I found the tiered manner of their deaths fascinating. It seems the further along each son died, the more gruesome the manner of their death's description became. It could also be a mark of investment through the perspective of
Curufin. Perhaps because he is closer to
Celegorm and then closest to himself, we naturally are invited an increasingly visceral look at their dooms.
It is also because, as the battle stretches on, the combatants become wearier. More desperate, less careful. Their hatred and anger increases. All this means they are less likely to hesitate at an opportunity to strike, and strike hard.
It gets more close and personal too as they all get more desperate to kill the other (and avenge their losses) before they are killed themselves.
Caranthir's mortal wound was inflicted at a spear's distance away. Dior did not hold back at this opportunity to rid himself of one of his assailants, and shattered his primary
weapon with the force of the blow he inflicted. Then he drew his
sword, and the fight continued.
Celegorm was killed at a sword's distance away, a sword held at arm's length.
Curufin was killed at
no distance away, held in Dior's grasp. Likewise, Curufin's hands were right against Dior's chest as he killed him, with the dagger buried to the hilt.
All this is more based on my knowledge of medieval
battles and hand to hand combat. It gets messier the longer it goes on, and the more desperate people get, trying to be
the one who survives.
I thought it was interesting the Light motif returns, which Curufin seems to pick out in the members of his family. He now focuses upon Dior, who was not and never has been in
Valinor, who could not have the light of the Two
Trees... and yet, Curufin still looks for light.
Dior does have the light of the Two Trees, though. It's in the Silmaril, which Dior was reported to be wearing, and this is what Curufin is looking for. He can't see any of that light around Dior, however. Which is why he wonders if the Silmaril is hidden on his person somewhere.
Ironically, it seems Curufin has come to terms with his inability to create lasting work in light of failing to complete the Oath. The strange sort of "comfort" in which it appears the last failure, greatest of them all, could not begin to matter with the line of his other "failures". Such implies he did not have the heart to actually complete any of these outward ambitions. It makes one wonder "if he had only tried", what would have been different? Had he not tried to create? Had he not tried to fulfill the Oath? But all along, he had not, so it appears. Perhaps it is freeing for him to not have to "try" any longer...
Oh, he certainly had tried to create things, and to fulfil the Oath.
Curufin's heart brings him a strange, paradoxical elation, as if to comfort him in his last moments, when in his whole life he has never cared enough to search his own heart at all, which is perhaps where he could have found the inspiration for truly great works, like those made by his father. If he had only tried.
It is his own heart which he never searched. Where he could have 'found his inspiration', as
Fëanor calls it in the first chapter. His heart offers him comfort in the end, even though in his whole life he neglected it: never cared to search it, to listen to it, to understand it. To understand himself, his own passions and loves, even where they differ from those of his father.
If he had only tried to do so, maybe things would have been different. But he only realises this at the very end, when it is too late. And this is what breaks his heart, that final bitter realisation. It ends his life even before he fully succumbs to his wound.
But you are right. Though it is a bitter ending, it is a relief to no longer have to try. And a mercy. If Curufin had survived
Doriath, he only would have gotten worse. He would have only been living for the Oath, and would stop at nothing. It is a mercy for his own soul, and for his surviving brothers, who would surely have been tormented by witnessing this ever-increasing distortion of the character of someone they love.
Curufin smiles twice in this chapter. I still recall the irony of him being known to smile in tense situations. But I find it contrasting on the occasions here in which he smiles. First, he smiles at the manner in which he strikes at Dior, and lastly, he smiles at his unachievements, finding it fitting in his life.
Imagine such is the expression on his face when his brothers reach his fallen side...
It is a rather strange reaction.
His smiling at Dior is a rather more vicious one, like a hunter with cornered prey. Closer to a typical cold 'villainous' smile, which you might see in many fictional antagonists. It's also somewhat derisive and mocking.
The smile on his face at the end is the one he gets in tense situations, as you say. When feeling helpless or deeply uncomfortable, he smiles. An automatic reaction, like a cornered and exhausted animal baring its teeth. This time, he is the prey. But he is not the sort of person to show it, or admit to feeling it, and he certainly does not want to further display his vulnerability. And so his reaction is to smile.
I found your depiction of
Annatar to be quite unique amidst all the fan works I've encountered. My first impression was I did not recognize him until you stated his name. But I was pleased to find in
Celebrimbor's eyes there would be nothing to show this visitor as
the Deceiver. Something I think many
authors and
artists do not invite the impression of seeing.
I tried to follow
Tolkien's description of
Sauron being a tall, imposing and commanding presence. So Annatar is big and strong, and also very sure of himself.
But if he is pretending to be a newcomer from Valinor, he should have nothing obviously dark about him. He wears clothes similar to
Aulë in the first chapter, with their simplicity and maroon colouring. The rest of him is light and shining, reminiscent of the sky and the air, of things untouched by
Morgoth.
He is commanding, and it is hard to ignore him (Sauron). But he is very softly spoken, and not forceful, and thus only appears passionate and charismatic, someone who people
want to listen to, feeling drawn/pulled and not compelled/pushed (Annatar).
When Annatar tells Celebrimbor of his desires, he does not tell a single lie. But he does not reveal the whole truth of who he is, or what those goals of his will end up looking like in reality.
The touch of his hand is warm, unusually warm. But it is not that burning deadly heat that Sauron can use to kill.
I made sure the 'Annatar veil' was as thin as possible. Sauron's characteristics are only slightly modified or reduced in intensity. Never completely erased, altered or hidden. Deception is always so much more effective when most of it is authenticity. For it is hard to make a sustained and convincing imitation of true passion. Therefore Sauron's passion is real. But his underlying motives and final ends are hidden.
I think that is something many authors especially do not show. In every fanfic with him included, it is so evident to us Annatar is Sauron by how he acts and looks, especially how he acts. Here, it is not so. He acts quite... normal. You have removed the bias of hindsight and knowledge. Annatar is not as obvious as we believe him to be. He's not the Deceiver in disguise for nothing. Here, Celebrimbor, even with the miniscule misgivings he brushes aside incognizantly, is reasonable. It's not so cut and dried an enemy we are looking in the face, and I believe you are the first to give us an unbiased perspective of the author's knowledge. There are things that are "odd" yes, but in Celebrimbor's eyes would not draw suspicion due to the way he interprets and idealizes. We do not see negatively-connotated emotions from Annatar. And such makes much more sense than the egotistical, manipulative Annatar most are writing. While Sauron is indeed deceiving Celebrimbor, it is Annatar he lets take center stage to bury the "obvious". It is intriguing you have chosen to have Annatar give Celebrimbor a ring initially. A dangerous move, cleverly hidden significance before the contemplating Celebrimbor. Annatar and Celebrimbor have the same ideas. Sauron and Celebrimbor do not.
❤️
It's something I see a lot in media in general, with their depictions of deceptive and manipulative characters. I'll use Shakespeare plays as an example. There are a few deceptive characters in there, which other people believe and are convinced by, to their detriment. But something I rarely see is an attempt to 'play it straight' by the actor portraying them. To act as if they are completely honest, genuine and soft-hearted when they say what they do, and then only switch to their sly, smirking villainous self when they're alone and monologuing. They just switch between 'less sly' and 'more sly'. It's entertaining, but I feel like it misses
the mark.
I think it would make for a more powerful performance from actors if they truly showcase what the text implies about the character, that they are masters of dissembling, of pretending they are genuine when they are not.
I very much enjoyed writing 'Annatar', to see how 'realistic' and believable I could make this false friend, to see how I could hide his being Sauron in plain sight, without resorting to the easy way out of making him an outright liar.
Well, we have arrived at long last, the works of Curufinwë immortalized for all, to the end.
What can one say at the end of such a journey? It's quite clear you've lived the story and not just written it. You became the Curufinwë's and delivered. Strange how incomplete works can sometimes be more complete than those which are. I'm not sure if you intended it, but in a way, this work is left incomplete. The ending of the ending you chose not to include. I find such artful. But also, thank you for not ending with Tyelpë's death. 🥺
Sometimes, to be a work incomplete is more profound for all... 💍
It was a journey indeed!
It was a huge weight off my mind when I finally finished, due to all the various story threads and themes I had to keep in my mind while I was writing. I was aggressively playing minigames on my phone after finishing this chapter, since I wanted something active to keep me occupied and fill the void of its departure, and yet I had used up all my creative energy for the day, so I could not switch to another creative project immediately. 😂
Indeed, I did not feel the death of Celebrimbor was part of this story in particular.
And while The Works of Curufinwë is complete, and I feel nothing is missing from it, you are right that something still feels incomplete.
...And that is what I Will Hold Your Hand Again is for! The journey of father, mother and son, beyond the works of their hands alone.
