#the shibboleth was fëanor's mommy issues at level 9000

[shiroandblack]

It is a slow and gradual change, but the Noldor have started to abandon the letter 'Þ' in their words for the letter 's'. It was hard to pinpoint the source of this change, as with most innovations in the spoken word, it could simply be anyone deciding to pronounce a word in a particular way and others finding it better and following.

However, it is a conundrum for Indis who is of the Vanyar, who have not replaced the þorn. They would understand, certainly, if she did not speak the way they did. After all, she is of the Vanyar as they are so keen to remind her. To Finwë's people she was ever 'Indis of the Vanyar' or if they were feeling generous, 'Indis the Fair'.

"You have four Noldorin children, Indis," Finwë would shake his head and laugh, "my people have welcomed you for long."

But not all, she wanted to say then. And she wanted to say it now, as she saw Fëanàro's too bright silver-grey eyes piercing her own from across court. Indis swallowed, trying to hold his stare which has always burned.

Not for the first time, she wished Míriel had not died.

She had named all her children in the Noldorin fashion, forsaking the softer dialect of her own people. She had abandoned the soft silks and georgette dresses favoured by her people, replacing them with the samite and brocade of the Noldor. Her hair was no longer left loose to fly in the wind, instead it was braided intricately in a manner which has always been unsuited for her fine strands. The flowers usually woven into them were discarded and replaced with glittering gems.

And still — she is Indis of the Vanyar. They have never failed to remind her that she was not of their kindred. And Indis would always try to prove that she was, that her children were just as Noldorin as any other.

Now, they look at her and wonder how she will speak. Will she retain the þorn as the court of Ingwë does, or will she speak as them? Once again, converting a Vanyarin part of herself into Noldorin.

Fëanàro will take this as an insult to his mother, that is inevitable. Míriel would never discard the þorn in her name, but Míriel is dead and the dead do not make their will known to the living. Indis is Queen of the Noldor now, she must always put that first before her duties towards a dead friend.

So she speaks and it is with the 'sa-sí's her people now favour.

#the shibboleth was fëanor's mommy issues at level 9000 #indis getting blamed for it was so unfair tho #i always found it curious that she names her kids in a very Noldorin way and i wondered why #I'm not a linguist tho #short fic #indis vànima #the silmarillion #tolkien