"I would like to call the first meeting of the Widows Club to order!" called Indis.

The group of elven ladies assembled in the gardens of Lórien quieted their chatter and all turned toward the speaker, the tall Vanyarin queen with a cascade of golden hair falling down to her heels. She gave a small, gracious nod to them all, acknowledging their presence, before continuing, "Thank you. Now, Anairë, will you make certain we are all here?"

Anairë nodded and stood, producing a parchment from beneath her silken robe. But before she could begin, Indis suddenly leaped up from her seat again. "Eärwen!" she cried, directing her attention to the lithe elleth in the foamy gown sitting a little off to one side. "What are you doing here?"

Eärwen blinked. "All my friends are gathered for a little party. Why shouldn't I join them?"

The ladies collectively groaned.

"This is the Widows Club, Eärwen," Eldalotë sighed. "So unless Arafinwë suddenly dies, you will have to leave."

Eärwen huffed. "Oh, please. I'll be no bother. I have nothing to do. The house is so empty. Just let me sit here, and I won't disturb you." She flashed them all a smile, that smile which must have been what caused Arafinwë to propose to her the day he met her, and Indis relented.

"Fine. Just don't say anything."

Eärwen nodded in submission.

Indis turned back to Anairë. "Now, please begin."

Anairë unrolled the parchment and read in a loud voice, "Indis, wife of Finwë, check. Anairë, wife of Ñolofinwë Aracáno." She smiled, a little complacent. "Check." Seemingly having lost her place, she scanned the parchment while the ladies shifted in their seats, before she continued, "Um, Vamarië, wife of Findekáno, check." She bestowed an equally complacent smile on her daughter-in-law. "Eldalotë, wife of Angaráto, check. And Melian," here she gave a very deep curtsy to the imposing Maia who sat in the back with a slightly irritated look on her face, "wife of Elwë Singollo, also known as Elu Thingol, check." Anairë made a show of rolling up the parchment. "Well, I guess that's all of us . . ."

Four ladies not yet named exploded from their seats, the tallest of which, with a halo of copper-colored hair, marched up to Anairë and jabbed her finger below the shorter elleth's chin. "Excuse me, Anairë, but I believe you have entirely forgotten a certain House!"

Anairë did not appear fazed. "You know, Indis, if it weren't for them, we wouldn't even have a Widows Club . . ."

"Anairë!" Indis reprimanded.

"What?" Anairë cried. "It's true, and you know it!"

"That's it!" The copper-haired lady, Nerdanel, ripped the parchment from Anairë and studied it for a moment. Everyone waited, uneasiness creeping over them, though Eärwen, who didn't appear to be paying attention, looked quite comfortable. Finally, Nerdanel shoved the parchment back at Anairë, fuming. Some swore (wrong word; thought) they saw smoke emitting from her nostrils. "Our names are there. Read them!"

"Careful, Nerdanel," Indis murmured.

Anairë let out a long-suffering sigh, and read, in a low voice approaching a grumble, "Nerdanel, wife of . . ."

"Louder!" Nerdanel snapped.

"CURUFINWË FËANÁRO!" Anairë yelled, earning a glare from all the ladies present, minus Eärwen, who stared absently at the willow looming over them. "CHECK!"

"Ladies, please," cut in Melian. "Far too much time has passed for you to still be harboring this grudge, Anairë."

"Oh, it's not just Anairë," said Vamarië, rising from her seat and glowering at the Fëanorian ladies. She thrust a finger at them. "If it weren't for Fëanáro and his horrible offspring, my Findekáno and Artanáro would still be alive and with me today!"

The smallest of the Fëanorian ladies (and also the smallest of all them there, minus Eärwen, who was watching a cloud) strode forward. "How dare you speak of our kin in such a manner! You aren't the only one who has lost husband and son! And wasn't Nelyafinwë friends with your Findekáno? Or have you forgotten all goodness from our family and remember only our faults? Might I remind you that your husband also participated in the Kinslaying at Alqualondë?" (Here, Eärwen looked up briefly, but made no other sign she was listening.)

Vamarië scoffed. "What goodness, Serlis? All goodness came from our House. It was Findekáno who rescued Nelyafinwë, who then repaid the favor by drawing him into a hopeless battle, and then by abandoning him to be killed by a balrog!"

Nerdanel spoke up. "He passed his rightful claim to the throne to your stuck-up father-in-law!"

"WHAT did you call Ñolofinwë?!" Anairë shrieked.

"Ladies, stop!" Indis cried.

Nerdanel looked ready to pounce on Anairë and rip her apart, but another of the Fëanorian ladies laid her hands on her mother-in-law's shoulders and maneuvered her to her seat. The others sat down, staring at each other and smoldering.

After a couple minutes of awkward silence, Indis cleared her throat. "Now. Anairë, please finish taking attendance."

Anairë growled, but did as she was told. "Eärlinel, wife of Kanafinwë Makalaurë, check. Ariëven, wife of Morifinwë Carnistir, check. And Serlis, wife of Curufinwë Atarinkë." She gave a pointed, disgusted look at Serlis, who pretended not to notice. "Check." She stuffed the parchment back into her robe and sat down without any of her usual grace.

Indis smiled, pleased that she had been able to diffuse a potentially dangerous situation. But then Eldalotë added, with a little flounce and smug smile, "I'm glad that's over, but I knew something would happen. Those Fëanorians are so uncultured, they can't go anywhere without starting a fight."

No one could really argue the truth in that statement, but Nerdanel could not let it slip by. She jumped to her feet again, eyes flashing. "And what can come from the vain, tender-footed House of Arafinwë, except cowardice and laziness?"

Apparently Eärwen had been paying attention, for she snapped her gaze from the doves she had been watching, and turned on Nerdanel, her face black with wrath. "Take that back," she hissed.

A nasty grin found its way onto Nerdanel's lips. "Never."

Eärwen, barely more substantial than a wisp of cloud, climbed onto her chair, her tiny chest heaving. "You – take – that – back – Nerdanel – daughter of Mahtan!"

Nerdanel batted her eyelashes. "Or what? You'll throw golden sea-flowers at me?"

Eärwen probably would have launched herself at Nerdanel, and Eru only knew what would have come of that, when at that moment, King Arafinwë himself, radiant as Arien and breath-takingly handsome, came upon their party in Lórien, bearing a bouquet. Instantly, all the ladies quieted, and slid into their chairs, their faces red. Arafinwë looked from one to the other, a little baffled, but he didn't bother too much about it. He came up to Eärwen, who was still recovering from her rage, leaned down, and kissed her cheek. "I . . . uh, brought you some golden sea-flowers, darling," he said, and awkwardly handed the bouquet to her.

She took it, and proffered him a guilty smile. "Thank you, dearest." They kissed, this time on the lips, making the rest of the ladies present slouch in their seats and glare at them with jealousy.

Arafinwë left, and Eärwen turned back to the group, looking pleased and a good deal more like her usual self. "So, where were we?"

"I'm going to find Ilmarë," said Melian, abruptly standing.

"But we've barely started," cried Indis.

Melian gave her a dry smile. "Exactly."

Notes on names:

Arafinwë - Finarfin

Ñolofinwë Aracáno - Fingolfin

Findekáno - Fingon

Angaráto - Angrod

Curufinwë Fëanáro - Fëanor

Artanáro - Gil-galad

Nelyafinwë - Maedhros

Kanafinwë Makalaurë - Maglor

Morifinwë Carnistir - Caranthir

Curufinwë Atarinkë - Curufin

Eärlinel, Ariëven, and Serlis are partly my creations, as Tolkien does mention somewhere that Maglor, Caranthir, and Curufin did marry, but gives no more information. These three will most definitely make another appearance. Vamarië is also mostly mine, her entire existence stemming from the fact that in the Silmarillion Fingon had Gil-galad. And yes, even though I do mention Eldalotë, I'm sticking to this version of the story.

Maglor's wife is part of the Widows Club because I'm thinking she wouldn't have known exactly what happened to him, and it seemed most probable that he died (as the rest of his brothers did). Also, I don't think that all these ladies would have come from/stayed in Valinor, but I have it this way for the sake of the story.

This was a lot of fun to write, I hope you enjoyed it!

Much love,

Unicadia