Don’t You Leave Him, Samwise Gamgee. And I Don’t Mean To. I Don’t Mean To.

I’ve been posting some of my old Tolkien themed watercolor illustrations in my instagram lately so why not here as well, for old times sake. Lil hobbitses heading to adventure! Forests! Ents! The gaiety of the elvish feast!

Maedhros

Fake It 'til You Break It 😭

Fingon, on his way to Angband:

Maitimo and Findekáno. After the coronation in Hithlum.

Do not use without my permission, please

It never ceases to amaze me the number of the times Tolkien mentioned Finwe's love for Fëanor. I think there are no other fathers in the legendarium whose love for their son or daughter is as talked about as is Finwë's love for Fëanor.

In that time was born in Eldamar, in the house of the King in Tirion upon the crown of Tuna, the eldest of the sons of Finwe, and the most beloved. Curufinwe was his name, but by his mother he was called Feanor, Spirit of Fire; - The Silmarillion, Chapter 6, Of Fëanor and The Unchaining of Melkor

All his love he gave to his son; for Fëanaró was like his mother in voice and countenance, and Finwë was to him both father and mother, and there was a double bond of love upon their hearts. - Morgoth's Ring, The Later Quenta Silmarillion (II), Laws A

...Yet the shadow of Miriel did not depart from his heart, and Fëanaró always had the chief share of his thoughts. - Morgoth's Ring, The Later Quenta Silmarillion (II), Laws A

... And in spite of all that later happened his eldest son remained nearest to Finwë's heart. - The Peoples of Middle-earth, The Shibboleth of Fëanor

Thither also came Finwë the King, because of the love that he bore to Fëanor. - The Silmarillion, Chapter 7, Of The Silmarils and The Unrest Of The Noldor

There is a different version of the last quote in Morgoth's Ring which I personally prefer to the one we got in the published Silmarillion. The way it is worded gives a clear answer to the question why Finwë followed Fëanor in exile to Formenos.

With him went his sons, and Finwë his father, who would not be parted from him, in fault or guiltless. - - Morgoth's Ring, The Later Quenta Silmarillion (II), Later Chapter 6, Of The Silmarils and The Unrest Of The Noldor

Finwe did not follow Fëanor in exile because he felt like his authority as King of the Noldor was diminished by the Valar and they got involve in a situation that should have been Finwë's to handle.

He also did not follow Fëanor in exile because of some sort of guilt related to the fact that he is Fëanor's only parent and his son has nobody else left.

No.

Finwë willingly followed Fëanor in exile because he would not be parted from him, in fault or guiltless. It was never about Fëanor being right or wrong in this particular situation or any another. That is irrelevant to Finwë and it does not effect his decision. Finwë would follow Fëanor always regardless of whether his son was guilty of any transgression or not.

It's worth pointing out that Finwë did not hesitate to part from his kingship, from his people, from Indis, from his and Indis' children. But there is only one person Finwë never wants to be parted from and that is Fëanor.

... and I love that!

I have a little hc that whenever Fëanor felt distressed or alone he started embroidering a bit just to feel his mother by his side for a short time.

Maedhros in the hands of Melkor. Scetch.

(post-Thangorodrim) Maglor braids his brother's hair

When your husband returns from 3000 years in jail ...

... and you're thirsty af 🥰💖!! Mairon really missed him! Daddy's back on Arda!!!!