Hello :) This is a first fanfic so review but please be nice ( or at least civil! ) May be slightly cheesy, I don't know :) Written for the probably AU Genfic swap. Thanks

Feanor's Dream

The sun was just setting over the hidden city of Gondolin when Naris, a young palace guard propped his spear up against the citadel wall at the end of another day. Naris, removing his heavy helmet and carefully laying his shield on the floor next to the spear, swung himself up beside the wall to watch the sunset. Naris was always here, by the wall, whenever the sun was setting, no one knew how or even why, but when the light began to fade and the traders started to pack up their stalls, you could pretty much guarantee he'd be there. When the sun had sunk behind the mountains he collected his gear and set off home. Walking through the streets of Gondolin at the end of the day was always something Naris deeply enjoyed. He loved the warm lights in the houses and the quiet chatter of the youth gathered by one of the many fountains in Gondolin. The thing he loved most, though, was the young woman who was always waiting for him at the end of the day. Idil, Naris' betrothed, would sit next to a tree in a secluded park every day and wait for him. Naris loved the sunset and the mountains and the palace, but he loved Idil best of all.

*A while ago, quite far away*

Feanor ran from through the streets, hot tears stinging his eyes. He could hear Finarfin, his half-brother yelling, "Stop! Feanor! I didn't mean to!" But Feanor continued running, away from the city, away from the brothers that he hated, and the father who he mistrusted. As he ran, he thought about today, how horrible it had been, and as he stumbled through the gates leading into the forest he started to regret some of the things he had said. All this running had made him tired, though, and he collapsed by a tree to rest. After a little while, he set off in what he hoped was the general direction of home, but after half an hour of endless forest he realised he was lost. Not knowing which way to go, he kept on in the same direction, reasoning that this way was as good as any, and after a few minutes of more walking he burst through an opening in the trees. He expected to see the path to the gate into the city, and just maybe, Finarfin sitting next to it, waiting for him to come back. What he did see was, to his surprise, a small clearing with a well in the middle. Feanor was tired and he gratefully drew some water from the well. drinking his fill, threw himself down beside the well, and though he didn't mean to, soon fell asleep...

*Back in Gondolin*

Idil looked up from her book to see Naris, her betrothed, enter the park and smile the special smile that was only for her. She stood and he greeted her, as always, by kissing her hand. They sat down under the tree and he asked her how her day had been.

"Much the same as yesterday," she replied with a smile, "Changing beds, attending to the Princess Idril at dinner, though I did get to talk briefly with Lena, my friend, who works in the kitchens, how was your day?"

"I'm glad, you get along with her very well," he said, with a smile that matched hers.

"My day went well, thank you, same as yesterday, but you know that's how I like it." She grinned, she had long grown used to Naris' ways, it wasn't that he despised change or needed a pattern for every day, but he was deeply satisfied with the way things were. Though he loved to watch the sunset from the palace walls, he never seemed to worry about the mountains he had never climbed, or the meadows that lay beyond them that he had never seen or even the sea that he had never done more than think about. She had once supposed it was strange for such a young man to have found such satisfaction, but nowadays it served to give her a sense of security that she had come to appreciate. All of a sudden there was a large splash in the fountain and a young boy, perhaps eleven years old surfaced, the young couple stood up, surprised, as the child hauled himself over the side and lay on the grass panting.

"Who are you, child, and where did you come from?" asked Naris, quickly regaining his usual calm demeanour.

"My name is Feanor, son of Finwe," said the young elf, evidently trying to maintain his composure and not look like a little child, "Where am I, and where did the forest go?"

Idil stood shocked as the boy announced himself as Feanor, how could this youngster be the hated creator of the Silmarils? She felt Naris stiffen at her side, but to her surprise he smoothly replied.

"It's pleasant to meet you, Feanor, my name is Naris and this is my betrothed, Idil, this is the city of Gondolin."

Suddenly, Idil spun Naris so her lips were against his ear and their backs were to Feanor, "What do we do, Naris, you know who he is!" she whispered.

"We will be kind to him, my love, no matter who he grows up to be, he is just a child now," he whispered back.

She nodded, and turned round to see Feanor gazing at them curiously, "Hello Feanor, do you know how you came to be here?" she asked.

He shook his head and Idil saw that he was shaking from the cold of the fountain.

"Forgive me," she replied," I see that you are cold, we'll go to my house and get you warmed up and then we'll talk."

The boy hung back though, and replied, "How do I know to trust you?"

Naris approached the boy and smiled warmly, "I give you my word."

Feanor looked surprised at this respect and even smiled a little, so without further ado, they set off into the city.

Their walk through Gondolin was quick, to avoid suspicion and also because Feanor, despite wearing Naris' cloak, was very cold. They were glad to arrive at Idil's home, Feanor collapsed on a chair and Idil lit the fire, while Naris walked to his house to collect some spare cloaks for Feanor to wear while his own clothes dried. He arrived back to find Idil and Feanor sitting by the fire munching the crunchy biscuits that were Idil's special recipe. After removing his cloak, he sat beside Idil and before he could ask Feanor any questions the boy blurted out,

"Where did the forest go, why was I suddenly here?"

"Calm down," Naris replied with a smile," I don't know these things, but maybe if you tell me what you were doing before it happened we can have some idea."

Feanor nodded and launched into his tale, "Fingolfin and Finarfin, my half-brothers, and I were playing catch with a ball that Father made us, and suddenly Finarfin lost the ball by throwing it so far overhead that it got caught in a tree,"

Here he faltered, reluctant to go on, but Idil smiled at him gently and he continued "and I got mad at him and we had an argument, I said some things I shouldn't have said and he got mad and said some bad things too." Here he looked regretful and guilty but went on, "I ran into the forest, got lost, and stumbled upon a clearing with a well in the middle, so I had a drink, and I think I fell asleep." Idil looked at Feanor and was shocked to find that there were silent tears running down his cheeks. "I thought I hated them," Feanor admitted, "But I don't, there are times I dislike them, but they're my brothers."

Just then, Feanor looked up in shock, "I feel strange," he said, "I'm… fading?" He looked at his strangely transparent hand and then at Idil and Naris.

"I think you're going home, Feanor," Naris replied gently, "Goodbye"

"Farewell, my young friend," Idil smiled, And just like that, Feanor smiled and disappeared.

*Back in the forest*

Feanor stood up and yawned, he remembered having an amazing dream, but for every step away from the well he took he started to forget a little. By the time he had found the gate, which strangely enough was only a few minutes walk from the clearing; he only remembered having met two elves, a male and female. That, and the fact that he had forgiven Finarfin and no longer wanted to run away.

The End