#and arondir and bronwyn too

[galadriel-blue]

You know who is an absolutely underrated character in Rings of Power?

THEO

People need to be showing more appreciation for my SON-

He's such an important character but I feel like most people brush him over. Theo is brave and strong, and even though he's still just a kid, he understands the weight of the relic, the broken sword, that he found, and the evil it holds. He is impulsive, as many young boys are, but he learns and grows from it.

That's why the scenes where he's with Galadriel are some of my favorites. Because they are so similar to each other. Both are angry and confused, but also full of justice and a sense of what's right, even when they go about it in the wrong ways sometimes. Theo helps Galadriel see her actions for what they are, and Galadriel shows Theo how to make the right choices in the face of fear and stand up for light against the darkness. Without Theo, we wouldn't have those parallels.

Theo is a good kid who got wrapped up in a bad situation, a war against evil, but it brings him closer to his mother, and to Arondir, who he realizes is a part of his family too. It brings him closer to Galadriel, a new companion, a comrade in battle. And he allows Galadriel to process her emotions through the eyes of one much younger. It is almost like she sees a bit of herself in Theo. A bit of the small, young elf who made paper boats to sail in the stream and was so frustrated with the evil in the world, the evil in herself, even from the beginning. The one who made a grave mistake and now must face the consequences, as seen in their discussion about whether or not their current downfall is her fault. Theo doesn't believe she is the one to blame, even when she does. I don't know, there's just something so pure, so understanding about Theo when he speaks to Galadriel. He doesn't see her like everyone else does.

Theo makes mistakes, he is tempted by darkness like all humans are, but he stands up to it. He is brave, even though he's young, which is an important sentiment to me, especially in a world full of immortals, those with long lives. No matter how long you have been on the earth or how much experience you have in the world, you can see the darkness and either choose it or the light. I think Theo demonstrates this well and we need to show him appreciation for it. I really hope we get to see more of him in the coming seasons of The Rings of Power.

#rings of power #the rings of power #lotr #lord of the rings #galadriel #theo #trop #rings of power positivity #blue blathers #I have a lot of feelings about Theo's character ok?? #especially in terms of his dynamic with Galadriel #and arondir and bronwyn too #They're all great #Theo is super underrated

[wildwren]

Every Friend Group Needs + Numenoreans/Southlanders me 🤝 @aadmelioraa, refusing to let this meme die

#dont worry dont worry the elves and dwarves are in progress too #waldreg was almost the token straight but we decided he's a lil gay for sauron #kemen was also in the running #anyway i hope you enjoy this crack that we made for ourselves specifically #the rings of power #rings of power #trop #rop #my edits #my caps #isildur #valandil #miriel #bronwyn #arondir #pharazon #theo rop #rop crack

[the-commonplace-book]

Day 1: OTP - Arondir/Bronwyn

for @ringsofpowervalentinesweek

#i just love them so much and hope to *GOD* they both (and theo too!) make it through the show alive #ringsofpowervalentinesweek #trop #rings of power #lotr #arondir #bronwyn #aronwyn #arondir x bronwyn #bronwyn x arondir #[sketchbook] #f; lotr #f; rings of power #amazon rings of power #the rings of power

[artbyhurricanyounot]

So 10 days ago I posted my silly little self-indulgent drawing of the headcanon Aronwyn child, Galandil, to my Instagram, because I liked how it turned out. I didn’t tag Ismael or Nazanin in it, but I did mention them in the caption, not at all expecting them to really see it or pay much mind, and I also used the hashtag #Aronwyn in there, too.

Well, uhm… last night, I get a notification that Ismael liked it! 🤩 he follows the #Aronwyn tag so I’m guessing that’s how he saw it. I only know this because I posted a sketch to my story and didn’t tag him, only used #Aronwyn. Sir is just out here the captain of his own ship, y’all.

Less than an hour later, I get a notification that Nazanin liked it, as well. She usually sees my stuff right away (she’s seen when I tag her in my stories when I’m working on art of her, and has shared stuff from me, as well, so I can see the words “seen just now” under her name in my messages list), and she’s been really (understandably) busy with advocating for Iran and doing interviews and attending protests and such, so I really don’t ever expect her to go back and look at my posts.

Either Nazanin took the time to glance at my profile in her spare time… or Ismael sent it to her. 🥺😭❤️

No matter what, seeing them both amongst the people who liked my self-indulgent “what if” post makes my heart sing.

#I’m a TINY account too so the fact that either of them take the time to LOOK at my art is mind boggling #I love them so much #10/10 would throw myself in front of a moving train for them #ismael cruz córdova #nazanin boniadi #bronwyn #arondir #arondir x bronwyn #aronwyn #galandil

[liptonrm]

Watching Rings of Power ep 5. Love Disa, love Durin, love everything Elrond and Durin have going on, but omg this mithril storyline is so stupid.

#rings of power #i've been determined to take the show as it is and not nitpick the lore too much #so i let the mithril stuff in ep 4 slide bcs the characters in the storyline were so delightful #but then there's gil-galad and celebrimbor telling elrond that without it #the elves will surely die #and just wtf #that doesn't make any kind of sense #are they just going to inject that shit into their veins? #what kind of terry brooks shit is this? #but anyway did not expect to love an elf so much but i would die-kill-maim for arondir. and bronwyn. and arondir x bronwyn

[anghraine]

I decided to watch Rings of Power and I still like it! General thoughts on the first episode:

This episode does a lot of heavy lifting to introduce everything in a somewhat rough and often disconnected, but engaging enough way.

The voice-over exposition at the beginning is obviously echoing the PJ FOTR one, but it's more awkward and sort of generically high fantasy. I still like it better because a) no Númenóreans were harmed in the making of this voice-over, b) retaining the Finrod-Galadriel age gap while simultaneously leaning into their sibling bond is really cute, c) Finrod using a heavy-handed metaphor in which the greatness of SHIPS figures largely seems entirely in character and also very Telerin (Eärwen's son!!!), and d) the overall story of how Valinorean Elves ended up in Middle-earth is so highly editorialized that it feels like the self-serving Noldor version of the story, which amuses me.

I enjoyed the introduction of present-day Galadriel. She's clearly the most impressive and competent person in the company she's leading while also being kind of unhinged, which I appreciate in a female protagonist. Good for her.

And I like that she's clearly this ancient being and her fixation on FIGHTING EVIL FOREVER is, in part, a product of being old and immortal and stuck in a singular mode of being. However, she's also right and the comparatively young people around her are being condescending assholes (like Gil-galad, but especially that one guy who semi-mutinied against her and is prodding her on the ship).

(Oh, and she has great hair. I actually don't care if the entire wig budget went to her specifically.)

The only one who seems to really feel bad about their dismissive treatment of her is Elrond, which tracks. The hints that he isn't seen as quite an equal ("Elf-lords only") feels silly, but it's not a huge deal for me. And I like that he and Galadriel are bros alongside the tension in her relationships with basically everyone. S2 Celebrían plssss

I still think the complaints about costuming/hair, and incessant comparisons to costuming in PJ!LOTR/WOT/whatever are largely pretty absurd. I particularly liked Arondir's armor and how dissimilar it is from the aesthetic of the Lindon Elves, everything Galadriel wears, and the weirdness of the ritualistic armor removal as they approach Valinor. The Elves spontaneously bursting into unsettling song was odd but extremely on-brand for Tolkien, so it was fun to see it actually done onscreen.

I also think the show is quite beautiful in general and a pleasure to simply look at (no, not only because of the budget).

I don't like how heavily and visibly made-up the main female characters are, however, especially Bronwyn (who also has my least favorite costuming of any of the mains tbh). It reminds me a bit of how Padmé Amidala's heavy and perfect make-up in her death scene in Revenge of the Sith always distracts me from the pathos of the scene. God forbid she wasn't hot as she died, you know? I don't care about middle-aged and older men being cast as Elves, but I'd like to see more older actresses, too!

The Harfoot stuff has an interesting mixture of cuteness and underlying menace. It doesn't interest me as much as what's going on with Galadriel, Elrond, and Arondir/Bronwyn, but I like Nori quite a bit and the whole aesthetic they have going, so I don't mind spending time with them, even though it's kind of detached from what's going on everywhere else.

Speaking of Arondir, the Southlands stuff is interesting because there's so little to work with in terms of canon (even if they had rights to everything) and the canon that does exist wrt them is super racist. So having the textual racism towards Southrons actually be brought up in-story, and rejected by an Elf protagonist who is being played by a Black man, is like ... there's a lot going on there and other people are probably better equipped to talk about it.

Personally, I would have liked to see Arondir fall in love with Bronwyn rather than being presented with it as an established thing, especially with the conversation about how this almost never happens etc. His actor does a great job with what he's given, though, and I laughed at the other Elf who is like "do you know how rarely romances between Men and Elves ever happen? do you know they always END TRAGICALLY?!"

Arondir: mmhmm

Other Elf: THEY DIED, ARONDIR

Arondir gives off big "distracted by drawing hearts around Bronwyn's name in his Trapper Keeper" vibes in that conversation and, idk, it was just really entertaining to me.

Bronwyn herself is all right thus far. I did really like the moment when she's talking about how she's from the allegedly creepy village and the people there are her relatives and friends. By and large she seems the most normal person in the cast, honestly.

I also enjoyed how deeply ominous the "approaching Valinor" music was, lmao. A bit overkill by the end, but I rather like the idea of Valinor being scary if you're not supposed to be there.

ETA: cutting between the different plots via the Middle-earth map is a bit silly as well, but functional enough. Interesting to see Calenardhon on the map before Gondor even exists!

#anghraine babbles #long post #tv: lotr #rings of power #legendarium blogging #legendarium fanwank #finrod #galadriel #elrond #sw fanwank #elanor brandyfoot #arondir #bronwyn #pt critical #pj critical

[haladriel]

Do Sauron and Galadriel already have their own theme?

Alright my fellow Rings of Power soundtrack nerds, this one's for you. I noticed there's a beautiful, tragic motif that appears twice in the music behind two of Galadriel and Halbrand's major scenes, in suspiciously similar places in the narrative:

Firstly in the cells in Númenor, when Galadriel first encourages Halbrand to take up his crown, looking something like this in F minor*:

(soundtrack for Episode 3: Adar, Both Our Bloodlines, 00:36-00:52)

And secondly (you'll never guess where), during the log scene after the battle, developed further in Bb minor:

(soundtrack for Episode Six: Udûn, Transformed By Darkness, 05:34-06:09)

Knowing how fastidious Bear McCreary is with this score, which is filled to the brim with masterful uses of leitmotifs, and the immense care he took developing those melodies, I have a very strong (and hopeful) suspicion this is another. But what does this theme signify? Is it Galadriel and Halbrand/Sauron's present/future love theme? Does it refer to the tragedy of their partnership, in whatever form that partnership takes? Or is it Sauron's theme alone, colouring the tragedy of a fallen Maia trying desperately to seek peace and redeem himself?

In favour of being their theme in some way, there is:

Shape of the melody: the leaping 6th intervals closely resemble, or at least echo, Bronwyn and Arondir's wistful and moving love theme, with its longing and impossibility (for them, Human and Elf relationships; for Galadriel and Sauron...)

Timing: the first instance of this motif lands perfectly behind Galadriel's words 'for you are him' (a double entendre), followed by Halbrand's 'That's an odd thing to say to a man in a cage'. The second instance is even more strongly linked to their relationship, coming directly after the dialogue: 'If I could just hold onto that feeling, keep it with me always, bind it to my very being, then I...' 'I felt it too.' Or, only the most romantic (or cosmic) moment between them in the series.

What do you think? What might these moments and this theme symbolise narratively? Is there anywhere else in the score you can hear it? (And Bear McCreary, if you happen to read my humble theorising and are at liberty to confirm either way, or to offer enlightening words of wisdom, please do. If not, keep it up. We love your work.) ________________________________________________ *I've done my best at transcribing the harmonies but do not claim perfection, and similarly the rhythms are indicative sketches only. Hopefully I'm right and Bear will give us the official version in a blog post some day. All copyright lies with the composer. I also may update this with more meta or thoughts later.

#the rings of power #the lord of the rings: the rings of power #rings of power #trop #trop meta #bear mccreary #composition #galadriel #halbrand #sauron #haladriel #saurondriel #galadriel x halbrand #halbrand x galadriel #rop spoilers #trop spoilers #rop meta #rop #film scoring #musing music things

[centrally-unplanned]

Rings of Power episode 6 absolutely eviscerated some of the tepid goodwill the show had slowly been building in 4 and 5, the chickens of the show’s slapdash worldbuilding have come home to roost.

The cavalry charge is the worst of it - poor townsfolk of the southlands losing to the orc army, All Hope Is Lost, and then at the last minute Galadriel & Numenorians ride in to save the day! Its just like the Rohirrim in ROTK, right? But none of the work has been put in to have it make a lick of sense. The townsfolk *never communicated with any outside party* about the orc raids. Galadriel has never been to the Southlands, has never met any of these people. She knows, and convinces the Numenorians, that ~something~ involving Sauron is happening down there. They know orcs are there and killed people in the past, but not, like, actively, right now. Where they would be? Who knows? What are they up to now? Who knows!

Yet the Numenorean expeditionary force of only 300-500 men lands in the Southlands somewhere (which btw is Gondor & Mordor combined, to get how large it is), and immediately hard ride, stampede tempo, off to save this town they have never heard of and have no contact with.  Absolutely ludicrous, there is never even an attempt to justify this. 

Its just one of many baffling decisions too - Halbrand, the exiled Southlands royalty, arrives as part of that army and everyone in the town goes All Hail Our Lost King and...they have literally never mentioned a king before. No “ah in the old days the kings would have stopped this” or “if only we had a true leader”, no nothing, they are an anarcho-syndicalist commune and always have been until discount Aragorn shows up and suddenly they are fookin kneelers. 

The show is obviously unconcerned with the idea of things making sense, but i’ll take a stab at why its so bad on this front. Certainly the “surprise” factor plays in here - the show is obsessed with the idea of ‘twists’, thinking that if you know something is coming its not exciting. Its ironic that they tried to play that card for a cavalry charge, because their predecessor LOTR is the shining example of the opposite being true. The Ride of the Rohirrim is painstakingly built to, the mustering, the tactical planning, the personal emotional stakes, pre-battle speech, all of that builds up impact. They have learned every lesson wrong here.

But it does go deeper, to the ‘structure’ of a fantasy epic Rings of Power believes it has to align to, in particular having a “common folk” perspective. One of the really shoddy worldbuilding choices was for the Southlands to have no political organization whatsoever - no lord mayor, no council, no standing army, nothing. It makes no sense, until you realize the rules: the show must have some working-class folk who rise to power. Bronwyn the human villager and her guard elf lover Arondir serve that role, nobodies who lead peasants against the orcs. But them leading the peasants never made any sense; why didn’t they have existing leaders? Bronwyn in particular has absolutely no qualifications for the role whatsoever, besides inexplicably being the only townsperson to own dyed fabric and a dress with spaghetti straps, but she double-plus has to lead because Girlbosses Slay and her and Miriel needed to fistbump over their diversity wins. However, if the Southlands had an existing political structure, that would be hard to swing in six episodes...so it just doesn’t. Bronwyn leads by sheer inertia.

Which means the Southlands has no political org, which means it has no political ties, no connections, no infrastructure, no ambassadors. It can’t send out word to neighboring kingdoms requesting aid, Bronwyn doesn’t even know what those are. It can’t have a real strategy as its borders and assets don’t exist. Its an extremely foolish decision, its writing a political story (war is politics) without any political actors, to hit a storytelling quota, and it really really shows.

...also the black sword artifact, which Adar and everyone is fighting over due to its mystical properties, turns out to be a key for a dam lock that refloods a river leading to a volcano. Writers of this show, I don’t know how to tell you this, but dams? Are not magic? If you wanted to unlock a dam, you can just *do that with the dam unlocking mechanism*, you don’t need a magic black sword that sucks the blood of its wielder. Its completely useless, a total non sequitur, I cannot believe they wasted our time with that. Such a dropped ball. 

#rings of power

[rings-of-power-realm]

RopWek2023

Favourite Relationship

Durin and Elrond ♥

I wanted to make a fanvid for them but its taking so much longer so I'll have to upload that another time but I'm gonna gush about them now!

I love them because they established a rich history with them and you believe in their friendship and brotherhood. My ultimate jam is platonic love between people and Tolkien does this so well. The friendships he has portrayed have been the very essence of that platonic love and loyalty and abiding devotion and Elrond and Durin are just another two to add to that list. Their relationship is beautiful, they're completely different yet found a brother in one another. Don't even get me started on when Durin was going to tell him his real name that scene is one of my very favourites its so beautiful, you can see the depth of their love for each other.

I love how despite their differences and in times of struggle, they forgive each other, they understand each other and ultimately would never stray from each other. I could honestly watch an entire show just about their dynamic and I'm not even thinking of the future and what happens nope :):):)

I have to mention though I also adore Disa and this chaos trio are such a highlight in the show.

I also love Elrond and Galadriel's relationship, again the love they have for one another is so pure, full of respect and deep loyalty too. There's just something inherently special about Lord of the Rings and Rings of Power that highlights this pure devotion people different characters where they are friends but also so much more, kind of like soulmates but platonically.

Special Mentions:

Arondir and Bronwyn

Elendil and Isilldur

Galadriel and Halbrand

Poppy and Nori

Nori and The Stranger

#ropweek2023 #I wanted to do the vid I'm so sad jdfhsajd #I'm just so slow at making things lol #durin and elrond #disa #arondir and bronwyn #nori and poppy #the stranger and nori #elendil and isildur #galadriel and halbrand #not me reusing gifs because I ran out of time fvhsfdjsjf #I need a month off lol

[vakarians-babe]

Songfic Tag Game

Rules: Pick a song to accompany each of your fics or as many as you like. This might be the fic's inspiration or just pure vibes that you'd like to share with readers. Tag as many people as fics you feature (or do as you please!)

I was tagged by the lovely @shivunin! I really enjoyed this one. Tagging @bitchesofostwick @isayashai @zevrn @creaking-skull @ghostwise @shahrazade but as always, there is absolutely zero pressure.

I have 34 fics posted in total over on my AO3 page, so I'm not going to do all of them, but I will be doing more recent ones and some of my favorites. I will also say the songs and their connections to the fics are a mix of vibes and lyrics.

Not My Type: Darmas Pollaran, inveterate womanizer and expert sabacc player, is not Corso's favorite person--especially when it comes to his attitude towards a certain Smuggler Captain. (SWTOR, rated T, 1.5k)

Paper Planes by M.I.A.

What a Smuggler Deserves: Corso can't stand Taris, and that bottle of liquor isn't going to drink itself. If only he were better at not spilling his feelings the moment he's tipsy. (SWTOR, rated G, 1.7k)

Mona Lisa by Dominic Fike

Wayward Jedi: Talira Virali has been hiding on Nar Shaddaa since the Purge, but ten years is a long time to stay hidden, and time is about to be up, thanks to a certain Bracca scrapper turned Jedi. (J:FO, rated T, 1k)

Dear Dictator by Saint Motel

Remembered: Cal asks Lira why they still have their padawan braid, after all these years. The answer is complicated. (J:FO, rated T, 1.4k)

The War by SYML

Salving Touch: After Mizora's punishment, Wyll cannot sleep. Luckily enough, neither can Dearbhla. (BG3, rated G, 1.2k)

Final Days by Ben Thornewill

Frail Hope: A discovery on the road to the Harpers' ambush shakes Dearbhla. (BG3, rated T, 1.3k)

Small Hands by Radical Face

Waterproof: Things do not go as planned during Duke Ravengard's rescue mission. (BG3, rated T, 1.8k)

Cover Me in Roses by Holden Laurence

Lipstick: Iona Shepard wears lipstick, and it's an oh-so familiar shade of red. (ME, rated T, 1.3k)

Weights & Measures by Dry the River

What to Do: While Iona recovers, Garrus waits. (ME, rated G, 1k)

Siúil, a Rún by Clannad

Dancing Beneath the Holly Trees: Narmeleth likes to tease her lover. Lathuilas likes to watch her dance. (LOTRO, rated G, 0.5k)

Rilke Song by aeseaes

Whither Thou Goest: Lathuilas is bound to Narmeleth, by love and by promise, but even she cannot follow her into the west. (LOTRO, rated T, 0.8k)

Tears of Nimrodel by Chance Thomas

The Lions of House Cousland: As cousins, the future of House Cousland rests upon Talvinder and Savreen. Now, with their family and their home in ashes, they must fight both the Darkspawn and their grief in order to find that which they once thought a certainty: a future. (DA:O, rated M, 250k)

Masters of War by Judy Collins

Love Me Sweet: Varric wants Elodie. He wants them unreservedly, unashamedly, and unremittingly. (DA:2, rated E, 2.6k)

Love Me Tender by Elvis Presley

Elfroot and Tears: Both Cullen and La'ara are afraid of what the Arbor Wilds hold for them. (DA:I, rated T, 1.5k)

Bronwyn and Arondir by Bear McCreary

The Calling: Alistair may be king, but he is still a Grey Warden. And when the others begin to hear the Calling, he does too. (DA:O and DA:I, rated T, 1.2k)

Panic Attack by Liza Anne

#me tagging folks i know write good #hi whats up #tag game #laura writes #shivunin #songfic tag game #also very specifically i have to say dear dictator is an anakin and vader song and its there bc of the way vader's specter haunts lira #love me sweet is the only one that was actually inspired by the song accompanying it SDJKHBFSJKD #picking just one song for lions is also a huge challenge bc i have like a four hour playlist for it AND a fledgling playlist for the sequel #star wars #lotro #dragon age #mass effect #bg3

[wildwren]

IN THE SOUTHLANDS: 1x01 - 1x04 // LOTR: TROP (2022)

#the rings of power #rings of power #trop #tropedit #ropedit #rings of power source #rings of power spoilers #my edits #my caps #rop southlands #arondir x bronwyn #anyway whats your favorite subplot and why is the southlanders #i just think they're neat #also horror + tragic romance #its really got it all #but im excited to make the others too! #this was fun #kat watch out youre next #aronwyn edits

[buffyfan145]

Got a lot of "Rings of Power" season 2 teasers/spoilers from the cast last night at their Emmys event!!! :D Some of these, like the article's title says we knew, but others we didn't. Putting it behind a cut but even more excited for this coming season. Also Bear McCreary performed some of the score at the event too and during one song Morfydd sat at the piano with him. :)

Morfydd confirmed she'll be wearing Nenya and learning more about her new powers. Also said she'll be trying to find more of the light in the darkness now.

Confirmed again about Círdan being in season 2.

More rings will be forged, likely for the dwarves first but possibly also for the men. This also goes with the spoilers we've gotten that they are doing a version of the Annatar storyline and that there's a 2nd version of Sauron. Don't know yet if Charlie is also playing this version but it's possible.

Owain talked more about what's next for Durin and his father and likely his dad being one of the dwarf ring bearers. Also confirmed he will have more scenes with Robert's Elrond.

Ismael teased a bit about Arondir's storyline and knowing Sauron is back and how this causes tension between his love story with Bronwyn and relationship with Theo and the differences between being an elf and them as men. Also teased Sauron being back affects all the couples which I thought was interesting he worded it that way.

Sophia teased more about Disa and that she will be having a big storyline too. Very curious to know what that is.

#the lord of the rings #the rings of power #spoilers #morfydd clark #galadriel #sauron #halbrand #haladriel #cirdan #owain arthur #durin iv #elrond #ismael cruz cordova #arondir #bronwyn #theo #aronwyn #sophia nomvete #princess disa #charlie vickers #bear mccreary

[myfavouritelunatic]

The Blacksmith

The beginning of the end... what will become of our beloved throuple? Can the uprising be stopped?

I am so very proud of this chapter, and I truly hope you all enjoy it. Two more to go... *hides away to await your reactions*

Pairing: Halbrand/Sauron x Female Reader; Galadriel x Female Reader; light Haladriel/Saurondriel.

Word Count: 3.7k

Warnings: Light violence. Major Character Death. 😬

Links to Chapter One, Two, Three, Four, Five, Six, Seven, Eight, Nine, Ten, Eleven, Twelve, Thirteen, Fourteen, Fifteen, Sixteen, Seventeen, Eighteen, Nineteen, Twenty, Twenty-One, Twenty-Two, Twenty-Three, Twenty-Four, Twenty-Five, Twenty-Six, Twenty-Seven, Twenty-Eight, Twenty-Nine, Thirty, Thirty-One, Thirty-Two, Thirty-Three, Thirty-Four, and Thirty-Five!

Chapter Thirty-Six

All heads turned to the she-elf. Her eyes held the same grief within them as your brothers had when they first entered. "I came to warn you-" "We know." Halbrand interrupted, wishing to save Galadriel the breath. "My brothers have just informed us of what our people seem to be plotting." you explained, trying to contain your joy at the sight of the woman you loved. She was here. She had returned to you. "Galadriel… do you stand with us?" She let the most subtle of smiles creep into her expression, nodding her head in assent. "Hope is not lost then, my love." you spoke, shifting your gaze to Halbrand, watching the fear begin to dissipate in his eyes.

"We must act now, if we wish to prevent your people from mutiny. The minds of men are easily persuaded. The three of us should be able to repair the damage before it is too late." Galadriel implored. "Though you may want to dress for the occasion, your majesty." she scoffed, though playfully, finding it hard not to enjoy the sight of Halbrand's bare chest, and the opportunity it afforded her to make a jab at him. Your love said nothing in response, only wandered over to slide on his burgundy tunic, the one from your wedding, before putting boots and belt on, and grabbing the final touch that is required of royalty: your crowns. Once your own boots were laced up, and you fetched your dagger, you stood upright to receive the diadem once more. The people needed to be reminded of who they dared to challenge.

The five of you then exited your home, rainwater splashing under your feet as you moved through the streets. The rain seemed to have driven the citizens of Pelargir indoors, for there was no one to be found at all roaming the city. The only movement came from you. Steeling yourself with each breath you took, you looked deep within for the strength to face what was to come. For winning over your people, especially those you knew and cared for, was not going to be easy. Another battle to be fought it seemed, though hopefully this one would occur without the need for violence.

Soon the great hall came into view, and yet still there was not a soul to be found. It was all beginning to feel rather odd. "Galadriel, do you know where everyone is?" you questioned her, unable to hide the nerves in your tone. "Yes. This way." she answered, shooting you a quick glance of her crystal blue eyes. You couldn't wait to get lost in them again. Lost in her. A handful of minutes later, you could see your fear in the distance. Stood in the town square ahead, covered in sparse beams of sunlight that had burst through the clouds, were the citizens of Pelargir. Every. Single. One. The crowd was too large for it to be anything less. Your breathing hitched in your throat and you clung tightly to Halbrand. Not only were you going to convince a few dozen people, you were going to convince all of them.

Upon approach, you noticed five familiar faces front and centre in the massive group: Bronwyn, Arondir, Theo, Olwenna, and Padrig. The five people you needed to win over the most. The five that would no doubt be the hardest to convince. You stopped only a few metres from them, not getting too close, the rage of the crowd feeling like the surface of the sun. You locked eyes with Olwenna in that moment, facing your fear head on. The kind and understanding woman you knew her to be was gone. Her face was one you almost did not recognise, for it was twisted in her mourning and her anger. The lady's beautiful auburn tresses billowed out behind her, the wind flicking them like the flame upon a candle. Her eyes were as red. You felt a tear fall fast down your cheek, but this show of emotion did not quell her, for her sympathy for you had fled.

Bronwyn began her argument against you by announcing your names to the masses, as if she was reading a decree from a parchment. Though she refused to call either of you king or queen. This, both you and Halbrand, did not like. "It seems we have been premature in our celebrations. Information has come to light that leaves us, the people, with no choice but to renounce you both as our royal leaders, and offer up a vote to either exile you… or execute you."

You could feel the fury rising within Halbrand, and you tugged on him reasurringly, trying to ground him, to keep him from losing this battle before he has a chance to defend himself. Sauron or no, it was rather difficult for him to loosen his pride. He took a deep breath before answering Bronwyn. "I should have you locked up for sedition, Lady Bronwyn. This is a most disppointing sight. How is it your loyalty could falter so easily?" "Because of me." Suddenly Halbrand was ripped away from you, the force of which caused you to stumble. Once you found your footing, you looked upward and across at a scene you did not believe.

Galadriel was holding your dagger to Halbrand's throat.

It appeared now that the she-elf had been the lure on the hook, not Bronwyn. They had known your brothers had been listening. "Galadriel… what are… what are you doing?" The question could barely pass your lips. The she-elf did not answer you, not even her piercing eyes contained the reasoning for what she was doing now. All you saw in them was conviction laced with sorrow. Bronwyn spoke on her behalf. "After I witnessed the cruel murder of that poor man at your hands, after I had seen to it that my only son would survive, I spoke with Galadriel. I knew she was conflicted about which side she should fall on. Should she remain true to her intentions and kill you both? Or should she lend you the chance to be our king and queen and save the Southlanders? I… I was regretfully adamant, and admitted my mistakes. I had been blinded by the love for my people that I did not see… the monsters on our doorstep.

"I told her about what I saw. She then told me about what she had seen. That helpless village… they could have united with us peacefully, we could have brought them to see the cause that you claim!" Bronwyn was letting her temper best her, and she paused a moment to regain her resolve, stepping towards Halbrand who was not struggling against the she-elf's grip. "Galadriel told me… the nefarious means by which you attained the title of our king…" Bronwyn spoke those words so low they were almost a whisper. "That you seek only power… and nothing will stop you from gaining it." "Bronwyn, please-" you tried to interject, but the lady would not have it.

"You are Sauron. You are allied with Morgoth. You brought the mountain down upon our home." her voice trembled as she spoke. "These are things we cannot forgive!" Crying out these words, the roar of the people behind her was deafening. The contrast was sharp between your arrival in Pelargir and the scene before you now. Your heart ached as you remembered how joyous the crowd had been as they had welcomed you, and celebrated the impending nuptials between the king and the queen. Yet now their cries were maddening, filled with ferocity, betrayal, and vengeance. From the highest of highs to the lowest of lows, in just a handful of days.

Perhaps you both deserved this reckoning. You had thought Garion striking you down would be your retribution, but it seems it was only the beginning, only leading to this moment. You moved your gaze from Bronwyn with her impassioned and angry face, to Galadriel, as you attempted to understand exactly why she had betrayed you. When only this morning you were naked with her, holding her in your arms, relishing in her touch and that of the warm water of the bath. You had been absolutely certain that she was allied with you once more, that her love for you, her love for Halbrand meant her allegiances were secured. Why would she give herself over to you both if she was going to take it all back, or never meant any of it in the first place? Or perhaps, this new development was something she had not intended. She had been gone all day after all, only returning to you when it was necessary for the uprising to take hold.

Galadriel's face broke the moment her eyes locked with yours. It had been an expression of steel, of her vengeance returning, matching the violence of her holding Halbrand at knife point. Though when your eyes connected, she found it rather difficult to keep herself together. Her lips trembled, and water began to pool around her blue irises. Was this regret she was wearing now? Did she not wish to be holding your dagger, holding your love's life in her hands? Perhaps this might be the way to get through to her, and through to them all, for if Galadriel topples, then the rest of the people would be sure to follow.

Casting your vision upon your husband now, he was oddly calm, acting almost as if this was a minor inconvenience to him that would soon be sorted out. This was the mask he wore, the veil he put up to show that he would not be affected by any attempts to thwart him or his rule. Because you knew underneath how he truly felt. He was fearful, disheartened, and most definitely filled with ire. Halbrand was giving a remarkable performance, lest he give into his emotions which would only lead to his darkness escaping. He had to do everything within his power to prevent that from happening. And so did you. For if either of you lost the battle within, then you would have no chance of winning the battle without.

"Release me, elf, so that I might explain myself." Halbrand requested, ready to fight with words. Galadriel did not budge, tightening her grip it seemed, and you swore you could see a small droplet of blood exit the throat of your love. "Do as he asks, Galadriel." spoke Arondir finally, wise enough to know he might be the only one with whom she would comply. Reluctantly of course, she loosened herself from him, but remained close, dagger at the ready. Halbrand stared into Bronwyn's eyes deeply as he spoke.

"The eruption of Orodruin was a plan that I conceived, yes. Hundreds of years ago. In that time, my desires have shifted greatly." He began to pace in front of the crowd slowly, casting his eyes upon all who dared to look at him. "The words I spoke to you all during yesterday's feast… I meant every single one. For in the freedom I have found since the defeat of Morgoth, I have only desired to make right the wrongs I committed. So when the opportunity presented itself to rule over these lands… I took it as a sign. As a chance to heal this world. And to not take it would be cruel.

"The fire from the mountain rained down upon you all not because of me, or my wife, your queen… but because of your enemy. My enemy. Adar and his orcs have now claimed the remade Southlands as their own home. They are the ones who have stolen your lands from you. Their undertaking was not my hope for you. Nor do I wish to see your lives taken by their swords. I fought with you, defended you, lead you to victory because it is what you deserve. And it is only the beginning of what we will achieve together if I remain your king."

Olwenna surged from where she stood, Padrig unable to hold her back. She walked briskly towards Halbrand, and struck him hard across the cheek. He flinched just the right amount, for you doubted her strength would be enough to truly take him aback. The king placating one of his subjects for her satisfaction, which he would hope, might lead to his satisfaction later on. "You murdered my husband!" she screamed at him, her whole body shaking as she did so. "How could you?!"

In this moment, without hesitation, the words passed your lips in an instant. "Because he was going to kill me!" You stepped forward then, standing now between your love and your friend. Defending him as he had defended you. Olwenna's face contorted with rage and confusion as your words hit her ears. "No… do not lie to me again, my friend." she spat venomously at you. "This is not possible." "Why else would we have to harm him?" you urged her as she seethed silently, shaking her head.

"Show her the proof, my love." Halbrand suggested calmly from at your back. The wound to your skull had not yet healed fully, and would now, it seems, be key evidence in this terrible trial. You gently removed your crown from atop your head, parting your hair to reveal the gash in your scalp caused by Garion's blunt attack. Your eyes darted between both Olwenna and Bronwyn as they studied the wound, their mouths agape. "An orc could have done that. Easily." argued Bronwyn, not wanting to admit she was wrong.

"What do my eyes tell you, Olwenna? You know me, you sense my spirit… am I lying to you now?" Tears were fighting against your will, and you held them back as long as you could so as to stare down the red-headed woman. You did not blink, and nor did she, and you watched as it dawned on her. Clasping her hands over her mouth, she tried to hold back sobs, but to no avail. Padrig rushed to her side, and she threw herself on the young man, her grief taking hold once more. With her eyes no longer on you, you let your own tears manifest, feeling them spill over and down to the ground.

Wiping them away with your plum coloured sleeves, you placed your diadem back on your head, before stepping beside Halbrand, locking your fingers tightly with his. Surveying the faces of your people now, you saw them becoming torn. It was working. They were doubting what Bronwyn and Galadriel had told them. They were starting to believe in their king and queen once more. You even looked to Azrahin and Târikun, taking in their hopeful expressions. Feeling her people being swayed, Bronwyn threw out her final attempt to depose and dispose of you and Halbrand. "Galadriel… you know the depths of Sauron's deceit, cunning, and devastation more than any here… I now give you the chance to do what you should have done days ago… claim your vengeance."

Bronwyn stepped back beside Arondir and Theo, giving Galadriel space enough to size you both up if she needed to. The she-elf entered your vision, her back to you as she spoke to the citizens of Pelargir, her lengthy blonde locks, still slightly damp, swaying lightly in the wind against the dark turquoise fabric she wore. "I see the doubt upon all of your faces. It is the same doubt that weighs heavy on me. The choice we need to make is a burden we should not have to bear, but we bear it not only for ourselves, but for our children, and their children, and their children. And we pray that they shall never have to be faced with a choice as imperative and difficult as this.

"When I arrived in your small city days ago, I had only one goal, one objective that I desperately desired to achieve. It was the force that swept me from my elven realm, drove me to the ends of Middle-earth over this age, a force that saw all with only one eye. But since that time when my blade was prevented from ending the life of Sauron, my other eye has opened and now together they both see a view all encompassing. The good and the evil. The light and the dark. Love… and hate." Galadriel turned to face you and Halbrand then, stepping slowly towards you both. "This is what I see in you." Her head slowly moved from Halbrand, to you, and back again. "And it is what I see in myself. You have both made your choice. Now it is time to make mine."

You could only look at her and nothing else. The entire world melted away. Galadriel cast her eyes upon you, smiling softly. A great calm washed over you, her presence soothing you, and you managed a smile back, letting a deep breath work its way through your body. Her love for you emanated outward from her heart, her very spirit, and you drank it in, letting it sustain you. You felt at peace. Finally. It was a magical sensation. Everything was going to be alright, you were sure of it now.

Though something changed very quickly. The air was invaded by an unshakable sense of dread. Galadriel blinked, and you watched tears trickle down her soft cheeks. Suddenly the smile struggled to stay on her face. The next words she spoke trembled as they passed her lips, as if they were forcing their way out of her. "I choose the light. It is my destiny. As it is yours." she paused, not wishing to finish her thoughts. Shifting her gaze to Halbrand, she raised a hand to his face and gently caressed it. A moment passed, though it was a moment that felt like an eternity. "And we must save this Middle-earth."

You saw what she was going to do before she had the chance to do it. A queen must protect her king. In the blink of an eye, you forced yourself between your two loves, just as your dagger in Galadriel's hand moved to strike. Your breath hitched and your body burned painfully as the weapon penetrated you. The she-elf's eyes went wide, as shock rippled through her. Despite the near unbearable ache you were now feeling, you were able to smile at her, and placing both your hands on her exquisite skin, you pulled her towards you in a kiss. Your lips clung to hers with all your might, trying to communicate all you could about how you felt in this moment. To reassure her this was okay. That you still loved her and could never hate her.

Now you knew how your victims felt with your blade buried deep inside your flesh. The justice their ghosts must feel at the notion of it. Releasing her from your tender touch, you cast your eyes downward to see the sight you knew was there. For you had already seen it. The same image your mother had shown you, Galadriel's hand on your bloody hilt, the blade hidden within you, blood gushing from your gut. The meaning of your mother's vision resonated in your mind, as it had now come to pass. The warning you did not heed.

Suddenly, Halbrand was screaming like you had never heard, the realisation of what had just occurred hitting him like a tidal wave. A mournful cry, filled with inhuman desperation that projected itself loudly for all to hear. Losing the ability to stand, you collapsed on the ground beneath your feet, Halbrand falling down with you, keeping your head from connecting with the damp pavement. He was cradling you, holding you tight, as if to tether you to this world, to assure you would never leave it. You looked up at him in his anguish, tears running fast down his face, landing on your cheeks. Galadriel fell to her knees before you, crouching at your feet, her expression almost one of complete catatonia. Azrahin and Târikun ran to your side, clasping your right arm and hand, their sobs entering the air. You were surrounded by your family, by the people you loved. Knowing this, your peaceful feeling returned, as each second that passed ticked towards your last.

"Someone do something!" called out Azrahin urgently. "Please!" Of all the hundreds of people in the town square that day, not one of them did a single thing to save you, accepting your fate. "Bronwyn! Please help her!" begged Târikun. You glanced down at your fatal wound, the daggers hilt protruding skyward, blood continuing to flow freely from you. Slowly turning your head to your brothers, you offered them solace. "There is nothing that can be done… the blood… its too much…" you spoke between coughs. Now you felt the metallic taste of it on your tongue. "It's okay."

"No… sister… we are not losing you…" cried Azrahin, trying to change your fate with his words. You could only cough in response, small dropets of blood landing on your lips. Halbrand stroked your face gently as he gazed down sorrowfully at you, his own sobs taking control. "My love.. why did you do that? Why did you do that?" he cried uselessly, as if the answer would put things right. "I didn't need saving…"

"Yes you did… it's all I wanted to do… save you…" you uttered softly with a smile, feeling yourself growing lightheaded… weaker. Halbrand managed a laugh somehow. "You saved me long ago, my love… it was supposed to be my job to save you." "And you… and you did." you coughed again and felt your blood trickle out from your mouth. Your love bit down on his bottom lip to prevent his sobs from controlling him once more. "This… this is not how it was meant to be… you're supposed to stay by my side… my queen… my wife… I'm not ready… I'm not ready to be without you."

Raising your left hand to cup his tear stained face, he closed his eyes in his sadness, attempting to savour the touch of you whilst he still could. Then you let it move down, and using the last of your strength, you held it firmly over his heart. "Such music as this will never end." you whispered with a faint smile, and Halbrand quickly returned it, before placing his lips upon yours in one last kiss.

Your eyes did not open again.

Tagging: @denzit @heronamedhawks @pursuitseternal @coraleethroughthelookingglass @hikarielizabethbloom @restless-tides @imjustsuperweird @vaguelyvibin @gil-galadhwen

#halbrand x reader #sauron x reader #halbrand/sauron x reader #galadriel x reader #halbrand #sauron #charlie vickers #galadriel #the rings of power #trop #trop fanfic #lord of the rings #lotr

[artbyhurricanyounot]

“In Every Way But Words” ✨ Arondir & Bronwyn 🌿🏹

I’m too proud of how this turned out not to share. This will eventually be rendered into a traditional pencil drawing, because it’s about time I returned to my roots 😌 I plan on posting my progress on my Instagram. My tag is the same as this one!

#peep the alfirin flowers at the bottom of the frame by their hands #I’m so excited to bring this to life #the rings of power #bronwyn #arondir #arondir x bronwyn #nazanin boniadi #rings of power spoilers #aronwyn #ismael cruz cordova #rop spoilers #my art #rings of power #lotrrop

[judgementdaysunshine]

A promise

Pairing: Galadriel x Fem reader

Description: Galadriel keeps her promise to you after you get lost and hurt during the war

Galadriel feels her mind spiral out of control as she looks and yells for you, she doesn't care about the ash and soot all over her, that her hair is dirty and sticking across her face, and her body screaming in protest after all the fighting she had done. All she cared about was finding you alive and making sure she didn't lose you after everything you both had already been through in your lives and gone through together this past while, she could never forgive herself if you were gone because of her, she had only been with you for this last month after you both poured your feelings out to each other and everything else after was a whirlwind of love and passion between the two of you as the war came and you both prepared yourselves and all the villagers who had decided to step up and fight for their home and all of their lives, you groan in pain as you come to seeing dim orange light above you as you cough as you hear noise around you. You yell out in pain as you move debris away and pop up, barely able to see you slowly use a nearby door as leverage to pull yourself up as you hear voices not far away from you, you turn and begin to walk but fall down as you yell out to the man and woman you saw talking and looking around probably looking for someone they knew or had found each other randomly "Are you alright?!" you see a brunette woman checking your body especially the wound on your abdomen as the man who you noticed was an elf gently whispers to you while running his fingers on your face to keep you awake as they help you up and you are put over his shoulders as they yell out a name you barely hear as you pass out and they take you to the safe point they had made for everyone. You wake up to see a boy next to you as you look around, groaning as you try to lean up but you are slowly pushed back down by the woman from earlier "You got hurt pretty bad but it will get better just don't move unless you have to" you nod as you see the same man from earlier above you making you grab and hold his hand "Thank you both of you for helping me" they both smile at you as they lean down and hug you, the three introduce themselves learning their names are Bronwyn, her son Theo, and Arondir making you smile as he speaks Quenyan to another elf "Have tye seen a blonde inya moriquende esse telepse armor?" he turns to look and smiles big as theo runs out, you soon hear footsteps and see a familiar face above you. You thank the three as you and galadriel hug tightly and share a kiss "I thought I'd never see you again!" she laughs tearfully as she thanks and hugs the three "I made a promise to you not only to love you for eternity but that if we were lost and separated from each other we would never stop until we found each other" you tearfully smile as you remember the heartfelt promise you made to each other right before the war started, the two of you talk to each other and neither of you are seen without the other too far behind as and after you recover from your wound and as everyone slowly recovers and moves on from the war that nearly ended everything for every single being in Middle Earth.

#galadriel x reader #lord of the rings #rings of power x reader #galadriel #lord of rings x reader #rings of power

[incorrectringsofpower]

Computer: Please enter a password.

Arondir: *types in Bronwyn*

Computer: Your password is too weak.

Arondir: How fucking DARE YOU—

#trop crack #trop #the rings of power #arondir #aronwyn #bronwyn #source: scatterpatter's incorrect quotes generator #source request #inspo: gudfornuthin