Comments on Warmth

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chrissystriped has requested the following types of constructive criticism on this fanwork: Spelling, Grammar, and Mechanics, Style. All constructive criticism must follow our diplomacy guidelines.

Oh, this was lovely! Both of these OC’s of yours are very dear to me, and I always enjoy reading new stories about them. Sharû was rather wary around Mablung in the beginning, and the Orcs’ concerns about Melkor’s motives are valid, what if Melkor wants to dominate them to get his powers back? It must be a stressful situation, even though Mablung tries his best to convince him that Melkor is changed. Mablung is so sweet – and the poor elf is feeling cold so easily. That sweater sounds like a very useful present! And it was very considerate of Sharû to ask if Mablung felt comfortable to travel to the island with him. Their positions had been so different in Angband. But I think this little meeting was really important for both of them.

​​I'm so happy my love for my OCs is shared by my readers.

A lot of Sharû's people are carrying their worries about Melkor being pardoned to him and he is worried, too. They are afraid their former king might force them to fight their new friends. He doesn't know how far he can trust Mablung's judgement (he fell in love with Melkor, after all, and Sharû thinks that a little mad in and of itself), but it does calm him a little, that Mablung is so sure.

Sharû has experience with meeting Angband-elves and while Mablung seems surprisingly unfazed, he doesn't want to presume anything. He'd rather be too careful than not careful enough. He's so happy when Mablung offers him his friendship. Mablung has grown and changed and everything feels different in Aman from when he was a boy -- and Melkor is not there with him -- and I think he reaches out to Sharû not only because he doesn't want him to feel guilty but also because he's someone he knows, someone he shares a past with, in an unfamiliar place.

Mablung is so relieved to have something warm to wear now!

This certainly is a novel view. I haven't read your AU fics yet and I'm now intrigued to discover more. Orcs in Aman really appeals to me, since I don't subscribe to anything being inherently evil, and certainly not the idea of being undeserving by dint of species or any other imposed circumstance. But no matter how progressive a person is, it takes time and conscious effort to overcome long-held prejudices, and I like that "Mablung didn’t feel any different around him than he would have around an elf." That Melkor has changed his mind (through torture?) and that Mablung is so certain about this is intriguing, although I imagine I'll find some answers when I read more of your AU.

I really relate to Sharû's need to give the gift, and that Mablung's warmth on his trip back to the mainland is as much from the friendship in which the jersey was given as from the wool. A lovely, heart-warming fic. Thank you!

Thank you for reading despite not knowing the AU! I'm glad you enjoyed it nonetheless.

I have a very soft spot for orcs and don't think they are all evil just because they are orcs. My headcanon is that Morgoth and Sauron certainly tried to turn them all into soulless killing machines, but it didn't always work out that well. Most of them have the potential for good, buried more or less deeply, but it's hard to be good in a place like Angband – or if no one of the ‘good guys’ is giving you a chance.

Sharû feels guilty about their past and he knows he can't really make it up, but giving this small gift is at least something and Mablung (who is the most forgiving person in all of Arda, I might add) is very happy that they can be friends now.

If you are so inclined, you can find the story about how the orcs ended up in Aman here: Finding Lost Family (only on AO3 right now) It's linked with Mighty Love, but works on its own. (Don't be surprised at the presence of Ecthelion, in my AU he wasn't killed in Gondolin, but taken captive.)

Melkor is very broken after his second imprisonment in Mandos, he doesn't have it in him anymore to fight, even if he wanted to. But his change is mostly due to falling in love with Mablung and also living with elves and coming to care for them and realising that there are more important things than power and world domination. (If you feel like tackling Mighty Love itself, which at almost 500k words is admittedly very long, I also feel the urge to warn you that it gets very dark and dub/non-con in places, especially in the first third of the story which is set in Angband. Also my translation skills got a lot better over the course of translating it, so the first chapters might sound a little rough.)