Mairon: 30-Day Character Study by elennalore  

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Fanwork Notes

My fiction entries for the 30-Day challenge are here (rating may change later). My non-fiction entries are posted on my Dreamwidth blog.

Fanwork Information

Summary:

Ficlets and drabbles on Mairon written for 30-Day Character Study.

Major Characters: Sauron

Major Relationships: Melkor/Sauron, Celebrimbor/Sauron

Genre: Ficlet, Fixed-Length Ficlet

Challenges: 30-Day Character Study, Jubilee

Rating: General

Warnings:

Chapters: 5 Word Count: 748
Posted on Updated on

This fanwork is a work in progress.

Angband

Prompt 3: Strong Points, Part One. Write a scene in which your character really shines at something. A 100 word drabble.

Read Angband

Angband was Melkor’s idea, but it was Mairon who made Melkor’s dream a reality. Mairon had a talent for organizing – he could make things happen. He was patient when he laid his plans, a great future in mind. Melkor created chaos around him, but that was only a starting point for Mairon. He missed Melkor, but in his absence, Angband thrived.

The chaos returned with Melkor. Initially quite shaken up, Mairon soon adapted to the new circumstances. He always adjusted – it was another of his strengths. Besides, he still loved Melkor, as he loved everything that could shake his world.

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To Not Appear Weak

Prompt 7: Affiliations, Part One. Think about an important relationship your character has to another character in your verse. I wrote a 100 word drabble for this prompt about Mairon and Melkor.

Read To Not Appear Weak

Melkor wanted to own Mairon, as he wanted to own all things that were precious to someone and make them his own. Mairon knew this, but to have Melkor’s admiration felt like a prize, not a prison. Fire can’t be tamed, and Melkor let him burn bright. Mairon learned much from him.

That time when he lost a fortress to Lúthien? Mairon doesn’t want to remember his failure, for that’s what it was. He didn’t flee; he knew he had to face the consequences. Some time to heal was needed, that’s all. He couldn’t appear weak in front of Melkor.

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Obsidian Mirror

Prompt 8: The Mirror Cliche. Write a scene where your character sees their reflection. What do they see? What do they feel as they see it? A 100 word drabble.

Read Obsidian Mirror

Something made Mairon stop in front of an obsidian mirror. Later, he could not say why; he was in a hurry – Melkor couldn’t bear waiting, especially now, his foot wounded and hurting. In the mirror, Mairon’s reflection stared back at him. His eyes burned like little stars, his hair danced around his pale face like wisps of smoke and fire. His chin rose a little; he was in a defiant mood. This was his own little moment. Dressed in black and grinning with sharp teeth, he could look intimidating if he wanted. Angband was like that – and he felt powerful.

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Iron Cage

Prompt 15: Big Ideas, Part Two. Using one of the big ideas from Prompt 14, revise an existing fanwork so that this idea is more strongly emphasized or create a new fanwork that brings this idea to the center of the piece.

A 100 word drabble about Mairon as a muse. Like the first chapter 'Angband', but from Melkor's perspective.

Read Iron Cage

Melkor returned to find Angband thriving, and he was glad. Mairon had steadfastly stayed behind and fulfilled Melkor’s dream. Of course, he had – it was a dream that Mairon himself had kindled in Melkor’s heart. All his time in Mandos, Melkor had dreamed of a mighty fortress, and the mighty people living there. His muse, Little Flame, had made it a reality. Mairon’s flame burned in Melkor’s heart, inside his ribcage, inside the iron prison. Without him, Melkor would be hollow and empty. Without him, he could not create, only steal and maim. He needed his little flame to thrive.

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Realization

Prompt 19: Strong Points, Part Two. Revisit the list of strengths you’ve thought about for Prompt 3. This time, write a scene in which your character’s strong points cause them trouble.

My chosen prompt was: He cares about things and is capable of love. A Silvergifting ficlet (300+ words) where Mairon's love complicates his plans.

Read Realization

Celebrimbor was not his usual happy self that morning. He seemed to have lost his appetite, and there was a haunted look in his eyes when he turned to look at Annatar at the meal hall. A sudden pang of worry filled Mairon’s heart, followed by a feeling of helplessness. Something was wrong, something was making Tyelpë sad, and he just wanted to make him feel better again.

Mairon’s hand touched Celebrimbor’s shoulder lightly, as if fearing that the Elf would just squirm away from the touch, but instead, Tyelpë’s face softened and a weak smile flickered across his face as their eyes met again. Mairon’s heart was pounding in his chest; he didn’t want that moment of connection to end.

“You must wonder why I feel sad today, Annatar,” Celebrimbor said at last. “I’m sorry, I didn’t want to make you worry. It’s just... today is the anniversary of my father’s death, and this day always makes me feel... conflicted, but also... sad. I wish he were here.”

Mairon didn’t answer at once. He thought he felt a part of Tyelpë’s pain inside him, which was novel, and strange. He knew who Celebrimbor’s father was, of course, and how he had met his end. They had been the enemies of his Master, and their death – or Tyelpë’s grief – should not have affected him.

Why did he want to comfort Tyelpë, then?

“Let me hug you,” he found himself saying, and when Tyelpë pressed himself against Mairon’s chest and they embraced, it was like a gentle spring had arrived in the middle of winter.

“I hope you feel better soon,” Mairon whispered, such strange words to say to an Elf in such an honest way. But this one was not just any Elf. This one he loved.

It was a silent confession, not to be spoken aloud. And with it, came the grim realization.

This complicates things.

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I really resonate with the concept of Mairon balancing Melkor's chaos by being patient, organised, planning. And the fact that he had to adapt upon Melkor's return must have frustrating to say the least, even though he took it in stride.

... and this explains in part why he just took it all in stride. Which belies a hint of insecurity in Mairon — which indeed his life work may well have been to compensate for.

And then by contrast he has this totally confident side where he's totally in control and genuinely likes who he is. (And I like his sharp teeth! And his description of his pale face and hair that seems to have a life of its own!)