January 2025 Instadrabbling writings: Olwë, Tuor, Illuvatar, Finrod, Dior, Gil-galad by Quente

Finrod finds a way to live

Prompt: From a random page of On Fairy-Stories -- beauties, terrors, sun, power

There was not much left of his Fëa, but what he had, Finrod dragged out of the dark place. He heard the call, of course he did. But after everything – after all that he’d given (and taken) from the land, SURELY that wasn’t all there was.

Gritting his teeth, Finrod journeyed. His Fëa a bare spark, he withstood the call with all his might, purposefully turning East, toward the lands that he hadn’t seen yet. Perhaps his sister was there, somewhere beyond the Ered Luin, and would help him find a way to keep living.

But there was only so far his spirit could take him. At the very end of his tether, and as far East as he could get, he saw a traveler at a campsite. It was a Secondborn, sitting with an Elf-child; but Finrod could see with his spirit-eyes that this child was alive in Hröa only: a thrall, wandered free.

It was strangely easy to slide into this form, and turn the little face to watch the Man.

“Oho! So you are awake, little Alf. Eat some of that gruel – it’s better fare than you’ll get from most riders out on the road. Eat up, we have a long journey  ahead of us.”

The language was strange, but Finrod found that it wasn’t so far away from the language of Men. He obediently took a spoon of gruel, and found it better fare than he’d had in -- 

“What’s your name, young one? You have a fey look about you, but I shouldn’t just call you Alf as I’d started to, if you’ve a name of your own.”

“Alf suits me,” Finrod said, haltingly, in his new piping voice. Names had power, even with the race of Men. “Who are you, master?”

“Ah. They call me Rider, but I am a cook by trade. Would you like to join me, or do you have a home you’d like me to return you to?”

“No…I have no home, not anymore,” Finrod said, thinking. “I will join you, Master Rider.”

Chapter End Notes

Crossover fic, with thanks to Smith of Wootton Major. This will probably become its own fic in time.