A birthday drabble

[altariel]

As the country of my birth quietly enjoys a constitutional crisis, a (slightly early) birthday drabble for Dwimordene, who asked for "the turning point that never (quite) was".

The Age of Men

Then Faramir spoke, and in a clear voice said, “Behold! one has come to claim the kingship again at last! Shall he be king and enter into the city and dwell there?” And all the people with one voice cried, Nay. And Aragorn returned the crown to its casket, for it was no longer needed.

Thus began the Fourth Age, the Age of Men, freed of gods and masters. And the high towers and wide halls of the White City filled again, but not with lords, and the Tree blossomed, and Gondor and Arnor were reunited – not kingdom, but commonwealth.

Comments

[parrot-knight.livejournal.com]

I can't see Tolkien having written this, somehow; but I can see lots of his admirers sometimes wishing that he had.

[altariel.livejournal.com]

No, I can't see him having written it either.

[parrot-knight.livejournal.com]

I've heard it convincingly argued that Tolkien wove a lot of the historical fact and the mythology surrounding the Jacobite claim to the British succession and the loyalty of Jacobite nobles and soldiers to their kings into the saga of the exiled kings of Gondor and into other tales of exiled royalty in The Silmarillion, to which it's highly likely he was sensitive as an English Catholic growing up in the early twentieth century.

[applegnat.livejournal.com]

I squeaked so loudly, I broke the ceiling.

* brushes bits of plaster out of hair *

[altariel.livejournal.com]

Lawks, as Merry would say! Is that good?!

[applegnat.livejournal.com]

It is utterly delicious and of the good, and I applaud you so very highly. * raises arms towards broken ceiling in delight *

[altariel.livejournal.com]

Phew! Glad you like! *dashes out with dustpan and brushes up ceiling plaster*

[lame-pegasus.livejournal.com]

*giggles*

BUT:

Dreams

But one age later, the ancient legends rose again.

Stories were told of a mighty warrior with a sword that once was broken, and people began to dream of a man on the throne.

Then came the day when the rulers of Gondor caught rumors of ballads and tales about Elessar the King. They immediately summoned a council.

“Let them dream,” said the Chancellor. “Dreams are not dangerous.”

“Oh, but they are,” the Prime Minister replied. “In these lands, they are the beginning of the end.”

And so a law was made, against singing and storytelling.

[altariel.livejournal.com]

Oh, wonderful! I love it!

(Tho' I do think that kings and lords can have the instinct to censor too! *g*)

[lame-pegasus.livejournal.com]

*laughs*

That one I knew already... and loved it immediately. Ah well - call me a secret Royalist, but somehow I can't imagine Gondor without a King.

And as soon as I have overcome a handful of technical glitches, I will finally go and make that recording of Lady of Silences. *hangs head*

[altariel.livejournal.com]

Ah well - call me a secret Royalist, but somehow I can't imagine Gondor without a King.

:-)

And I have been meaning to do a recording of one of Dwim's stories for months now, but keep hitting technical (not to mention time) problems, so no worries

[edge-of-ruin.livejournal.com]

Oh very well done!

[altariel.livejournal.com]

:-)

[muuranker.livejournal.com]

I misread this at first, as 'freed of goods and masters'.

I think that it is more probable that Tolkien would have written 'goods' rather than 'gods'. And, personally, it makes more sense. Plus there's a nice linkage to the crown-as-a-currency.

I do hope someone is nagging Marjorie Burns into publishing her paper on Tolkien, Class and Birmingham. She argues that late 19th century / early 20th century Birmingham was (comparatively) a very flat society, and a very permiable one.

Happy Birthday Dwimordene!

[altariel.livejournal.com]

I think that it is more probable that Tolkien would have written 'goods' rather than 'gods'. And, personally, it makes more sense.

I was riffing on the title of an anthology of anarchism by Daniel Guérin (No Gods, No Masters), but I like your reading too. That sounds a very interesting paper.

[jhall1.livejournal.com]

"And all the people with one voice cried, Nay."

I would love to have seen Gandalf's face at that moment. I imagine that his expression would have initially been one of bemusement, gradually shading into rage.

[altariel.livejournal.com]

Oh, I think he would have had a good laugh.

[katlinel.livejournal.com]

You are evil!

So what do Aragorn and Arwen do next? Set up a bakery?

[jhall1.livejournal.com]

Wasn't Arwen's parents' permission for her to marry Aragorn conditional on his becoming king, because no mere human short of the king was good enough for her? So I imagine that they would both have faded away of broken hearts in best pre-Raphaelite fashion.

[altariel.livejournal.com]

If you don't tell Elrond, I won't.

[jhall1.livejournal.com]

:)

Where's the Middle Earth equivalent of Gretna Green?

[altariel.livejournal.com]

:-) Pelargir, I reckon, on the border with Harad.

[altariel.livejournal.com]

So what do Aragorn and Arwen do next? Set up a bakery?

*snort!* Well, she's good at sewing and he's good at finding things... Eagle-Eyed Embroiderer and Private Dick! Together they fight crime!

[fallingtowers.livejournal.com]

I would so read that story, too!

Love the drabble, by the way.

[altariel.livejournal.com]

:-)

[stultiloquentia.livejournal.com]

Ha, excellent. I like the comments almost as much as the drabble -- which is its own compliment to the drabble!

[altariel.livejournal.com]

I'm loving the comments too. Glad you liked the drabble!

[jhall1.livejournal.com]

"the turning point that never (quite) was"

Which got me to thinking. Has anyone ever written an AU story where Aragorn decides that he really does prefer Eowyn to Arwen, and Faramir and Arwen finish up together? I thought at first that my tongue was deep in my cheek, but now I'm starting to speculate about the possibility.

[altariel.livejournal.com]

I can't think of one off the top of my head, although in Cruisedirector's lovely Seasons of Wonder all four of them are involved in a polyamorous relationship.

[jhall1.livejournal.com]

That's a mind-blowing idea. I wonder what Tolkien would have said! :)

[altariel.livejournal.com]

If you don't tell him, I won't ;-D

It's closer to Monday in your part of the world

[(Anonymous)]

Thank you for my birthday drabble!

Definitely not a course of action I could see JRRT going, but what an interesting idea - not just that the king could be a different person, or that the kingdom should remain with the stewards, but let's change the whole form of the society!

And of course, I love that Aragorn simply laid down the crown - sign of a good governor: know and accept when you are not actually needed.

And the high towers and wide halls of the White City filled again, but not with lords, and the Tree blossomed, and Gondor and Arnor were reunited – not kingdom, but commonwealth.

Lovely last line - great blending of the imagery and symbolism important to Gondor, and great alliteration in that final phrase!

Dwim

Re: It's closer to Monday in your part of the world

[altariel.livejournal.com]

I'm really glad that you like it. You know, I hadn't noticed until you pointed it out that the last phrase alliterated!

Happy birthday! I hope you had a lovely day. Wasn't it a holiday?

[the-wild-iris.livejournal.com]

I never understood why the people of Gondor should welcome Aragorn's claim to the throne any more than the French should welcome the English monarchs'.

[altariel.livejournal.com]

ARAGORN: Et Eärello Endorenna utúlien. Sinome maruvan ar Hildinyar tenn’ Ambar-metta!

GONDORIAN WORTHY [sniffs]: Get him!

[the-wild-iris.livejournal.com]

Distributing swords is no basis for a system of government!

[altariel.livejournal.com]

Whether reforged or not!

[kalypso-v.livejournal.com]

Hurrah!

I think he stays on as a Ranger, and gets on very well with his fellow-citizens, because both sides understand the decision wasn't down to any fault in Aragorn, and his actions had helped them arrive at a democratic form of government.

[altariel.livejournal.com]

Hurrah! I like that outcome too.

[makamu]

I couldn't see Tolkien going there, but I find it an interesting idea nonetheless :) To show this to a wider audience, I have nominated it for a MeFA. I hope that is acceptable? :)

[altariel.livejournal.com]

More than acceptable, thank you very much!