(no subject)

[tehta]

I have already posted a list of my first lines. And now, final lines! WIPs will be missing from this list, for obvious reasons. Actually, all I am posting here is the last lines of my stories off AO3:

1. "Rolls right off the tongue,” said Ingwë sarcastically.
   
2. "Are you sure you want to leave our musical notation bet for another day?”
   
3. Yours, as ever, Findaráto
   
4. "What did your scroll call it...'Climbing Telperion'?"
   
5. "You know, now that I think about it, I suppose that celebration I foresaw might have been one of Cirdan's..."
   
6. Their wedding was a simple affair; and they lived happily, if not ever after, then at least for a while.
   
7. He merely glared down in sullen irritation.
   
8. It might have ruined the moment.
   
9. He rode out of Gondolin astride the fire-drake's spine, an improved version of the Balrog song running through his head.
   
10. The artist in me knows that it is a fine story.
    
11. “Right,” said Glorfindel happily.
    
12. "Ai, Elbereth," said Ecthelion.
    
13. Soon, they were off; and the Eagle circled the mountain twice before disappearing into the sky.
    
14. For one, I am sure you know that Ereinion was actually rather ashamed of what his name revealed, and changed it at the earliest opportunity.
    
15. He simply took Ecthelion's hand and tangled it in the hair at the back of his neck.
    
16. He has many pieces to place.
    
17. I believe the exit is that way...
    

This was a bit more interesting for me than the first lines, because I remembered fewer of them. And huh, I seem to like ending fics with dialogue, don't I?

Comments

[heartofoshun.livejournal.com]

I like them and remember a few.

Outstanding among those is:

"Ai, Elbereth," said Ecthelion.

That is kind of a fandom classic for me.

[lenine2.livejournal.com]

That is probably the best known of tehta's ending lines.

My favorite, though, is #17, only because it belongs to my favorite Tehta fic.

[heartofoshun.livejournal.com]

I would be hard-pressed to pick a favorite--I think mine might be the one of the Glorfindel/Ecthelion one's, the first I read was "Flawed and Fair" and it's stuck with me.

Seventeen is the Beleg one, right?

[lenine2.livejournal.com]

Yes, I love clueless Beleg. And Galadriel's cameo.

[tehta.livejournal.com]

I like the F&F ending a lot, myself. And ha, I just realized that most of my EG stories end with them starting some sort of sexual encounter. Except for Ai Elbereth.

[heartofoshun.livejournal.com]

Don't knock it! It's been working!

How I wish I had a tacky Glorfindel and Ecthelion kissing icon for this post. I'll have to settle for Fingon/Maedhros.

[tehta.livejournal.com]

Here they are "sparring". Naked.

I think this is actually a semi-serious point: I prefer to end on a slightly-tense note to a relaxed note (post-coital would be more relaxed.) That's true for most of the other fics, too. Salgant starts a new career, Beleg runs off after Tuor, Maedhros plots... It's almost like ending in media res as well as starting there.

[heartofoshun.livejournal.com]

It's almost like ending in media res as well as starting there.

I think that makes sense from a dramatic and storytelling point of view.

[tehta.livejournal.com]

I have "known" ending lines? Sweet!

[wulfila.livejournal.com]

I still like the F&F one and the Nero-Salgant one, but what struck me when reading the list was that 11-13 form an amusing pseudo-context:

“Right,” said Glorfindel happily.
"Ai, Elbereth," said Ecthelion.
Soon, they were off; and the Eagle circled the mountain twice before disappearing into the sky.

It reads like a changed version of your eagle humour fic with an Ecthelion who has some doubts about travelling by eagle.

[tehta.livejournal.com]

Ecthelion would probably like me to point out that any doubts he might have on that score are not due to cowardice, because he is just as brave as any other Balrog Slayer, but to the Eagle's obvious senility.

[dragonlady7.livejournal.com]

Ha ha #15 is my favorite ever.

And I like your ending "in medias res" (i have forgotten how to handle nested comments, so I've read all of them and am starting a new thread here. Ugh so awkward. C'est la vie.) I never ever ever can resist the temptation to resolve every tiny thing, since in my case writing is so much about wish-fulfillment and my desire to know what happens. Also I really like writing sex scenes. I admire the discipline and carefulness of your writing.