Clarity of Purpose Appendix I: Of Finduilas and Denethor

[mithen]

Title: Of Finduilas and Denethor
Chapter Summary: Of the wooing, wedding, lives and deaths of Denethor, son of the last Steward of Gondor, and Finduilas, Princess of Dol Amroth.
Relationship/Characters: Denethor/Finduilas
Fandom: Hobbit/Lord of the Rings.
Warnings/Spoilers: None
Rating: PG
Word Count: 3000
Summary: Excerpts from the Red Book of

Comments

[shirebound]

Their sons raised for them a simple monument of gray marble on the sea-cliffs, and carved on it two sea-birds in flight together.

Oh my, that gives me chills. What a happy ending for both of them, at last.

[mithen]

It made me so happy to write this for them! They deserve it a dozen times over...

Part 1!

[starsandsea]

Denethor was tireless in his defense of Gondor and his battles against the orcs, and the people of Minas Tirith would indeed have loved him, if he were the type of man to be easily loved.

Oh, oh! I love the language you've used here - and indeed, in the entire story!

if Denethor had been before like a tree weighted with snow, now he was as a tree with its branches bent nearly to breaking; for he saw his father's love of Thorongil as a lessening of love toward himself, and he grew yet more bitter and proud.

Oh, Denethor! And I love likening him to a tree weighed with snow, I can see it so clearly...

It was then he saw a figure clinging to the cliffs: a slight woman in green and brown, her dark hair bound loosely behind her, scrambling for a foothold. Without thinking, he swung down the dizzying cliffs to drag her back to safety

Re: Part 1!

[mithen]

It was really interesting to use a more formal and "Tolkien-esque" language for this one and the one with Denethor and Theoden's stories especially! It's a real challenge to pull off...

(He probably should have known who she really was when she called herself Faelivrin! I can only assume he hasn't studied his old Elvish lore...)

I love the idea that Finduilas isn't beautiful at all unless she's in motion and smiling. She seems just the kind of person that someone kind of grave and solemn like Denethor needs in his life...

Part 2!

[starsandsea]

When she saw him she ran to his side and caught his hand in hers. "This way," she said, and they walked hand in hand along the cliffs, the sharp tang of the sea and the raucous calling of the gulls all around them

Re: Part 2!

[mithen]

I admit, I kind of hesitated because Finduilas is kind of...jerking the poor guy around, lol! But it's a fairy-tale type story, so it just seems right that she wouldn't tell him who she was until the key moment. And oh, I loved imagining them clambering around on the cliffs and watching the birds together, I was really glad I wrote these before the rest of the series, because having that image made him SO much easier to write. Knowing he had this beautiful day in his heart that he cherished...

Part 3!

[starsandsea]

"The man you pledged to marry was the future ruler of Gondor, but I will never rule that land, and its lord is to wed another. I therefore release you from your promise--"

But he never finished his sentence, for the Princess of Dol Amroth rose from her throne and ran to him, and threw her arms around him, and kissed him, saying, "You I will wed, and no other, and I would wed you were you a beggar wandering these lands forever."

Finduilas! *hearts her EVEN MORE*

"For I find I wish to stay near the sea," Denethor said, looking at his bride, "Where we can hear the sea-birds always calling."

*flails*

often did Théoden come to spend time near the sea with them--at first with his bride, and then later in sadder times with his son and niece and nephew

Oh, Theoden! *wibbles and pets him*

The elder, Boromir, was like his father, bold and proud, and his wooing and wedding of Princess Alaqai, second daughter of Queen Samur of the Easterlings, became a story of legend. But the younger, Faramir, was more quiet and given to reflection, and

Re: Part 3!

[mithen]

Theoden! I didn't save his lady! *sniffles* He still does have a more joyous life in this version, but I couldn't save everyone...

Ahhhhh! Boromir and Faramir, eeeeeeee! I love that image so much, of them playing together in the ruins, with Theodred and Eomer and Eowyn...

Isn't that wonderful! *dances* I could see it so easily, how they all play at being knights and battling orcs among the ruins, and they never ever have to do it in real life--and Theodred tells Eowyn girls can't be knights and Boromir knocks him down and Faramir just quietly makes her a nice wooden sword and they spar together...)

Denethor's death, nooooo. *cries* But he lives just as long as he did in canon, and it's a MUCH better death, certainly!

I'm so glad you liked Denethor's epitaph! I love the idea that in the end he felt he wanted to be known for his connections to other people, you know...

(Theoden and Denethor's story has the same kind of ending, alas! There's a real satisfaction to giving their lives full closure, but OW).

[zolac_no_miko]

Lovely.

[mithen]

Ah, thank you! *beams*