Live Journal Feed"Eä needs vast lands for which existence shalt prevail," Aulë added to the boisterous room, immediately silencing various conversing. "With the permission of Ilúvatar, I shalt shape Arda itself." An eruption of lively chatter once more became in the room, many in agreement of Aulë the smith of the Ainur doing such a task. Manwë Súlimo, high representative thought silently on this, and turned to his brother Melkor, who merely watched Nienna's resplendence unblinkingly.
"And I shalt make fruitful this land of which my husband speaks," Yavanna Kementári piped up, voice deep with hopefulness of her acceptance. Aulë, seated at her side, squeezed Yavanna's hand. The expression which filtered his face shone clearly his pleasure in his wife's offer. Yes, Aulë and Yavanna would shape well this Arda. Manwë smiled well-pleased at this thought, nodding in agreement.
"So it shalt be," he declared, once more silencing the room. Varda was seated at the opposite side of Manwë, her beauty too vast for words. Her fingers traced the steady lines of her beloved Manwë's hands as she listened to the various propositions offered, heart light and contemplative. Perhaps this world would be as splendid as was desired after all. Already having created stars for Eä, Varda was well-chosen to assist her husband in the becoming of air, wind, and clouds.
As each representative rose for a challenge and effort in this creation, Varda felt with each word spoken a constantly-growing darkness, though the source she was as of yet unable to foretell. None of those whom had spoken she had felt uneasiness toward; no need for rejection. But only two now remained in the making of Eä: Melkor and Nienna. Varda narrowed her eyes as she silently regarded Nienna's gentile face...and Melkor's deep-eyes watching every movement of the Ainu.
As Varda watched Melkor, a shadow began to form within her mind.
Manwë rose then with a joy-written face. "Well pleased am I," he announced, grinning broadly at his extraordinary wife with the love within his eyes shimmering. "What of thee, Varda?" He asked his cogitative wife, smile fading as he watched a slow frown set upon her bright face. Nienna also captured the look within her eyes, and sat back uneasily, feeling Melkor's eyes grinding into her flesh.
"Two have not yet spoken," Varda said then. "What of your brother, Melkor? Has he nothing to offer Ilúvatar?" Her voice rang lucidly through Melkor's ears, and his gaze finally wavered from Nienna's silent face, and looked directly to that of Varda's. A scornful glare was somewhere deep within his eyes, and though many did not see it, Varda did not miss it.
"Aye," Melkor said, casually. "I merely waited until my great brother had finished regarding each proposal." Varda looked at her husband, rising to his side, meeting his full height. Though Manwë, however wise, missed the ounce of blackness gathering in the depths of his brothers soul, Varda read the signs plainly, and brought her wits about her. Something was wrong; invariably wrong.
Manwë nodded, placing a hand upon his brothers shoulder. "And now is the time for thee to rise in word," he said to Melkor, who grinned sheepishly, seeing Nienna shuffle her feet uncomfortably from the corner of his eye. Melkor pondered, giving the full of his eyes to Manwë, and the full of his attention to Nienna. Why did she seem so distant through this? She suddenly had become so aloof in the discussion of Arda, Middle-earth, and even during her brother, Námo Mandos' propositions including her.
He examined her carefully, though her eyes were no longer upon him, but his brother. A loathing entered his state of mind at this, and he looked to his handsome elder brother with not a trace of the hate brewing within. But Varda saw this, and he knew it.
"I am the greatest of the Ainur, " he chided arrogantly. "This new world has many creations, but what of legions? Followers? Worshipers... as the most powerful of us all, I suggest..."
"Eru Ilúvatar has already children, Melkor," Varda said suddenly. "It is they who shall inherit Eä...not slaves to the Ainur." Manwë turned to his wife then, silencing her momentarily listen further to his brothers mind. Varda did so, but Melkor's hatred only grew toward his brother, and even greater toward Varda.
"Continue, brother," Manwë said, sitting at his brothers side, and watching him intently. Melkor's chiseled cheekbones puffed slightly as he breathed loudly, closing his eyes briefly.
"I wish for a companion," Melkor added, turning his face with a pleasant smile to Nienna, whose eyes widened with comprehension. "Nienna...together we shalt create a greater Middle-earth..greater than one imaginable." Manwë frowned then, seeing his brothers mind plainly, and looked to Nienna whom surprisingly withdrew such an idea, shaking her lovely head slowly.
"Melkor," she said, "my gift to the world must also be the will of Ilúvatar. I cannot create my own with you to outdo he who bids us." Melkor was taken abash then, and his eyes enlarged with unforeseeable tears. At last, he was beginning to understand: his addition to this Middle-earth was unwanted. There was no use of his contribution. At long last, the revulsion long concealed by will fled to his face.
"Even you, Nienna, would reject me?" He spat. "You would reject I, who am greater than this Eru's music!"
"She rejects this corruption within you, Melkor, not the true-hearted Ainur she once loved," Varda interjected lowly. Melkor's eyes turned to Varda's, and an incomparable hatred beamed from them. Oh, how he detested her beauty. "Your jealousy and malice to each of us has only grown as each of us has sought to give to you. What we would accept from you would be as poison to our fruit."
A look of horror washed over Manwë's face then, and his eyes grew graven. "Is this true, brother? Hate you us?"
Melkor looked to Nienna then, her beautiful sorrow leaking with her tears. Oh, how his heart ached to see her like this. So lost, so sorrowful. Once he would have given everything to see her smile...now he would give anything to watch her weep--for him.
"One I have loved, and still do. Nienna...be mine," he rendered between gritted teeth. Nienna's face lit but for a moment, before the knowledge of his mind doused the flame once insurmountable. Melkor's eyes hardened when Nienna made no answer, remaining still and solemn.
"Your mind is dangerous to the Ainur, brother," Manwë decided mournfully, lowering his eyes from the face of the brother had had long loved. "Your contribution to this Middle-earth must, therefore, be declined as my wife says." Manwë hid the unshed tears from his brother, afraid of what such weakness could arise. Instead, he kept his words hard, and steadfast.
Nienna lowered her face, weeping into her hands. Mandos watched his sister, moving to her side.
"So I have been rejected, my perfect brother? Fine; I then defy this paradise you seek to custom as Eru's. I shall make it of my own will, and will see your will destroyed before the end! Look for me no more among you!" He cried furiously. Nienna rose then, hands outspread, and fell to her knees.
"Melkor, wait!" She wept, tears flowing down her face. Melkor paused, looking bitterly to the Ainu whom he so loved. Nienna looked to him, eyes glistening, face grief-filled. But his heart became hard even to her then, and his mind was already twisted.
"Nay, my love. I cannot wait here," he said sternly, fingers twitching within his firm fist.
Longing to wipe the tears from her face.
"Then I have made my choice," Nienna sobbed. "My gift to Ilúvatar shall be these tears which fall. I shall grieve for the suffering world, and comfort those spirits who come to me, though my greatest tears, Melkor, shall flow for thee."
Melkor froze, heart swelling within his chest. So she would remain among these foolhardy Ainur, and betray him?
And her fall would be for him.
Melkor's heart hardened then, and he turned away from all of the Ainur for the last time, the eyes of Nienna burning within his mind. He would not care for tears, for one whom he loved would always cry for him. He would not submit to the will of others.
He would be greater than this Eru.
And he would destroy all that hindered him.
Fin.
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Thank you to the readers! This was an experiment story, and from various PM's and ratings, I believe that this may have been liked. =D! Again, this is just a double-take at what happened, and not at all written in Tolken's literature. It was more of a "What if" scenario. Thank you all once more!
