[Child of the 7th Age]

Cami creeps in where others wisely fear to tread..... Here goes.

Step back and take a deep breath. Perhaps you may not be as far apart as you think.....

The things that Pio has put on her thread suggests to me that Pio and Mith have indeed made a unique commitment to each other, a relationship that we today would indeed call a union or marriage:

The character who is now returned to the story is by far a more mature thinking person with the capacity for real commitments and for genuine love...

Her dawning affection/love for Mithadan will awaken her to the physical, emotional, spiritual layers of authentic commitment

This was not a young elf maiden with the luxury of parents to see her through this dawning love and guide her with their wisdom during a luxuriant year of betrothal. Hers are not the easy circumstances of Rivendell or Lothlorien when she is faced with these decisions, but the everpresent battlefield of Light and Darkness. Having died once by mischance, life is more precious to her. And now, having made that decison to join her courses to Mithadan's and, in so doing, choosing mortality for herself, life becomes even more precious as she realizes how fleeting it will be with him.

In her eyes they have achieved the marriage state.

It was the act of bodily union that achieved marriage, and after which the indissoluble bond was complete.(Morgoth's Ring, p. 212)

This part is me: According to Morgoth's Ring, there is only one thing required to achieve that Elven union. I have indicated in italics the words that I feel are critical

In happy days and times of peace it was held ungracious and contemptuous of kin to forgo the ceremonies, but it was at all times lawful for any of the Eldar, both being unwed, to marry thus of free consent one to another, without ceremony or witness (save blessings exchanged and the naming of the Name); the union so joined was alike indissoluble. In days of old, in times of trouble, in flight and exile and wandering, such marriages were often made. (Morgoth's Ring, p. 212)

Why can we not then approach it from this angle?

1. Pio as the creator and writer for her character has the right to develop that character as she sees fit, whether or not I or anyone else totally agrees with the way she has done so (and of course the vice versa holds true for any character that I or someone else develops.)

I think the above holds as long as the guidelines of the Downs are adhered to and, laying aside Mith's "joke" (GROWL!), I think that nothing has been said or written which goes outside those guidelines. What we are talking about here is a matter of personal discretion, personal beliefs, and courtesies----not rules. And, inevitably, when we write as a group, differences on this level will occur.

Suggested Course : Could we not then have all of Pio's writing hold fast--no change or deletions -- but merely add the following 18 words in the recent scene where Mithadan resolves his conflicts and inconsisencies? These words are as follows: "Then Mithadan and Pio exchanged blessings and undertook the naming of the name, in accordance with hallowed (or ancient??) custom."

Pio -- correct me if I'm wrong, but I think you essentially said this was in accord with Pio's new sense of commitment as well as the realistic fact that she was an "orphan" (Where's Bird when I need her?) and out in the middle of the ocean with no Elvish community at hand.

Helen-- According to Tolkien, this would constitute a legitimate Elvish union. I may be wrong, but I remember thinking when I read the Silm that this was how Beren and Luthien did it (by inference).

Any possibility of this working?

Cami

p.s. The line forms to the left for hurling tomatoes.

[ September 27, 2002: Message edited by: Child of the 7th Age ]

[ September 27, 2002: Message edited by: Child of the 7th Age ]