Finding Peace, by StarSpray

[starspray]

Author: StarSpray

Title: Finding Peace

Text type / Format: Fixed Length Ficlet

Source / Fandom: Silmarillion

Rating: G

Word Count: 300

Summary: “You seemed so unhappy when you arrived yesterday, but today you are so much more relaxed. Did you quarrel with Nolofinwë? Or with Fëanáro?”
Author's Note: Written for Arafinwean Week 2025

“Is it really so bad in Tirion?”

“Hm?” Arafinwë cracked open one eye to find Eärwen leaning up on her elbow, frowning down at him.

They lay on a quiet stretch of sand behind Olwë’s palace, where the water was quiet and gentle, and no one but Olwë’s family came to bathe in it. No lamps were lit there, and the stars overhead were very bright, like diamonds spilled over dark velvet.

“You seemed so unhappy when you arrived yesterday, but today you are so much more relaxed. Did you quarrel with Nolofinwë? Or with Fëanáro?”

Arafinwë laughed. “Me, quarrel with Fëanáro? No. I think he forgets that I exist most of the time.” It stung, when he stopped to think about it, but at the same time it was preferable to the increasing venom with which Fëanáro regarded Nolofinwë. Arafinwë did not know how Nolofinwë could stand it. “I did not quarrel with anyone. It’s only—there is tension there, and it has been growing of late, and I do not like it.”

Eärwen ran her fingers through his hair, nails scratching lightly over his scalp. It felt nice, and Arafinwë closed his eyes again, leaning into the touch. “Perhaps we should live here, when we wed,” she murmured. “It would please my parents greatly.”

Arafinwë wondered what his own parents would say, and realized that he was not sure whether his father would notice—or else he would encourage it, telling Arafinwë to carve out a place of his own. Finwë meant well, but he had enough in his hands with Arafinwë’s brothers. His mother would miss him, but she traveled often enough between Valmar and Tirion that adding Alqualondë to her list of destinations would be little hardship. “Yes,” he said, “I would like that very much."

Comments

[silver_trails]

This was beautiful, a moment of peace between Arafinwë and Eärwen. I could almost see the beach and the stars. :)

And Arafinwë's veiled sadness too.

[vamp_ress]

Beautiful descriptions! I really like the quiet, almost serene quality this has to it.

[anerea]

I like Olwë's private beach! Such a lovely peel at their relationship here.

Poor Arafinwë, he has no idea! Third in line of a deathless people, of course he can just escape to the peace of his in-laws... or so he thinks. And that the spat between his bothers is not nearly as bad as it's going to get. And... ouch, about Finwë not noticing him!

[hhimring]

A very convincing look at the background of that decision to move to Alqualonde and a nice glimpse of him finding peace there with Earwen.

Finarfin is trying to ignore a lot of hurt there.

(You now have an Earwen tag.)