Story [JRRT's Middle-Earth] [50 Sentences - sort of] The Children of Aulë and Other Tales (27/01/2014)

Title: The Children of Aulë and Other Tales

Fandoms: The Hobbit, with references to The Lord of the Rings and The Silmarillion

Author: laurethiel1138

Disclaimer: I still own nothing.

Note: Encouraged by Mira_Jade ’s heartfelt series of Silmarillion ficlets, and inspired by Richard Armitage’s *ahem* majestic turn as Thorin Oakenshield, I’ve finally decided to take the bait and tackle the 50 sentences challenge again. However, and taking into account the fact that I do have to finish writing my Ph.D. thesis sometime this year, I have decided to adapt the challenge format to prevent me from obsessing overmuch about what is, after all, supposed to be a hobby. Thus, my objective will be to release sentences from 15 to 20 prompts every two weeks or so, making the workload more manageable.

And so, without further ado, enjoy!

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January

01. Wall
The Western Gate of Moria seemed at first an impenetrable wall, but held within itself the mark of a glorious and bygone age, when Elves and Dwarves were at peace; but this fire had not been completely extinguished, and hidden among the ashes were embers all but waiting for the right occasion to blaze again.

02. Bridge
And there, on the great Bridge of Khazad-Dum, did Durin’s Bane meet his doom, as he fell one last time to the depths of the Earth, at long last overpowered by the Servant of Anor.

03. Architect
Aulë, the great architect of the Valar, made his creations nigh impervious, but he could not know that the Seven Rings would play on their one fault, greed, and lead them to destruction.

04. Different
One mortal, short, dark-haired, stocky and filthy, and the other everlasting, tall, fair-headed, lithe and pristine; Thorin and Thranduil could not have been more different.

05. Alike
And yet, they could not have been more alike, for both kings were too proud to let go of ancient grudges, and thus could not reach an accord which would have prevented much sorrow.

06. Catch
Like an illness that was catching, the Gold Sickness slowly took hold of Thorin’s mind, and, looking at him struggle with his demons, one could only take as a blessing in disguise the fact that the last Dwarven Ring had been lost along with his father Thrain, as the struggle would then have indeed been in vain.

07. Tale
Bilbo Baggins indeed had quite a tale to tell when he returned from his adventure to Erebor.

08. Telling
However, in the telling of it, he omitted some details, and embellished others, so that the result was more akin to a children’s story than the true account of the Quest.

09. Hidden
The One had laid hidden, deep in the darkness of the goblin caves, but when a young and hale Hobbit crossed its path, it knew it was time to try again to go back to its master.

10. Claim
And by laying claim to this deceptively simple trinket, Bilbo was far from imagining he held the fate of Middle-Earth in his humble hands.

11. Blank
Bilbo felt his face go blank just before he fainted as his mind desperately tried to fathom the meaning of “incineration”, amongst other dire ends for his person.

12. Empty
As Thorin left the meeting in Ered Luin with nothing but empty promises of assistance from his kin, his resolution almost faltered when he contemplated the impossibility of the Quest laid before him.

13. Full
But he also remembered those waiting for him in the Shire, his spirits fully lifted, for those were Dwarves with loyalty, honour and a willing heart, and he would take twelve of those over any unwilling army.

14. Far
And so the Dwarves, led by Thorin Oakenshield, sung of the doom of their homeland, far over the Misty Mountains cold, in a song so poignant that even a heart of stone could not be unmoved.

15. Beyond
Beyond pride, beyond gold and beyond kingship, the Quest tugged at Thorin’s heartstrings in a fully elemental fashion, for he had never completely recovered from the loss of Erebor and simply yearned to breathe again the air of his childhood home.

 

YAY! I'm so glad to see you doing LOTR/Hobbit/etc. sentences!

I can't pick a favorite, but I did really enjoy the one about Thorin and Thranduil--both so stubborn! And so intent on protecting what is theirs.

I also was interested to learn (because I haven't read the Hobbit, just seen the movies) that Thorin's father had one of the rings Sauron gave to the dwarven kings. Very interesting!

I can't wait to read more!

 

Laure! Wonderful! I will be following these avidly. Mira can be quite inspiring.

 

Mira_Jade , NYCitygurl , Nyota's Heart ,
Thank you all for your kind words of encouragement. It is a daunting task, to take up again the 50 sentences challenge, especially with a fandom I have trod before, but the muse will not let go, and I only hope my offerings will be as good (if not better) as the previous ones, and I will try not to be repetitive. The change of perspective from Elves and Men to Dwarves will certainly help.

NYCG:
The Dwarven Rings were lost along the Ages until only the Longbeards' was accounted for, and Thror (Thorin's grandfather) was the last who had it officially in his posession, even commiting the sacrilege of wearing it openly in Erebor. In my mind, Thror gave it to Thrain just before Azanulbizar, in the event he did not come back.

And yes, Thorin and Tranduil could do with having some sense knocked into their heads! I understand where they're coming from, but really!

Mira:
Your insight about Aule is interesting, very interesting indeed, and gives me much to ponder... Aule the Selfish? Somehow it doesn't sound strange.

Thorin and Thranduil... What can I do with them? They seem so like children at times...

And "poor Thorin" indeed... I fear my heart will not be able to bear watching TABA, and yet I know I will be sat there, in the theatre, probably crying. I blame Armitage entirely for having me care so much about his character's journey, and feel his longing for home with such keen poignancy...

 

Merry Durin's Day! (Happy New Year!)

16. Heal
The loss of the great halls of Khazad-Dum had ever been a crippling blow for the Dwarves, and even all the glories of Erebor at its pinnacle could not heal the collective grief felt at such a shameful, heart-wrenching defeat.

17. Steady
Though he had had enough of a steady hand in the fire of battle, Thorin was firstly at a loss when the time came to take up the leadership of the remaining Dwarven forces in Middle-Earth: heir of Durin he might be, but he was such a Dwarfling still, and he had not expected the burden of rule to seize him so soon.

18. Aid
Galadriel had seen many rises and falls in her long life, and had learned to recognize the signs that always accompanied the spirit of the one she had first known as Annatar; and so when Olorin came to her with a Morgul blade, she did not hesitate to pledge her aid, for where the Dark Lord strove to create dissension, the only answer was to unite ever more tightly against him.

19. Kinship
When his sister had put first a sun-kissed bundle in his arms, and then a few years later, a moonlit one, Thorin had all but cried with joy at these extraordinary blessings, as, for the first time in too many years, he felt that he could at long last start to live for the future instead of continuously dwelling in the past.

20. Falter
Kili, deep in concentration, released arrow after arrow from his training bow: he had endured enough teasing for choosing such an unconventional weapon for a Dwarf as his weapon of choice, and Mahal smite him, but he would make sure to never shame himself by faltering on the battlefield.

21. Heart
They called the Arkenstone the Heart of the Mountain, but it was an ill-fated name, for those who were unlucky enough to behold it hardened their own until they became but hearts of stone, forgetting the softer emotions of empathy, friendship and love as jealousy, envy and greed poisoned their blood.

22. Soul
It was time, Durin the Deathless thought, time to leave his descendants and let them tackle the difficulties of rule for a change; but he knew his soul would never be fully recalled by Mahal, their maker, and that he would always hover, waiting to merge his spirit with that of another of his line, always ready to rise and rise again to guide them in times of great need.

23. Truth
As is often the case, the truth of the matter about the feud between Elves and Dwarves lay somewhere in the middle of their respective accounts of the wrongs endured; and as is also often the case, both sides were too stubborn to listen to the voice of reason, perpetuating conflict where they might have brokered peace.

24. Hope
But in two unlikely players, namely the Prince of the Woodland realm and a scion of the loftiest Longbeard line, a friendship born out of necessity blossomed, and the expression “better late than never” was fully realized, hope fanning the few embers left lying amongst the ash.

25. Faith
And when the faith between those two mighty peoples was at long last restored, did the lands of Middle-Earth flourish anew, as the Valar saw fit to offer recompense for the wisdom Elves and Dwarves had finally found again.

26. Depth
In spite of the little voice in his head warning him of the senseless dangers he might encounter, Durin VI, Lord of Khazad-Dum, gave the order to dig ever more mithril mines, and there in the depths of the Earth his doom was at last met, and his Bane unleashed from its fiery pit.

27. Lovely
Gimli had never expected to be so taken by one who was so tall, so fair, so… beardless; but then even he had to acknowledge that the Lady Galadriel was indeed a lovely sight to behold, and that merely being in her company eased ever-so-slightly the pain of seeing his cousin’s last resting place, and of witnessing his father’s dear friend Gandalf being swept into the depths of Khazad-Dum by the fiery whip of Durin’s Bane.

28. Distract
For all that few years separated them, the difference was still great when both were but Dwarflings still, and so Kili soon learned to distract Fili with many a underhanded tactic in order to win a training match… not that it always worked, of course, for Fili was also known to give as good as he got.

29. Bearing
“I know these walls, these halls… this stone,” Thorin said as he stepped into Erebor again, closing his eyes against the onslaught of memories as tears fought to be shed, and when he opened them, it was as though the last few hundred years of blood, toil, sweat and tears had been nothing as his bearing became again that of the Prince under the Mountain, heir of Durin the Deathless, chief of the Longbeard clan, noble scion of an ancient House, at last come home to reclaim his kingdom.

30. Troublesome
Finding a snake in his bed – completely harmless, of course – Thorin reflected that a more troublesome pair as Fili and Kili had never been born, before he recanted himself, well remembering the more successful pranks he and his late brother, Frerin, had a long time ago played upon Dis, their own dearest sister.

 

Bravo on a terrific set. Love especially #18--Aid - very true and insightful about Galadriel. #21--Heart - very true. The greed to possess that which shouldn't or cannot be -- leads to disaster. #23-25 -- Like how the enmity turns to friendship and cooperation. #27-- Absolutely Gimli's reaction (and mine)

 

Wonderful! Hope is something I ave to keep remembering as I go through these movies and want to clonk some heads Heart is a bit scary and makes me so sad for Thorin and his kin; I hope his nephews don't fall to the same curse! And Aid -- Galadriel is one smart lady!

Great job!

 

Nyota's Heart, Mira_Jade, NYCitygurl,
As always, thank you for your kind words. It is always nice to know one's work is appreciated, and your comments go a long way to motivate me to continue this challenge.

Now, onto more specific reactions, which may overlap in some cases.

NH & NYCG:
Galadriel indeed saw many mistakes made during her lifetime, and wise is the one who learns from other's failures as well as their own... but hope can always be found, and ancient enmities buried if the time is right, though one must be careful not to be led astray by too selfish pursuits which only create disension. I'm glad to know those particular sentences resonated with you.

Mira:
I have a feeling we'll say "poor Thorin" a lot in these sentences (and in the movies, too!). From the fall of Erebor to Azanulbizar, he didn't have the happiest life, that is for sure! Though I do try to give him some heartwarming moments, even if this may not be easy... Kili and Fili surely provided him with quite a few occasions to smile, and I may explore more of that in the future. I love your expression here: "grave beauty" has such a nice ring to it, and Armitage is just perfect in the role...

It is also nice to let the mind wander and give some glimpses of other eras, depending on the prompt and the inspiration of the moment. Sometimes a sentence imposes itself, and no other will do. We'll see how this challence shapes up, but I have a feeling my horizons will expand in the writing of it.

 

31. Weave
Though the arts of the spell-smiths of old were all but lost, a young Thorin pestered all in Erebor who could possess such knowledge, from the master librarian to the lowly elderly Dwarf at his anvil, determined to collect all the lore he could and weave it into the strongest weapons, for one never knew when trouble could come knocking on one’s door.

32. Fray
Thorin felt the fabric of his mind slowly fray at the edges, and, no matter how many threads of sanity he could manage to hold on to, he knew that his personality would never be the same, irrevocably changed by the pressure applied on its fragile tapestry.

33. Friend
Thorin could ask for no better friends than Balin and Dwalin, who had been with him through thick and thin, from the glory of Erebor to the shame of exile, from the cruel defeat at Azanulbizar to the rebuilding of their home in Ered Luin, and it was fitting, he thought, that here, at the end of all things, they would still be with him as he lead them on what he knew would be his final charge.

34. Brother
“You have only one brother left, now,” Thorin told Dis, giving her the dire announcement of the fate the men of the family had met by the Eastern Gate of Khazad-Dum, enfolding her in his strong arms to give her what solace he could even as he felt his own heart break anew under the voicing of such ill tidings, his tears mingling with hers on the front of his tunic, too preoccupied with the trembling shudders of her body to dare go searching about for a handkerchief.

35. Comrade
Dis’s intended may not have been of the highest Dwarven nobility, nor amongst the richest of the exiles in the Blue Mountains, but he had been a true comrade when the occasion had demanded it, and Thorin curbed his natural sense of pride when the Dwarf came to make clear his intentions, keeping in mind that his sister’s happiness was all that mattered in this case.

36. Spouse
Dis had thought that there would be no end to the river of bitter tears tracking down her cheeks into her beard, until the solemn evening when her One had proposed, and she learned that day that not all tears were evil, her eyes growing full to the brim with unspeakable happiness as she gave him a resounding “yes”.

37. Child
And then, a few years later, she felt the first flutterings of a new life growing within her, and she thanked Mahal again for this new blessing, tears of joy setting her eyes afire like so many sparkling gems as she brought her husband’s hands to rest on her belly, confirming with a nod that their most secret wish had come true.

38. Ever
Elves lived for ever, or so Thranduil thought in his youth, but first the War of the Last Alliance had taken his father Oropher from him, and laid a crippling blow to the Greenwood army besides, and then his wife had been slain by a raid perpetrated by renegade Orcs preying on the borders of his realm.

39. Never
And so he had vowed that never the like should happen again, setting all able Elves within his realm on a grueling training regimen from which not even his own son was exempted, his mind bent on protecting his home and his people, until this concern superseded all others, the blood in his veins coursing with utter dread when news of a dragon raining hell on Erebor and Dale reached his ears.

40. Scorn
Therefore he had not dared commit his forces when he had reached the plains before the sundered kingdoms of Men and Dwarves, seeing that all that might have been salvaged was already laid to waste, and though he knew he would earn the scorn of Durin’s heirs that day, he also knew he could not risk the fall of yet a third kingdom in a row, choosing instead to survive and fight another day.

41. Betrayal
The Elven King’s betrayal when Smaug had attacked Erebor had smarted, and deeply, though Thorin had come to understand (if not respect, much less forgive) the reasoning behind Thranduil’s actions that fateful day; but it paled in comparison to the utter shock the would-be King Under the Mountain had felt when his own blood, in the figure of Dain Ironfoot, had refused to lend any aid to his Quest, not even in the form of a few token men as a show of good faith.

42. Potency
Legolas, well-trained in brews and wines of varying potency sampled (and then some) during many a Feast of Starlight in his home, knew that no mere Rohirrim ale could come close to making him even slightly tipsy, and so set out with unrestrained glee to prove to one Gimli, son of Gloin, how very vastly superior the Elven constitution was.

43. Limit
Though the Elven prince had to admit to being ever-so-slightly impressed by the Dwarven resistance to alcoholic drink, wondering more than once how so small a body could ingest so very much and still be standing, and even if he was by no means close to his own limit, it was with a certain sense of relief that he saw Gloin’s son keel over, at long last at the end of his endurance.

44. Anchor
Thorin had faced the death of his grandfather with quiet dignity, and come to terms with the fact of his father’s disappearance and all it entailed for one of Durin’s line, but his mithril-clad composure all but shattered when they brought his little brother’s still body on a litter after the disaster of Azanulbizar, and only Balin’s firm grip on his shoulder, anchoring him in the middle of the storm, had the force to remind him not to give in, and to save his grief for a more private moment.

45. Harbor
The last little Dwarfling having fled Erebor, the great drake Smaug furled his wings, like a ship’s sails when she’s coming into a harbor, and buried himself under the sea of golden treasure, content to simply lie there, breathing in the aromas of the various metals and precious stones contained therein.

 

Comrade, Spouse & Child - very nice glimpses into Dis's experiences. And for #42-43. I can just picture the drinking contest.

 

it was fitting, he thought, that here, at the end of all things, they would still be with him as he lead them on what he knew would be his final charge.

This line, the end of all things, got to me--I started tearing up a little. Such moving sentences! I like the variety, from Thorin's grief to Gimli keeling over drunk

 

it was fitting, he thought, that here, at the end of all things, they would still be with him as he lead them on what he knew would be his final charge.

This line, the end of all things, got to me--I started tearing up a little. Such moving sentences! I like the variety, from Thorin's grief to Gimli keeling over drunk

 

I am a bit of a rush this week, so I don't have time to respond to your comments. Rest assured, though, that each and every one of them was greatly appreciated, and I will get back to replying to them in due time. I only thought that you would prefer more sentences instead, so the next set will be in the following post.

Lauré

 

46. Adrift
There, adrift in a sea of gold, lay the Arkenstone, and it was strange how so very small a thing could be the key to the fate of an entire race.

47. Greetings
Gandalf frowned at the aborted exchange of playful greetings he’d just had with the one Hobbit, but he would not be deterred: Bilbo Baggins would be coming on the Quest, whether he wished it or not.

48. Goodbye
Of course, when Bilbo said his last “Good morning” to Gandalf, what he really meant was “Goodbye”, but a nagging feeling told him that this would not be the last he would see of the grey wizard, and though he determinedly went about his day as usual, the Tookish part of him could not help but wonder just why Gandalf had come.

49. Fleeting
After the battle of Azanulbizar, it was forcibly brought upon Thorin how very fleeting life was, when he had to face the harsh reality of the battlefield with Mahal recalling so many of his children that day, his own personal loss but one amongst so many.

50. Eternal
But the glory of the House of Durin was eternal, and, his eyes burning with the fire of his brother’s funeral pyre, he vowed that when the occasion to regain the lost honour of the Khazad would present itself, then, with the help of Mahal, he would see it done.

February

01. Journey
On his journey to Erebor, Bilbo Baggins, Hobbit of the Shire, would quickly learn that there were circumstances in Middle-Earth much direr than the inelegant act of forgetting one’s handkerchief; indeed, looking back on his wide-eyed innocence of the world beyond the borders of the Shire, he did not know how he’d made it even to Rivendell.

02. Guide
Gandalf had set out to be a guide to Thorin Oakenshield as he went to reclaim the halls of his forefathers, hoping to be a tempering influence on the oftentimes prideful and stubborn Dwarf, and to curb his line’s tendency to think only of treasure, so it was unfortunate indeed that more important matters at hand dictated that he went to Dol Guldur, for he suspected Thorin’s visit with Thranduil would have been very different, leading to a much better outcome outside the gates of Erebor.

03. Guardian
His sister had been unable to stop her sons from joining him in his Quest, so full with tales of glorious Erebor were their heads, and so in exchange she had given Thorin full guardianship over his boisterous nephews, making him promise that he would do all he could to keep them safe from harm.

04. Endeavor
As soon as he saw Thorin, son of Thrain, son of Thror, Thranduil knew the full truth of their endeavour, his spirit filling with dread at the prospect, for he knew dragon-fire indeed, and seldom had even Elves been victorious against such terrible foes.

05. Hospitality
Bard’s hospitality left much to be desired, and the weapons he proposed not really weapons at all, but after knowing the tender mercies of the Elven king Thranduil, Thorin and his company would find themselves hard-pressed to find fault in their host, though they must needs bluster truculently as a matter of course.

06. Breakfast
Staring at his lonely breakfast after the Dwarves’ impromptu party, Bilbo could not help but feel the devastating emptiness of the house, and his gaze kept drifting to the tidy contract bundled up together, displaying the bold signatures of Thorin and Balin, daring him to join in the adventure he’d been offered.

07. Lunch
Bilbo looked at the bowl of stew the Company had provided him at lunchtime, wistfully remembering his carefully cooked meals in his home of Bag End: while it was not quite enough to make him turn back now, it was yet another inconvenience of living on the road he found very hard to accept, though good manners dictated he did so gratefully.

08. Dinner
Sitting at dinner with the Dwarves in Rivendell, Bilbo could not help but be appalled at their lack of manners toward their hosts; he had come to understand that Elves and Dwarves did not go along well, to put it mildly, but certainly it did not mean that they had to throw food around and sing such dreadful songs...

09. Snack
Thorin glared at the Trolls with all the majestic presence he could muster whilst still being tied into a burlap sack, finding the prospect of ending up as a mere snack for these disgusting creatures a quite thoroughly humiliating experience for one who had faced the Pale Orc and lived to tell the tale, and he would not go down without a fight.

10. Tea
Sipping a cup of restorative tea on one of Rivendell’s many balconies, Bilbo was once again taken in by the serenity of this place, thinking that he might well respond to Lord Elrond’s offer one day, when he would have enough of living in the Shire, and come reside here for a spell before his final journey.

 

Oh how I enjoyed the ones particularly focused on Bilbo and Gandalf. Their impressions and introspections I, like Bilbo, would probably find the same things inconvenient, being a true, unrepentant "foodie" and Rivendell's serenity has a soul-deep appeal.

 

10. Tea
Sipping a cup of restorative tea on one of Rivendell’s many balconies, Bilbo was once again taken in by the serenity of this place, thinking that he might well respond to Lord Elrond’s offer one day, when he would have enough of living in the Shire, and come reside here for a spell before his final journey.

And so he did!

I loved the ones about Thorin and his family the best! Such a harsh time Thorin has had, and his journey is not done yet.