1. In the Halls of Mandos
Author’s note:
I had always wondered what goes on in the Halls of Mandos. One of my conclusions is that the elves heal in their time there with some help from Mandos before they are reborn. This follows that logic.
********
Mandos slowly journeyed through his halls. Unnoticed and unseen by all but whom he desired to see him.
His destination for today was an almost deserted part of his halls. A cavern in which the fea of Feanor had taken residence. He stepped inside slowly, knowing Feanor had seen him, but as usually, Feanor looked ahead ignoring him. This time however, Mandos did not retreat to leave him to his thoughts. The time to attempt healing had come.
Mandos slipped his arms into the opposing sleeves.
'Feanor, eldest son of Finwe. Do you regret nothing?'
Again he was met by silence.
Mandos kept his cool visage. 'Nienna weeps for the kinslaying of brethren and kin.'
'I regret nothing,' came the harsh answer.
'She weeps for...'
Feanor interrupted him. 'I regret nothing.'
Mandos kept his stance as he continued. None knew how long he stood by Feanor, repeating the woes and sorrows of the world that his sister Nienna wept for, and for the souls he had claimed, who had died from the destruction wrought by the Silmarills. He told of wars, of betrayals, of sins, of sunderings, of slayings, of despair. And yet Feanor's answer held true to every word.
'Nothing. I regret nothing.'
Mandos continued. 'She weeps for the kinslayings at the Mouths of Sirion, where Eärendil's people died, where Amrod and Amras, sixth and seventh twin sons of Feanor perished.' At this Mandos paused. But Feanor held his own and said nothing.
Mandos continued, 'Nienna weeps for the second kinslaying, in Doriath of the Thousand Caves, where kin slew kin and perished. Where the king of Doriath passed to the halls of Mandos. Where Curufin, the Crafty, fifth son of Feanor perished. Where Caranthir, the Dark, fourth son of Feanor fell. And where Celegorm the Fair, Third son of Feanor, also fell. To achieve not the oath of their father. To abandon the young sons of Doriath to their death in the forests.'
Feanor's dark answer was, 'There are still two. I regret it not.'
Mandos gave nothing. He continued, 'She weeps for the fate of the last of the sons of Feanor. Who attacked the servant of Manwe, who retrieved the last two Silmarils.'
A faint fey smile appeared on the face of Feanor.
'She weeps for the second son of Feanor, Maglor the mighty singer, who cast his father's Silmaril into the sea.' Feanor's expression hardened with anger. 'Who wanders ever in regret and grief and pain.'
'He betrays his father. There is still one,' came the harsh come back as Mandos gave another pause.
Mandos calmly regarded him, 'Nienna weeps for the eldest and first son of Feanor. Maedhros the Tall. Whose pain after seizing his father's Silmaril caused him pain beyond Arda, which caused him despair enough to render him into madness and led him to cast himself into a fiery chasm and his end and the jewel's end.'
Mandos paused, gathering the anger rising in the ageless face, 'Do you regret, son of Finwe?'
Feanor slowly stood to face Mandos. Anger collected into rage, at the reminder of the failure, at hearing his oath's failure, at hearing that his precious silmarils were lost. 'I regret nothing,' he hissed. 'NOTHING!'
Mandos closed his eyes, bowing his head slightly. 'So be it,' he simply said and turned away from Feanor disappearing from the elf's view. It was not time for this one's healing and rebirth yet.
Feanor stood where he was. Shaking with rage. He took a step back closing his eyes and clenching his fists. 'Nothing,' he repeated in an empty whisper.
I had always wondered what goes on in the Halls of Mandos. One of my conclusions is that the elves heal in their time there with some help from Mandos before they are reborn. This follows that logic.
********
Mandos slowly journeyed through his halls. Unnoticed and unseen by all but whom he desired to see him.
His destination for today was an almost deserted part of his halls. A cavern in which the fea of Feanor had taken residence. He stepped inside slowly, knowing Feanor had seen him, but as usually, Feanor looked ahead ignoring him. This time however, Mandos did not retreat to leave him to his thoughts. The time to attempt healing had come.
Mandos slipped his arms into the opposing sleeves.
'Feanor, eldest son of Finwe. Do you regret nothing?'
Again he was met by silence.
Mandos kept his cool visage. 'Nienna weeps for the kinslaying of brethren and kin.'
'I regret nothing,' came the harsh answer.
'She weeps for...'
Feanor interrupted him. 'I regret nothing.'
Mandos kept his stance as he continued. None knew how long he stood by Feanor, repeating the woes and sorrows of the world that his sister Nienna wept for, and for the souls he had claimed, who had died from the destruction wrought by the Silmarills. He told of wars, of betrayals, of sins, of sunderings, of slayings, of despair. And yet Feanor's answer held true to every word.
'Nothing. I regret nothing.'
Mandos continued. 'She weeps for the kinslayings at the Mouths of Sirion, where Eärendil's people died, where Amrod and Amras, sixth and seventh twin sons of Feanor perished.' At this Mandos paused. But Feanor held his own and said nothing.
Mandos continued, 'Nienna weeps for the second kinslaying, in Doriath of the Thousand Caves, where kin slew kin and perished. Where the king of Doriath passed to the halls of Mandos. Where Curufin, the Crafty, fifth son of Feanor perished. Where Caranthir, the Dark, fourth son of Feanor fell. And where Celegorm the Fair, Third son of Feanor, also fell. To achieve not the oath of their father. To abandon the young sons of Doriath to their death in the forests.'
Feanor's dark answer was, 'There are still two. I regret it not.'
Mandos gave nothing. He continued, 'She weeps for the fate of the last of the sons of Feanor. Who attacked the servant of Manwe, who retrieved the last two Silmarils.'
A faint fey smile appeared on the face of Feanor.
'She weeps for the second son of Feanor, Maglor the mighty singer, who cast his father's Silmaril into the sea.' Feanor's expression hardened with anger. 'Who wanders ever in regret and grief and pain.'
'He betrays his father. There is still one,' came the harsh come back as Mandos gave another pause.
Mandos calmly regarded him, 'Nienna weeps for the eldest and first son of Feanor. Maedhros the Tall. Whose pain after seizing his father's Silmaril caused him pain beyond Arda, which caused him despair enough to render him into madness and led him to cast himself into a fiery chasm and his end and the jewel's end.'
Mandos paused, gathering the anger rising in the ageless face, 'Do you regret, son of Finwe?'
Feanor slowly stood to face Mandos. Anger collected into rage, at the reminder of the failure, at hearing his oath's failure, at hearing that his precious silmarils were lost. 'I regret nothing,' he hissed. 'NOTHING!'
Mandos closed his eyes, bowing his head slightly. 'So be it,' he simply said and turned away from Feanor disappearing from the elf's view. It was not time for this one's healing and rebirth yet.
Feanor stood where he was. Shaking with rage. He took a step back closing his eyes and clenching his fists. 'Nothing,' he repeated in an empty whisper.
This is a work of fan fiction, written because the author has an abiding love for the works of J R R Tolkien. The characters, settings, places, and languages used in this work are the property of the Tolkien Estate, Tolkien Enterprises, and possibly New Line Cinema, except for certain original characters who belong to the author of the said work. The author will not receive any money or other remuneration for presenting the work on this archive site. The work is the intellectual property of the author, is available solely for the enjoyment of Henneth Annûn Story Archive readers, and may not be copied or redistributed by any means without the explicit written consent of the author.
