Numberless as the Wings of Trees by Laurëalúmë  

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Fanwork Notes

In this narrative, Galadriel returns to Aman at the end of the Third Age and finds it much changed, just as she herself has changed since she left. There, she reunites with many figures from her past, including a former mentor, seeks answers to loose threads, and ponders the fate of those left behind in Middle-earth. Drawing on a rich array of characters and references, this story considers, among other questions, what became of Galadriel, Frodo, and others after they sailed into the West, why Melian abandoned Doriath, and Galadriel's perspective on the long-term implications of Arwen's choice. I have put much thought and care into this story and truly hope it is engaging and enjoyable! 

Fanwork Information

Summary:

Galadriel returns to Aman at the end of the Third Age and finds it much changed, just as she herself has changed since she left. There, she reunites with many figures from her past, including a former mentor, seeks answers to loose threads, and ponders the fate of those left behind in Middle-earth. Drawing on a rich array of characters and references, this story considers, among other questions, what became of Galadriel, Frodo, and others after they sailed into the West, why Melian abandoned Doriath, and Galadriel's perspective on the long-term implications of Arwen's choice. 

Major Characters: Galadriel, Melian, Gandalf, Frodo

Major Relationships: Beren/Luthien, Aragorn/Arwen, Melian/Thingol, Galadriel & Melian

Genre:

Challenges:

Rating: General

Warnings:

Chapters: 3 Word Count: 8, 913
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Table of Contents

Chapter I. Aman Marred

Galadriel returns to Aman at the end of the Third Age and finds it much changed, just as she has changed since she left. There she is reunited with many figures from her past. 

Chapter II. Joined Lines

Galadriel visits the Gardens of Lórien and meets a familiar face. Together, they tie loose threads and contemplate the fate of loved ones left behind in Middle-earth. 

Chapter III. Departures and Arrivals

In this final chapter, characters meet the destinies that Eru has in store for them. 

Comments on Numberless as the Wings of Trees

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Laurëalúmë has requested the following types of constructive criticism on this fanwork: Characterization, Description/Imagery, Fulfilled Intent, Mood/Tone, Organization/Structure, Pacing, Plot, Point of View, Research, Setting, Spelling, Grammar, and Mechanics, Style, Worldbuilding. All constructive criticism must follow our diplomacy guidelines.

Loving the detail and thoughtfulness of this.  I'm working on a Thing, and this has given me some great background ideas - especially the notion of Melian and Elwe sharing/potentiating capacities, and that of Artanis' youthful sea-voyaging!  One thing - I had always thought of the fana as a sort of "artificial hroa" rather than, as you have it, an energy net/illusion, with an actual hroa as a different other option.  Do you have a reference for this? I have some story invested in the concept of a maia "dropping bod" in an emergency - I can probably make it work with your version if that's more canonickal, but it will take a bit of tweaking.

Thank you very much for taking the time to read my work and for your comment. I believe you are right - fanar are undoubtedly made of physical matter. There is a helpful elaboration of this in The Nature of Middle-earth, XIV 'The Visible Forms of the Valar and Maiar'. By characterizing Melian's fana as a 'veil' (this word is used to describe the fanar of the Valar in the 'Valaquenta'), I didn't mean to imply that it is immaterial. 

My understanding is that Melian's union with Thingol causes the nature (not the substance) of her body to change, becoming more like a fixed hröa: "For Melian was of the divine race of the Valar, and she was a Maia of great power and wisdom; but for love of Elwë Singollo she took upon herself the form of the Elder Children of Ilúvatar, and in that union she became bound by the chain and trammels of the flesh of Arda. In that form she bore to him Lúthien Tinúviel; and in that form she gained a power over the substance of Arda, and by the Girdle of Melian was Doriath defended... But now Thingol lay dead... and with his death a change came also upon Melian. Thus it came to pass that her power was withdrawn in that time... (The Silmarillion, 'Of the Ruin of Doriath'). 

I interpret this passage to mean that, with Thingol's death, Melian is freed from this hröa-like body and restored to her original ability to adopt and discard fanar at will. It is also my understanding that the fixed bodies of the Istari are similarly more like true hröar than fanar. I hope this helps to clarify my line of thought and best wishes for the piece you are working on. 

Beautifully written! I enjoyed Galadriel’s voice and introspection, and especially the part about the light in Valinor, how different it was to see it in sunlight when she had only seen it in treelight before.

Thank you for taking the time to read my work and for your kind feedback! I'm glad you have enjoyed the story so far and hope you like the remainder. I've always imagined that, as with many dreams, the idea of Valinor (treelit, naturally) gave the Noldorin exiles in Middle-earth something to hope for, but the obtained reality would have fallen short of the idea. 

Oh, this was such an in-depth analysis on so many subjects. Both a character study, and study of mortality and about the passing of time, and really, really beautifully written. I especially liked Galadriel's reunion with Melian and the shown similarities between them. The ending with so many passings and the closing of the Straight Road was beautiful, but also sad, but I think that was the only way to end this one. An impressive work!