#silmarilllion

Whatchu got there

Put that down! Lol

He was a hearth, when they all were young — a warm safe haven, somewhere to turn to and find comfort. A blaze, but one in control, and lovely to seek. Light and loved and in control and contained.

And then he was a torch. Carried, guided, and guiding in turn. Blazing with a light he was told to shine, and setting the fires he was directed to set. Leading but only as directed to lead.

He was a wildfire next. He was a wildfire the longest. Burning, and powerful, and beautiful in part, but oh so dangerous. And wildfires can still be shifted, pushed by a wind that commands them to turn a direction they would rather not go. They blaze with a terrible flame, and all that stands before them is consumed — there is no stopping their fire, not until they have burned out.

He ended an ember, the flames burned down to pure smoldering heat once the fuel had finally run out and the blaze finally flickered to ash. One focus left, and an ember will burn until its end. He burned until his end, burned himself to nothing.

Like, Feanor is trying to bond with his shoplifted grandson and hears a “funny” story about Elrond & Elros running away, and hearing Maedhros’ thundering footsteps chasing after them.

The whole imagery of the story is terrifying to Feanor, who was raised lovingly in a peaceful environment himself and raised his sons in a relatively peaceful realm.

To be so small, and have to run so fast, only to be caught in the end. It’s a terrible image. Yet Elrond tells the story with the intonation of someone speaking of a beloved childhood fable. Maybe the lesson of this particular fable was that the children would always be caught if they ran. It doesn’t matter, because here sits Elrond, and here sits Feanor, and Feanor cannot change anything.

Similar events occur with the other Valinor-Parents.

@silmsmutweek

Day 1 - Spring: Harp, Hair Kink

“…their leaves opened like a whole spring unfolding in a moment, and their shining branches dropped glowing flowers."  – J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, "A Long-expected Party”