Very beautiful and sad! I will add this one to my favourites. And I wish you would continue the story some day...
Anyway, thank you for sharing it!

Though Maedhros/Fingon slash doesn't generally do it for me, I love this story. Linguistic nit, though: Findekáno would shorten to Findo and Turukáno to Turvo.

I really like this. The tension is just lovely, and the love very believable. I want to see the later chapters now...

This is a beautiful and thought-provoking piece, filled with questions and angst and beautiful language too. And Maedhros' line, "I prefer strange fate -- it seems less harsh somehow" -- was very touching. Oh, yes, *now* I remember why it's so easy to obsess over these two, because I find all the best things about Maedhros/Fingon fics, rolled into one.

Definitely a painful choice! True love versus parenthood; which to sacrifice?. And either choice entails a real loss on Maedhros's part. This is a lovely illustration of the dilemmas raised by L&C, as well as a sensitive portrayal of both Maedhros and Fingon.

I'm very glad Fingon drew you away from your sketch pad and convinced you to write this story!

Very good, very sad. I like it.

I can understand Maedhros and Fingon being totally confused about what the nature of their relationship actually was, particularly as elves do probably have much lower sex drives than mortals.
And of course because as Jillian said anything other than marriage was a "strange fate" and not talked about.
This is really sweet and very clever, and certainly believable. Who knows?
And Maedhros' comment about "strange fates" sounding less cruel. Aww

There IS more of this, right? I don't know what it is, but I just have to love Maedhros/Fingon.

Such a bittersweet story, setting out so innocently and becoming more and more serious. I liked little Aredhel - Fingon should babysit more, then he'll learn the tricks. Or he could let Maedhros teach him. ;-) Fate really is going to be strange for these two, even though ill chance too isn't absent from their lives, unfortunately.

Loved the story!

This story makes me think that it would be possible and even plausible for two lovers of the same gender to remain chaste in Aman. But as the Eldar are fond of children, this would indeed be a sacrifice; blessed though this realm is, it isn't perfect. By showing Maedhros' with an actual baby in his arms, you illustrate the sacrifice better than by lengthy explanations. (And of course he of all people would be an excellent babysitter!)
I also love the way you depict the tension here, and the uncertainty felt by Fingon. This really touched me. Thank you!

I like it. Tolkien does mention marriage as the normal state for an elf, and gives little to no explanation for those that don't. One could imagine the strange fate Tolkien coyly hints at could be homosexuality, a man of his generation would not openly mention such things, especially where ladies might read it!

You have also made me wonder if either Fingon of Maedhros should have been female, and some strange chance made them both male!! Of course under these circumstances Maedhros would consider it ill-mannered of him to marry just to have some children of his own. Then again perhaps all the baby sitting of younger brothers partly repressed his desire for children of his own.

I liked his skilled handling of Aredhel, but more his evident enjoyment in her. Had not the Noldor left Aman, maybe Maedhros would have been everyone's favourite Uncle!!

I love Maedhros/Fingon...and this fic is a very good example why: complication (can you say 'angst'?), two beautiful Elves and their feelings (Erm, again, 'angst'), and a fair bit of foreshadowing.
Very nice.