Every child comes across this simple playground rule: if you find something, it’s yours. Regardless of its morality, this unwritten law has played a great role in Middle-earth, and this is why our theme for this month is “Finders Keepers”.

A classic example would be the One Ring. Gollum claimed it as his own, and later so did Bilbo. How did their decisions to keep what they had found affect Aragorn and Legolas and our other favorite characters?

Other significant objects are found in various points throughout the books. What did it mean to the Three Hunters to find the leaf-shaped brooch Pippin had left behind? What were Aragorn’s thoughts when the Fellowship found Saruman’s palantír? Did his decision to use the found artifact help him to accept his destiny?

Of course, finding something does not necessarily need to bring happiness, and the finder may not wish to keep it. For example, Aragorn found Gollum after a long search, but he must have been glad to be rid of him.

Naturally, your story does not have to be based on a canonical event. Your characters could find whatever your wish them to find, be it as sinister as a riderless horse with a bloodied saddle, or as innocent as a rare plant growing in a desert land.

One could also find love, home, friendship, happiness, and even hope when all seems lost. What did it mean to Aragorn to find Arwen’s love? Was it easy for Legolas to accept that he had found friendship where he was least expecting it? Did Aragorn find his home in Minas Tirith while he served there as Captain Thorongil, or was it only after he returned there as a king many years later? Did Legolas find his home in Ithilien, or did he find it only after he sailed? The possibilities are boundless.

Your story must include Aragorn and/or Legolas. They do not need to be main characters, but at least one of them must be mentioned.

And here are the stories and winners:

Happy reading!

Your Teitho-moderators,
Marethiel, nautika, StarLight, and Valante