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Oh Dawn, I think I read this beautiful story three times over to absorb all detail... There is so much regret in Mahtan's voice, expectations & ambition being put on hold. He knows he loves her, but his struggle with what he wants is so tangible. Istarnië's mother foresight simply gives me the chill: "She will," said Istarnië. "For a spell."

The ending is so darkly, yet not, the vision and foreshadowing, his bond with her, I so can imagine that he will protect her as much as he can,  and when she sheds tears as an adult, I can't help to think Mahtan will hear them in his heart as well. Those two have a deep connection and it I somehow feel Mahtan will always feel he never gave her enough compared to the others. Oh and on another sidenote, the start of this story gave me the vibe on how Nerdanel is seen as not beautiful in canon, but that in Mahtan's eyes she is a beautiful & a surprise to him. I can say so much more, but this is just.. what a gift. Thanks so much!

You\'re very, very welcome. :)

It was kind of funny because I had a rough time starting this story; then I reached a certain point and it just ... happened. It was like it wrote itself. It\'s definitely become one of my favorites I\'ve written this year. So thank you for the fantastic bunny! :)

Part of this piece was informed by the AMC prequel, which I\'ve started: the first chapter is set at Mahtan\'s house when Nerdanel is five years old and Finwe is about to come out of mourning for Miriel. One of the things that I want to accomplish with that story--and this one as well, since I consider it almost a prologue to the novel--is to bring Mahtan\'s character to life. As you said in your request, and we\'ve talked about before, there are not enough stories about Mahtan, and I wonder at this. He\'s a fascinating character: very devout to Aule; clearly influential upon Nerdanel and, therefore, Feanor by default; brilliant in the ways of the Noldor but not corrupted by pride. He is a very unique character in this.

Anyway. *ahem* I seem to have the rambles today. :^P I wanted to accomplish exactly what you noted in your review, so I thank you for making an author\'s day! I want precisely to show the connection between Mahtan and Nerdanel that will not wane, even when she later displeases him. In this way, his influence passes to her, and her influence passes onto her children, and I do believe that Nerdanel\'s influence was part of what allowed good deeds to come from the tragedy that her sons wrought, e.g. Maglor and Maedhros\'s fostering of Earendil\'s sons.

And, yes, she is absolutely beautiful to him. :)

Thank you again, for the inspiration, for the lovely review, and, of course, for being such a wonderful friend. *hugs*

What I think is an invaluable, great advantage of your story, and of AMC as well, is its realism. I mean, each time I get to read them (and I have to admit there have been too few such times lately *headdesk*) I have a feeling as if I knew the characters for years, as if they were my neighbors (now wouldn't it be just awesome to be Mahtan's neighbor? Regardless of the noise from the forge ;)). Here, you have presented a family with its problems, concerns, good and bad days, just as we know it from our RLs. And yet, they are extraordinary, they are the Eldar. I think, it is a splendid job and a hard task to accomplish, to make the Eldar as familiar as modern people can seem to us. It requires a great deal of knowledge and extended studies and also, *the* talent to bring them all to life this vividly. My hat's off to you :)

So Fëanor was born during a storm?  Why am I not surprised?  :P  You'd expect the sun to go into eclipse at his birth, except there is no sun.... 

You are right, Mahtan is a fascinating character, and I am glad you are forming such a tight bond between him and Nerdanel.  It fits well.   

I think you described Mahtan's guilt at feeling the burden of a third child well, and I like 'surprise' much better than mistake.  That bit in LACE about the elves having control over their bodies so that they only conceived when they wished to...I always wondered if that meant a sleeping-in-different-beds kind of control, or an ovulate-on-command kind of control.  You have no idea how happy I am that the elves of Aman are not brewing a contraceptive herbal tea in your stories!  I dislike easy fixes in fanfic.... 

I realize it is small praise to hear that the scene you wrote is so much more meaningful and moving than the scene in Return of the Sith when Anakin says, "That's...wonderful," in response to the same news.  But it is ;)

So Feanor is born in a storm... What a surprise! *laughs* 

 Nerdanel was our surprise; this I said as way of introduction to friends and strangers alike, for it was the only way to explain her existence without using that other word, that word edged with cruelty and regret: mistake 

 That is the explanation I have been looking for.  What on, an alternative word to refere to something that went... not according to plan, not wrong.

Indeed, this would be a brilliant prequel to Another Man's Cage which I have read on ff.net, sounds like it is...

How she will know joy, for a spell is so premonitiony its spooky, chilling. This is a incredible, moving story that makes you really think of the birth of our favourite characters and what it must have been when they were born because with some characters you get these connatations, such as a storm with Feanor or a difficult birth of strong elves, Nerdanel as an example.

You are able to put so much realism into your storys, which make them even better, because we can associate them with Real Life.

Lindale