Aug 13 - The Judge
Title: The Judge
Author: Grundy
Rating: FR13
Crossover: LotR/Silmarillion
Disclaimer: All belongs to Whedon & Tolkien. No money is being made here, it's all in good fun.
Summary: Anariel has a plan. But she needs help - and would like the help to not come with questions attached.
Word Count: 1075
Anariel tried not to fidget.
Though now that she thought about it, did it really matter if she did? Everyone else here already knew that she had excess energy and could probably tell if she was nervous in ways that had nothing to do with fidgeting.
As she’d suspected, Estë hadn’t included her husband’s brother on her list of Valar Who May Not Visit Anariel. She probably hadn’t expected him to be anyone her young charge was in a hurry to see.
She was starting to get better at the subtle shifts in energy that marked the presence of ainur - though she hadn’t been in a particular hurry to start chatting with most of them. Right now, she felt like socializing with other maiar would be like playing roulette - did the little ball land in ‘someone Morgoth disliked’ or not?
It was a fair bet he had a big prickly grudge for Namo. The ‘imprisoned in Mandos for three ages’ thing and the part where it had almost certainly been Namo who pronounced his exile from Arda would have been reasons enough, and for all Anariel knew, there was more to it.
He was there.
You wished to speak to me.
It somehow managed to be neither question nor statement, though it had tones of both.
“Yep,” Anariel agreed.
She waited, more to see what he’d do than anything else.
Usually when Children say ‘speak’ they mean exactly that, Namo said at last.
“I thought you had a question,” Anariel shrugged.
Why do you wish to speak to me?
She caught the involuntary memory of Lúthien wringing concessions from him he hadn’t meant to grant.
“Don’t worry, it doesn’t involve any unreasonable requests,” Anariel grinned. “And no singing, either. We would have had to meet sooner or later. I said I would plead my grandfather’s case before the Mahanaxar and I meant it. But I’d like to survive the experience with my brain still functional.”
The response to that was not words, but it was a combination of curiosity, concern, and flat out anger - she’s pretty sure the last was for Morgoth.
Melkor has much to answer for.
“Yeah, we’ll get to that later. But right now I wanted to ask you a favor.”
You said there would be no unreasonable requests.
“It’s not unreasonable. I just want to visit an elf who’s still in your Halls.”
I suppose I should be relieved you bothered to ask permission.
“It’s not like I can just walk in there…can I? Is that a thing I can do?”
She hadn’t considered that as a maia she might actually be able to do that.
If you are not able to do so yourself, your sister certainly is.
“I- wait, what? You’re saying Tindomiel wanders in and out of Mandos?”
This time there was amusement.
She probably deserved it - now that she thought about it, it made perfect sense that the Key would be able to open Mandos same as it could anything else. More power to her little sister if she’d figured out a way to do it without having to slice herself open every time.
“You know what, not important,” Anariel sighed. “It doesn’t help me any. If I asked her to take me, I’d have to explain who I want to see and why, and I’m really not looking to do that. You already know about the why. So may I?”
She was careful with her words, as she had a feeling this particular Vala was more exact with language than others might be.
I cannot say I see the urgency. Kanafinwë Makalaurë-
“Is not who I was planning to visit,” Anariel broke in smoothly. “If I want to talk to my grandfather, all I need is a little patience. He’ll be out before long.”
You presume your plea will be granted?
“I presume everyone’s willing to be reasonable,” Anariel replied. “But I’m not too sure reasonable and Fëanor belong in the same sentence, and he’s the one I want to see.”
That had evidently completely surprised the Judge. If he hadn’t been who he was, she had a feeling there would have been questions. Lots of questions.
How do you propose to accomplish this? He is still deep within my halls. It is unlikely you would reach him without encountering other fëar, and if your concern is the memories Melkor has burdened you with, you will certainly be subject to more than just those centering on Curufinwë Fëanáro.
Blast. That she hadn’t expected. She’d thought maybe Namo could just bring him to a visiting room or something.
I am not eager to walk him through the Halls either.
“So I was right about the reasonable thing? Figures,” Anariel sighed.
There had to be a way, though.
She almost laughed when it came to her. Turned out listening to all that old mythology in the library back in Sunndale was useful after all. Just as long as she was disciplined enough to pull it off. Looking could be a lot worse for her than it had been for Orpheus.
“What if I keep my eyes closed?”
That was twice in one day she’d startled a Vala. She found it encouraging that he seemed to be considering it.
You would have to close more than just your eyes.
Ah. Yes, she’d have to close her mind also. And not talk to anyone except the elf she was there to visit.
Covering your eyes would be safer than merely closing them.
“You’re saying yes?”
I am saying I am aware that you believe this to be important for some reason you do not care to divulge, so you will continue asking until you get the answer you want. I prefer my mate and my brother’s mate not hold me responsible for you damaging yourself under my supervision.
“That sounds a lot like yes,” Anariel beamed. “So, blindfold?”
It was going to look like the most ridiculous game of blindman’s buff in the world, but if it worked...
If it works, what do you expect to achieve?
“Enlightenment,” Anariel said, keeping a straight face.
If Namo did expressions, he’d have been giving her a suspicious one. He knew there was a joke in there somewhere. But while he might know just about everything about Arda, he knew nothing at all about California.
Very well. My brother will conduct you to the entrance the day after tomorrow. Ensure you are prepared.
Author: Grundy
Rating: FR13
Crossover: LotR/Silmarillion
Disclaimer: All belongs to Whedon & Tolkien. No money is being made here, it's all in good fun.
Summary: Anariel has a plan. But she needs help - and would like the help to not come with questions attached.
Word Count: 1075
Anariel tried not to fidget.
Though now that she thought about it, did it really matter if she did? Everyone else here already knew that she had excess energy and could probably tell if she was nervous in ways that had nothing to do with fidgeting.
As she’d suspected, Estë hadn’t included her husband’s brother on her list of Valar Who May Not Visit Anariel. She probably hadn’t expected him to be anyone her young charge was in a hurry to see.
She was starting to get better at the subtle shifts in energy that marked the presence of ainur - though she hadn’t been in a particular hurry to start chatting with most of them. Right now, she felt like socializing with other maiar would be like playing roulette - did the little ball land in ‘someone Morgoth disliked’ or not?
It was a fair bet he had a big prickly grudge for Namo. The ‘imprisoned in Mandos for three ages’ thing and the part where it had almost certainly been Namo who pronounced his exile from Arda would have been reasons enough, and for all Anariel knew, there was more to it.
He was there.
You wished to speak to me.
It somehow managed to be neither question nor statement, though it had tones of both.
“Yep,” Anariel agreed.
She waited, more to see what he’d do than anything else.
Usually when Children say ‘speak’ they mean exactly that, Namo said at last.
“I thought you had a question,” Anariel shrugged.
Why do you wish to speak to me?
She caught the involuntary memory of Lúthien wringing concessions from him he hadn’t meant to grant.
“Don’t worry, it doesn’t involve any unreasonable requests,” Anariel grinned. “And no singing, either. We would have had to meet sooner or later. I said I would plead my grandfather’s case before the Mahanaxar and I meant it. But I’d like to survive the experience with my brain still functional.”
The response to that was not words, but it was a combination of curiosity, concern, and flat out anger - she’s pretty sure the last was for Morgoth.
Melkor has much to answer for.
“Yeah, we’ll get to that later. But right now I wanted to ask you a favor.”
You said there would be no unreasonable requests.
“It’s not unreasonable. I just want to visit an elf who’s still in your Halls.”
I suppose I should be relieved you bothered to ask permission.
“It’s not like I can just walk in there…can I? Is that a thing I can do?”
She hadn’t considered that as a maia she might actually be able to do that.
If you are not able to do so yourself, your sister certainly is.
“I- wait, what? You’re saying Tindomiel wanders in and out of Mandos?”
This time there was amusement.
She probably deserved it - now that she thought about it, it made perfect sense that the Key would be able to open Mandos same as it could anything else. More power to her little sister if she’d figured out a way to do it without having to slice herself open every time.
“You know what, not important,” Anariel sighed. “It doesn’t help me any. If I asked her to take me, I’d have to explain who I want to see and why, and I’m really not looking to do that. You already know about the why. So may I?”
She was careful with her words, as she had a feeling this particular Vala was more exact with language than others might be.
I cannot say I see the urgency. Kanafinwë Makalaurë-
“Is not who I was planning to visit,” Anariel broke in smoothly. “If I want to talk to my grandfather, all I need is a little patience. He’ll be out before long.”
You presume your plea will be granted?
“I presume everyone’s willing to be reasonable,” Anariel replied. “But I’m not too sure reasonable and Fëanor belong in the same sentence, and he’s the one I want to see.”
That had evidently completely surprised the Judge. If he hadn’t been who he was, she had a feeling there would have been questions. Lots of questions.
How do you propose to accomplish this? He is still deep within my halls. It is unlikely you would reach him without encountering other fëar, and if your concern is the memories Melkor has burdened you with, you will certainly be subject to more than just those centering on Curufinwë Fëanáro.
Blast. That she hadn’t expected. She’d thought maybe Namo could just bring him to a visiting room or something.
I am not eager to walk him through the Halls either.
“So I was right about the reasonable thing? Figures,” Anariel sighed.
There had to be a way, though.
She almost laughed when it came to her. Turned out listening to all that old mythology in the library back in Sunndale was useful after all. Just as long as she was disciplined enough to pull it off. Looking could be a lot worse for her than it had been for Orpheus.
“What if I keep my eyes closed?”
That was twice in one day she’d startled a Vala. She found it encouraging that he seemed to be considering it.
You would have to close more than just your eyes.
Ah. Yes, she’d have to close her mind also. And not talk to anyone except the elf she was there to visit.
Covering your eyes would be safer than merely closing them.
“You’re saying yes?”
I am saying I am aware that you believe this to be important for some reason you do not care to divulge, so you will continue asking until you get the answer you want. I prefer my mate and my brother’s mate not hold me responsible for you damaging yourself under my supervision.
“That sounds a lot like yes,” Anariel beamed. “So, blindfold?”
It was going to look like the most ridiculous game of blindman’s buff in the world, but if it worked...
If it works, what do you expect to achieve?
“Enlightenment,” Anariel said, keeping a straight face.
If Namo did expressions, he’d have been giving her a suspicious one. He knew there was a joke in there somewhere. But while he might know just about everything about Arda, he knew nothing at all about California.
Very well. My brother will conduct you to the entrance the day after tomorrow. Ensure you are prepared.