Reprieve, by Himring

[hhimring]

Title: Reprieve
Author: Himring
Characters: Amandil, Anarion
Rating: PG
Warnings: none
Book/Source: Akallabeth (Silm, also HoME and LOTR)
Disclaimer: This is Tolkien's. I just thought about it a bit.


Isildur lies dangerously ill from his wounds. Amandil meanwhile tries to grow a seedling from the fruit of the White Tree that Isildur rescued.

Even here, among friends, Amandil makes sure he is unobserved before he slips away to the hidden nook where a plain pot full of earth awaits him. Who would have thought he would turn gardener late in life? An unsuccessful one—for the seed, too dearly bought, refuses to sprout.
But look! Overnight, new green has risen to meet the sunlight! And on his return, Anarion awaits him.
‘Grandfather!’
Fear grips him again immediately. ‘What is it?’
‘Isildur… He woke. He has spoken!’
Beyond hope, a bitter winter is over. After this reprieve, Amandil will not easily give up again.

A/N: Written for Akallabeth in August at Silmarillion Writers Guild.

Comments

[someplacetobe.livejournal.com]

I'm glad Isildur spoke; poor Amandil.

[hhimring]

Thank you!
That was truly a hard winter for Amandil!

[marta-bee.livejournal.com]

I'm not sure if it's intentional or not but the concept of an Amandil utterly failing at something like gardening is really very funny! Frustrating and heartbreaking particularly with Isildur's uncertain fate, but also oh-so-human. This is a nice moment.

[hhimring]

Thank you very much, Marta!
I think exactly how funny the concept is probably depends on what ideas about Amandil the reader brings to the story, but it's certainly intended to be wry humour, at least.
The canonical fact that Amandil was a friend of Pharazon's in their youth and Amandil's high rank made me suspect that Amandil might not have done much of his own gardening, if any at all, before he was handed the fruit rescued by Isildur.