, or the aftermath when the three's relationship became public. No, she could not think of that now, or the problems they still faced, especially since the wedding. So she kissed her spouses and sat down across from her wife. Indis let the conversation-- dominated by Fëanáro-- flow around her. She could see it now, him and his future half-siblings forming a dynasty, all due to his parents being brave enough and strong enough in their love for each other to disrupt the social fabric of Valinor to bring a third person into their marriage. It brought a smile to her face, the things she could see.

“What is it?” Míriel asked softly.

Indis grinned. “The future.”


Chapter End Notes

Elleth has written two lovely sequels: Embroideries and Snaring Light. Go read them! Another sequel, written by me: Family.


Comments

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Indy, I fell in love with this plot bunny the moment you brought it up. What a wonderful way to reconcile such a sad situation. I love this, not just because of its creativity, and not to mention its heresy, but I love the very realistic way you have portrayed a polyamorous relationship. I love how you showed them in their everyday lives, and the friendship between all three of them, and that it's very much a part of the love too. I loved how the women really seemed to have the upper hand in this, and that it wasn't Finwe forcing them together. And the idea of Feanor having two mothers is spectacular. This rings very true, especially to someone who has been close friends with people who do live an alternate lifestyle like polyamorory. I love how much thought you put into this. The imagery is gorgeous, and the bits of humor make it even more poigniant and meaningful.

 

This has always, and always will be, a story I treasure and enjoy reading again and again. Lovely work, Indy!

Thank you so much, Roisin! I figured that if I'm making it AU by the triad, I may as well go all the way and give it a happy ending.

I'm glad you find the relationship realistic, because it can be difficult to portray. I couldn't have Finwë be the driving force, because it didn't ring true (and it gives off some dubious vibes). Plus, I wanted to focus on the Mírel/Indis relationship because I know you like femslash. I can't see either one of the women being shrinking violets-- they married the king of the Noldor! (And Indis loved him enough to cause him to take it to the Valar. Strong woman to go against society.)

I am *thrilled* you reread this. :D

I hadn't read this before reading about it in your comments to MEFA.  I have to tell you that I loved this angle in this relationship.  I've never seen this approach before and I can see how well the concept works through your words.  I love the unexpected.  Thanks for writing this.  

 

- Erulisse (one L)

I have to tell you that I love this! Just...they're all so happy. I love Finwë/Miriel/Indis in a happy working relationship together, and this is so good.

And I'm so glad that Elleth pointed this out to me, and that you wrote it. I sound like an utterly idiotic fangirl, but this is one of my fav three pairings. It's so rare, and I adore this fic.

Thank you so much! Half the reason I wrote it was because I wanted a happy ending. (I actually have a sequel to this, written during B2MeM earlier this year, but haven't edited it yet. Next year, hopefully.) No such thing as an utterly idiotic fangirl here; squee makes fandom what it is. But I must ask-- in sheer amazement and desire-- where are the other fics with this triad?! Again, thank you! :D

Not knowing this was an AU outside of the relationship--I came to it via a link of Elleth's list of femslash stories--my breath caught when I realized that this change in detail had given the House of Finwe a happy ending. What a beautiful moment and a lovely surprise!

And the heretic in me adores the fact that this came about through the loosening of the constraints of the Valar, that their too-strict rules would have been what created the discomfort with Finwe's "complicated" (not at all by real-world standards, of course, but I think we're seeing more than a little of JRRT's Catholicism at work here) family situation, that all of the parties involved could have been content with greater acceptance of how things are versus prescriptive notions of how things should be.

I loved the bit of verse for the love scene. This was just perfect to me, for reasons I can't quite articulate. :)

Thank you! The summary doesn't give that much away (maybe, at this point I don't know), and to hear that you hadn't even had *that* and it worked for you? I'm thrilled. And I couldn't resist giving them a happy ending; it was pretty much the point, actually. Change one detail and things spin out from it.

It's definitely part and parcel of Tolkien's Catholicism. But things aren't easy in the world-- real or imaginary-- and trying to put people in boxes and define their behavior by "what should be" rather than what is often leads to harm. And with the House of Finwë… Well, we get the Silm.

I'm glad to hear that. The scene was the bit I was most nervous about (I was nervous (and still am, in some ways) about the whole story), and it's also the most explicit I'm capable of writing.

Thank you so much, Dawn!