"Discovering Love," for enismirdal

Eni asked for grown-up Maedhros, Maglor, and Fingon (with a slash pairing if I/they wanted it), with one happy moment and one naughty-but-nice moment (het or slash), with a cameo by a bumblebee and extra points for the inclusion of a bowl of cherries.

Whew! I think I managed all that!

I am giving this story an adult rating for all that naught-but-nice action going on there. I should mention that there is a heterosexual pairing (Maglor/OFC) and discussion of slash (but nothing graphic on that front. Hey, this is my first mention of slash evah in a story, so I think I deserve some credit for that! ;^D)

In this tale, Magor's wife Vinagarië discovers the true nature of her brother-in-law's relationship with his cousin. I'm leaving it at that.... ;^)

( Discovering Love )

Happy Winter Solstice!

A happy Winter Solstice to everyone! I like the Winter Solstice: not only does it kick off the holiday season, but it means that the days have no choice but to get longer and brighter. No more mushroom feeling, going into work when the sun is rising and leaving after it has set. And it is finally officially winter, although it has felt like winter in Maryland for weeks now. But it feels rather ridiculous, to me, to be shivering in 18-degree weather while it's still autumn.

Normally, I do drabbles when the seasons change, based on the themes and feelings associated with that season. I'd love to do some winter drabbles and hope to do one or two at least, but I've still got holiday stories to finish. So that's my priority at the moment. But, as usual, those of you who are inspired to do winter drabbles, I would love to see them! And hopefully, I'll have a little something to give back.

A few announcement-type things: (It occurs to me, sometimes, in ten years, how I will look upon these sorts of posts.)

To mirien, tuxedo_elf, and tabruan, I got your cards yesterday! All on the same day! Wow, and thank you--what a wonderful surprise to come home to. *hugs to you all*

Now, before I give my next bit of news, I would like all of you to recall that, until recently, there was only one posting of AMC per week. And you all survived. So....

I'm not going to be posting on Friday for this one week. I'm taking the day off to do holiday things and have lunch with my husband, that kind of stuff. My apologies, but AMC will be back twice per week next Tuesday.

If it's any consolation, the very next day, I will unlock twenty-odd holiday gift stories, so if you're really that hungry for something to read, that should keep you occupied for a good week or two. :^P

( Other Random-Type Things )

"Essecarmë," for frenchpony

frenchpony shares my difficulty in expressing specifics as to gifts, so her request for "something Tolkien that you think I'd like" is one that I sympathize with. :) I hope I've done an acceptable job!

A while back, we had a discussion about the father-names of the Fëanorian boys and how it might have been received with fifth-born Curufinwë was given the same name as his father. Nothing in canon, so far as I know, tells whether it was an honor to bear the same name as one's father, but I can't help but think that it might have been a special honor. And so this story, from Macalaurë's point-of-view, is what might have happened at the naming of Curufinwë.

This story is rated general; and I have no warnings to express. It seems I've behaved for once! Enjoy!


( Essecarmë )

"Fëanor's Mistake," for tuxedo_elf

A rather ridiculous conversation between Tux, Jenni, and I inspired this next story. Tux asked for a longish one-shot of Celegorm/Oromë humor. Fëanor gets lost in the woods and has a bit of a misunderstanding about the antics of his third son with a certain Vala....

Just to be safe, I'm giving this story an adult warning for shameless innuendo and naked!Celegorm.

( Fëanor's Mistake )

"Memories of Cuiviénen," for sirielle

sirielle asked for a story about Maedhros remembering the tales Finwe told the boys about Cuivienen and his adventures there, either in Aman or in Sirion. Well, I didn't quite manage Sirion, but I got Aman and Middle-earth, at the rising of the the Silmaril in the West.

I'm keeping this story at a general rating, although please be forewarned that there is some icky violence in this story.

( Memories of Cuiviénen )

 

"The Last Night of the World," for isil_elensar

Isil requested a Glorfindel/OFC NC17 romance. This story is just that: two lovers' first--and last--night together, on an infamous night in the history of Gondolin. Don't worry, though, Isil, it has a happy ending. ;)

If Isil's request didn't clue you in, this story is quite deserving of an adult rating for graphic heterosexual sex.

( The Last Night of the World )

"The Music of the Night," for juno_magic

Juno provided for me an interesting holiday gift challenge: write a story containing a purple scarf, a nightingale, a waterfall, pointy ears, and the naked Elves of my choice.

Well, my choice of a naked Elf is more a naked half-Elf, if we want to keep the lineage of the sons of Elrond simple, but given that Juno is likely Elrond's number one fangurl, I somehow didn't think she'd mind.

In this tale, Elladan succumbs to a strange calling and discovers certain hurts are healed by love...given the challenge on which this story is built, it gets an adult rating for sexuality.

( The Music of the Night )

"A Symphony for my Father," for evils_hero

Curuevo asked for a story about Macalaurë and Fëanaro--a nice story about Macalaurë and Fëanaro. Since my Macalaurë and Fëanaro muses don't often like to play nice together, this proved quite the challenge.

I've often pondered the notion of Macalaurë writing a song for his father. Given the natures of both characters, it seems reasonable that it would come up between them. Those who have read AMC know that I've explored this idea in that story as well, but this story takes a different look at it.

This is actually, in all likelihood, going to be much longer, probably a novella, covering the duration of Fëanaro's life. This is the first section--or movement, if you want to keep with the symphony theme--about Macalaurë's first attempt to capture his father in music. I ask for your forgiveness, Curuevo, because it's very rough I think, and I will have to do a lot of revising in the future. But it's nice enough that I'm not ashamed to post it, so here you go. :)

I'm giving this story a general rating, although there is some nudity in it, so if you don't like to think about naked Elves, either skip the story or give them little mental bathing suits. Whatever suits you best.

( A Symphony for My Father )

"The Puppet," for myrsine

myrsine asked for Fingolfin and Lalwen behind closed doors, where Fingolfin need not be so uptight as he often is in public, in Felak!verse. Since I'd never done any work with the daughters of Finwë, this was a neat opportunity to start working on their characters. Alas, yesterday, while driving home from work, my thoughts turned to doing an AMC-type novel about the home life of the younger children of Finwë, including those who only make appearances in HoMe.

In other words, myrsine, you've done a nice job of lodging some bunnies on my poor, overbitten ankles!

This tale follows Fingolfin and Lalwen on the night that Fëanor reveals the Silmarils for the first time to his half-family. The rating is a nice safe general and I have no special warnings to give...enjoy!

( The Puppet )

"When the Stars Smile," for tarion_anarore

Tarion asked for a meeting between the sons of Finarfin and Caranthir, preferably with a bit of angst. As I came into this story after writing a lot of the heavier stuff, this story turned into something of a funny affair, but it talks about teenaged first love quite a bit, so angst is guaranteed, although hopefully of the funny variety.

(alassante, you asked how Caranthir can possibly star in a comedy: Here ya go! :^D)

Here, a young Caranthir discovers the foolishness that pretty girls inspire in teenaged boys and falls in love with someone most inaccessible. This story is rated general, although I can't guarantee that Caranthir's ramblings don't border on sickeningly saccharine and inane at times and that he doesn't make the occasional boob comment. He is a teenaged boy after all.

( When the Stars Smile )

Reflections of Curufinwë, for alassante

alassante asked for a Fëanorian drabble. Now, seeing as I wrote full stories for everyone else, it seemed a bit unappreciative of Alassante--who has become a good friend in just a few weeks--to give her a mere hundred words. So I hope you don't mind, Al, that I've expanded on your request a bit and did a drabble series for you about your favorite Elf Curufinwë and his son Celebrimbor.

(By the way, I apologize if I got his Quenya name wrong; I got it from a dubious Internet source. Please feel free to correct my spelling.)

In this series, first Curufin, then Celebrimbor, ponder their heritage and its impositions on their freedom. Indeed, I have always wondered that all of the Finwions seem their own people, but Fëanaro, Curufin, and Celebrimbor seem like slightly varied versions of each other. But that is a ramble for another time. :)

This drabble series is rated a nice safe general with no particular warnings.

( Reflections of Curufinwë )