Title: Night Without Stars
Fandom: Silmarillion
Challenge: Law/Lore
Other prompt: SWG Solve a Problem: Who Narrated the Silmarillion in-canon?
Rating: G
Length: 317
Content notes: Utúlie'n aurë! (The day has come!) The first part of Fingon's battle cry at the beginning of the Fifth Battle, called Nirnaeth Arnoediad.
Author notes: Thanks go to Morgynleri for encouragement & sanity-checking.
Summary: Who tells your story? Elrond considers Pengolodh's account of the Fifth Battle in three linked drabbles and a coda.




If only he had wielded a harp when facing Gothmog, though that battle had been music of another order entirely. Singing edges of steel, not woven notes of bronze and silvered wire, however enchanting. Even Maglor's harp would not have been heard in that wide and varied clangor. Maglor's voice was heard, even as Fingon's own had been, but battle cries were a different music yet: hope and will set forth as a banner of sound, flying overhead in fierce intent — Fire and strength to the forces beneath it, fire and fear to the foe that they faced. Utúlie'n aurë!

But day had not come, the night had not passed, but only grown darker. Fingon had not even taken Gothmog down with him, though he had wounded him sore. Pengolodh would not tell that part, giving all to Hurin. Hurin's deeds were great that day indeed, but the lord of balrogs was not at full strength when Hurin hewed him. Lore-speakers should speak rightly, else how could truth be known? Elrond Peredhil, lore-master and heir to so many of those named knew what they had lost, in Fingon's death, though he had known him only through what his absence wrought.

Why tell it so? Why thus and not another way? Why leave the deeds of many unreported in the annals, that were yet known in kin-tales and lamentations, kept green in the hearts of comrades, lovers, kin? And why, persistently, did Pengolodh shape his narrative to cast the Feanorions in the least favorable light? Even Fingon, not just his King, but the brother of Turgon his Lord fell in that shade. But Elrond knew Maglor, had known Maedhros, had heard grief spoken and silent, seen some of the gaps, voids, empty places Fingon had once filled. Tears innumerable indeed.

His loss had left no gold to lighten Maedhros' night. Had mattered more than Pengolodh would say.