Carved in Bone by Maggie Honeybite

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Fanwork Notes

Mostly unbetaed. Thank-you to Tehta for betaing an earlier draft.

Fanwork Information

Summary:

Elenwë tries to protect her daughter. A story about the connection between mothers and daughters which neither time nor distance (or death) can erase.

Major Characters: Elenwë, Idril

Major Relationships: Elenwë & Idril

Genre: Drama, Family, General

Challenges:

Rating: General

Warnings: Character Death
Chapters: 1 Word Count: 3, 261
Posted on 24 September 2022 Updated on 24 September 2022

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Carved in Bone

Comments on Carved in Bone

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Bringing over my comment from AO3 -- because this story deserves praise!

Beautiful story. Love your language, oh that description of the cracking ice (like the gut-wrenched complaint of some subterranean animal, a monster heaving up its growl to those listening above), your deep understanding of motherhood -- and that desperate need to protect the little one against great odds (It was a burden, it was love in action, it was a habit, it was a soundless scream of rage, and it went on and on, day after day after day), and of children trying to comprehend (Bear doesn't like this). Tying Idril's childhood loss into her dreams of a disastrous future. I always did wonder about her desire to build that escape route. This answers it. But more, I love the wisdom here. (Most of all, outcomes couldn’t be guaranteed simply by manifesting desire.) Yes, sometimes as much as we want things, life conspires against us. Your description of Idril's lapse into hypothermia is amazing (Black puzzling marks sitting like birds on a clothesline. Black birds sitting on a line.) I got a lump in my throat at that last image of Elenwë. And I loved your description of little Eärendil in the crib with his butt in the air. I totally remember my kids sleeping like that. Well done, my friend.

This comment made me so happy, so thank you. :) I really appreciate your putting such detail into it, and I'm so glad you liked the bits about Elenwë's soldiering on with her parenting through pandemic Helcaraxë burnout. Also the hypothermia! Which was very satisfying to write. And I have a picture of my son napping with his butt in the air when he was little; I've always found it so endearing when kids do that. Hugs, my friend.