The Mole by Anérea  

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Fanwork Notes

A little drabble and drawble for the Famous Last Words challenge prompt "Come on you miner for truth and delusion, and shine." from Shine On You Crazy Diamond by Pink Floyd.

This started as an idea for a painting of Maeglin as a mole, but the first painting didn't work out and I was out of time to paint another, and then I realised that I'd need to write the "unspoken" idea behind the picture anyway, so here it is, with a painted concept sketch. 

Warning for implied past torture.

Fanwork Information

Summary:

Maeglin returns to Gondolin after his tête-à-tête with Morgoth. 

Major Characters: Maeglin

Major Relationships:

Genre: Ficlet, General

Challenges: Famous Last Words

Rating: Creator Chooses Not to Rate

Warnings: Check Notes for Warnings
Chapters: 1 Word Count: 137
Posted on Updated on

This fanwork is complete.

The Mole

Warning for implied past torture.

Read The Mole

Maeglin emerged from the tunnel high in the Echoriad, blinking in the full bright moonlight. Inexplicable tears blurred his sight and for a moment it seemed that the moon split into two brilliant gems atop a menacingly dark, looming presence — but then the vision was gone. A residual sense of foreboding and fear he could not place lingered for another moment before that too faded from his memory, replaced by a vague yet urgent sense there was something he should do, to avert — something ...

Maybe it would come to him later.

He wiped his hand across his eyes, confused by the presence of the moisture. He shrugged. Taking a few deep breaths of the crisp night air, cool and refreshing, he began making his way home to Gondolin, a soft welcoming glow in the valley far below.

Chapter End Notes

Maeglin The Mole, a wee concept sketch

Leave a Comment

Oohhh, this is hauntingly beautiful, both the text and art. Maeglin's disorientation is painful and touching. He sees the moon doubled as brilliant gems, and he can't quite understand why! So there was some amnesia included? How touching that the lights of the city still mean a safe haven to him. The art about Maeglin the mole is really cute, and makes me think of the Wind in the Willows book. Actually, now I remember that a chapter from the book, The Piper at the Gates of Dawn, is another Pink Floyd theme.

Thank you for your lovely comment! Yes, I think anyone would willingly forget their experience with Morgoth, so perhaps Morgoth didn't have to do much to ensure Maeglin wouldn't ruin his plans. (But I like to think in an AU he did remember in time and warn the people of Gondolin — although we might need a fairly strong AU to get Turgon to actually listen and leave!) 

And after Angband, even if he's not consciously remembering the experience, Gondolin was a very welcome sight, although with his amnesia he might have thought it was just the idea of a good meal and his comfy warm bed. 

(Oh yes! Id forgotten about that rather surreal chapter in Wind in the Willows where Mole and Ratty have a totally different encounter with a demi-god and end up finding the lost baby otter snuggled up with Pan! I think Pink Floyd probably got the name of their album from the book. It also would not be out of place in BoLT; Tinfang Warble comes to mind. Or Ecthelion, in that AU where Turgon listens, piping the people of Gondolin as they depart via the gates of the city one early dawn.)

Poor Maeglin. He was so unfairly judged, and he certainly didn't intend to be a mole for Morgoth. I wonder how much of the "hatred in his heart" as told in the histories was coloured by his later actions and not taking into account what Morgoth might have instilled in him. 

Thanks for your comment!

Such a great prompt, and I really like what you've done with it! It works so well, having the drabble and the art to complement each other. I will never not feel sorry for poor Maeglin, and I love how sensitive this all is.