Tolkien Fan Fiction
Tolkien Fan Fiction
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Assorted Drabbles
By:Azalais
27
From the Balrog-Slayer's Mouth: or, Go Straight to the Source

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For the LiveJournal tolkien_weekly "Water: Sea" challenge.

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"The very person! Elen sila am lúmen vín govaded, nín mellon!" Running ink-stained fingers distractedly through curly grey hair, Bilbo beckons the passing Elf into his study, apparently drowning in a sea of parchments.

"How best should I render this phrase – wings of fire, or flames like wings? What do you advise?"

Barely a flicker crosses the golden-haired Elda's face; but the Hobbit sees and is at once contrite.

"Forgive me – in my enthusiasm I forget! Doubtless you would rather not recall-"

"We must all suffer for scholarship's sake, little master." Smiling, Glorfindel reaches for the parchment. "Let me see…"

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Elen sila am lúmen vín govaded, nín mellon - “A star shines upon the hour of our meeting, my friend.” (Elen and lúmen are Old Sindarin, according to Ardalambion. I have a hunch Bilbo might have a bit of a poetical affection for the slightly flowerier-sounding O.S.)

“Bilbo's 'Translations from the Elvish’…were found to be a work of great skill and learning in which, between 1403 and 1418, he had used all the sources available to him in Rivendell, both living and written.” - The Fellowship of the Ring, LoTR Prologue, Note on the Shire Records, my emphasis!