Kieran

One morning, the twins were up and awake, before the sun rose. They flittered around Nerdanel and Feanor's bedroom, giggling and whispering in loud whispers.

"Boys, what are you doing?" Nerdanel grumbled, as they burrowed into her hair. "It's very early!"

"It's light outside! It is time to get up," Amrod insisted. He pointed to where a shaft of dawn light was peeking in through a gap in the curtains.

"It is time for breakfast," Amras decided. He flew over to where firebug Feanor was sleeping, in his little doll's house bed. Nerdanel quickly scooped him up, before he tugged at Feanor's antenna.

"No, Amras, don't awake Atar," she reprimanded. "Now, I will open the window a little, and you and Amrod can go outside to play for a little while".

"Yay!" the twins cheered. Feanor stirred in his sleep, but did not wake. Nerdanel cracked open the window, and her youngest sons flew out eagerly.

"Don't fly off too far," she called after them.

"We won't Amme," Amrod shouted back. He and Amras drifted onto a marigold, where they discussed what to do next.

"Let's go and play on the slide," Amras suggested. "That will be fun!"

"Which slide do you speak of?" Amrod asked. Amras leaned in and whispered in his brother's ear. Amrod raised his eyebrows, then giggled.

"Very well! But if we get into trouble, it was YOUR idea!"

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A short distance away, Turgon and Elenwe were fast asleep in bed, inside their beautiful teapot palace. Suddenly, there was a rumbling, whooshing sound, followed by shrieks of excitement. They jumped awake, just in time to see Amrod and Amras sliding in, via the spout! The twins landed in a heap, just missing knocking over the cotton reel side table.

"Boys!" Elenwe squealed. "What ever are you doing?" But the Ambarussa were laughing too much to answer.

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“So, the Valar allowed all our family to return,” Finarfin explained, as he led Nerdanel towards the fruit gardens. “And...did I mention before that they are fruits now?”

“Yes Finarfin,” Nerdanel said warily. “I have mentally prepared myself, to be reunited with my husband”.

(Nerdanel’s preparation had included drinking tea infused with whiskey, and practising her Look in front of the mirror. She still did not feel prepared).

“Erm, Finarfin? Exactly what kind of fruit is Feanor?”

“You are about to see,” Finarfin said; his cheeks turning pink. He waved his hand towards a large, healthy chill pepper plant. There, scattering pollen from a small basket, was a moving pepper!

Nerdanel gasped; her hands flying to her mouth! For the pepper was actually a teeny elf-fruit hybrid. And for all his small size, he was instantly recognisable as Feanor.

“Feanor!” Nerdanel cried, reaching out and scooping him into her hands. Finarfin discreetly slipped away. Feanor looked all around in surprise; trying to figure out what was happening. He was being held in hands which were soft and warm. And he was still a little confused from being returned as a pepper.

“Amme?” he queried, peering up at the large elf holding him.

“Not Amme,” Nerdanel said, with gentle amusement. “It is Nerdanel, your wife”. And she lifted Feanor up, so he could see her clearly.

Feanor gazed at Nerdanel; with her red curls and bright blue eyes. He blushed, then smiled in delight.

“Now look at you! You’re as red as your pepper body,” Nerdanel teased.

“Ahem, it was...Yavanna said it would help us to heal faster…” Feanor tried to explain but he lost focus quickly. He nestled close to Nerdanel’s cheek, and kissed her freckly nose.

“I am sure it will,” Nerdanel was half-laughing and half-crying. “You do make a very sweet pepper, my love”.

“Or maybe a spicy pepper?” Feanor teased. He carefully wiped away Nerdanel’s tears; each one vanishing with a teeny hiss.

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A little later, Finarfin found Nerdanel relaxing on the patio, sketching a design for her latest craft idea. It appeared to be a swimming otter, for one of the garden fountains. Finarfin smiled and sat down next to Nerdanel.

“Here you are again. I say, what did you think of Feanor?” he asked.

Feanor popped his head out of Nerdanel’s apron pocket. Nerdanel laughed and gently petted his stem. “I find he is much easier to keep an eye on now,” she said.

“I can see,” Finarfin chuckled. “A pocket pepper!”

Feanor tried to glare at Finarfin. It did not work, because he was so happy to be with Nerdanel again.

Celegorm was very proud of his birch tree. He guarded it well and kept its leaves free from bugs and similar pests.

But one night, something curious happened.

Celegorm was sitting on a branch, enjoying the warm evening air. Fireflies were darting around, and he could hear an owl, hooting in the distance. The stars twinkled overhead and king Finarfin’s palace gleamed golden.

But there was a new light...at the base of the birch tree. A strange, glowing green light…

Celegorm dropped silently through the branches; making his way to the bottom of the tree. Now he could see that the light belonged to a little mushroom elf. He crept over to them; ready to shoo them away.

The mushroom elf looked around, and Celegorm gasped. He recognised him immediately! His pale face and intense eyes…

“Maeglin!” Celegorm exclaimed.

“Uncle Celegorm,” Maeglin replied; awkward and shy. “I’m sheltering here. I hope I am not a bother”.

Celegorm sat down besides his young nephew. Maeglin, the son of his cousin and best friend, Aredhel.

“Not at all,” Celegorm said, with a warm grin. “You can stay with me as long as you like”.

“Thank you,” Maeglin replied. He returned his uncle’s smile, then settled comfortably between two big roots.

The poll is over! 27 council members of Gondolin have decided Maeglin's fate!

Ecthelion can now devote all his time to his fountains, as only two council members voted for him.

Pengolodh received three votes. While Salgant came in third place, with four votes.

In second place was Rog, with five of the council's votes.

And the winner is Glorfindel, with thirteen votes!

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"So it has been decided!" Turgon stood up, to look tall and impressive. Only Elenwe was impressed. Everybody else had turned their attention to Maeglin. He appeared to be ready to faint!

"Glorfindel..." Turgon continued. "You will be wed to my nephew, Maeglin!"

Glorfindel beamed. The council cheered. Pengolodh whipped out a notepad, so he could record the event as it was happening. Elenwe gazed at Turgon, thinking he was majestic and commanding.

"How splendid!" Glorfindel exclaimed. He bowed before Turgon and Elenwe, then he turned and bowed to the council. Maeglin held onto the sides of his bench, trying to keep himself steady.

And then Glorfindel went over to him! He smiled at Maeglin, but it was a kind, genuine smile. He took Maeglin's hands in his, and kissed the long fingers.

"Maeglin, do not be afraid," he murmured. "It will be my great honour, and I will care for you with all the love you deserve".

One evening at dusk, Fingon and Turgon decided to pay Feanor a visit. They had been admiring their Uncle Finarfin’s new ring. It was made with silver and golden threads entwined, and set with a round, shiny emerald. But while marvelling at the design, a question had arisen. One that the firebug brothers needed to know the answer to immediately.

“...I wonder how Uncle Feanor does it?” Fingon was saying, as he and Turgon flew towards the copper kettle. “I do hope he will tell us”.

“So do I,” Turgon added. “I would think that something so simple could hardly be considered a great secret”.

“Good evening nephews!” Feanor called out from within his forge. It appeared he was just about to start work, as he was tying his apron into place.

If Eol had been captured by Morgoth, and corrupted/turned into a proto-orc, a lot of his behaviour would make sense.

I am kind of imagining that early orcs still looked very elven, not like that LotR style orcs. So if Eol escaped/was freed, he would return home to Doriath. Nobody would be outright nasty to him, if he was close kin to King Thingol (nephew, maybe). But if they were subtly horrid and rude, it could make Eol feel unwelcome. This would explain why he left, and went to live in Nan Elmoth. Also, if he was part-orc at this point, it would explain his dislike of sunlight.

It would explain too, Eol's awful behaviour around Aredhel. I do think he genuinely loved her, but it was SUCH unhealthy love. He was still elven enough to find a lady elf attractive, but the corruption made him behave terribly (i.e. trapping her in his forest, dub-con marriage and his possessive behaviour).

Angry Fingolfin

Thingol wouldn't let Aredhel and ther other Gondolin Lords pass through Doriath. They had to go through Nan Dungortheb (sp) instead. The spider valley! Fingolfin would be so angry that Thingol endangered his daughter!

Turgon and Elenwe are enjoying some cool lemonade, while they babysit their grandson, Earendil.

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Art for the first chapter of Second Chance. Here is a link to it:

Glorfindel is so bright and glowy in the morning xD

(Or at any time of the day, really).

Erestor is NOT a morning person. "Really Glorfindel, must you shine so brightly this early? I have not even begun my coffee!"

I have no idea what Maglor is looking at lol.

I remember seeing a post on Tumblr, suggesting that teeny baby elves would have floppy ears, like puppies or kittens! And elves that would be tall, needed to "grow into" their ears.

So here are Feanor, Finarfin and Fingolfin, with babies: Celegorm, Finrod and Turgon!

When Alwe (Feanor and Nerdanel's baby girl) is a little older, sometimes her Uncle Finarfin and Aunt Earwen babysit her. And sometimes they take her (and their grandkids) to the seaside.

This is a part where Alwe sees the sea for the first time. (Pinvi is her father name).

Alwe stared at the vast expanse of water; stretching to the horizon, where it met the sky. She knew what it was, of course. She'd seen it many times before, when she had visited big brother 'Gorm, fishing.

"Ooooh! Lake!" Alwe exclaimed, pointing her chubby finger in the sea's direction.

"No, Alwe. That is the sea," Finarfin corrected her.

Alwe frowned, taking in this new information. "Thea?"

"No, sweetheart. Sea".

Alwe gave Finarfin a Look. She had inherited it off Nerdanel.

"Naughty Uncle Arfin! No Sa-Si!" she cried.

"I wasn't...I..." a flustered Finarfin was half-laughing and half chastised.

"Naughty Finarfin," Feanor said, in his smuggest voice. "That's right, Pinvi, you teach him how to speak properly".

Nerdanel too, was overwhelmed with joy. "Did you see that?" she said to Earwen, as she wiped a tear from her eye. "Alwe gave Finarfin a Look. Her first ever Look!"

So you have regular Noldor elves, with dark hair and grey or blue eyes.

Noldor elves with albinism, with silver hair and silver or blue eyes.

Red-haired Noldor elves, like Nerdanel, Maedhros and twins.

And Glorfindel, who is a Noldor elf with genetic makeup OOdd (and a dilute modifier, not yet understood). It is called Apricot in cats.

Second Chance, part 2 of Choices is up!

Second Chance - Chapter 1 - Kieran_Agravane - The Silmarillion and other histories of Middle-Earth - J. R. R. Tolkien [Archive of Our Own]

Thirty years ago, Turgon of Gondolin was shocked when Elenwe, Feanor and Argon escaped from Mandos and sought sanctuary in the Hidden City. After Turgon, Fingon and their living family members gave the spirits a crash course in healing (and after a bit of negotiating with Mandos), they were allowed to be reembodied. But the newly alive elves were required to stay in Gondolin, until further notice from Mandos. As Mandos revealed to Feanor that at some point in the future, he would be given a task of great importance. Feanor believed this would be slaying Morgoth and reclaiming his stolen Silmarils...

Now in the year 509, all seems well in Gondolin. The elves are happy and new grandfather Turgon is convinced that his city is indestructible. But Morgoth's power grows greatly, and the time approaches for Feanor's mysterious task. And there is much more at stake than he could ever imagine.