#Telperaiwë

[mothdalf]

DAY FIVE: ladies who married in- Telperaiwë (silver lace) wife of Curufinwë Atarinkë and mother of Telperinquar (click for higher quality)

@finweanladiesweek

So she obviously exists in canon, but beyond her actual existence, we can pretty much make up whatever we like. So on to some headcanon:

Olorien Telperaiwë tends to go by her mother name. She’s a little embarrassed by her father name as she gets older, she doesn’t want to be thought of as dreamy - which she is but that’s beside the point- she wants to be taken seriously.

As her name would suggest she is a lace maker, as a Noldo it’s expected that she will find a craft and she does; delighting in making beautiful pieces and intricate designs.

At a certain point she branches out a little into lacework jewellery, she learns a little from her father who works with metal (specialising in jewellery for piercings) and starts to try applying lace making techniques to fine wires. She struggles to get the same level of detail and delicate finish in this medium, so embarks on a quest to find a metal or wire so fine she can treat it almost as a thread.

This is how she meets Curufinwë, and they become quite the power couple both creatively - her dreamy idealistic approach supported by his scientific knowledge, her attention to detail and love of beauty enhancing his practical and unquestionable skill- and socially.

She comes from a good hardworking family of Noldorin artisans, which Curufin and his family respect, and though the Noldor haven’t properly split into factions yet, Telperaiwë’s family have always skewed to the Fëanorion side. So the match pleases both families, even though both Curvo and ‘Pera are still a bit young to be getting married.

They are very much sickeningly in love. Which prompts endless teasing from brothers both younger and older, but they can all see the way he looks at her. Telperaiwë coaxes honesty and vulnerability from Curvo, he tells her his secrets and his feelings and everyone he knows can see that he’s finally found someone who brings him piece.

For her part Pera is head over heals, a charming prince, clever and handsome, whose softer side is only for her, who’s devoted to her, who works with her. A dashing gentleman who dances with her, teaches her about his craft, let’s her hands guide his in creating delicate and beautiful things. It’s like something from a story. Or a dream.

Fëanor is thrilled to have a skilled, creative craftswoman as a daughter-in-law. Nerdanel is apprehensive about her young son and this young girl marrying so soon (stars above she knows how hard it can be) but Telperaiwë is so sweet and brings out a much warmer, more personable side to Curufin that it wins her round.

The wedding is extravagance incarnate- in a beautiful and tasteful way, of course.

Though they’ve married young and are happy about it, they’re going to wait to have children. Curufin is insistent that he’s not going to have lots of them- he’s the second youngest, the twins are still children themselves, he’s been raised in a big family and would be quite content with one child thank you very much. Maybe two, since it would be with Telperaiwë.

Mairafinwë Telperinquar is probably the closest elves have to an accidental baby. They weren’t planning on having children yet but the intention was there and they weren’t exactly doing anything to prevent it. So whoops.

“Awww you named him after his favourite uncle!” “Fuck off Nelyo!”

When the time comes she goes with them to Formenos, of course she does. Her parents are very supportive and besides, if Curvo and Telpë are going, how can she not? She doesn’t judge Nerdanel, but she can’t understand how she would remain behind.

Its Nerdanel she turns to when they decide to go across the sea.

The night? (It’s so hard to tell in the darkness) before they leave Telperaiwë wakes with a start from the worst dream- of screams and burning and blood and an army in darkness bearing the broken, mutilated body of an elf on a pole like a gruesome standard.

She’s back in her bed in the Fëanorian house in Tirion, they’re staying there while the Noldor prepare to leave. Curvo isn’t there, he’s with his father finalising plans, but her son is curled up beside her. So she slips quietly from the room and wanders to a balcony overlooking the courtyard.

He mother-in-law is there, looking out, she turns to Telperaiwë and takes both of her hands.

“You saw something too?” She murmurs.

“I don’t want to go, I’m afraid.”

“Then stay. They can no more force us to leave than we can force them to remain.”

“But he’s my husband.”

“And you’re still your own person. Atarinkë doesn’t own you anymore than his father owns me.”

“I love him!”

“As I love Fëanaró, and all of my children. But I still won’t go. I, too, can be wilful, and loving them can’t force me to go against my better judgement.”

“Telpë will go with them, he wants to go. He’ll think I’ve abandoned him. And they all admit it’s dangerous, they can’t protect him from everything.”

“Telperaiwë, I’m not here to convince you to stay or to leave. There is no good outcome to this that I can see. Hearts will be broken whatever we choose. This is beyond us. I’m only able to choose for myself what I think is best for me. That’s all you can do too.”

“My parents, my whole family, are going. If I stay I’ll be alone.”

“You will always have a place with me. You’re my daughter.”

They stay there until Curufin comes to tell her to get dressed, they’re leaving as soon as they’ve eaten. When she tells him she’s not going she expects him to be angry, to scream, to call her a coward. But instead he begs, and cries, and pleads. They hold each other until the tears are all but gone and he whispers “what about Telpë?” “He wants to go with you. He won’t forgive me for keeping him here.”

Their parting is one of the most bitter. She kisses her son and helps him onto his horse, he sobs the whole time but she doesn’t, she won’t until they’ve gone.

Curufin doesn’t cry again either as they embrace. Nor when she reaches out and grabs his hand. Not even at her final words.

“I know what you’ve sworn already. Just swear to me you’ll keep him safe. I’ll be here. I’ll be waiting. Until the breaking of the world if that’s what it takes. All you have to do is make sure you both come back. Please. Just come back.”

But they don’t. And her dreams are shattered.

#my art #tolkien #the silmarillion #noldor #first age antics #finweanladiesweek #yott more like yeet #the darkening #Curufin’s wife #telperinquar #Telperaiwë #father names #mother names #oh you think Curufin didn’t pass on the -finwë name?