Tragedienne

Rating: G

Summary: An unexpected letter during his lonely exile leads Maglor to correspond with his young cousin Celebrian who has many questions for him about their family alongside a secret plan of her own.

Chapter: 3/?

A/N: Written for Silmarillion Epistolary Week 2026

Dear Celebrian,

You are welcome for the sketches, I hope they help enhance your research and give a clearer picture of how things looked. I’m not entirely certain on the sleeves of Miriel’s gown, mind you, I only saw it one time, but the style was very similar to a dress that my mother wore for formal events so I think it is close.

You never said what exactly you were doing with all of this information. Are you working on a book or song of some kind? This seems like a great abundance of detail and specifics for a song, so I assumed you were working on a book or paper, but perhaps I have misunderstood.

The weather is fairer yes, thank you for asking. I have left my ‘dark and dreary’ cave as you have deemed it and am traveling along a very pretty bit of shoreline that is much warmer and far greener which does help bolster my mood. You will find enclosed a very small piece of sea glass I came across that I thought you would like, hopefully it doesn’t overburden the bird though she sounds confident enough in her ability to bear it. Such round pieces aren’t common so it caught my eye and it seems like something that would suit you.

Yes, I had forgotten to mention it, but our family does follow the traditions of the groom’s father presenting the bride with a necklace and the bride’s mother presenting the groom with a brooch. That began with my father and his siblings though, neither Miriel or Finwe’s parents made it to Valinor, and Indis didn’t have such a custom among her family and kin. At their engagement announcement my maternal grandmother presented my father with a brooch of a fiery bird of gold and ruby that had belonged to her father. Finwe was much struck by the gesture and gave a necklace to my mother that had once belonged to Miriel of emerald and gold. The custom caught on quickly among the Noldor and it was also one that the rest of the family carried on in their own fashion. If I recall correctly Finwe gave Anaire a very pretty moonstone necklace, and her mother gave Fingolfin a very impressive brooch in the shape of a rearing horse with a sapphire.

Speaking of Fingolfin and Anaire, I suppose you will want to know about them next?

~ Maglor