governor of Rarepair Island™️

Advent For @sallysavestheday

Irissë pulled her furs and pelts closer about her form. When they left Aman she had been wearing the fur and pelt of a great, white lion, a sign of her rank and esteem among the Great Hunters of Oromë. It had been hard-won, to ride with the Hunt at all, much less to win this pelt and fur she now wore. It had estranged her from her mother Anairë forever, and distanced her from her friend Artanis, but in the Hunt, Irissë found her freedom. Turko’s company was an added bonus. In Aman, being a Noldor princess, to be able to do what she liked was a dream come true. Irissë understood that she was among the very, very few in her family who had that great fortune.

Which was why they found themselves choosing exile. Because many in her family had long been nursing the same sort of malcontent inside them, only in varying degrees. Some endured it, choosing duty and obligation, like her hanno and their cousin Maitimo. Some endured it but did more fussing than usual, like Findaráto and Aikanár. Some truly fussed and rebelled against the role society would impose upon them, like herself.

From behind them stepped out three elves, all of them looking worse for wear than her Beren, but their individual beauty remained undimmed despite their matted, tangled and bloodied hair. There is her kinsman Finrod, who beamed in recognition upon seeing her. A brown-haired and green-eyed Noldo behind Finrod looked at her in awe, but then offered a bow. Then, behind the two of them stood a very tall Noldo with fiery red hair the likes of which Luthien had never seen before. He was bloodied all over: his face, his chest, his hands and arms. But Luthien knew the blood was not his own, but that of a werewolf, or perhaps a vampire. This Noldo was scarred everywhere: shoulders, on his middle, by the sides of his hips. Luthien knew then that this must be Maedhros, eldest son of Feanor, whose fury against the Enemy and the enemy’s forces were sung by minstrels, even Daeron. All the elves were as naked as Beren, but they were unbothered by it.

“My lords,” Luthien briefly touched her right hand over her chest, then held it out to them in a gesture of greeting and friendship. “My heart sings that Huan and I reached this place before it was too late, and though I mourn those whom we can no longer help, I sing for them also, for they will suffer no more. I am glad you are alive with Beren, and that you have aided him. I am Luthien of Doriath.”

“Princess Luthien,” Finrod returned her greeting. “I would be embarrassed meeting you like this, but we make do.” He laughs. “This is Edrahil mine captain—” here he gestures toward the brown-haired and green-eyed Noldo. “And this is mine cousin, the former Lord of Himring, Lord Maedhros Feanorion.” Maedhros simply bowed at her, avoiding looking her in the eye.

-- There and Back Again || available on [AO3] Or, an AU take on the Quest for Silmaril, where Maedhros joins Finrod and Beren -- and against all odds (with the help of mutant sorcery that confounds even Gorthaur the Cruel), they manage to rescue one of the gems, and Finrod survives all the way until the Nirnaeth Arnoediad. High King Fingon, in turn, reigns well until the War of Wrath and possibly well into the Second Age.

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Super gorgeous artwork I commissioned from the lovely @sauroff. I adore their design! Look how beautiful Luthien is!  They have commissions OPEN, so do check them out! ✨❤️