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In Darkness Bound by Fiondil	6 Review(s)
Larner	Reviewed Chapter: 3 on 10/6/2010
Oh, I agree--Finwe is not doing well by himself in this! Author Reply: Unfortunately, at least for the Noldor. I think Finwë allowed his pride to take over his common sense.

6336	Reviewed Chapter: 3 on 9/12/2010
Rereading this with Sitara's comments in mind and I am of the opinion that the Valar were the only ones able to judge Feanaro with impartiality. None of the other Kings are, in my mind, due to how closely related they all are. I am still with Indis, even a simple "Son, sre you O.K.?" from Finwe would have gone a long way to soothing her ire. Finwe's thought to establish a council to rule in his absense, even with Nolofinwe as part of it, rather inplies that he does not trust his son to do a good job. I can slao understand Ingwe's concern over the unrest of the Noldor, before Melkor they were content to live in Aman with no thought of questing further than the heights of the Pelori or south to Avathar(?), now they sre tempted with the thought of other lands to explore and other ways to live. Though I know this comes a bit later. Melkor has planted that seed of doubt and it is growing like a weed. Huggs, Lynda Author Reply: Thank you, Lynda. You express exactly what I feel about the whys and wherefores of everyone's motivations at this point. The Valar may have erred in demanding a trial, but I think they were reacting rather than acting, which happens with people who suffer an unpleasant shock. Fëanáro's attack on his brother was something that had never happened before in the history of Aman and I think it affected the collective psyche of everyone to one degree or another, as we will see in subsequent chapters. Melkor has indeed planted seeds of doubt and those seeds will eventually sprout and bear bitter fruit for many. Hugs back.

Sitara	Reviewed Chapter: 3 on 9/12/2010
Frankly, I think we give Finwë too little credit in respect to his abilities as Noldorán. He had already summoned his councillors to debate the matter of the Noldor’s unrest, which had as primary cause the words that Fëanáro was openly and publicly speaking. Their council was interrupted, first by Nolofinwë and then by Fëanáro. I suspect it had been never resumed, otherwise we might have seen Fëanáro called to answer for his words before his king and his advisers. A very significant detail, there were neither Fëanáro nor Nolofinwë and I suspect they weren’t even to attend this meeting, although Fëanáro was his heir. But to quote directly from the Silmarillion, the Valar were „angered and dismayed” or , in other words, from the look of it, they panicked and hastened to judge and sentence Fëanáro without giving Finwë and his councillors enough time to attend the matter. I don’t think that Finwë, who called a council meeting over the words spoken by Fëanáro on the streets of Tirion, would have simply let to slide the matter of the same Fëanáro threatening someone at swordpoint. And we might have seen a fairer trial in this case, you know. „grin” As for who was to rule in Tirion…I don’t think that appointing a council of regents (with Nolofinwë as a member) would have meant taking away Nolofinwë’s rights at the Noldorin kingship. He was not formally appointed as heir to the throne and by the time he would have been, I personally don’t see any inconvenient in having more than a person charged with ruling. Moreover, a king has the right to decide who or what is more fitting to rule in his place when he’s away for a (very little) time and in my opinion, he’d be well within his rights to appoint other persons to supervise the son who’ll act as king in his place. Yes, I know the quote regarding Finwë from the Silmarillion, Fiondil, but I cannot agree with its interpretation. The first part, as I think, is about how Finwë felt after Miriel died and prior his meeting with Indis. So, at that time, Fëanáro was his only child and his only remaining family and it’s only natural to give his son all his love. About the chief share of Finwë’s thoughts….every time I read this, I think about the story of the prodigal son, because, in my understanding, a son who is away claims much more from his father’s thoughts than the one who’s staying home. But it doesn’t mean less love for the son who’s always with the father, in my opinion. Fëanáro was much more, I think, for his father than merely a son and that’s where Finwë erred. He couldn’t bring himself to act like a father towards Fëanáro, for many reasons, and this was their downfall. You know, I’m the first to admit that Fëanáro was sorely in need of a sound trashing and Finwë seems to be the only one to whom he’d have actually listened. Only that Finwë never made a move in that direction…. I really like Nolofinwë but I remember a quote from the Silmarillion:”High princes were Fëanor and Fingolfin, the elder sons of Finwë, honoured by all in Aman; but now they grew proud and jealous each of his rights and his possessions.” Frankly, for me this is the crux of several matters. It goes both ways! Not only Fëanáro was proud and jealous, not only Fëanáro was touched by Morgoth’s darkness. Jealous of his rights and possessions….for me is kind of clear that Nolofinwë was jealous of his half-brother’s rights, namely the rights as heir of the High King of the Noldor. And as for the words he said just before the Darkening, I’m sorry, HoME1 makes me to seriously doubt them. And what lingered in the published Silmarillion, his taken name, Fingolfin, moreso. „grin” If he didn’t really want the regency, he should heve refused it and a council of regents would have ruled in Finwë’s place. Who knows, they might have done a better job altogether and we might have seen the dawn of democracy in Aman. „lol” Don’t mind me, I’m mad. All in all, Finwë did probably the wrong thing, I admit. But the fact that no one stops to consider what his reasons might have been is in my opinion utterly unfair. Everyone rushed to condemn and execute him without further thinking. He deserves at least a chance, in my opinion. Author Reply: I appreciate your point of view, Sitara, and obviously you've thought it all out very carefully, but this story really isn't about Finwë or even Fëanáro. Whatever did or did not happen, the fact is that the Valar felt a need to intervene, rightly or wrongly. My concern in this story is exploring the aftermath of Fëanáro's trial and how it affected the other clans and what possible consequences there might have been. Fëanáro's and Finwë's actions are a given and there is little I can do about them, but I am trying to present a plausible explanation of what others, in particular the Vanyar, were doing when Fëanáro was leading the Noldor int revolt. Whether you agree with my interpetation or not is something only you can decide. I can only write what is given to me to write and I will not justify myself beyond that.

Sitara	Reviewed Chapter: 3 on 9/11/2010
It’s not like I would have expected any impartiality from either Ingwë or Olwë, as they both have obvious reasons to be on the side of Indis and her children, but a trace of uncertainty because of the way the Valar handled this should have done nicely. They were both kings and as such they ought have asked themselves what if tomorrow the Valar should do to them what they did to Finwë. The Valar all but dethroned Finwë, for I don’t think he would have left Fëanáro’s fate in their hands, as he knew all too well what was his son thinking about them, but they are so certain about Finwë’s foolishness and the justice of the Valar….Is this any way to treat your friend, to not give him the benefit of a doubt?! I can’t wait to see them too manipulated around by the Valar, perhaps that would teach them to not judge too hastily, as they do know. They will be put in Finwë’s shoes and they won’t like it one bit. “grin” Changing the topic….Fiondil, when has Indis the Fair become Indis the Hag, I wonder?? “rolling on the ground with laughter” Frankly, that woman’s mouth is a menace for Aman and certainly for Finwë’s ears. “lol” No wonder the poor man preferred to stay dead for an eternity rather to return to that…emotional female. Now, seriously speaking, I’m firmly convinced that the interpretation according to which Finwë loved his eldest far more than the rest of his children is fanon not canon. Giving his eldest the chief share of his thoughts doesn’t necessarily mean that he loved him best. Let’s remember that his son was everything he was left from a wife forever departed and said son didn’t even live with him anymore. Indis and her children had always their husband and father with them. Fëanáro didn’t. And complaining about how Finwë deserted his people and his family…what was there to desert any longer when the Valar practically took the kingship off his hands and his second wife decided who was to rule in his place? About family….let’s not forget that Nolofinwë and Arafinwë had a mother who always stood by them. Fëanáro hadn’t. So, a parent each. Was this such an unfair division? So, even if Finwë’s decision to go with his eldest might have been wrong, for other reasons, to remain with Indis and their children, would have meant to allow them both their mother and father and no one for Fëanáro. As for Indis….frankly, what had she expected when married Finwë? She weaved her own web for her tangle into and had sown with her hands the seeds of her own unhappiness. One last question, Fiondil. Why do you think Nolofinwë never wanted to rule? Is there something canon about this? Because, in my opinion, he was practically begging to have some place to rule. Not that there was anything wrong with that. He was extremely fit to rule, in my opinion, as Fëanáro wasn’t at all, and, unlike some of his golden-haired relatives, he was never hungry for power. “grin” Author Reply: Hi Sitara. I don't think the Valar dethroned Finwë. He is still Noldóran, but I suspect that Finwë decided not to adjudicate the matter between his sons, deciding that it was a case of 'no blood, no foul'. I think at that point the Valar felt justified stepping in, shocked as they were that anyone would threaten another with death in their realm. If Finwë wouldn't or couldn't deal with it, then the would. At least, that is how I am interpreting the scenario and it is implied somewhat in the conversation between Indis and Finwë when she accuses him of not even comforting Ñolofinwë afterwards. As far as who would rule in Tirion, Finwë really had no choice in the matter and Indis rightly called him on it. Ñolofinwë was next in line to the throne, considering that all of Fëanáro's sons went into exile with him, so I doubt if any of the Noldor remaining in Tirion would have accepted anyone else for the regency. I’m firmly convinced that the interpretation according to which Finwë loved his eldest far more than the rest of his children is fanon not canon. Here is a direct quote from the Silmarillion, Chapter 6, 'Of Fëanor and the Unchaining of Melkor': 'All his [Finwë's] love he gave therefor to his son [Fëanor]....But the shadow of Míriel did not depart from the house of Finwë, nor from his heart; and of all whom he loved Fëanor had ever the chief share of his thought.' And it is from this that I draw my inspiration for the relationship between Finwë and his children. As for Ñolofinwë, I don't see anywhere in the Silmarillion where he is begging for a place to rule. He did not even want to leave Tirion and the people who did had to beg him to go with them because they did not want to be ruled by Fëanáro. Plus, in the so-called reconciliation scene just before the Darkening, Ñolofinwë says that he will follow where his brother goes, meaning, he acknowledge's Fëanáro's sovereignty as the heir to the throne. Doesn't sound to me like he's plotting to rule anything. grin Only when circumstances forced him to become High King of the Exiled Noldor did his kingship abilities come forth, but he did not purposely seek it.

Sunny	Reviewed Chapter: 3 on 9/10/2010
So Finwë has to follow his poor, persecuted son into exile. Hellooo – you have more kids than Fëanor, you know! And there is Indis and the grandkids of your younger children. Don’t any of they rate a few crumbs of your attention, too? looks around for a suitably sturdy clue-by-four Now Ingwë might not have found it appropriate to have interfered in this matter AS KING. But could he not have (figuratively) taken off his crown and, ahem, pulled Finwë aside for a little heart-to-heart as a Finwë’s brother-in-law? Indis is his kinswoman, after all. But it was quite satisfying to see Indis, at least, kicking Finwë’s ass about leaving Tirion with Fëanor. He definitly deserved that! cheers Indis on Author Reply: Hi Sunny. We will actually see Ingwë later confronting Finwë. In fact, they have two confrontations and hopefully you will find them interesting. I suspect there are many people who would like to kick Finwë's ass right about now, but at least they can watch Indis do it for them. grin Thanks for reading and reviewing. I appreciate it very much.

6336	Reviewed Chapter: 3 on 9/10/2010
I'm with Indis, I think Finwe is running away. Feanaro is his last link to Miriel, as much as he loves Indis, she will always hold his heart. I don't think much of Finwe as a king if he can just up and leave on a whim like this. And now Nolofinwe is going to do just what his brother accused him of wanting to do, rule the Noldor! Waiting to see what Nerdenal(sp) has to say to Feanaro, that will be explosive to say the least. Ellyn, can't live with them, can't live without them! Huggs, Lynda Author Reply: Hi Lynda. I'm sure many people will agree with Indis on this one, though I think some will side with Finwë. And sometimes our actions become self-fulling prophecies whether we intend them to be or not, as Fëanáro discovers. Unfortunately, due to the scope of the story we don't really see the confrontation between Fëanáro and Nerdanel here. Sorry. There is just so much that has to be covered and the Noldor are not the main focus of the story, though they are the prime movers of events.

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