Silly Fic
This ficlet is a cautionary tale of what happens when I try to write a Valinor fic in which the Years of the Trees are actually each 9.582 sun years long. You have been warned.
X-posted to my LJ, so apologies for duplication
Title: An Only Child
Author: fanged_geranium
Rating: General
Warnings: None
Summary: Fingon has some interesting news about his uncle that he thinks his cousin should hear.
An Only Child
Disclaimer: This is a work of fan fiction. The characters, settings, places, and languages used in this work are the property of the Tolkien Estate, Tolkien Enterprises, and possibly New Line Cinema. The author will not receive any money or other remuneration for this work.
Author's Note: It's always seemed a little suspicious to me that Turgon and Finrod are exactly the same age, and so are Aredhel and Galadriel, and I then started wondering how the Fëanorians fitted into the scheme of things. This ficlet was written to give something of an explanation. It's set in the Year of the Trees 1300, and for the purposes of this story I'm assuming that Maedhros was born in the year 1200. Some excerpts from 'The Peoples of Middle-earth' and 'Morgoth's Ring' have been adapted here for my own (somewhat nefarious) purposes.
"Goodbye, dear," calls Maitimo's wife, "Don't forget to mow the lawn, and prune the apple-tree while I'm out. I shall be back by the Mingling of the Lights, so you should have dinner ready by then."
"I don't think we'll be able to go fishing after all," says Maitimo sadly, "I have far too much to do, but I think I have time for a quick cup of tea."
It was precisely that kind of thing that made me resolve to have no wife or child in the first place, and it is reinforced every time I visit my cousin, or indeed any of my friends and family who have committed themselves to the institution of marriage. I can go fishing whenever I like, and no-one can give me chores to do to stop me. Of course, it means I might go hungry once in a while, when the fish aren't biting, and my lawn frequently goes un-mowed, but on the whole it is worth it.
I assumed that now Maitimo's youngest daughter is married and has children of her own it would mean that he had more time for fishing trips, but I was clearly mistaken. "Never mind," I say, "We can go fishing some other time. I have some news about your parents that you might like to hear."
"What have they done now?" Maitimo asks, "No, don't tell me - I can guess. I'll bet they had a fight in the main square that ended with my mother pushing my father into the duck pond!"
"Not quite, though that might be the next thing on their agenda."
"Well, what is it then?"
"You've heard that my mother and father are expecting an addition to our family, I suppose?" I say cautiously.
Maitimo nods. "Yes, and so are Arafinwë and Eärwen. My great-grandson told me that last week."
"They aren't the only ones. Your father was in his cups at dinner last night, after you and your wife left, and he announced rather loudly in front of the entire company, including Ingwë, Olwë and Ingwion, that he and your mother are adding to their family too."
"What?" says Maitimo, "That's impossible! After all the fuss he has made during this last age about how a man should be satisfied with only one child! Ridiculous!"
"Ridiculous it may be," I say, "but it is true. I thought I ought to tell you before your wife hears it through the rumour-mill."
"Why, thank you Findekáno, that was very kind of you," says Maitimo. He sounds distracted. "Do you think that..."
"That it is only so your father is not out-done by my father?" I finish, "Well it wouldn't be the first time, would it?"
"No, it wouldn't," Maitimo sighs, "I knew it could not be a coincidence that I am two weeks younger than you."
X-posted to my LJ, so apologies for duplication
Title: An Only Child
Author: fanged_geranium
Rating: General
Warnings: None
Summary: Fingon has some interesting news about his uncle that he thinks his cousin should hear.
An Only Child
Disclaimer: This is a work of fan fiction. The characters, settings, places, and languages used in this work are the property of the Tolkien Estate, Tolkien Enterprises, and possibly New Line Cinema. The author will not receive any money or other remuneration for this work.
Author's Note: It's always seemed a little suspicious to me that Turgon and Finrod are exactly the same age, and so are Aredhel and Galadriel, and I then started wondering how the Fëanorians fitted into the scheme of things. This ficlet was written to give something of an explanation. It's set in the Year of the Trees 1300, and for the purposes of this story I'm assuming that Maedhros was born in the year 1200. Some excerpts from 'The Peoples of Middle-earth' and 'Morgoth's Ring' have been adapted here for my own (somewhat nefarious) purposes.
"Goodbye, dear," calls Maitimo's wife, "Don't forget to mow the lawn, and prune the apple-tree while I'm out. I shall be back by the Mingling of the Lights, so you should have dinner ready by then."
"I don't think we'll be able to go fishing after all," says Maitimo sadly, "I have far too much to do, but I think I have time for a quick cup of tea."
It was precisely that kind of thing that made me resolve to have no wife or child in the first place, and it is reinforced every time I visit my cousin, or indeed any of my friends and family who have committed themselves to the institution of marriage. I can go fishing whenever I like, and no-one can give me chores to do to stop me. Of course, it means I might go hungry once in a while, when the fish aren't biting, and my lawn frequently goes un-mowed, but on the whole it is worth it.
I assumed that now Maitimo's youngest daughter is married and has children of her own it would mean that he had more time for fishing trips, but I was clearly mistaken. "Never mind," I say, "We can go fishing some other time. I have some news about your parents that you might like to hear."
"What have they done now?" Maitimo asks, "No, don't tell me - I can guess. I'll bet they had a fight in the main square that ended with my mother pushing my father into the duck pond!"
"Not quite, though that might be the next thing on their agenda."
"Well, what is it then?"
"You've heard that my mother and father are expecting an addition to our family, I suppose?" I say cautiously.
Maitimo nods. "Yes, and so are Arafinwë and Eärwen. My great-grandson told me that last week."
"They aren't the only ones. Your father was in his cups at dinner last night, after you and your wife left, and he announced rather loudly in front of the entire company, including Ingwë, Olwë and Ingwion, that he and your mother are adding to their family too."
"What?" says Maitimo, "That's impossible! After all the fuss he has made during this last age about how a man should be satisfied with only one child! Ridiculous!"
"Ridiculous it may be," I say, "but it is true. I thought I ought to tell you before your wife hears it through the rumour-mill."
"Why, thank you Findekáno, that was very kind of you," says Maitimo. He sounds distracted. "Do you think that..."
"That it is only so your father is not out-done by my father?" I finish, "Well it wouldn't be the first time, would it?"
"No, it wouldn't," Maitimo sighs, "I knew it could not be a coincidence that I am two weeks younger than you."